Here we explore five of his cinematic trademarks and common themes found in his blockbuster resume. 

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Sense of Spielberg Wonder Through Transitions to Wide Shots 

Because Spielberg’s filmography spans more than fifty years of directing movies in multiple genres and subgenres, we sometimes have to differentiate his common themes and trademarks from decade to decade as he evolved as a cinematic storyteller. However, there’s at least one common theme and trademark of his work found in all of his movies — moments that showcase a sense of wonder and catharsis through cinematography.

Visually, all Spielberg movies utilize visual camera placement and movement to create an added sense of wonder. Spielberg's most wonder-filled work came early in his career with films like Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. 

Wonder could be achieved through intimate moments between characters, yes. 

But true wonder in Spielberg films encompasses his transition from intimate or close shots to extreme wide shots that showcase the context of the story’s world. 

In Jaws, the quest to kill the shark begins through a wide shot that transitions from the camera moving through a shark bone jawline as we watch the Orca head out to see. It gives us this sense of wonder as the characters embark on their journey. 

In Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg offers multiple wide shots in his film that encapsulate the wonder the characters are experiencing. We see their reactions (more on that below), but it’s not until Spielberg transitions to a wide shot that we experience the sense of intended wonder of the moment. 

In Raiders of the Lost Ark, the wide-shot perspectives create wonder in the audience as we see the scope of the story ever-present.

In E.T., we feel the wonder and awe of our own world through E.T.’s as he first lays eyes on the expansive valley of suburbs. We wonder who within that valley E.T. will turn to for help.

In Jurassic Park, it’s not enough to just see the first dinosaur in the park. The wide shot of Grant’s first sighting is impactful for sure. But it’s not until we experience the true welcoming to Jurassic Park that leaves that sense of cathartic awe.

As he grew as a director, he tackled more serious subjects not involving fantasy, adventure, and outright wonder. Yet he still managed to create wonderment by using wide-shot transitions. 

So when you watch Spielberg’s movies, pay attention to these wide-shot transitions and how they create a sense of wonder, even if during some of his movies that wonder is horrifying (Schindler’s List).

Spielberg Fraction

In Spielberg's movies, he's got this other way of kicking things off — he plays with fractions. Not the math kind, though. These are tiny glimpses and snippets of things that make you ponder their meaning and compel you to continue watching. It could be a specific piece of clothing, a cool weapon, or just some random visual elements we don’t understand yet but will. He throws them at us in bits and pieces, making us scratch our heads and wonder how the heck these things fit into the character or the story that's about to unfold.

At the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark, as the opening credits roll, we catch these quick glimpses of this mysterious figure.

• We don’t see his face.
• He’s checking a map.
• He’s examining poisoned darts.
• His companions hang on his every step.

It’s not until something threatens him that we see his face.

In the opening of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, we catch glimpses of something or someone in the woods. We see brief visuals of an alien ship. And we see silhouettes of individuals searching for that something or someone — particularly a man wearing a set of keys. All of these fractions engage our interest and are later answered as the story goes on.

In the opening of Schindler’s List, we see fractions of Schindler. 

• Suits
• Ties
• Cufflinks
• Money
• Cigarettes
• And finally, his Nazi pin.

We also notice the reactions of people as he walks through the room. He’s a man of power and respect. 

We also get this experience of Spielberg fractioning during kinetic suspense scenes as well. Look back to the moment when we first saw the T-Rex. The introduction started with fractions of visuals leading to the big reveal. 

Even the opening of the film played with our imaginations and wonder by way of fractions. 

And when we go back to Spielberg’s first blockbuster hit, Jaws, we see the results of Spielberg fractions. Now, we also know that this wasn’t initially Spielberg’s intended choice. Because of production issues with the shark, Spielberg was forced to show us less and less of the shark throughout the film. But this fractioning actually added to the tension and suspense. 

Read More: Screenwriting Wisdom from Steven Spielberg

Spielberg Family Dynamics

Once you watch Spielberg’s autobiographical film, The Fabelmans (Spielberg was Oscar-nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay), you’ll understand why his films often presented the dynamics of family. It’s the most common (and probably the most easily recognized) theme within most Steven Spielberg films — especially the early ones.

Spielberg came from a broken home. He dealt with divorce. He had issues with his father while also holding him high. He loved his mother very much. Everything we see in The Fabelmans is represented in most of his movies. 

In Jaws, Chief Brody takes a moment to connect with his son amidst the chaos and stress of trying to keep his town safe from a man-eating shark.

In Close Encounters, Spielberg reveals the strain between Roy and his family after he has a close encounter with the UFO.

In E.T., we get to see Elliot's dysfunctional family — two brothers who don't get along, a single mother who is barely hanging on, and a kid sister who's just along for the ride.

The great thing about his use of family dynamics is that it allows the audience to further empathize with his characters, especially when the broken family elements are in plain sight (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, War of the Worlds, The Fabelmans). The audience can relate to those dynamics because they represent a majority of families in one way, shape, or form.

Spielberg Faces

Often considered a Spielberg crutch in some circles, Spielberg faces refers to the director’s use of cutting to the close-up reactions of characters and their faces to showcase an intended emotion. In many of his films, it’s used as a way to showcase, you guessed it, wonder. Some see this as a cheat for Spielberg to get audiences to feel a certain way. It’s often misrepresented as manipulation on his part. But what such critics don’t understand is that all of cinema utilizes visuals (and sounds… more on that below) to conjure an intended reaction in the audience. He’s just mastered that cinematic tool. 

'Jaws'

These close-ups of his character’s faces convey:

• Wonder
• Drama
• Suspense
• Horror
• Fear
• Shock
• Uncertainty
• Love

He further accompanies these close-ups with the effective use of the dolly shot — camera movement that enhances the reaction shots of his characters, delivering the intended emotion full-force with dramatic and cinematic flare.

Whether you love them or find them cliche, it’s a Spielberg go-to — an effective one.

John Williams Music in Spielberg Movies

Steven Spielberg and John Williams share one of the most iconic and enduring collaborations in the history of cinema. Their partnership spans over fifty years, playing a pivotal role in shaping the emotional landscape of Spielberg's films. Their first collaboration occurred in 1974 for the film Sugarland Express. Williams has scored the music for the majority of Spielberg's films, creating unforgettable and instantly recognizable soundtracks. Their collaboration is marked by a seamless integration of music and storytelling, with Williams' compositions enhancing the emotional depth and impact of Spielberg's visuals.

• The iconic two-note theme from Jaws 
• The soaring melodies of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
• The triumphant march of Raiders of the Lost Ark (and its sequels)
• The haunting score of Schindler's List 

These are just a few examples of the magical synergy between Spielberg's directorial vision and Williams' musical genius. And Williams, now likely retired, closed off their collaboration with The Fabelmans. 

Williams has a talent for being able to capture the essence of Spielberg's storytelling and elevate it to new heights. The music for each of his Spielberg movie scores — iconic or not — becomes an integral part of the narrative, enhancing the audience's emotional connection to the characters and the story. Once again, some find the music overly manipulative — but, again, that’s the point. 

Spielberg has often credited Williams with bringing his films to life through music, and Williams, in turn, has spoken highly of Spielberg's unique storytelling abilities. Their work together has not only left an indelible mark on the films they've created but has also enriched the cinematic experience for audiences around the world.

These are just five of the director’s trademarks. Keep an eye out for them as you watch his films. And as you do, which other common Spielberg trademarks have you noticed? 

Read More: 3 Spielbergian Ways Screenwriters Can Introduce Their Characters

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries Blackout, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller Hunter’s Creed, and many Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies and Instagram @KenMovies76

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

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Beyond the visuals of Studio Ghibli’s films, which are astonishing on their own accord, Miyazaki’s storytelling is what grounds these films as masterpieces. Kiki’s Delivery Service, the double feature of Grave of the Fireflies and My Neighbor Totoro, and Miyazaki’s latest and last film The Boy and the Heron are stories that are radically at odds with Hollywood storytelling, yet have a level of gravitas that is often overlooked as something wholly unique that can’t be taught. It just is. 

While we can’t teach you to create stories like Miyazaki — which is why Studio Ghibli stopped making films for almost a decade–there are trademarks of Miyazaki’s storytelling that we can learn from and mold into our own stories. Let’s get into it. 

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1.) Using the Kishōtenketsu Story Structure  

Rather than using the American standard three-act structure to tell his stories, Miyazaki’s stories follow a plot structure known as kishōtenketsu. Used since ancient times in Japan, kishōtenketsu is the method of storytelling composed of four parts: ki (introduction), shō (development), ten (turn or twist), and ketsu (conclusion).

While most stories have a rigged structure that is easy to follow and break down, kishōtenketsu has a wandering quality that can feel unusual to people who are not familiar with East Asian storytelling. The structure lends itself to a long, quiet beginning that is quickly twisted to shake up the story. In the end, the twist is settled, revealing the connecting theme between everything. Miyazaki always uses the kishōtenketsu structure in his storytelling, dividing his story into four parts. In the third part, there is always a big hurdle the hero must overcome to get to the end of the film. While the conflict might impact the story, it is not the focus. Instead, the story features a conflict, but the purpose of the story is the change in the protagonist. 

My Neighbor Totoro is the clearest example. It lacks a conflict, which has led many American critics to believe that nothing happens in the film. But the kishōtenketsu structure is at work, revealing that Satsuki and Mei are attempting to adjust to life without their mother. The sudden twist of Mei running away is shocking, but order is quickly restored. It is an easy film with a structure that isn’t overwhelming. There is more than one type of structure out there in the world of storytelling beyond the three-act structure. It is up to you to decide what type of structure fits your style of storytelling. 

Read More: The Simple Guide to Writing Animated Screenplays

A diagram of the kishōtenketsu structure (Courtesy of Randy Finch)

2.) Unfinished Scripts 

While the structure of Miyazaki’s stories is set, he typically doesn’t finish the story once his team is ready to start working on a film. A key part of Miyazaki’s filmmaking process is the creation of storyboards, a series of images that help map out a movie’s sequence of events. While storyboarding is an essential part of the animation process, Miyazaki tends to forego screenplays of spontaneity. 

“I don't have the story finished and ready when we start work on a film,” he said in a 2002 interview. “I usually don't have the time. So the story develops when I start drawing storyboards. The production starts very soon thereafter, while the storyboards are still developing. We never know where the story will go but we just keeping working on the film as it develops. It's a dangerous way to make an animation film and I would like it to be different, but unfortunately, that's the way I work and everyone else is kind of forced to subject themselves to it.”

At the core of his process, Miyazaki’s goal is to capture the beauty of the world he is creating. He can’t fully or clearly see them, nor does he know how his stories will end. Miyazaki leads the group of animators to find the film based on the few ideas he brings to them. 

Takahata, Miyazaki’s late mentor, explained the process in the 2000s:

Hayao Miyazaki stopped writing screenplays a long time ago. He doesn’t even bother to first finalize the storyboards. … After diving into the process, he then begins to create storyboards while doing all his other work, from key animation on down. Using his powers of continuous concentration, the production starts to take on the elements of an endlessly improvised performance.

