VIDEO! The librarian, the warrior, the free spirit… archetypes are a great jumping off point to help clarify where we want to go with a character. Kristan Higgins Some tropes are universal. Boy meets girl. Betrayal and revenge. The search to discover a hidden truth…. A mother’s love isn’t cliché, it’s universal. These things are […]
Using Archetypes in Screenwriting Read More »
The most effective, powerful, and interesting characters you can create for a screenplay are often based on real people. If you look back over your life, you will most certainly find some amazing people to model your characters after. You will also come up with some unforgettable, authentic and interesting scenes by pondering events from your past. To jog your memory and get the juices flowing, let’s take a stroll down memory lane with these five questions…
The Screenwriter’s Best Resource For Authentic Creativity Read More »
To be a real contender in Hollywood, you must study the craft of screenwriting so that your scripts are the best they can be when the opportunity arises to have a producer or agent to read them. To be successful and maintain that success as a screenwriter, there are many different elements of the craft of screenwriting that you must learn. Here are 5 of them as a sampling…
Elements of Great Screenwriting Read More »
Every scene in your screenplay must be doing one or more of three things: revealing character, advancing the plot, or expanding the theme. All three together give direction to your story. The plot is a function of your central dramatic question: What is the single goal of your main character? The answer to that question will be determined by what obstacles he or she must overcome and how they need to transform to achieve their goal.
Where Are You Going With Your Plot? Read More »
It surprises me to find that so many screenwriters don’t realize that they need to have a point to their story. By the time all is said and done, at the end of your 90-minute movie, there has to be something that you were getting at. It’s what’s known as the theme of your story. Even though many writers don’t realize…
And Your Point Is? Read More »
Most writers realize that when they finish their screenplay, at some point, they will need to get a script analysis / consultation. There are probably thousands of people who are offering to do this, from college screenwriting teachers and out-of-work producers, to other aspiring screenwriters, and career script consultants. WARNING! The danger of going with someone who…