Intro to Screenwriting Week 9: Beat Sheets

This week we screened short films, presented our beat sheets, and analyzed The Sixth Sense screenplay. 

Beat Sheet Presentations

We jumped right in to presenting our beat sheets in class. When my turn came, I read through and elaborated on some. One of my classmates said they were very excited about my idea and wish it could be an actual film which was really cool to hear, and very encouraging!

Unfortunately I did misunderstand the assignment. We were supposed to elaborate some more beyond just the 7 plot points. I went back to add in those details and came up with this: 

• Inciting Incident: Addie sits at her desk. Chaotic orchestral music swells as she fiddles with a pill bottle in her hand. 
• Point of No Return: Addie takes the pill. The music stops. 
• Addie laughs at an apartment party surrounded by friends. They’re clearly intoxicated. 
• Her friends tease her that she “never would have done this before” as she accepts a shot glass from one of her friends. 
• Midpoint: They take the shot, clinking small glasses. Addie coughs and laughs, looking around to her friends.
• Montage: Addie dances, sings, drinks more and more, and more. 
• Cut to Addie vomiting in the bathroom. 
• Big Gloom: She sinks to the ground, mascara smudged. The music creeps back in. 
• Addie storms out of the bathroom, crying. Her best friend, Meg, lays half asleep on the couch.
• Climax: Addie rants about how she’s changed and hates who she’s become. 
• Meg talks her down, confirming that this is what college kids do, her anxiety is just no longer in the way of her doing these things; she is not a bad person for drinking or acting this way. 
• Addie calms down, the music subsiding again. 

I am much happier with how this turned out and feel like it is a better jumping-off point to get started on writing!

Assignment

Rather than screening a film, we read and analyzed M. Night Shyamalan‘s 1999 film, The Sixth Sense.

When Malcolm is visited by a failed client, the therapist must do whatever it takes to treat his newest patient Cole before his own family falls apart. 

I did really enjoy this film, and getting to see the differences between the movie and the actual screenplay was very interesting!

What stood out to me most were the set up and pay offs that M. Night Shyamalan included throughout to hint at the ending twist. 

Conclusion

I can’t wait to dive into writing the script for real now with the new feedback. I also recommend looking up your favorite film’s screenplay and reading along: there are lots of cool elements to spot!

Be sure to check out last week’s post, and stay tuned for more!