So, you have an idea for a movie or TV show with dynamic characters, a killer story, and a fleshed-out world. Ready to dive into writing the script?
To ensure your screenplay is the best it can be, you should consider outlining it first. An outline allows you to map out the plot and character motivations, and iron out any issues, before you start writing the script itself.
Screenplay outlines can take many different forms. It’s important to use an outline method that works best for you and your project. Therefore, we’ll be exploring the many possible options in this article that have been tried and tested by many writers.
Importance of an Outline
The script outline summarizes the events of your project, the key character arcs, and other ideas into one document.
It’s a blueprint free from distractions such as dialogue and formatting and allows you to explore whether your story is compelling enough to be transformed into a screenplay that people want to read, and eventually, watch.
If not, it’s very easy to make tweaks or completely overhaul a few pages of an outline rather than a 90-page script!
Starting a Plot Outline
As you’ve probably worked out by now, preparation is key! You have an idea for your screenplay, but before you can move onto the outline, we recommend ensuring you have solidified six components that will make up your story.
- Protagonist: The main character whom your audience will follow throughout your movie or TV show.
- Goal: Your protagonist must be pursuing a clear goal.
- Stakes: What will happen if your protagonist fails in the pursuit of their goal?
- Antagonist: Who will be standing in the way of your protagonist reaching their goal? This antagonist could be either a person, a force of nature, a flaw, or a wider force such as society or institutional.
- Genre: What category does your script fall into: drama, action, romance, comedy, horror, thriller, etc?
- Hook: What is the unique selling point of your story? Why should a producer, agent, executive or viewer pay attention to it?
Once you’ve answered all these questions fully, it’s time to begin your script outline.
What goes into a screenplay outline?
When working out your script’s outline, it’s useful to think of it as a series of plot points that your story needs to hit. The Eight Essential Plot Point framework is a perfect way to map out your key plot points and the journey your characters will take and ensure your story has conflict and obstacles to overcome.
Three-Act Structure
The most basic breakdown of story structure has been around for thousands of years; every single story has a beginning, middle, and end. This is known as the three-act structure.
In Act I, the audience are introduced to the characters and the world in which they inhabit. Act II is the real meat of the story where the rising action occurs. The story then concludes with Act III which wraps up the action and brings the characters full circle.
It’s crucial to have a clear explanation of what happens in Act I, II and III and how one transitions into the next.
Story Beats
Expanding from the bare bones of the three-act structure, are story beats. Each beat is a narrative shift of either an emotional turn, incident, events, actions, reactions, or realizations. They can change the course of the narrative or character arcs to different degrees.
Scenes
Story beats then develop into individual scenes. Each scene should have a clear purpose in driving the plot forward. By describing what’s happening within each scene, you can get a clear idea of their purpose and whether they are 100% needed within your screenplay. No scene should be there for the sake of it.
Dialogue
Including some dialogue samples within an outline can be valuable in establishing a character’s unique voice or the tone of a particular moment in your film or TV show. You can also try out different lines to see what fits best within a scene or for a specific character.
Now we know what we need to include within our outline, it’s time to plan our story’s plot and ensure it’s a compelling one.
The Eight Essential Plot Points
Each plot point is a clear shift in the narrative. By breaking your story down in this way, it allows you to focus on one at a time and establish links between each point as you go.
Let’s explore the plot points you’ll need to include:
Opening and Closing Images
As the name suggests, these are first and last points of contact your audience has to your story. Remember that screenwriting and filmmaking are visual mediums, so consider strong visual images that draw audiences in at the start, but also never let them forget once they’ve left the movie theater.
Sometimes it can help to consider these two points once you’ve finalised your entire outline and have a clear overview of the tone, theme, and aesthetic of your movie or TV show. Then you can choose the images best placed to open and close and pack the best punch for your viewers.
A striking example of strong opening and closing images is in Silver Linings Playbook (2012). At the start of the film, Bradley Cooper’s character, Pat is isolated and alone. In contrast, the final shot of the film shows Pat and Tiffany, Jennifer Lawrence’s character, together in a warm embrace.
