“What we can learn from…” type articles.
The third act. The end. The stroll off into the sunset or dramatic cliffhanger. Writing your third act is the finishing stretch and, therefore, vitally important in leaving the audience …
Pixar films are some of the most well-crafted stories in cinema history. And so it’s no wonder that there appear to be Pixar storytelling rules that writers and directors of …
When we watch a film or TV series, we’re often aware there are multiple storylines running concurrently but take them in as second nature. This is the benefit of TV …
So you’ve finished act one. You’ve got your beginning and you probably have some ideas about your ending, but how do you create your middle? What happens between the end …
What is Magical Realism? The phrase magical realism is really an oxymoron. But though contradictory, it describes what the genre truly is; a merging of fantasy and realism. Magical realism …
While movie trends come and go, there are some genres screenwriters will return to time and time again. The zombie movie is one of those; a trope that isn’t likely …
So you’ve prepared your story idea and want to put pen to paper. But where to start? No matter if you’re preparing to write the beat sheet or redrafting a …
The wide variety of anthology series that have emerged in contemporary TV can be attributed in part to the success of series such as Black Mirror and The Twilight Zone. …
Short stories can seem like unlikely source material for some of the best and most compelling feature films. They may be limited in their length but often it’s the confines …
In ordinary discourse, the term partnership tends to be a simple synonym for cooperation. However, finding a writing partner refers more precisely to the mastery of creativity, talent, and experience …
A prologue can be used to introduce the audience to the characters, tone and theme of your screenplay. It should plummet them into the story from the start as you …
Teen drama is one of the most enduring genres to have graced TV screens since its inception. We’ve all been teenagers at some point. And the heartbreak, emotions, journeys, discoveries, …
It’s rare that you would find a script without any significant passage of time whatsoever. It’s often a vital part of how a script develops and keeps its audience engaged. …
One of the biggest humps to get over when writing for film or television is dialogue. Even if you have a perfect story, outline, and characters, bad dialogue can bring …
So, you made it through one of the hardest parts of writing a screenplay; you created your characters. From childhood trauma to adulthood adventures, you’ve fleshed out your entire character …
The closing scene of any film is crucial. The last scene and image should stick with viewers. If done well, it can prove to be a vital cog in a …
Crafting a TV Show Idea How does one craft a brilliant TV show idea? First, it’s important to understand what exactly that means. Longevity of story is foremost what separates …
What is a Movie or TV Show Logline? A logline is more than a quick overview of a story. It is what will engage the target audience in the first …
What is an Active Protagonist? An active protagonist is a main character who is not merely affected by the world around them, but affects that world too. Their actions, both …
When writing Christmas films there’s multiple sub-genres and elements to consider to make it the perfect holiday watch. It’s no secret that there are a range of elements to cover …
What is Historical Fiction? At face value, the definition of historical fiction is simple: a fictional story set against a real time period in the past. It is when we …
What is Dramatic Irony? Simply put, dramatic irony is a form of irony. It is both a literary and theatrical device used when the audience knows more than the characters. …
What is a Gangster Movie? The gangster movie is one that focuses on narratives of organized crime and gangs. A crime sub-genre (and often part of the film noir sub-genre, …
What is a MacGuffin? A MacGuffin is a type of plot device that is essential to driving the plot but not necessarily important within the story as a whole. Story …
An essential principle not only to screenwriting but also the wider fundamentals of storytelling, plants and payoffs are one of the most effective ways of involving the audience and embedding …
Introduction to the Five-Act Structure In this article, we’ll look into one of the most popular dramatic structures that screenwriters often utilise in order to create an exciting script: The …
What is a Fish Out of Water Story? A ‘fish out of water’ story is the idiom referring to a character who is removed from their daily lives and forced …
The monster genre is one of cinema’s classic creations. And the monster itself is a creation that can haunt the imagination of audiences long after the credits. But what does …
Likeable characters are often at the heart of great TV and film. But what makes a likeable character? In this article, we’ll look at the keys to writing a likeable …
The art of telling a story is ultimately narrowed down to its basic structure. And Dan Harmon’s Story Circle is an example of one of many story structures. These different …
There is a timeless formula to writing a murder mystery that shows no sign of waning in popularity. This isn’t to say that writing a murder mystery script, let alone …
The slasher movie sub-genre could be considered one of the most controversial sub-genres in cinema. With its stark violence, it’s often the subject of discussions around the effect of slasher …
What is a Police Procedural? A police procedural is a sub-genre of the police drama. It’s also often referred to as an inverted detective story or a ‘howcatchem‘. Police procedural …
The action and adventure movie genre is one that often sits at the top of the box office. It’s a genre that can have a wide reach across many different …
A movie that not only follows one protagonist but two always feels like one with an added layer of depth and substance. In the screenwriting world, this kind of movie, …
What is a TV Show Bible? A TV Show Bible is a reference document created by screenwriters to help them pitch their TV series. Typically 5 – 20 pages but …
A movie pitch is one of the most important pieces of writing a screenwriter has to master in order to sell a screenplay and build a successful career. It can …
Why is a Twist Ending Effective? The best movie twist endings often completely change the dynamic of the film; from its characters, to its themes, to the narrative as a …
What is a Spy Movie? It should not surprise people to find Greek storytelling structures and character types in spy movies. The genre of spy and espionage has a long …
It can be hard to figure out where to send your work or who to contact about possibly reading your writing. Your work could be something that’s already written. It …
Most will remember Hamlet’s famous speech, the one example of a soliloquy that has been painfully etched into many students’ memories – “to be or not to be”. And conveniently …
Dialogue is difficult. And writing dialogue between multiple characters adds pressure as there is a lot to juggle. It can be a struggle for any writer whether you’re a novice …
What is a Deus ex machina? It sounds like something technological and complex. But it’s actually quite simple. Well, have you ever just been watching a film totally invested, your …
Character bios can be an essential part of writing your character. There is no story without a character, just as there is no character without a character bio. Every writer …
A ‘page one rewrite’. It can be one of the most dreaded words a screenwriter can hear and something that most writers will hope to avoid. However, it’s inevitable that …
Writing is hard, there’s no denying it. Sitting down staring at a computer, typewriter or piece of paper and putting words together to create a story is difficult. It can …
Our review scores for the Issa Rae MasterClass: Lessons – 9/10 Workbook – 8/10 The Community – 5/10 Value – 8/10 Overall Verdict – Very useful! Issa Rae MasterClass Pros: …
The comedy genre has boundless opportunities. It has an evergreen appeal to audiences, especially in dark times. We all need the tonic of humor and a light-hearted premise at some …
Most TV series, whether comedy or drama, have a bottle episode at some point. And they can often take pride of place in the series’ history. They can serve as …
Rejection is inevitable. To live is to face rejection. Whether it’s rejection from a potential employer, from friends or an unreciprocated love. Everyone has to deal with rejection of some sort. …
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