A Film has Three Directors

Yes, it does. But what do we mean by “director”? We mean “storyteller”. The screenwriter, the director and the editor share that role. Those three are the ones telling you the story. The first “storyteller”, and the only one 100% […]

For Screenwriters: Endings

“Endings are a Bitch”: William Goldman Says, so it Must be True. The ending is where, as authors, we wanted to go all the time, although maybe we were not aware of it. Some endings can be surprising, but, if […]

Andrew Kevin Walker on SE7EN and 8MM

7 and 8: Two very relevant numbers in screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walkers’ career. In the articles that follow, Walker describes how everything went so right with David Fincher‘s Se7en and so wrong with Joel Schumacher’s 8mm. Two very dark thrillers […]

Guide to Hollywood Terminology

For you, The Screenwriter’s Ultimate Guide To Hollywood Terminology from Screencraft. Do you know the meaning of…. & (AND), ABOVE THE LINE, AGAINST, BEAT SHEET, BELOW THE LINE, BIDDING WAR, COVERAGE, CREATIVE EXECUTIVE, DEVELOPMENT HELL, ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER, ELEVATOR PITCH, FILM CANON (OR JUST “CANON”), FOUR QUADRANT MOVIE, SCALE, SPEC SCRIPT, STORY CANON, TENT POLE …? Well, you […]

A History Of The Three-Act Structure

If after reading Jennine Lanouette‘s Save the Baby! On the Benefits of the Three-Act Screenplay Structure you really want to go really deep into the subject, A History of the Three-Act Structure in Screentakes is just your thing.  Great stuff. But let me […]

Remembering Syd Field, 1935 – 2013

Scott Macaulay pays homage to Syd Field in Filmmaker Magazine. Field helped a lot of writers and that should be put in the spotlight: Remembering Syd Field, 1935-2013. More about Field? Check Best Screenwriting Books Ever: Syd Field’s SCREENPLAY and  How to […]

On The Benefits Of The Three-Act Screenplay Structure

“Poor, poor three-act structure. So much to offer. So misunderstood”. Jennine Lanouette‘s article Save the baby! On the Benefits of the Three-Act Screenplay Structure is a first-class, badly needed statement on screenwriting.  It deals with the mental process of writing, the structure as […]

Things Screenwriters should Never say

For you,  a very useful article on things that screenwriters should never say to executives (and to any film professionals, should I add): 16 Things Screenwriters Should Never Say To Hollywood Executives (from Screencraft). Take good note! More on Screenwriting? Check […]

Save the Movie! Is Blake Snyder to Blame?

The 2005 Screenwriting Book That’s Taken Over Hollywood — And Made Every Movie Feel The Same Is Blake Snyder‘s Save the Cat to blame for the mediocrity of many Hollywood films? Known script blogger Erik Bork doesn’t think so. No wonder […]