Thursday, October 20, 2011

KUNG FU PANDA HITS ALL THE BEATS!

Did you know that the wildly successful KUNG FU PANDA (which raked in over a billion dollars for both movies) hits every one of the SOMETHING STARTLING HAPPENS story beats? All successful stories do. Thought I'd share them with you: 


MINUTE  1:  ATTENSION!
The hero is threatened inside a restaurant   
MINUTE  2:  THE BUILD
The hero fights thousands of foes     
MINUTE  3:  THE RATCHET
Turns out he’s not a hero after all—he’s just an overweight panda
MINUTE  4:  ANOTHER NOTCH 
Po’s father wants him to take over the restaurant, but Panda doesn’t want to
MINUTE  5:  JAW DROPPER
We see an old turtle levitating on a staff, a jaw-dropping sight!
MINUTE  6:  FRIEND OR FIST
Shifu meet his old friend, Master Oogway, in the temple (Friend)
MINUTE  7:  FRIEND OR FIST 2
Shifu argues with Master Oogway about what to do about Tai Lung (Fist)
MINUTE  8:  SOMETHING STARTLING HAPPENS
The gong sounds! Master Oogway is choosing The Dragon Warrior today!
MINUTE  9:  THE PURSUIT
Po heads towards the temple to see who they will choose
MINUTE 10: THE DISCUSSION 
Shifu and Master Oogway discuss this historic day
MINUTE 11: THE WARNING  
Oogway warns grumpy Shifu that whoever wins will bring peace to him
MINUTE 12: HARSHER WARNING
“Citizens, you have not seen anything yet!” A warning to Po that he better find a way inside  
MINUTE 13: THE SUBMISSION
Po falls onto his back and lays there, stunned
MINUTE 14: DANGER WATCH 
Po sees his father approaching
Seated Po watches the fuse close in on the fireworks
MINUTE 15: WHEW, THAT WAS CLOSE!
Po survives the great fall 
MINUTE 16: THE BIG CONCERN
Master Oogway chooses Po to be Dragon Master, which causes great concern!
MINUTE 17: WORLD UPSIDE DOWN
Commander Vachir intimidates Zeng
MINUTE 18: TROUBLE TURN
Commander Vachir takes Zeng deep into the prison to see Tai Lung
MINUTE 19: THE THREAT  
Tai Lung’s wakes up
MINUTE 20: PUSH BACK
Po says, “There’s been a slight mistake”
MINUTE 21: THE GREAT AFFECT  
Shifu tells Po he won’t become The Dragon Warrior unless he learns the secret of The Dragon Scroll
MINUTE 22: TRUTH DECLARED
“You’re going to wish {Master Oogway} hadn’t {chosen you},” Shifu tells Po
MINUTE 23: SCARY STUFF
A piece of wood strikes Po’s face
MINUTE 24: SCARY STUFF 2
Shifu asks Po to show The Furious Five what he can do
MINUTE 25: SCARY STUFF 3
The training equipment batters Po
MINUTE 26: THE BIG UNEXPECTED
The training course severely burns Po
MINUTE 27: THE MINI-QUEST 
Po tries to sneak down the hall
MINUTE 28: BIG QUEST PREP 
Po talks with Crane (trying to become friends for upcoming training)
MINUTE 29: BIG QUEST PREP 2 
