“What we can learn from…” type articles.
Whether you write for film or TV, a cold open can provide a vital and dynamic way into your screenplay. They say that in the business, nobody will read past …
Read moreThe Cold Open: Starting Your Screenplay With a Bang
The Art of Symbolism Symbolism is a device used across literature, art and film. But arguably, film is one of the art forms where symbolism can have the most powerful …
Read more10 Brilliant Symbolism Examples: Symbolism in Screenwriting
Cinematic Language: Understanding its Meaning Cinematic language. You will have most likely heard this phrase being used in film circles, about a screenplay or in reference to a film or …
The Importance of the First Ten Pages The first ten pages of any screenplay are always the most important. These pages make up the first ten minutes or so. That’s …
Read moreThe First Ten Pages of Your Screenplay: How to HOOK a Script Reader
Oftentimes, a film based in reality will include a handful of fabricated details and interactions. Many people dedicate themselves to pointing out instances where true stories deviate from the truth. …
Read moreFact and Fiction: How to Handle THE TRUTH as a Screenwriter
The Role of the Unlikeable Protagonist ‘Unlikeable protagonist’ sounds like an oxymoron. However, they’re a common occurrence in all forms of storytelling. The antihero protagonist is an increasingly prominent presence …
Read moreWriting The Unlikeable Protagonist: How to Craft a Great Antihero
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 …
Read moreWriting a Satisfying Story Ending: The COMPLETE Guide
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 …
Read moreWriting Stage Directions in a Screenplay: The ULTIMATE Lowdown
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. …
Read moreWhat Goes into the Writing of a Documentary Script?
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 …
Read moreDream Sequences: How to Craft Them While Avoiding Common Pitfalls
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 …
Read moreWriting Tension in Screenplays: Learn from 10 NAIL-BITING Scenes
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 …
Read moreDual Protagonists: How to Handle TWO Lead Characters in Your Screenplay
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 …
Read moreCreating Characters That Leap Off The Page: What Are The 15 VITAL Steps?
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 …
Read more10 Superb TV Pilot Examples and The Keys to Writing a Great TV Pilot
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 …
Read moreVisual Storytelling: What Does it REALLY Mean, in Screenwriting terms?
“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, …
Read moreFilm Networking: An Unavoidable Skill You Have No Choice But To Master
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 …
Read moreGenre Mashup: 10 Vital Steps to Nailing a Mix of Genres in Your Screenplay
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, …
Read moreMulti-Camera Scripts: How Do They Differ From Other Scripts in Content and Style?
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 …
Read moreBiting Social Satire: How to Write a Great Critique
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 …
Read moreFilm Festival Strategy 101: The KEY Steps for a New Filmmaker
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 …
Read morePlaywriting vs Screenwriting: How PLAYWRITING Can Help Your SCREENWRITING
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 …
Read moreWriting the Tragic Romance: 7 Essential Elements to Breaking Hearts
Whether you’re a fan of highly choreographed martial art movies, or super polished CGI superhero battles: it is always useful to have a set of ground rules how to write a good fight scene.
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 …
Read moreMockumentary Scripts: The Keys to Writing a Great Mockumentary
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 …
Read moreWriting Style 101: How to Discover YOUR Own Unique Voice
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 …
Read moreThe 10 Critical Steps of Good Character Development
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 …
Read moreWhat Makes a Great Monologue? 10 Great Monologues Screenwriters Can Learn From
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 …
Read moreHow to Write an Animated Film: 6 Vital Steps to Scripting Animation
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 …
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 …
Read moreHow to Write a True Crime Movie: The 12 Key Elements to a True Crime Story
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 …
Read moreHow Do You Write a Cliffhanger? The 8 Steps to REALLY Hooking An Audience
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 …
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 …
Read moreWhat is Chekhov’s Gun? 5 Ways to Skilfully Use One in Your Screenplay
A first impression counts. We all know that. And in screenwriting it’s no different. Your screenplay’s opening scene is vital. Screenplay readers will often tell you that the first ten …
Read more10 Amazing Opening Scenes & What Screenwriters Can Learn From Them
The montage is an ever present part of modern screenwriting. Filmmakers and screenwriters frequently use this technique, regardless of genre. But what are the best montage examples and what do they teach …
Read more15 Brilliant Montage Examples for Screenwriters and Filmmakers
This article will delve into what film noir is and its common tropes. We’ll offer pointers on how to write a film noir that both honours the traditions of the …
Read moreHow to Write a Film Noir: Utilising the 8 Essential Pillars of Film Noir
How To Write a Love Triangle This article will offer some key pointers on that most time-trodden (and wildly successful) cinematic device – the love triangle – and hopefully assist those …
Read moreHow To Write a Captivating Love Triangle: The ULTIMATE Guide
How to Write the Best Script Outline Possible Achieving the extraordinary usually requires extraordinary planning. Hence before writing a great screenplay, you need a great script outline. The world of …
Read moreThe 6 Key Steps to Writing the BEST Script Outline Possible
How to Write a Sitcom: The Crucial Rules of The Game It feels more important than ever to have a good laugh. And what better way to poke fun at …
Read moreHow to Write a Sitcom: The Crucial Rules of The Game
How to Get the Best Out of a Nonlinear Narrative The nonlinear narrative is a common feature of contemporary movies (and TV as well). It has become such a familiar …
Read moreHow to Get the Best Out of a Nonlinear Narrative (With the Best Examples)
15 In-Depth Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block for Screenwriters Now more than ever is a time for creativity. But it’s easier said than done to get started on your …
Read more15 In-Depth Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block for Screenwriters
How to Write a Synopsis That Stands Out You might think writing a movie synopsis is a chore when you’re slumped at your desk. Your eyes straining against the harsh …
Read moreHow to Write a Coherent and Compelling Movie Synopsis: The Key Steps
How to Use (and Not Use) a Framing Device in Your Screenplay An elderly narrator sits down in a chair. They talk directly to camera. They are the storyteller. We …
Read moreHow to Expertly Use (and Not Use) a Framing Device in Your Screenplay
Writing a Scene: Breaking Down the 10 Key Steps in Getting Started As with most stages of the screenwriting process, writing a scene is a journey of discovery. It is useful …
Read moreWriting a Scene: What Are The 10 Key Steps To Dramatic Excellence?
Voice-Over Narration—How to Get it Right and How to Get it Very Wrong A common piece of advice given to newer screenwriters is: avoid voice-over narration at all costs. This …
Read moreVoice-Over Narration in Screenplays: The Ultimate Guide
The 50 Ultimate Screenwriting Productivity Hacks Why are productivity hacks important for screenwriters? What distinguishes screenwriting productivity hacks from those for other disciplines? ‘To be productive’ means to be effective …
How to Write a War Film That’s Compelling and Modern This article will offer key pointers on how to write a war film. Using five successful but very different films …
From Book to Screen: 9 Essential Keys to Adaptation Stories that have made the journey from book to screen have always been popular. But it feels more than ever they …
Read moreFrom Book to Screen: 9 Essential Steps to Skilful Adaptations
The Importance and Meaning of High Stakes in Screenwriting It’s pretty simple. Story stakes answer the question… “So what? Why should we care?” High stakes can benefit the story in …
Read moreHow to Expertly Create High Stakes in Your Screenplays
On the Nose Dialogue: How to Lose It or Use It in Screenwriting Granted, writing on the nose dialogue might not be the greatest sin in screenwriting terms. But it’s …
Read moreOn the Nose Dialogue: How to Lose It or Use It in Screenwriting
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