Patrick Bateman – Truly ORIGINAL Characters Series: Part 21

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 Patrick Bateman from American Psycho. What …

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The KEY Building Blocks to Writing a GOOD Romantic Comedy

Crazy, Stupid Love, Writing Romantic Comedy

The romantic comedy goes all the way back to Shakespeare, with plays such as Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream being full of love triangles and comic …

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What is the But and Therefore Rule in Screenwriting?

Matt Stone and Trey Parker But and Therefore Rule

In every screenwriting class, you are going to learn about many rules. However, the most important one is always the same: give the story energy to keep the viewers engaged. …

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What are the 15 Worst Short Film Cliches You MUST Avoid?

Short Film Cliches Reflection

Short films are as prominent as ever as an effective form of expression for emerging filmmakers. However, a constantly used form runs the risk of certain techniques becoming overused and …

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15 Sam Mendes Quotes to INSPIRE Writers & Filmmakers

Sam Mendes Quotes

Both an Oscar winner and a blockbuster director, the breadth of Sam Mendes’ work perfectly demonstrates his versatile talent. And the 15 Sam Mendes quotes we’ve picked below illustrate how …

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How Do You Use the Bookend Technique in Screenwriting?

Memories of a Murder Bookend Technique

Often there are terms in screenwriting that do what they say on the tin. The bookend technique fulfils this mantra. It’s a plot device used to sandwich a story like …

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What The Social Network Opening Scene Teaches Screenwriters

The Social Network Opening Scene

The Social Network opening scene grips the audience into its world. It’s one of the most compelling examples of an opening scene in its use of quick dialogue, acute character …

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Narrative Pacing: The KEYS To Mastering Your Screenplay’s Pace

silence of the lambs narrative pacing

When it comes to narrative pacing, we all know the feeling of being on the edge of our seats, biting our nails with anticipation for what’s to come. It’s likely …

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What is an Unreliable Narrator and How Do You Write One?

American Psycho Unreliable Narrator

It’s comforting to settle into a story where we can trust the narrator to guide us easily and expertly. The narrator is, after all, the audience’s compass through the story, …

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What is a Mary Sue Character And How Do You Avoid Writing One?

Rey Mary Sue Character

In recent years, there has been a lot of dialogue around who the term Mary Sue can be ascribed to and what constitutes it. But what, fundamentally, is a Mary …

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The Viking Movie: 10 Elements to Writing This Powerful Sub Genre

The Northman Viking Movie

In many ways, the Viking movie is a sub-genre as old as the cinematic form itself. And Vikings have certainly been an integral part of folklore and storytelling for centuries. …

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15 Striking Martin McDonagh Quotes for Writers and Filmmakers

Martin McDonagh Quotes

He’s one of the most distinctive contemporary writers; someone who entertains and shocks in equal measure. His films are bold, action-packed but most of all, hilarious. In this striking mix, …

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The Comedy Horror Movie: The KEYS to Both Laughs and Scares

Write a Comedy Horror Movie

Washington Irving’s short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has been cited as “the first great comedy horror story”, as readers were made to “laugh one moment and scream the …

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How Do You Break into the Film Industry? 10 Important Lessons

Break into the Film Industry

The film industry is infamously hard to break into. This applies whether you’re behind the scenes, in post-production or right in front of the camera. It can be tricky to …

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The 10 KEY Building Blocks to Writing Revenge Stories

Kill Bill Revenge Stories

Revenge stories are a popular sub-genre almost guaranteed to satisfy an audience. They’re typically a visceral and cathartic response to injustice and consequently something that elicits easy emotion. We love …

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What is the Special Girl Trope and How Do You Avoid It?

Twilight Special Girl

As a screenwriter, a trope can be both your best friend and your enemy. How is a writer meant to stand out when the same plot line has been repeated …

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What’s SO Good About The Citizen Kane Ending?

Citizen Kane Ending Scene

Citizen Kane; a classic piece of cinema still studied in film schools throughout the world today. Written by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles, it was directed by Orson Welles, …

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What is Circular Storytelling? The KEY Lessons For Story Structure

Gone Girl Circular Storytelling

Circular storytelling is a structural technique visible in many stories across film, TV, literature and other mediums. But what exactly does the structure entail? And could it be useful to …

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Writing Act Three: The Conclusion – An ESSENTIAL Breakdown

Fury Ending - Writing Act Three.

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 …

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Forensic Scene Analysis: “I Drink Your Milkshake!”

Daniel and Eli - There Will Be Blood

“I drink your milkshake! I drink it up!” – Some scenes in film and TV are so memorable they transcend their origin and become part of film culture. In this …

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The 22 PIXAR STORYTELLING RULES: Lessons for Screenwriters

Up Storytelling

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 …

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15 David O. Russell Quotes Writers & Filmmakers Can Learn From

David O. Russell Quotes

He’s one of the most charismatic contemporary American directors; someone who manages to craft intriguing and intimate stories with big stars attached. But what makes David O. Russell tick creatively? …

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Is The Godfather Opening Scene the Best Opening Scene EVER?

