Thursday, April 18, 2013

SKYFALL Hits the 120 Universal Story Beats!

A minute-by-minute analysis of SKYFALL by Todd Klick,
using the Something Startling Happens story beats:

MINUTE  1:  AT-TENSION!     
James Bond finds a gravely wounded MI6 agent/the hard-drive is gone  
MINUTE  2:  THE BUILD   
Bond and his co-agent, Eve, chase the Bad Guy Agent       
MINUTE  3:  THE RATCHET       
Police chase after Bond/Bond crashes into Bad Guy Agent's car   
MINUTE  4:  ANOTHER NOTCH      
The Bad Guy Agent shoots at Bond and kills the police   
MINUTE  5:  JAW DROPPER     
Bond chases the Bad Guy Agent on the rooftops of the Grand Bizarre and jumps his motorcycle through a stained glass window!   
MINUTE  6:  FRIEND OR FIST     
Eve follows after Bond to help him   
MINUTE  7:  FRIEND OR FIST 2     
Eve chases after the train Bond jumped on   
MINUTE  8:  SOMETHING STARTLING HAPPENS  
The Bad Guy Agent shoots Bond in the shoulder!   
MINUTE  9:  THE PURSUIT      
Bond pursues the Bad Guy Agent with a backhoe/Eve tells M: "007 still in pursuit!"    
MINUTE 10: THE DISCUSSION    
M asks Eve: "What's going on?" Eve gives M an update   
MINUTE 11: THE WARNING    
Eve warns M that she doesn't have "a clean shot"   
MINUTE 12: HARSHER WARNING    
M warns Eve that she better "take the bloody shot"
MINUTE 13: THE SUBMISSION     
Dead James Bond falls over a waterfall and sinks into the river   
MINUTE 14: DANGER WATCH    
M writes dead Bond's obituary   
MINUTE 15: WHEW, THAT WAS CLOSE!    
As they walk into the Chairman's offices, M tells Turner: "It's like being summoned to the headmaster's study"
Turner assures her: "It's the new chairman. Standard procedure" (whew, that was close!)   
MINUTE 16: THE BIG CONCERN     
The British government wants M to retire   
MINUTE 17: WORLD UPSIDE DOWN    
A hacker has broken into MI6's computers   
MINUTE 18: TROUBLE TURN     
The hacker blows up MI6's offices!  
MINUTE 19: THE THREAT     
A scorpion threatens to sting Bond's hand   
MINUTE 20: PUSH BACK      
Bond flicks off the scorpion and covers it with the shot glass  
MINUTE 21: THE GREAT AFFECT     
Bond learns that MI6 was bombed   
MINUTE 22: TRUTH DECLARED     
M: "I'm going to find whoever did this"   
MINUTE 23: SCARY STUFF    
Bond glares at M and says, "You should have trusted me to do the bloody job"   
MINUTE 24: SCARY STUFF 2
M tells Bond that they're under attack   
MINUTE 25: SCARY STUFF 3     
Turner tells Bond that the hacker pulled off the impossible: hacked into their computers and turned on the gas   
MINUTE 26: THE BIG UNEXPECTED    
Bond stares at the new, impressive MI6 offices, which are now underground in Churchill's former bunker   
MINUTE 27: THE MINI-QUEST     
Bond attempts to hit the target   
MINUTE 28: BIG QUEST PREP     
A psychologist attempts to figure out if Bond is mentally stable enough to go back to work  
MINUTE 29: BIG QUEST PREP 2     
A psychologist continues to attempt to figure out if Bond is mentally stable enough to go back to work    
MINUTE 30: THE NEED      
Bond needs to find out who the bullet fragments belong to   
MINUTE 31: DISTRESS SIGNAL     
Bond spots Eve, the agent who shot him   
MINUTE 32: ANXIETY AMP     
Bond meets the new Chairman. Bond wonders if he'll be reinstated   
MINUTE 33: OMINOUS OH NO!     
Chairman Mallory tells Bond that "it's a young man's game" and that Bond has "lost a step." He suggests Bond retire   
MINUTE 34: FRIEND AFFECT     
Turner finds out who the bullet fragments belong to. Turner: "Luckily we have one or two friends left in the CIA"   
MINUTE 35: BAIT & SWITCH     
Turner to M: I didn't know Bond passed the tests" (BAIT)
M: "He didn't" (SWITCH)
MINUTE 36: HIDE & SEEK    
Bond wonders who the young man is who sat beside him. It turns out to be the new Q.   
MINUTE 37: OVER HIS HEAD     
Witty Q says he can do more damage with his laptop in his pajamas than Bond can do out in the field -- Bond may be outdated   
MINUTE 38: POSITIVE RECONNECT    
Q wishes Bond good luck out in the field   
MINUTE 39: NEW JOURNEY BOND    
Bond follows the Bad Guy Agent while wearing a disguise   
MINUTE 40: ALLY’S WORLD 
The Bad Guy Agent (Bond's ally to finding the Main Bad Guy) takes a taxi  
MINUTE 41: THORNY ROSE     
Bond spots Bad Guy Agent (ROSE), but the agent shoots the security guard (THORN)  
MINUTE 42: SURPRISE REVEAL     
Bond nimbly bounds up and grabs hold of the bottom of the elevator, revealing that he is still surprisingly nimble for an old man  
MINUTE 43: SURPRISE REVEAL 2    
Bond's shoulder hurts him   
MINUTE 44: NEW NEWS      
Bond learns that the Bad Guy Agent is going to kill someone
MINUTE 45: OUT OF THE ORDINARY    
The Bad Guy Agent uses a glass cutter for an assassination attempt   
MINUTE 46: THE REVELATION    
The Bad Guy Agent realizes Bond is there and fires at him   
MINUTE 47: THE ESCORT    
Bond finds a poker chip that leads him closer to his goal   
MINUTE 48: NEEDED KNOWLEDGE    
M learns that the Bad Guy posted five agents' names and faces onto the internet  
MINUTE 49: FOREBODING FACT     
Someone knocks on Bond's door   
MINUTE 50: THE PORTENT     
Bond gives Eve the razor  
MINUTE 51: THE ENGAGE      
Eve and Bond flirt heavily   
MINUTE 52: SAY UNCLE      
Bond gives into Eve's flirtation  
MINUTE 53: THE INTIMIDATION     
Bond tells Eve there's "lots of blind spots" in the casino  
MINUTE 54: THE LIGHTBULB     
Bond learns that the woman who was at the assassination is at the casino  
MINUTE 55: SIDESWIPE      
The woman tells Bond she doesn't gamble   
MINUTE 56: DARK TWIST CHAT     
The woman says to Bond: "Should we discuss your next performance over that drink?"   
MINUTE 57: DIFFICULT WORDS     
The woman asks Bond: "Do you mind if I ask you a business question?"
Bond: "Depends on the question"
Woman: "It has to do with death"   
MINUTE 58: VITAL EVENT     
Bond tells the woman he wants to meet her employer
Woman: "Be careful what you wish for"  
MINUTE 59: THE DECEPTION               
The woman acts brave, but Bond knows she's scared   
MINUTE 60: THE SHOCKER
Three bodyguards attack Bond  

And so on...

To learn much more about all 120 minute-by-minute beats, and how to apply them to your screenplay, TV pilot, novel or graphic novel, order Something Startling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer Needs To Know at Amazon.com or Barnes & Nobles.http://shop.mwp.com/products/something-startling-happens-the-120-story-beats-every-writer-needs-to-know


And try the #1 Bestseller, The Screenwriter's Fairy Tale: The Universal Story Within All Movie Storieshttp://www.amazon.com/The-Screenwriters-Fairy-Tale-ebook/dp/B007U6D0CM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1348519200&sr=1-1&keywords=the+screenwriter%27s+fairytale+the+universal+story+within+all+movie+stories 

Todd Klick Writing Services: www.toddklick.com


Monday, January 14, 2013

THE AVENGERS Hit All 120 Universal Story Beats!

