All
Clear all
Cancel
Apply

Showing 16 Results

Clear all
img
img

‘Yes, And’-ing Your Story Into Existence: The Sixth Sense Edition

Let’s do some more “Yes, and’ing” of movie stories, shall we? This time, I’ve looked at a screenplay that I originally covered on the job as a professional Reader, then watched it sell in a huge $3+ million deal for M. Night Shyamalan to write and direct the film that not only went on to become a huge hit, but at the time it bec...
img
img

This Scene...from Christmas Vacation: A Script Versus Movie Comparison

Happy Holidays! Happy Christmas! Happy everything because I’m sharing a scene from one of my favorite Christmas movies, CHRISTMAS VACATION. I wouldn’t say this is my favorite scene from the film, but I chose it because I wanted to look at the difference between what ended up on screen and what is on the page itself.So yeah! I’m ...
img
img

A Quick Look At Developing the Most Important Element of Your 2nd Act

Today I want to focus on developing the strength of your unique moment. What does that mean, exactly, “unique moment”? And how is your unique moment connected to the 2nd Act as a whole? It's something I stress over and over; delivering your "recurring moment." Burn that term into your brain! "Recurring moment." I've used it befo...
img
img

Mike Schur Sends Ted Danson on Undercover Mission in “A Man on the Inside"

  • Staff Writer
  • .December 13, 2024
A Man On The Inside started as a 2020 documentary film by Maite Alberdi called The Mole Agent. It was an exposé of elder citizens’ abuses in nursing homes. Now a comedy television series starring Ted Danson as Charles, the amateur sleuth, his daughter Emily (Mary Elizabeth Ellis) seeking connection after the death of her mother ...
img
img

Writing Exposition To Make Your Script Pop (Part 1)

Exposition is the beating heart of any story be it script, novel, song, article or poem. Building to a solid ending requires layering and delivering information in specific ways to make that ending work.But exposition isn’t just telling the audience something. It involves many aspects of a script – or any story for that matter. ...
img
img

"Red One" Writer Chris Morgan Rescues Kidnapped Santa in Yuletide Actioner

  • Staff Writer
  • .December 2, 2024
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. You know what that means? Christmas isn’t too far behind. So make sure you’re on Santa’s “nice list” to join the Christmas cheer.But Santa has been kidnapped and must return to the North Pole in order to deliver gifts to millions of children and save Christmas. This is the story of Christm...
img
img

How Your Story's Theme Can Help You Develop Your Project

I think that we ignore the process of theme development in our projects mainly because we’ve never really been told how to define what theme really is, or how it can inform more than just meaning and sentiment.I gave this note to one of my writers this week (with regard to her thematic statement): “…I think there is a lot to say...
img
img

Writing Effective Found Family Films: Part 2

This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series "Found Family."It’s A DisasterNothing forces people to form a family faster than a disaster – a plane crash, shipwreck, or a natural disaster such as an earthquake, tidal wave, or tornado. Yellowjackets tells the story of a girls soccer team whose plane crashes in the wilderness during a f...
img
img

Writing Effective Found Family Films: Part 1

This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series "Found Family."Found Family films are not new, but you may not have explicitly heard the term before. It simply means a film featuring groups of people who are not genetically or legally related and joined by circumstances to try and accomplish a common story goal by the end. These movies ...
img
img

Writing Morally Gray Characters, Part 2

This article is a continuation of Writing Morally Gray Characters, Part 1. Politics Is A Dirty Gray“Politics is a dirty business, but if you do not do politics, politics will be done to you.” So states novelist Will Shetterly.Many movies and TV series about politics shows the absolute compromising nature of politics. Gray charac...
img
img

8 Keys to Writing a Marketable Script

  • Film Consortium San Diego
  • .October 9, 2023
1. ONE GENRE TO RULE THEM ALL I recently sat through a webinar where writers were given the opportunity to pitch their concepts. One lady stuck out to me because she described her project as a suspense, thriller, and comedy, with horror elements. She then went on to pitch her story, which I didn’t comprehend at all, because I wa...
img
img

The Power of Belief

We all have obstacles of some kind. A personal challenge. A flaw, or for most of us, a series of flaws – a whole host of issues, really. We deal with them on a daily basis, whether they’re literal and physical, or mental and emotional. We’re imperfect. And most of the time our beliefs surrounding our issues or personal challenge...
img
img

Improving Your Logline

Logline Breakdown ProcessHello from Max Timm, the ISA’s Director of Education, VP of Development with Creative Screenwriter Prods, and coach/consultant for The Story Farm! What you are about to consume is information, education, tips, and exercises that should help you improve the quality and effectiveness of your logline. We’re...
img
img

Meaning and Toy Story 4

  • Dave Trottier
  • .September 25, 2019
Two days after putting the finishing touches on the new 7th Edition of The Screenwriters Bible, I viewed Toy Story 4 for the first time.  I loved the film, but it was too late to add my thoughts about its contributions to the latest edition of my book.  Thus, this brief reflection on the movie’s meaning.I connected with the them...
img
img

Up Close And Personal With Guillermo Del Toro

  • August 13, 2019
Señor Del Toro is a very special filmmaker. The self-described traveling Mexican lives out of a suitcase from film set to film set, from life experience to life experience. He is simultaneously a Hollywood studio system misfit and Hollywood studio system darling. After directing his short Doña Lupe in 1986, Del Toro was never fa...
img
img

Why You Need a Professional Consultant to Give You Screenplay Feedback

  • May 28, 2018
What should expect from a script consultant? Creative Screenwriting Magazine gets into the weeds with our friends at the International Screenwriters’ Association to help elevate your screenplay to a marketable level and strategize your career.When your car needs repairs, you seek a mechanic to help you fix the issues that need t...
DON’T MISS THESE CONTESTS
img
ENTER TODAY
FINAL Deadline:
April 21, 2025
  • Connections, Workshops, Resour
Add to Calendar
04/21/2025 12:00 America/Los_Angeles 04/21/2025 12:00 Romance Film & Screenplay Festival
img
ENTER TODAY
FINAL Deadline:
April 21, 2025
  • Cash, Connections, Cash
Add to Calendar
04/21/2025 12:00 America/Los_Angeles 04/21/2025 12:00 Horror Underground Screenplay Festival
img
ENTER TODAY
REGULAR Deadline:
April 23, 2025
  • Cash, Consultant, Connections
Add to Calendar
04/23/2025 12:00 America/Los_Angeles 04/23/2025 12:00 LGBT+ Toronto Screenplay Festival
img
ENTER TODAY
SPECIAL Deadline:
April 24, 2025
  • Representation, Resource, Conn
Add to Calendar
04/24/2025 12:00 America/Los_Angeles 04/24/2025 12:00 LA Comedy Film Festival Screenplay Competition
More
SUBMIT TO WRITING GIGS
PAID $$
Development Slate - New Scripts/Rewritten Scripts
PAID $$
Production Company Seeks Female-Driven Psychological Thrillers
PAID $$
An Isa Pro Is Looking for Emotional and Insightful Features
PAID $$
Features Targeting Gen Alpha Audiences Wanted
PAID $$
Production Company Seeks Prestige Features and Pilots
More

Top Screenwriting Info Straight to Your Inbox

Articles, Videos, Podcasts, Special Offers & Much More

Thanks for subscribing email.
img
Conversations
img
img
img
img
img
Typing....
close
Privacy Notice

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you accept and understand our Privacy Settings.