Go Into The Story

Happy Birthday, Carl Jung: Screenwriting Guru!

Swiss psychotherapist and founder of analytical psychology Carl Jung was born today in 1875. He died in 1961 at the age of 85.

Conflict in Scene-Writing

As a screenwriter, it’s important to get in touch with your inner Conflict-O-Meter to ensure your scenes convey compelling drama.

Great Scene: “The Matrix”

“You take the blue pill, the story ends… you take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland.”

On Writing

“I’ve tried to figure out what good writing is. I know it when I read it in other people’s work or my own. The closest I’ve come is that…

Page One: “The Sixth Sense” (1999)

Written by M. Night Shyamalan

Sundays with Stephen King’s “On Writing”

A series featuring reflections on writing from the famed author’s memoir.

Reader Question: How to approach writing a villain Protagonist?

Three keys to crafting a Bad Guy who is your story’s Protagonist.

Writer’s Life: Inside and Outside the Story Universe

“Sometimes we are inside the story universe, rubbing elbows with our characters, listening to and watching them. Sometimes we step outside…

The Theology of Cinema: Cross

“A six-pointed star, a crescent moon, a lotus — the symbols of other religions suggest beauty and light. The symbol of Christianity is an…

Page One: “Singles” (1992)

Written by Cameron Crowe

Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Characters

Not every character is created equal, but how we treat each one is equally important.

Black List writers on the craft: Theme

“Every writer has their own life experiences, their own point of view, so the way they see the world often dictates the theme.”

Great Scene: “Inception”

Cobb wakes up. He’s home. Finally, home. But… is it real?

Interview (Written): David S. Goyer

And in-depth conversation with the writer producer whose movie credits include Dark City, Blade, Batman Begins, and Man of Steel.

Page One: “Silver Linings Playbook” (2012)

Screenplay by David O. Russell, novel by Matthew Quick

Black List writers on the craft: Theme (Part 5)

“The good news is that, in talented writers, I think theme comes out organically. It’s not something you have to force. But it is something…

The Protagonist’s Journey as Fate

“What we call fate comes not from outside us but from within.”

Script to Screen: “Witness”

The movie’s title exists for a reason: Samuel witnesses a brutal murder.

The Business of Screenwriting: Everything You Wanted to Know About Specs

Part 15: Bidding War

Page One: “Sicario” (2015)

Written by Taylor Sheridan

Black List writers on the craft: Theme (Part 4)

“If I think too much about what my themes are, it becomes laborious, over the top, like hitting you over the head.”

Tips on How to Write While Holding Down a Job

Some practical advice to engender productivity even while working full-time.

There is no short cut

There is no golden method. There is no guaranteed approach to writing a million dollar spec script. All of that hype is bull shit.

Breaking the 4th Wall in Scene Description

To everyone who claims there’s a screenwriting rule asserting we can’t include so-called ‘unfilmables’ in scene description, read this!

Page One: “Shrek” (2001)

Written by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and Joe Stillman & Roger S.H. Schulman, based on the book by William Steig