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| # | Kind | Title | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Guide | The Save the Cat beat sheet: a practical guideFifteen beats, page by page, with what each one is actually doing: plus where Snyder is wrong and why working writers still use it. | Fifteen beats, page by page, with what each one is actually doing: plus where Snyder is wrong and why working writers still use it. | 15 min |
| 002 | Guide | How to write a cold openThree structural jobs of a teaser, and how the openings of Breaking Bad, The West Wing, and Whiplash do them in under three pages. | Three structural jobs of a teaser, and how the openings of Breaking Bad, The West Wing, and Whiplash do them in under three pages. | 10 min |
| 003 | Struct | Hero's JourneyJoseph Campbell's monomyth structure - the classic adventure template | Joseph Campbell's monomyth structure - the classic adventure template | 12 beats |
| 004 | Struct | Story CircleDan Harmon's simplified 8-step structure based on the Hero's Journey | Dan Harmon's simplified 8-step structure based on the Hero's Journey | 8 beats |
| 005 | Struct | Three Act StructureThe foundational dramatic structure used in most screenplays | The foundational dramatic structure used in most screenplays | 8 beats |
| 006 | Struct | Save the CatBlake Snyder's 15-beat structure for commercial screenwriting | Blake Snyder's 15-beat structure for commercial screenwriting | 15 beats |
| 007 | Struct | Five Act StructureClassical dramatic structure from Greek theater, used in TV and theater | Classical dramatic structure from Greek theater, used in TV and theater | 5 beats |
| 008 | Struct | Pixar Story SpineEmma Coats's six-sentence framework used at Pixar, great for emotional clarity | Emma Coats's six-sentence framework used at Pixar, great for emotional clarity | 6 beats |
| 009 | Struct | KishōtenketsuFour-act structure from East Asian storytelling, no conflict required | Four-act structure from East Asian storytelling, no conflict required | 4 beats |
| 010 | Struct | Seven-Point StructureDan Wells's seven-point plotting system used in novels and screenplays | Dan Wells's seven-point plotting system used in novels and screenplays | 7 beats |
| 011 | Struct | Freytag's PyramidClassical five-part dramatic arc from Gustav Freytag, common in tragedy | Classical five-part dramatic arc from Gustav Freytag, common in tragedy | 5 beats |
| 012 | Struct | Mini-Movie MethodChris Soth's 8-sequence structure, each sequence is a mini-movie | Chris Soth's 8-sequence structure, each sequence is a mini-movie | 8 beats |
| 013 | Struct | TV Pilot StructureSix-act structure for hour-long TV dramas with act breaks | Six-act structure for hour-long TV dramas with act breaks | 7 beats |
| 014 | Struct | Rom-Com Beat Sheet10 genre beats: meet cute, obstacles, grand gesture, happily ever after | 10 genre beats: meet cute, obstacles, grand gesture, happily ever after | 10 beats |
| 015 | Struct | Thriller / Mystery12-beat structure for escalating tension and investigation | 12-beat structure for escalating tension and investigation | 12 beats |
| 016 | Term | MontageA montage is a sequence of short shots, presented as a list, that compresses time or shows a process, training, falling in love, a city waking up. In a screenplay it is headed "MONTAGE" and broken into lettered or bulleted beats, each a single image, often scored to carry the passage of time. | A montage is a sequence of short shots, presented as a list, that compresses time or shows a process, training, falling in love, a city waking up. In a screenplay it is headed "MONTAGE" and broken into lettered or bulleted beats, each a single image, often scored to carry the passage of time. | Definition |
| 017 | Term | IntercutAn intercut is an instruction to cut back and forth between two locations that are happening at the same time, most often a phone call between two rooms. Writing "INTERCUT" once lets the dialogue alternate without repeating a full slugline for every switch, keeping the exchange fast on the page. | An intercut is an instruction to cut back and forth between two locations that are happening at the same time, most often a phone call between two rooms. Writing "INTERCUT" once lets the dialogue alternate without repeating a full slugline for every switch, keeping the exchange fast on the page. | Definition |
| 018 | Term | Smash cutA smash cut is an abrupt, jarring transition from one scene to a sharply contrasting one (loud to silent, calm to chaos) with no easing between them. Written "SMASH CUT TO:" flush right, it is used for shock, comedy, or to slam two opposing images together for effect. | A smash cut is an abrupt, jarring transition from one scene to a sharply contrasting one (loud to silent, calm to chaos) with no easing between them. Written "SMASH CUT TO:" flush right, it is used for shock, comedy, or to slam two opposing images together for effect. | Definition |
