-
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Matt Conlin on Character Is Plot Character Is Plot |… on Wrong Reasons Integrity Times Crea… on The I in Team Nanou Matteson on Taking Notes heidihornbacher on Taking Notes Archives
- January 2023
- January 2022
- August 2021
- February 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- June 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- June 2017
- April 2017
- October 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- September 2015
- May 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
Categories
Meta
Follow me on Twitter
My Tweets
Tag Archives: Screenwriting
Guidelines for a New Year
I’ve spent the last year learning hard lessons and getting my creative house in order. 2021 was a slow and painful but hopeful process of taking steps to honor myself and my work, to exit negative situations, and to learn … Continue reading
LUCA and the Missing Stakes
As lovers of all things Italy, we naturally couldn’t wait to see the new Disney Pixar animated feature, Luca, set in a fictionalized version of Cinque Terre’s Riomaggiore on the Ligurian coast. The film is a sort of updated mash-up of The … Continue reading
Posted in Coach Notes, Common Mistakes, Film, film making, Italy, PageCraft Writing, Screenwriting
Tagged Notes, Screenwriting, Scripts, Stakes, Writing
Leave a comment
The Central Line: Giri/Haji
One of my favorite concepts we discuss in our rewrite workshops is the central line. I challenge writers to find a line of dialog in their script that reveals who the protagonist is. Sometimes they are surprised to discover these … Continue reading
Posted in Coach Notes, Film, PageCraft Writing, Screenwriting, television, Writing
Tagged Central Line, Giri/haji, netflix, Screenplay, Screenwriting, Scripts, television
Leave a comment
The Queen’s Gambit: The Narrative Power of a Strong Character Arc
As we sat engrossed by the last episode of the marvelous Netflix limited series, The Queen’s Gambit, it hit me that one of the (many) reasons it succeeds is the strong character arc of protagonist Beth. Sure, the solid source material, … Continue reading
Posted in Coach Notes, Film, film making, PageCraft, PageCraft Writing, Screenwriting, Writing
Tagged Character arc, Screenplay, Screenwriting, story, The Queen's Gambit
Leave a comment
Scene Transitions: A Secret Weapon for Story Momentum
You may already know the fundamental ways of increasing momentum and tension in your script: get into scenes late and get out early; craft scenes around your protagonist’s pursuit of a goal; hold onto your central mystery as long as … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Scenes, Screenplay, Screenwriting, Script Coach, Scripts, Storytelling, Transitions, Writing
Leave a comment
Consistent Character
One thing I talk about with writers is the importance of doing background development work on your characters. This helps ensure they behave consistently throughout your story, run by the fears, hopes, and dreams that shaped them. As the story … Continue reading
Posted in Coach Notes, PageCraft, PageCraft Writing, Screenwriting, Writing
Tagged Character Development, Screenwriting, Writing
Leave a comment
Made In Italy – In Search of Stakes
“You haven’t seen Made in Italy?” one of our Orvieto alums gasped. I know. I’m a cliche. I love Italy to the point I married an Italian; I have my citizenship; and we run our annual screenwriting retreats there. I … Continue reading
Posted in Coach Notes, Italy, PageCraft, PageCraft Writing, Screenwriting
Tagged Italy, Liamnesson, MadeinItaly, Notes, Screenwriting, Scripts, Stakes, Writing
Leave a comment
Secondary Characters
I’m working on a script right now, and I have been intently focused on nailing the protagonist and antagonist arcs to perfection. They are best friends who end up as enemies when a difficult coming-of-age event sets them on different … Continue reading
Posted in Coach Notes, PageCraft, PageCraft Writing, Screenwriting, Writing
Tagged Character Development, Coach Notes, Notes, Process, Screenwriting, Scripts, Writing
Leave a comment
Wrong Reasons
I was chatting with a fellow script coach about her new client. She was excited about his project; it was a really cool premise; and he seemed open to feedback—always important to ask even though it seems obvious. She was, … Continue reading
Posted in Coach Notes, Contests, PageCraft, PageCraft Writing, Writing
Tagged Character Development, Coach Notes, Notes, Process, Screenwriting, Scripts, Writing
1 Comment
Barf Drafts
“The outline’s done! Write the script and we’ll be in production!” declared a director friend I’d been working with. My heart palpitated. As one of my favorite Coen brothers character says: “would that t’were so simple.” We’d worked on the … Continue reading
Posted in Coach Notes, Common Mistakes, PageCraft, PageCraft Writing, Screenwriting, Writing
Tagged Creative, Inspiration, Process, Screenwriting, Scripts, Self-Censorship, Writing
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.