Best o/t Web 28 Aug

Script Perfection :: Screenwriting Tips: Raise the stakes | Writers are vultures :: Writing a flop movie like working on a losing political campaign :: No one cares about your effing film Pitching & Selling :: A history of copyright law Best of the Rest :: Cowboys & Aliens: The only politically correct face-off? :: “Pride & Prejudice & Zombies” to be … Read more

Script Check: Handling of Time

One of the main differences between experiencing a story on the screen vs. in print is the handling of time. In a novel you can cheat by writing how much time has passed; on the screen you can only suggest passing time using specific techniques. Don’t summarise In action/description you should not use words or phrases … Read more

Best o/t Web 21 Aug

Script Perfection :: Screenwriting Tips: Read biographies | Big idea | Themes/motifs :: Zen and the art of technical writing :: The producer’s hat :: Second draft advice :: Creating a personal genre :: What we can learn from box office surprises :: Rod Serling on “The Silence” Best of the Rest :: Futuristic movie timeline :: Youth culture movies: How soon is too soon? :: The … Read more

Video: Ira Glass

Yesterday I published a little post about how to be more creative, how not to get stuck on one crappy idea that you’re trying to forever improve. Following on from this, you may find Ira Glass inspiring when he explains how to grow to excellence.


Glass says:

The most important possible thing you could do is do a lot of work. Do a huge volume of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week or every month you know you’re gonna finish one story. Whatever it’s gonna be. You create the deadline. It’s best if you have somebody who is waiting for work from you. Someone who is expecting from you, even if it is not someone who pays you but that you’re in a situation where you have to churn out the work. Because it is only by actually going through a volume of work that you’re actually going to catch up and close that gap and the work you’re making will be as good as your ambitions.

By consistently writing, it is not impossible to have a day job and still finish one or two feature screenplays every year. This is exactly what the people I believe in are doing right now.

Are you one of them?


With thanks to Dana Skowrnowski and Adrian Kok.

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Train Your Screenwriting Brain

“I am not very good at screenwriting.”  “I have no original ideas.” “I’m a hack. I can only write clichés.” “No matter how hard I try, nothing worthwhile comes out.” “It’s just too hard. Everything’s been done.” by Karel Segers These are not my words. I’m paraphrasing young people who are working hard to learn the … Read more