Po speaks with Tigress (trying to become friends for upcoming training)
MINUTE 30: THE NEED
Po needs to learn not to be a quitter
MINUTE 31: DISTRESS SIGNAL   
Commander Vachir and Zeng see Tai Lung escaping!
MINUTE 32: ANXIETY AMP
Zeng sees that Tai Lung can’t be contained!
MINUTE 33: OMINOUS OH NO!
Tai Lung easily defeats Commander Vachi’s guards
MINUTE 34: FRIEND AFFECT 
Commander Vachi’s actions affect Zeng’s mission
MINUTE 35: BAIT & SWITCH  
It seems like they have defeated Tai Lung, but he climbs up the falling debris
MINUTE 36: HIDE & SEEK
Shifu enters Po’s bedroom, but he’s not there. Where is he?
MINUTE 37: OVER HIS HEAD
The Furious Five beat up Po—he’s way over his head during training
MINUTE 38: POSITIVE RECONNECT
The Furious Five notice that Po is not quitting
MINUTE 39: NEW JOURNEY BOND
Po, Mantis and Viper bond with Po during acupuncture
MINUTE 40: ALLY’S WORLD
We see a flashback of a once-nice Shifu training young Tai lung
MINUTE 41: THORNY ROSE
Shifu loved Tai Lung, but Tai Lung turned bad
MINUTE 42: SURPRISE REVEAL
Mantis reveals that he may have stopped Po’s heart  
MINUTE 43: SURPRISE REVEAL 2
Master Oogway tells Shifu he will not fulfill his destiny unless he lets go of “the illusion of control”
MINUTE 44: NEW NEWS
Master Oogway tells Shifu he “needs belief”
MINUTE 45: OUT OF THE ORDINARY
Master Oogway dies and leaves the temple
MINUTE 46: THE REVELATION
The Furious Five realize that Po is an incredible cook
MINUTE 47: THE ESCORT 
The Furious Five laugh at Po’s jokes (escorting him towards confidence)
MINUTE 48: NEEDED KNOWLEDGE 
Shifu tells Po he must defeat Tai Lung
MINUTE 49: FOREBODING FACT
Shifu tells Po he will change him into The Dragon Warrior
MINUTE 50: THE PORTENT
Shifu doesn’t know how he’s going to change pudgy Po into The Dragon Warrior
MINUTE 51: THE ENGAGE     
Tigress wonders why Viper, Mantis and Monkey are following her. They are going with her to fight Tai Lung
MINUTE 52: SAY UNCLE     
Embarrassed Po admits to Shifu that he eats when he’s upset   
MINUTE 53: THE INTIMIDATION    
Shifu tells Po: “Come with me.” Po obeys  
MINUTE 54: THE LIGHTBULB    
Po realizes he is at the birthplace of Kung Fu!   
MINUTE 55: SIDESWIPE     
Shifu convinces Po that he will, indeed, teach him Kung Fu!  
MINUTE 56: DARK TWIST CHAT    
Shifu tells Po he is free to eat, but then he swipes Po’s food (15 seconds later in this case)  
MINUTE 57: DIFFICULT WORDS    
Shifu: You are free to eat!” Po: “Am I?”  
MINUTE 58: VITAL EVENT    
Po defeats Shifu for the dumpling  
MINUTE 59: THE DECEPTION              
Tigress pretends she’s The Dragon Warrior   
MINUTE 60: THE SHOCKER
Tigress falls!   


