Month: October 2010

Introduce the Hero on Page One!

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In a new regular series on The Story Department, Jack Brislee will shatter all the screenwriting principles we have so strongly advocated. First he introduces us to the rule, then explains how it has been successfully broken (or bent). The Rule: Introduce the Protagonist on Page One! Well, maybe not exactly on page one, but … Read more

Video: Steve Kaplan & RomCom

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After attending Steve Kaplan’s RomCom seminar in Sydney earlier this year, I became an instant fan.

It’s my intention to interview him some time over the next few weeks and I thought the following video would be a nice warming-up exercise for this.

The video was recorded during a radio interview for ABC at the start of his Australia trip this year. If you’re interested in more after watching the video, be sure to check out the article Steve wrote on  The Hidden Tools Of Comedy.

Have fun!

With thanks to Louise Lee Mei.

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Cinematic Storytelling (2)

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Take a close look at the painting below. (Thank you, David Bordwell, for your superb piece on narrative paintings.) This is a special moment, isn’t it? Notice their body language. He seems casual, relaxed, but detached. His legs are pointing away from her. (Continued from last week) Is he just shy and that’s why he has three … Read more

Best o/t Web 10 Oct

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:: Michael Mann directs Luck for HBO
:: Compete with Hollywood? Yes you can
:: Seventy-Five years of development…
:: Reviewed: the script that took $1.5m
:: Free download: Syriana (UK only)
:: Johnny Depp: an awesome dude
:: Ghostbusters 3 will happen, says Ackroyd
:: About the main character of Let Me In
:: How to keep writing?
:: Superman script a mess, now with Snyder. Oh dear…
:: What is the point of the scene?

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Writing With A Purpose (2)

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In the long-form drama world of episodic and serialized television it is not the writer-director moniker that holds sway as top dog. It is the Showrunner – a curious title that embodies a diverse array of responsibilities. LA Times columnist Scott Collins writes about Showrunners as; “Hyphenates,” a curious hybrid of starry-eyed artists and tough-as-nails … Read more