A minute-by-minute analysis of THE AVENGERS by Todd Klick,
using the Something Startling Happens story beats:

MINUTE  1:  AT-TENSION!     
"What can the humans do but burn?"  
MINUTE  2:  THE BUILD   
Evacuation begins        
MINUTE  3:  THE RATCHET       
Agent Hill: "Evacuation may be futile"   
MINUTE  4:  ANOTHER NOTCH      
The building shakes  
MINUTE  5:  JAW DROPPER     
Loki appears in a brilliant blue ball of dazzling light   
MINUTE  6:  FRIEND OR FIST     
Hawkeye saves Nick Fury   
MINUTE  7:  FRIEND OR FIST 2     
Nick Fury and Selvig band together to try to stop Loki   
MINUTE  8:  SOMETHING STARTLING HAPPENS  
Hawkeye shoots Nick Fury!  
MINUTE  9:  THE PURSUIT      
Agent Hill pursues Loki in a car chase   
MINUTE 10: THE DISCUSSION    
Agent Coulson to Nick Fury: "We're clear upstairs, sir. You need to go."   
MINUTE 11: THE WARNING    
Nick Fury: "Coulson, get back to base. This is a Level 7!"  
MINUTE 12: HARSHER WARNING    
Nick Fury: "As of right now, we are at war"   
MINUTE 13: THE SUBMISSION     
Natasha Romanoff sits helpless, tied up in a chair   
MINUTE 14: DANGER WATCH    
Coulson: "The pardon's been compromised"   
MINUTE 15: WHEW, THAT WAS CLOSE!    
The big Russian thug grabs Natasha, but she escapes (Whew, that was close!)   
MINUTE 16: THE BIG CONCERN     
The little girl tells Bruce Banner that her father's eyes won't open    
MINUTE 17: WORLD UPSIDE DOWN    
Natasha has tricked Bruce Banner—there is no sick father
MINUTE 18: TROUBLE TURN     
Black Widow: "Doctor, we're facing a potential global catastrophe"   
MINUTE 19: THE THREAT     
Bruce Banner yells at Black Widow: "Stop lying to me!"   
MINUTE 20: PUSH BACK      
Nick Fury talks back to the people in The Council  
MINUTE 21: THE GREAT AFFECT     
Nick Fury approaches Steve Rogers  
MINUTE 22: TRUTH DECLARED     
Nick Fury to Steve Rogers: "We've made some mistakes along the way. Some very recently"   
MINUTE 23: SCARY STUFF    
Nick Fury to Steve Rogers: "The world has gotten even stranger than you already know"   
MINUTE 24: SCARY STUFF 2
Coulson wants to speak to elusive Tony Stark  
MINUTE 25: SCARY STUFF 3     
Tony Stark refuses to speak to Coulson   
MINUTE 26: THE BIG UNEXPECTED    
Agent Coulson tricks Tony Stark—he exits the elevator  
MINUTE 27: THE MINI-QUEST     
Coulson tries to convince Tony Stark to join the Avengers  
MINUTE 28: BIG QUEST PREP     
Coulson preps Steve Rogers for the big task ahead   
MINUTE 29: BIG QUEST PREP 2     
Coulson continues to prep Steve Rogers for the big task ahead    
MINUTE 30: THE NEED      
Loki needs to take over earth
The Avenger need to stop Loki  
MINUTE 31: DISTRESS SIGNAL     
Loki is told: "If the tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm"   
MINUTE 32: ANXIETY AMP     
Loki is told: "You think you know pain? You will long for something sweet as pain"   
MINUTE 33: OMINOUS OH NO!     
Natasha to Steve Rogers and Bruce Banner: "You might wanna step inside, it's going to get hard to breath"   
MINUTE 34: FRIEND AFFECT     
Steve Rogers is impressed with the new technology  
MINUTE 35: BAIT & SWITCH     
The aircraft carrier doesn't submerge (BAIT), it flies instead (SWITCH)   
MINUTE 36: HIDE & SEEK    
Where is the tesselact (HIDE)? Bruce Banner offers ideas on how to find it (SEEK)   
MINUTE 37: OVER HIS HEAD     
Coulson makes a fool of himself by begging for an autograph  
MINUTE 38: POSITIVE RECONNECT    
Steve Rogers looks at his old Captain America suit  
MINUTE 39: NEW JOURNEY BOND    
Humans kneel before Loki 
MINUTE 40: ALLY’S WORLD 
Humans now bow before Loki  
MINUTE 41: THORNY ROSE     
An old man stands up to Loki (ROSE), but Loki points his staff at him (THORN)   
MINUTE 42: SURPRISE REVEAL     
Captain America comes out of nowhere to save old man  
MINUTE 43: SURPRISE REVEAL 2    
Iron Man comes out of nowhere to save Captain America  
MINUTE 44: NEW NEWS      
Thor takes Loki away
MINUTE 45: OUT OF THE ORDINARY    
Black Widow: "These guys are legends. They are basically gods." 
MINUTE 46: THE REVELATION    
Loki confesses his jealousy   
MINUTE 47: THE ESCORT    
Iron Man carries Thor away from Loki  
MINUTE 48: NEEDED KNOWLEDGE    
Iron Man to Thor: "Stay out of the way"   
MINUTE 49: FOREBODING FACT     
Iron Man's power is weakening   
MINUTE 50: THE PORTENT     
Thor raises his hammer at Captain America   
MINUTE 51: THE ENGAGE      
Loki grins at Bruce Banner  
MINUTE 52: SAY UNCLE      
Loki outwits Nick Fury  
MINUTE 53: THE INTIMIDATION     
Thor: "He {Loki} has an army"   
MINUTE 54: THE LIGHTBULB     
The portal can stay open for Loki  
MINUTE 55: SIDESWIPE      
The Avengers sideswipe Tony Stark with counterpoints   
MINUTE 56: DARK TWIST CHAT     
Fury wants to know how Loki changed Hawkeye & Selvig into his "personal flying monkeys"
MINUTE 57: DIFFICULT WORDS     
Captain America scolds Tony Stark  
MINUTE 58: VITAL EVENT     
Tony Stark is hacking into Shield's computers   
MINUTE 59: THE DECEPTION               
Loki is hiding something from them   
MINUTE 60: THE SHOCKER
Iron Man suggests that Hulk saved David Banner's life   

And so on...

To learn much more about all 120 minute-by-minute beats, and how to apply them to your screenplay, TV pilot, novel or graphic novel, order Something Startling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer Needs To Know at Amazon.com or Barnes & Nobles.http://shop.mwp.com/products/something-startling-happens-the-120-story-beats-every-writer-needs-to-know


And try the #1 Bestseller, The Screenwriter's Fairy Tale: The Universal Story Within All Movie Storieshttp://www.amazon.com/The-Screenwriters-Fairy-Tale-ebook/dp/B007U6D0CM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1348519200&sr=1-1&keywords=the+screenwriter%27s+fairytale+the+universal+story+within+all+movie+stories 

Todd Klick Writing Serviceswww.toddklick.com

Thursday, January 10, 2013

See How HUNGER GAMES Uses the 120 Universal Story Beats!

