Story. Screenplay. Sale.
The craft of telling a story starts with structure skills.
Next month, Michael Hauge and Steve Kaplan will be in Australia for two weekends of story classes. This month we run a special guest contribution by Michael Hauge plus we give Melbournians the chance to win a free ticket to the event (worth $445). I want to cover something basic – something that always sounds … Read more
My brother is three years younger than me. When we were kids, the perception was that I was way smarter than him. But he would beat me at chess and I hated him for it. How was this possible? Unlike my brother, I received good marks at school because I could easily store stuff to … Read more
Although theme is rarely what a movie sells on, your movie better have a theme or ‘it won’t stick’. The theme is what makes a great story resonate further. It’s the statement you make as a writer about your vision on the world. Sometimes, when the theme rises to the surface of the story, people … Read more
Somebody once told me, if you’re good at gossip, you’re a good storyteller. But what about if you’re skilled at telling sweet little lies (with respect, F. Mac)? Do untruths make you an even greater tale spinner? ‘Cause, let’s face it, stories are just wild embellishments of facts, right? No! Stop! Rid your writer’s mind … Read more
The photo is from Ran. Isn’t that a fabulous image? Of all the directors in the history of cinema, I’d rank Akira Kurosawa somewhere at the top of my list. One could argue persuasively that no filmmaker has created more masterpieces than Kurosawa. Patrick Garson wrote, “Analysing any film by Akira Kurosawa is a joy. … Read more