Is screenwriting for me? (1)

Our guest post series has opened to the readers, so it is your turn. Aspiring screenwriter Terrence ponders over a question that has bugged all of us at some point: “Is screenwriting for me?” Post: Terrence Editor: Cleo Mees The bustling streets of lower Manhattan. Ubiquitous blue planks of wood, held up by rusty bars of … Read more

Kenny – Plumbing the depths

National Screenwriters’ Conference 2009: Kenny – Plumbing the depths by: David Tiley Screen Hub Thursday 26 February, 2009 Before opening a completely charming discussion with Andrew Knight about the writing of ‘Kenny’, Clayton Jacobson produced some very sobering numbers. Kenny cost $500,000. By the time the film returned $5m, he was still $250,000 in debt. … Read more

The Psychology of Scriptwriting (1)

As the first in a series of guest articles, I am honoured to present Jack Feldstein’s four-part series on the psychology of screenwriting. Enjoy! THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SCRIPTWRITING Or: why a seemingly sane person sits in a room staring at a blank page. By Jack Feldstein Since almost the invention of writing in Sumeria, certain … Read more

The (Necessary) Evil of Dialogue

Zinneman called it a ‘necessary evil’ and wordsmith par excellence David Mamet says: “A good film script should be able to do completely without dialogue.“ I am not an expert, not even a native English speaker and I most certainly lack a deep knowledge of vocabulary. My passion is for story and structure. So much … Read more

Structure: A Room With a View

A structural overview of A Room with a View (Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, 1985). Without any doubt, this is one of the finest literary adaptations and a timeless romantic movie. The film launched the careers of actors Daniel Day Lewis and Helena Bonham Carter, while it was a first major hit in a string of successful … Read more