Screenwriting 101: Jon Boyer

“Once I land on an idea that I want to explore, I start with a premise statement, and it’s always a when, then, until track.

When this happens, then this happens, until this happens. The until is usually a low point. I guess you could call it a logline, but I prefer to call it more of a premise line. You look at, say a script is 120 pages, and there’s roughly 10 page increments. The first act is in this set of tools. The first act is the first three. The second act is the next six. Then the third act is the final three.

I would just make every statement, the first one when this happens with the character, then this happens, until this happens. When I do that for every single sequence statement, it helps keep momentum going for the character, and it helps you find the dead spots in your story pretty quickly. It also helps you stay focused on your character’s intention where they want to go.

Throughout those, each sequence, to me, means something. There’s the inciting incidence sequence. There’s the introduction to the character in the world sequence. The inciting incidence sequence. The dynamic character introduction Who’s that character or that thing that’s going to push or pull your character through the story?

These 12 sequences, I just find that in trying to keep it down to very simple, pithy statements, it really helps you trim the fat off of your story, and find all of your holes, and find the true intention for your character, and be able to plot it out in a much cleaner way without it being too confusing.”

— Jon Boyer (2013 Black List)

From Go Into The Story interview, January 2017

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