Read More: Hayao Miyazaki Says 'Ma' is an Essential Storytelling Tool

Storyboard from 'Kiki's Delivery Service'

3.) Female Protagonist 

In a majority of Miyazaki’s films, the story is driven by strong female leads, who are brave girls or women who don’t think twice about fighting for what they believe is right. Inspired heavily by his own mother, Miyazaki’s female characters are complex and conflicted, like Princess Kushana in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Lady Eboshi in Princess Mononoke, and the witches Yubaba and Zeniba in Spirited Away.

Miyazaki stated, “In my family, it was a very male universe. I only have brothers, the only woman was my mother.” Miyazaki is one of four brothers. Perhaps this is why mother figures in his work have such a grounding nature, while the female leads, inspired by his mother, are on a quest for self-fulfillment, helping each other and humanity along the way. They share a universal language of compassion, tolerance, and fairness. These female leads do not want to be anything other than themselves, which is a powerful message in itself. 

'Princess Mononoke'

4.) Flying Scenes 

Another childhood influence in Miyazaki’s work is his love for airplanes, particularly old ones. His family owned a company that produced wingtips for Zero fighters, and this is possibly what has led to each of Miyazaki’s stories containing flying scenes of some kind. From Tombo’s flying bicycle in Kiki’s Delivery Service to Haku’s transformation into a flying dragon that Chihiro eventually rides in Spirited Away, flying has become a staple of Miyazaki’s work. 

While flying is a key trademark of Miyazaki’s storytelling, the filmmaker tends to stay away from military aircraft. Miyazaki released the destructive power of military aircraft. This feeling of conflict Miyazaki feels is highlighted in The Wind Rises when Jiro Horikoshi dreams of building planes, but realizes the consequences that warplanes can have. 

'The Wind Rises'

5.) Conflicts Solved Through Pacifism 

What makes Hayao Miyazaki movies so beloved by a wide range of audiences is that his films do not depict any violence. That’s because Miyazaki, who grew up during World War II, despises unnecessary violence and advocates for pacifism through his stories. 

In multiple interviews that Kotaku found through Japanese blogs, Miyazaki spoke out about his disdain for violence in Hollywood films, saying, “If someone is the enemy, it’s okay to kill endless numbers of them. Lord of the Rings is like that. If it’s the enemy, there’s killing without separation between civilians and soldiers. That falls within collateral damage.”

Hayao Miyazaki movies share a common theme that disputes can be resolved without the use of physical force. Castle in the Sky, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Princess Mononoke are examples of this since the main characters strive to bring peace to a world filled with conflict. Of course, physical confrontations are also present, but they are used to point out the uselessness of it.

'Howl's Moving Castle'

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Hayao Miyazaki movies are beautiful and meticulously crafted, taking a single film year to build from the few ideas that Miyazaki brings to his team at Studio Ghibli. While there are several trademarks that signify that a story belongs to this filmmaker, Miyazaki’s scripts are almost non-existent. Everything lives in the storyboards. While it is highly recommended that you finish a script before moving into the production process, there is beauty and a level of acceptance to Miyazaki’s creative process. 

Read More: 101 Enchanting Animation Story Prompts

CHECK OUT OUR ANIMATION NOTES SO YOU CAN START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

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ScreenCraft got the chance to chat with Neer about his Oscar Qualifying short film, Perspectives, a story about an LGBTQ+ female soldier who is forced to choose between killing a potentially innocent man to save Israeli bus passengers when she suspects him of being a suicide bomber.

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ScreenCraft: Congratulations on writing and producing your Oscar-qualifying short! Can you tell us how that came about? 

Neer Musa Shelter: Thanks! This project took years to complete, I'd been working on it on and off for a decade by the time it was finished. Along the way, I rewrote the script many times, saved up money for the budget and location scouted in Israel years ahead of the shoot. Then, after the script won a few awards, including the Page Gold Award, I had enough money for production. So, in 2019, I worked with an Israeli line producer for six months over Zoom calls, and we shot later that year. Afterwards, we started post-production in Australia, and then Covid hit. Finally, in 2022, we finished the film and premiered it at the Bafta and Academy Awards qualifying Flickerfest. After that, it won the best screenplay and best film at the Academy Awards qualifying St Kilda Film Festival.

Perspectives (2023)

SC: What was the inspiration for the project and what did the writing + development process look like?

NMS: The film is based on a true story. It's best defined as semi-autobiographical, as it's something that happened to me. I had to change the characters to distance myself enough to retain objectivity. Also, some actions were added to help adapt it to the screen and give the main character a complete arc. Lastly, I gave the story an open ending to both inspire debate and encourage viewers to make up their own minds, while questioning how they reached their conclusions.

Perspectives debate social media's capacity to inform its users truthfully. This film isn't about politics, religion, or social conflicts; it's about how our individual perspectives on these topics are shaped. As it can sometimes be hard to tell truth from fiction online, I wanted to demonstrate how similar the two can look. That's why we blurred the line between fiction and reality by combining cinema and found-footage cameras.

With cinema cameras representing fiction and found-footage cameras representing fact, and with both looking alike, I hoped to show how similar fact and fiction can appear online. Most of that, hopefully, came through in the script before we started shooting.

Read More: Write Your Short Film in 7 Days

Perspectives (2023)

The script’s development was a roller coaster as I had to walk the fine line of neutrality to retain the integrity of the story’s themes. And the style in which it was written had a big impact on my other work. Earlier drafts of the script had a lot of dialogue, but I realized that wasn’t necessary. So, I stripped out the dialogue and focused on visuals and actions to tell the story. Inspired by scripts like Wall–E, Misery, and The Bourne Supremacy, I adopted a writing style/voice that helped the script read well without dialogue. This then became a defining characteristic in all my screenplays.  

Read More: How the Development Process Works

SC: How did the writing lead to the production and ultimate success in the festival? Is there anywhere someone could watch it right now?

NMS: I’d like to think that my voice on the page helped give the script a unique feel and pace. This, in part, then led to it winning some big awards. All of which made it easier for actors’ agents to read the script, and therefore helped secure a high-caliber cast. Had the script been written differently, it might not have gotten the attention it received and would likely not have been produced. And, yes, the film is available online at this private link. 

Perspectives (2023)

SC: We originally connected through ScreenCraft’s Action Adventure program— how did ScreenCraft impact your writing process?

NMS: ScreenCraft has a range of genre-specific screenwriting contests that help writers gauge their craft in specific types of stories. At first, I submitted early draft scripts to ScreenCraft’s action comps and didn’t get far at all, not even to a quarter-finalist stage. However, after asking for and actioning readers’ notes, I improved my screenplays and writing in general. My scripts began placing progressively higher over about five years until I reached the finals. This gave me a clear indication of an upward trajectory in the quality of my writing. 

Neer Musa Shelter

Read More: ScreenCraft Writing Competitions

SC: How has ScreenCraft impacted your career development? 

NMS: The result of submitting to ScreenCraft and other screenwriting competitions and receiving readers’ notes was a slate of award-winning scripts. Some of these were big awards such as Final Draft’s Big Break, The Page Awards and Emerging Screenwriters. Off the back of these and with the help of Roadmap Writers, I signed with literary management at The Cartel and am now preparing to take out several scripts next year.

SC: Other than the awards circuit for the short, what else are you working on? What’s next?

NMS: Currently, I’m working on a contained horror feature, and I’m about to finish a martial arts drama. 

SC: If you had a bit of writing craft advice for our audience inspired by the success you’ve seen, what would it be?

NMS: Develop a writing method. It took me a while to figure out how I write best, and once I did, I had a solid method to rely on. This made me realize that how you write is equally as important as what you write. You may be able to write a good script through many iterations, but if you can’t repeat the process, you won’t last long in a professional environment. So, figure out your method and hone it well. 

Read More: How Coverfly Helps Screenwriters Get Discovered

SC: If you had a bit of writing career advice for our audience inspired by the success you’ve seen, what would it be?

NMS: Painful as it may be, don’t rush it. I sent out scripts and treatments way before they were ready. Execs’ eyes are weary and experienced, which means they’re quick to pick up on the type of writer they’re reading and will drop the script just as fast. You want them to see you as a pro, even though you may not have been paid to write yet. Wait until you’ve figured out your method and have your voice down pat. Only then, get your pages out there.

Read More: How to Break Into Screenwriting: Paths to the Profession

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

The post How Filmmaker Neer Musa Shelter Got His Oscar-Qualifying Short Off the Ground appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Broadband Choices (now MoneySuperMarket Broadband) runs an experiment every year called The Science of Scare Project to scientifically find the scariest pieces of cinema by measuring the heart rate of viewers to see which films cause their beats-per-minute (BPM) to rise. Let's see who tops the list this year! But first...

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Behind The Spooky Experiment

Okay, real quick – Broadband Choices conducts this study every year with new horror films added to the audience viewing list based on critics, personal lists, experts in the genre, and the horror community. But just because a movie is new, doesn’t mean it’ll scare its way to the top. For instance, the 1984 classic A Nightmare on Elm Street debuted in 2020 as the 13th scariest movie of all time, whereas the 2023 list knocked it down to 25.

Every year Broadband Choices recruits 250 viewers and subjects them to 40 scary movies in a screening room where their heart rate is monitored.

The Science of Scare 2023

Once again, Sinister and Host nabbed the top spots on the list, but this year saw twelve new additions to the experiment, including Smile, Talk to Me, The Dark and the Wicked, and Terrifier 2. However, the 2022 Canadian indie horror film Skinamarink, which went viral after leaked excerpts made their way onto Tiktok and Reddit, made its debut at #3. Not too shabby!

Source: MoneySuperMarket Broadband

Anyway, turn off the lights, grab some popcorn, and good luck sleeping tonight because here are the top six scariest movies according to The Science of Scare 2023.

Top 6 Scariest Movies According to Science

Sinister (2012)

From the very beginning of Sinister, you know it’s going to be scary. If not for the strange opening of several people being hung to death on a tree, it’s the fact that a family has just moved into a new house – which seems to be a catalyst in horror movies for evil tidings. This time a true crime writer finds 8mm film in his new home with links back to a crime story he’s researching. Naturally, the family vacates the home and flees. Just kidding, the writer continues to reveal the horrors of the home, keeping dark secrets from his family and all suffer for it.

Host (2020)

It will be interesting to see if this one drops from the number one spot over the years as Host is a pandemic-inspired flick that was shot via Zoom. Nothing is worse than a Zoom meeting that could have been an email unless it’s a séance gone wrong in which a supernatural entity starts haunting those in the virtual room. Is it scary because of the medium writer/director Ron Savage used during a time when we were all communicating virtually? Only time will tell.

Say goodbye to found footage horror films and give a thumbs-up emoji to Zoom room scares. Remember, if you don’t take yourself off mute, no one can hear you scream.

