Sophisticated Plants and Payoffs: Vital Cogs in any Screenwriter’s Engine

Plant and Payoff Chris Get Out.
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 clever twists, turns, and surprises throughout your screenplay. Premised upon the notion that any element introduced into a script must later prove significant, plants and payoffs exploit the human tendency to make mistakes, overlook details, and misconstrue information. In doing so, they also succeed in tapping into our desire to

Read more

Deus Ex Machina: How to USE and/or AVOID in Screenwriting

LOTR Deus Ex Machina
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 anticipation at an all-time high waiting for the ending? The movie has been good, and you cannot imagine anything taking away from it. So, as the end approaches it becomes clear all hope is gone. Nothing will be able to save the characters in the film from certain death or

Read more

What is Chekhov’s Gun? 5 Ways to Skilfully Use One in Your Screenplay

Shawkshank Redemption Chekov's Gun Rita Hayworth
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 place emphasis.    This article will explore the following: What is the Principle of Chekhov’s Gun? How Do You Use Chekhov’s Gun? Chekhov’s Gun in Film. Chekhov’s Gun in TV. How to Setup and Payoff Chekhov’s Gun Effectively. How to Reimagine and Blur Chekhov’s Gun. Anton Chekov What is the

Read more