15 Motivating Jon Favreau Quotes on Filmmaking
Where to start with a filmmaker, actor, producer and writer as malleable and prolific as Jon Favreau? The multi-talented director behind Iron Man, the Mandalorian and The Lion King has …
Industrial Scripts
Writing a Satisfying Story Ending: The COMPLETE Guide
Story Ending: The Most Important Part of Your Screenplay Any successful screenplay endeavours to tell the story of a character’s journey. A crucial part of that journey is the story …
Writing Stage Directions in a Screenplay: The ULTIMATE Lowdown
Crafting good quality stage directions can often be one of the trickiest parts of writing a screenplay. The directions need to be clear and concise but also need to engage …
What Goes into the Writing of a Documentary Script?
What is a Documentary Script? Documentary filmmaking is a non-fiction form of storytelling that depicts reality. The purpose behind the film could be to educate, inform or simply to document. …
Dream Sequences: How to Craft Them While Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Dream Sequences: Avoiding the Lazy Screenwriter’s Crutch It was all a dream! First the audience gasps. Then they sigh and roll their eyes. Through overuse and poor execution, dream sequences …
The Insider Interviews – Steve Matthews (HBO Europe)
This latest iteration of our Insider Interviews Series is with Steve Matthews, currently VP Executive Producer for Drama Development at HBO Europe. Steve has had a wide-ranging career since getting started in …
Writing Tension in Screenplays: Learn from 10 NAIL-BITING Scenes
Writing Tension: The Difference Between Shock and Suspense Take an ordinary scene where for five minutes three people are sitting around a table talking about their day. Suddenly, BOOM! A …
Reboots: RIGHTS and WRONGS of Writing a Reboot
What is a Reboot? In the realm of movie-making, a reboot is a reimagining of an existing franchise that rebrands or restarts the established fictional world. The most notable franchises …
15 Guillermo Del Toro Quotes You Can Learn From
Since his debut film, Cronos, Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has been captivating audiences with a unique blend of fantasy and realism. We’ve compiled 15 Guillermo del Toro quotes that …
10 Filmmakers That Show HOW a Filmmaker Can BEST Tackle a Script
How Do Filmmakers Approach a Script? The screenplay is the spine of the movie. But the way it is interpreted for the screen is the key to turning a great …
Dual Protagonists: How to Handle TWO Lead Characters in Your Screenplay
Dual Protagonists: Breaking the Mould There is no law in screenwriting that dictates you must only have one protagonist, or main character, in your screenplay. Granted, most writers choose to …
Political Thrillers vs Political Dramas: What Are the KEY Differences?
While shows such as The Crown and House of Cards have been recent hits, political thrillers and political dramas have been around since the dawn of storytelling. After all, Shakespeare …
Creating Characters That Leap Off The Page: What Are The 15 VITAL Steps?
Creating Characters: A Daunting Process When writing a screenplay, the process of creating characters can be so arduous yet so enlightening, so varied yet at the same time so individually …
10 Superb TV Pilot Examples and The Keys to Writing a Great TV Pilot
What Makes a Great TV Pilot? Understanding the importance, function and objective of a TV pilot are the first steps to writing a great one. The difference between a failed …
Visual Storytelling: What Does it REALLY Mean, in Screenwriting terms?
What Is Visual Storytelling? By definition, visual storytelling is a story told through a visual medium. This can include anything from photography, video or illustration, which is then enhanced by …
David Mamet Masterclass Review: Is It Worth It?
David Mamet MasterClass Scores for the David Mamet MasterClass: Lessons- 9/10 Workbook- 8/10 Community- 7/10 Value- 8/10 Overall Verdict– Thumbs Up! Who is David Mamet? Pulitzer Prize winner, David Mamet, …
Film Networking: An Unavoidable Skill You Have No Choice But To Master
“It’s all about who you know”. Anyone remotely connected to the film industry has heard that phrase. And they’ll often approach the whole subject of film networking, of making contacts, …
Genre Mashup: 10 Vital Steps to Nailing a Mix of Genres in Your Screenplay
Genre mashups, also known as cross-genres or hybrid genres, are commonly found in many art forms – film, music or literature. It’s when an artist combines two or more genres …
15 Fantastic Steve McQueen Quotes for Writers and Filmmakers
Steve McQueen is an acclaimed British Director and a Turner prize-winning artist, most famously known for directing the Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave (2013). Steve McQueen quotes, particularly from his …
Multi-Camera Scripts: How Do They Differ From Other Scripts in Content and Style?