Skinamirink (2022)

This is the newest addition to the list of 40 and it debuted at #3. A young boy and girl wake up in the middle of the night to discover that their father has mysteriously disappeared. If that’s not frightening for a pair of youngsters, the windows and doors of the house have all been removed. They decide to camp out in the living room where they have a TV and toys to fill the time and find comfort. But mysteries and evil lurk adding heart-racing tension.

This $15,000-budgeted indie film (according to IMDb) has nestled its way into the top five. Will it still be there next year?

Insidious (2010)

Take note, horror writers. Buying a new house, especially in a rural area, can spell trouble (see: Insidious, The Conjuring, Amityville Horror, Beetlejuice). In fact, old creepy houses are perfect settings for hauntings, ghosts, serial killers, and demonic possessions. In Insidious, a family moves into a new house and soon their son becomes comatose with no explanation. They finally discover that demons from The Further are trying to use their child as a portal into our world.

Moral of the story: stick with new construction.

The Conjuring (2013)

James Wan’s second film in the top five scariest movies involves a family moving into a new home (seriously, folks, don’t move, especially not to rural farmhouses) that is haunted by a dark, demonic presence. Who ya gonna call? Paranormal investigators, of course! A husband/wife duo are the saviors who try to rid the home and the family of the evil before it’s too late and open the doors to two sequels and three spin-offs via Annabelle.

Hereditary (2018)

Ari Aster’s debut feature became the fifth scariest film according to science. The movie centers on a grieving daughter whose family history of supernatural mental illness comes back to haunt them. Having conducted a séance, Annie (Toni Collette) discovers she has the power to speak with dead relatives. Hereditary is about how tragedies get passed down from previous generations and how they impact the succeeding ones. Horror is often experiencing the unexplained, which happens quite a bit in this scary movie.

For the full list, check out The Science of Scare 2023.

A Few Tips for Creating Scares

Inspired to write your own horror movie now? Good! Not only does the industry love horror scripts but they're also fun to write. You just have to know which elements to include.

While not every horror movie has these elements, many of the most popular, scariest, and classic films do.

Read More: 25 Films You Have to Watch If You're Writing a Horror Script

Unsuspecting Victims

Rarely does a horror movie have someone eager to take on a challenge but rather they’re thrust into a horrific setting that they must escape. No one asks to be hunted down by a psychopath in a William Shatner mask but the victims of Halloween are put into such a position. No family would eagerly purchase their dream home thinking it would be the first step into being harassed by demons. And no one wants their daughter possessed by the devil that has to be exorcized back out of her.

Have an Expert

The Exorcist had a priest, The Conjuring had paranormal investigators. And Halloween had Dr. Loomis. These experts can explain the supernatural or who the killers are to the other characters and how they can be defeated. It’s also a great character to have because oftentimes the expert gets frightened which puts the audience on high alert – if they’re scared, you better be too.

Scream (1996)

Read More: What Makes a Killer Horror Movie Character? Common Horror Character Archetypes

What Would You Do?

Being an unsuspecting victim often asks the audience to wonder what they would do in that situation. What if a mysterious caller wants to play a game? What if a possessed doll wouldn’t leave you alone? What if you couldn’t sleep because dreaming meant a boiler room baddie with sharp blades as fingers would kill you? This is likely one of the scariest elements of a horror movie because the viewer probably doesn’t know what they would do so they have to live vicariously through the character to find out.

New Location

See: Sinister, The Conjuring, The Amityville Horror, The Haunted Mansion, Insidious, The Watcher. The list goes on. Moving an unsuspecting family to a new house just sets up the possibility that anything bad can and will happen.

Create a Great Monster

Whether it's a ghost, a demon, or a mysterious creature from an obscure lagoon, your horror movie's monster or "big bad" is one of the most important aspects of your story. How do you make a monster? Horror screenwriter Seth M. Sherwood provided a ton of great tips in one of our recent blog posts!

Read More: The New Rules: How to Successfully Survive a Modern Horror Movie

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Of course, the scariest movies have similarities to all other stories that keep audiences and viewers engaged: stakes and characters. Horror movies tend to rely more on stakes; just think about the beginning of Scream. We’re introduced to the infamous call from Ghostface by teenager, Casey (Drew Barrymore). We don’t know anything about either character and yet Casey’s high stakes of answering horror movie trivia correctly or dying grabs our attention.

All of the scientifically-proven scary movies involve dire stakes and characters who we all wonder if they will make it to the end. If we don’t care about the character, we likely won’t be invested in the thrills.

HAVE A GREAT HORROR SCRIPT? GET SCRIPT NOTES FROM THOSE WHO REALLY KNOW HORROR!

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Before the movie even begins, Scorsese briefly shares how passionate he was about bringing this film to life, and then, even at the very end, you can see how much he cared about this story and the people with whom the film is about.

Killers of the Flower Moon is based on a true story and inspired by the nonfiction book, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI written by David Grann. It's a heartbreaking tale centering on the fraught relationship between Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio) — a white man – and Mollie (Lily Gladstone) — an Osage woman. Ernest and Mollie are at the center of a conspiracy in which envious killers target the oil-rich Osage people of Oklahoma, slowly taking their wealth by sinister means.

Though Killers of the Flower Moon tells a completely unique story, it boasts several storytelling elements and themes that have appeared in many of Martin Scorsese’s previous films that today’s screenwriters can use in their own work.

Let's take a look at a few of them!

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Competing Clans

Scorsese is a master at pitting two groups against each other. In The Departed, it was the police versus a Boston crime syndicate with moles infiltrating both camps. In Gangs of New York, two rival gangs fight for control of the Five Points.

Scorsese focuses his story on two individuals who play a significant role in the success or failure of their respective clans. For example, in The Departed, Billy (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a police officer who infiltrates the mob in an attempt to reveal the cop feeding them information. Colin (Matt Damon) is the police officer working for the mob.

Killers of the Flower Moon is about two clans fighting for their own versions of survival — the Osage people whose existence is threatened by a group of white men plotting to take over their wealth through marriage and then murder.

'The Departed' (2006)

The Root of All Evil

At some point in Killers of the Flower Moon, Ernest proclaims that he loves money more than anything, except maybe his wife. Money is what drives this movie, from the wealth accumulated by the Osage people through oil to those who crave to have it themselves.

Money is constantly popping up in Scorsese films, perhaps most famously in The Wolf of Wall Street – the true story of a stockbroker whose excess wealth and obsession with money is both his motivation and downfall. Casino and The Aviator are also Scorsese stories centering around wealth and power.

Greed is a constant theme in movies because it’s a powerful force in our lives. Look no further than Killers of the Flower Moon, the true story of those who crave money so much they’ll systematically murder a group of people.

Read More: What Hollywood Wants (and How to Give It to Them): Intellectual Property Adaptations

'The Wolf of Wall Street' (2013)

Violence Comes Quick and Easy

Scorsese doesn’t hold back on violence in his movies. They’re as gruesome as they are flawless in their execution. In The Irishman, hitman Frank Sheeran (Robert DeNiro) nonchalantly will shoot someone in the back of the head. The Departed is another example of abrupt violence that comes easily, especially in the last ten minutes of the movie.

Similarly, in Killers of the Flower Moon, violence and death are carried out by professionals who know that brevity is key.

In one scene in particular, which I won’t spoil because you probably won’t see it coming anyway, one man tosses a burlap sack over a man’s head and pushes him down an alley where a second man stabs him to death. Violence in Scorsese movies, if done by a “professional,” won’t be long-winded with pleading from the victim or hesitancy by the killer – it’s quick, easy, and often unexpected.

Read More: What to Consider When Writing Violence

The True Story

Looking back at Scorsese’s feature films, most involve the telling of a true story. From Raging Bull to Goodfellas and The Aviator to The Wolf of Wall Street, Scorsese has delivered classic films about the struggles of real people who have fought against the odds in pursuit of their dreams.

Killers of the Flower Moon is based on a true story. The book it’s named after, however, goes far deeper into the Bureau of Investigations aspect than the intimate lives of the Osage people and those conspiring to take their wealth.

Scorsese, who co-wrote the film, took only a fraction of the source material and changed it to reflect the story he was more passionate to tell. For screenwriters or storytellers eager to bring a true story to life, the amount of material they encounter is overwhelming. The key is to focus on what the story is about and never divert from that concept.

‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (2023)

The Aviator didn’t show much of Howard Hughes’s childhood because the story was about his early adult life and ascent into becoming a film director and aerospace tycoon, both of which involved aviation – a twenty snapshot of a life that expanded more than 70 years. The movie was The Aviator and focused on that aspect of his life.

Somewhere there is a story of the creation of the FBI (J. Edgar touched on that), but Scorsese’s efforts were the killers and Osage people, which involved the true-life relationship between Ernest and Mollie.

Read More: How to Master Creative Liberties in True Story Screenplays

Real People, Fake Dialogue

In the first scene between Ernest and his uncle, William Hale (Robert DeNiro), the two discuss everything from Ernest’s wartime experiences to the type of women he’s attracted to as well as the oil boom in the region. This scene reveals a lot regarding who these two characters are, their relationship to one another, and their place in the world. And yet, it’s likely none of this conversation truly took place but rather had to be invented to advance the story.

Sometimes there are records of conversations, but most of the time the majority of dialogue in a true story has to be made up. Scorsese has to have taken this approach with any number of his previous films based on real life. The intimate scenes on the golf course in The Aviator between Hughes and Katherine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett) were likely fabricated. 

'The Aviator' (2004)

Casino is another Scorsese classic that boasts that it’s a fictional story with characters adapted from a true story – in fact, much of the dialogue between DeNiro and Joe Pesci in that film was improvised and not lifted from real conversations.

Read More: 8 of the Best Book-to-Film Adaptations of the Past 8 Years

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Turning true events into a movie involves embellishing and changing settings, characters, and dialogue to tell a story that remains intriguing for an audience.  Scorsese is a master storyteller. He has the ability to put the audience into an exciting world and turn major life events into a feature film. Killers of the Flower Moon weaves a complicated story into a 3.5-hour narrative that educates, engages, and encourages the audience to look deeper into the tragic history of the Osage people.

Read More: 101 Story Prompts Based on True Events

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After graduating from college and interning at every East Coast film studio that would have him, Glassgold was living in New York City and managed to get himself hired to work in the marketing department for Disney. After Disney, he went to New Line Cinema where he worked on films from beginning to end and considers his time at New Line his film school experience because he was able to see the entire process of filmmaking from start to finish. Glassgold then came out to Los Angeles to pursue making bigger films, including 2009’s Hurricane Season, starring Forest Whitaker. Ultimately, he wanted to create his path by focusing on short stories and films.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Glassgold, who is also a VIP juror in ScreenCraft's Cinematic Short Story Competition, about his career and his love of shorts. Check out the interview below and then continue on for three big takeaways. 

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The Magic and Malleability of Short Stories

You may be aware that short stories are having a moment in pop culture. From original short story threads on Reddit to film adaptations like Wes Anderson’s recent short film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (adapted from the short story by Roald Dahl on Netflix), there’s a reason why short stories are suddenly so popular. 

