Steven Hartman
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What ‘Dune: Part Two’ Teaches You About Writing a Sequel
Rare is it that a movie will have a studio backing its sequels before the filming of the first frame of the first film. But when visionary director Denis Villeneuve is building the epic world of Dune, based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, the sto...
What 'Bob Marley: One Love' Teaches You About Writing a Biopic
Bob Marley may never have discovered his voice. Amid the turmoil in Jamaica, his life could have ended before he could ignite the world with songs of peace and freedom. Or he could have chosen an easier path, but then there likely wouldn’t have been ...
What ‘Poor Things’ Can Teach Us About Embracing Uniqueness
Poor Things is unlike any movie in theaters. Directed by visionary filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and written by Tony McNamara, this strange fantastical comedy tells the story of a woman who is brought back to life by a mad scientist using her own baby's...
4 Elements of a Christmas Movie to Include in Your Script
When it comes to Christmas movies, there is a wide range of choices available depending on the mood you’re in. From the latest Lacey Chabert Hallmark premiere to David Harbour’s turn as a disgruntled John Wick-esque Santa Claus, the possibilities of ...
How ‘Godzilla Minus One’ Creates a Fresh Take on a Familiar Story
As Godzilla turns 70 years old, the classic monster of mayhem is getting a series of films and TV shows dedicated to its destructive force. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters premiered on Apple TV in November, Godzilla Minus One, a Japanese language film, b...
5 Lessons on Writing a Biopic from Ridley Scott’s 'Napoleon'
Who is Napoleon Bonaparte? Considering how significant he was in 19th-century Europe, it’s surprising that 2023's Napoleon seems to be the biggest and most comprehensive biopic of the French emperor's life over 200 years later. The film, directed by ...
What David Fincher’s ‘The Killer’ Can Teach You About Screenwriting
If you've ever wanted to write a thriller, David Fincher's film The Killer is a great example to learn from. Audiences are given a glimpse into the world of an assassin-for-hire and the problems an expert faces when things don’t quite go according to...
Lessons from Coppola’s Character-Driven 'Priscilla'
From Muhammed Ali to Napoleon to Elvis Presley, most movies about historical or culturally significant people have that particular person at the center of the story. In Sofia Coppola’s latest film, Priscilla, the focus of the story is not on one of t...
How to Make Your Characters Sound Different on the Page
If you were to take a scene for your latest screenplay, remove the names and read it out loud, would you know which characters were saying which lines? Or do they all kind of sound the same?