Save the Cat!: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need

by Blake Snyder

The next cards you really must nail in there are the hinge points of the story: midpoint, Act Two break, Act One break.

Either your hero (or heroes) reach a dizzyingly false victory at page 55 or an equally false and dizzying defeat. In most cases, nailing the midpoint will help guide you — and it is the one decision you must make before you can go on.

HOOK – Ah, le hook! This is the encapsulation of a movie, be it displayed on the poster or in the logline, which grabs your attention and makes you want to run, not walk, to the theatre. And when mentioned in Variety, it is the thing that makes you hit yourself on the head and say: “Why didn’t I think of that?” Like Proust’s madeleine, the hook must blossom in your mind with possibility and “hook” you into wanting more — thus the name. It is a simple mental picture that promises fun and gives you enough of a peek into the storyline that you can see the potential. A good hook is gold for this reason: It works on anyone who hears it, be it agent, producer, studio head, or ticket buyer. A good hook answers: “What is it?”