The Silence of The Lambs Movie Beat Sheet

1. Opening Image
	A tree (with no leafs) in the woods - foggy, fall-like weather. (A sweaty Clarice soon climbs up into view)
2. Theme Stated
	Clarice (FBI trainee) is assigned the task of talking to Hannibal in an effort to get information on a serial killer - Buffalo Bill.
3. Set-Up
	Clarice is warned to not let Hannibal inside her head. She goes to the asylum to see Hannibal & to get him to fill out a questionnaire. He challenges her & she fights back, questioning his courage. Hannibal still won't help her.
4. Catalyst - Inciting Incident
	Another inmate tosses sperm at her
5. Debate
	Appalled, Hannibal still refuses to fill out the questionnaire BUT he does offer her a hint to catching Buffalo Bill & to advance her career. She follows the clues, which lead to a dead body. Clarice now knows that Hannibal could help her the rest of the way.
6. Break into Two
	Hannibal agrees to continue to help her, but he wants a room with a view in exchange, and time is running out as the killer searches for his next victim.
7. B Story
	Buffalo Bill captures his next victim.
8. Fun and Games
	The hunt is on as Clarice investigates: autopsy of past victim, finds an exotic moth, meets with moth experts. The latest victim is the daughter of a Senator.
9. Tentpole - Midpoint - Reversal
	The FBI agrees on terms to make Hannibal's stay more pleasant BUT only if the Senator's daughter lives & Buffalo Bill is caught. Hannibal agrees to help BUT only if Clarice opens up to him. Quid pro quo.
10. Bad Guys Close In
	Hannibal tells her that Bill was probably rejected for transsexual operation, but she gives up some personal information on her running away as a child. Bill pressures his victim. The chief psychiatrist tells Hannibal that the FBI is lying to him. We learn that the offer Clarice made was phoney by the FBI and the Senator is angry. Hannibal is being tranferred. The Senator agrees to it. He provides information to her.
11. All Is Lost
	Clarice is desperate. She needs information & has little time to get it as Hannibal is moments away from being transferred. Time for Quid pro quo.
12. Dark Night of the Soul
	She's forced to tell her most personal secret regarding the slaughter of the lambs. After Clarice leaves, Hannibal kills the guards.
13. Break into Three
	Hannibal escapes posing as an injured officer.
14. Finale - Confrontation
	Buffalo Bill sews skin from previous victim. Clarice figures out that the moth victim is the first one & therefore Buffalo Bill knew her. She follows her lead while the FBI follows a false lead that Hannibal gave to the Senator. She questions Buffalo Bill, figures out he's the killer, confronts and kills him, saving the girl.
15. Aftermath
	Clarice graduates. She gets a call from Hannibal, who has the Chief Psychiatrist in his sights. The psychiatrist is on the run, hiding from Hannibal.
16. Final Image
	Hannibal walking through the crowd on an island with palm trees on a sunny day.

Some might place Clarice’s slaughtering of the lambs revelation at the end of the “Bad guys close in” beat, but I feel it works perfectly in the “Dark night of the soul” as she clearly doesn’t want to reveal this and is a poignant moment in the story.

The Blind Side Movie Beat Sheet

1. Opening Image
	Football game: Joe Theisman
2. Theme Stated
	Protecting your blind side is demonstrated by what happened to Joe Theisman.
3. Set-Up
	The school decides if Michael should be admitted. Good athlete but not well educated (not smart). They admit him & give him a chance to give him a break, but he's doing bad in class & feels out of place as the only African American in a white school.
4. Catalyst - Inciting Incident
	Leigh Anne sees her son talking to Michael. Michael learns that his father died, but he was never close to him.
5. Debate
	Leigh Anne sees Michael wandering at night on the road. She stops to talk to him and decides to take him in her home since he seems to have nowhere to go.
6. Break into Two
	Leigh Anne drives him home to the projects. There's an eviction notice on his door.
7. B Story
	Michael tells Leigh Anne that his mother probably left to a nicer place, not revealing the eviction notice & so she takes him in. He hasn't opened up yet.
8. Fun and Games
	Michael becomes part of the family. His grades are improving. We learn that Michael has a brother, whom he hasn't seen in a long time. Her friends don't understand. Leigh Anne decides to be his legal guardian. She buys Michael a truck.
9. Tentpole - Midpoint - Reversal
	Michael gets into a car accident with her son. Leigh Anne is concerned not upset & she learns that he injured his arm saving her son from the air bag. He becomes the protector.
10. Bad Guys Close In
	Michael uses his protective instincts to succeed in football as an offensive lineman. Plays in a football game & he's getting beat until the coach sticks up for him on a flagged play. He then prevails. A sign that Michael is trusting a man (abandonment issues)
11. All Is Lost
	College recruits are interested in Michael, but he needs a 2.5 gpa but his grades don't cut it.
12. Dark Night of the Soul
	Leigh Anne hires a tutor. He's doing well in all but one class and has to write a final paper. He chooses Mississippi over Tennessee.
13. Break into Three
	He writes a paper from the heart about courage.
14. Finale - Confrontation
	He's preparing for college when he's questioned about the choice of schools. The NCAA is investigated the connection Leigh Anne and her husband have regarding to going to Miss. The allegation is that Leigh Anne took him in in order to prep him for Miss. He believes it & leaves Leigh Anne to go to his old neighborhood, but he doesn't fit in. Leigh Anne finds him & asks what he wants to do (no longer pushing her ideas). She will support Tennessee.
15. Aftermath
	Michael meets with the NCAA investigator & says he chooses Miss because his family went there.
16. Final Image
	Pro-football draft day of Michael and his family as he's chosen by the Ravens.

