Pitching & Selling · 6 min
Stop Making Sense, Screenwriters!
The pitch has come to an end, without any expression of interest. But then, the producer looks up at he screenwriter again, asking: "So, what else have you got?"…
The Journal
Vol. 17 · 1,240 entries
25 August 2026
Quote of the day
Take what’s useful, argue with the rest.
Vol. 17
Pitching & Selling · 5 min
What the Hell is High Concept?
I’ll confess… when I started working in this business as an assistant, and heard the term “high concept” over and over, at first I assumed it…
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best of the Web 25 Jan
Script Perfection :: 'American Sniper' Screenwriter: 'I Bled for This Thing' :: Demolish the Work Best of the Rest :: Eternal Sunshine Author to Make Directorial…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: The Brains Behind Birdman
Birdman is one of the hottest screenplays leading into this year's Oscars frenzy. Screenwriters Alex Dinelaris and Nico Giacobone, who together make up 50% of the Birdman screenwriting…
Movie Moments · 5 min
What You Can Learn From The Avatar Screenplay
In the Avatar screenplay, like in every screenplay, a moment occurs when the main character moves from Act One into Act Two. ‘Moves’, because in successful films,…
Story & Structure · 1 min
Online Logline
Karel Segers and Nir Shelter will be reviewing loglines online in a live webinar for members, from 11am until 12.30pm on Saturday morning (Eastern Australian Time,…
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best of the Web 18 Jan
Script Perfection :: Hollywood’s Principle [...] is the More Writers the Better :: Hollywood's Hottest Author-Screenwriter Spills Secrets :: Interview: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: Network TV Struggles
What are the most pressing issues shaping the realities of making a modern TV show? Hollywood Reporter roundtable guests Mike Schur (Parks and Recreation), Matthew Carnahan…
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best of the Web 11 Jan
Script Perfection :: Keeping Creative Passions Alive :: China’s Crime-Free Crime Films :: 8 Somewhat Unusual New Year's Screenwriting Resolutions Pitching & Selling :: The Original…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: Tim Sullivan on Screenwriting and Fear
How many times have you had a great idea for a movie - only to give up on it, worried that it's not good enough? Tim…
Script Perfection · 1 min
Better Dialogue For Screenplays – John August Pt 4 – [Video]
Working on a rewrite? At a loss as to how to go about it? Successful Hollywood screenwriter John August (Big Fish, Frankenweenie, The Nines) shows us…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: John August Pt 3 – Scene Openings
Working on a rewrite? At a loss as to how to go about it? Successful Hollywood screenwriter John August (Big Fish, Frankenweenie, The Nines) shows us…
Best of the Web · 1 min
Best of the Web 21 Dec
Story & Structure :: Reese Witherspoon “didn't think there was enough sex” :: Write what you know? :: 'The Science of Story: An Evening with Karel…
Video · 1 min
[Video]: John August Pt 2 – Better Scene Description
Working on a rewrite? At a loss as to how to go about it? Successful Hollywood screenwriter John August (Big Fish, Frankenweenie, The Nines) takes us…
Pitching & Selling · 12 min
The three phases of a Crowdfunding Campaign – the U-Curve Effect
Crowdfunding is a great way to raise finance for any creative project – especially film. You can prove your concept, create audience awareness, and, at the…