The Ordinary World Does Not Mean Boring
Do not let “ordinary” fool you. We do not want to see someone’s alarm go off and a character wake up to an “ordinary day.”
Tom Vaughan
Character-focused stories are easier with plot-focused dramatic questions.
I want to dive a little deeper into the dramatic question and the importance of how we frame it.
It's Never Too Late To Do The Most Important Thing
One of the benefits of being a practitioner and not an academic is that the definitions I’ve sculpted over twenty years of teaching seek less to classify things and more to help us execute them properly.
Don’t start with theme. Let it come to you.
Writers love to talk about theme. Academics, too. It comes up often. A story’s themes can unify and deepen the emotional reaction and those layers can make the work feel “elevated.” For writers and other artists, this is awfully seductive. It really does inflate our self-importance.
Small Things That Make A Difference
Small things matter, because the small things add up. I am a strong believer in writing's cumulative effect over any kind of duration.
90s Action and Why Speed’s Weird Third Act Works
I’ve been watching 90s action movies with my mom for the last few weeks. I’ll drive up to visit, and suddenly a movie I’ve seen at least ten times but unwatched in 15 years is playing, and we have the surround sound turned UP.
An option for midpoint problems
A big bottle-neck for many as they first try to structure their story is the midpoint. This is often the third big structural decision I make on a project. I credit realizing the importance of the midpoint as one of my first big breakthroughs toward being a professional.
This Might Be What’s Wrong With Your Spec Pilot
I’ve been able to read a lot of spec sitcom pilots over the years. Mostly from friends and acquaintances within the Los Angeles improv/comedy scene. The shortcomings of these projects have been surprisingly consistent.
Why Story Matters: Act 1 and Act 3
I am working with a fellow screenwriter, and we are struggling with a third act. We both LOVE the ending. The ending is unique, making me fall in love with the project. Having the ending before you have much else is not all that uncommon, but it’s a unique challenge.
TÁR and Remaining Teachable
The first page of Todd Field’s screenplay for Tár made the rounds on Twitter over the weekend. It has the look and feel of a 30-year-old script. Confident and masterful, but tough to read. You have to be patient with it. It demands your concentration.
It’s Not About The Plot
Too often, the new writer thinks MORE plot will save them. This is rarely, if ever, true. One of my biggest realizations from breaking down the structure of screenplays was seeing just how simple the plots actually were.
A quick and dirty guide to managing too many characters
A student asked me about what to do with a script that had a lot of young kids running around as supporting players. Twelve to be exact. She wanted to know how to introduce them, how to help the reader keep track of them, etc…