Story & Structure · 3 min
Bold Reimagining or Pale Imitation?
Having read thousands of scripts and watched hundreds of films and television dramas I’ve found that classic stories appear over and over again. And that’s not…
The Journal
Vol. 17 · 1,240 entries
26 August 2026
Quote of the day
Take what’s useful, argue with the rest.
Vol. 17
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best of the Web 31 Aug
Story & Structure :: Texting in Film and Television :: Amateur Friday - Black Autumn Script Perfection :: Scriptnotes, Ep 159: The Mystery of the Disappearing…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: David Simon’s Dangerous Ideas
A local gem you may have missed: at The 2013 Festival of Dangerous Ideas, David Simon speaking at the Sydney Opera House David Simon (showrunner of…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: Nailing a Crowdfunding campaign
With disappearing government and industry support for emerging filmmakers, many creatives are turning to the wonders of Kickstarter (and its Australian equivalent Indiegogo) to fund their…
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best of the Web 10 Aug
Story & Structure :: Clichéd Character Introductions :: Script To Screen: “Aliens” :: How to Create Characters That Feel Like Real People :: Screenplay Review -…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: John Truby on Successful Writing
'It's also important that writers read a lot of scripts. Because it's only through reading a lot of scripts that you get a sense of the…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: Paul Haggis’ Introspection
'Usually around noon, I feel really guilty and so actually open the script and start to work on it...' Paul Haggis outlines a chaotic, self-diagnostic, yet…
Script Check · 4 min
Texting in the Movies
I am frequently asked how to format text messages and email messages while maintaining the script’s “readability.” There are several methods depending on your dramatic purpose.…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: Comedy Roundtable
Another Hollywood Report Showrunners Roundtable, focusing on the art of writing a successful comedy show. Mike Schur & Greg Daniels (The Office, Parks and Recreation), Matthew…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: The ‘Vomit Draft’ – Dustin Lance Black
Are you plagued with a deluge of ideas, clustered around a series of themes? How do you whittle down a thousand magical ideas into a lean,…
Pitching & Selling · 2 min
How to Pitch in One Sentence
I’ve heard thousands of pitches in my thirty years as a screenwriter. What I’ve found is that the majority of pitches were too long, unfocused and…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: Vince Gilligan’s Island
Adam Savage sits down with legendary showrunner Vince Gilligan for a gloriously rambling discussion. Why does TV allow you to get to know your characters better…
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best of the Web 6 Jul
Story & Structure :: TV Pilot Tuesday! - The Strain :: Chicken or the Egg? Pitching & Selling :: ‘Extant’: How a Contest Led First-Time Creator…
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best of the Web 22 Jun
Script Perfection :: Drama Showrunner Roundtable: Watch The Full, Uncensored Interview :: Following Disciplines To Stay On Target… Pitching & Selling :: 29 Ways NOT To…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: Morgan Spurlock on Selling Out
The enterprising filmmaker Morgan Spurlock - of the McDonalds takedown documentary Supersize Me - jumps on stage for a Ted Talk on the relationship between art…