Save the Cat (and Your Story) with Blake Snyder’s Beat Sheet
“Your story comes from your heart, and then you structure it to deliver it in the best way.”
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Ever hear the term "story beat" and wonder what it really means?
In this episode, Rain breaks down the mysterious middle ground between scenes and acts—the story beat. And he uses Blake Snyder’s popular (and sometimes polarizing) Save the Cat beat sheet to do it.
You’ll get a clear explanation of what a beat is, how the 15-beat structure works, and why it's helped thousands of storytellers—from screenwriters to brand strategists—craft more compelling narratives.
Rain walks you through the full beat sheet, explains how it maps to The Lion King, and shares tips on how to use this structure for your own business, brand, or film storytelling. If you’ve been overwhelmed by big frameworks, this episode will give you a clear, practical tool to work with.
In the episode, you will learn to:
Define what a story beat is and understand how it fits between scenes and acts.
Use Blake Snyder’s 15-beat sheet to outline or revise your story with more clarity.
Apply structural thinking without becoming rigid or formulaic.
Break down familiar films like The Lion King to see how classic stories follow this shape.
Build emotional momentum in your stories by anchoring each beat to character decisions.
“Your story comes from your heart, and then you structure it to deliver it in the best way.”
- Rain Bennett
If you want to understand the mysterious "story beat" and how it will help you structure your story for maximum engagement... this is the episode for you!
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Some of the highlights of the episode:
00:00 - What Is a Story Beat Anyway?
01:55 - Save the Cat and the Power of Structure
04:30 - Who Is Blake Snyder? And Why 15 Beats?
06:49 - Beat-by-Beat Breakdown Begins
09:05 - B Stories, Fun and Games, and the Midpoint Shift
11:27 - All Is Lost and the Dark Night of the Soul
13:50 - The Finale and Final Image
15:53 - What the Beats Actually Do for Your Story
18:19 - Applying the Beats to The Lion King
20:41 - Breaking Down Simba’s Journey Beat by Beat
23:03 - The Real Value of Structural Frameworks
As always, I hope you enjoy the episode!
Rain
For more storytelling tips and tricks,
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