Story & Structure · 3 min

The Power of Next

'Being in the moment' may be a way to keep your mental sanity; it is not where you want your audience to be during the film.…

Logline It! · 5 min

The Judges: Week 7

In 2011, each week 10 judges will review two short synopses from films that are currently in development. The objective is to all (that includes us…

Story & Structure · 1 min

Video: William Goldman

Last week Jack Brislee made reference to William Goldman breaking the rules. Today we have the legend himself talking about the result of his rules smashing:…

Story & Structure · 6 min

Making Our Stories More Original.

I have protested that Australian films are often atrocious from a story point of view. And have, at times, received venomous looks for breaking ranks with…

Script Perfection · 4 min

Not on the screen? Not on the page!

If it’s not on the screen, it can’t be on the page. While most screenwriting books allude to this rule, Michael Hague probably best expresses it:  “Nothing…

Best of the Web · 1 min

Best o/t Web Feb 20

Story & Structure :: Script review: Chinatown Script Perfection :: Screenwriting Tips: Invisible structure | Family :: 13 cheesiest lines from RomComs :: Receiving notes Pitching & Selling :: Marketing yourself :: The…

Script Perfection · 6 min

Subtext: Secrets and Lies (2)

Arm each character with a secret to keep and a lie to tell - secrets and lies that have value and possibility for damage - and…

Logline It! · 4 min

The Judges: Week 6

In 2011, each week 10 judges will review two short synopses from films that are currently in development. The objective is to all (that includes us…

Story & Structure · 1 min

Video: Richard Walter

During a recent talk on outlining I gave for the AWG, the first audience question was about selling . When you teach screenwriting, some questions keep…

Script Perfection · 9 min

Subtext: Secrets and Lies (1)

Deceit is at the heart of every good story. Falsehoods, un-truths and blatant deceptions. If a story isn't a den of lies then it's likely -…

Story & Structure · 10 min

Structure: Up In The Air

I have written before why in my view Up In The Air didn't work for a mainstream audience despite the generous attention the film received around…

Best of the Web · 1 min

Best o/t Web 13 Feb

Story & Structure :: Die Hard 2: A disaster :: James Bond is the bond girl :: 3 act structure: pros and cons from the gurus Script Perfection ::…

Script Perfection · 3 min

The Three C’s of a Scene

Your primary focus is on story and less on writing scenes, sharp dialogue or gripping action. Inevitably, though, once figured out your characters and their journeys,…

Logline It! · 4 min

The Judges: Week 5

In 2011, each week 10 judges will review two short synopses from films that are currently in development. The objective is to all (that includes us…

Story & Structure · 1 min

Video: Jay O’Callahan

Sometimes we need to stop for a moment and think about what we're really doing. We're telling stories. As filmmakers, our stories are not in the…