A minute-by-minute analysis of HUNGER GAMES by Todd Klick,
using the Something Startling Happens story beats:


MINUTE  1:  AT-TENSION!     
A girl screams   
MINUTE  2:  THE BUILD   
Katniss runs through the depressed District 12        
MINUTE  3:  THE RATCHET       
Katniss enters a Danger area  
MINUTE  4:  ANOTHER NOTCH      
Katniss raises her bow and arrow to kill an animal  
MINUTE  5:  JAW DROPPER     
A massive spacecraft flies over them  
MINUTE  6:  FRIEND OR FIST     
Katniss and Gale debate about the TV show   
MINUTE  7:  FRIEND OR FIST 2     
Katniss and Gale talk about escape and eat a roll together  
MINUTE  8:  SOMETHING STARTLING HAPPENS  
Officers in space-like suits march through District 12   
MINUTE  9:  THE PURSUIT      
Katniss hears the whistle, she must hurry towards it soon   
MINUTE 10: THE DISCUSSION    
Prim wants to talk to Katniss about her fear of being selected   
MINUTE 11: THE WARNING    
Katniss tells Prim they will prick her finger for blood  
MINUTE 12: HARSHER WARNING    
The film Effie plays speaks of war and the uprising   
MINUTE 13: THE SUBMISSION     
Each District must offer one young man and woman to fight to the death. Katniss watches in silence and obedience   
MINUTE 14: DANGER WATCH    
The young men and woman watch Effie pick the first name   
MINUTE 15: WHEW, THAT WAS CLOSE!    
Katniss volunteers and saves Primrose's life (whew, that was close!)   
MINUTE 16: THE BIG CONCERN     
Kantiss realizes the enormity of what she's done   
MINUTE 17: WORLD UPSIDE DOWN    
Kantiss must now fight to the death  
MINUTE 18: TROUBLE TURN     
Katniss says goodbye to Prim for the last time  
MINUTE 19: THE THREAT     
Katniss threatens her mom   
MINUTE 20: PUSH BACK      
Katniss glares at Effie  
MINUTE 21: THE GREAT AFFECT     
Effie shows Katniss a bounty of food and wealth  
MINUTE 22: TRUTH DECLARED     
Peeta says: I don't think it's wrong to get a little bit of help  
MINUTE 23: SCARY STUFF    
Haymitch, Katniss's mentor, is a drunk   
MINUTE 24: SCARY STUFF 2
Haymitch tells them there's nothing he can do to save them  
MINUTE 25: SCARY STUFF 3     
Katniss watches a kid beat another with a brick on TV   
MINUTE 26: THE BIG UNEXPECTED    
Katniss stabs a knife next to Hamitch's hand   
MINUTE 27: THE MINI-QUEST     
Katniss wants to learn a survival technique from Hamitch  
MINUTE 28: BIG QUEST PREP     
Katniss steps off the train into the Capital, where the games are held  
MINUTE 29: BIG QUEST PREP 2     
They wash and shave Katniss for her training 
MINUTE 30: THE NEED      
Katniss needs to attract a sponsor  
MINUTE 31: DISTRESS SIGNAL     
The show is about to start  
MINUTE 32: ANXIETY AMP     
Katniss faces the crowd in her new fiery costume  
MINUTE 33: OMINOUS OH NO!     
Katniss must stand before the President  
MINUTE 34: FRIEND AFFECT     
Cinni tells Katniss, "That was amazing"   
MINUTE 35: BAIT & SWITCH     
Eiffie enourages Katniss upstairs (BAIT), then shows her the opulent penthouse suite where she will be staying (SWITCH)    
MINUTE 36: HIDE & SEEK    
Katniss stays alone in her bedroom (HIDES), then looks at the channels on her TV (SEEKS)   
MINUTE 37: OVER HIS HEAD     
The coach tells them that most of them will be dead in two weeks  
MINUTE 38: POSITIVE RECONNECT    
Peeta tells Hamitch that Katniss is a really good shot   
MINUTE 39: NEW JOURNEY BOND    
Peeta tells Katness encouraging things people say about her  
MINUTE 40: ALLY’S WORLD 
Flashback to Peeta feeding bread to the hogs   
MINUTE 41: THORNY ROSE     
Peeta falls off the ropes (THORN), but he can throw heavy objects (ROSE)   
MINUTE 42: SURPRISE REVEAL     
Peeta shows Katniss that he can camouflage himself   
MINUTE 43: SURPRISE REVEAL 2    
Hamitch tells Katniss and Peeta they will be evaluated tomorrow   
MINUTE 44: NEW NEWS      
Katniss realizes she must perform in front of the TV execs   
MINUTE 45: OUT OF THE ORDINARY    
Katniss misses the target  
MINUTE 46: THE REVELATION    
The TV execs realize Katniss is an extraordinary archer  
MINUTE 47: THE ESCORT    
Katniss is returned to her penthouse   
MINUTE 48: NEEDED KNOWLEDGE    
The TV host gives them their scores  
MINUTE 49: FOREBODING FACT     
The President doesn't like the attention Katniss is getting   
MINUTE 50: THE PORTENT     
The President tells Seneca to "contain the hope"   
MINUTE 51: THE ENGAGE      
Hamitch tells Katniss that Peeta wants to train alone from now on   
MINUTE 52: SAY UNCLE      
Katniss panics: "How do I get them to like me?"   
MINUTE 53: THE INTIMIDATION     
Katniss must face the host on national TV  
MINUTE 54: THE LIGHTBULB     
Katniss realizes the audience likes her   
MINUTE 55: SIDESWIPE      
The host sideswipes Katniss with questions she didn't see coming 
MINUTE 56: DARK TWIST CHAT     
The host asks Katniss about her sister  
MINUTE 57: DIFFICULT WORDS     
Peeta asks the host to smell him  
MINUTE 58: VITAL EVENT     
Peeta tells the crowd that he likes Katniss   
MINUTE 59: THE DECEPTION               
Katniss is pissed that Peeta deceived her about his true feelings  
MINUTE 60: THE SHOCKER
Katniss apologizes to Peeta  

And so on...

To learn much more about all 120 minute-by-minute beats, and how to apply them to your screenplay, TV pilot, novel or graphic novel, order Something Startling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer Needs To Know at Amazon.com or Barnes & Nobles.http://shop.mwp.com/products/something-startling-happens-the-120-story-beats-every-writer-needs-to-know


And try the #1 Bestseller, The Screenwriter's Fairy Tale: The Universal Story Within All Movie Storieshttp://www.amazon.com/The-Screenwriters-Fairy-Tale-ebook/dp/B007U6D0CM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1348519200&sr=1-1&keywords=the+screenwriter%27s+fairytale+the+universal+story+within+all+movie+stories


Todd Klick Writing Serviceswww.toddklick.com

Monday, April 30, 2012

THE SCREENWRITER'S FAIRY TALE

Thought I'd share an excerpt from my International Bestselling eBook The Screenwriter's Fairy Tale: The Universal Story Within All Movie Stories:
PREFACE

When my first book Something Startling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer Needs To Know hit Amazon's Top 5 for Film and Television books in December of 2011, and then #1 on Kindle for Screenwriting, it blew my mind and humbled me. You see, originally the information in that book wasn't meant for the world at all. It was my own secret passion project to sharpen my writing skills. When you see the book on the shelves now, it's all clean and tidy, but in reality the research process accumulated messy reams of dog-eared and tea-stained legal pads, a scratched stopwatch, a casualty of spent pens, and piles of over 300 scuffed-up DVDs of classic films.

This new work you're about to read went through a similar process.

