Articles based on Lists.
Truly complex female characters in movies have, historically, often been conspicuous by their absence. Women are often underrepresented in roles compared with men and, whilst male characters take the lead, …
David Simon is the Creator of The Wire, one of the greatest TV shows of all time. Receiving numerous awards and nominations for his powerful storytelling and realistic and gritty …
Tales of evil spirits and witches existed long before the invention of the written word, let alone the invention of cinema. Horror is a well-tread genre, with strong antecedents in …
Kelly Reichardt almost always works as a writer, director AND editor on her films. As a result, few people in American cinema understand storytelling as intimately as Kelly Reichardt. She’s …
Feeling exhausted from writing? Struggling to tap into the imagination you once had? Questioning going back to the job you earned your college degree for because your parents are on …
He’s one of the biggest directors in Hollywood and a giant of the comedy world. So we take a look at 15 Adam McKay quotes in order to get an …
What does it take to write one of the best screenplays ever written? You’re probably already familiar with the key elements that constitute a cohesive and compelling screenplay. A basic …
He’s the creator and showrunner of one of the biggest shows of the last few years, Succession. So we take a look at 20 fascinating Jesse Armstrong quotes to see …
He’s an idiosyncratic writer-director known for his searing portrayals of family dynamics, witty dialogue and brilliant characters. And such an insightful writer with a vast array of directing experience inevitably …
Are you trying to write your first screenplay but don’t know how to give your screenplay flair? Or perhaps, you’re a budding screenwriter looking for some new techniques to elevate your …
What are the most common screenwriting mistakes that a screenwriter will likely make? What mistakes will be all too familiar to screenplay readers and development executives? Some mistakes are forgivable …
A distinctive filmmaker that has little parallel in contemporary cinema, Baz Luhrmann has been wowing audiences since the early 1990s. The Australian filmmaker is known for his distinctive style. And …
What are Scene Prompts? Scene prompts are there to help writers get their creative juices flowing. Say a screenwriter finds themselves stuck during a script, unsure of how to add …
He’s a modern-day Hollywood heavyweight. But it’s easy to forget that it’s not long ago at all that Damien Chazelle was the industry’s hottest new thing. He’s a director who …
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 …
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 …
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, …
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 …
He’s one of the most critically acclaimed comedy screenwriters out there, known most famously for Rick and Morty. In general, Dan Harmon is not afraid to break down barriers and …
How do you finish writing a TV series? We all know the feeling of being disappointed by a series finale, mourning not only the loss of a treasured show but …
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 …
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? …
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 …
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 …
After the success of The Lighthouse, it was no surprise to see Robert Eggers helm a blockbuster, particularly one with such a talented cast. With The Northman, Eggers announced himself …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Since the early 2000s, Shonda Rhimes has been producing amazing, hit TV. But in recent years, she’s cemented herself as probably the most prolific and successful TV producer of the …
Brothers Joel and Ethan Coen have cemented themselves as one of the most influential filmmaking duos of all time. Through an array of acclaimed movies including Fargo (1996), True Grit …
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 …
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 …
John Hughes influenced the cinema landscape immensely largely during the 1980s. His most beloved movies include The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink. But …
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 …
Comedy writer, director and actor Ricky Gervais has been bracing our screens since the early 2000s. Often outspoken and straight-talking, Gervais has conquered the comedy genre with his broad array …
With a wide variety of screenwriting podcasts available, there’s plenty of content for screenwriters to learn from. You can learn the best of screenwriting with insightful success stories, or the …
How does Donald Glover manage it? The screenwriter, director, actor, rapper, producer and comedian has a jammed packed awards cabinet and track record of amazing work across many different forms. …
There are many TED talks out there for writers, screenwriters and storytellers. In this article, we’ll focus on 10 of the most relevant and best talks for screenwriters and writers …
An American comedy icon, Tina Fey not only defines an era of Saturday Night Live but created the critically acclaimed comedy shows 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Her success, …
Where do you start with Wes Anderson? The acclaimed director is one of the most distinctive and charismatic filmmakers of all time. And whilst he typically doesn’t spill his guts …
One of the most admired directors of the last 30 years, David Fincher continues to fascinate with the work he creates. From his breakthrough in the early 1990s as an …
There’s often a misconception around the meaning of the term ‘greenlit’. There is a vast difference between a producer/studio commissioning a script and a movie getting greenlit. Usually, it goes …
Where do you start with Aaron Sorkin? His screenplays are the best way to get to know why he is so revered as a screenwriter. However, we’ve compiled some Aaron …
Coming up with a title for your screenplay is no picnic. You need a title that sums up your story, stands out and rolls off the tongue. Or at least …
With films like When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, Nora Ephron became creative queen of the rom-com, reinventing the genre and creating films that audiences …
What is a Final Battle? Final battles occur throughout many films and TV shows. They’re the moment in the story where your protagonist or antagonist can either win or lose …
At some point in writing a script, a screenwriter will have trouble finding inspiration. If writer’s block gets you down, the trick is to keep on writing. But sometimes you …
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