Save the Cat (and Your Story) with Blake Snyder’s Beat Sheet
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Jun 9, 2025
Dive into the intriguing world of story structure with an exploration of story beats. Discover how Blake Snyder's 15-beat framework can sharpen your narrative skills. Analyze familiar stories, like The Lion King, to see how these beats shape character development. Learn the balance between flexibility and structure, empowering you to tell your story with clarity. Plus, find inspiration to share your voice and stories for community growth.
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Defining a Story Beat
A story beat is a mid-level structural element larger than a scene but smaller than an act.
It marks a major turning point in the story, often encompassing multiple scenes.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Use the 15 Beat Framework
Use Blake Snyder's 15 beats to outline or revise your story for clarity and emotional impact.
Anchor each beat in character decisions to build momentum and audience connection.
insights INSIGHT
Structure as a Flexible Tool
Story structures are flexible tools, not rigid formulas or templates.
Your story comes from the heart, and structure helps you deliver it in the best way unique to your story.
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In 'Save the Cat!', Blake Snyder provides a detailed analysis of the three-act structure and introduces his 15-beat sheet, a method for structuring screenplays. The book covers key elements such as the Opening Image, Catalyst, Debate, Break into Two, B Story, Fun and Games, Midpoint, Bad Guys Close In, All Is Lost, Dark Night of the Soul, Break into Three, Finale, and Final Image. Snyder also discusses the importance of making the hero likable through the 'Save the Cat' rule and breaks down successful films to illustrate his points. The book is widely regarded as a definitive resource for screenwriters, offering practical advice and a clear framework for storytelling.
“Your story comes from your heart, and then you structure it to deliver it in the best way.” — Rain Bennett
Ever hear the term "story beat" and wonder what it really means?
In this episode, Rain breaks down the mysterious middle ground between scenes and acts—the story beat. And he uses Blake Snyder’s popular (and sometimes polarizing) Save the Cat beat sheet to do it.
You’ll get a clear explanation of what a beat is, how the 15-beat structure works, and why it's helped thousands of storytellers—from screenwriters to brand strategists—craft more compelling narratives.
Rain walks you through the full beat sheet, explains how it maps to The Lion King, and shares tips on how to use this structure for your own business, brand, or film storytelling. If you’ve been overwhelmed by big frameworks, this episode will give you a clear, practical tool to work with.
In this episode, you will learn to:
Define what a story beat is and understand how it fits between scenes and acts.
Use Blake Snyder’s 15-beat sheet to outline or revise your story with more clarity.
Apply structural thinking without becoming rigid or formulaic.
Break down familiar films like The Lion King to see how classic stories follow this shape.
Build emotional momentum in your stories by anchoring each beat to character decisions.
The Storytelling Lab 