Documentary beat sheets: what they contain and when to write them

Beat sheets define structure. Paper cuts handle assembly. They work in sequence, not in competition. Here is how the two documents relate and why skipping the beat sheet creates problems in the paper cut.

A beat sheet is the ordered list of story beats your documentary is going to land. Here is what a beat is, what a beat sheet does, and how it differs from a paper cut.

A paper cut is a written assembly of interview selects in the order the editor plans to use them. It is the blueprint for the rough cut. Here is how it works.