Movie Reviews · 2 min
Mini Review – Declaration of War
Declaration of War Mercifully Short Review by Jonathan Empson Original title: La guerre est déclarée A quirky and upbeat film about… cancer. Hmm. But before you…
The Journal
Vol. 17 · 1,240 entries
27 August 2026
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best of the Web 10 Jun
Story & Structure :: Hook Them From The First Line :: A Failure To Communicate :: Make Your Relationships in Action Films Count :: Important Considerations…
Logline It! · 4 min
The Judges – Circalit loglines (22)
In this section we are publishing the loglines from the participants of the Circalit / Story Department "First Draft Script Contest". Our judges have reviewed the…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: Screenwriters – on Writer’s Block
We have written about how to beat writer's block before, but when a selection of top screenwriters including John August (Big Fish) and Ted Griffin (Ocean's…
Script Perfection · 8 min
Lateral Screenwriting: Sequences
Of the surface approaches to structure that I have looked at, the Sequence method is my method of choice. This is because it offers the writer…
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best of the Web – 03 Jun
Story & Structure :: Screenplay Review: Focus :: Writing to Please An Audience ::A Long, Lonely Road - Informal Advice To New Authors Script Perfection ::…
Logline It! · 4 min
The Judges – Circalit Loglines (21)
In this section we are publishing the loglines from the participants of the Circalit / Story Department "First Draft Script Contest". Our judges have reviewed the…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: Neil Gaiman on Walking Towards The Mountain
Neil Gaiman has written for virtually every literary format, writing incredibly successful scripts (Beowulf), graphic novels (Sandman) and fantasy books (American Gods). It was to everyone's…
Script Perfection · 7 min
Lateral Screenwriting: Your Opening Of Choice
One of the greatest examples is the opening of Raiders Of The Lost Ark , where Indiana Jones is on the verge of finding a great…
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best of the Web – 27 May
Story & Structure :: Sci-Fi Storytelling & World Building with Writer Jon Spaihts :: Michael Moorcock Reveals How to Write a Book in 3 Days! ::…
Logline It! · 3 min
The Judges – Circalit Loglines (20)
In this section we are publishing the loglines from the participants of the Circalit / Story Department "First Draft Script Contest". Our judges have reviewed the…
Story & Structure · 1 min
[Video]: Soderbergh on Contagion
Filmmaker Steven Soderbergh talks to Charlie Rose about what compelled him to make Contagion, what he hoped the film would achieve, and his creative relationship with…
Script Perfection · 5 min
Lateral Screenwriting: Openings that Close… the Sale
Robert Towne, screenwriter of CHINATOWN, SHAMPOO, TEQUILA SUNRISE, and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE I & II, among others, once observed that films can open slowly as the audience…
Logline It! · 4 min
The Judges – Circalit loglines (19)
In this section we are publishing the loglines from the participants of the Circalit / Story Department "First Draft Script Contest". Our judges have reviewed the…
Story & Structure · 1 min
[Video]: Screenwriters – On Finding an Original Voice
A selection of screenwriters including John August (Big Fish) and Ted Griffin (Ocean's Eleven) take part in a six-part series produced by the Academy of Motion…