“What we can learn from…” type articles.
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
The Value and Importance of Subplots: With 10 Amazing Examples Subplots. Most movies and TV series have them, whether large or small. The grand overarching plot is the defining part …
Understanding Story Structure: The Essential Steps Story structure. It’s easy to take it for granted. It’s easy to think it unimportant in a world where structure is constantly being played …
Turn Your Loose Story Ideas into a High Concept Movie in 7 Steps What is a “high concept” movie? What do movie producers and executives look for in a …
What is a Visual Metaphor? And How to Use One in Your Screenplay… You want a screenplay to be entertaining but reflective and unique but relatable. You want the audience …
How to Write a Compelling Science Fiction Movie While science fiction movies can be exhilarating to watch, they can be just as daunting to write. How do you create …
49 Fixable Reasons A Screenplay Reader Passed On Your Project Every writer has experienced that moment of wanting to throw the towel in after getting rejected. However, it’s important not …
‘Show Don’t Tell’ – How to Best Follow the Principle It’s a term you hear frequently when it comes to storytelling – ‘Show Don’t Tell’. But what does it …
A Character’s Fatal Flaw – What Does it Mean? In good stories, as in life, one of the most important aspects is the search for growth and the striving …
How to Nail Your Character Arc: The Ultimate Guide A crucial part of any screenplay is the main character’s growth and evolution from beginning to end. This is their …
Why a Beat Sheet is Important to Your Screenplay Whilst inspiration can strike at any minute and writing can be incredibly spontaneous business, screenwriting is usually smoothest when you’ve got …
35 Movie Tropes and How to Avoid Them in Screenwriting Most audiences can agree that movies often lose their impact when writers cut corners and rely on cliches and …
Film Treatments: The ULTIMATE Guide So you’ve managed to come up with a brilliant idea for a film. You’ve developed the idea into a logline and thought through a …
15 Cunning Red Herring Examples in TV and Film Surprise is one of the most important elements in movies and tv. Knowing how to write a killer plot twist …
16 Powerful Plot Devices To Use in Your Screenplay It’s a term that gets thrown around a lot but what exactly is a plot device? A plot device is …
The Must-Know Keys to Writing Great Character Descriptions Great character descriptions are what help ease the reader into your great characterization. They’re the entrée, if you will, to the …
How Do You Craft the PERFECT Dynamic Between Protagonist and Antagonist? The conflict between the protagonist and antagonist is an essential part of screenwriting. However, this crucial conflict can …
Writing the Perfect Controlling Idea for Film and TV: The Ultimate Guide A controlling idea is a foundation. Writing a screenplay is a lot like building a house. It …
If you pay even a sliver of attention to people’s critiques of TV and film, then you understand that great screenwriting isn’t necessarily a given, even for shows and movies …
15 Crafty Exposition Examples: How to Get Exposition Right Exposition is an essential part of any screenplay. However, there is a fine line between pulling it off smoothly and …
How to Write a Biopic: Pitfalls Screenwriters Should Avoid From BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY to JUDY, the biopic is a seriously popular modern movie genre. But having such a concrete story …
One of the world’s most popular screenwriting books, Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat has brought clarity and a sense of direction to thousands of screenwriters, many of whom were looking for the logical …
Your First Draft : 9 Essential Steps to Getting it Right It might not be what you want to hear after months, maybe years, of painstaking screenwriting work. But …
201 Character Archetypes Writers MUST Have in Their Armoury Every screenwriter knows that writing a great screenplay takes more than just a good plot or good world building. It …
The Fourth Wall Break – How to Do it and Why An increasingly common device used in modern Film and Television, the fourth wall break can serve as a …
World Building in Film & TV: The Essential Steps If you’ve ever enjoyed losing yourself in the world of Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, you know how …
What’s Your Personal Writing Process? In screenwriting, sometimes the biggest challenge is discovering the most effective writing process That Works For You. For example, each and every writer has a …
How to Nail Your Movie Theme: What is Your Screenplay Actually About? What is your screenplay about? What is your movie’s theme? These may seem like obvious questions. But …
10 Fantastic Internal Conflict Examples Internal conflict is a powerful and absolutely essential tool used by writers and filmmakers in drama. These ten examples, as well as the internal conflict …
How to Write a Whodunnit A whodunnit is more a narrative structure, than a genre (although one could easily argue it’s a sub-genre). That’s why it can be presented …
Thriller vs Horror – What Are the Critical Differences? In terms of movie genres, Thriller and Horror are often mistakenly confused, or even lumped in together. The truth is, …
Generating Script Ideas – 5 Top Tips Whether you’re sitting down to write your first script or are an experienced writer writing your tenth screenplay – where you get your …
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