The Story Department

How to Write a Readable Script

What are the primary criteria that will ensure your script stands out from the rest? Steven Fernandez reveals some essential secrets to getting read. In my 4½ months in LA, one of the most important screenwriting lessons I learned is that there are simple principles to follow to ensure Hollywood screenplay readers ...

The Untouchables – Hiring the Mentor

Mentors appear to the heroes at the exact right time, usually in the second sequence, after the Inciting Incident has left the hero lost and confused. Reluctant to take up the challenge, the Hero continues to live in denial of the fact that the world has changed, that he/she needs to ...

Screenwriting Best of the Web

Here's our weekly selection from the blogosphere. Keep informed by following me on Twitter (bottom of left sidebar). And don't forget you can subscribe to our posts so you don't miss any of this, ever. Bill Martell celebrates 50 years of NORTH BY NORTH WEST Take some time out at film school with Mystery ...

Alien: Sex in deep space

With a prequel to the 1979 hit flick Alien directed by Ridley Scott in the works, Bryn Tilly re-opens the case on the original film and dissects what is brooding under its surface... “The people who made the first Alien were artists, Ridley Scott, Giger, the writers - they invented ...

Is it worth it?

Like pretty much every consultant, every now and then I'm asked: "Is this worth it?". On the surface, the question means: "Do you think this script will sell?" It's an easy question, which I can honestly answer in most cases. But I usually don't, because what really matters is the question's ...

Structure: The Untouchables

A structural overview of The Untouchables (David Mamet, 1986) David Mamet has never equaled the tremendous power of his eighties screenplays. The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Verdict, The Untouchables and even his own directorial debut House of Games, starring his then wife Lindsay Crouse. The Untouchables has always been my favorite. De ...

Screenwriting Best of the Web 01/11/09

Here's my weekly selection from the blogosphere. Feel free to recommend anything or give your feedback in the Questions and Comments below. And don't forget you can subscribe to our posts so you don't miss any of this, ever. Robert McKee goes Campbell: Culture makes no difference "CUT TO:" - Cut it out. Final ...

Mental Spackle

Spackle |ˈspakəl| Noun: A compound used to fill cracks in plaster and produce a smooth surface. What is 'mental spackle'? Merrel Davis explains how to ensure you fill all the gaps in your script. Mental Spackle is a term I’ve coined to describe what the mind of a writer does when revising. As you ...

OZ Filmers: “If they only loved us.”

Why don’t the majority of Australian films attract Australian audiences? Metro Screen in Sydney threw down the gauntlet before a panel of industry players, while Dominic Case picked through the shifting and diverse opinions. “We are a lying, hypocritical, duplicitous group”, says Tony Ginnane, giving the audience the results of his ...

Screenwriting Best of the Web 25/10/09

Here's my weekly selection from the blogosphere. Feel free to recommend anything or give your feedback in the Questions and Comments below. And don't forget you can subscribe to our posts so you don't miss any of this, ever. Sometimes the best rewrite is going back to the index cards. Don't twitter a ...