In almost every story, every main character is dealing with present problems as a way to overcome problems from the past. Using “Star Wars” as an example: Luke is bored on his uncle’s farm and wants to have an adventure Obi-wan is sorry for training Darth Vader Hans is in trouble with Jabba the Hutt […]
The best way to write a comedy is to start with a serious story. Then add comedic elements to it. The wrong way to write a comedy is to try to be funny, which typically results in a sloppy story where even the funniest jokes can’t save it. Think of every comedy and you’ll find […]
In most movies, time is flexible. In “Avengers: Endgame,” five years pass between the time Thanos wipes out half of all life in the universe and the time the Avengers decide to fight back. When writing your screenplay, there are different ways to use time: Show large passages of time (such as years) Show small […]
Every time a movie comes out on DVD, the studio usually adds bonus features such as deleted scenes. By studying these deleted scenes, you can see why these scenes were cut. In many cases, scenes are cut because they duplicate information that other scenes already provide. That just shows the importance of knowing your scenes […]
Many screenwriters waste time trying to come up with a convoluted, original plot. That’s generally pointless because no one really cares about the plot as much as they care about the character choices made during the story. Plot is predictable. In most movies, the hero wins whether it’s a sports movie, an action thriller, or […]
Every hero must be in danger whether that danger is physical or emotional. At some point in every story, the hero needs to see a character who represents the hero’s own fate if he or she should fail. This other character’s fate serves as a visual warning to both the hero and the audience what […]
“The Sting” is one of the best movies to study how to maintain suspense through twists and surprises. Ten years after “The Sting” won multiple Academy Awards, Hollywood decided to make a sequel called “The Sting 2,” which is one of the worst sequels ever created. Surprisingly, “The Sting” and “The Sting 2” were both […]
“Avengers: Endgame” has been breaking box office records since its release. While not a great movie, it’s still a very good one primarily because it relies on telling an emotional story rather than a physical one. Without giving anything away, watch “Avengers: Endgame” to see how all the different characters have an emotional reason to […]
Every story begins with a question. That question remains unanswered until the end, but that unanswered question is what motivates the hero into taking action in between the beginning and the end. In “Die Hard,” the initial question is whether John McClane will get back with his wife or not. In the end, that question […]