How many times have you been completely captivated by a movie character, only to find out that their story is not what you thought it was? For me, that number is too high to count. And sometimes, that occurrence makes for some of the most captivating and meaningful movie experiences. […]
Point of view might be the most underlooked aspect of film financing. Consider the points of view of potential film investors. Before even thinking about your project, consider the points of view of your potential film investors, whether they’re the gatekeepers of film grants, screenwriting contests, or even the friendly […]
This post won’t just help you become a better screenwriter. It will show you techniques that will make you a better all-around writer, which in turn will make you a better overall storyteller. I have never taken a formal screenwriting class. But I’ve taken plenty of courses in fiction writing […]
Many literary writers say that screenwriting does’t represent real writing. Television carries even less merit in their eyes. I had a creative writing professor in college who would cringe every time I brought up The Sopranos or Breaking Bad, or even The Wire. She represented an anomaly in the creative […]
Everything starts with a concept. A story. Like, where did this guy get his hat? Has he always smoked? What’s with the feather? And when a great story gets you nowhere, it’s all about who you know, right? But what they don’t tell us is that it isn’t just who […]
A dentist once told me about this amazing idea he had for a movie… about a dentist. The scene went something like this: INT. BANQUET HALL – DAY DENTIST: I’ve got a great idea for a screenplay. It’s about a dentist. It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you cry… The […]
JFK, directed by Oliver Stone. Argo, directed by Ben Affleck. Mississippi Burning, directed by Alan Parker. Films that many people respect. But, upon inspection, films that all distort the truth. Stone’s JFK portrays the trial of a businessman accused of conspiring with the CIA as “a heroic effort to unshackle the […]