Comments on: The Sequence Approach

By: Room to Dream – Mark McElroy

Room to Dream – Mark McElroy — Sun, 19 Dec 2021 21:56:45 +0000

[…] was also the first book that pointed me to “the sequencing paradigm” — a screenwriting technique that builds a screenplay from scenes sketched out on seventy […]

By: The Deadline Approach - The Story DepartmentThe Story Department

The Deadline Approach - The Story DepartmentThe Story Department — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 08:48:12 +0000

[…] herein, episodic in nature. There is much use of high stakes/big desire dramatic tension within the sequences of the film, but not in the film as a whole. Instead, the film plays out as a countdown to the end of the tour […]

By: Karel Segers

Karel Segers — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 03:17:05 +0000

In reply to Mike.

Hi Mike – You’re right that there’s only 20p. of ‘theory’ in the book; but I wouldn’t call the rest ‘filler’.

The analyses are the most useful part to me as it illustrates how things work. Often students read the ‘rules’, yet remain incapable of taking any learning from it. The 10 movies are a broad cross-section of genres and eras and everyone will find at least one favourite.

You recommend searching on the internet… It’s the last thing I recommend to my students as the sources are often dubious and/or contradictory. Gulino takes great care in giving his statements context.

Ultimately, in my view the only practical tools to analyse stories and films are dramatic tension and hero’s journey. Everything else is really derivative. Gulino sticks to the core essentials of dramatic tension and his book shines in simplicity.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 08:32:58 +0000

It still amazes me why people recommend G.’s book so highly. It literally contains a chapter, maybe two, of useful information, and the rest is just filler we’ve all heard before to make the actual useful information into a book. Hell, everything useful in it can be found on the internet for free. I mean, it’s a useful book if you have no inkling of the 8 sequence method, but if you do, then you pretty much already know everything you’ll ‘learn’ about it from the book.

By: Experiment in the Bare Bones of Storytelling : Pirates of the Caribbean Sequel Trilogy, part 3 | J. Nelson Leith

Wed, 30 Oct 2013 23:46:46 +0000

[…] it turned out, the exercise is also a good example of how to incorporate the eight-sequence method, Brian McDonald’s “invisible ink,” and elements of Blake Snyder’s beat […]

By: Mikiyas efram

Mikiyas efram — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 15:47:00 +0000

wow wow wow i am really really in need !!! to know more about the sequnce aproch so wats the secret ????? so email me mikiyasefram@yahoo.com

By: Bits of film. « Extravagant delight

Bits of film. « Extravagant delight — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:42:58 +0000

[…] Finally, a sequence of film is a distinct narrative unit formed by a series of scenes, usually linked together by a pattern such as unity of time or location. In the early days of cinema, technical matters forced screenwriters to divide their stories into sequences, each the length of a reel (approximately ten minutes). This fact triggered Frank Daniel to develop a system mimicking that early style, known as the sequence approach to screenwriting. Basically, it consists in spliting the film in sequences that serve as “mini-film”, each with their own compressed three-act structure. The first two sequences combine to form the film’s first act. The next four create the film’s second act. The final two sequences complete the resolution and dénouement of the story. Each sequence’s resolution creates the situation which sets up the next sequence. For those interested, more details here. […]

By: Jack Brislee

Jack Brislee — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:58:26 +0000

In reply to Margit. Gulino does not present the theory as his own and does acknowledge Frank Daniel. In the preface he states "Luckily, at USC, I learned the craft of screenwriting from one of the form's master educators, Frank Daniel, who designed the program's curriculum around the sequence method."

By: Karel Segers

Karel Segers — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 20:32:40 +0000

In reply to Margit.

Thank you for your comment, Margit.

I believe Gulino was a student of Daniel’s and he surely gives due credit to his mentor.

Personally I’m a great fan of Frank Daniel’s approach and regularly go back to THE TOOLS OF SCREENWRITING, which is very different from THE SEQUENCE APPROACH.

I’m not familiar with the other book you mention but will keep an eye out.

By: Margit

Margit — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:39:42 +0000

The 8-sequence method was once called the Frank Daniel method… I hope Gulino is not presenting this theory as his own.
David Howard has also written down some of Frank Daniel’s theories. I imagine there might be a lot of similarities between this book and “How to Build a Great Screenplay” and “The Tools of Screenwriting”.