Script Strategy

How to Write a Memorable Scene  In every truly great film, there will be at least one–but hopefully more than one!–scene that lodges itself in the audience’s memory.   The horse’s head in the bed. Marvin’s head exploding. Ash getting strangled by his own severed  hand. Leo crawling down the stairs to the Lamborghini. Zuul living … Read more

Logline Examples from Famous Films: 10 Films in 25 Words or Less NB: this post is co-written by ChatGPT, who evidently writes terrible loglines! Let’s give Chatty some feedback and commentary.  A Logline is NOT a Summary First things first, Chatty wanted to call a logline a “summary” and, true to form, that’s what it … Read more

How to Find Time to Write Your Screenplay: A Practical Guide for Busy Writers It’s notoriously difficult for writers to find time to write. Your day job, family, social life, and obviously the hellscape of social media all conspire to relegate your writing project to the bottom of basically any to-do.  So how is it … Read more

Lovers on the Run: Five Tales of Passion, Crime, and the Cinematic Road to Ruin Few cinematic archetypes are as enduring or seductive as the lovers-on-the-run narrative. At once romantic and anarchic, these stories blend passion with violence, idealism with nihilism. Whether seeking freedom, justice, or to fulfill an obsession with each other, these couples … Read more

Ten Essential Tips for First-Time Screenwriters Embarking on the journey of writing your first screenplay is both thrilling and daunting.  The blank page can be intimidating. The world you can see so clearly in your mind doesn’t appear nearly as cleanly on the page. There are loads of common traps: weak protagonists, overwritten dialogue, poor … Read more

How an Independent Movie Might Use the Hero’s Journey as a Template Sprawling narratives such as Star Wars, The Matrix, or The Lord of the Rings track a protagonist as they leave the comfort of the familiar, venture into unknown territory, undergo trials, and return transformed.  Nevertheless, the Hero’s Journey isn’t reserved only for studio … Read more

Five Lesser-Known Books for Screenwriters—and Why They’re Valuable (Hey everyone, if it’s an Amazon link here it’s an affiliate link. Click if you like or, you know, don’t.) Everyone bloody well knows Save the Cat, Story, and The Writer’s Journey. Some of you may even have read Into the Woods (which is actually great, by … Read more

Call to Adventure Examples in Movies: How the Hero’s Journey Begins In every great story, there is a moment when the ordinary world begins to fall away. The familiar fades, and something beckons the protagonist into the unknown. This crucial narrative beat is called the Call to Adventure, and it marks the true beginning of … Read more

What Is a High Concept Film? Definition, Examples, and Why It Matters in Screenwriting In the world of screenwriting, few terms are thrown around as often or as confidently as “high concept.” But what exactly does it mean? What separates a high concept film from a standard one? And why do these kinds of movies … Read more