| 019 | Term | Match cutA match cut transitions between two scenes by aligning a shape, motion, or composition across the join, a thrown bone cutting to a spacecraft, a round mirror to a round moon. Written "MATCH CUT TO:", it links scenes through visual rhyme, carrying an idea forward without dialogue. | A match cut transitions between two scenes by aligning a shape, motion, or composition across the join, a thrown bone cutting to a spacecraft, a round mirror to a round moon. Written "MATCH CUT TO:", it links scenes through visual rhyme, carrying an idea forward without dialogue. | Definition |
| 020 | Term | Cold openA cold open, also called a teaser, is the scene that runs before a show's title sequence. It drops the audience into action with no setup, doing three jobs at once: hooking attention, establishing tone, and planting the question the episode will answer. Common in television and many features. | A cold open, also called a teaser, is the scene that runs before a show's title sequence. It drops the audience into action with no setup, doing three jobs at once: hooking attention, establishing tone, and planting the question the episode will answer. Common in television and many features. | Definition |
| 021 | Term | TeaserA teaser is the pre-title scene in a television script, named for its job of teasing the audience into the episode. In hour drama it is the engine that sets up the week's story; the closing counterpart, the tag, is a short scene after the final act that lands a button or a hook into next week. | A teaser is the pre-title scene in a television script, named for its job of teasing the audience into the episode. In hour drama it is the engine that sets up the week's story; the closing counterpart, the tag, is a short scene after the final act that lands a button or a hook into next week. | Definition |
| 022 | Term | TagA tag is a short scene at the very end of a television episode, after the final act break, used to land a last laugh, a quiet character beat, or a hook into the next episode. It is the bookend to the teaser, brief, pointed, and often played over or just before the end credits. | A tag is a short scene at the very end of a television episode, after the final act break, used to land a last laugh, a quiet character beat, or a hook into the next episode. It is the bookend to the teaser, brief, pointed, and often played over or just before the end credits. | Definition |
| 023 | Term | BeatA beat is the smallest unit of story, a single moment of change, decision, or shift in a character's emotional position. Writers also use "beat" as an in-script pause, written on its own line, to mark a held moment in dialogue. In both senses it is the basic pulse of dramatic action. | A beat is the smallest unit of story, a single moment of change, decision, or shift in a character's emotional position. Writers also use "beat" as an in-script pause, written on its own line, to mark a held moment in dialogue. In both senses it is the basic pulse of dramatic action. | Definition |
| 024 | Term | Beat sheetA beat sheet is a one-page outline that maps a story's major turning points (opening image, catalyst, midpoint, all-is-lost, finale) before a word of script is written. The best-known is Blake Snyder's fifteen-beat Save the Cat sheet, which assigns each beat an approximate page in a feature. | A beat sheet is a one-page outline that maps a story's major turning points (opening image, catalyst, midpoint, all-is-lost, finale) before a word of script is written. The best-known is Blake Snyder's fifteen-beat Save the Cat sheet, which assigns each beat an approximate page in a feature. | Definition |
| 025 | Term | SequenceA sequence is a run of scenes that together form one self-contained movement of a story, with its own small beginning, middle, and end. The classic feature is often built as roughly eight sequences of ten to fifteen minutes each, a mid-level unit between the individual scene and the full act. | A sequence is a run of scenes that together form one self-contained movement of a story, with its own small beginning, middle, and end. The classic feature is often built as roughly eight sequences of ten to fifteen minutes each, a mid-level unit between the individual scene and the full act. | Definition |
| 026 | Term | Act breakAn act break is the structural turning point where one act ends and the next begins, a decisive shift that raises the stakes and changes the direction of the story. In television it is also the literal break for a commercial, written to leave the audience on a hook that survives the ad. | An act break is the structural turning point where one act ends and the next begins, a decisive shift that raises the stakes and changes the direction of the story. In television it is also the literal break for a commercial, written to leave the audience on a hook that survives the ad. | Definition |
