February 2012
2 posts
Screenwriting Tip #896
screenwritingtips:
Never repeat yourself. Specifically, never make your protagonist repeat the same emotional beat (realizing she’s in love, finding the true source of her strength, etc.). Phil in GROUNDHOG DAY may repeat scenes, but he never has the same epiphany twice.
January 2012
6 posts
Screenwriting Tip #871
screenwritingtips:
If you’ve got a zealous, all-encompassing worldview to sell, your screenplay is not the place for it. Readers/audiences can smell preaching from a mile away.
Who needs stuff to look forward to?
Exactly. And what could be more exhilarating than chatting about a whole slate of films scheduled for released in the calendar year we’re currently in? There is nothing more exhilarating. So let’s begin.
This year, like every year, will be about Michael Fassbender. So let’s take a look at what the cheeky rascal has got in store for us in 2012.
Shame. I saw it at the London...
December 2011
4 posts
Invisible Math Homework
invisiblecats:
November 2011
6 posts
Screenwriting Tip #812
screenwritingtips:
When deciding what to cut in the rewrite, your job isn’t to look for what’s bad. The most beautiful dialogue in the world could be a total pacing killer. Your job is to cut the bits that slow down the story, whether they’re brilliantly written or not.
My rom com Man Up made the Brit List.
This is cause for celebration.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/brit-list-call-up-black-list-259338
Screenwriting Tip #804
screenwritingtips:
The primary objective of every scene — before being funny or clever, before advancing the plot or developing the protagonist’s arc — is to make the audience want to know what happens next.
Screenwriting Tip #800
screenwritingtips:
There are no original ideas, and nothing new under the sun… except you. Your voice, style and execution are unique, and uniquely valuable.
October 2011
10 posts
4 tags
Watchfunnyordie:
Dog is Afraid of Julia Roberts
This dog wants no part of Julia Roberts.
2 tags
1 tag
Screenwriting Tip #766
screenwritingtips:
Know the roots of your idea inside out. That includes all major films in the same vein. If you’re pitching a serial killer movie and the pitchee brings up SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, you better damn well know what they’re talking about.
We Buy Any Cat. We Buy Any Cat. →
September 2011
23 posts
“Writing is a difficult trade which must be learned slowly by reading great...”
– Andre Maurois
Kitty. Massage. →
Click on this immediately if you have a soul.
Man V Cat on BBM →
Hilarious.
1 tag
Screenwriting Tip #749
screenwritingtips:
When you introduce a new character, have them moving, acting, striving towards a goal in their very first scene. Show us that character in high gear. If you start them off in neutral, it’s much harder to get a sense of who they are.
1 tag
6 tags
1 tag
Screenwriting Tip #747
screenwritingtips:
Research can define character. If your protagonist is presented as an expert in her field, you probably need to know a bit about that topic. And by “a bit” I mean “more than the Wikipedia page”.
6 tags
Invisible Tightrope
invisiblecats:
1 tag
Screenwriting Tip #744
screenwritingtips:
“I don’t know” shouldn’t be in your vocabulary. You’re a professional creator; your job is to have opinions, ideas and “takes” on everything. Replace “I don’t know” with “Good question — let me think about it and get back to you”.
2 tags
Manning up, using the power of T&T
So I just wanted to write a quick little blog (famous last words) about how Twitter and Tumblr has really REALLY helped with my writing career. My romantic comedy MAN UP has been picked up by Big Talk Pictures, and I’d say Twitter and Tumblr (T&T from here on in) has played a large part in that.
I have a kind of love/hate relationship with social networking. Think Kathleen Turner and...