“Short stories are very malleable – on every level,” says Scott Glassgold. If you consider the limited scope of a short story, he says, “They are a lot easier to refine and to get absolutely right versus a [short] film where you’ve got three days and you pray you’ve got everything you need.”

Glassgold says it’s much easier for everyone, from producers to talent, to see the grand potential of a short story. “What I found in the early stage of developing a screenplay, is that getting people to commit to the blueprint of a screenplay can feel very binding. ‘If I’m saying yes to this, I’m committing to this precise thing and I find that can be daunting.’ It inhibits people from saying yes. Whereas a short story is a nice, intermediary level to come on board, both entrepreneurially and creatively where you can still shape it,” he says. 

He adds that you can also add and subtract story elements from a short story but it’s harder with a screenplay. “It sort of creates that Jenga element where if you pull something out it all falls apart.” 

But he’s definitely not discouraging people from writing a screenplay. “There’s nothing more glorious than a perfect spec script. There’s nothing better than an amazing short [film]. All these things are incredibly viable and I welcome them all with open arms.” Short stories are the medium where Glassgold feels most creative and likes to work in. 

Read More: 5 Reasons You Should Write a Short Story

The Benefits of Having Studio Experience  

Many people come to Hollywood with big dreams but it can take years to get that first big break. Any struggling writer will tell you to get a day job that pays the bills so you can write at night and on weekends. But for Scott Glassgold, working in multiple studios gave him an education he doesn’t think he could have gotten anywhere else. He believes those experiences have served him well.  

“I think those experiences [working for a film studio] are invaluable – working at a studio at any level,” he says. “First of all, from a global perspective, being in that system and seeing how it works. Even if you don’t end up there in your career, you’re ultimately going to be interfacing with them. Having exposure to that culture, the mindset, the group think – for better or for worse – it’s invaluable.” Especially helpful to Glassgold was working in Disney’s marketing department. “When you’re talking about making a film that’s going to be released by a studio, marketing is essential. Certainly when it comes to getting your movie bought and the release. I learned a lot about studio culture and decided it wasn’t for me.” 

If you decide to get your feet wet in the studio system, don’t expect to know if it’s the right fit on your first day interning. He says he’s come to his own observations in retrospect and believes you can’t be overly calculating at the start of your career. But he thinks there’s a lot of benefit to throwing yourself into the studio mix. “All my experiences were really defining, really informative and I still lean on them today,” he says. 

Creating a Productive Partnership Between Writer and Manager

Scott Glassgold says it was never his intention to manage writers but when he came across some incredibly talented short filmmakers, he could see they needed some direction and that was a niche he knew he could fill. He now has a curated arsenal of prose writers and filmmakers and takes those relationships very seriously - even comparing the bond to marriage. 

“I say this as someone who’s been married for a really long time, but it does become a relationship and a partnership… You learn to support and give and understand. I really thrive on the people that I work with, but also when you start to work with someone, you have to ask yourself, ‘Are you going to want to get a text from this person at 7 a.m.? Or a text from this person at 12 p.m.? You have to be excited about them as a person and as a creator. They’re sort of like your co-workers or collaborators in a way, so it’s got to be fun. If it’s not fun, I don’t think it’s the right partnership,” he says. 

Glassgold, like most literary managers, says choosing to represent a writer isn’t just about liking the work they present on the page, it’s also about how the writer presents themself when they’re in a room together. “The best work comes when you can remove ego from the equation. That’s in taking notes and giving notes - a creator receiving notes and not getting defensive. Someone giving notes as an idea, knowing it may not be the right idea, and creating the ecosystem where through that process, devoid of ego, hopefully, the best work presents itself.”

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The bottom line is that becoming a writer in Hollywood takes enormous energy and commitment and people need to like working with you, no matter how good your writing is. Cultivate all your relationships in the industry, take them seriously, and consider writing a short story as your next project. However, you choose to spend your time, make sure it’s your passion that’s driving you. 

“You have to surround yourself with people with the same mentality and work ethic. This isn’t the easiest profession. If you’re not all-in and doing everything you need to do to get that edge — there’s a good chance it’s not going to happen for you. You want the person who’s all-in. You can’t half-ass it,” says Scott Glassgold. Great advice. 

Read More: How to Write a Short Story

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What are the most essential elements of cinematic screenplays? Here are some general guidelines.

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5 Elements of Cinematic Screenplays

1. A Focus on Actions and Reactions

Because film and television are visual mediums, audiences want the story to be told through actions and reactions. A screenplay that focuses more on showing rather than telling is a sign of a cinematic screenplay. Action and reactions allow the cinematic story to flow at a quicker pace.

1. Introduce the conflict.
2. Show the characters reacting to the conflict.
3. Show the consequences of their actions.
4. And have them react to those consequences.

2. Smaller Story Windows and Streamlined Timelines

In the film Lincoln, Steven Spielberg could have tried to depict the whole presidency of Abraham Lincoln but wisely decided on choosing a smaller story window within his presidency — in this case, Lincoln’s struggle to emancipate the slaves.

That allowed for a more cinematic experience for the audience than what could equate to a documentary by showcasing his whole story.

Read More: How to Succeed the Steven Spielberg Way

In the book version of Lords of the Rings: The Two Towers, Tolkien spends 200 pages with one set of the Fellowship. Then he goes back in time to cover Frodo and Sam's journey into Mordor. This would be a questionable narrative structure choice in a film. The cinematic option was to cut back and forth between those storylines. That offered a more streamlined cinematic feel.

Read More: The Hero's Journey Breakdown: The Lord of the Rings

Presenting the story's structure in a more streamlined fashion helps keep the audience focused on the chronological structure of the narrative. When you keep the timelines between different storylines simple and chronological, you present a more cinematic experience for the script reader and audience.

3. Swift Scene Description

Scene description holds the key to the success of your cinematic screenplay. You want the reader to decipher the visuals you are describing in your scene description as quickly as possible — as if they were reels of film flashing before their eyes.

Read More: Essential Movies Taught in Film School

Sadly, most novice screenwriters fail to understand the importance of writing cinematically. Instead, they either focus on directing the camera or go into specific detail with long-winded scene descriptions and prose.

In this first example, we have scene description that is more interested in prose than it is presenting a visual.

This scene description block isn’t the worst we’ve seen. Two sentences in one block and one long sentence in another. A lesser writer would have used another paragraph to go further into detail, trying to capture some particular atmosphere for what is basically one image for the reader to visualize.

This second example is a version of the same opening of the same scene but with the focus of getting to the point swiftly so the reader can see the visuals in their head as quickly as possible.

The latter example is cinematic scene description.

Read More: Screenwriting Tips on Writing Action That Pops

4. Writing How a Film Editor Edits

Novice screenwriters often worry too much about the plot, as opposed to cinematically communicating that plot. They outline the scenes, make sure the proper plot points are placed here and there, and then when they write, they simply create scenes that lead the plot forward, often with dialogue that tells rather than shows.

This describes about 98% of the scripts floating around Hollywood agencies, management companies, and development offices right now.

The top 1% deliver on offering a hybrid of great concepts, great stories, great characters and great cinematic reads.

Film editing is a critical factor in the success of any film. Every choice the editor makes drastically affects the emotional engagement of any story, plot point, scene, sequence, or character.

The choices an editor makes are vital to the telling of a cinematic story. And it's certainly not just about what is left on the cutting room floor, instead, it's about vital yet straightforward choices like:

1. When to enter and exit a scene
2. How much or how little dialogue is used
3. What emotions are shown
4. What point of views are utilized
5. What transitions are made from scene to scene, and what those transitions are telling us

These are choices that screenwriters need to make to create a more cinematic read that feels like the reader is watching the movie in its final cut.

It's not about presenting camera angles and camera directions. It's about presenting a visceral experience on the page. And this goes for any genre, including dramas.

5 Pro Screenwriting Tactics to Write How a Film Editor Edits

Offer a Visual Treat in the Opening Pages

Imagine the opening visual and conjure the dramatic, scary, thrilling or funny moments that follow. Imagine how you can quickly introduce characters while still showcasing elements of who they are. We covered this well in our blog posts How to Introduce Multiple Characters Quickly and How to Introduce Ensemble Characters in Dramas.

But even more important, offer something that engages the reader visually.

Here's where most screenwriters make a mistake. They think that dialogue and some story point is a way to engage a reader in the opening pages. Human beings respond more to visual references. The best way to provide that cinematic experience is to conjure visuals that engage, rather than just some smart, interesting, or shocking dialogue or plot point.

You accomplish this by describing something that creates a visceral response in the reader. Something memorable. The late Wes Craven opened with this visceral scene in Scream that centered on the fear of being alone or stalked.

It's cinematic because we don't open with the setup of her character. We don't meet her parents first. We don't meet her boyfriend. We're thrust right into the middle of the moment.

Case Study: The Thing

John Carpenter, the king of throwing us into the concept quickly, opened his classic sci-fi horror The Thing like this...

We aren't introduced to the ensemble characters first. We aren't introduced to their setting and group dynamics as a lesser script would have delivered.

• First, we're offered a visual of a spaceship falling into Earth's atmosphere.
• Then we're immediately in the action of a helicopter chasing — and shooting at — a wolf.
• We watch as the wolf runs into the facility seeking refuge while the helicopter shooter exits and begins to fire at it while screaming at the main characters of the film in a foreign language.
• Finally, the shooter is taken out by one of the main characters.

This opening is accomplished almost entirely by visuals, and now we're wondering how the visual of the spaceship entering Earth's atmosphere is related to what followed. That's cinematic.

Case Study: There Will Be Blood

Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood focuses solely on visuals as we are thrown into the lead character's life.

We go from scene to scene of him:

• Surviving the elements
• Mining
• Getting hurt
• And then finally succeeding in finding his fortune.

It's a visceral sequence that is edited perfectly as we:

• Wonder who this character is
• See how driven he is
• Learn that he'll stop at nothing to succeed.

You, the writer, can and should write like these opening sequences are edited.

Intercut Different Scenes Together to Break Up Longer Scenes

If you have a more extended scene that needs to be featured, think like an editor and figure out how you can break up that scene by intercutting it with other scenes, jumping from location to location, from this character to that, etc.

Go from one to the other, back and forth, rather than just offering a bland collection of scenes built up on top of each other. That’s not how most great films feel when we’re in the theater. Why? Because they’ve been edited to convey a certain energy, flow, and style.

Don't Edit from Plot, Edit from Instinct

As mentioned before, too many screenwriters focus on plotting the script out as they write and edit. Trust your instincts to create that cinematic "cut" of your script. What do you feel are the best cinematic choices when moving from one scene to the next? What works best visually?

The problem with supposed screenwriting "formulas for success" — Save the Cat, etc. — is that they breed formulaic screenplays. They teach you to write and edit from plot rather than from instinct. You've been watching movies and television your whole life. Trust this now-embedded visual storytelling instinct to offer answers to the sole question of "What do we see next?"

