The Art Of Writing Better Scene Description To Really Rock Your Screenwriting

Film making is a visual medium. Screenwriters are always told that less dialogue is more. Does this axiom also apply to scene description too? Well… kinda sorta… Dialog constitutes the primary colors of your film or TV script. The scene description is the shading. It is more than simply describing physical action. It needs to…

Why Evil Characters Make Great Stories

The concept of good and evil is a mythological one that ultimately relates to morality. It’s especially prevalent in biblical works and resonates strongly within stories and screenplays. Terms such as Satan, Devil and Fallen Angels illustrate various depiction of evil characters which are conflict with what is good and wholesome to our spiritual, intellectual, social,…

8 Ways To Create Emotionally Intelligent Characters

Emotional Intelligence or Emotional IQ are terms used to describe people that appear to operate on a higher perception of  human behaviour than others. They aren’t necessarily better academic achievers or more intelligent. They merely seem to more easily perceive and analyze behaviour in both themselves and other people better than most. They use this power to influence…

5 Powerful Types Of Dark Characters

Movie and TV characters are often described in terms of having a light or dark predisposition. Dark personality traits, found in villains are defined by a number of personality disorders. Characters exhibiting these traits yield immense power and control. PSYCHOPATHY This is similar to sociopath, except that it is congenital. Sufferers have their brains wired differently and can’t display normalised…

Five Types Of Plot Twists

Twist endings are story beats that divert the story logic trajectory and assumptions originally set up in the story. They usually occur towards the end of the story to surprise and entertain audiences by subverting and challenging their expectations of story outcome. According to Alec Worley there are five key types of such endings: 1) REVERSAL OF…

The Eight Characters of Comedy

Comedy relies on a stable of eight character types with differing viewpoints to fuel comedic situations. Scott Sedita defined the main character types in relation to sitcoms. However, these apply equally to film. It’s important to note that a character doesn’t have to exclusively inhabit one category. LOGICAL SMART ONE These characters are responsible, emotionally…

Types Of Friends In Movies

Friends are important characters in movies because they help the main character undertake their character arc. HELPER These friends are problem solvers. They tend to be around during a character’s time of distress, danger or vulnerability. They offer practical advice and solutions without become overly involved with the character’s emotional state. MENTOR They basically act as a character’s…

Adding Emotional Intelligence To Your Characters

Crafting movie worthy characters requires screenwriters to imbue them with emotional intelligence. Basically this means characters must conceive a range of emotions and identify appropriate behavioral responses. There are a variety of broad stages associated with emotional intelligence. Few characters lie exclusively within one of these stages all the time. Typically they progress as part…

6 Types Of Subplots For Screenwriters To Include In Their Screenplays (But Not All At Once)

Screenplays are comprised of a main plot and one, two or sometimes three subplots. Although three subplots might be too much for a screenwriter to handle, unless you’re writing TV scripts. What are subplots? Subplots are secondary plots used in film scripts to enhance the main plot of your screenplay. I typically prefer one or two…

Does Your Main Character Have To Be Likeable?

Should screenwriters always write likable main characters? A key tenet of mainstream movies is that the main character must be likeable. They must have a flaw that will be corrected by the end of the movie as part of their obligatory character arc. This is the basis of stories. As audiences become more sophisticated and more complex…

Protagonist Vs Main Character: Is There A Difference?

PROTAGONIST The term protagonist is theatrical term used in Ancient Greece to signify the character that made the first appearance on the stage and was the focal point of the story. This terms is still prevalent in theatrical circles. The term main character is more commonly used in film and TV to mean the same…

Why Lies Create Interesting Characters

Should the characters in your screenplay lie? Does lying make you a bad screenwriter? What is a lie? Quite simply it’s statement that isn’t entirely true. This can be deliberate or unintended. Malicious or frivolous. Psychologists argue that people consciously tell lie to protect themselves. It’s a social and physical defence mechanism. It may mean that…