Video · 1 min

Video: Mark Fergus

About the first Iron Man, someone told me they had been making it up as they went along. I didn't believe it. For such a humongous…

News · 10 min

Interview: Syd Field (2)

Syd Field was the first true screenwriting guru and his book Screenplay is still a standard, more than thirty years after its initial publication. During his…

Best of the Web · 1 min

Best o/t Web 16 Jan

Story & Structure :: The 3 stories within every movie :: Premise pilots :: Leaving out the hard part :: How much screen time does the hero get? :: What makes…

News · 5 min

(Not) Wanted: Script Assessors

I know, I know. I promised a regular, more personally sounding post - instead I kinda disappeared. Truth is: the year end was hectic, next I…

Story & Structure · 7 min

Interview: Kaplan on Comedy (2)

Last year James Nicholas attended Steve Kaplan's session at the Screenwriting Expo. Afterwards he wrote here on The Story Department, "Kaplan is to comedy and commedia…

Logline It! · 4 min

The Judges: Week 1

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

Video · 1 min

Video: Aaron Sorkin

The Social Network director David Fincher is now tipped for an ADG Award and with the rumors about the movie's Academy Award potential heating up, I…

Story & Structure · 6 min

Interview: Syd Field

Syd Field was the first true screenwriting guru and his book Screenplay is still a standard, more than thirty years after its initial publication. During his…

Best of the Web · 1 min

Best o/t Web Jan 9

Story & Structure :: True Grit :: How Oscar scripts really work :: Saving the superheroes :: Same old superheroes? Script Perfection :: Screenwriting Tips: The mentor :: Rules: do they matter?…

Story & Structure · 3 min

Three or Four?

A properly structured screenplay must have three acts... Or four? I have said before that the model you use to improve your screenwriting is your own…

Script Perfection · 1 min

Video: Judith Weston on Conflict

When a loyal reader of The Story Department recommends we should publish something by Judith Weston, I listen. Here Judith tells you to cut your scene…

Best of the Web · 1 min

Best o/t Web 2 Jan

Story & Structure :: The fatal flaw of characters :: Realism is dead in movies :: How Hollywood guts children's classics Script Perfection :: Screenwriting Tips: Bold it :: When your…

Best of the Web · 1 min

Best o/t Web 26 Dec

Story & Structure :: BAFTA screenwriters lecture series :: Robert A. Heinlein biography :: Santa movies frozen out of festive season :: "It's a Wonderful Life": The most terrifying movie…

Script Perfection · 5 min

Interview: Kaplan on Comedy (1)

Soon after speaking with Steve Kaplan, first on Twitter and later here in Sydney, I became a fan. Although comedy is still very much a mystery…

Pitching & Selling · 5 min

‘Tis the season to welcome miracles.

The halls have been decked with the proverbial holly. Lists have been checked, twice. Red suits pressed. Reindeers shoed. Huge-never-to-be-repeated-all-stock-must-go-(no-really)-sales are in full festive swing. Resistance…