Eleanor Young – Truly ORIGINAL Characters Series: Part 25

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 Eleanor Young from Crazy Rich Asians (2018). …

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How to Avoid Writing One Dimensional Characters

one dimensional character

In the realm of storytelling, characters are the heartbeat of any narrative. They drive the plot forward, elicit emotional responses, and ultimately connect the audience to the story. However, one …

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The Vital Secondary Character and Its Importance in Screenwriting

Secondary character

In the intricate tapestry of storytelling, screenwriters often find themselves navigating the delicate balance between character development and plot progression. The secondary character, often overlooked, crucially shapes the narrative and …

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Katniss Everdeen – Truly ORIGINAL Characters Series: Part 24

katniss everdeen

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 Katnis Everdeen from The Hunger Games (2012). What …

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Roman Roy – Truly ORIGINAL Characters Series: Part 22

Roman Roy 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 Roman Roy from Succession. What …

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How Do You CREATE and MAINTAIN Empathetic Characters?

There are many important aspects to writing a great screenplay; good dialogue, interesting settings, unique stories, and good characterisation. However, little is arguably more important than creating and maintaining empathetic …

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What is Indirect Characterization in Screenwriting? 12 KEY Steps

The Social Network Indirect Characterization

Indirect characterization is an essential part of constructing a convincing and compelling fictional character. Whether your character is a hero, a villain or a sidekick, they are always more interesting and …

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How Do You Write a GREAT Sidekick Character?

Samwise Sidekick Character

Writing a sidekick character can come with a lot of creative freedom. Where your protagonist or hero may have a rigid characterisation, a sidekick can complement them in many different …

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How Do You Write a Convincing and Powerful Death Scene?

Iron Man Death Scene

How to write a good death scene? This is a question writers may well have been pondering since stories were told on the walls of caves. From Shakespeare to Spielberg, …

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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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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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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 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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The BEST Series Finales and What They Teach About Writing TV

Sopranos Series Finale

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 …

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Kim Wexler – Truly ORIGINAL CHARACTERS Series: Part 19

Kim Wexler 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 Kim Wexler from Better Call Saul.  …

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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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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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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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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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Rue From Euphoria – Truly ORIGINAL CHARACTERS Series: Part 17

Rue From Euphoria

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 Rue from Euphoria. What is an Original Character? …

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Tina Belcher from Bob’s Burgers – Truly ORIGINAL CHARACTERS Series: Part 16

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 Tina Belcher …

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How Do You Write BRILLIANT and ALTERNATIVE Teen Drama?

Stranger Things - Teen Drama

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, …

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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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Shiv Roy – Truly ORIGINAL CHARACTERS Series Part: 15

Shiv Roy Succession 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 Shiv Roy …

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Michael Scott – Truly ORIGINAL CHARACTERS Series: Part 14

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 Michael Scott …

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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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Writing Christmas Films & Navigating the Holidays: The ULTIMATE Guide

It's a Wonderful Life Christmas Films

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 …

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Saul Goodman – Truly ORIGINAL CHARACTERS Series Part: 13

Saul Goodman 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 Saul Goodman …

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The Essential Elements of Writing a Fish Out of Water Story

Ted Lasso Fish Out of Water Story

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 …

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How Do You Write Likeable Characters? ESSENTIAL Steps and Examples

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 …

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Kendall Roy – Truly ORIGINAL CHARACTERS Series: Part 12

Kendall Roy 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 Kendall Roy from Succession. What is an Original Character? …

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What Makes A Great Action And Adventure Movie Script?

Temple of Doom Action

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 …

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How Do You Write A Character Bio? The Road to GREAT Characterisation

Tony Soprano Character Bio

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 …

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Dual Protagonists: How to Handle TWO Lead Characters in Your Screenplay

The Prestige - Dual Protagonists

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 …

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Creating Characters That Leap Off The Page: What Are The 15 VITAL Steps?

Walter White Creating Characters

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 …

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ORIGINAL CHARACTERS Series: Part Five – Walter White

Breaking Bad Pilot - Walter White - 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 Walter White from Breaking Bad. What is …

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