Save the Cat rankings

BIRDMAN script analysis

BIRDMAN script - Save the Cat beat sheet analysis

Fading star Riggan prepares his comeback on Broadway while battling self-doubt, critical reviews, and his own alter ego. As he casts the volatile Mike Shiner and reconnects with his daughter Sam, Riggan’s reality blurs between on-stage crisis and off-stage hallucinations, leading to a public meltdown and a redemptive epiphany in a hospital bed.

72 Save the Cat fit score 82% analysis confidence / 58 parsed scenes

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1

Opening Image

Scene 1 / Page 1 / 1% target

85%

We meet Riggan levitating in meditation, establishing his unstable, surreal attempt at control.

Alchemillas. Or something soothing that smells nice. Listen I can't--
2

Theme Stated

Scene 14 / Page 7 / 5% target

80%

Sylvia tells Riggan he doesn’t have to be a great father, only present, stating the theme of authenticity and connection.

Riggan... You don't have to be a great father right now, you just have to be one.
3

Set-Up

Scenes 1-6 / Pages 1-3 / 10% target

78%

We see Riggan juggling rehearsals, his daughter’s call, and media pressure, establishing his world and supporting characters.

4

Catalyst

Scene 3 / Page 2 / 12% target

90%

A falling light injures Ralph during rehearsal, creating urgent stakes for Riggan’s production.

5

Debate

Scenes 4-7 / Pages 2-4 / 20% target

80%

Riggan and Jake argue over recasting after the accident, and Lesley pushes Mike Shiner, provoking Riggan’s anxiety over control.

I'm the wrong person to ask, okay? I didn't even know the guy. So what's your point?
6

Break into Two

Scene 9 / Page 5 / 25% target

88%

Mike Shiner arrives for rehearsal, shifting Riggan into the unpredictable world of working with a star known for chaos.

Okay, well, then I'm just standing here with my balls out.
7

B Story

Scene 20 / Page 10 / 30% target

83%

Riggan’s fraught relationship with Sam comes to a head in the Green Room, grounding the emotional core as the B-story.

What're you still doing here?
8

Fun and Games

Scenes 16-18 / Pages 8-9 / 40% target

84%

Riggan and Mike bond over drinks and debates on fame, then Mike tangles with critic Tabitha in playful verbal sparring.

Nothing matters until she writes five hundred words about us in the New York Times.
9

Midpoint

Scene 23 / Page 12 / 50% target

92%

Onstage, Riggan—embodying his Birdman persona—shoots himself, marking a shocking twist and raising the stakes.

10

Bad Guys Close In

Scene 31 / Page 13 / 65% target

87%

Riggan reads a scathing New York Times review, intensifying his self-doubt and external opposition.

11

All Is Lost

Scene 55 / Page 20 / 75% target

90%

In the play’s climax Riggan shoots himself for real, a moment that seems like ultimate defeat.

I don't exist. I'm not even here. I don't exist. None of this matters.
12

Dark Night of the Soul

Scene 50 / Page 17 / 80% target

85%

Riggan collapses asleep on a bench and hallucinates encouragement from Birdman, wrestling with despair.

13

Break into Three

Scene 52 / Page 18 / 85% target

81%

Sylvia visits before the second act, grounding Riggan with love and prompting him to push forward.

I love you. And I love Sam.
14

Finale

Scene 56 / Page 21 / 95% target

88%

In the hospital, Riggan and Sam share a tender moment as she sets up his social media, symbolizing his genuine return.

I'm posting this picture on your Twitter page.
15

Final Image

Scene 58 / Page 22 / 99% target

89%

Riggan vanishes from his hospital window and Sam looks skyward, mirroring the opening levitation in a transcendent close.