Screenwriting How-To Articles

Feature films tend to work best when they focus on a single core idea and develop it to its fullest in order to get the most out of its dramatic potential and entertainment potential. Ray Morton shares his thoughts on why he believes TOO MUCH story got in the way of popcorn movie 'Godzilla vs. Kong'.

Neurosurgeon Dr. Oren Gottfried shares his journey from working as a surgeon to offering his expertise and wealth of knowledge to hit medical TV dramas like 'The Good Doctor' and 'Chicago Med', as well as his path to his first 'story by' credit.

Script contributor Sonya Alexander speaks with comic book writer and illustrator Matt Kindt about his latest collaboration with Keanu Reeves on Boom! Studios’ 'BRZRKR' and his career journey in the comic book world.

Script's Editor, Sadie Dean, interviews 'The Water Man' screenwriter Emma Needell. They talk about her adventurous spirit as a child who conjured stories around world-building and myth-making, her journey as a screenwriter to writing and making 'The Water Man', and her successful collaboration with director David Oyelowo. Plus, she shares invaluable advice and insight for all writers about writing what you're passionate about.

Script contributor Thuc Nguyen shines a light on ten, one of many, South-East-Asian-American filmmakers and screenwriters you and Hollywood should have your eye on.

This week Ashley Scott Meyers talks with screenwriter Richard Pierce. They talk about how Richard Pierce was the winner of the 2020 SYS's Six-Figure Screenplay Contest.

Script's Editor, Sadie Dean, interviews 'Together Together' writer/director Nikole Beckwith, about her background from stage to writing and directing films, her love of working with actors and tapping into vulnerabilities, and she offers advice in finding and honing your voice as a writer.

It can be argued that the cinematic collaborations between Paul Schrader and Martin Scorsese rank among some of the greatest screenwriter and director partnerships in the history of the movies. 'Taxi Driver' is a shining example of their offspring as a creative couple as it reflects how the writing informs the directing, and vice versa, how the directing elevates the writing.

Script contributor Tara Bennett speaks with current sci-fi showrunners Jeff Rake (Manifest), Chris Sheridan (Resident Alien), J.H. Wyman (Debris) and Todd Helbing (Superman & Lois) about how they’ve approached making successful, mainstream sci-fi TV today.

Mary Aloe discusses her career path, films, working as a producer in the industry and the future of Hollywood.

While screenwriters may not actively participate in the funding of a movie, writers can benefit from understanding movie financing terminology and strategies.

Dave Trottier, Dr. Format, shares advice on how to format your screenplay to implement a "cameraman" as an actual participant in a scene.

Producers and development executives love timely stories because they resonate with modern viewers and today’s hot topics are a great marketing hook. But, fresh stories should be driven by fresh characters—tweaking a psychological flaw can help with that.

This week Ashley Scott Meyers talks with Shaked Berenson, writer and producer of 'Dolphin Island'.

'Wildcat' writer/director Jonathan W. Stokes shares insight on the importance of pre-production, the creative brevity of writing within a contained world, and how his improv background informs his writing routine.

As the industry changes and more writers are finding representation, selling projects, and getting staffed remotely, you may find that you never have to move to Los Angeles.

Alain Nouvel discusses his globe-trotting journey to becoming a filmmaker, the process of editing his first feature, and how he was able to overcome artistic and logistical obstacles when filming.

Most screenwriters have probably never thought twice about writing documentaries. But if you think about it, even an observational cinéma vérité style documentary needs someone to craft its story.

Script's Editor, Sadie Dean, interview's writer/director Craig Pryce about his new film 'The Marijuana Conspiracy'. The two discuss his filmmaking journey as a director, his storytelling instincts to focus on serving story first, what it was like re-creating a specific era and tackling a true story.

Follow basic rules, and you will give an amazing ‘first date’ impression to anyone reading your words. Tim Schildberger gives five tips to proactively check before entering your script into a contest.

This week Ashley Scott Meyers talks with G.O. Parsons, the writer behind 'Willy's Wonderland' starring Nicolas Cage.

How to write a screenplay? Barri Evins' recipe for success based on hand-crafted pizza! Discover her essential step-by-step pointers for creating a delicious story. Topped off by her Writers' Workout to build your own skills.

Script's Editor, Sadie Dean, interviews 'Vanquish' writer/director George Gallo, in which he gives incredible insight from a director’s perspective on how to convey emotion and tone through color palettes, camera angles to point-of-view, and much more!

Andrew Bloomenthal interviews Florian Zeller, writer/director of 'The Father' and co-writer Christopher Hampton, about adapting the award-winning play into a film that explores the nightmare of slipping into confusion.

In this installment of "Ask the Coach" Jenna Avery answers a pre-submitted question about when to toss in the towel on a work in progress or when to push forward on said script.

A fond farewell to the Arclight, a movie-going experience staple in Los Angeles.

