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Structure

Exposition: Find The Emotional Connection In Your Screenwriting

Exposition: Find The Emotional Connection In Your Screenwriting

The early challenges of sloppy exposition are due mainly to a lack of confidence and trust. Which is also kind of the bad news. It takes time to develop those two things.

Five Phases of Feature Development

Five Phases of Feature Development

I left my last agents at Paradigm over a disagreement about two spec scripts. I liked them. They didn't.

The Midpoint

The Midpoint

An event at the midpoint of the movie that reverses what was previously believed to be true, changes the stakes, or otherwise creates a new environment or given circumstances for the protagonist

Tools For Character-Driven Dramatic Questions

Tools For Character-Driven Dramatic Questions

Last week, I wrote about plot-focused dramatic questions and how they can make your job much easier. But not every story wants one...

The Dramatic Question

The Dramatic Question

The dramatic question is one of your best tools for your story structure. So much so, that two of my three primary goals in the "pre-outline" phase of any project.

The Big Picture - Four Throughlines

The Big Picture - Four Throughlines

After focusing the last two weeks on Act 1 and Act 2, I want to talk about the big picture. If you've taken any of my classes, you know I emphasize simplifying the process whenever we can.

How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love Act 2

How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love Act 2

It is the last Tuesday of July and, therefore, the last entry in our unofficial series on character. Last week we covered character in the opening pages, and now I want to take you to one of my favorite topics... Act 2.

The Ordinary World Does Not Mean Boring

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.”

Character-focused stories are easier with plot-focused dramatic questions.

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

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.

An option for midpoint problems

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.

Why Story Matters: Act 1 and Act 3

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.