Did you know that the wildly successful KUNG FU PANDA (which raked in over a billion dollars for both movies) hits every one of the SOMETHING STARTLING HAPPENS story beats? All successful stories do. Thought I'd share them with you: 


MINUTE  1:  ATTENSION!
The hero is threatened inside a restaurant  
MINUTE  2:  THE BUILD
The hero fights thousands of foes    
MINUTE  3:  THE RATCHET
Turns out he’s not a hero after all—he’s just an overweight panda
MINUTE  4:  ANOTHER NOTCH 
Po’s father wants him to take over the restaurant, but Panda doesn’t want to
MINUTE  5:  JAW DROPPER
We see an old turtle levitating on a staff, a jaw-dropping sight!
MINUTE  6:  FRIEND OR FIST
Shifu meet his old friend, Master Oogway, in the temple (Friend)
MINUTE  7:  FRIEND OR FIST 2
Shifu argues with Master Oogway about what to do about Tai Lung (Fist)
MINUTE  8:  SOMETHING STARTLING HAPPENS
The gong sounds! Master Oogway is choosing The Dragon Warrior today!
MINUTE  9:  THE PURSUIT
Po heads towards the temple to see who they will choose
MINUTE 10: THE DISCUSSION 
Shifu and Master Oogway discuss this historic day
MINUTE 11: THE WARNING  
Oogway warns grumpy Shifu that whoever wins will bring peace to him
MINUTE 12: HARSHER WARNING
“Citizens, you have not seen anything yet!” A warning to Po that he better find a way inside 
MINUTE 13: THE SUBMISSION
Po falls onto his back and lays there, stunned
MINUTE 14: DANGER WATCH 
Po sees his father approaching
Seated Po watches the fuse close in on the fireworks
MINUTE 15: WHEW, THAT WAS CLOSE!
Po survives the great fall
MINUTE 16: THE BIG CONCERN
Master Oogway chooses Po to be Dragon Master, which causes great concern!
MINUTE 17: WORLD UPSIDE DOWN
Commander Vachir intimidates Zeng
MINUTE 18: TROUBLE TURN
Commander Vachir takes Zeng deep into the prison to see Tai Lung
MINUTE 19: THE THREAT  
Tai Lung’s wakes up
MINUTE 20: PUSH BACK
Po says, “There’s been a slight mistake”
MINUTE 21: THE GREAT AFFECT  
Shifu tells Po he won’t become The Dragon Warrior unless he learns the secret of The Dragon Scroll
MINUTE 22: TRUTH DECLARED
“You’re going to wish {Master Oogway} hadn’t {chosen you},” Shifu tells Po
MINUTE 23: SCARY STUFF
A piece of wood strikes Po’s face
MINUTE 24: SCARY STUFF 2
Shifu asks Po to show The Furious Five what he can do
MINUTE 25: SCARY STUFF 3
The training equipment batters Po
MINUTE 26: THE BIG UNEXPECTED
The training course severely burns Po
MINUTE 27: THE MINI-QUEST 
Po tries to sneak down the hall
MINUTE 28: BIG QUEST PREP 
Po talks with Crane (trying to become friends for upcoming training)
MINUTE 29: BIG QUEST PREP 2 
Po speaks with Tigress (trying to become friends for upcoming training)
MINUTE 30: THE NEED
Po needs to learn not to be a quitter
MINUTE 31: DISTRESS SIGNAL   
Commander Vachir and Zeng see Tai Lung escaping!
MINUTE 32: ANXIETY AMP
Zeng sees that Tai Lung can’t be contained!
MINUTE 33: OMINOUS OH NO!
Tai Lung easily defeats Commander Vachi’s guards
MINUTE 34: FRIEND AFFECT 
Commander Vachi’s actions affect Zeng’s mission
MINUTE 35: BAIT & SWITCH  
It seems like they have defeated Tai Lung, but he climbs up the falling debris
MINUTE 36: HIDE & SEEK
Shifu enters Po’s bedroom, but he’s not there. Where is he?
MINUTE 37: OVER HIS HEAD
The Furious Five beat up Po—he’s way over his head during training
MINUTE 38: POSITIVE RECONNECT
The Furious Five notice that Po is not quitting
MINUTE 39: NEW JOURNEY BOND
Po, Mantis and Viper bond with Po during acupuncture
MINUTE 40: ALLY’S WORLD
We see a flashback of a once-nice Shifu training young Tai lung
MINUTE 41: THORNY ROSE
Shifu loved Tai Lung, but Tai Lung turned bad
MINUTE 42: SURPRISE REVEAL
Mantis reveals that he may have stopped Po’s heart 
MINUTE 43: SURPRISE REVEAL 2
Master Oogway tells Shifu he will not fulfill his destiny unless he lets go of “the illusion of control”
MINUTE 44: NEW NEWS
Master Oogway tells Shifu he “needs belief”
MINUTE 45: OUT OF THE ORDINARY
Master Oogway dies and leaves the temple
MINUTE 46: THE REVELATION
The Furious Five realize that Po is an incredible cook
MINUTE 47: THE ESCORT 
The Furious Five laugh at Po’s jokes (escorting him towards confidence)
MINUTE 48: NEEDED KNOWLEDGE 
Shifu tells Po he must defeat Tai Lung
MINUTE 49: FOREBODING FACT
Shifu tells Po he will change him into The Dragon Warrior
MINUTE 50: THE PORTENT
Shifu doesn’t know how he’s going to change pudgy Po into The Dragon Warrior
MINUTE 51: THE ENGAGE     
Tigress wonders why Viper, Mantis and Monkey are following her. They are going with her to fight Tai Lung
MINUTE 52: SAY UNCLE     
Embarrassed Po admits to Shifu that he eats when he’s upset  
MINUTE 53: THE INTIMIDATION    
Shifu tells Po: “Come with me.” Po obeys 
MINUTE 54: THE LIGHTBULB    
Po realizes he is at the birthplace of Kung Fu!  
MINUTE 55: SIDESWIPE     
Shifu convinces Po that he will, indeed, teach him Kung Fu! 
MINUTE 56: DARK TWIST CHAT    
Shifu tells Po he is free to eat, but then he swipes Po’s food (15 seconds later in this case) 
MINUTE 57: DIFFICULT WORDS    
Shifu: You are free to eat!” Po: “Am I?” 
MINUTE 58: VITAL EVENT    
Po defeats Shifu for the dumpling 
MINUTE 59: THE DECEPTION              
Tigress pretends she’s The Dragon Warrior  
MINUTE 60: THE SHOCKER
Tigress falls!  


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

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