Why did I research so many movies? I wanted to get to the bottom of how stories worked so I could tell better yarns. The process reminded me of my teenage years. I loved peeking underneath the hood of my beat-ta-crap Chevy to see how the heap was put together. I would disassemble the individual parts that smelled of oil and gas, and study how they fit to make the engine rumble. I'm that same way today with stories.

When you immerse yourself that deeply into figuring things out, you can't help but walk away with a few insights. When I emerged from those four bleary-eyed years of story engine analysis, the knowledge I gained helped propel my stories towards the top of major screenwriting competitions, attracted options and script sales, and launched my book into the bestseller list, which led to other writing deals. But the coolest thing I gained from this whole journey, by far, was the worldwide emails from screenwriters who loved the book and benefited from it. It was those positive messages that inspired me to share even more insights.
Thus this new fable.

I adore screenwriters — we noble story warriors who toil countless hours alone in our rooms and in coffeeshops because we love movies so damn much. We savor how the stories make us feel, and we want — so desperately — to make others feel that same way. What a beautiful, precious cause.

This fable is dedicated to you.

In just a bit, you'll be reading the exact same four-act fairy tale I wrote for myself to help me assemble the bare bones of a story; it's also the template I use to write all my treatments. It's a distillation of what I've found to be common in all successful movies — an archetypal story pattern used since the ancient Greeks. To help you even further, I included a matching paragraph-by-paragraph example of the Academy Award-winning film, The King's Speech.

All the very best, Noble Warrior.

CHAPTER ONE

Once upon a time, in every great movie ever made, there was an incomplete Boy who lived his normal everyday life in his normal everyday world. This Boy, who was orphaned in some way, desperately wanted something and thought that if he got that particular something, it would fix his incompleteness. He didn't realize, however, that he had a much deeper problem on his hands -- he possessed a stubborn flaw, which he was blind to. In fact, this flaw prevented him from getting what he really needed in his life: true happiness or enlightenment.

Going about his usual business, the Boy interacted with friends or a love interest and discussed that thing he desperately wanted. Some of his friends were nice and helpful, while others were mean. But just when the Boy was going to continue on repeating his same ol' everyday habits, a predicament interrupted his life — a predicament that would eventually lead to the exposure of his flaw. The Boy found this predicament unsettling and feared it. In some cases, however, the predicament thrilled the Boy — he saw it as an opportunity. In this circumstance, his disquieted friends expressed fear for the Boy instead.

Soon after, the Boy met with a mentor. Sometimes the mentor was older and wiser and offered words of wisdom. Other times, the mentor appeared wise, but offered the wrong advice. Mulling over his chat with his mentor, the Boy realized that he still lacked something in his life. But the Boy didn't understand why he lacked this something because his flaw still blinded him. In the midst of all these happenings, a bully made his presence known — a powerful adversary who would eventually find a way to exploit the Boy's flaw in order to defeat him. As the Boy tried to maintain his bearings within his unraveling world, a startling life-changing event propelled him into uncharted territory.

End of excerpt.

Buy today for only $2.99 at http://www.amazon.com/The-Screenwriters-Fairy-Tale-ebook/dp/B007U6D0CM

Monday, March 12, 2012

How Steven Spielberg's Movies Follow The Universal Story Beats!