| 027 | Term | MidpointThe midpoint is the major turn at the centre of a story, around the halfway mark, that reframes the protagonist's situation, a false victory, a false defeat, or a revelation that changes the stakes. It splits the long second act in two and gives the middle of a script its forward drive. | The midpoint is the major turn at the centre of a story, around the halfway mark, that reframes the protagonist's situation, a false victory, a false defeat, or a revelation that changes the stakes. It splits the long second act in two and gives the middle of a script its forward drive. | Definition |
| 028 | Term | All is lostThe all-is-lost moment is the story's low point, late in the second act, where the protagonist's plan collapses and the goal looks unreachable. It is the dramatic floor (the defeat that forces the character to change before the final push) and is often immediately followed by the "dark night of the soul." | The all-is-lost moment is the story's low point, late in the second act, where the protagonist's plan collapses and the goal looks unreachable. It is the dramatic floor (the defeat that forces the character to change before the final push) and is often immediately followed by the "dark night of the soul." | Definition |
| 029 | Term | SceneA scene is a single unit of dramatic action that takes place in one location and one continuous stretch of time, opened by a slugline. It is the basic building block of a screenplay: a scene begins when the place or time changes and carries one clear piece of the story forward. | A scene is a single unit of dramatic action that takes place in one location and one continuous stretch of time, opened by a slugline. It is the basic building block of a screenplay: a scene begins when the place or time changes and carries one clear piece of the story forward. | Definition |
| 030 | Term | MonologueA monologue is a long speech by one character while others listen. It is a big moment: use it when a character finally says what they have been holding back, or tells a story that changes the scene. | A monologue is a long speech by one character while others listen. It is a big moment: use it when a character finally says what they have been holding back, or tells a story that changes the scene. | Definition |
| 031 | Term | FlashbackA flashback is a scene from the past dropped into the present story. It shows the audience something that already happened, like a memory or a secret. Mark it clearly so the reader always knows when they are. | A flashback is a scene from the past dropped into the present story. It shows the audience something that already happened, like a memory or a secret. Mark it clearly so the reader always knows when they are. | Definition |
| 032 | Term | SubtextSubtext is what a character really means underneath the words they actually say. People rarely say exactly what they feel, so good dialogue lets the audience sense the real meaning without anyone spelling it out. | Subtext is what a character really means underneath the words they actually say. People rarely say exactly what they feel, so good dialogue lets the audience sense the real meaning without anyone spelling it out. | Definition |
| 033 | Term | Setup and payoffA setup is something you show early in the story: a detail, a skill, a line. The payoff is when it comes back later and matters. Done well, the ending feels both surprising and fair. | A setup is something you show early in the story: a detail, a skill, a line. The payoff is when it comes back later and matters. Done well, the ending feels both surprising and fair. | Definition |
| 034 | Term | Want and needA character's want is the goal they chase on the surface, like winning the race or getting the job. Their need is the deeper thing they have to learn or change. The story gets interesting when the two pull in different directions. | A character's want is the goal they chase on the surface, like winning the race or getting the job. Their need is the deeper thing they have to learn or change. The story gets interesting when the two pull in different directions. | Definition |
| 035 | Term | ReversalA reversal is a moment where a character's situation flips: winning turns into losing, or the other way round. Strong scenes usually end in a different place from where they started, and a reversal is the clearest way to get there. | A reversal is a moment where a character's situation flips: winning turns into losing, or the other way round. Strong scenes usually end in a different place from where they started, and a reversal is the clearest way to get there. | Definition |
| 036 | Help | Arqo Assist settingsWhat Arqo Assist does, what it sees, and bringing your own key. | What Arqo Assist does, what it sees, and bringing your own key. | 2 min |
| 037 | Help | How the memory layer worksWhat Arqo keeps about your story, what reaches a model, and what never happens to it. Never used as training data. | What Arqo keeps about your story, what reaches a model, and what never happens to it. Never used as training data. | 3 min |