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The opening scene is a mini-summary of your entire story. Here’s what an opening scene must do: Grab the...

A fractal is a mathematical pattern that appears as a tiny building block, but when put together, forms a...

Most people start a screenplay at the beginning and work their way to the end. The problem with this...

Stories are most satisfying when they answer all our questions. At the end of “Die Hard,” not only do...

This is how most writers get themselves in trouble. They start off with an interesting idea and keep writing...

Watch most of Hollywood’s latest movies and it’s easy to see the basic formula of using guns and sex...

What makes an interesting movie are interesting scenes, and what makes an interesting scene is one where nothing is...

Every story and every scene is about change. If something isn’t changing in your scenes, then your scenes don’t...

There’s something satisfying about the number three. In stories, this underlying foundation of three forms the basis for foreshadowing....

Most of the time your hero is a good guy and your villain is a bad guy, but sometimes...

All the action, special effects, and computer-generated images are pointless (think “Jupiter Ascending”) if there isn’t a strong emotional...

Every story begins with a promise. Something is going to happen. then at the end, that something needs to...