Hey everybody,
I am currently working on a pilot (45-50 min) for a science fiction crime show and wanted to roughtly outline all seasons (its about one big thing that will be revealed at the end). How would you go about it? How to structure the Final Draft Beatboard for such a long period? Would you do a new project for every Season or Episode or everything in one?
Pls pls somebody help ^.^
All the best,
Jonas
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Here's a link to John August's page where he's posted examples of Bibles and Beat sheets he's done.
https://johnaugust.com/library
You probably wouldn't want to break a whole season in Final Draft. It'd probably be a whole lot cleaner and easier to do it as a Word File.
If you are breaking individual episodes, and really feel you need to outline a whole season's worth, I'd just do an individual beat sheet for each episode.
A Beat Sheet is usually a four or five page outline of the scenes in an individual episode, usually keyed by Act structure, that quickly sketches out key information for each scene (where it takes place, who's in it, what happens and tone) in a few sentences.
So with a ten episode season, you'll probably have a forty to fifty page document.
You don't have to get that detailed. But it's certainly a way to really get into the mechanics of your overall story.
I wouldn't write beat sheets for subsequent seasons. Just give each a paragraph of where that season could go to show the series has legs. If you're lucky enough to sell the show, you'll have plenty of time to work out season two.
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spend $90 and watch Shonda Rhimes' masterclass. She goes step by step creating a tv series.
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Kay Luke Thanks a lot! That helps - I will be doing research for Series Bibles!!! David Trotti Aaaah - alright! Thanks for the link - I will riffle through everything that there is! I have also seen such an script breakdown for individual Episodes as a word like template in Final Draft - guess I am going to use that. Dan MaxXx No need for spending 90 dollars - I already got the full package! What an excellent idea! Thanks Dan!