Not only has Pat’s demeanour completely changed, but the tone of the scenes is the opposite: the first cold and isolating, the last warm and inviting.
Inciting Incident
The inciting incident is the rocket fuel that charges your protagonist forwards into their journey and changes the course of their life as they know it. This can be a huge upheaval in their existence, a personal change, or passive. No matter what the incident is, it must be enough to prompt your protagonist to make a change.
One of the most powerful inciting incidents comes from Saving Private Ryan (1998) where the deaths of three out of four Ryan brothers at the start of the movie pushes General George Marshall to find the last remaining brother in the deadly midst of World War II.
First-Act Break
Everything up until this point in your story has been setup, and the first act break marks the end of this before we dive into the main portion of the plot. It’s here where the protagonist decides to take action and will often include a location change to switch up the perspective for the audience.
In The Hangover (2009), the first act break occurs after the crew wakes to find they’ve lost groom Doug, and their memories of the previous night. It’s here when they decide to retrace their steps to find out what happened before Doug’s imminent wedding.
It’s after this point in the story that there’s no going back!
Midpoint
As the name suggests, the midpoint takes us to the middle of the story, and Act II. It’s easy for the midpoint to sag and be a little uninspiring; we’re at the second half of the story now, so it’s crucial to keep up the momentum we’ve built up over the past act and a half.
Usually, the midpoint will present an opportunity to the protagonist that they can harness to succeed in the pursuit of their goal, or it can push them further away from that goal. Whichever it is, it should be a significant event that changes the course of the story.
For example, in Alien (1977), Ridley Scott waited until the midpoint to show the baby alien bursting from Kane’s chest. Up to this point, the threat was invisible – and now it’s out in the open!
Additionally, in The Godfather (1972), the midpoint occurs when Michael kills those who arranged the hit on his father, thus driving him into his new role as a mafia man. The audience is then reengaged in the story and what Michael will do next.
Fork in the Road
It’s been a while since your protagonist started out on their journey, and it’s time to reaffirm their commitment. This moment could be a choice between two possibilities, or a moment that tests your protagonists’ word.
By including this plot point within your outline, it gives your story an extra layer of character and plot development.
“All is Lost” Moment
The closing point of Act II, here is the moment when your protagonist is at the farthest point imaginable from their goal. A moment which should incite an emotional reaction not just from the characters, but from the audience as well.
In Bridesmaids (2011), Annie suffers a huge setback. Her ‘all is lost’ moment is the ultimate virtual beating where she ruins her friendship with best friend Lillian and gets demoted from her role as maid of honor at Lillian’s upcoming wedding. Annie is also fired from her job, turns off love interest Officer Rhodes, and is kicked out of her apartment.
Certainly, pull no punches when drafting this turning point in your story!
Climax
This is the final showdown between protagonist and antagonist and tests your characters to their absolute limits both externally and internally.
The lessons which your protagonist has learned throughout the story so far will all come into play at this very moment. They must have earned this moment through their experiences, however, and shouldn’t succeed lightly!
For example, in The Dark Knight (2008), Batman takes the blame for Harvey Dent’s crimes to protect Dent’s legacy and the city of Gotham’s morality.
At the start of the film, this wouldn’t be something Batman would be able to do, however, the experiences that he’s had, and actions he’s taken throughout the movie, allow him to have the capabilities and strength to do this. His character earned his last action, thus being authentic and believable for an audience.
Resolution
Following a story of twists and turns, the resolution concludes your protagonist’s journey. This could be a happy, bittersweet, or even tragic ending depending on the genre and tone of your story.
Chinatown (1974) has a tragic ending where the movie’s antagonist receives custody of Evelyn’s daughter and Evelyn dies. This may not be the ideal, but it reflects what can happen in real life. Again, it brings us back to creating authenticity for an audience.
On the other hand, a film such as The Wizard of Oz (1939), ends happily, with Dororthy returning home to Kansas with Toto.
