Just Write The !&*>^% Script Without The Tricks! (Part 1)
I don’t like storytelling “tricks.” By that I mean voice over, fantasy sequences, flashbacks, dreams, montages, or unnecessary or arbitrary non-linear structure. Sure, there are times when all those techniques are appropriate but we rely on them far too often especially these days of long-form series. Why not incorporate these techniques into our narrative whenever […]
How Screenwriters Can Benefit From The Rule Of Three
Back when I was a fledgling screenwriter someone told me if something is important, say it/show it at least three times in a screenplay so the audience has can properly absorb and process it. At the time I thought this was because audiences/readers missed important information, or perhaps forgot if it was only mentioned once. […]
Let’s Talk About Subtext In Screenwriting
Subtext – n.The underlying personality of a dramatic character as implied or indicated by a script or text. An inner world. A place glimpsed peripherally. Overtones. In screenwriting, subtext is implicit (intimated) versus explicit (stated) – a different layer of intention and depth. Using it expands your toolbox allowing you to say many different things without […]
Getting Your Screenplay Moments Right
“Moments. Give the audience half a dozen moments they can remember, and they’ll leave the theatre happy.” – Actress Rosalind Russell “I heard you laugh in the right places. I heard you moved in the right places, and that’s all movies are about — moments and if you do them right – sometimes there are […]
Writing The Perfect Hallmark Holiday Romantic Comedy Movie
Holiday films screened during major holidays are as sure as horror films screening at Halloween. Mark Sevi spoke with mega-producer Carol Baum about how screenwriters can best position themselves to sell their screenplays into this market which consistently looks for this material every year. Hallmark is the biggest producer of these films. According to Carol […]