Casablanca Movie Beat Sheet

1. Opening Image
	Globe
2. Theme Stated
	News of German couriers, carrying documents, being murdered is announced & people are being searched, arrested and even killed on sight by the police. People are trying to flee Casablanca.
3. Set-Up
	A German Major arrives in Casablanca & is received by a French Captain Renault. In Rick's bar, people are planning ways to purchase papers in order to escape Casablanca. Rick is a cynic, who doesn't get involved.
4. Catalyst - Inciting Incident
	Ugarte has the signed letters of transit & tells Rick.
5. Debate
	Ugarte aks Rick to hold his letters. Rick agrees, but only for 1 night. Rick learns that Laszlo (a man who has impressed Rick) will need an exit visa. He makes a bet with Renault that Laszlo will escape. Ugarte is arrested, and now Rick is the owner of the transit papers. He tells the German Major that he has no intention of helping anyone. He sticks his head out for no one.
6. Break into Two
	Laszlo and his wife (Ilsa) enter the bar.
7. B Story
	Laszlo learns that Ugarte has been arrested. Ilsa asks questions about Rick.
8. Fun and Games
	Rick and Ilsa meet & we learn that they have a past & Rick is not over it. Rick's heart shines through for the love of a woman, who broke his heart & is married.
9. Tentpole - Midpoint - Reversal
	Ilsa visits Rick, who turns her away.
10. Bad Guys Close In
	The German Major informs Laszlo that Ugarte is dead & there's no way he can get the transit papers. The Germans search Rick's place. They believe he has the papers. Rick learns that Ilsa had been married when they met.
11. All Is Lost
	Ilsa learns that the one man that she spurned has the letters of transit - Rick.
12. Dark Night of the Soul
	Rick develops a conscious and helps a couple, who reminds him of what he had with Ilsa. Laszlo offers to buy the letters of transit from Rick, who says "no" & that Ilsa knows why he won't sell them.
13. Break into Three
	The German Major talks to Ilsa, threatening Laszlo's life. She knows Rick won't give Laszlo the papers.
14. Finale - Confrontation
	Ilsa begs Rick for those papers. He won't give them, so he draws a gun, she can't shoot, and emotional break through follows. They make a pact, she'll stay with him & he'll give Laszlo the papers. Laszlo asks Rick to give Ilsa one of the papers so she can leave. Meanwhile, Rick meets with Renault to set up Laszlo for capture but it's a double cross.
15. Aftermath
	Rick sends Ilsa off with Laszlo. The German Major shows up at the airport & Rick kills him. Renault doesn't arrest him.
16. Final Image
	Rick and Renault walk off together at the airport.

Inglourious Basterds Movie Beat Sheet

1. Opening Image
	Farmland. A man is chopping wood
2. Theme Stated
	Man wipes his brow and rushes his daughter inside the house in preparation for the bad guy Nazi (Landa), who drives up with his soldiers.
3. Set-Up
	Landa asks about the whereabouts of a Jewish family. The man/father claims to not know where they are. At this point we see that the family is hiding underneath the floor boards.
4. Catalyst - Inciting Incident
	Landa knows the father is sheltering the Jewish family under his floor boards & threatens his family. The father gives up the Jewish family. The soldiers kill all but one - a young woman (Shosanna), whom Landa allows to escape.
5. Debate
	Raine (American Lt) talks to his troops about their mission - to kill Nazis. They enlist Stiglitz & force a German soldier to divulge information. Meanwhile, Hitler orders his men to find Raine and his men.
6. Break into Two
	Raine scars the German soldier. Immediately afterwards, we find out that Shosanna is alive years later.
7. B Story
	A German soldier romantically pursues Shosanna.
8. Fun and Games
	Shosanna agrees to let the German film be viewed in her theatre. Landa and Shosanna cross paths. A sort of cat a mouse game with Landa seeming to know who she is. Her back seems against the wall.
9. Tentpole - Midpoint - Reversal
	Shosanna plots to burn the Germans in her theatre when the movie is being viewed. A Britsh soldier (Hicox) joins Raine's effort to meet a German traitor (Bridget) who will help them.
10. Bad Guys Close In
	Hicox & Raine's team meet up with Bridget in a bar BUT it's filled with Germans, including a German Major.
11. All Is Lost
	The German Major figures them out. Shoot out. Mexican standoff follows.
12. Dark Night of the Soul
	The team in the bar is dead (except Bridget) & they're the German speaking members. How will the Americans infiltrate? Anybody speak Italian? Landa investigates the aftermath at the bar and learns that Bridget is a traitor.
13. Break into Three
	Theatre night. Hitler will be there. Shosanna plans to burn the theatre. Bridget will introduce Raine and his team as Italian film makers (who plan to place explosives in the theatre). Landa is there.
14. Finale - Confrontation
	Landa kills Bridget & captures Raine and one of his men. Two of Raines men remain and blow up the theatre. Landa knows these men are there and allows them to stay in order to receive American immunity and to live in America. Shosanna sets fire to the theatre and is murdered by the German romantic.
15. Aftermath
	Landa frees Raine & plans are set to give Landa immunity, but not before Raine scars Landa in the forehead.
16. Final Image
	Raine, with a bloodied knife, looking down at Landa after scarring him. "This just might be my masterpiece", are Raine's words.