Don’t Worry About Being Subtle
Many young writers struggle to be decisive in the moments that populate their screenplays. They find it challenging to openly declare and dramatize what a single moment is about.
Tom Vaughan
The Purpose Of Story Structure
Structure is perhaps the most teachable aspect of screenwriting. I suspect this is why it gets so much attention in screenwriting education. Other aspects of the craft (characterization, dialogue, and the all-important “voice,” among other things) can often rely more on god-given talent and
Script Coverage in Perspective
It is tempting to give script coverage more validity than it deserves. After all, someone read your script and wrote their reaction down. It feels formal. Official almost. A proclamation!
The Late Night Talk Show Test
The idea behind it is that every scene should be interesting in its own right. There are no throw-away scenes. A scene should not be there just to get to the next one. Is there tension? Is there drama? Are there laughs? Stakes? Is there a dramatic question that we’re invested in?
Why You Need A Young Agent On Your Team
I have learned quite a few things over these years; unfortunately, almost always from making mistakes. One thing that has stuck with me is the importance of having a young agent on your team, especially when you’re just starting out.
How I Got My First Screenwriting Agent
As you can tell by the title, this is my story. There is actionable advice here, I promise, but I need to go back a few years because where I failed is just as important as where I succeeded. So let me start back in college…
My first big development deal: None of us knew what we were doing.
The second script I ever sold was to a studio with an A-List actor attached through his producing deal on the lot. The lots were full of producer deals back then. My agent actually hated this script and told me to put it on a shelf somewhere and pretend it didn’t exist.
Why The Action Lines Matter
So I did that “passion polish.” I didn’t change any dialogue, I didn’t change the structure, or what happened in scenes. I just polished the action lines. That was it. It took me maybe a few days.
Why I Am Backing The Current WGA Leadership
My belief is the WGA is here just for this very purpose. To protect writers when powerful forces try to impose something unethical on us because we are not powerful enough individually to fight back.
The New Mission of the Screenwriter
Our job is this:
To create the emotional experience of watching the movie on the screen.
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 are.
Defining Story Structure
You will use structure whether you like it or not. You really have no choice. All you ever do when you are writing is decide what the audience knows and when they know it.