'Jakob’s Wife' has been a journey of over half a decade. Thuc Nguyen speaks with director Travis Stevens about how the movie came about and what influenced the filmmakers along the way.

Celebrating the Female Screenwriters Who Came Before Us: Anita Loos

Script's Editor, Sadie Dean, speaks writer/director and editor Devereux Milburn about the filmmaking journey behind 'Honeydew,' how his editing background helped with his writing process and the bonus factor of shooting a contained horror film.

Talent manager and actor Chi Moui Li has brings his decades of experience working in the industry as an actor, filmmaker and talent manager to his new product 'The Business of Acting' to help inform and arm actors with practical tools and insight into navigating the business of acting.

Script's Editor, Sadie Dean, speaks one-on-one with Little Marvin, the creator, showrunner, EP and writer behind 'Them' Amazon's new horror anthology limited series. They tap into the storytelling tactics he used to create suspense, collaboration on set, his screenwriting journey and more.

Tom has some movies from streaming services ('The Half of It', 'The Trial of the Chicago 7') and some from, yes, actual movie theatres ('News of the World', 'The Courier').

This week Ashley Scott Meyers talks with returning guests Jamison M. LoCascio Director/Co-Writer and Adam Ambrosio Co-Writer of features such as 'Sunset' (2018) and 'Know Fear' (2021).

Scott Pryor, the star, writer and co-director behind 'Tulsa' shares insight behind his journey and love for storytelling, the connection between being creative both in the courtroom and in film, the learning curve behind marketing and distribution as an independent filmmaker and provides very practical advice for those seeking filmmaking as their calling.

Sade' Sellers shares outlining tips for writing horror scripts that will effectively set up your scares, story and more!

There's never been a better time to break into screenwriting remotely! Rebecca Norris interviews screenwriter Ashley Hall, who's combining both modern technology and wisdom from working on 'Psych' and 'Castle' to help her break into screenwriting from her native Virginia.

Writer doldrums are usually transient and can serve as story fodder if you know how to manage them. Terri Coduri Viani shares inspirational tips from her writing tribe on how to overcome your writer blues.

Whether it’s the dialogue you want to learn more about, or the structure, or aesthetic, 'WandaVision' will be worthy of study by writers for a long time. Bryan Young examines the storytelling techniques used in the nine-part Disney+ series.

This week Ashley Scott Meyers talks with 'PVT Chat' filmmaker Ben Hozie. The drama stars Julia Fox ('Uncut Gems') and Peter Vack.

When covering a screenplay for a studio or a production company, the analyst’s brief is to read the script, write a synopsis, and then pen an assessment. Ray Morton shares four main elements a synopsis must present and why it pays off to put in the work to make your screenplay structurally sound to avoid a PASS from a reader.

Joy Cheriel Brown compares the adaption of the Disney film 'A Wrinkle in Time' to its source children's novel, exploring which liberties the screenwriters took and left behind in adapting the novel to screen.

'Boss Level' writer/director Joe Carnahan shares his filmmaking journey with Script's Editor, Sadie Dean. Plus, what a writer should focus on when writing action films, his excitement for making movies, why it pays off to put in the time and work hard on your craft, and he sprinkles in some wisdom for writers on writing.

This week Ashley Scott Meyers talks with writer/director Jacob Johnston.  They talk about his new Horror movie 'Dreamcatcher' (2021).

Script’s Editor, Sadie Dean, interviews ‘Shoplifters of the World’ writer/director Stephen Kijak. The two discuss how his documentary filmmaking background informed his narrative storytelling, using songs for character development, and what his writing process looks like.

Malcolm Spellman shares his journey on how he found his footing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), stepping out of his comfort zone as a storyteller and what the Marvel Studios creative system has taught him while crafting 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' for TV.

With his ever-evolving body of work, it’s safe to say that Neil Druckmann has graduated from storyteller to auteur. Neil speaks with Sonya Alexander and shares insight on world building for video games, how 'The Last of Us' strikes a personal chord and what types of stories he's inspired to write.

Script's Editor, Sadie Dean, interviews 'Film Fest' writer/director Marshall Cook. They dig deep into the spirit of his new film, the creation of the medley of characters and practical advice in navigating film festivals. Plus, Marshall shares a bit of wisdom on how to keep your eye on the prize as a storyteller.

Tom’s haul this time are all from streaming services: Who would have thought it?

You know how to write. You create compelling characters, write scintillating dialogue, and plot is your middle name. Your mother thinks you’re very talented. If only you knew the ins and outs to marketing and selling your masterpiece. In other words, how do you tackle the business side of creating?

Typically the Twitter Screenwriting Community is a positive place where screenwriters network and support one another. But if you're new to the community, it can be a little intimidating to navigate the social norms - Janese Taylor shares her social networking etiquette tips.