Here are short explainers of each of the 15 plot points that have made this formula so successful for scriptwriters.Īs a writer, it will help you understand what ‘beats’ you have to hit in your story. It can be even used to plot out a short music video or advertising clip.

While the method is primarily aimed at screenwriters, it has been widely adopted by novelists and short story writers.

Save The Cat! Blake’s Blogs – The book collects more than 100 of Blake Snyder’s blog posts, which are grouped into 10 themes.

Save The Cat! Goes To The Movies – This is the sequel to original book and it breaks down classic movies, from M*A*S*H to Crash, Aliens to Saw, and many more.

Save The Cat! Writes For TV – The book is a guide for writers looking to create attention-grabbing content for television or streaming platforms.

Here he explains the concept of 15 beats.

Save The Cat! – The first seminal book includes tried and tested rules to make scripts more marketable.

Often called Hollywood’s most successful spec screenwriter, Snyder scripted Hollywood movies like Blank Check and Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!īlake Snyder wrote four books on Save The Cat !: The method was made famous by Blake Snyder but is has since become a creative movement around the world.

The entrepreneur who wants to save their small community business from a corporate takeover.

The homicide detective who wants to save the city from a dangerous killer.

The parent who wants to save their adult child from an abusive partner.

The psychiatrist who wants to save their patient from an eating disorder.

The defence attorney who wants to save their client from prison.

The principle of the hero who wants to save the cat from the tree can be applied to other popular plots. While the scenario has become a cliché, the Save The Cat! method helps writers – and the audience – identify and champion the hero of the story. In classic television shows and comic strips, the fireman always saves the cat stuck up a tree. The 15 tried-and-test plot points, or beats, help writers develop strong commercial scripts.īecause the method is easy to remember, writers use it as template to help keep them on track. Save The Cat! is a method of creating a screenplay. Ready To Save The Cat?: 15 Plot Beats For A Successful Script Or Story

In this blog, we examine Blake Snyder’s Save The Cat! with a breakdown of the 15 beats that make up a screenplay.

Save the cat screenplay