Story. Screenplay. Sale.
A structural overview of Jaws (Peter Benchley, Carl Gottlieb, Novel by Peter Benchley 1975) Steven Spielberg first drew me into movies with Close Encounters of the Third Kind, back in 1977. Because I was too young for Jaws in 1975, it wasn’t until later when I discovered the movie that really made Spielberg. Jaws literally … Read more
The first film of the Indiana Jones quadrilogy was created by Spielberg and Lucas, two of the greatest filmmakers of their generation, and offers a timeless piece of entertainment. This is a text book example of a Hero’s Journey, and an excellent starting point for screen story study. Did I mention it is also great … Read more
A structural overview of Iron Man (Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway 2008). Not just a great comic book adaptation and an exciting action flick, but also an elegantly written piece of cinema entertainment, executed with a daring cast and grounded in a solid foundation of character. ACT ONE SEQUENCE A – Tony … Read more
In a Q&A for Creative Screenwriting Magazine, Michael Arndt made the point that “happy endings are really underrated”. It got me thinking. What’s wrong with a Hollywood ending? If you have a truly well-written story, why would a happy ending diminish its value? Why is it that writers believe happy endings are a cheap Hollywood … Read more
A structural overview of A Room with a View (Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, 1985). Without any doubt, this is one of the finest literary adaptations and a timeless romantic movie. The film launched the careers of actors Daniel Day Lewis and Helena Bonham Carter, while it was a first major hit in a string of successful … Read more