Here’s Why Wealth is Such an Alluring Theme in Storytelling
Remember Occupy Wall Street? It's interesting to sit here and think that was nearly 10 years ago when in 2011, a...
PRE-PRODUCTION
Tarantino, PTA, and Other Filmmaking Greats Tell You How to Write Better
Writing is the backbone of all of the film and TV business. Without words, worlds, and stories, there's really nothing left....
How Do Professional Writers Beat Writer’s Block?
Writer's block is part of the game, but how do you win? Let the pros guide you. Anyone else finding it...
How to Write Subtext in a Screenplay
Ever want to say something but not blurt it out? Your way around it was probably talking about something that mimicked...
5 Tips to Improve Your Screenplay
MISTAKE #1 OVER EXPLANATORY If you need to explain, it doesn’t work. TIP #1 LESS IS MORE: SHOW, DON’T TELL. As...
Why Does Shane Black Layer Wit, Action, and Christmas in All His Scripts?
Shane Black burst onto the scene in the '80s as an actor in Predator, but he quickly became a household name writing...
What Does a Development Executive Do?
You've written a great screenplay or directed one you're proud of and want to show the world. Your agent or manager...
Why Julie Taymor Couldn’t Get $$$ from Hollywood, and What She Did Instead
Julie Taymor has been directing in Hollywood for decades. She stormed into the industry when it openly disparaged women directors. She's taken...
What is the Save the Cat Beat Sheet and Why is it Popular?
Blake Snyder was a successful screenwriter with more than 12 spec script sales under his belt. Some for over a million...
What Rian Johnson’s ‘Knives Out’ Outline Can Teach You About Storytelling
At one point or another, every great film starts as the germ of an idea. That germ spreads, and suddenly you...
The ‘Cool Girl’ Trope: Real Life Fantasy, Screenwriting Nightmare
Sometimes when you're writing a new screenplay or pilot, you want to develop a character you think takes on the normal...
12 Steps for Pitching Your Story Right Down the Middle
Having a great idea in your head is one thing, communicating it properly is another…and persuading someone that it’s a viable...