Uncategorized · 12 min
11 Laws of Great Storytelling
Jeffrey Hirschberg says: "While it is impossible to have a foolproof formula, I have learned certain principles dramatically increase the probability of your story achieving a…
The Journal
Vol. 17 · 1,240 entries
26 August 2026
Quote of the day
Take what’s useful, argue with the rest.
Vol. 17
The Screenwriter's Life · 3 min
Is it Learnable?
Each time I teach, I learn. In a weird and wonderful way, every student is a teacher. Each individual has valuable experience or knowledge to share…
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best o/t Web 13 Dec 09
Here's our weekly selection from the blogosphere. Feel free to recommend anything or give your feedback in the Questions and Comments below. And don't forget you…
News · 1 min
Chris Weekes tops The Black List
A big congratulations to Chris Weekes, whose script MUPPET MAN tops the newly released Black List with Hollywood's most liked unproduced scripts. It's great for Chris…
Uncategorized · 7 min
Introducing Minor Characters
Does the guy appearing only in the second scene of your script for half a page really need a two-page intro? Christina Hamlett shows you how…
Software Reviews · 5 min
iPhone Reloaded
Three months ago today, we reviewed the hottest iPhone apps for screenwriters and filmmakers. Since then, no less than 25,000 new apps have flooded iTunes. Cherie…
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best o/t Web 06 Dec 09
Here's our weekly selection from the blogosphere. Feel free to recommend anything or give your feedback in the Questions and Comments below. And don't forget you…
Uncategorized · 5 min
Screenwriting for Editing
"The humbling truth is that the film is made in the editing room". -David Mamet The screenwriter is the first step in the film making process…
Structure Analysis · 7 min
Structure: Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead (S. Pegg & E.Wright, 2004) was my first iTunes movie download. I needed it urgently and the download was quick & cheap.…
Best of the Web · 2 min
Best o/t Web 29 Nov 09
Here's our weekly selection from the screenwriting blogosphere. Follow "StoryDepth" on Twitter and receive the news as & when we find it. And don't forget you…
Script Perfection · 6 min
Strip the Script
How do you avoid having a rubbish script? Learn how to identify what's necessary and what's not and throw out the junk. What's the junk? Read…
Story & Structure · 4 min
A Story within a (Toy) Story
In great movies, structural principles apply to more than one level: story, act, sequence etc. Once you understand how drama functions, you can apply it to…
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best o/t Web 22 Nov 09
Here's my weekly selection from the blogosphere. Feel free to recommend anything or give your feedback in the Questions and Comments below. And don't forget you…
Story & Structure · 6 min
Hollywood’s Best Kept Secret
What is Hollywood’s Best Kept Screenwriting Secret? Answer: The Expanded Scene Breakdown. What is the Expanded Scene Breakdown? Read on to find out! Another step in…
Story & Structure · 3 min
The Untouchables – The Mid Point(s)
A movie's Mid Point usually fulfills a number of functions. In the Hero's Outer Journey, an event occurs that makes the Hero change the approach to…