:: Character flaws: mistakes must be earned!
:: Polishing your treatment, some advice.
:: The real story on rewriting: get the big picture.
:: James Cameron on the re-release of Avatar.
:: Celtx app on your iPad and iPhone.
:: Writing a romantic comedy? Check out The Apartment.
:: To-do list: working the American film market.
:: When or when not to copyright.
:: Far from Hollywood? Some screenwriting advice.
:: Movies scenes + Cee-Lo’s Fuck You
:: The 101 Definitions of Sci-Fi
:: 5 Reasons why Scott Pilgrim tanked.
:: Twin Peaks revisited
You Can’t Write This
You’re a writer, right? At least you’re in some way intrigued by the movie industry or else you wouldn’t be here. So, you’ve got imagination. Now, dig if you will this picture… EXT. TUMBLEDOWN HOUSE – DAY Two police cars scream into view, shattering the rural silence. FRONT STEPS / FRONT DOOR A small, elderly … Read more
Screenwriting: Writing Drama (13)
Yves Lavandier’s book Writing Drama currently rates as the absolute favorite of our book reviewer Jack Brislee. To give you the opportunity to delve into Lavandier’s amazing knowledge and insight, we will be publishing a weekly excerpt from the book. Justifying external obstacles “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the … Read more
Video: Joss Whedon
This weekend Joss Whedon talks at the Sydney Opera House and I thought it would be a good reason to show a short clip giving us an insight in his writing world. He talks about his writing habits and his preference for characters who grow and learn.
“Sitcoms didn’t resonate with me as much because, you know, wacky situation after wacky situation… I start to get a little twitchy. What have we learned?” … “We don’t have to hug, we don’t have to share but we have change. We have to figure out something or forget something, we have to make a mistake. If we’re not doing that, then, honestly, why are we here?”
Structure: Inception
It’s by far the most talked-about movie of the year, because of its high concept and intelligent execution. The movie has an aura of complexity but when you examine the dramatic structure carefully, it is deceptively simple. See for yourself. My first viewing of Inception was at the world’s largest IMAX screen in Sydney’s Darling … Read more