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Just heard from my publisher and it’s official — Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies is the fastest-selling new title in the 20 year history of the company!
When the idea to write a sequel to the first Save the Cat! was broached, it being the “Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need,” (ha!) I was hesitant. But I’m so glad I answered the Cat!-call, and took the challenge! It was a lot of work, but reviewing over 200 movies to get the 50 that I write about in the book was a amazing experience!
I learned a lot. I was excited by what I learned. And I hope that excitement translates to every page!
To me, the 10 unique genres I discuss in the new book, from “Monster in the House” to “Fool Triumphant” to “Superhero,” redefine what we look for in our storytelling process. And some of the stories that get put together into a group, like those found in the “Golden Fleece” chapter, still blow me away.
What is the essence that makes a scary movie scary? What are we REALLY looking for when we throw an “ordinary guy” into an “extraordinary circumstance” — as found in most “Dude with a Problem” movies? What is it about a “Buddy Love” tale, be it a rom-com or a “boy and his dog” story, that makes us shiver with longing?
By dissecting stories in this brand new way, we are better writers! And even if we’re just movie fans, taking a new look at our favorite films, and figuring out what makes them work, is empowering knowledge!
It’s been a while since I signed off on the final edit of the book, and picking up a copy and flipping through it the other day, I think my favorite part is the photos and captions! The description for the shark survival Indie Open Water still makes me giggle.
But the chapter I am proudest of is that covering movies deemed “Institutionalized.”
These are stories about “groups” and whether or not we should join them. The name of this genre speaks to the underlying question: Who’s crazier — them or me? And this is a long-standing, and very primal, dilemma. As cavemen we like to belong. We might even find logic in “tradition” and “rules” that keep us safe. But what about that inner voice that says: Hold on, wait a minute, maybe what the group is asking me to do is wrong?! It’s the beginning of a great dramatic conflict.
It may also have something to do with the fact these are films I love.
How to use this book is hopefully clear but after fielding a number of emails from writers asking me just that, I’d say Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies is most useful in figuring out how to write the story type you love. I think I drop about a million hints in the book that the prime directive of audiences is: “Give me the same thing only different.” So when you look at the arc of the movies I break down in the book, the obvious question is: How are you going to keep the building blocks of the story type — and still extend and enhance the line?
The stories we like to hear go back to the Bible. And I cite many stories that are the antecedents of those we see at the Multiplex. We like to hear the same ones for a reason — we are human beings who find ourselves in the exact same circumstances as our ancestors, who wonder whether or not it’s worth it to get up every day and hit it one more time. These stories tell us that it is. And whether it’s a wild magical journey like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or classic studio fare like Gladiator or Alien, the message is the same.
We are just keepers of this generation’s versions of the stories we’ve been telling forever. Our job is to find the new twists, the new tones, and the exciting new story elements that make these stories speak to us… then pass them on to the next generation.
What a freekin’ cool job we have — and what a wonderful responsibility.
The more we learn about the essence of whatever story we’re telling, the more likely we are to suceed! And taking that task seriously is what makes us winners!
Thank you all for making the sequel a big success!
And yes, there will be a Save the Cat! 3
Any suggestions?
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on December 6th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Blake,
I know you have to be happy. And the great sales, thank goodness, represent a great, great book - rather than the usual hype. Save the Cat 2 pays off in every way one would expect - and then some.
And on the topic of Save the Cat three… yes… I synthesized a concept and I’d love to pitch the idea to you. It’ something I think you’ll love following all levels of writers and writing! Shall I e-mail you?
-Glen
PS - Everyone check out the Cat Chat Boards…. it rocks and the more people… the deeper the discussions!
on December 7th, 2007 at 1:20 am
Yes. “Who’s crazier - them or me?” is a question we all have to ask ourselves when we’re doing business in Hollywood.
My suggestion for the next book is Save the Cat! Goes to the Litter Box. Deconstructing the movies that don’t work.
on December 7th, 2007 at 10:45 am
Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.
For number three, it’d be great if you could elaborate on character development with some tips on how to create three dimensional characters and the changes they must go through in the story. Also, more nitty gritty on scene construction — emotional changes, conflict, beats — would also be helpful.
on December 7th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Congrats on the books success, Blake! Very well-deserved (and not remotely surprising). You’ve created a truly useful and inspiring book on movie writing.
