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History of TV: The satirical smarts of 'Dear White People'

February 17, 2022

Dear White People marked Lionsgate’s second original series for Netflix (behind Orange is the New Black). The half-hour dramedy which premiered April 28th, 2017 and wrapped last year on its fourth season was adapted from creator Justin Simien’s debut...

5 Screenwriting Takeaways for an Anti-Valentine's Day Week: 'The Beta Test'

February 16, 2022

It’s Valentine’s Day week and that means endless ads to buy flowers and declare your love for someone — or sit at home, eat ice cream, and watch a romantic comedy. But as much as I believe in the power of love on screen, sometimes you just need a cau...

Meeting the moment: How 3 heartfelt films capture Winter Olympics glory

February 16, 2022

Can a young amateur named Rocky Balboa go the distance with heavyweight champion Apollo Creed? Can an inexperienced boxer named Maggie Fitzgerald become a million dollar baby?

Write On with 'The 355' Co-Writer Theresa Rebeck

February 15, 2022

When a top-secret weapon falls into mercenary hands, a wild card CIA agent joins forces with three international agents on a lethal mission to retrieve it, while staying a step ahead of a mysterious woman who's tracking their every move in this actio...

5 Screenwriting Takeaways: ‘Moonfall’ and 25+ years of Roland Emmerich disaster films

February 12, 2022

The moon has suddenly shifted off its orbit and is poised to crash into the earth. In a movie world where meteors and aliens are constantly trying to destroy the earth, why not create a story where the moon becomes the enemy?

‘Indemnity’ and the long road to becoming South Africa’s latest mainstream action blockbuster

February 11, 2022

Indemnity is one of the most ambitious action thrillers to come out of South Africa, offering stunning set pieces and a story that feels like a combination between The Manchurian Candidate and The Fugitive. It’s no surprise, as writer-director Travis...

History of TV: Live, in front of a studio audience 'The Jeffersons'

February 11, 2022

1975 signified the popularity of Betamax, VHS tapes and a turning point in American television: The Jeffersons. Its predecessor, Good Times (created by actor Mike Evans, writer Eric Monte and producer Norman Lear), featured a Black family from the pr...

I Want You Back' writing duo craft a sweetly unexpected rom-com

February 11, 2022

I Want You Back feels like a romantic comedy of days of yore while all at once fresh and new. It embraces the trope and universal feeling of not wanting to die alone, but few other rom-com tropes feel predictable or even evident in this screwball and...

How Adrien Brody creates the world of ‘Clean’ through performance, writing and music

February 10, 2022

Clean’s life is very regimented. After hours at work as a garbage man, he goes to the same spots and checks up on the same people. However, things change when his past catches up to him and returns him to a life of violence for the sake of protecting...