plot devices

70 ESSENTIAL Literary Devices to Aid Your Screenwriting

by
literary devices
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 work. In this article, we’re going to break down techniques that help stitch together but also elevate your screenplay: literary devices. What is a Literary Device? Literary devices are the techniques that writers use to add meaning and depth to their work. Without them, stories would be far less coherent, compelling

Read more

How Do You Use the Bookend Technique in Screenwriting?

by
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 two bookends. But what exactly does the bookend technique look like in screenwriting? And how can you deploy it? In this article, we will help you understand the bookend technique and how to use it in your own writing. To do this, we will take three easy steps. Teach you

Read more

What is a MacGuffin? The KEY Points and KEY Examples

by
Vincent with the briefcase
Table of ContentsWhat is a MacGuffin?What is the Purpose of Using a MacGuffin?The Different Types of MacGuffins1. Object MacGuffins2. Background Props3. Mechanical Device Props4. Character MacGuffins5. Conceptual MacGuffinsDifferent Filmmakers and Their Use of MacGuffinsHitchcock & the MacGuffinTarantino & the MacGuffinThe Coen Brothers & the MacGuffinJames Cameron & the MacGuffinIn Conclusion: How to Use a MacGuffin in Your Screenplay What is a MacGuffin? A MacGuffin is a type of plot device that is essential to driving the plot but not necessarily

Read more

What is a Soliloquy? And Is There Space for Soliloquies in Screenwriting?

by
Taxi Driver Soliloquy
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 enough, such a question helps this article’s premise too. Is there space for soliloquies in screenwriting? What is a soliloquy and what is its purpose? Do they have a place in modern screenwriting? And how are they written into screenplays? Let’s take a look… Table of ContentsWhat is a Soliloquy?The

Read more

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

by
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

10 Brilliant Symbolism Examples: Symbolism in Screenwriting

by
Table of ContentsThe Art of SymbolismWhat Is Symbolism?What’s the Difference Between Symbolism and Motifs?The Craft of SubtletyBut Why Is Symbolism So Important?But Where Do We Start With Symbolism?Types of SymbolismCharacter SymbolismObject Symbolism Symbolism in SettingColor SymbolismThe Law of Duality and the Law of Correspondence10 Brilliant Symbolism Examples10. Parasite – The Stone9. Joker – Clowns8. Pan’s Labyrinth – The Labyrinth7. Get Out – The Deer6. Moonlight – Water5. Inception – The Top4. American Beauty – Roses3. The Godfather – Oranges2. Jaws

Read more

Dream Sequences: How to Craft Them While Avoiding Common Pitfalls

by
Eternal Sunshine Dream Sequence
Table of ContentsDream Sequences: Avoiding the Lazy Screenwriter’s CrutchTreading the Line Between Surreal and Reality in Dream SequencesApply Consistency and Logic to the Chaos Dream Sequences That Create SubjectivityInceptionEternal Sunshine of the Spotless MindAllow the Dream to Influence Your Characters and Their ArcsThree Ways Dreams Can Compel Your Character1. The Realization Dream2. The Inner Conflict Dream3. The Premonition DreamMake the Dream Ask a QuestionBlack PantherDream Sequences as Part of the Story StructureSpot the DifferenceIn Summary Dream Sequences: Avoiding the Lazy

Read more

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

by
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