storytelling devices

70 ESSENTIAL Literary Devices to Aid Your Screenwriting

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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

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What is the But and Therefore Rule in Screenwriting?

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Matt Stone and Trey Parker But and Therefore Rule
In every screenwriting class, you are going to learn about many rules. However, the most important one is always the same: give the story energy to keep the viewers engaged. Keeping an audience entertained is, after all, the entire purpose of a story. However, everyone who has ever tried to write a script will have found themselves in a position where maintaining a constant engaging narrative that relates to the audience and has a logical flow to it is hard

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What are the 15 Worst Short Film Cliches You MUST Avoid?

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Short Film Cliches Reflection
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 cliched. There are certain short film cliches that will instantly turn off audiences and those in the industry. With limited time and usually budget, it can be easy to fall back on these cliches to fill in gaps or force the film to progress. But remember, the foundation of a short film

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

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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

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