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The Story Department

The Story Department

Common sense for the writing folk

Alana Smithee

Best o/t Web 13 Jun

June 13, 2010 by Solmaaz

:: Plot point in Act One: How big is big?
:: The Hollywood “connections connections” myth.
:: A day of writing, and much more.
:: Mind your business: an agent’s screenwriting book.
:: Strong female characters, an ode to Sarah Connor.
:: When not following protocol, works.
:: Kashmir: a review.
:: Think, really think, can you write?
:: Explorer, artist, judge and warrior: the roles of creativity.
:: To pseudonym or name names, that is the question.
:: The Blind Side’s John Lee Hancock gets by with a little help from his friends.

Read more

Categories Best of the Web Tags Alana Smithee, John Lee Hancock, Kashmir, Michele Wallerstein, Mind Your Business, pseudonym, Sarah Connor, The Blind Side, The Brigands of Rattleborge Leave a comment

Writing Scripts

  • Courses, Books & Consults Won’t Cut It.
  • Bad Hombres, Good Homages And 2 Effective Character Intros
  • FORMATTING TIP: Superimposed Text + Over Black
  • Final Draft 10 Reviewed
  • Kung Fu Hustle [Sixty Seconds of Suspense]
  • Scene Structure With Aaron And Gust
  • Aaron Sorkin Master Class: Do It! [not for the reason you think]
  • Ex Machina’s Secrets Show Garland’s Directing Genius
  • Jimmy McGovern: Soap Writer With Substance
  • William Friedkin And The Faces Of The 70’s
  • Beau Willimon, Writer Out Of Necessity
  • Screen Dialogue Genius: Nightcrawler
  • Back To The Future [Goals From The Get-Go]
  • King Kong Dies [As Does The Movie, A Little]
  • Kuleshov In The Parallax View [You Don’t Really Want To Watch]

Story Development

  • Masks, Archetypes and Metaphors [and why the Donald doesn’t don]
  • The Dreaded Passive Protagonist Will Never Kill Your Script Again
  • Courses, Books & Consults Won’t Cut It.
  • The Idea: The Seven Elements Of A Viable Story
  • “Set Up The Goal Before The End Of Act 1” – And Other Bad Screenwriting Advice
  • What I Hate About Studios [And Why I ‘Get’ Some Pirates]
  • Get Out Is An Instant-Classic [Five Reasons – And Spoilers]
  • 5 Reasons Why Loglines Are Incredibly Important
  • Screenwriter At The Movies: Casablanca (1942)
  • Gold (2016) [Screenwriter At The Movies]

Pitching and Selling

  • Get Out Is An Instant-Classic [Five Reasons – And Spoilers]
  • 5 Reasons Why Loglines Are Incredibly Important
  • Is It Done? 7 Signs You’re Ready To Sell Your Script
  • Fantastic Story Ideas [And Where To Find Them]
  • 7 Reasons Why Spotlight Shouldn’t Have Been Made
  • Where Is Your Portfolio Website? [Marketing For Screenwriters]
  • Your Screenplay Will NOT Pay You Millions [About Hope and Hype]
  • Loglines Are The Key To Understanding Your Own Story
  • Stop Making Sense, Screenwriters!
  • What the Hell is High Concept?
  • The three phases of a Crowdfunding Campaign – the U-Curve Effect
  • Screenwriting Competitions Are Worth More Than You Think
  • Writing Yourself Out of a Hole
  • How to Pitch in One Sentence
  • The Easiest Genres to Sell

Have you read these yet?

  • Masks, Archetypes and Metaphors [and why the Donald doesn’t don]
  • The Dreaded Passive Protagonist Will Never Kill Your Script Again
  • Courses, Books & Consults Won’t Cut It.

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