Filmmaking Lab Studios

Deepen your understanding of one of the fundamental building blocks of story: Beats. Get deep into script analysis, learn how to identify the Beats of a story, break down scenes from the classic film Chinatown into Beats, and embody the actions of the characters. This knowledge of how to craft and use Beats: 

• Brings life and clarity to script structure and performance

• Creates rhythm and pacing

• Heightens the speed and vitality of direction, camera and performance

• Grounds your skills and brings your directing, writing, acting and producing to the next level

With seven chapters and over 11 hours of content, Beats 1 helps you discover how to build the structure and rhythm of your work and bring it unforgettably to life. The curriculum includes:

• Chapter 1: What are Beats? 

  • An introduction to this fundamental element of storytelling.

• Chapter 2: Breaking Down the Scene - It's Chinatown

  • Break down a classic scene from Chinatown into Beats.

  • Embody the scene and see how to use Beats in the frame.

• Chapter 3: Stand/Sit/Back/Forth Exercise

  • Use this exercise to

• Chapter 4: Sketching With the Inner Life

• Chapter 5: Overall Actions

• Chapter 6: Supporting Actions/Playable Actions

• Chapter 7: Putting it All Together - Embody the Scene

Knowing how to use Beats is an essential part of The Technique™, which is central to Joan's work on films and television shows such as Transparent, Beginners, Arbitrage, Snow White and the Huntsman, Little Miss Sunshine and Whale Rider. Now you can experience the techniques to instantly connect you to the feeling, emotional depth, and rhythm of your work. There is no need to bring a project, the techniques learned can be applied to all fields in any entertainment platform. Jump into this craft intensive Beats 1 course to ground your skills and bring your creativity to the next level.