Before You Write
The most common mistake people make is to start writing before they know what their story is all about. That’s like hopping into a car and start driving before you know where you want to go. You may get somewhere, but it will rarely be the place you really want to go. The beginning and […]
The Importance of a Great Script
Everything starts with a great script. You can make a great movie from a great script, but it’s impossible to make a great movie from a lousy script. Hollywood has plenty of experience turning great scripts into lousy movies, but it all begins with a great script. Many aspiring screenwriters think that they need an […]
Zombie Characters
Almost every screenplay has a hero who has a goal, displays emotions, and keeps meeting failure and obstacles in pursuit of a quest. That’s exactly how it should be, but too many screenplays stop right there and make all other characters soulless beings with no goal other than to conveniently serve the plot. Every character […]
Genre as Boundaries
Every story follows a defined structure, and the type of story that you want to tell contains further boundaries. These different types of stories, known as genres, can help you identify your story and stay within that genre’s boundaries so you tell your story as effectively as possible. The search for a perpetual motion machine […]
Crossing the Genre Boundary
Every story fits within a genre such as Comedy, Thriller, or Action. It’s important to know what genre you want your story to fit because that determines what you can and cannot do for your screenplay. There’s a reason I tend to blog only about older movies because they tend to be the popular movies […]
Don’t Forget the Villain
Too many screenwriters focus exclusively on the goals of the hero, but don’t forget about your villain. Your villain isn’t someone who exists solely to cause trouble for the hero. Instead, your villain has goals of his own, and they must conflict and oppose what the hero wants. A hero can’t exist without a villain. […]
“Star Trek”
The latest Star Trek movie isn’t bad, even if you’re not a Trekkie, you’ll find enough action to keep you interested. Of course, no movie is perfect and Star Trek has a few holes that could have made the movie even better. In the first 15 minute segment of any movie, we learn about the […]
Character vs. Plot Driven Stories
What’s more important? Character or plot? It depends on what type of story you’re writing, but generally, plot should be subservient to character. Rod Serling was one of the most popular playwrights during the golden age of television. He wrote two popular teleplays called “Patterns” and “Requiem for a Heavyweight,” which garnered him tremendous acclaim. […]
Visual vs. Voice
What’s the best way to keep an audience’s attention? The two most common ways involve interesting visuals or interesting dialogue. Neither one is better than the other, but you should know how both methods work to keep your screenplay interesting to your audience. When Rod Serling created “The Twilight Zone,” he created a television classic […]