Whatever the resolution, it must be satisfying to watch and leave audiences buzzing as they leave the movie theater.
In terms of how you plot your story, you don’t just have to write it in your favorite notebook or create bullet points in a word processor. Why not try using index cards, one for every plot point, and laying them out on a table, or in sequence on a wall?
Other Plotting Methods
Of course, the Eight Essential Plot Points is not the only way to draft out your story. Here are some other examples of methods you can use to ensure you hit the spot when it comes to conflict within your character’s pursuit of their goal.
You’ll notice a lot of emphasis on character within these models; remember – character is plot!
The Hero’s Journey
Coined and developed by Joseph Campbell, monomyth method, The Hero’s Journey is broken into three sections, and twelve stages whereby a protagonist goes on a journey, learns a lesson, is victorious, and then returns home a brand-new person.
The first section is departure, where the protagonist leaves the world as they know it and decide to venture into a new world of possibilities. The second, is initiation, where they enter the new world and faces a series of tasks to prepare them for the third section where they return to their old world, transformed.
Dan Harmon’s Story Circle
An adapted version of Campbell’s model, the Story Circle focuses more on character than the worlds they explore and inhabit.
If you thrive on character-driven narratives and want to deeply explore this within your own script, this may be the method to adopt. Harmon emphasizes the fact that stories are cyclic; yes, a character may have changed by the end of a story, but this ending is their new comfort zone that can also be challenged. It’s a constant process.
Beat Sheet
Blake Snyder’s famous Save the Cat is on many screenwriters’ reading list and is one of the most popular ways to outline a screenplay. Consisting of fifteen story beats, Snyder’s process focuses on plot, and ensuring that every dramatic moment is covered.
- Opening Image: A moment, scene, or sequence that grabs the audience’s attention.
- Theme Stated: A line of dialogue stating what the story is about and a need for change.
- Set-Up: Reveals the protagonist and their world as they currently know it.
- Catalyst: Life changing moment that prompts the protagonist on their journey.
- Debate: A scene or sequence of scenes where the protagonist doubts themselves and their abilities.
- Break Into II: The protagonist decides to act and go on their journey.
- B-Story: Kick off the secondary plot (usually a love interest or mentorship relationship)
- Fun & Games: The main bulk of the action where the protagonist progresses in their journey.
- Midpoint: The stakes are raised for the protagonist, heightening the story’s tension.
- Bad Guys Close In: Both internal and external forces are more of a threat, closing in on the protagonist..
- All is Lost: The lowest point of the protagonist’s journey where they feel they cannot succeed.
- Break Into III: The protagonist’s eureka moment. Perhaps they can succeed after all.
- Finale: The protagonist faces their antagonist for real, using their lessons learned to become victorious.
- Final Image: Shows how far the protagonist has come in their journey and the new world they inhabit.
You wouldn’t be wrong in thinking that these outline examples are similar in their content. It’s a case of finding the method that works well for you as a writer, and that’s the most important thing!
If you prefer to create a visual representation of your beat sheet, check out Celtx’s beat sheet feature to help you on your way!
Types of Outlines
Continuing with our theme of focusing on outline techniques that work for you, let’s look at the types of outline formats you can produce to help plan your story. From short form options to longer form, you may naturally progress from one to the other, before beginning the first draft of your screenplay.
The One-Pager
Does what it says on the tin: a one-page document detailing the key events of your story broken down into scenes. It’s a sleek and succinct overview which helps you ensure you have every moment you need to tell an impactful tale.
John August’s one-page outline for Big Fish (2003) is divided into the three acts, and the scenes that they’re comprised of.
Sequence Breakdown
Let’s stay with John August for the next format of outline: the sequence breakdown. Once you are happy with the story beats from your one-pager, you can move onto expanding these into sequences which encompass several scenes.
Read August’s sequences for Big Fish.
Treatment
Treatments are a long-form version of an outline, which cover the specifics of your story. Usually written in prosaic form, a treatment tells the entire story with character descriptions, plot twists and revelations in more detail. No dialogue is used.
