Story. Screenplay. Sale.
A weekly pick from the best and most popular articles from the vaults of The Story Department.
Turning real events into a working screen drama is a hell of a challenge. Whether it be a historical movie, biopic or docu-drama, the smart screenwriter stays true to the spirit of the subject, not the newsroom version of the events. by Karel Segers The principals of drama must dictate how the story is (re-)structured. … Read more
Some respected screenwriting gurus claim that you should read and study as many screenplays as possible. It doesn’t matter if the film was a success or a flop: you learn either way. I agree. But more importantly, you should watch and analyze the movies. For years, I blindly followed this dogma, as it seemed to … Read more
Every once in a while I feel the need to open up this can of worms, this time because of an article I recently read. The irony? People know me as Structure Man, though most of the time I talk about character. The Dept Revisited – A rerun of the best of the Story Dept. … Read more
When Goldman wrote “get in late and leave early”, he was not talking about how you watch a bad movie.He meant screenwriters should keep scenes to what is essential to the story. No arrivals and departures, no meet & greet or chit-chat. The Dept Revisited – A rerun of the best of the Story Dept. … Read more
‘Being in the moment’ may be a way to keep your mental sanity; it is not where you want your audience to be during the film. If they start enjoying the music or image, fair chance they’re out of the story. In cinema there’s no place for zen. The Dept Revisited – A rerun of … Read more