The Multi-Camera Sitcom Since coming to the fore in the 1960s, the multi-camera situational comedy, or sitcom, has proven itself a genre that has been able to continually reinvent itself, …
Barry Berkman – ORIGINAL CHARACTERS Series: Part 6
Welcome to Original Characters, an ongoing series of Industrial Scripts’ articles examining the most original characters to appear in both TV and film. This article will focus on Barry Berkman from Barry. What is an …
Biting Social Satire: How to Write a Great Critique
Social satire is a genre of film that relies on irony, exaggeration, ridicule, or humor to critique an unfavorable aspect of society and/or human nature. The best social satires are …
Antagonist Examples: 15 of the BEST Formidable Foes from Film & TV
In screenwriting terms, the antagonist of a story is arguably as important as the protagonist. In the very simplest terms, if your protagonist is the hero, then the antagonist is …
Film Festival Strategy 101: The KEY Steps for a New Filmmaker
So you’ve made a film and you want more people than just your friends and family to see it. Well, film festivals are a great way to get your project …
Playwriting vs Screenwriting: How PLAYWRITING Can Help Your SCREENWRITING
Both playwrights and screenwriters practice the art of dramatic writing with the same goal in mind. To tell a compelling story that leaves a lasting impact on audiences. The truth …
Writing the Tragic Romance: 7 Essential Elements to Breaking Hearts
Heartbreak is the key feature of a tragic romance. The central love story ends in heartbreak and, as a result, audiences walk away from the film feeling heartbroken. Most people …
Fight Scenes That Kick A*s: 15 Examples of a Superbly Written Fight Scene
When you think of a fight scene, what film first comes to mind? Maybe you think of Stallone’s knock out punch in Rocky? Or perhaps you picture Keanu Reeves swerving …
Mockumentary Scripts: The Keys to Writing a Great Mockumentary
A mockumentary is a satirical film or television show that combines documentary-style filmmaking with fictional subject matter. But although mockumentaries feature fictional events, they differ greatly from traditional narratives. And this …
Why Nailing Your Elevator Pitch Can Massively Help Your Screenplay
It’s any screenwriter’s fantasy to come across an acclaimed director or producer out of the blue and pitch them their passion project. Enter the infamous elevator pitch. Chances are, of …
Writing Style 101: How to Discover YOUR Own Unique Voice
We are able to identify the distinct writing styles of our favorite screenwriters. Styles that make us love their stories. Quentin Tarantino‘s masterful monologues. Aaron Sorkin‘s long sequences of quick-paced …
ORIGINAL CHARACTERS Series: Part Five – Walter White
Welcome to Original Characters, an ongoing series of Industrial Scripts articles examining the most original characters to appear in both TV and film. This article will focus on Walter White from Breaking Bad. What is …
15 Inspiring Kasi Lemmons Quotes for Writers and Filmmakers
Kasi Lemmons’ Acting Career Kasi Lemmons is an award-winning and nationally-acclaimed actress, writer, director and filmmaker. Landing her first professional acting job at just 9 years old, Lemmons would go …
The 10 Critical Steps of Good Character Development
In writing a screenplay, with every character, you create them and take them on a journey. But how do you get to that point? How do you know who your …
Shonda Rhimes Masterclass Review: Is It Worth It?
Our scores in this in-depth Shonda Rhimes MasterClass review: Lessons – 7/10 Workbook – 9/10 Community -7/10 Value – 8/10 Overall Verdict – Thumbs Up! Pros of the Shonda Rhimes …
Writers Advice: 50 Gems of Wisdom from Industry Titans
Every screenwriter needs advice. Put simply, a career won’t progress without listening and taking heed of the right advice. Writers advice can be easy to find. But great advice, well …
What Makes a Great Monologue? 10 Great Monologues Screenwriters Can Learn From
In film and TV, great monologues have the power to hit an audience more than any other moment in a story. They can be gut-wrenching emotional confessions, pivotal moments of …
How to Write an Animated Film: 6 Vital Steps to Scripting Animation
Have you always had an affinity for animation? Do you have a story idea that you think would be perfect for an animated film? Are you simply finding that your …
The Different Types of External Conflict & 10 Great External Conflict Examples
External conflict is an essential part of screenwriting in that it’s essential in driving any plot. It is different to internal conflict in that whilst internal conflict is within the …
ORIGINAL CHARACTERS Series: Part 4 – Cersei Lannister
Welcome to Original Characters, an ongoing series of Industrial Scripts articles examining the most original characters to appear in both TV and film. This article will focus on Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones. What …
How to Write a Modern Western: The New Wild West
The Western was one of the earliest cinematic genres and it has had a number of resurgences and reinventions over the last one hundred years. It’s a genre that through …
Forensic Scene Analysis: The Whiplash Scene – ‘Not Quite My Tempo’
In this series, we’ll take a look at great, well-known scenes from films and TV. We’ll analyse these scenes to figure out what makes them work so well, what they …
15 Enlightening Christopher Nolan Quotes for Writers and Filmmakers
Christopher Nolan is the recipient of over 30 Academy Award nominations, and 10 wins. He is one of the most influential auteurs working in the industry today; his films having …
Honestly, Should You Do a Screenwriting Degree? 10 PROS and 10 CONS
More and more colleges and universities are offering academic pathways for screenwriters. This means a screenwriting degree is definitely something aspiring filmmakers and screenwriters will naturally consider at some point. …
Writing Dialogue Expertly: Learn from These Great Dialogue Examples
It’s no question that one of the most powerful elements in a story is dialogue. In film, dialogue builds the overall tone of the movie, establishes the relationships between characters …
How to Write a True Crime Movie: The 12 Key Elements to a True Crime Story
How to Write a True Crime Movie: Working with a True Crime Story The phrase “Based on a true story” is one guaranteed to make any moviegoer perk up in …
How Do You Write a Cliffhanger? The 8 Steps to REALLY Hooking An Audience
This article will explore the cliffhanger, as a screenwriting mechanism, and how best to deploy it in your screenplay. We’ll examine the following: What is a Cliffhanger? What Effect Does …
The 10 Key Elements to Writing a Courtroom Drama
The courtroom drama, also known as the legal drama, is a long-standing staple in entertainment. This noteworthy genre of film has generated such timeless classics as To Kill a Mockingbird and 12 …
ORIGINAL CHARACTERS Series: Part 3 – Villanelle
Welcome to Original Characters, an ongoing series of Industrial Scripts articles examining the most original characters to appear in both TV and film. This article will focus on Villanelle from Killing …
15 Illuminating Charlie Kaufman Quotes for Writers and Filmmakers
Charlie Kaufman is a name that commands widespread respect, from his industry peers, to critics and cinephiles. Charlie Kaufman quotes, whether embedded in his written dialogue or interviews, are sure …
What is Chekhov’s Gun? 5 Ways to Skilfully Use One in Your Screenplay
Chekhov’s gun is a term that – in its simplest form – bestows purpose upon any object, character or situation within a narrative, on which the writer explicitly chooses to …