It’s been said that character is plot. What does that mean? Simply put, the choices the lead character makes drives the direction the story takes. In movies with weak plots, stuff happens and characters do things, but the two aren’t…
And this week’s top box office is… Snow White and the Huntsman (56.2M) Men in Black III (28.1M) Marvel’s the Avengers (20.5M)
People thrive on conflict. There’s a reason why shows such as Jersey Shore and Real Housewives of (Name Your City) are so popular–they’re all about conflict. Feature films are no different. They need a strong central conflict that drives the…
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…
This may be obvious, but the purpose of screenwriting is to end up with a motion picture. This basic yet essential fact is why the screenplay format is so important. Much like plays require a format agreed upon by…
April 5, 2012 – Netflix announces its first original series, LilyHammer. The show, which rolled out its first eight episodes in February 2012, stars Steve Van Zandt as ex-gangster Frank Tagliano, an ex-mafia boss in the witness protection program who asks to be sent…
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…
It’s that time of year again. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is accepting submissions for the Nicolls Fellowship in Screenwriting contest. From the web site: The Academy’s Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting is an international screenwriting competition established…
