12 Secret Script Elements to Include in Act 1 of Your Screenplay

by Script Reader Pro in Screenplay Structure

September 8, 2014 • 44 comments

12 Secret Script Elements to Include in Act 1 of Your Screenplay

You have probably heard that Act 1 of a screenplay should include at least two script beats, or “plot points”: a call to action (sometimes called a screenplay Inciting Incident) and an Act 1 turning point at the end.

But did you know there are actually twelve secret script beats (or plot points) in the first acts of most successful screenplays and movies?

These twelve screenplay beats appear in scenes that emotionally connect the reader to the protagonist. Not only that, they reveal to the audience, step by step, the nature of the conflict between protagonist and antagonist.

They also communicate the emotional beats your protagonist goes through as they become aware of this conflict, before finally reacting to it at the end of Act 1. They were made popular by the book My Story Can Beat Up Your Story, by Jeffrey Alan Schechter.

We’ll start by describing them here, before breaking down the twelve Act 1 script beats of Craig Mazin and Jerry Eeten’s Identity Thief. We advise you watch or rewatch the first act of the movie before reading the post.

(This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase the book we’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

The 12 script beats in detail.

In most cases, these twelve Act 1 script beats can be thought of as scenes, and are a great way to focus your story and make sure the conflict is clear.

Script beats breakdown. 

Let’s start by listing each one and its individual purpose:

• Plot point 1. We meet either the protagonist/antagonist/victim or stakes character.

• Plot point 2. We see the protagonist’s flaw in relation to the stakes character.

• Plot point 3. We meet the antagonist or amplify what we already know about them.

• Plot point 4. A deflector slows down the protagonist. His / her problem is amplified.

• Plot point 5. This beat occurs at the traditional Call to Action. The protagonist is hit by a major blow by the antagonist. Their world is tipped upside-down and they are now aware they have a big problem.

• Plot point 6. The statement of the protagonist as it relates to the stakes character. Their problem is made clear to the audience.

• Plot point 7. An Ally helps propel the protagonist out of his/her comfort zone.

• Plot point 8. The protagonist seems ready to move forward in their goal and/or towards the stakes character but just can’t do it.

• Plot point 9. The antagonist/deflector attacks/shocks the protagonist. The dramatic question is raised as the protagonist realizes what the movie’s about.

• Plot point 10. The depth of feeling between the protagonist and the stakes character becomes evident.

• Plot point 11. The antagonist or deflector threatens to take the stakes character away from the hero.

• Plot point 12. The protagonist decides he/she must act to save the stakes character.

These are just basic outlines of the script beats, but if you want to get a more in-depth analysis of them, we suggest you get on Amazon and order yourself a copy of My Story Can Beat Up Your Story.

Now let’s take a look at how these screenplay beats work in a real movie…

The 12 act 1 script beats in Identity Thief. 

Plot point 1. We meet either the protagonist/antagonist/victim or stakes character.

At work, Sandy Patterson answers his cell—it’s a woman from the fraud protection department who says they’ve just stopped his identity being stolen. She asks if he wants to take out their protection plan.

We see that she’s an overweight woman, Diana, making the call from a mall in Florida. Sandy gives her his financial details and she celebrates silently.

• Here, in the very first scene, we meet Sandy and Diana—protagonist and antagonist—in direct conflict with one another.

Plot point 2. We see the protagonist’s flaw in relation to the stakes character.

• This scene melds Plot Points 1 and 2 together as we see how easily Sandy is duped by Diana, showing his flaw. Note that Diana may not be a stakes character at this moment in time, but she becomes one as the story progresses.

Plot point 3. We meet the antagonist or amplify what we already know about them.

At home, Diana makes another fake credit card. Her whole house is a forgery den.

That night, Diana enters a club. At the bar, she calls herself “Sandy” and starts a tab with his fake credit card. She starts chatting to a couple of guys.

Later, she’s incredibly drunk and buying rounds for everyone as they chant her name. She falls down but is okay. The barman tells her these people are only her friends because she’s buying them drinks.

Outside the club, Diana is arrested by two cops. She throws up on one while doing a breathalyzer test. At the precinct, she has a mug shot taken.

• This scene amplifies what we already know about Diana—not only is she a con artist, but she’s elevated forgery to an art-form.

Plot point 4. A deflector slows down the protagonist. His/her problem is amplified.

At home, Sandy blows out his birthday cake with his wife, Trish, and two little girls. Later, Sandy tells Trish how he worries about money—the new baby etc. She tells him he’s going to get promoted and everything’s going to be fine.

• It’s clear here that Sandy is a guy with a family to support but is not doing great financially.

Plot point 5. The protagonist is hit by a major blow by the antagonist.

Next day, Sandy sits in traffic. He arrives at work. His immediate boss, Daniel, talks to him. Another colleague tells Sandy he’s wanted in Harold’s office. Harold tells Sandy to cut some bonus checks, but they’re only for partners, not Sandy.

Sandy complains—they haven’t had a bonus for three years. Harold is a real jerk and brushes him off with “the economy is changing,” etc.

• This script beat is the movie’s Call to Action. Sandy realizes he’s not getting that bonus. Ever. Is he going to be able to survive with another kid on the way?

