NO PLOTS, ONLY CHARACTERS

A story is about a person. Who is this person and why do we care? Pro tip: it is not because they are the main character. Plots do not have fandoms. It is impossible to connect with characters who are a function of the plot. Focus on who your person is and what they would…

Read more

Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage. Confucius — Laura Stolmeier (@stolmeier) November 25, 2013 File Under: Revealing your characters through action, Inciting incident, Midpoint, Final challenge.

Read more

tmblranon: from this reddit thread: http://www.reddit.com/r/Screenwriting/comments/1r5y6l/ive_covered_300_spec_scripts_for_5_different/ The original is one poster over 7k px wide.  Open in new page should give you each in readable size. The thread is worth perusing. I see my whole blog is captured in this graphic. My work here is done.

Read more

IMPACT

boojum.as.arizona.edu Spec scripts have this tendency to fall back on dramatic near misses. Like, if Jane found out Pedro cheated, the wedding would be off, but thank goodness that didn’t happen fifteen different times, and here comes the bride. Actually, no. Jane finds out. Impact. Now Jane and Pedro have a megaton of ejecta material…

Read more

Theme is genetic. It you took a scene out and planted it, it should grow into the shape of the whole movie. John August

Read more