The Godfather Opening Scene - Bonasera Asking

What do great opening scenes do? They capture the essence of the upcoming story, whether the audience knows it or not. At their best, they lay out the story’s essential …

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5 VITAL Lessons Screenwriters Can Take from Aaron Sorkin Scripts

Social Network Aaron Sorkin Scripts

Aaron Sorkin is one of the few screenwriters whose name alone can get a film greenlit. And Aaron Sorkin scripts not only make great TV or film blueprints but are …

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Ferris Bueller- Truly ORIGINAL CHARACTERS Series: Part 18

Ferris Beuller Original Character

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 a classic …

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Writing Act Two: The Conflict – An ESSENTIAL and SIMPLE Breakdown

Dune

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 …

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What is Magical Realism? The KEY Steps to Using it in Screenwriting

Birdman Magical Realism

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 …

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15 Great Taika Waititi Quotes for Writers & Filmmakers

taika waititi quotes

He’s one of the biggest contemporary Hollywood directors. And his wit and charisma stand him out from the crowd. It’s easy to forget though that there is some serious craft …

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6 KEY Ways to Adapt a Short Story & the Best Short Story Adaptations

Arrival Short Story Adaptation

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 …

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15 Fascinating Alex Garland Quotes for Writers and Filmmakers

Ex Machina Alex Garland Quotes

From merciless zombies to a beautiful hidden beach in Thailand, Alex Garland has written many cult and classic films in a range of different spaces and genres. Not only is …

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How Do You Best Convey the Passage of Time in Your Screenplay?

Passage of Time Metropolis

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. …

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How Do You Write Highly Realistic Dialogue? The 10 KEY Steps…

The Master Realistic Dialogue

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 …

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How to Effectively Weave Character Backstory into Your Screenplay

The Godfather Character Backstory

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 …

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15 Matt Reeves Quotes to INSPIRE Writers and Filmmakers

Matt Reeves Quotes

He’s emerged as one of the most striking directors of the 21st century. Quietly he’s helmed some of the biggest hits of the 2010s and 2020s, managing to infuse big …

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A Screenplay Option Offer Comes In…Here’s How You Navigate It

Screenplay Option

So, you’ve written a screenplay and a producer has approached you about a screenplay option. Amazing – right? You’re one step closer to having your work make it onto the …

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The Insider Interviews – GLADIATOR Screenwriter William Nicholson

William Nicholson Interview

This latest iteration of our long-running Insider Interviews series is with William Nicholson, the prolific screenwriter behind such hits as Gladiator, Shadowlands, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and Breathe, amongst many …

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The Insider Interviews – with Mega-Producer Basil Iwanyk

Basil Iwanyk judge of TITAN screenwriting contest

This latest iteration of our Insider Interviews Series is with producer Basil Iwanyk, one of the three judges of the second year of Industrial Scripts’ screenwriting contest, The TITAN Awards. Basil Iwanyk Biography …

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The Insider Interviews – with Oscar-Nominee Shannon McIntosh

Shannon Mcintosh TITAN Screenwriting Contest judge

This latest iteration of our Insider Interviews Series is with producer Shannon McIntosh, one of the three judges of the second year of Industrial Scripts’ screenwriting contest, The TITAN Awards. Shannon McIntosh Biography Shannon …

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What is the Definition of CINEMATIC, in Screenwriting Terms?

Blade Runner -Defintion of Cinematic

We’ve all heard the term “cinematic”. Film reviews, job offerings, script feedback, award acceptance speeches. Many people in the industry use this term, some of them quite lightly. But what …

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An Interview with 2021 TITAN Awards Winner James Foye

James foye winner The TITAN screenwriting contest winner

About The TITAN Awards The TITAN Awards is a global, prestigious screenwriting contest whereby material competes against its own kind for as long as possible over the course of a contest cycle. Horror feature vs …

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An Interview with 2021 TITAN Awards Winner Todd Restler

Todd Restler 2021 TITAN screenwriting contest winning writer

About The TITAN Awards The TITAN Awards is a prestigious annual screenwriting contest whereby material competes against its own kind for as long as possible over the course of a contest cycle. Horror feature vs …

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How To Write an Active Protagonist (and Avoid a Passive Protagonist)

Licorice Pizza Active Protagonists

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 …

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The 25 Best Strategies for Creating DISTINCTIVE Movie Ideas

Movie Ideas

Whether you’re an experienced writer, a recent film studies grad, or a casual cinephile who walked out of a theater and thought, “I could do that,” crafting great movie ideas …

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