The venerable screenwriting instructor Robert McKee is not only a knowledgeable craftsman, but also a fan of well-spun tales, whether on stage, in books, or on screen. Creator of the three-day STORY seminar—and a celebrity among academics, thanks to ...

Joely Fisher’s feature directorial debut is a true family affair. Her sister, Tricia Leigh Fisher, worked on the original script, and their children read it through to make it as authentic as possible.

Beautiful as Aphrodite, wise as Athena . . . With such accolades describing Wonder Woman on everything from T-shirts to coffee cups, it’s no wonder that fashioning a story about her seemed as intimidating as scaling Mount Olympus. Yet screenwriter Al...

With T2 Trainspotting, screenwriter John Hodge pulls off a feat other writers envy: a character-focused sequel set – and released – twenty years after the original that’s poignant and funny, even with a plot that’s beside the point. But Hodge, who ea...

The crime genre unites the tragic and the absurd like little else. Before focusing on fictional mayhem, I was a crime journalist for 10 years. I covered a rail-riding serial killer who clubbed people to death in three states, a bank robber unfortunat...

Writing a story with an ensemble cast is like serving a pie with equal slices. You might start with an idea delicious enough for five or more characters, but if you don’t balance them just right during the writing process, one or two of the character...

Disney’s new film Moana has dropped anchor at the top of the box office, thanks to its winning combination of music, humor, gorgeous setting—and Moana herself. Critics and audiences alike love this Polynesian heroine who bristles at being called a pr...

A serene blonde woman walks in a cornflower blue dress that sweeps along the dusty streets of a Western town. As she reaches her horse, she drops a can of milk from her bag. A gallant cowboy, her sweetheart who’s been away, picks it up for her. Or do...

Creating setups and payoffs can feel a bit like courting your audience. When they’re heavy-handed and obvious, they’re like the hopeful beau who goes overboard to impress someone with concert tickets and a limo, only to hear crickets. But find the ri...