Tom Vaughan

Five types of directors attached to your screenplay.

Five types of directors attached to your screenplay.

Not all directors are created equal. While it's always great to hear kind things about our work, always know exactly how and why someone moves your project further toward production.

Do professional screenwriters get to play by different rules?

Do professional screenwriters get to play by different rules?

Do professional writers operate under different rules? No. They do not. Can they get away with more aggressive formatting? Yes, they can. But not because of rules.

The 3 points of character descriptions.

The 3 points of character descriptions.

The good news is that you do not have to be brilliant. Just know the assignment.

How to generate great scenes year-round.

How to generate great scenes year-round.

But you don't have to wait until you're working on a project to develop great scenes. In fact, you shouldn't.

The two key elements to narrative momentum.

The two key elements to narrative momentum.

Narrative momentum is the force that keeps the audience compelled to continue watching. It's why a good 3-hour movie can go by so much faster than a bad 90 minute film.

How to cut 8 pages from any screenplay right now.

How to cut 8 pages from any screenplay right now.

One of your primary tasks early in a script is to convince the reader that they are in excellent hands with you as their storyteller. The page count is the first evidence you submit to persuade them.

The two most important decisions in your screenwriting.

The two most important decisions in your screenwriting.

One of my primary goals as a writer and a teacher is to simplify. We need to get out of our own way. We do this through a process.

The most important part of Act 3.

The most important part of Act 3.

The moment when a character earns ownership of their change by surrendering something they once valued but is no longer aligned with their new value system.

Does your protagonist really need an emotional wound?

Does your protagonist really need an emotional wound?

Past wounds or traumas can help motivate and explain choices but do not replace them as the defining trait of character.

How to interpret some of the most common screenplay notes.

How to interpret some of the most common screenplay notes.

Our response to a screenplay doesn't come in the language of structure. It comes in the language of emotional response.

5 simple ways to improve your action lines immediately.

5 simple ways to improve your action lines immediately.

You can take a giant leap in the readability of your action lines just by paying more attention to them. It's about committing to care about the little things.

How I learned screenplay structure.

How I learned screenplay structure.

Plots seem complicated when you're in the moment, but when you lay them out scene by scene it's clear how simple they really are.