Hey everyone, Happy Cinco de Mayo! Sorry for being away the month of April, but sometimes life happens. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about movies, dissecting movies and analyzing film structure to understand what makes a story work so that we can apply that to our own writing. After a month away, I … More Let’s Break Down Some Recent Films
Characters and Locations When describing characters and locations, you don’t want the narrative to break the flow of the action. You don’t want the reader to stop and ponder your words. You want your readers to be focused on what your characters are doing in the locations in which you have placed them. Characters When … More Screenplay Narrative (Part 2)
So, we’ve done a lot of talking about characters, who they are, how they function and what they add to your story. But how do you know you’re on the right track? Here’s a list of questions about your characters. If you can answer all these questions with clear, simple and specific examples, you’re on your … More A Character Checklist
True change only happens when there is a need; and a need is only perceived when there is a crisis. Another way to put it is that change only happens through conflict. Is it through challenges, stresses, trials, errors and setbacks that a character evolves into the person that he or she needs to … More More on Creating Characters: Start at the End
There are many different types of characters in a story. What these characters do and what they represent are the tools the writer uses to argue for your theme and to make your story compelling. To do so, you need to know who they, what drives them, what they want. You must also evaluate them … More More on Creating Characters
Creating a character usually starts with one defining trait. It can be a look, an attitude, an emotion or an action. S/he can be based on someone you know or know of, or the character can be made up from whole cloth. The goal is to create a character who feels real. What makes a … More Creating Compelling Characters
Hey All, Thanks for allowing me to digress into the business applications of storytelling. Let’s get back to what we intended to do — breaking down screenwriting into snackable bites. So far, we have discussed the issues of plot and structure. But stories are about people doing heroic and noble things. So, which is more … More Plot vs Character
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