By E. Hughes (see profile here) There’s more to science-fiction than cyborgs, deep space, futuristic plotlines, fate, or altered timelines. Sci-fi is an exploration of philosophical and metaphysical themes in a fictionalized context. It explores the impact of technological advances…
By E. Hughes (see profile here) In Hollywood, opportunities are hard to come by if you’re an outsider with few connections. Landing a deal is even more difficult if you live outside of L.A and don’t know your way around…
Breaking into Hollywood isn’t hard to do, it’s practically impossible. We write our stories with the best intentions, embarking on a journey that may take years to accomplish. Writers carry out this monumental task with two goals in mind…completing the…
Screenwriters write what is called a spec script. The first step to writing a screenplay is understanding how to format a script. According to the Academy of Nicolls Fellowship (Oscars.org – http://www.oscars.org/nicholl/screenwriting-resources) there is no absolute standard for formatting a…
(original publication date: March 2005) Pitching a cartoon series to a network is Hollywood’s “backdoor.” Cable TV networks are more open to unsolicited material and unproduced writers than other markets in the entertainment industry. When you pitch a cartoon…
While times are tough for everyone, the creative industries have been hit particularly hard. With fewer opportunities and more people going for them, pitching your scripts can often feel like an uphill struggle… if you get to pitch them at…
Romance Writers of America, an organization for romance writers, notes that every romance should contain two basic elements, “a central love story and an emotionally-satisfying and optimistic ending.” So whether you are writing a novel or a screenplay, there are a few…
Nobody likes to see clichéd plots in movies. After all, everybody and his brother has pointed out the tried and tired plot that Avatar used, which was similar to a slew of movies like Pocahontas, Dances with Wolves, and Fern…
The plot of any story is driven by the choices its protagonist makes. However, the other major factor that affects the plot is the setting–the time and location the story takes place. Not much thought is given to setting of…
When asked, “What’s Moby Dick about?” you can answer in two ways: 1) it’s about an old sea-captain searching for the whale that took his leg years ago; 2) it’s about how obsession can destroy you. The first answer refers…
Wildly successful novelist Seth Grahame-Smith has three Hollywood adaptations in the works. His most buzzed about movie, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, will be released to theaters June 22, 2012 and stars Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia! and Captain America: The First Avenger)
A phenomenal idea just struck the creative center of your brain, and you know that it will make an amazing movie. You must write the script for this masterpiece, but the question is how do you develop that fleeting concept…
(Written by Mary Ann Back) Congratulations! You’ve written a literary masterpiece. Surely, a Pushcart Prize awaits you! Before sending your work out into the world, you decide to do the smart thing and submit it to your online writing group…
The most basic structure of telling a story is to have a beginning, middle, and end. Screenwriting is a bit more complicated than this as not only do you have to tell a good story with interesting characters, but you…
Screenwritersdaily’s 2005 article on How to Pitch a Cartoon has been very popular over the years. When I wrote the article it was one of the first and only topics available on pitching a cartoon on the internet at that time and since, it has been used as the basis…