A minute-by-minute analysis of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, WAR OF THE WORLDS and SCHINDLER’S LIST by Todd Klick
MINUTE  1:  AT-TENSION!
Schindler: Subtitles tell us German forces defeated Poland in two weeks
War of the Worlds: Intelligent beings watch our planet with envious eyes
Raiders: Indiana Jones and his crew head deep into a dangerous jungle    
MINUTE  2:  THE BUILD
Schindler: Lines of displaced Jews register amid crying babies     
War of the Worlds: The aliens “drew their plans against us”
Raiders: Indy finds a deadly arrow
MINUTE  3:  THE RATCHET
Schindler: A man (Schindler) pins a Nazi symbol to his lapel
War of the Worlds: Ray drives his Mustang down the street at high speeds
Raiders: Satipo says, “The Hovitos are near. The poison is still fresh”
MINUTE  4:  ANOTHER NOTCH 
Schindler: Schindler’s eyes study Nazi officers
War of the Worlds: Ray’s ex-wife and husband glare at him for being late
Raiders: A man pulls a gun on Indy
MINUTE  5:  JAW DROPPER
Schindler: Schindler gives the stunned waiter $50 to buy the Nazi’s a round of drinks (the equivalent of $782 today, a jaw-dropping amount)
War of the Worlds: Ray’s ex-wife’s jaw drops when she sees that Ray is not helping their daughter; There’s a car engine in Ray’s kitchen
Raiders: A jaw dropping number of spiders crawl onto Indy and his ally’s back
MINUTE  6:  FRIEND OR FIST
Schindler: Schindler invites the Nazi officers to sit at his table (FRIEND)
War of the Worlds: Ray and his wife argue (FIST)
Raiders: Indy saves Satipo from falling (FRIEND)
MINUTE  7:  FRIEND OR FIST 2
Schindler: Schindler dines and drinks with a large table of Nazis and their dates (FRIEND)
War of the Worlds: Ray and his wife share a tender moment and a laugh (FRIEND)
Raiders: Indy saves Satipo’s life again (FRIEND)
MINUTE  8:  SOMETHING STARTLING HAPPENS
Schindler: The Nazi officer says, “This is not the Romans, this storm is the SS”—a startling comment, suggesting that the Nazi’s are superior to the Roman Empire
War of the Worlds: Anchorwoman says “Freakish lightning of catastrophic proportion struck the Ukraine”
Raiders: The crumbling temple startles Indy!
MINUTE  9:  THE PURSUIT
Schindler: The newly-arrived Nazi officer gestures towards Schindler and asks the waiter, “Who is that man?”
War of the Worlds: Ray pursues a civil conversation with his son, but fails
Raiders: Indy pursues Satipo who stole the idol
MINUTE 10: THE DISCUSSION 
Schindler: Disgruntled Jews discuss their concerns with the council
War of the Worlds: Ray and Rachel discuss how to get through to Robbie
Raiders: Belloq and Indy discuss the idol
MINUTE 11: THE WARNING
Schindler: The Jewish man warns the Jewish woman that the Germans will shoot her
War of the Worlds: News warns of more storms
Raiders: Belloq warns Indy to hand over the gun or the Hovitos will kill him
MINUTE 12: HARSHER WARNING
Schindler: Schindler wants to hire Itzhak Stern, a request Jewish-Stern feels threatened by 
War of the Worlds: Ray sees that his car is gone—a warning that his son took it
Raiders: Hovitos try to kill Indy
MINUTE 13: THE SUBMISSION
Schindler: Silent Stern stares at Schindler for a long time
War of the Worlds: Ray stops and stares at the black sky
Raiders: Indy remains seated as a snake slithers in his lap
MINUTE 14: DANGER WATCH 
Schindler: Schindler stares at Stern and says, “{The Jews} should be interested {in my business venture},” suggesting that their lives are at stake
War of the Worlds: Wind blows towards the ominous-looking black sky
Raiders: Indy watches Marcus approach with ominous news
MINUTE 15: WHEW, THAT WAS CLOSE!
Schindler: Jewish men scatter when they hear Schindler talking with their friends in the temple (Whew, that was close!)
War of the Worlds: Lightning strikes dangerously close—Whew, that was close 
Raiders: Indy explains to Marcus that he had the idol in his hand — it was this close
MINUTE 16: THE BIG CONCERN
Schindler: The Jewish men are deeply concerned about Schindler’s inquiries
War of the Worlds: Ray and Rachel hide under the table to protect themselves from the intense storm
Raiders: Concerned Indy learns that army intelligence has come to see him. “Am I in trouble?” he asks
MINUTE 17: WORLD UPSIDE DOWN
Schindler: The Jews are forced from their homes and ordered into the ghetto
War of the Worlds: Everything has shut off—electricity, phone and wristwatch
Raiders: Government agents tell Indy that Hitler is looking for an important artifact
MINUTE 18: TROUBLE TURN
Schindler: German kids throw rocks at the Jews
War of the Worlds: All vehicles have stopped working
Raiders: Indy learns that Hitler wants the ark so he can obtain great power
MINUTE 19: THE THREAT  
Schindler: The wealthy Jewish family moves into a slum apartment
War of the Worlds: Neighbors surround a threatening-looking hole
Raiders: Nazis (obvious bad guys) threaten to find the Ra headpiece first
MINUTE 20: PUSH BACK
Schindler: The Jewish man yells at his wife, “How could it be worse?!!”
War of the Worlds: Ray picks up one of the broken street chunks
Raiders: Indy — who was intimidated by Belloq, the snakes, and now the agents — pushes back with his superior knowledge of the ark
MINUTE 21: THE GREAT AFFECT  
Schindler: Schindler meets with wealthy Jewish men
War of the Worlds: The street splits and the building breaks
Raiders: Marcus tells Indy that the government wants him to find the ark
MINUTE 22: TRUTH DECLARED
Schindler: Schindler says, “I said what I’ll do, that’s our contract”
War of the Worlds: Cop says, “We gotta clear this area!”
Raiders: Marcus tells Indy: “Faith is the path of least resistance”
MINUTE 23: SCARY STUFF
Schindler: The Jews have to give their wage to the SS
War of the Worlds: A car spits out of the hole
Raiders: Indy shows Marcus his (scary) gun
MINUTE 24: SCARY STUFF 2
Schindler: The Jews talk about places to hide
War of the Worlds: A giant alien tripod rises out of the earth
Raiders: Marion plays an intense drinking game with a scary looking local
MINUTE 25: SCARY STUFF 3
Schindler: A Jewish man is taken to the condemned line because he is not “an essential worker”
War of the Worlds: The tripod revs up its engine
Raiders: Marion almost passes out and loses the drinking game
MINUTE 26: THE BIG UNEXPECTED
Schindler: Stern saves the condemned man with forged papers
War of the Worlds: The tripod starts killing people!
Raiders: Marion punches Indiana Jones in the face!
MINUTE 27: THE MINI-QUEST 
Schindler: Stern leads Jews to the registration table
War of the Worlds: Ray hides from the tripod
Raiders: Indy tells Marion that he needs the bronze medallion (Indy’s Mini-Quest before searching for the ark)
MINUTE 28: BIG QUEST PREP 
Schindler: The Jewish workers learn how to make pots for the Germans
War of the Worlds: Ray and his kids prepare to leave
Raiders: Indy gives Marion money to get the medallion
MINUTE 29: BIG QUEST PREP 2 
Schindler: Schindler interviews possible typists for office work
War of the Worlds: Ray and his kids gather supplies to take with them
Raiders: Nazis enter Marion’s bar (preparing to take over the medallion so they can find the ark)
