Story & Structure · 7 min

High Concept Movie Ideas [How To Identify And Improve Them]

The greatest movie ideas are high concept. That's what they say. Then, they waffle a definition of what high concept means. The discussion ends soon thereafter. What…

Story & Structure · 4 min

Fantastic Story Ideas [And Where To Find Them]

This post is about fantastic story ideas, not just any story idea. It is about finding the gems, and not settling for the duds. Tomorrow I will help…

Story & Structure · 5 min

Westworld (1973) [About Structural Malfunctionings]

When HBO launched the eponymous TV show, I took the opportunity to discover Westworld, the movie. The directorial debut of writer-director Michael Crichton has always been a part of pop…

Story & Structure · 4 min

The Mid Point Pit Stop [Because Your Screenplay Is Too Long]

In the early days of cinema, the feature presentation contained two parts, with an intermission halfway, at the mid point. The audience would stretch their legs, visit the…

Story & Structure · 7 min

The 2-Act Structure [Because You Write The Rules]

In an earlier post I warned you about the 2-Act Structure. If none of the structural paradigms offered by the gurus work for you, why don't…

Story & Structure · 7 min

About Screenwriting Rules [And The 3-Act Structure]

When How To Train Your Dragon was released, some people learned to their horror that the film was written following Blake Snyder’s beat sheet. How could such…

Software Reviews · 7 min

Final Draft 10 Reviewed

How do you go about writing a screenplay? There are a few of us who sit down at the computer, like some modern day Dalton Trumbo…

Story & Structure · 5 min

Chariots Of Fire Revisited [Running With Synthesizers]

In Writing Screenplays that Sell, Michael Hauge singles out Chariots Of Fire (1981) as a cinematic outlier. It was an unlikely movie to generate big box office.…

Movie Moments · 4 min

Kung Fu Hustle [Sixty Seconds of Suspense]

Watching Kung Fu Hustle (2004) reminded me how many amazing movies are out there that we won't get to see - unless we seek them out. After…

Story & Structure · 6 min

Scene Structure With Aaron And Gust

Yesterday I told you about where the master learned his craft. Today we'll learn about scene structure from my favourite Sorkin scene. And you'll be surprised, as you may have missed…

Script Perfection · 4 min

Aaron Sorkin Master Class: Do It! [not for the reason you think]

If I see the face of Aaron Sorkin one more time in my Facebook feed or in a newsletter, I’m going to punch my laptop. Okay,…

Movie Moments · 4 min

Frozen: Girlie And Great

Disney’s Frozen is one of a few movies I had to see a couple of times before I got it. I am not a fan of musicals, didn’t…

Story & Structure · 6 min

Easy Rider Will Tell You Something About Subtext

Easy Rider shows how subtext is not what most teachers and gurus tell you it is. Many mistake subtext with non-verbal communication. It is true that most of our…

Movie Moments · 4 min

Preminger’s Laura: In Love With A Score

As a student I lived only a 25min train trip away from the Brussels “Cinematek”, once hailed by Martin Scorsese as the world’s best cinema repository. Among…

Movie Moments · 3 min

Scarlett Johansson Naked [Under The Skin Undressed]

It doesn't happen often that you can write a title with pure Scarlett Johansson link bait, yet keep a clear conscience. Unless you've read the original novel,…