One characteristic of a bad movie is that you have no idea why you’re watching certain scenes because you have no idea what the hero wants. At the beginning of every story, the audience absolutely must know what the hero wants. If the hero doesn’t have a goal to give him or her direction, then […]

Every screenplay must have a great ending that makes the rest of the story worth watching. To make sure your ending will meet all expectations, you need to follow the three I’s: make your goal inevitable, impending, and immense. Making the Goal Inevitable, Impending, and Immense. The climax of your story should always be inevitable, […]

The beginning of your story lays the foundation for the rest of your screenplay. Create a strong foundation and you’ll have a great story. Create a weak foundation and your story will flounder long before you can reach the climax, if you ever get there. Every story is about someone, whether that someone is a […]

One element that makes for a compelling story is to have your hero try to achieve an impossible goal. Audiences love watching an underdog overcome challenges so make the goal as difficult as possible to keep your story moving forward. The more impossible the goal for the hero, the more intriguing the story. Imagine a […]

Every story consists of four parts or Acts: Act I — Introduce the hero, the hero’s problem, and the villain Act IIa — Show the hero entering a new world and getting initial success Act IIb — Show the villain winning and the hero struggling and ultimately feeling all is lost Act III — Show […]