Great you are getting ready for part 3. I think the subtitle of Save The Cat 3 should be: “Deconstruction for Dummies” (joking…but always felt the title a tad insulting, but hey, they work).
Seriously, at your book signing in NYC recently you discussed beats, you discussed your genres and then when asked about the scenes in-between the beats when asked how to hide the seams of structure you said, “Well, there is where the art comes in.” I agree and I think a deconstruction of how one goes about hiding those scenes would be very helpful. I know this is part of our job as artists to trust the answers will come but I also think seeing how others did it is smart.
Also, the question of mixing genres. On the message boards we have been discussing how Edward Scissorshands is a Storybook Superhero genre but there are elements of FT in there as well…how can a writer find the best style of story for their particular idea/image/theme/logline if they feel it straddles two fences?
A breakdown of genres within the genres may be helpful –such as in Institution you list movies which are dramas and comedies and comedy/drama and satire…it’s difficult to see the forest in the trees (and vice versa!) in terms of style of story telling for each type of story when mapping out a new idea.
I’m working on a Colin Higgins-style story where I’m mixing mystery and comedy (Foul Play & 9-5 anyone?) but I’m not clear which genre to focus on. I know, I know – outline then just write so you see what you have but it is much more effective when creating a large body of work to make a decision beforehand…there are guidelines I have found deconstructing subcategories in the general categories very helpful in terms of certain call-backs, certain repeating narratives…and I’ll bet you’d be great at this.
Also, a discussion of tone would be great. I attended a lecture by Edward Albee at Columbia and he said “Dramatic writers must study music. If they study music they will understand drama.” Okay, I’m not remotely as brainy Albee but I did try that and I didn’t find it helped me so much with structure as it did with finding the right TONE. I’m sure you have tons of thoughts on this and a discussion on paper in part 3 on tone and how if affects categories would be great…with your sublime examples, of course.
And finally, it would be so great to see you deconstruct the Masters (Sargent, Chayefsky, Wilder) to see what they did with each genre…I can see you just knockin’ that out of the park.
You’ve set the stage for a part 3 that can be a true workbook for movie writers across all platforms (not that you haven’t already)…ours is such a sensory storytelling I think it’s great to take that in consideration when discussing tone and style and structure and character…
(Oh, and a bit of discussion on how our scripts are written not always for the screen but for READERS and have to be written as such would be super).
That’s it. I’m done. You are trail blazing and I for one thank you.
Michael B.
NYC
on December 8th, 2007 at 8:50 am
I think a Save the Cat into building the perfect hero would be a good book to read, certainly very useful as well.
on December 8th, 2007 at 9:08 am
Interesting would be some (shor) interviews with Studio Executives or their readers. Do they get as many scripts as they say? How big / small are the chances of unknown writers? Do they really stop after teadious 20 pages and throw the script in the bin? Do they have any rules they go by? How many script they have to read in a week? How save is their job? And so on…
Best
TIm Tremper
on December 8th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Here’s a Title idea. (new category possibility?)
“Save the Catnip”
(for the best parts)
It’s been said big time actors are more likely to consider a movie if:
“There are 3 great scenes and no bad ones.”
How and where to place the “3 best” could be the Catnip.
Cheers & Congrats Blake.
John
on December 10th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
I definitely have a suggestion for a STC 3!! A book on character construction. No matter how hard I try to find a worthy one, all of them lack something. I recently figured out that what they lack is that they are not written by you!
So I think that a book on character construction would be the best thing that could happen to my (our) screenplays. If I can suggest it, it should include chapters like:
1-The perfect primal hero and his circumstances.
2-A perfect-fitting antagonist and his reasons to be the bad guy.
3-Cool b-story characters made to fit with the upside-down world.
4-Creation of a reasoned supporting cast.
I find this last one specially appealing, because reading STC2 it seems implicit that every STC genre seems to require certain kinds characters to work properly, like the Half Man. It would be cool knowing how to deal with them and make them fit the cast.
Also, what’s tough for me is to figure out how many characters do I need to tell the story properly, and not just adding characters for the sake of it.
Last but not least, I’ve always tje creation of a character arc and the 15-beat beatsheet must be closely related, but yet I haven’t found out how.
And if you ever think about a STC4!, the answer is crystal clear: dialogue.
Hope this is useful!