These can be particularly useful if you’re used to writing prose and can help you establish every detail in your head before going to script. They can vary in length, so again, it’s writer’s preference as to how much they write.
Treatments are also fantastic sales pitches allowing you to convey the vision for your script in as much detail as possible, without handing over a 90+ page screenplay.
You’ll see the variation in treatment lengths from examples such as Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio’s treatment for Godzilla (1998) which sits at just over 4 pages in length, whilst Simon Kindberg’s treatment for Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005) is 7 pages, and James Cameron’s Terminator (1984) treatment comes in at a whopping 41 pages.
Scriptment
The child of a treatment and a script, some writers find it beneficial to incorporate dialogue into their treatment. As with the former, you would write a detailed overview of the story, but insert key dialogue that highlight important plot points that you want to stand out to an executive, or to yourself as you move onto writing your first draft.
Once again, it all depends on your personal preference as a writer, but here are some examples of famous scriptments. Screenwriter, James Cameron is especially renowned for his scriptments.
- Avatar (2009) by James Cameron (112 pages)
- Strange Days (1994) by James Cameron (133 pages)
- Spiderman (1996) by James Cameron
Can you see a theme building here?
The Pros and Cons to Outlines
As with any writing method, there are pros and cons to creating an outline for your screenplay before you start your first draft.
Pros
- Frees you to be creative: Once you’ve decided on the parameters of your story, the characters, plot and constraints of their world, you have freedom to be creative and explore the many possibilities. An outline helps you navigate your story and keep you focused throughout the writing process. If you find yourself meandering into unknown territory, your outline is there to rescue you and put you back on track.
- Helps you write faster: With your outline in front of you, you’ll find it a lot easier to keep up a strong writing pace. No faltering or flustering for you!
- Keeps writers’ block and fear at bay: All of us writers will remember the times we stare at a blank page, racking our brains for a morsel of an idea or inspiration for our next project. With an outline, that fear is eradicated as you’ve already done the leg work!
Cons
- Procrastination: An outline can keep you from writing the script. Many of us will spend hours upon hours on ‘research’ and ensuring that our outline is filled to the brim with detail. Sometimes, you just need to get writing, so it’s important to be mindful of how much time you’re dedicating to the outline. It can seep the joy out of the process altogether.
- Takes away the thrill of free and spontaneous writing: Back in the early days of storytelling thousands of years ago, no one was writing an outline before sitting round the campfire and telling their epic tales. The spontaneity and freedom of such storytelling also brings us joy in the modern world so why not mirror that in our writing instead of confining ourselves to stringent outlines?
The Pantsing Method
Now we’ve spoken about planning, let’s talk about the flip side and just going with the flow. Pantsing is a method where you don’t have an outline at all and jump into writing with just an idea. Over the course of writing, you discover the theme, characters, plot, and tone of your story naturally.
Of course, there are pros and cons to this method. The benefit is that pantsing allows writers to let their characters and their decisions drive the story forward. Inspiration is what drives the writer and their process, rather than feeling hemmed in by a strict outline. And finally, it’s an organic experience that helps writers learn as they write.
However, pantsing can discourage writers, especially when they reach the middle of the second act where a lot of stories start to lose momentum. Without an outline in place, it’s tricky to work out which direction to take the story in next. Once writers then reach the end of the first draft, it will then require much more polishing and many drafts.
That isn’t to say that pantsing cannot be successfully used. Margaret Atwood, writer of The Handmaid’s Tale, is a firm believer in letting the story lead the writer, rather than the other way around.
Conclusion
Structured outlines create compelling stories. From Three-Act Structures to Hero’s Journeys, outlining can mean the difference between a good story, and a great story!
Beat-style outlines use The Eight Essential Plot Points as milestones, propelling characters through conflict to resolution.
Outlining methods vary from one-pagers to scriptments, each offering a canvas for creativity. But remember, that it’s your work and your story, so outline it how you see fit. Embrace structure but celebrate spontaneity. By balancing structure and creativity to captivate audiences, you can ensure your stories resonate long after the final scene fades.
