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Beat Sheets for Writers
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Directed by Robert Zemeckis, Back to the Future isn't only one of the most iconic movies of all time – it's also a great example of how to tell a story using the classic Three Act Structure narrative framework.
Cinderelly, Cinderelly… what’s the plot of Cinderella? It’s a story told countless times, from children’s books to the Disney animated classic, and even on ice! A timeless romance – with a great sense of fashion. In this beat sheet, you’ll see how the Cinderella story’s plot fits perfectly within the Story Spine plot structure, one …
You might not expect that a slacker comedy cult classic like Dude, Where’s My Car? would follow any kind of writing beat sheet or story framework – rules, what? – but, dude, you’d be wrong. In this article, we’ll show you how the movie fits within the context of Dan Harmon’s Story Circle plot structure …
William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet has influenced storytellers for centuries, with a “revenge plot” that modern stories like Dune, The Story of Edward Sawtelle, and The Lion King have reimagined to great effect. In this beat sheet, you’ll see how Hamlet’s plot serves as an excellent example of the Freytag’s Pyramid story structure – just be warned, …
Did you know the basic plot of the Jack and the Beanstalk story, first published in 1734, may be over 5,000 years old? You can read the English fairy tale for free here. In this beat sheet, we’ll diagram the story’s plot using the Freytag’s Pyramid narrative structure.
One of the most enduring American short stories of the 20th century, The Gift of the Magi, published by O. Henry in 1905, is well worth studying – you can even read it for free. In this beat sheet, we’ll show you how the story’s plot fits neatly into the W Plot structure. If you’re …
Originally a novel by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games is a superbly plotted story, from the exposition that offers excellent worldbuilding to the satisfying conclusion that leaves room for a sequel. In this beat sheet, we’ll explore how the movie’s plot closely follows the Hero’s Journey story structure made famous by Christopher Vogler. May the …
One of the great coming-of-age stories of the 2oth century, The Lion King reimagines the plot of Shakespeare’s Hamlet for a younger audience – with some great animation to boot. Use this beat sheet to see how the plot of The Lion King matches up to the beats of the classic Three Act Structure, even …