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TV Pilot Writing: Developing Your World of Characters

October 13, 2016

Writing an original pilot can be just as daunting as writing a feature, though shorter in length. While a feature captures a moment in time, a pilot begins a longer journey. In a pilot, you need to tell a complete story, while also introducing the po...

The Benefit of "Negative Space" in Your Storytelling

September 9, 2016

If you have a background in the arts or graphic design, you may already have a good understanding of "negative space" - the empty space around or between objects - and the role it can play in capturing audience attention. But what can negative space ...

When Narration Works

September 6, 2016

Bad narration is like watching a movie with someone chatting in the seat behind you, except you can’t turn around and tell him or her to be quiet. Narration, or voice-over, seems counterintuitive to film, which ideally speaks to us in action, images ...

How to Write a Comedy Set: Inspired by Michael Bluth and Liz Lemon

September 1, 2016

Arrested Development may be one of the best “character comedies” of the last decade. If you aren’t familiar with the show, it revolves around Michael Bluth: son, father, brother, hermano, uncle (maybe), boss and client to some of the most outlandish ...

Redemptive Character Arcs and Why We Love “Stranger Things”

August 26, 2016

Like many of you, I nerded out watching Stranger Things. It’s fun in so many wonderful ways. I loved the science fiction. I loved the nostalgia. I loved the visuals. But most of all I nerded out about the writing. The redemptive story arcs are a thin...

The Art of Action: Tips on Writing Elegant Action Sequences from “Run Lola Run”

August 22, 2016

Action sequences can be tricky to write. Screenwriters often struggle to strike a balance between orienting the reader/viewer and directing the scene. So how do you hit that perfect middle ground? How do you find the art in writing action sequences?

Breaking History Part II: Finding Faults in Historical Figures

August 18, 2016

In our previous post on this topic, "Breaking History: How to Achieve Truth in Historical Storytelling" we covered one of the most common mistakes made in historical scripts: an unwillingness to change the details of an event to create a strong sense...

Shake Up Your Research Routine

August 16, 2016

It’s no secret that research can give your script a leg up. Maybe two legs. Potentially an arm too. Research into your subject matter can flesh out your story making it feel even more realistic and grounded. Your script’s world will seem fuller, your...

Breaking History: How to Achieve Truth in Historical Storytelling

August 11, 2016

"We all know that Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize truth..." - Picasso The temptation to write historically based scripts is a strong one for many writers, and with good reason. The setting, the plot, the characters... even some o...