MINUTE 30: THE NEED
Schindler: “We’re going to need several boxes of Cuban cigars,” Schindler says (he needs to impress Nazi officers
War of the Worlds: Ray needs to leave immediately
Raiders: The Nazi needs the medallion
MINUTE 31: DISTRESS SIGNAL   
Schindler: Jewish workers burn their hands on the pots
War of the Worlds: The tripod fires lasers all around Ray’s car
Raiders: Indy sees the red-hot poker moving toward Marion’s face
MINUTE 32: ANXIETY AMP
Schindler: Irritated Schindler wants Stern to toast, but he won’t
War of the Worlds: Rachel freaks out
Raiders: Bad guys shoot at Indy
MINUTE 33: OMINOUS OH NO!
Schindler: Schindler wants Stern to acknowledge his thanks, but he doesn’t want to
War of the Worlds: Ray thinks that the attackers might be from “somewhere else” (oh no!)
Raiders: A flame races toward Indy’s face
MINUTE 34: FRIEND AFFECT 
Schindler: Schindler’s wife shows up
War of the Worlds: Ray finds his ex-wife’s house
Raiders: Sallah brings Indy and Marion to his home
MINUTE 35: BAIT & SWITCH    
Schindler: "Three hundred and fifty worker with one purpose,” Schindler says (BAIT). “To make pots and pans?” His wife asks. “To make money for me,” Schindler replies (SWITCH)
War of the Worlds: Ray grabs the box of food (BAIT), but all that’s inside are condiments (SWITCH)
Raiders: Marion befriends a monkey (who will later betray her)
MINUTE 36: HIDE & SEEK
Schindler: “There was always something missing,” Schindler says“
War of the Worlds: Ray tries to make food for his kids (SEEKS), but they refuse to eat (HIDE)
Raiders: The ark stays hidden, not found yet by Belloq or Indy
MINUTE 37: OVER HIS HEAD
Schindler: A girl casts a flirting gaze at Schindler as he dances with his wife—he can’t resist flirting back (he is in over his head with women)
War of the Worlds: Overwhelmed Ray stares out the window
Raiders: Sallah thinks the ark should remain undisturbed (they may be in over their heads)
MINUTE 38: POSITIVE RECONNECT
Schindler: Schindler and his wife talk in bed
War of the Worlds: Robbie tells Rachel that he loves her
Raiders: Indy and Marion joke together at the market
MINUTE 39: NEW JOURNEY BOND
Schindler: An elderly worker thanks Schindler for giving him a job
War of the Worlds: Ray, Robbie and Rachel hide in a deeper part of the basement
Raiders: Indy helps Marion fend off the bad guys
MINUTE 40: ALLY’S WORLD
Schindler: Stern hires handicapped workers to save their lives
War of the Worlds: Rachel whispers “Are we still alive?”
Raiders: Marion clanks the guy over the head with a pan
MINUTE 41: THORNY ROSE
Schindler: The Jews sing a happy song on the way to somewhere (ROSE), but a German soldier starts yelling at them (THORN)
War of the Worlds: Ray reaches the upstairs (ROSE), but it is completely destroyed (THORN)
Raiders: Indy shoots sword-guy and is temporarily safe (ROSE), but he still has to find Marion (THORN)
MINUTE 42: SURPRISE REVEAL
Schindler: The German soldier kills the one-armed Jew 
War of the Worlds: Ray sees a man climbing out of the wrecked plane
Raiders: Marion is hiding inside the basket  
MINUTE 43: SURPRISE REVEAL 2
Schindler: The Jewish worker discovers Schindler having sex
War of the Worlds: The news lady tells Ray there’s more than one tripod
Raiders: Marion dies!
MINUTE 44: NEW NEWS
Schindler: Schindler learns they’ve taken Stern
War of the Worlds: The news’ lady shows Ray how aliens rode the lightning into the ground
Raiders: Indy learns Belloq is in town
MINUTE 45: OUT OF THE ORDINARY
Schindler: Schindler boldly lies to the soldiers and orders them around
War of the Worlds: Selfish Ray acts really caring towards his daughter
Raiders: Indy threatens to kill Belloq in a public place
MINUTE 46: THE REVELATION
Schindler: Schindler finds Stern in one of the train cars
War of the Worlds: Robbie wants to go back and fight the aliens
Raiders: Sallah reveals that he is willing to risk his children to save Indy
MINUTE 47: THE ESCORT 
Schindler: Soldiers escort Schindler off the train platform
War of the Worlds: Ray pulls over so his daughter can go to the bathroom
Raiders: Sallah says he will take Indy to the old man
MINUTE 48: NEEDED KNOWLEDGE 
Schindler: The Jewish man learns the Germans yanked dead Jew’s teeth for the gold fillings
War of the Worlds: Ray learns Robbie wants to join the military
Raiders: Sallah tells Indy the Nazis had a headpiece
MINUTE 49: FOREBODING FACT
Schindler: The Jewish woman in the ghetto says, “This is it, this is the bottom”
War of the Worlds: Robbie tells Ray that he only wants to dump them on his ex-wife
Raiders: The old man cautions Indy that the medallion warns against disturbing the ark
MINUTE 50: THE PORTENT
Schindler: Amon Goeth, the head German officer, arrives
War of the Worlds: Emergency broadcast system plays on the radio
Raiders: Sallah spots the dead monkey and catches the poisoned date before Indy eats it
MINUTE 51: THE ENGAGE     
Schindler: Goeth looks over the Jewish woman; he needs a maid
War of the Worlds: Ray and his kids engage the angry crowd
Raiders: The Nazis yell at Indy
MINUTE 52: SAY UNCLE     
Schindler: Goeth stares at Helen; she can’t meet his gaze  
War of the Worlds: Ray puts on his seatbelt
Raiders: Nazis take Sallah away from the well opening, leaving Indy stuck inside
MINUTE 53: THE INTIMIDATION    
Schindler: Goeth orders the Jewish engineer to be shot   
War of the Worlds: The angry mob breaks through the car windows   
Raiders: Nazis keep Sallah away from the well hole — Indy can’t get out
MINUTE 54: THE LIGHTBULB    
Schindler: Helen realizes that Goeth is an evil man   
War of the Worlds: Ray realizes that a man has a gun to his head
Raiders: Indy discovers that the sun’s rays really do work through the medallion
MINUTE 55: SIDESWIPE     
Schindler: Goeth tells his men that they’ve wiped out the Jew’s history in Krakow  
War of the Worlds: Rachel runs to Robbie for comfort, not her dad, which makes Ray cry 
Raiders: Sallah drops the Nazi flag onto a surprised Indy
MINUTE 56: DARK TWIST CHAT    
Schindler: Nazis talk about invading the ghetto Jews   
War of the Worlds: Man in the crowd says, “If they’re all over the place, we’re dead”
Raiders: Indy is excited to find Marion, but then he re-gags her   
MINUTE 57: DIFFICULT WORDS    
Schindler: A Jewish father tells his children the Germans are coming   
War of the Worlds: Woman with bullhorn says they have “more blood than they can use”
Raiders: Indy to Marion: “I’ll come back to get you”
MINUTE 58: VITAL EVENT    
Schindler: The soldiers order the Jews out of their homes and shoot a man  
War of the Worlds: A tripod walks towards them 
Raiders: Major Toht shows the medallion impression burned into his palm
MINUTE 59: THE DECEPTION              
Schindler: The Jewish man tells his wife they will hide in the sewers   
War of the Worlds: Boat worker says they’re not going to take any more people (but the crowd doesn’t know it)   
Raiders: Indy and the workers dig at nightfall to avoid detection
MINUTE 60: THE SHOCKER
Schindler: The soldier shoots a boy!
War of the Worlds: They won’t let Ray and his kids on the boat!
Raiders: The monster-like statue scares Sallah!  

