Mark Sevi

Just Write The !&*>^% Script Without The Tricks! (Part 1)

Just Write The !&*>^% Script Without The Tricks! (Part 1)
This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series Narrative Tricks

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 […]

 James Napoli

When Flashbacks Attack – Your Guide To Correct Use In Your Screenplay

When Flashbacks Attack – Your Guide To Correct Use In Your Screenplay

I am a flashback apologist. As readers of one of my previous Creative Screenwriting columns know, I believe it is narrow-minded for screenwriters to reject flashbacks out of hand as a storytelling device. Provided they give the reader/viewer the proper emotional underpinning and do their jobs of advancing the story, screenplay flashbacks are not always […]