What is a MacGuffin? The KEY Points and KEY Examples
What is a MacGuffin? A MacGuffin is a type of plot device that is essential to driving the plot but not necessarily important within the story as a whole. Story …
plot devices
What is a Soliloquy? And Is There Space for Soliloquies in Screenwriting?
Most will remember Hamlet’s famous speech, the one example of a soliloquy that has been painfully etched into many students’ memories – “to be or not to be”. And conveniently …
Deus Ex Machina: How to USE and/or AVOID in Screenwriting
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 …
10 Brilliant Symbolism Examples: Symbolism in Screenwriting
The Art of Symbolism Symbolism is a device used across literature, art and film. But arguably, film is one of the art forms where symbolism can have the most powerful …
Dream Sequences: How to Craft Them While Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Dream Sequences: Avoiding the Lazy Screenwriter’s Crutch It was all a dream! First the audience gasps. Then they sigh and roll their eyes. Through overuse and poor execution, dream sequences …
What is Chekhov’s Gun? 5 Ways to Skilfully Use One in Your Screenplay
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 …
15 Brilliant Flashback Examples for Screenwriters and Filmmakers
15 Brilliant Flashback Examples That Show How to Best Use It It’s almost hard to think of a modern film that doesn’t have a flashback example somewhere within it. Of …
15 Cunning Red Herring Examples in TV and Film
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
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 …