Save the Cat rankings

CANDLE TO WATER script analysis

CANDLE TO WATER script - Save the Cat beat sheet analysis

Vaughn, a troubled family man, is torn between his domestic life and a rekindled affair with Brooke. As he pursues this dangerous liaison, his home life unravels and the stakes escalate. The film shifts into a new setting where another group faces captivity and violence. Ultimately, the story weaves multiple arcs of desperation, betrayal, and survival.

20 Save the Cat fit score 30% analysis confidence / 125 parsed scenes

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1

Opening Image

Scene 1 / Page 1 / 1% target

40%

Vaughn is stuck in traffic on a train car, reflecting his entrapment.

I don't know. I mean I want you, I want to be with you. You know that. It's...
2

Theme Stated

Scene 2 / Pages 1-2 / 5% target

30%

His uncertainty at home hints at the film’s exploration of choices and consequences.

3

Set-Up

Scenes 3-6 / Pages 2-5 / 10% target

30%

We see Vaughn’s fractured family life and mounting tension with Mia and Pip.

4

Catalyst

Scene 10 / Pages 5-6 / 12% target

30%

Vaughn decisively leaves his family and packs to meet Brooke, triggering the affair plot.

5

Debate

Scene 11 / Pages 6-7 / 20% target

30%

He hesitates and questions if he should trust Brooke, reflecting internal conflict.

6

Break into Two

Scene 12 / Page 7 / 25% target

30%

Vaughn enters Brooke’s flat, marking his jump into a new, uncertain world.

7

B Story

Scenes 13-16 / Pages 7-9 / 30% target

30%

Brooke’s trauma flashbacks introduce her emotional journey alongside Vaughn’s.

8

Fun and Games

Scenes 20-23 / Pages 9-11 / 40% target

30%

Moments of intimacy and discovery probe the dark, erotic undercurrents of their affair.

9

Midpoint

Scenes 24-25 / Pages 11-12 / 50% target

30%

Repressed flashback surfaces in their bedroom tension, upping the stakes emotionally.

10

Bad Guys Close In

Scenes 26-29 / Pages 12-14 / 65% target

30%

Mia confronts Vaughn and the affair unravels; Brooke’s walls go up, threatening the relationship.

11

All Is Lost

Scene 31 / Page 14 / 75% target

30%

Vaughn abandons Brooke, hitting rock bottom in their relationship arc.

12

Dark Night of the Soul

Scenes 39-40 / Pages 15-16 / 80% target

30%

Alone in the vast depot, Vaughn/Affiliate characters reflect on lost direction.

13

Break into Three

Scenes 45-46 / Page 17 / 85% target

30%

Dolores discovers the beating, prompting a shift toward rescue or revenge.

14

Finale

Scenes 87-88 / Pages 31-32 / 95% target

30%

Jaden and Austen’s climactic confrontation leads to life-and-death consequences.

15

Final Image

Scene 125 / Page 50 / 99% target

30%

Shona, now jailed, reflects the cycle of violence and consequence.