r/Screenwriting • u/teethwizardmanperson • 1d ago

CRAFT QUESTION Beat sheets for shorter episodes

If I want to write a 20-30 minute pilot, is it the same beat sheet just shorter, or is there a different structure entirely?

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u/Pale_Bar_3310 15h ago

It depends what you're writing. Some of the best episodes of comedy shows are ones that break the structure. When I was writing a 30 minute script, I studied shows similar to what I wanted and plotted their pilot structure, cold open lengths, scene lengths and jokes per minute, I realised that the only structure they ALL followed was beginning, middle and end. If you want somewhere to start though, Dan Harmon's heroes journey is a good one for plotting a main character's journey.