Did I learn anything in College?

Did I learn anything in College?

This might sound scary, but I don't think I understood what a "Beat" in a script was until I listened to Robert Mckee. I also wish I had analyzed scripts in College with the five steps he lays out.

1. Define Conflict
   a. Who drives the scene?
   b. What do they desire?
   c. What forces of Antagonism exist?
   d. What do they desire?
(Side note the desire of the Protagonist and Antagonist should be directly opposed) (Sub-note for the actor as I see it now it would be the actors place to push their character to oppose in desire the other characters if the script doesn't already do this well.)

2. Note the Opening Values
     a. Does the scene start at Positive or Negative?

3. Break the Scene into Beats
   A beat lasts until the intentions expressed by the character changes. If a character is pleading and being ignored over and over this is all one beat.

4. Note the Closing Values
     a. How has the scene turned from where it started at step 2.

5. Survey the beats and find the Turning  Point of the whole scene.


I plan to use these steps to grow my ability to write better scenes, but to also act more clearly and portray better characters.