And so on...

To learn much more about all 120 minute-by-minute beats, and how to apply them to your screenplay, TV pilot, novel or graphic novel, order Something Startling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer Needs To Know at Amazon.com or Barnes & Nobles. http://shop.mwp.com/products/something-startling-happens-the-120-story-beats-every-writer-needs-to-know

And try the #1 Bestseller, The Screenwriter's Fairy Tale: The Universal Story Within All Movie Storieshttp://www.amazon.com/The-Screenwriters-Fairy-Tale-ebook/dp/B007U6D0CM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1348519200&sr=1-1&keywords=the+screenwriter%27s+fairytale+the+universal+story+within+all+movie+stories

Todd Klick Writing Serviceswww.toddklick.com
 

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

See How AVATAR and THE TERMINATOR Use the 120 Universal Story Beats!

A minute-by-minute analysis of AVATAR and THE TERMINATOR by Todd Klick,
using the Something Startling Happens story beats:
MINUTE  1:  AT-TENSION!
AVTR: Jake says, “When I was lying in the VA hospital, with a big hole blown through my life...”
TERM: Strange lightning frightens a garbage man        
MINUTE  2:  THE BUILD
AVTR: Jake sees his dead twin brother
TERM: Roughhousing punks see a naked man walk towards them        
MINUTE  3:  THE RATCHET
AVTR: They want underqualified-Jake to take over for his scientist-brother
TERM: The Terminator kills a punk  
MINUTE  4:  ANOTHER NOTCH 
AVTR: The sergeant says, “If you lose your masks, you’ll be dead in four minutes”
TERM: Strange lightning scares a homeless man; a naked man, in pain, appears  
MINUTE  5:  JAW DROPPER
AVTR: Jake rolls onto the new planet for the first time—a jaw dropping experience for him
TERM: The naked man asks what year it is, which makes the cop’s jaw drop  
MINUTE  6:  FRIEND OR FIST
AVTR: Jake depends on his wheelchair to get around (object as FRIEND)
TERM: The naked man keeps the gun (object as FRIEND)   
MINUTE  7:  FRIEND OR FIST 2
AVTR: Norm shows Jake around (FRIEND)
TERM: The naked man finds clothes to wear (object as FRIEND)  
MINUTE  8:  SOMETHING STARTLING HAPPENS
AVTR: Jake see his own Avatar for the first time, which looks like him!
TERM: The naked man (Kyle) steals a shotgun and eludes the cops!  
MINUTE  9:  THE PURSUIT
AVTR: Jake asks the other scientists a question (pursuit of knowledge)
TERM: Kyle and The Terminator pursue Sarah Connor  
MINUTE 10: THE DISCUSSION 
AVTR: Norm discusses Na’vi with Grace
TERM: Sarah chats with her disgruntled customers  
MINUTE 11: THE WARNING
AVTR: The scientist warns grunt-Jake to “try and use big words” around Grace
TERM: The Terminator grabs a bullet—a warning that he’s about to do something bad 
MINUTE 12: HARSHER WARNING
AVTR: Grace warns Parker, “I need a researcher, not a jarhead dropout!” 
TERM: The Terminator shoots the gunshop owner  
MINUTE 13: THE SUBMISSION
AVTR: Grace submits to Parker’s demand to “get results”
TERM: The Terminator shoots a woman; she falls dead  
MINUTE 14: DANGER WATCH 
AVTR: Angry Grace approaches Jake
TERM: Sarah watches the news, which says someone with her name was murdered  
MINUTE 15: WHEW, THAT WAS CLOSE!
AVTR: The scientist says grunt-Jake’s brain has “gorgeous activity” (whew, that was close—he’s not dumb after all)
TERM: A machine rolls right passed Kyle (Whew, that was close—it didn’t see him)  
MINUTE 16: THE BIG CONCERN
AVTR: Handicapped Jake, in his new avatar-body, hopes his new legs work ok
TERM: Kyle’s friend is killed  
MINUTE 17: WORLD UPSIDE DOWN
AVTR: Handicapped Jake can wiggle his toes and stand in his avatar body!
TERM: Kyle’s car turns upside and starts on fire!  
MINUTE 18: TROUBLE TURN
AVTR: Jake/avatar heads out the door, which is big trouble for the scientists!
TERM: Sarah gets an obscene fall call  
MINUTE 19: THE THREAT  
AVTR: Jake/avatar runs into threatening Grace/avatar
TERM: Ed the cop finds out two women by the name of Sarah Connor were killed  
MINUTE 20: PUSH BACK
AVTR: “I thought you’d never ask,” tough Jake says to Trudy, when she asks for a door-gunner
TERM: Sarah gets ready for a date  
MINUTE 21: THE GREAT AFFECT  
AVTR: Jake talks with tough Colonel Quaritch for the first time
TERM: Sarah’s date cancels on her  
MINUTE 22: TRUTH DECLARED
AVTR: Col. Quaritch: “A recon gyrene in an avatar body is a potent mix. Such a marine can provide the Intel I need”
TERM: A reporter says: “These two killings occurred in the same order listed in the phone book”   
MINUTE 23: SCARY STUFF
AVTR: Col. Quaritch wants Jake to go undercover for him
TERM: No one’s answering at Sara’s place  
MINUTE 24: SCARY STUFF 2
AVTR: Grace tells Jake to “keep his mouth shut and let Norm do the talking”
TERM: Sarah hears that another woman by her name was killed  
MINUTE 25: SCARY STUFF 3
AVTR: They land in the “hostiles’ territory”
TERM: Sarah finds out she’s the next name on the list  
MINUTE 26: THE BIG UNEXPECTED
AVTR: Jake/avatar swings his gun towards the lemurs who suddenly appear
TERM: Sarah sees a man following her!  
MINUTE 27: THE MINI-QUEST 
AVTR: Jake/avatar takes a look around while the scientists do their thing
TERM: Sarah tries to call the police  
MINUTE 28: BIG QUEST PREP 
AVTR: Jake/avatar runs at the rhinoceros-looking animal, showing he has courage for the big quest ahead
TERM: The boyfriend grabs a lamp to fight The Terminator  
MINUTE 29: BIG QUEST PREP 2 
AVTR: Jake/avatar learns that some animals are hostile as he prepares for the big quest ahead
TERM: Sarah calls her roommate for help  
MINUTE 30: THE NEED
AVTR: Jake/avatar needs to survive the attacking animal
TERM: Sarah says, “I need you and Matt to come and pick me up”  
MINUTE 31: DISTRESS SIGNAL   
AVTR: The attacking animal closes in on Jake/avatar!
TERM: Sarah spots the strange man who was following her earlier!  
MINUTE 32: ANXIETY AMP
AVTR: Jake/avatar is in the jungle by himself with no gun
TERM: The Terminator closes in on Sara  
MINUTE 33: OMINOUS OH NO!
AVTR: The scientists can’t find Jake/avatar—oh no!
TERM: The Terminator points the gun at Sarah’s forehead (Oh no!)  
MINUTE 34: FRIEND AFFECT 
AVTR: Jake/avatar uses a torch to ward off the pursuing animals
TERM: Kyle shoots The Terminator  
MINUTE 35: BAIT & SWITCH  
AVTR: Jake/avatar fends off animals with his torch (BAIT), as other animals sneak around him (SWITCH)
TERM: We think The Terminator died in the explosion (BAIT), but he leaps out of the flames (SWITCH)  
MINUTE 36: HIDE & SEEK
AVTR: Neytiri, who had been hiding, seeks to kill the pursuing animals
TERM: Kyle and Sara drive away (HIDE), while The Terminator SEEKS them  
MINUTE 37: OVER HIS HEAD
AVTR: Jake/avatar realizes he’s in way over his head in the jungle
TERM: Sarah finds out she’s been “targeted for termination”—she’s in over her head  
MINUTE 38: POSITIVE RECONNECT
AVTR: Jake/avatar thanks Neytiri for saving him
TERM: Kyle saves Sara from the cops, and then continues telling her what’s going on  
MINUTE 39: NEW JOURNEY BOND
AVTR: Jake/avatar and Neytiri bond because Jake has “a strong heart.” They walk together further into the jungle
TERM: Kyle pulls over the car and tells Sara more about what’s going on  
MINUTE 40: ALLY’S WORLD
AVTR: We see that Neytiri is used to running along high tree limbs
TERM: Reese says he feels pain, and he’s not sure if he can stop The Terminator  
MINUTE 41: THORNY ROSE
AVTR: Seeds of the Sacred Tree float towards Jake (ROSE), but he swats them away because he thinks they’re dangerous (THORN)
TERM: Cops search for Kyle and Sara (THORN), but Kyle and Sara find a car to hide in (ROSE)  
MINUTE 42: SURPRISE REVEAL
AVTR: Armed Na’vi warriors surprise Jake/avatar 
TERM: Kyle reveals that a nuclear war destroyed everything     
MINUTE 43: SURPRISE REVEAL 2
AVTR: They take Jake/avatar towards the Sacred Tree
TERM: Kyle says that the machines decided humans’ fate in a microsecond  
MINUTE 44: NEW NEWS
AVTR: Jake is taken into the heart of the Na’vi tribe
TERM: Sarah learns that her son, John Connor, saved the human race  
MINUTE 45: OUT OF THE ORDINARY
AVTR: Jake/avatar offers to shake the chief’s hand
TERM: Kyle shoots at The Terminator while driving  
MINUTE 46: THE REVELATION
AVTR: The Na’vi find out Jake is a warrior
TERM: Sarah realizes they’re driving towards a wall!  
MINUTE 47: THE ESCORT 
AVTR: Neytiri leads Jake to a tribal campfire
TERM: The police escort Sarah to the station  
MINUTE 48: NEEDED KNOWLEDGE 
AVTR: Neytiri shows Jake where they sleep for the night
TERM: The police let Sarah know that her roommate was killed   
MINUTE 49: FOREBODING FACT
AVTR: Parker wants Jake to find out what “the blue monkeys want”
TERM: The Terminator doesn’t feel pain  
MINUTE 50: THE PORTENT
AVTR: The Nav’i’s tribe lives right above the richest unobtainium deposit and the corporation wants it
TERM: The cops think Kyle is crazy  
MINUTE 51: THE ENGAGE     
AVTR: Parker chats with Jake and wins him over to his way of thinking
TERM: Kyle engages the enemy: the disbelieving psychologist  
MINUTE 52: SAY UNCLE     
AVTR: Jake submits to Grace’s request to “not do anything stupid”
TERM: The Terminator takes out his damaged eye          
MINUTE 53: THE INTIMIDATION    
AVTR: Tsu’tey tells Jake/avatar to “go away”
TERM: The Terminator grabs guns and continues his hunt for Sarah     
MINUTE 54: THE LIGHTBULB    
AVTR: The scientist realizes Col. Quaritch and Parker are conspiring with Jake 
TERM: It dawns on Sarah that Kyle might be crazy     
MINUTE 55: SIDESWIPE     
AVTR: The scientists are moving Jake further away so Col. Quaritch can’t micro-manage him
TERM: Sarah learns that Kyle is definitely crazy        
MINUTE 56: DARK TWIST CHAT    
AVTR: Norm: “We can’t see anything. Trudy: “Ain’t that a bitch”
TERM: The Terminator says he’s looking for Sarah Connor (so he can kill her)         
MINUTE 57: DIFFICULT WORDS    
AVTR: Jake: “Grace didn’t miss a thing. She knew I was talking to the Colonial”
TERM: The cop yells “Gunshots!”         
MINUTE 58: VITAL EVENT    
AVTR: Jake/avatar meets his first dragon-like predator (banshee)
TERM: The Terminator is killing all the cops inside the police station        
MINUTE 59: THE DECEPTION              
AVTR: Jake is deceiving the scientists by withholding his true military intentions
TERM: Sarah hides under the table       
MINUTE 60: THE SHOCKER
AVTR: Neytiri calls Jake/avatar a “moron”
TERM: It’s not The Terminator coming through the door—it’s Kyle!           

