What is a Beat Sheet?

Most writers, especially “plotters,” are familiar with the concept of writing an outline for their novel or screenplay. An outline is like a map that plots out a story before you sit down to write, providing a type of map guiding you through the beginning, middle and end – so you don’t get lost along the way. But if you’re new to screenwriting, you may not be familiar with a beat sheet – a tool more commonly used by screenwriters in addition to, or instead of an outline. 

Let’s go over what a beat sheet is, as well as how to use one to write your stories.

What Is a Beat, Anyway?

A story “beat” is a pivotal moment that usually has emotional ramifications and consequences for your protagonist. In Barbie, Barbie (Margot Robbie) begins to question her own reality and mortality when she asks the other dolls, “Do you guys ever think about death?” This beat shows that Barbie is changing, beginning to think for herself and sets up the entire journey she will go on throughout the film. This beat would definitely be included in both the outline and the beat sheet because it is so important to the story. 

Outline vs. Beat Sheet

Outlines are different than beat sheets in a few ways. Mostly, outlines are very detailed and map out the logistics of a story while beat sheets are less detailed and only include the important emotional moments that affect the story. I will explain each one in detail.  

Outline (The Logical Through-line)

An outline for a screenplay is to establish the logical world of your story: This happens, causing this to happen, which causes this to happen… An outline is a comprehensive document that details the story in a very structured way – it could be up to 40 pages long! It includes information about scenes, locations, characters, and their relationships and interactions. Everything you need to know about the A, B and C story will be in the outline. It might include not only the major beats (emotional or physical turning points) but also specific actions, bits of dialogue, jokes, and transitions that happen within scenes. An outline helps writers organize their story to ensure that the plot makes sense logically leading up to a believable and satisfying resolution.

Beat Sheet (The Emotional Through-line)

A beat sheet typically follows the protagonist and breaks down the story into major emotional moments for the protagonist, like falling in love, losing a family member, facing a moral dilemma, etc. Additionally, a beat sheet will highlight new characters, turning points, plot twists, and climactic scenes – when they specifically affect your main character, and sometimes an important secondary character that directly affects your main character (like a child, mentor or boss). The intention behind a beat sheet is to follow the emotional arc of your protagonist and how it interacts with the logical plot. It’s more concise than an outline and helps writers organize their story to ensure that it engages the audience emotionally, leading up to an emotionally satisfying ending.

When writing a beat sheet, you can use short bullet points or full sentences. 

Beat Sheets Should Include the Following:

Act 1

• Act 1 sets up the protagonist’s journey, where they are in the world and establishes the major problem (conflict) they are dealing with. 
• Opening image that sets up the tone of story
• Introduce the world and theme of story 
• Learn something valuable about the protagonist 
• Inciting incident: The action that will set your protagonist on their journey 
• After trying everything not to go on this journey, what is the thing that propels them, sending them into a whole new world

Act 2

• Act 2 features the rise of the antagonist along with challenges and conflict the protagonist is dealing with as a result. 
• Protagonist explores the new world they have been thrust into (sometimes called “fun and games”)
• The midpoint (usually around page 55-60) is an emotional turning point where the protagonist usually doubles down on their goal – despite it seeming unobtainable or even life threatening
• The antagonist (or evil forces) closes in and seems to be more powerful than the protagonist. Fear, doubt and anger set in for protagonist
• The end of Act 2 is the big emotional and/or physical test for the protagonist, there’s usually a battle between them and the antagonist (could be a physical, philosophical or political battle) 
• The protagonist experiences the “all is lost moment”

Rocky (1976)

Act 3

Act 3 resolves the story’s conflicts – usually in ways not expected by the protagonist, but essential to their arc, or major change they go through as a result of their journey. The point of Act 3 is to provide meaning to the suffering or pain the protagonist has experienced in the story and hopefully make it relatable to the audience.  

• The protagonist’s world falls apart and seems like it will never be put back together again
• The protagonist discovers something inside themselves or in the external world that changes or empowers them 
• The protagonist’s priorities shift from themselves to others, they are now acting on behalf of the greater good
• Success OR a noble defeat befalls the protagonist. Either they win the war or lose the fight with their dignity intact, like in Rocky.  Here the protagonist overcomes internal and external conflicts with knowledge or tools they didn’t have in Act 1 but have acquired on their journey 
• Closing image: We see visual confirmation of the transformation the protagonist has undergone 

Case Study: The Wizard of Oz

Let’s look at the beat sheet I created for the classic film, The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Act 1

• Opening image: Young Dorothy runs down a dirt road with her small dog in a drab, black and white world, setting the tone for a teenager who feels stifled
• Introduce world and theme: We are in American farmland where Dorothy’s dog has just bitten Mrs. Gulch. Instead of taking responsibility for the dog, young Dorothy is trying to run away. Theme: Dorothy refuses to grow up
• Learn something valuable about the protagonist: Through song, we learn that Dorothy wants to escape to a fantasy world over the rainbow
• Inciting incident: A cyclone approaches Dorothy’s home but instead of taking cover, she runs after her dog
• Dorothy’s irresponsible behavior has led her to a strange but colorful world. She’s not in Kansas anymore 

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Act 2

• Wearing the ruby slippers, Dorothy goes on a quest to meet the Wizard of Oz at the Emerald City, while meeting the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Cowardly Lion along the way. As she meets each one, she is tested for compassion and courage
• Midpoint: Dorothy and her new friends arrive at the Emerald City (superficial goal obtained), but the Wizard is unable to help her. He sends them on a fool’s errand of retrieving the Wicked Witch of the West’s broomstick
• Antagonist closes in: The Wicked Witch is after Dorothy, wanting to steal the ruby slippers from her. The Wicked Witch sends her flying monkeys after Dorothy and Toto
• Emotional test: The Wicked Witch demands Dorothy turn over the ruby slippers or she’ll hurt Toto. Dorothy agrees, but the Wicked Witch then realizes Dorothy must die before the Witch can take the slippers from her. Toto escapes, and the Wicked Witch then turns over an hourglass giving Dorothy one hour to live
• All is lost moment: Dorothy sees her Auntie Em in the crystal ball and realizes she’s failed the person who loves her the most

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Act 3

• Toto finds the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Cowardly Lion and they hatch a plan to attack the Witch’s castle. When the Witch catches on fire, Dorothy demonstrates compassion for her, dousing her with a bucket of water that inadvertently kills the Witch
• Dorothy and her friends bring the Witch’s broom to the Wizard but discover he is a fraud. Dorothy must accept she’ll never return home again
• Glenda the Good Witch tells Dorothy she has the power to return home – all she has to do is click her heels
• Dorothy, armed with new wisdom, now truly believes, “There’s no place like home.” She is returned to her home in the black-and-white – but more stable – world of Kansas. She has transformed into a more responsible young woman and is exactly where she belongs
• Closing image: Dorothy is surrounded by her loved ones, including the farm hands whom she recognizes as the odd but caring characters she met in Oz. She can now move forward into the next, more mature phase of her life

This beat sheet for The Wizard of Oz details the pivotal beats that primarily affect Dorothy and details her emotional through-line. These beats lead to her transformation while still mapping out the main story. If this were an outline, there would be a lot more details about the Yellow Brick Road, the character flaws of her new friends and how they overcame them. Those are also important details, but secondary to Dorothy’s journey. 

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If you are a writer who likes to write emotionally grounded stories with characters who transform after the trials and tribulations of their journey, consider creating a beat sheet before you start writing. If you are also a writer who likes to have some space to discover story or plot components during the writing process, as opposed to planning out every little detail, a beat sheet may be the answer to setting up your emotionally powerful film.