Blake Snyder’s beatsheet is my new blog feature. I’ll try to have posts like this every two weeks or so, Name of movie or book in 15 Beats, and I hope this helps you too.
Two things to keep in mind: I watch most of these with my kid and that means most of the movies will be kids’ movies and I’m not paying 100% attention to the movie. Second, I’m sorta new to the method and still struggle with the Theme, the All is Lost and Dark Night of the Soul beats. In case you have better suggestions, please do so on the comments. We can discuss the points and, if I end up agreeing with you, I’ll change my beats. Deal?
Happy Feet in 15 Beats
1. Opening Image: Planet viewed from space, closing in South Pole. Norma Jean singing, looking for pair.
2. Theme Stated (4.5%): You don’t need to be like the others to belong.
3. Set-Up (1-9%): Memphis and Norma Jean union. Egg. Norma Jean leaves to go fishing. Winter. Memphis drops egg. Eggs hatching. Moms are back.
4. Catalyst (10%): Mumble can not sing, but he taps his feet. Not like any other penguin.
5. Debate (10-22.5%): What to do with him? He can’t go to school. He wants to stop dancing, but can’t.
6. Break Into Two (22.5%): He’s “banished” from graduation party.
7. B Story (27%): Mumble and the amigos.
8. Fun and Games (27-50%): Mumble meets Lovelace, plays with Sea Lion, party with amigos, skiing, they see machine–it’s alien! Amigos and Mumble go back to his place, singing.
9. Midpoint (50%): He’s told that, because of his “weirdness”, he’s the reason the fishes are disappearing. He’s asked to leave and not return.
10. Bad Guys Close In (50-68%): Lovelace being strangled. With amigos on extreme cold, through elephant seals. They see “aliens”, whales play with them. They see ships (he wants to talk to aliens and ask about the fishes).
11. All Is Lost (68%): Mumble goes after ship and ends up alone in open sea.
12. Dark Night of the Soul (68-77%): He’s found and taken to zoo–hopeless.
13. Break Into Three (77%): Mumble dances and people notice him.
14: Finale (77-100%): Mumble goes back, teaches them all to dance, and brings aliens. People discussing about the penguins situation all over the world–they don’t have fish anymore.
15. Final Image (100%): Penguins dancing and eating plenty of fish.
*Note that the percentages are approximate.
Cheers,
Huh, this a neat exercise. I haven’t seen these posts but I like it. Good job with the break down. I beed to try this :)
I’m really enjoying your blog. I am following you over at
http://anythingimagined.blogspot.com/?m=0
Thanks for the good post.
(p.s. I haven’t seen Happy Feet in forever. Now I am going to need to see it again, lol.)
I love when you do these! And I love Happy Feet! :)
For me, beats are like math problems and hard for me to wrap my mind around them. But, WOW! You’ve really helped me to start putting the pieces together with the Happy Feet analogy. Thanks so much! And thanks to @jhansenwrites for tweeting your post!