12 Types Of Character Intelligence

Richly layered characters form the basis of every quality screenplay. Characters have distinct learning and processing styles which influences their knowledge. Their knowledge also informs their moral codes and personality types. Intelligence is both a function of what someone knows, but also how they can best learn it. There is a distinct difference between intelligence…

Why You Must Kill Your Screenplay Darlings

Screenwriting is hard. Really hard. No surprises here. Shaping and telling a story takes a long time. It’s a long process of trial and error. You must write many permutations and combinations of your story during the outlining, writing and rewriting process. This process of creating, destroying and recreating your screenplay is something every screenwriter faces…

5 Ways To Add The WOW Factor To Your Screenwriting

There are tens of thousands of screenplays registered with the WGA each year. Many thousands more screenplays are written, but not registered. Even more screenplays than that are works in progress. That adds up to a hell of a lot of screenplays. All vying for attention. Screenwriters must be aware that this places an enormous…

When Is A Genre Not Really A Genre

There are four main genres in film: action, drama, comedy and thriller (includes horror.) Scripted TV is generally broken down into drama and comedy. Sure, there are hybrids like action comedy and dramedy, but the main genres remain intact. Screenwriters should familiarize themselves with these terms. So when to these genres transcend their boundaries into…

What Format Should You Write In?

Screenwriters often wonder what format best suits their story. Is it a film, TV show or web series? So many questions. Screenwriting is such as versatile writing form, that stories can be told across multiple platforms. The key differential between them is time. FEATURE FILMS This is a full-length film typically spanning 90-120 minutes. Generally…

20 Emotions Found In Horror Films

Horror movies continue to be a staple on cinema screens and television on-demand queues. Audiences can’t seem to get enough of these films. So screenwriters continue to write them. Horror films must still follow the tropes of good screenplays in order to be successful. They need to take the audience on an emotional journey. By…

Does Your Main Character Have A Guardian Angel?

The main character in many screenplays has a BFF, a guardian angel, an ally, a teacher or a mentor. Although they each have their own nuances, they all serve a similar purpose; to protect, to provide moral guidance and facilitate the path to personal growth. Or as the New Age types call it– manifestation of…

How Much Research Should You Do For Your Screenplay?

Listen up fellow screenwriters.  We’ve all been told to do background research before writing your screenplay. How much should you actually do? Why Do Research At All? Quite simply, it adds authenticity to your screenwriting. It lets your audience know they’re in good hands and your story is factually correct. That said, your research should…

Why Is Fear So Important In Your Screenplays?

FEAR is a significant motivator of human behavior. It dictates what we do and what we don’t do. Therefore it’s important for screenwriters to understand how fear works in human development and subsequently write richer characters in your stories. Fears make our characters human. It exposes vulnerabilities and informs character backstory. Fears are either physical…

What Makes An Engaging Screenplay?

This is one of the most common questions screenwriters ponder after “How do I sell my screenplay?” The screenwriting bar has been raised many times over the years, so a strong grasp on the writing craft is vital. Your ability to create solid characters with defined goals and formidable obstacles, write scintillating dialogue, and have…

Not All Comedy Films Are Equal

Comedy is one of the hardest screenplay genres for screenwriters to master. This is because comedy movies are so broad, so personal and so nuanced.  The writing style ranges from jokes so subliminal they barely register with the audience, to laugh out loud slapstick humor. Writing comedy movie and TV scripts is serious business, so…

A Rough Guide To Independent Film Finance

I’ve previously written posts on financing movies in the studio arena. The principals of raising independent film finance are similar. The main difference lies in the extended patchwork of funding sources to get an indie film made. Each piece of the budget pie also tends to be smaller. There is no hard and fast rule…