What Do We See Next?

It's not about going to the outline to see what comes next in the story. It's not about following some formula or structure. Writing like an editor edits is all about what we see next and why.

• Don't be afraid to end a scene with a character gazing at the murky water and then opening the next scene on a close-up of that or another character washing their bloodied hands in the sink.
• Don't be afraid to end a scene with a character threatening another in a violent rage and then open the next scene on that victim being discovered as a corpse floating in a lake.

Both examples that would otherwise be simple but effective film editing choices are types of visual elements that screenwriters should be embracing within each page of their script and every transition between scenes.

Pay Specific Attention to Rhythm

The great editor Walter Murch (Apocalypse Now) said it best when talking about editing:

"It's all about rhythm."

Some will say that great editing is seamless and unnoticeable. When we're talking about rhythm, that rings true. For screenwriting, the same applies. However, sometimes following the rhythm of an emotional moment forces us to make transitions to scenes in a creative manner. Some emotional scenes play better if you jarringly cut to the next scene.

If someone is agitated after an argument with another character, the next scene could open with them back home, tearing apart their apartment. We don't have to see them leave the previous location, walk home, enter, and then begin to wreak havoc. Instead, we go from the emotion of the argument to the emotion of their reaction sometime later.

Screenwriters can follow the emotional rhythm of the story and the character from scene to scene by making the right choices that offer cinematic transitions for the reader to easily comprehend.

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries Blackout, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller Hunter’s Creed, and many Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies

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Based on the book The Antisocial Network by Ben Mezrich, Dumb Money is directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) and written by Lauren Schuker Blum & Rebecca Angelo. The film centers on regular guy Keith Gill (Paul Dano), who sinks his life savings into the GameStop stock, then posts about it on Reddit and makes YouTube videos as a cat-loving persona named Roaring Kitty. When his social posts start blowing up, so does his life and the lives of everyone following him. 

I spoke to screenwriters Schuker Blum and Angelo as they supported the film at the Toronto International Film Festival in their capacity as Executive Producers while standing in solidarity with the writers on strike. They talked about the similarities between the financial industry and the Hollywood system, the challenge of creating a “populist hero” on film and humanizing the super-rich characters. 

Read More: 5 Ways to Crack the Code of Writing Great Movie Adaptations

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Depicting a Broken System – IRL and on Film

Both Schuker Blum and Angelo wore T-shirts that said “WGA Strong” for our Zoom interview. The former Wall Street Journal reporters compared the Hollywood studio system to the financial industry.  

“This is a movie about recognizing that the system is broken and people coming together through collective action to achieve change,” said Angelo, “It’s what happened on Wall Street, and it’s the exact same story we are going through in Hollywood. People are justifiably angry because power, information and wealth are concentrated among an elite few and there’s no dignity to our labor anymore. The system is rigged and it’s unfair and the only path forward in our view is through transparency. That’s exactly what the crew who followed Keith Gill was fighting for and that’s what we’re fighting for, too.”  

Schuker Blum agreed, saying, “The biggest takeaway from writing this movie is that transparency is the only path back to fairness in our society.”

The pair of progressive, forward-thinking screenwriters met 11 years ago when they were working as hard-hitting journalists. But as their stories kept getting cut to shorter and shorter pieces, sometimes only 60-word “information packets” they knew they wanted to make a career change. Writing movies with a social message appealed to them and didn’t seem that far out of their wheelhouse.  

 “We’re storytellers first and foremost. As journalists, we used our research skills to get to the truth of human beings and depict their stories and create empathy. Now we’re trying to do that with cinema,” says Schuker Blum. 

Dumb Money (2023)

Using a “Populist Hero” Archetype for a Protagonist

The most engaging, dynamic character in the film is that of Keith Gill, aka Roaring Kitty, aka Deep Fucking Value, who led the GameStop stock movement. 

Schuker Blum said writing Keith Gill was a new experience for her because he is a reluctant hero. “While he led this movement, he wasn’t seeking out the spotlight. In fact, through his actions, we see he doesn’t really like the spotlight. He’s retreated into his private life. We had to respect his privacy in the writing of the movie, too.” 

The character of Keith Gill represents the little guy, an underdog – he’s David in a David and Goliath story or even a Robin Hood archetype who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. But for Angelo, creating Keith Gill on screen went even deeper.   

“There are obvious comparisons with this film to The Big Short or The Wolf of Wall Street and the classic finance and tech movies like The Social Network. When we were crafting this screenplay and building the character of Keith, we really looked to Frank Capra more than anybody else, movies like It’s a Wonderful Life, and to the populist heroes of a previous generation and what it takes for a regular guy to live a life of greatness to do something so spectacular,” said Angelo.

For Schuker Blum, it was Keith Gill’s strong values and convictions that made the biggest impact. “I think that’s why his message resonated with so many people when he was talking about this stock for GameStop, a store at the mall. But what he’s really saying is, ‘Who’s to say this company has no value anymore? Should it be the 1%? Or should it be the customers who love it?’ It’s also why he’s such an independent thinker. He’s not swayed by Wall Street or the crowd. He had conviction, he was able to hold on when most people couldn’t hold on to a stock when they were losing $15 million a day – for him, that’s not something that swayed him one way or another,” she said. 

Angelo agreed, adding, “[Keith Gill’s] other name is Deep Fucking Value – and that’s what this movie is really it’s about it’s about who determines value in our society – whether that’s the 1% - because they have all the money and the power and the information or if there’s a way to take that back and say, no we determine the value.”

Dumb Money (2023)

Not Going Too Arch With Villains – Even Super Rich Ones

In the film, Seth Rogan plays Gabe Plotkin, the real-life hedge fund manager at Melvin Capital – who’s reportedly worth $400 million currently. But it was important to the writers to make him seem like a real person, not some supervillain. They said they had to show his humanity in the small details.  

“Yes,” says Angelo, “it’s true that Gabe Plotkin bought two side-by-side mansions in Miami Beach and tore one of them down to build a tennis court. Everyone knows those details and that’s why he can be seen as a mustache-twirling villain.”

But in one scene, Rogan doubles over to catch his breath as he tries to comprehend what’s actually happening with the GameStop stock. In those little moments, those characters show their humanity, says Angelo. There are also scenes where Plotkin and his wife discuss their finances in the bedroom of their home - something relatable to most people. 

Read More: What Hollywood Wants (and How to Give It to Them): Intellectual Property Adaptations

Dumb Money (2023)

Advice for Writing Movies About True Stories

Angelo’s advice to writers comes from her strong journalism background: “Start with the truth, know the full truth and only then do you begin to invent,” she said.

Schuker Blum agreed, saying, “We don’t make things up unless we have to. We haven’t been in the bedroom with Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogan) and his wife, so you have to invent the dialogue of that, but the truth is often stranger than fiction as they say. But making it fun and entertaining is our North Star.” 

“It’s not a plate of steamed broccoli,” says Angelo, “People want to be entertained and to be lifted up!”

“One of the reasons we were drawn to cinema,” says Schuker Blum, “is because you really can access empathy through film. Especially with real people, you have a duty to capture them with all your empathy and see them as a whole person.” 

Dumb Money opens in theaters in moderate release on Sept. 22 and wide release on Sept. 29. 

Read More: How Filmmaker Matt Smulker Told a Touching True Story with Wildflower

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Godzilla (2014)

Are they a tentacled beast from the depths of the sea? Are they an old god with cosmic powers?  Are they a rotting bulk of a man in coveralls that you cannot seem to kill? Are they a regular person driven to be murder-y? Are they a displaced soul in a child’s doll? Are they a car imbued with the essence of evil? Be they ghosts, vampires, masked slashers, drug-addled forest creatures, or some beast yanked from mythology – knowing your antagonist is essential before writing a scary story. In horror films especially, much of the motivation for your leads is going to be rooted in how they react to the danger they are faced with. 

Read More: The Art of Writing Horror: Constructing a Scare

Generally speaking, your characters are going to be at a disadvantage until the end of the movie.  Horror stories belong to the thing that is the source of the horror – even if we don’t see them. In fact, we shouldn’t see them too much in the first half… but that doesn’t mean we aren’t seeing a world affected by their existence.  

This is why you have to know your monster.  

Halloween Kills (2021)

The best thing about monsters is that you can literally make anything up and be on the right path.  You can use something from mythology or you can put a new spin on an old trope – whatever floats your boat. It’s also been repeatedly proven that you can take a very traditional, maybe even over-used monster like a vampire, a slasher, or a zombie and completely change the known rules and tropes. Remember when zombies didn’t run and vampires didn’t sparkle? Do what you want! 

But what if you don’t know what you want?  

The Four Categories of Monsters

Luckily for you, I’ve over-thought this very issue many, many times for myself, and I’m of the opinion that all monsters/antagonists in horror films can fit into a pretty tight taxonomy. At the top level, there are only four categories: The Intangible, The Living, The Dead and things from Folklore. 

The Intangible covers conceptual evils — hauntings that are pure bad vibes, the notion of death, science gone wrong, or the essence of evil sans a personality that imbues structures or objects. 

The Living covers all many of bad humans, animals, cryptids, and shapeshifters. This includes people with powers or magic on their side or anything that has a heart that pumps blood. 

The Dead is obvious — it covers reanimation, the undead, ghosts, spirits or anything that was once living and is somehow still around after not being alive anymore. 

Folklore is a wide classification as it includes mythology, theology, specific cultures and religions— so anything from demons and devils to chimera and monstrous legends to unknowable otherworldly space Gods. 

Obviously, there is all sorts of overlap between these things, and the categorizations are kind of loose. And because I am a weirdo with too much time on my hands (yay, strikes!), I’ve even made a chart: 

Monster Taxonomy

What Kind of Monster Fits Your Story?

So what kind of monster does your story need? Despite this complicated and expertly-organized chart, when it comes to writing your monster there are really only four different ways to go about portraying them. These four choices dictate which paradigm to follow, but also feel free to choose the one that best fits the kind of story you want to tell. A few outliers aside, almost every monster/antagonist in a horror film every scene fits into one of these “villain paradigms.”

1) The Bad Guy

Despite a monstrous nature, this creature has the mind of a human. Like any good antagonist, they should think they are the hero of the story, or at the very least, need something that they consider more important than human lives. The best way to develop this kind of character is to put them through the same sort of arc-planning as your lead character.

Give them motivation. (Keep in mind, “guy” is a gender-neutral term here and this is just the name of the paradigm.)

The Blob (1958)

2) The Unstoppable Force

Great for slashers, survival horror, and creature features, this angle treats your monster as something propelled by a SINGLE motivator. What’s fun is the audience could know what that motivator is, or not. What did The Blob want other than to absorb people and get bigger? All we really know is that they don’t stop. Generally, you want to find an arc where they may be more mysterious or weak at first and grow (perhaps literally) as the story chugs along.