Plot point 6. The statement of the protagonist as it relates to the stakes character.

Later, Sandy processes the bonuses and sees one to Harold for over $1,000,000. He answers his cell—it’s a hairdresser in Florida calling about his appointment. Daniel interrupts and asks Sandy to meet him in the parking lot later.

• Now we realize just how slow-witted Sandy is. He gets a call from a hairdresser in Florida and yet is still oblivious to the fraud.

Plot point 7. An Ally helps propel the protagonist out of his/her comfort zone.

In the parking lot, Sandy meets Daniel and a group of other colleagues. They tell him they’re starting their own firm and taking all of Harold’s clients. Sandy will be a VP at a salary of 250,000. Sandy smiles.

At their kid’s soccer game, Trish is overjoyed when Sandy tells her the news. Montage: Diana goes shopping: In a mall, Diana tries on a new ring. She shows her ID—“Sandy Patterson.” She sees a couple of women giggling about her as she has her make up done. She flirts with a check out guy. Another guy says her card was declined, so she gives him another one.

• Sandy gets a lifeline here from Daniel who offers him a great opportunity to be part of his new company. It’s a risk, but one Sandy can’t resist.

Plot point 8. The protagonist seems ready to move forward in their goal and/or towards the stakes character but just can’t do it.

Next morning, Sandy brushes his teeth with his kids. He drives but runs out of gas. At the gas station, his credit card is declined. Inside the station, he gives it to the attendant who says he has to cut it. They argue, but the card gets cut.

Sandy drives. He receives a call and a woman from the bank tells him he’s in debt since spending all his money in Florida. He’s pulled over by the cops and arrested.

At the police station, the officer tells Sandy he’s being booked for assault in Florida, and that he missed his court date. Sandy tries to explain it’s not him.

• Sandy is repeatedly told he’s got a problem with his credit, but refuses to believe it and eventually gets arrested. Note how his actions relate directly to his flaw established back in Plot Point 2.

Plot point 9. The antagonist/deflector attacks/shocks the protagonist. The dramatic question is raised as the protagonist realizes what the movie’s about.

Later, Sandy’s un-cuffed. The officer explains how he’s had his identity stolen by Diana, but they can’t arrest her because they’re Denver PD, but she’s being handled by Florida PD. Not only that, only 5 to 10 percent of cases are solved. Sandy can’t believe it.

• Finally, Sandy realizes what’s going on—his identity’s been stolen by a woman named Diana in Florida.

Plot point 10. The depth of feeling between the protagonist and the stakes character becomes evident.

Sandy arrives at work. Daniel knows about Sandy’s finances being screwed. Sandy tries to explain, but the officer arrives and says his name and credit cards have turned up in a narcotics bust. They have a warrant to search his workplace for drugs and guns.

• We learn that not only has Sandy had his identity stolen but, thanks to Diana, he’s now a suspect in a narcotics ring. The “depth of feeling” between protagonist and antagonist becomes more evident as the stakes for Sandy are raised even further.

Plot point 11. The antagonist or deflector threatens to take the stakes character away from the hero.

Later, the officer says Sandy is in the clear, but Daniel says he has to let him go.

• Daniel is the deflector character who threatens to take away Sandy’s job, which would take Sandy further away from his real stakes character(s)—his family. Unless…

Plot point 12. The protagonist decides he/she must act to save the stakes character.

Later, Sandy is looking at his call register on his cell and realizes he knows Diana. The officer says he needs her to be here, not in Florida. Sandy says he can get her. He will bring her back and convince her to get him his job back. Daniel is reluctant to let him go, but gives in and gives him one week. Sandy rushes out—that’s all he needs.

At home, Sandy calls the hairdresser in Florida for their address. He packs and argues with Trish who’s afraid he’ll get hurt. He shows her the mug shot of Diana again, saying she’s not dangerous. He says goodbye to the kids.

• Sandy makes the big decision at the end of Act 1—he must go to Florida to bring Diana back within one week. He thinks he’s just saving himself and his family, but he will, in fact, end up saving the movie’s other stakes character as well: Diana.

Aren’t these 12 screenplay beats too formulaic?

Not if you remember that these kinds of screenwriting tools are best employed when you’ve already written your outline of Act 1, and want to tighten them up. Rather than using them as a starting point of your creativity.

It’s never a good idea to stick too rigidly to a set formula. So if your Act 1 dictates a different direction in certain places, just go with it and then use these script beats to focus your ideas, your character intros and conflict as needs be.

What’s important is that you’re aware that there are usually twelve script beats that make up the twelve key plot points in Act 1 in most successful movies. Now it’s time for you to go through your first act and see if you can tighten it up by applying these same scenes and emotional beats.

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Do you struggle with screenplay structure? Is your first act hitting these same emotional twelve Act 1 script beats? Are you making the protagonist’s problem and the core conflict of your story absolutely clear to the audience? Let us know what you think about this method to bulletproof your Act 1 in the comments section below!

Enjoyed this post? Read more on the 12 script beats in act 1 and screenplay structure… 

No There Aren’t Just 2 or 3 Screenplay Beats in Act 1… There Are 12

Script Structure: What All Those Screenwriting Books Aren’t Telling You

How to Write a Screenplay: The Secret to Elevating It Above the Ordinary

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