MM on Monday · 7 min

Sex in Screenwriting (3)

Sex can gauge the health and stability of a relationship. The great Peter Ustinov, Mr. Hercule Poirot himself, once said, “Sex is a conversation carried out by…

Best of the Web · 1 min

Best o/t Web 1 Aug

:: Massive Scifi attack in August! :: The Opposite of Writer's Block :: The plot of Inception as an infographic :: The Hangover took $100m more…

The Screenwriter's Life · 6 min

My Writing Journey

The Story Department is a platform for sharing screenwriting insights and writing tips but we also regularly publish stories of writers at the beginning of their…

Book Reviews · 3 min

Writing Drama (9)

Yves Lavandier's book Writing Drama currently rates as the absolute favorite of our book reviewer Jack Brislee. To give you the opportunity to delve into Lavandier's…

Video · 2 min

Writing Ozu with Sake

Thank you to FilmmakerIQ.com for this clip from the 1983 documentary I Lived But … The Life and Works of Yasujiro Ozu. It features interviews with…

Script Check · 5 min

In Late, Out Early

When Goldman wrote "get in late and leave early", he was not talking about how you watch a bad movie. He meant screenwriters should keep scenes…

MM on Monday · 6 min

Sex in Screenwriting (2)

George Bernard Shaw once wrote “A pornographic novelist is one who exploits the sexual instinct as a prostitute does. A legitimate sex novel elucidates it or…

Best of the Web · 1 min

Best o/t Web 25 Jul 10

:: Wizard of Oz, a flop? Since when? :: My project sold in Hollywood! Except it's not my project, it's my project's evil twin. :: 40…

Uncategorized · 7 min

Screenplays from Estonia

It's 4 AM. I am not writing. I am waiting. It's that feeling of nervous energy contrasted with heavy eyelids on dry, malfunctioning eyes. Taste of…

Book Reviews · 4 min

Writing Drama (8)

Yves Lavandier's book Writing Drama currently rates as the absolute favorite of our book reviewer Jack Brislee. To give you the opportunity to delve into Lavandier's…

Video · 1 min

Video: John August on Screenwriting

John August's blog rocks. Seeing and hearing him talk about his work is even more inspiring. Here is a great, 2-hour talk with the screenwriter about…

Story & Structure · 8 min

Structure: Toy Story 2

The second movie in the Toy Story trilogy resonates with me the most. Toy Story 3 builds on it thematically, far more than on the first installment.…

MM on Monday · 5 min

Sex in Screenwriting (1)

Let’s skip the introductions and go straight to the sex, shall we? Because I have a few questions for all you virgin screenwriters out there. How…

Best of the Web · 1 min

Best o/t Web 18 Jul

:: Let the music inspire you. :: Act three: the final showdown. :: Meeting an agent, the writer is the girl in the relationship. :: Questions…

Story & Structure · 5 min

A Screenwriting Trilemma

To complete the journey, the Hero often overcomes a dilemma. I'll show you - the screenwriter - a dilemma you may have never been aware of... Don't…