Interactive Reference · Screenwriting Structure

One Story, Six Maps

Six beat frameworks, two act traditions, one timeline. The modern spine splits or doesn't; Freytag's runs underneath it the whole way.

The big picture: Every framework below describes the same ~110-page skeleton at a different resolution. Two act models run permanently across the top: the modern spine (which you can split at the midpoint) and the classical five-act. They disagree in a way worth staring at — Freytag puts the climax in the middle.

→ Grab the ∷ handle on any lane to drag it up or down — park a framework directly under the act rows to compare it. Click any card or act band for the full explanation.

Modern spine

Aspect

Beats

Inciting

End Act I

Midpoint

All Is Lost

Climax

3-ACT

5-ACT · Freytag

Tension

Page

100

110

∷The Eight SequencesFrank Daniel · 8 sequences

∷Save the Cat!Blake Snyder · 15 beats

∷Weiland BeatsK.M. Weiland · 10 beats

∷Story CircleDan Harmon · 8 steps

∷Hero's JourneyChristopher Vogler · 12 stages

∷22 StepsJohn Truby · 22 steps

6 frameworks · 75 beats · drag ∷ to reorder

Story Structure — Beat Key

Page ranges on a ~110-page feature model. Companion to the timeline overleaf.

The Eight Sequences Frank Daniel

1–15Status Quo & Setup
15–30Predicament & Lock-In
30–45First Attempt & Obstacle
45–60First Culmination
60–75Subplot & Rising Stakes
75–90Second Culmination
90–100Regroup & Final Push
100–110Climax & Resolution

Save the Cat! Blake Snyder

1–3Opening Image
3–6Theme Stated
6–12Set-Up
12–15Catalyst
15–25Debate
25–28Break into Two
28–32B Story
32–55Fun and Games
55–58Midpoint
58–75Bad Guys Close In
75–78All Is Lost
78–85Dark Night of the Soul
85–88Break into Three
88–108Finale
108–110Final Image

Weiland Beats K.M. Weiland

1–7Hook
7–20Inciting Event
20–34First Plot Point
34–48First Pinch Point
48–61Midpoint
61–75Second Pinch Point
75–89Third Plot Point
89–104Climax
104–108Climactic Moment
108–110Resolution

Story Circle Dan Harmon

1–10You
10–25Need
25–35Go
35–55Search
55–70Find
70–90Take
90–102Return
102–110Change

Hero's Journey Christopher Vogler

1–10Ordinary World
10–15Call to Adventure
15–22Refusal of the Call
22–28Meeting the Mentor
28–32Crossing the First Threshold
32–52Tests, Allies, Enemies
52–60Approach to the Inmost Cave
60–68The Ordeal
68–78Reward (Seizing the Sword)
78–90The Road Back
90–104Resurrection
104–110Return with the Elixir

22 Steps John Truby

1–6Self-revelation, need & desire
6–10Ghost & story world
10–12Weakness & need
12–17Inciting event
17–23Desire
23–29Ally or allies
29–35Opponent and/or mystery
35–41Fake-ally opponent
41–47First revelation & decision
47–53Plan
53–59Opponent's plan & counterattack
59–66Drive
66–71Attack by ally
71–79Apparent defeat
79–85Second revelation & decision
85–89Audience revelation
89–93Third revelation & decision
93–97Gate, gauntlet, visit to death
97–103Battle
103–106Self-revelation
106–108Moral decision
108–110New equilibrium

The Act Models

Three-Act Structure Classic

1–30Act I — Setup
30–90Act II — Confrontation
90–110Act III — Resolution

Four-Act Structure Even math

1–30Act I
30–60Act IIA — Reactive
60–90Act IIB — Proactive
90–110Act III

Five-Act Structure Freytag · classical

1–22Act I — Exposition
22–44Act II — Rising Action
44–66Act III — Climax (the turn)
66–88Act IV — Falling Action
88–110Act V — Denouement

Card colors follow the selected modern spine. Page counts are conventions, not rules: Save the Cat spans are tiled for legibility; Weiland, Vogler, and Truby placements are indicative; Freytag's acts are shown as equal fifths.

The two act traditions

The modern spine — three-act by default. Toggle it to four-act and the long middle splits at the midpoint into IIA (the hero reacting) and IIB (the hero driving): 30 / 30 / 30 / 20.
Five-act (Freytag) — a genuinely different shape, which is why it stays on screen. Its climax is the central turning point, followed by two full acts of falling action and denouement. Modern structure compresses that back half and shoves the climax to ~90%.

The frameworks, in brief

The Eight Sequences (Frank Daniel) — ~10-15 page sequences, each a mini-movie with its own dramatic question.
Save the Cat! (Blake Snyder) — fifteen beats, the highest plot granularity. Names single-page turns the others leave implicit.
Weiland Beats (K.M. Weiland) — percentage-based: plot points at 25/50/75%, pinch points at 37/62%.
Story Circle (Dan Harmon) — eight steps tracking inner transformation, not plot. Really a circle: descent, then symmetrical return.
Hero's Journey (Christopher Vogler) — twelve stages adapting Campbell's monomyth.
22 Steps (John Truby) — the highest resolution, built on moral argument and the ally/opponent web. Truby rejects page math, so positions are indicative.

For machines: normalized data for all six frameworks (75 beats) and all three act models — page ranges, colors, and full descriptions — is embedded as JSON. Parse <script type="application/json" id="story-structure-data">: spines[] holds the act models, frameworks[].beats[] the beats. Every card and act band is a real DOM button.
Card colors follow the selected modern spine. ~110-page model; page counts are conventions, not rules. Save the Cat spans are tiled for legibility (canonical pages live in each description); Weiland, Vogler, and Truby placements are indicative; Freytag's five acts are shown as equal fifths. A structural reference, not a rulebook.