Story & Structure – Page 35 – The Story Department

The Flashback: No Time Like The Present

January 20, 2015April 3, 2012 by Karel FG Segers

The flashback – like its ugly brother the Voiceover – has caused some heated debate. If used well, it can be a great way of getting exposition across or spicing up your script. If used badly, flashbacks suck. Worst case scenario, they can seriously dullify your story. by Karel Segers I’m not going to talk about all-out … Read more

Video: Andrew Stanton

March 21, 2012 by Jamie Wynen

As the director of John Carter, Andrew Stanton got the cold shoulder from the American audience. But with Wall-E, Bug’s Life and Nemo to his name, he hasn’t run out of credits just yet. Here he talks about discovering what makes the concept of story tick over the course of his career, and finding the … Read more

Transsexual Dinosaurs And Jumping The Shark

February 21, 2012 by Cherie Lee

We’ve all seen it; that soap opera that’s been running a little too long. You can imagine the writers sitting around a whiteboard with the characters’ names – and desperation in their eyes. Then they jump the shark. by Cherie Lee “OK so Sarah has hooked up with Greg and Jake and Frank who’s hooked … Read more

A Great Idea For A Screenplay!

February 20, 2012 by Karel FG Segers

When I’m not lying by the pool, enjoying the Hollywood lifestyle in sunny Sydney, I make a living teaching and consulting to screenwriters and aspiring filmmakers. Yet occasionally I am being asked to help out for free, in return for a credit or a profit share. Let me tell you upfront that the answer is … Read more

Video: Plot Device

February 8, 2012 by Karel FG Segers

I can’t believe I had not posted this video yet. I love it, have used it in some of my classes and I think it is brilliantly written and executed. It is also plain fun.

Karel FG Segers

Karel Segers wrote his first produced screenplay at age 17. Today he is a story analyst with experience in acquisition, development and production. He has trained students worldwide, and worked with half a dozen Academy Award nominees. Karel speaks more European languages than he has fingers on his left hand, which he is still trying to find a use for in his hometown of Sydney, Australia. The languages, not the fingers.

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