3) From Darkness

This strategy is all about the monsters that hide in the dark. It’s possible they are smart like a person, but most likely are some sort of lesser intelligence. But they should be smart enough to know how to track, hunt, and strike at just the right moment. Think snatch and grab – you want isolated kills. Its arc should lead to it being more like an unstoppable force in the third act of your story. Generally, they have a task or habit they are enacting or are satisfying some sort of need. 

4) Cause and Effect

Something has started the evil on its path and will continue until it is put away again or stopped. It will start quiet, and stay hidden (sometimes in plain sight) or look innocent at first, then will become more overtly evil and dangerous as the story progresses. If intelligence is a factor it will get more clever as time passes. It usually wants something very specific and will get it by any means necessary.

Child's Play (1988)

Whether we are talking about a giant monster stomping a city to bits, a possessed doll hiding in a child’s room, or a ghost with a grudge, the final piece is the point of view.

Read More: 9 Simple Lessons for Writing Effective Horror Screenplays

The more an audience sees and knows, the less scary things are, so always remember to arc the tension around a monster. Godzilla, Michael Myers, and a Xenomorph all have very different applications of screen time. It all depends on the type of movie you writing, and how you want to play with tension — is it a rollercoaster or a sweeping arc of anxiety? 

Alien vs. Predator (2004)

Writing films comes down to making choices. Writing horror films comes down to making choices with the intent to scare people, so drop some bodies and scare away!

Additionally, if you’d like to read more about crafting horror films, check out my free-to subscribe substack.  

The pieces there, as well as this article, are all slightly edited versions of chapters of my book, The Scary Movie Writer’s Guide.  

It’s a 115-page workbook full of activity sheets, quizzes, exercises and practices designed to help anyone go from generating ideas to writing a full outline to write their own horror film. If you're interested in more, you can buy the book here.

Read More: A Horror Writer's Responsibility: What to Consider When Writing Violence

Get professional notes on your horror script!

The post How to Make a Monster  appeared first on ScreenCraft.

1.) Enjoy Greater Creative Freedom

Unlike their longer counterparts, there are almost no traditional mandates for what a short film script should contain — aside from an exciting or moving story. Short scripts can rely on dialogue or be fully silent. They can feature just one character or even opt to replace a protagonist in the traditional sense with a setting. Tone poems and other “artsy” short film genres completely subvert the usual prescribed must-haves for a film project. While scripts for these may look more like treatments than screenplays, writing one can push the boundaries for an artist’s notion of what a story actually is and allow them to explore their narrative creativity in new ways. 

Read More: 101 Story Prompts to Kickstart Your Short Film

2.) Streamline Your Revision Process

Revision is the most important, but often most painful part of being a writer. Finding people to give notes. Figuring out which of those notes will actually make the story better. Applying the notes, and repeating. It’s far easier to practice this notes process — which, like all components of writing, requires practice — with shorter scripts. Readers have more time for a 5-pager than a feature script. Use a short film script to learn who in your network enjoys your style, what kind of notes they give and how eager they would be to read a larger piece from you. 

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3.) Try a No-Fear Page-One Rewrite

Whenever a writer receives the advice to try starting a script over from scratch, it can send us reeling. “Is there nothing of value in this draft?” we ask. But sometimes the solution is to attack a story from a completely different angle. The great thing about a short film script is that it can take less than a day to draft one from concept to completion. And if a writer is curious about what the story might look like from the perspective of another character, or even with a totally different tone or genre lens, playing around with the shortest version of it is relatively pain-free.

Read More: Write Your Short Film in 7 Days

4.) Distill Your Unique Narrative Voice

It’s just as easy, if not easier, to leave a reader with a desired impression via a shorter script. So, it’s beneficial to consider using short scripts to represent your distinct writer's “voice” while you are building a reputation. With less page space to fill, the nuances of your tone and style are amplified. If you’re a comedy writer, your funniest punchline will be the reader’s takeaway. If you write a thriller, your twists won’t get tangled in backstory or B-plot. Writing a short script allows you to shine a light on your favorite facets of your writing, which makes your work more distinctly “you.”  

Read More: 4 Lessons Taylor Swift Can Teach You About Storytelling

5.) Spend Less (Or No) Money on Promotion

Just like feature-length screenplays and teleplays, there is a contest/competition market for short scripts. And guess what? Their fees are understandably lower. Festival-based contests allow short script awardees to participate in all the same on-site networking activities as feature-length screenplay winners. If you’ve earned a place of honor at the same festival as someone who paid a higher entry fee and spent more time writing a longer script, haven’t you come out on top? But there are also some significant free opportunities to promote a short script. I’ve had several of my short scripts reviewed at no cost.

6.) Wear More Creative Hats in Production

The intuitive step for writers looking to expand into directing or producing — or, even acting — is to focus on short-form content. Most short scripts are going to have an independent, non-commercial path to production. That means the financial stakes are lower and there’s more room to try new things and make learners’ mistakes. So, if you’re looking to build up a multihyphenate resume, writing a short film script and helping to see it through production could be your answer. 

Read More: 10 Great Short Films You Can Watch Online Right Now

7.) Increase the Likelihood of Production

Short scripts usually necessitate low-to-no-budget productions, with very few exceptions. At the end of the day, screenwriters write for the screen. And having made it there puts a writer in a better position than one who has not. Whether for student productions or showpieces for working professionals, short scripts are more likely to be produced by people other than their writers compared to long-form pieces. This is because they are a filmmaker’s first stop for a creative showpiece, as full pilots and features have more structured and guarded paths to production. They’re often made with skeleton crews, few locations, minimal shoot days and shared equipment. You might be surprised by the high production value that a short script can inspire, even with a minimal budget.

Read More: 6 Features That Started Out as Short Films 

8.) Open the Door for Your Longer Projects

Another anecdote from my personal vault: a 15-minute web short almost turned into a half-hour series featuring and executive produced by Emmy-winning stars Sheryl Lee Ralph and Niecy Nash. And while “almost” doesn’t pay the bills, you can bet that completing even a short-form project with these names led to development for my longer projects. Your work doesn’t need to be long to pack the kind of punch that draws the right talent to launch your career. Film festivals demonstrate this every year with their short film offerings — and it’s something anyone can achieve.

So, what are you waiting for?

Try your hand at a short film script today and know that ScreenCraft has got you covered throughout the process. 

Read More: How to Write Short Stories That Make An Emotional Impact

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

The post 8 Reasons Why You Should Write a Short Film Script appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Over the last several years, Swift has been shifting toward filmmaking, expanding on her highly detailed storytelling skills that already exist in each of her songs since the beginning of her songwriting career. While Swift hasn’t directed anything longer than 15 minutes, her short film  All Too Well: The Short Film, showcased her talents as a storyteller on another level. Her talents are in her storytelling, which captures a tiny, nuanced moment in her life. 

Let’s take a look at the lessons we can learn from Swift’s career as an emerging filmmaker, and how you can incorporate them into your workflow. 

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Use Your Experiences

One of the factors that makes each of Swift’s projects stand out amongst the crowd is the narrative she crafts. Each song she writes tells a story. The specificity of the lyrics describes events, visuals, and feelings that seem to come from lived experiences. These are stories that no one else could have written because nobody experienced these moments the way Swift did. 

One of Swift’s favorite quotes is Nora Ephron’s motto of “Everything is copy,” which means that every single aspect of your lived experiences can be used in your creative work. Everything that happens, good or bad, can be used as material for our writing. This could include personal experiences, observations, and even our mistakes. Don’t be afraid if the idea isn’t wholly original. Instead, discover the details that make this story specific to your life. Personal experiences are valuable and can be used to create meaningful and resonant writing.

Read More: Write Your Short Film in 7 Days

Pay Attention to the Details

Throughout Swift’s entire career, there is a meta-narrative that Swift has been carefully crafting since her debut in 2006 by embedding easter eggs and hints in her song lyrics, album notes, media posts, and music videos. The symbolism and imagery have grown over time to a point that fans use abbreviations, coded catchphrases, and references that build a bigger world that seems foreign to anyone outside Swift’s carefully built world. 

Swift is a master at crafting an ongoing narrative because she pays as much attention to the details as her fans do. From each inch of a frame of her music videos to how much information she can deliver in as few words as possible. To Swift, the details matter. To Swift’s fans, the details matter. Needless to say, the details are what make crafting a story, be that a single narrative or the metanarrative that ties your entire catalog of work together, exciting for you and those interacting with the world you are creating. 

Read More: How to Incorporate Visuals Into Your Screenplay

Use Strong Visuals to Evoke Emotion

During Swift’s 1989 era, her music videos took a step away from a direct translation of her lyrics to a more cinematic story that plays along with an idea in the song. Taking a note from her long-time director Joseph Kahn, Swift obsessively storyboards her music videos, filling each video tightly with visuals that evoke the emotions of the song. 

“One of my favorite parts of directing music videos is the daydream/prep phase: writing up a treatment, a shot list, and working with an animator to storyboard it out ahead of time,” Swift wrote on her socials. “Thanks to illustrator Vincent Lucido, we can check off our shots as we go. A video showing the before and after of the willow video is out now.” 

Swift’s storyboarding is a natural extension of her already masterful storytelling. The details in the frame both play to and add to the already existing metanarrative while creating a visual narrative that the audience wouldn’t hear in her song lyrics. A recent example comes from the “Karma” music video when Swift sings the line, “Karam is the guy on the screen coming straight home to me,” and the oar cuts through the water, breaking up the image of Swift singing these lines. This line likely references Swift’s relationship with actor Joe Alwyn which ended sometime between the release of the song and the release of the music video. The oar that breaks the reflecting image of Swift singing this line highlights the changes in Swift’s life while adding visual layers to the overarching narrative of Swift’s personal life in her work. 

There is power in showing the audience a detail that lends itself to the visual subtext and overall themes of your story. 

Read More: How to Write Short Stories That Make An Emotional Impact

Just Keeping Writing

Like any other skill, your storytelling can improve if you keep practicing and letting others read your work. Not every single story you write will be gold, but not writing at all would be devastating to your screenwriting career. 

During one of the Variety Directors on Directors conversations, Swift told writer/director Martin McDonagh that she feels freer to create because “the more you create, hopefully, the less pressure you put on yourself.” As a screenwriter, it is important to stick to a writing schedule to achieve writing goals, build your creative momentum, and sharpen your writing skills, which will make the next writing project (hopefully) easier. 

While we can’t be Taylor Swift, there are lessons we can pull from her success as a storyteller and implement them into our creative processes. Don’t be afraid to use moments from your life to influence a story, pay attention to the details that make the visuals stand out, and just keep writing, even if you don’t feel like it. You might surprise yourself along the way. 

Read More: Tips For Staying Inspired Between the Highs and Lows of Screenwriting

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

The post 4 Lessons Taylor Swift Can Teach You About Storytelling appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Some attended film school (George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola). Others created their own film school by watching and studying movies (Quentin Tarantino).

