Category: Screenwriting
Anatomy of a Scene
One of the least discussed, least understood components of a screenplay is also, ironically, one of its main units of story measurement, character development, and plot information: the scene.
Too many beginning writers unfortunately seem to think that most scenes are throwaway moments, and that somehow the overall story structure … More
Read moreScreenwriting Glossary
Variations in Screenplay Format
Screenplay format is at times straightforward, at times confusing. Yet beginning screenwriters often assume that rules of format are set in stone, which is not true. Script format evolves, mutates, and varies from writer to writer. Learning when and how you can alter format to your needs will make your … More
Steal This Idea!
Everybody does it. What are Hollywood screenwriters and producers if not a sleek band of rapacious idea-highwaymen and -women, constantly on the prowl for the unpillaged concept, the unpludered notion?
Now it’s your turn.
Yes, you, too, can join this elite cadre of concept-ninja, and obtain ideas the old-fashioned way; … More
Read moreAn Actor’s Perspective
It’s essential for a screenwriter to understand a script from the perspective of an actor. Acting, being the major component of performed drama, overlaps and interlocks with screenwriting in some very important and integral ways.
Thus, a great way to better understand the role that character plays in your own … More
Read moreKnow Thyself, or How to Avoid Becoming a Hack
Growing the Idea
Submerged: The Story Beneath the Story
When you watch a great movie, read a really good book, or are in some way exposed to a nice piece of storytelling, you may have often had a sense of shifting layers of meaning underneath the surface scenes and characters. Indeed, there are entire disciplines devoted to ferreting out … More
Conflict in Genre: Not Just the Bad Guy
Beginning screenwriters truly seem to have trouble understanding that conflict is essential to drama. While they are usually aware of the necessity of an antagonist, what they typically forget is that conflict should be everywhere in a story, and not solely originate from the bad guy and his minions. This … More
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