And so on...   

To learn much more about all 120 minute-by-minute beats, and how to apply them to your screenplay, TV pilot, novel or graphic novel, order Something Startling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer Needs To Know at Amazon.com or Barnes & Nobles. http://shop.mwp.com/products/something-startling-happens-the-120-story-beats-every-writer-needs-to-know

And try the #1 Bestseller, The Screenwriter's Fairy Tale: The Universal Story Within All Movie Storieshttp://www.amazon.com/The-Screenwriters-Fairy-Tale-ebook/dp/B007U6D0CM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1348519200&sr=1-1&keywords=the+screenwriter%27s+fairytale+the+universal+story+within+all+movie+stories

Todd Klick Writing Serviceswww.toddklick.com

Friday, February 24, 2012

How PIXAR Uses the 120 Universal Story Beats!

A minute-by-minute analysis of UP by Todd Klick, using the Something Startling Happens' story beats.
MINUTE  1:  AT-TENSION!
The narrator says, “Who would dare set foot on this inhospitable summit?”   
MINUTE  2:  THE BUILD
Scientists accuse Muntz of fabricating the skeleton and strip him of his membership     
MINUTE  3:  THE RATCHET
Carl slams into the stump
MINUTE  4:  ANOTHER NOTCH 
Ellie yells at Carl for trespassing
MINUTE  5:  JAW DROPPER
Carl falls through the floor, and breaks his arm!
MINUTE  6:  FRIEND OR FIST
Ellie shows Carl her adventure book (FRIEND)
MINUTE  7:  FRIEND OR FIST 2
Ellie and Carl get married and work on their house (FRIEND)
MINUTE  8:  SOMETHING STARTLING HAPPENS
All the clouds turn into babies!
MINUTE  9:  THE PURSUIT
Ellie and Carl put money in the jar so they can go to Paradise Falls
MINUTE 10: THE DISCUSSION 
Carl thanks the travel agent for the tickets she sold him
MINUTE 11: THE WARNING
Ellie dies
MINUTE 12: HARSHER WARNING
Carl lives a lonely existance without Ellie 
MINUTE 13: THE SUBMISSION
Carl gives up all his efforts of leaving the house and sits on the porch instead
MINUTE 14: DANGER WATCH 
Carl receives an ad from Shady Oaks retirement home
MINUTE 15: WHEW, THAT WAS CLOSE!
Carls expects to open the door to the construction company boss, but it’s a boy scout instead (Whew!) 
MINUTE 16: THE BIG CONCERN
The boy scout won’t leave Carl’s porch
MINUTE 17: WORLD UPSIDE DOWN
The truck backs into Carl and Ellie’s mailbox
MINUTE 18: TROUBLE TURN
Carl strikes the construction worker and it draws blood
MINUTE 19: THE THREAT  
A police car shows up; the judge orders Carl into a retirement home
MINUTE 20: PUSH BACK
Carl makes a promise to himself and crosses his heart
MINUTE 21: THE GREAT AFFECT  
Thousands of balloons spring out of Carl’s house and lift it into the air
MINUTE 22: TRUTH DECLARED
Carl says, “I’ll send you a postcard from Paradise Falls!”
MINUTE 23: SCARY STUFF
The house flies at a dangerous height
MINUTE 24: SCARY STUFF 2
Carl hears a knock on the door—Scared Russell is on the porch!
MINUTE 25: SCARY STUFF 3
Scared Russell runs into the house
MINUTE 26: THE BIG UNEXPECTED
They’re headed towards a big lightning storm!
MINUTE 27: THE MINI-QUEST 
Carl tries to steer away from the storm
MINUTE 28: BIG QUEST PREP 
Carl and Russell prep for their trip to South America
MINUTE 29: BIG QUEST PREP 2 
Carl wants to drop off Russell so he {Carl} can continue on
MINUTE 30: THE NEED
Carl needs to go higher or they will wreck!
MINUTE 31: DISTRESS SIGNAL   
Carl and Russell dangle over a cliff!
MINUTE 32: ANXIETY AMP
Russell can’t climb the rope, which causes Carl great anxiety
MINUTE 33: OMINOUS OH NO!
Carl is stuck on the wrong side of the rock (oh no!)
MINUTE 34: FRIEND AFFECT 
Russell walks along with Carl
MINUTE 35: BAIT & SWITCH  
Dogs chase the bird (BAIT), but Carl’s hearing aide scares them away (SWITCH)
MINUTE 36: HIDE & SEEK
Russell spots an animal’s tracks (HIDE), and Russell goes looking for it (SEEK)
MINUTE 37: OVER HIS HEAD
The bird is HUGE. Russell may be in over his head
MINUTE 38: POSITIVE RECONNECT
Russell and the bird play
MINUTE 39: NEW JOURNEY BOND
The bird follows Carl and Russell
MINUTE 40: ALLY’S WORLD
Russell secretly feeds the bird chocolate so it keeps following
MINUTE 41: THORNY ROSE
The dog has a talking collar (ROSE), but Carl thinks it might be radioactive (THORN)
MINUTE 42: SURPRISE REVEAL
The hidden bird tackles the dog  
MINUTE 43: SURPRISE REVEAL 2
“Squirrel!”
MINUTE 44: NEW NEWS
The dogs discover that there’s a boy with their dog friend
MINUTE 45: OUT OF THE ORDINARY
Russell yells at everyone
MINUTE 46: THE REVELATION
Carl realizes he can’t escape the dog and bird
MINUTE 47: THE ESCORT 
Russell points to the tent he made for Carl
MINUTE 48: NEEDED KNOWLEDGE 
Carl learns that Russell’s dad and stepmom don’t care for him
MINUTE 49: FOREBODING FACT
“What have I gotten myself into?” Carl asks Ellie
MINUTE 50: THE PORTENT
The bird is taking the food
MINUTE 51: THE ENGAGE     
The mean dog asks Dug where the bird is
MINUTE 52: SAY UNCLE     
Carl gives into the dogs   
MINUTE 53: THE INTIMIDATION    
Many mean dogs surround Carl   
MINUTE 54: THE LIGHTBULB    
Russell realizes the old man is his hero, Charles Muntz!   
MINUTE 55: SIDESWIPE     
The mean dogs put “the cone of shame” on Dug   
MINUTE 56: DARK TWIST CHAT    
Muntz played gin rummy with President Roosevelt, but he would cheat   
MINUTE 57: DIFFICULT WORDS    
Muntz says thieves have come to steal what’s rightfully his   
MINUTE 58: VITAL EVENT    
Muntz learns that Russell lured the bird with chocolate   
MINUTE 59: THE DECEPTION              
Muntz believes Carl is decieving him about why he’s here   
MINUTE 60: THE SHOCKER
Muntz sees the bird on Carl’s house and sets the dogs on them!   

And so on...

To learn much more about all 120 minute-by-minute beats, and how to apply them to your screenplay, TV pilot, novel or graphic novel, order Something Startling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer Needs To Know at Amazon.com or Barnes & Nobles. http://shop.mwp.com/products/something-startling-happens-the-120-story-beats-every-writer-needs-to-know

And try the #1 Bestseller, The Screenwriter's Fairy Tale: The Universal Story Within All Movie Storieshttp://www.amazon.com/The-Screenwriters-Fairy-Tale-ebook/dp/B007U6D0CM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1348519200&sr=1-1&keywords=the+screenwriter%27s+fairytale+the+universal+story+within+all+movie+stories

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