Whether you get your knowledge from film school, studying movie catalogs, reading screenwriting books, taking online courses or diving into screenwriting software to conjure scenes, there's a wealth of knowledge from many different places. And even the most successful professionals will tell you that screenwriting education never ends. You're always adapting and evolving as a screenwriter.

With that in mind, here we peel back the layers of screenwriting education by ranking the top five ways to learn how to write screenplays. We'll delve into the strengths and weaknesses of each, starting from what we feel is the overall least effective to the most effective of the five.

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Top Five Screenwriting Education Options Ranked

5. Film School

We're not knocking education here. If you can attend a university — film school or not — we highly recommend it. When it comes to film school, it's ranked the least effective because it depends on where you go.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the top five film schools are:

1. American Film Institute
2. New York University — Tisch School of Arts
3. University of Southern California — Los Angeles (USC)
4. Chapman University
5. Cal Arts

Read More: A Complete Guide to the Best Film Schools in the U.S.

But not everybody can afford to go to film school — or make the move to different cities and states to attend. The benefit of going to one of the best is that you're usually learning from seasoned professionals. Most other film schools — or media programs — are limited in screenwriting mentors with industry experience. While instructors from those schools may have knowledge to share, you can learn a lot more from other resources.

And there is no screenwriting bachelor's degree. Film schools will focus more on the filmmaking aspects of the industry, with screenwriting as one of the classes required for a film school degree or degree in media.

The true benefit of film school is attending the options with the most connections with the Film/TV industry (AFI, USC, CAL ARTS, UCLA). You can utilize those mentor and peer connections you make to expand your industry network post-graduation.

Read More: Should Screenwriters Go to Film School?

4. Online Courses and Mentorship Programs

Just a notch above film school lies a much more affordable option — online courses and mentorship programs. These types of online options are usually offered by individuals who have had some industry experience, be it as professional screenwriters, former Hollywood executives, or former industry script readers and story analysts.

You're getting pretty much the same advice and instruction you would be receiving from lower-tier film school or media programs, but for a fraction of the price.

The benefits are that you'll be guided through the basic industry guidelines and expectations regarding story development, screenplay format, structure, characterization, dialogue, and marketing. These basics are all that you need to begin your screenwriting journey.

With mentorship programs, you'll also benefit from having one-on-one access to mentors who can help guide you through the learning process.

We rank online courses and mentorship programs above film school for easier access when it comes to the financial and geographical hurdles of attending film school. Again, the benefits outweigh the easier access and more affordable online options if you can attend the top programs with the most industry connections. But if you can't, you can get the same — if not better — screenwriting education than lower-tier film school or media programs.

3. Screenwriting Books

Screenwriting books can be an excellent way for screenwriters to search for industry knowledge, wisdom, perspective, philosophy, experience, tips, and instruction.

• You can learn the basics from format to structure in books like The Screenwriter's Bible.
• You can dive deeper into story analysis with Robert McKee's Story.
• You can apply or learn from theoretical formulas like those found in Save the Cat!
• You can seek wisdom from mythological structure in Chris Vogler's The Writer's Journey.
• You can gain behind-the-scenes knowledge from successful blockbuster screenwriters in Writing Movies for Profit.

There are so many screenwriting books packed with knowledge, experience and instruction. For some professional screenwriters, the best film school experience was reading screenwriting books in the Barnes and Noble Film/TV aisle.

Yes, you need to pick and choose wisely. But you always get a wide variety of options that you can cherry-pick from as you develop your own style and philosophy.

Screenwriting books are obviously more affordable and available to screenwriters compared to film school, online classes, and mentorship programs. And the best ones are usually written by industry professionals with a background in screenwriting, studio development, and studio coverage.

Read More: The Best Screenwriting Books for Screenwriters

2. Becoming a Script Reader

Beyond learning the basics of format, structure, story, and characterization, there's no better screenwriting education — beyond actually doing it (see below) — than becoming a script reader.

A script reader is someone who is tasked with reading and evaluating screenplay submissions. In short, they offer script notes.

• Interns and assistants for production companies, agencies, and management companies.
• Professional script readers and story analysts for studios, networks, and streamers.
• Screenplay contest, competition, and fellowships readers and judges.

As a script reader, you'll be asked to read multiple submissions and write script coverage that ascertains whether or not a script should advance to the next competition round or higher-tier development decision-makers.

Why is this position the best overall screenwriting education? Because you're reading examples of the best screenwriting out there, as well as the worst.

• 95% of the scripts that script readers read are horrible — or just not ready. You will quickly start to see the red flags and glaring mistakes made by scripts like these.
• 4% of the scripts read by readers are average. As a screenwriter, you can use this knowledge to understand the difference between an average script and one that is good enough to get purchased and produced.
• 1% (usually less than) of the script being read are fantastic, for any number of reasons. They are few and far between, but when you find them, you'll truly see what kind of script goes the distance.

The educational aspect of being a script reader is one of the greatest hidden treasures in the industry. Reading multiple scripts each week — the amazing, the average and the bad — will help you master screenwriting format, structure, dialogue, prose, theory, genre dynamics, etc. You'll be many steps ahead of the pack.

Read More: How to Become a Hollywood Script Reader

1. Learn By Writing Scripts

Notice how we didn't use the singular. You don't learn screenwriting by writing a single script. In fact, your first script is always your worst. You learn by writing multiple scripts and learning from both your triumphs and failures.

Most successful screenwriters write multiple scripts before they write the marque script that got them representation, a sale, an assignment, or a produced project. And you need to have a stack of amazing screenplays to truly draw decision-makers' attention, primarily because the first thing you're asked after that first general meeting is, "What else do you have?"

Reading and evaluating the screenplays of others is truly the best screenwriting education you can receive — before (or while) you start writing multiple scripts of your own.

• When you get feedback from mentors and peers, you'll learn how to take feedback and notes.
• As you later begin to submit to contests, competitions, and fellowships to test the waters, you'll hopefully opt to pay extra for the script coverage they offer. And then learn from the notes they give and your eventual placements.
• When you market and query production companies, managers, and development executives and get them to read your scripts, you can gauge what scripts are making an impact and what scripts aren't.
• As you begin to network and submit your scripts to various contacts you've made, you'll hopefully get feedback and be able to gauge responses.

But none of this happens until you've written multiple screenplays. You learn most by writing, failing, writing again, improving, failing, writing again, etc.

• Don't take six months to a year or more to write a screenplay.
• Try to write under professional deadlines (2-3 months) to allow more time to move on to other scripts.
• Learn how to move on to the next script as quickly as possible while also writing excellent material in the process.

You'll learn the most from your triumphs and your failures. Ultimately, that is the best screenwriting education you'll ever receive. And know that professionals making a living are still learning with every single screenplay they write.

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, and Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries BLACKOUT, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller HUNTER'S CREED, and many produced Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies and Instagram @KenMovies76.

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

The post What is the Best Screenwriting Education? appeared first on ScreenCraft.

A series of underwhelming showings at the box office would indicate that the argument for Intellectual Property (IP) no longer has the standing power it once did. Streamers continue to pour out easily-accessible content while big studios traditionally send major motion pictures to the cinema needing an all-but sure thing to get butts into the seats. And, Netflix alone released over 70 new films on its streaming service in 2022 versus six released by Warner Bros. and 19 by Universal Studios.

Contest opens in 6 days  |  Remind Me

But it’s not as easy or reliable as it once was (it never really was).

Lackluster performances for perceived highly-anticipated summer films like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and Fast X may show that audiences aren’t interested in just another sequel. That’s not a slight on the filmmaking itself, but a look at the fatigue that sets in for the fifth, seventh or tenth sequel, respectively.

But it’s hard to argue that IP doesn’t matter or that people won’t pay money to see these movies in theaters. Two films that have made over $500 million domestically this year so far have been Barbie (based on a decades-old doll) and The Super Mario Bros.Movie (based on a decades-old video game).

Barbie (2023)

So, is this the end of IP domination in favor of unique original stories? Or are we looking at an evolution in IP? Let's take a closer look.

IP will always matter

What is Intellectual Property?

Intellectual property can refer to any copyrighted material but let’s define IP as it relates to the film industry. It’s a piece of property that is not an original work for filmmakers to adapt. Spider-Man is based on the comic book IP. A film like M3GAN is original and doesn’t have any existing IP. A sequel of M3GAN will be based on existing IP though. Even the bible can be considered IP in the film industry.

The Importance of IP

You hear it all the time: showbusiness is a business. To run a business you need money, therefore, investment matters.

For decades, the United States was king of the box office, and still does for the most part where box office revenue is still the highest in the world. However, since (arguably) 2000, the shift has changed to overseas numbers so when a company wants to invest a few $100 million in a movie, they’re going to opt for the Transformers or Fast movie that will do decent business in the U.S. and dominate overseas (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts made two-thirds of its box office overseas; Fast X made almost 80% of its $700+ million box office overseas, according to Box Office Mojo).

The recognition of IP plays a lot into investors’ willingness to put their money into a project and expect a return partly due to its recognizability. Most of the films, from Marvel movies to sequels, don’t need to introduce themselves to the audience so the marketing efforts can focus on anticipation and release dates.

Just look at the highest-grossing movies of all time and you’ll struggle to find more than a handful in the top 100 that aren’t based on IP.

Read More: From a Producer's Perspective: How to Find and Acquire Intellectual Property

IP Fatigue

IP fatigue settles in when the audience doesn’t want to pay money for something they’ve already seen, and it can hurt box office numbers.

The recent Fast and the Furious sequel had a tremendous $700+ million worldwide box office haul of which 80% came from non-United States markets — pretty good for a summer tentpole. But the Fate of the Furious (the 8th in the series) in 2017 made $1.23 billion worldwide with nearly the same 80/20 split between the United States and the world. That particular sequel made $50 million more in the U.S. and $450 million more overseas than Fast X did.

(I didn’t use Fast 9 numbers because it was impacted by COVID-19)

Comic book movies are facing similar downward trends as the latest phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe chugs along. Part of the struggle might be the abundance of Marvel content and how it intersects.

For the upcoming The Marvels the film focuses on three main characters. However, it’s not just character introductions in a movie. To understand Captain Marvel, it probably wouldn’t hurt to see her title film Captain Marvel. For Kamala Khan you should probably watch the TV series Ms. Marvel. And then the third character, Monica Rambeau, made her debut on the TV series WandaVision – might want to watch that too.

These are barriers to box office business because casual Marvel filmgoers lack the sense of urgency that was felt during the first phase when it was easier to stay up to date with the characters in their respective films.

While studios can market more easily based on familiarity, audiences wonder what makes a particular film any different than previous iterations or what they need to see prior to going to the theater to understand the new piece of content. With so much high-quality content streaming, it’s hard for a filmgoer to justify spending the time and money on a movie that might feel stale.

Yet there are exceptions. In recent years, Everything, Everywhere All At Once, M3GAN, Parasite, Nope and Free Guy are all original films that had a decent run in theaters and even garnered some Academy Awards.

