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…

6 Simple (& Super Effective) Ways To Stop All The Characters In Your Screenplay Sounding The Same

One issue screenwriters commonly face is writing a distinct voice for each character.  Every character sounds the same in the first draft of many screenplays. Let’s take a look at dialogue and see how voice can be tailored to each character. But first, let’s define our terms. Dialogue is simply the words that are spoken. Voice is how…

How To Write Loglines To (almost) Guarantee Interest In Your Screenplay

Loglines are the most common way to pitch your screenplay and get a movie producer to read your film script. What is the secret to a perfect movie script logline that will generate film producer interest? Read on.

How Can Screenwriters Get Their Films Financed (and Profitable?)

The film making and film distribution world has changed dramatically. Gone are the days when screenwriters could easily sell their screenplays to Hollywood producers for a million bucks. The modern sobering reality is that screenwriters must now play some role in getting their movies produced. They need to become bona fide movie producers. After you’ve dazzled…

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…

The Layers Of The Creative Process (And How They Can Elevate Your Screenwriting)

Writers are always on the lookout for story ideas to develop into films and TV series. Where do these ideas come from? How do you brainstorm? How does a film or TV idea sprout from an original concept? How do you know which ideas are worth keeping and which to discard? So many things to…

What Are The Main Components Of Disaster Films?

Disaster films generally fall into the action genre, so make sure there are sufficient visually exciting set pieces for the audience to enjoy. But don’t forget to build up your characters. They need an arc while all the disaster is uprooting their lives. The super structure of disaster films involves three main phases: The REALIZATION of…

10 Things To Consider Before Joining A Writers Group

Writing is often a solitary activity, so any human interaction regarding your story should be encouraged. Writers groups may be a way to gain new perspectives, clarification and opinions of your work. Selecting the right writers group for you can really help elevate your writing. However, be selective in which one you join. There are a few…

Why It’s A Good Idea For Screenwriters To Write Books

Selling a screenplay to the studio system is getting more difficult. Budgets are shrinking and studios are making fewer films. The temperamental independent world is slowly sputtering back to life. Only to collapse again. What’s a writer to do? It’s a well known fact that studios have a preference for pre-existing works in another medium…

Story Clinic

Later this year I’ll be launching my story clinic service called Script Firm. Until I get myself organised, I’m taking a few story questions from my readers. Hopefully, I’ll be able to answer them.

Are You The Kind Of Screenplay Reader Screenwriters Love (or Hate)?

There are script notes and there are script notes in the screenwriting world. The same goes for the people that write them. Few appreciate the difficulty of deep story analysis. Screenplays contain elements of mythology, sociology and anthropology. They help define what makes us human. What kind of script reader are you? When a story is…

Choosing Your Next Screenplay

Scriptwriters should always be working on multiple screenwriting ideas. Hopefully not all at once. You’d be amazed at how you can come  up with story ideas for one screenplay while working on another. This is the beauty of being a screenwriter. Having many projects in development. At some point we need to decide which screenplay…