Advice — expert series

It may seem peculiar in the 21st century to discuss screenwriting in the same breath as anything that had to do with the 19th century. What does one have to do with the other? After all, the only visual representation that remotely resembled a motion picture was Muybridge's zoopraxiscope: a revolving device consisting of a series of still shots photographed in sequence that appeared to move when viewed through a narrow viewing port. It had no story, only the novelty of movement. The imagination of the viewer filled in the rest. Once motion pictures began telling stories, filmmakers looked to...

You've slaved over every syllable to make it memorable. Your manuscript spills over with high ideas, scathing wit and a dash of drama that would send even the coldest executive producer groping for a box of Kleenex. Yet, for the life of you, you can't get anyone in the business to read it, let alone give you a call. What gives? Let's face it. You're not just competing with the other good scripts and first novels. You're competing with piles and piles... and piles... of bad ones. Aside from step one -- producing the most imaginative, tightest manuscript you can...

A phone conversation with Linda Seger on the subject of Writer's Block ~~ 'What happens with a lot of people is that they stay within their safety zone, always doing things where they're safe and secure. So I say go and do something where you don't feel safe or secure and see how you feel. See what you learn. So if you've never been to a Country & Western bar, go. Or take a flying lesson. Or take the train down to San Diego to see what it feels like to be on the train, who you see, what kind...

One way to add that mysterious quality of emotional layers or 'depth' to a plot is to have the hero's emotional journey echoed in a subplot. Alan Ball, the screenwriter of 'American Beauty,' does this masterfully. This can be seen in how Wes Bently's (the intense young man in the film) plotline echoes Kevin Spacey's (and sometimes, vice versa). First, there are some obvious parallels between the two men: 1. Both Bently and Spacey get fired by telling off their bosses. 2. Spacey and Bently are out of communication with those around them. Spacey lives in a sexual fantasy; Bently...

Secrets of Blockbuster Movies Part IV Writing for Hollywood requires more than a good premise and strong storytelling ability. You also have to write what Hollywood wants to sell. In today's entertainment business, that means a script with blockbuster capability. If the buyers don't think your script will appeal to a massive worldwide audience, they won't buy it. What may surprise you is that the elements that buyers think will appeal worldwide are found in the deep structure of a script. DESIRE LINE One element essential to good storytelling is a strong desire line. The main character wants something very...