by John Bucher (@johnkbucher) Some of the greatest films ever made have been character studies. Sure, there is a well-structured story sitting just below the surface that allows us to develop the character in meaningful and interesting ways. However, the purpose and driving force behind the story is to explore what it means to live inside... Continue Reading →
Pixar Storytelling: Writing Multi-Layered Stories
by Angela Bourassa Dean Movshovitz, a screenwriter and speaker, has written a new book that delves into the secrets of Pixar's screenwriting magic. The book, Pixar Storytelling: Rules for Effective Storytelling Based on Pixar's Greatest Films, is a fun, useful read. At just 122 pages, you can digest the whole thing in a weekend and be... Continue Reading →
How to Beat the Second Act Blues
by Greg DePaul (@GregDePaul) You know the Second Act Blues, don’t you? That’s what you get when you’re deep into a script you’ve been working on for awhile – let’s say you’re on page 55 – and it all starts to fall apart. Your protagonist loses her drive. You lose your confidence. Your fingers can’t... Continue Reading →
Memento and the Truth About Non-Linear Storytelling
by Fin Wheeler You want to make it in the creative industries, and your middle-class sense of entitlement suggests you shouldn’t let a little thing like no knowledge of linear storytelling get in your way. So, you've decide to become a loud and proud advocate of non-linear. While a triumph of determination over skill might... Continue Reading →
Form, Structure, Formula.
by Fin Wheeler Even the most experimental, non-linear screenplay has structure. No screenwriter simply types a hundred one-page scenes and then throws them up in the air in front of the reader. We order our scenes, and there’s (hopefully) meticulous reasoning behind the choices we make. The reader/viewer is given information in the first scene,... Continue Reading →
6 Ghosts That Can Improve Any Story
by John Bucher (@johnkbucher) It’s that time of the year. Ghost stories are filling the theaters. Writers sometimes mistakenly ghettoize ghosts solely to the realm of horror films. It’s easy to forget that the ghost takes many forms and can work in any genre at any time of the year. Here are six ghosts, both literal... Continue Reading →
The Multi-Headed Beast: 3 Ways to Tame a Story With Multiple Protagonists
by John Bucher (@johnkbucher) At some point in their career, many writers will decide to work outside the traditional method of telling a story about a single protagonist on a journey. This can turn into a wild monster that gets away from the writer, causing them to chase their stories down a rabbit hole, often losing... Continue Reading →
What Writers Can Learn From Game of Thrones
by Emily J A couple weeks ago, I wrote an article listing Game of Thrones as “overrated.” For the most part, this season has been (to me) surprisingly great and some of the technically best writing the series has had since season one. Then came "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken." Episode six of season five is getting... Continue Reading →
The Secrets of R-Rated Comedy: Part I
by Angela Bourassa Keith is a bit of an expert in the field. His book, Writing the Comedy Blockbuster, shares the wisdom he's gained over the years writing for such companies as Paramount, Walt Disney, Universal, Warner Brothers, and Spyglass. Keith, who was named UCLA Extension's Instructor of the Year in 2009, currently teaches screenwriting at... Continue Reading →
Video: Story Structure the Kurt Vonnegut Way
The incomparable Kurt Vonnegut gave a lecture once in which he discussed the shapes of stories. Stories of all types, he points out, have very nice curves that can be plotted on a chart. His thoughts apply to screenplays, novels, poems, and everything in between. Learn from Vonnegut's example. You may have a brilliant idea... Continue Reading →