Video: 20 Screenwriting Tips from Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Advice from the creator of Fleabag and Killing Eve.

Outstanding Screenplays with a new video compilation featuring the talented writer-actor-producer Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Her writing credits include Crashing, Fleabag, Killing Eve, and No Time to Die.

Character development and writing is important to her witness the number of tips she offers on the subject:

4. Create sympathetic antagonists and imperfect heroes.

5. Teach your characters what you’re trying to teach yourself.

8. Build a lot of humanity within your character if their attitude seems dismissive on the outside.

10. Material first, jokes first, character first. Structure second.

11. Add as much complexity to your character as you can.

15. Write a relatable protagonist with whom audiences can identify with, no matter who they are.

17. Relate deeply to the character.

18. Your protagonist doesn’t have to be chasing after something, they can be running away from something.

19. Don’t ask the audience to like the character, invite them to try and understand the character.

Nine out of twenty tips directly related to character. That should tell you how important the subject is to Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Watch the rest of the video for the rest of the twenty tips.

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