How IP Maintains Dominance

IP dominance is not a new thing. 100 years ago, two of the top-grossing movies were The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Ten Commandments, both silent, black and white, and based on intellectual property.

In 1939, the Batman comic was created and remains one of the most popular IPs today. That same year The Wizard of Oz, adapted from the 1900 novel, premiered in theaters and Wicked, the origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West is a hit Broadway musical and the movie adaptation is scheduled to hit theaters next year.

Both of those IPs were initially created 85 years ago, are still popular and still have their place in pop culture.

IP will not go away.

But is IP domination dead?

No... but it is evolving because the expectations of the audience are changing. Big action sequences and stellar special effects aren’t enough anymore, nor have they been for quite some time.

So, how is it evolving?

Movies as Events

What makes Barbie and Oppenheimer different than the other summer movies is the anticipation and the idea that “you have to see it.”

Not too many people watch the Superbowl the day after because it’s something you have to see live — it’s an event. Barbie and Oppenheimer are two movies you have to see as soon as you can, and that means in the theater. They are essentially events, as well.

The dominant IP of the last 20 years is dying (not quite dead). The original Iron Man and Captain America movies you had to see because it felt like something special and most people knew it was leading up to a massive conclusion. Avengers: Endgame was novel and exciting, it was something you had to see — and it currently ranks as the second highest-grossing movie of all time.

Original Takes on Existing IP

IP is just as important now as it ever was and it will continue to dominate movie theaters and streamers just as before. What matters is how that IP is created. Wednesday was a hit for Netflix, whereas The Addams Family may not have been as popular if it was a rehash of the old TV series. Cobra Kai is another example of IP that succeeded on streamers going from The Karate Kid film series to an episodic series. Neither one was a “dominant” IP, but it struck the right chord at the right time.

Intellectual Property will continue to dominate. The successful ones will evolve with the times.

Read More: What Hollywood Wants (And How to Give It To Them): Intellectual Property Adaptations

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

The post Is This the End of Existing IP Domination? appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Well, in honor of the late William Friedkin, a truly genre-defining filmmaker who passed away on August 7, 2023, let's explore what many consider his ultimate masterpiece that defined his legacy — The Exorcist — and find out why it's been one of the most influential horror films of all time for the past five decades.

Download the script for THE EXORCIST!

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What is The Exorcist About?

Based on William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel (which was based on a true story), The Exorcist tells the story of actress Chris MacNeil and her 12-year-old daughter Regan who begins to exhibit strange behavior. After seeking help from doctors and psychologists once Regan's condition becomes worse, Chris ultimately decides to ask Father Damien Karras for help to decide what is wrong with her.

As the title of the film might suggest, Karras determines Regan is possessed by the Devil and reluctantly agrees to perform a dangerous exorcism with the help of an experienced priest and paleontologist, Father Lankester Merrin

Read More: 25 Films You Have to Watch If You're Writing a Horror Script

The Special Effects in The Exorcist Were Amazing

One of the most notable aspects of the production of The Exorcist is the special effects. You know what I'm talking about — the throat swelling, the pea soup vomiting, and, hello, that demonic voice!

All of these things were created completely in-camera. Utilizing low-tech methods, Friedkin and his team managed to create graphic special effects practically (that means without the help of CGI or anything computer generated). And they were so convincing that theater-goers fainted, vomited, and just up and abandoned their friends in their theater seats.

Let's take a look at some of the most iconic effects used in the film.

Read More: How 'Evil Dead Rise' Carries on Sam Raimi's DIY Filmmaking Legacy

Regan’s Spinning Head Effect

In order to achieve Regan’s upsetting 360-degree neck turn, Friedkin’s special effects team created a fiberglass mold of Blair’s head set atop a rubber dummy used for the body — a creative and pioneering method that has become the norm for special effects houses. The team even added moving eyes and "breath" to the dummy head to make it all more concincing. 

The Spider Walk

In one particularly disturbing scene early in the film, we begin to see clues that something is wrong with Regan when she walks backward down the stairs on her hands with a mouthful of blood — a scene that was originally omitted from the theatrical release and added in later for the extended director’s cut.

Regan’s spider walk down the stairs was originally achieved with wires to help the stunt actress — though in the director’s cut, CGI was used to really seal the deal. 

Some fans have claimed that Friedkin’s decision to omit the spider walk in the original release made more sense from a story perspective — a great example of “killing your darlings” or in this case, your terrifying demonic possession details.

Freezing Sets

To create the illusion of a cold environment, filmmakers today will add a character's breath in post-production. That's not how it was done on The Exorcist.

Instead, the special effects team brought in restaurant-style air conditioners to lower the temperature of the Exorcist set to forty degrees, which made the actors’ breath appear during paranormal scenes in the movie. These details made the atmosphere organic, believable, and almost sensory in realism. 

The Marketing Helped The Exorcist Sell Itself

In addition to disturbing effects and chilling aesthetics, the marketing and distribution team played on the religious subject matter of an exorcism by releasing the film on December 26th, right after Christmas, a major religious holiday. Religious groups protested — which the marketing team spun to extend their reach, luring audiences in with controversy. 

Read More: How to Write a Great Christmas Horror Movie

Rumors from the set were leaked to the public, providing free publicity and sparking curiosity about sets burning down, injuries, and even deaths during production. These marketing methods continue to be adopted by the industry to this day.

Linda Blair and William Friedkin on the set of 'The Exorcist'

The Audience Experience Was First of Its Kind

Modern audiences are so desensitized to violence and gore that they often wonder why The Exorcist is considered the scariest movie of all time. However, keep in mind that The Exorcist was the first of its kind — a horror film that pushed every boundary of the genre (not to mention artistic norms). People were unprepared for the graphic imagery — the manipulations and helplessness of a Devil-possessed human body, the profanity coming out of the mouth of a child, the violence, and the broken-limbed scuttling spider walk. All of these things were new and truly shocking to people at the time. Now, you see worse in a red and trailer.

Read More: A Horror Writer's Responsibility: What to Consider When Writing Violence

A viral video of audience reactions to the original theatrical release demonstrates just how affected people were in 1973. One police officer walked out of the theater and stated, “It’s something I never saw in my whole life. It’s something different, and I went to a lot of movies but I’ve never seen anything like this myself.” 

Theater owners hired security guards and extra staff to manage the hysterical audiences. People were vomiting in the aisles, fainting, and even reportedly experiencing medical emergencies like heart attacks and miscarriages. 

These experiences only added to the reputation and lore of The Exorcist. It's a film so scary you'll have a heart attack! It's so grotesque that you'll throw up into your popcorn. How could anyone, let alone horror fans, not go see it? How could a movie that prompted such a huge response from an entire movie-going generation not end up becoming so iconic?

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Despite a limited theatrical release in only 30 theaters, The Exorcist grossed $1.9 million in its first week ($13 million today), setting a box office record for R-rated horror films that went unchallenged until Stephen King’s It hit theaters in 2017, according to the Travel Channel. Ticket sales went on to more than $200 million, the equivalent of about $1.3 billion today. 

The Exorcist literally changed critical opinions of horror films, elevating them into respectable storytelling and paving the way for Academy Award-winning films like Rob Reiner's Misery (1990), Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan (2010), and Jordan Peele's Get Out (2017).

William Friedkin on the set of 'The Exoricst'

While The French Connection dominated the Academy Awards — and earned William Friedkin an Oscar for Best Director — it is The Exorcist that will keep his name alive. He had the creative vision — and the audacity — to truly shock people with a creepy story based on true events, as well as the brilliance to work with a team that could bring that vision to life with inventive effects and provocative story structure.

What could have been otherwise campy or underwhelming, in Friedkin’s hands, became what The New York Times called “a cinematic study of evil at work in the modern world.”

Shannon Corbeil is a writer, actor, and U.S. Air Force veteran in Los Angeles with appearances on SEAL Team and The Rookie. She was also a 2023 DGE TV Writing Program Finalist, and her screenplays have placed in various contests. You can read more about her on her website or come play on Instagram and Twitter!

The post How William Friedkin's 'The Exorcist' Became a Haunting Landmark in Horror Film appeared first on ScreenCraft.

While the monologue (from the screenplay written by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, with input from Ferrera) feels like the unexpressed voice of millions of women, it also pulls various elements of the story together in a coherent, strategic way: theme: check. Spine of the film: check. Empowering message: check. Rally cry for the protagonist: double check!!

Let’s take a look at the Barbie monologue and explore how a well-crafted monologue can drive the narrative forward and sharpen a story.

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Theme vs. Spine

Most of us know what theme is (that thing we had to write essays about in high school when we read books like Catcher in the Rye), it’s basically the underlying message or reason why the story is being told. Most movies have multiple themes and they are usually presented either as a statement to be disproved or a question to be answered.  

In Barbie, some of the themes include self-acceptance, unrealistic expectations, idealized femininity, male vs. female roles in society, and consumerism to name a few. These themes are most clearly expressed when Barbie leaves Barbie Land, goes to the Real World, and heartbreakingly discovers that men rule society (unlike Barbie Land) and most girls shockingly abandon their Barbie dolls at a young age, making Barbie irrelevant to teen and adult women.   

'Barbie' (2023)

The spine of a screenplay, however, is the central narrative that drives the plot and the characters' actions. Think of the spine as the essential backbone that connects all the main events and actions of the characters as they explore and question the theme. 

The spine of Barbie is Barbie’s journey to the real world to solve the mystery of why she’s malfunctioning. Dolls aren’t supposed to think about death, so something must be really wrong with Barbie! She thinks that if she can solve that mystery, her fallen arches (and her happiness) will return to their normal state. What she’s not expecting is how difficult and confounding the journey will be – especially to an outsider like her. 

The Character Gloria 

Gloria is a major ally for Barbie when she gets to the Real World. Gloria serves as a tour guide, helping Barbie navigate this foreign land. Gloria not only works for Mattel (Barbie’s creator) and has that inside knowledge, but she’s also a single mom whose own daughter has given up on Barbie dolls, amplifying the rift between mother and daughter. If Gloria can solve Barbie’s problem (i.e.: Barbie’s malfunction), she can solve her own problem with her daughter (i.e.: their relationship malfunction). This makes Gloria’s character the spine of the film personified. 

Gloria’s Monologue

Gloria’s monologue not only hits at the heart of what modern women experience in society today, but it also serves as a battle cry for Barbie. Now in Act 3, Barbie feels defeated because she’s unable to discover the source of her malfunctioning – it’s her “All is lost” moment. She feels doomed to live the life of an unhappy plastic toy forever and never know the beauty and mystery of the human world. But Gloria’s monologue may offer Barbie a light at the end of the tunnel.  

Let’s Look At The Opening of the Monologue 

“It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful and so smart, and it kills me that you don't think you're good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we're always doing it wrong.” 

Though this doesn’t provide a clear answer to Barbie’s issue of why she’s malfunctioning, it does help her to understand the unfair, prejudiced battle she is fighting. The expectations of real women are totally unrealistic, just like those of a Barbie doll. Finally, some common ground and a clear expression of one of the film’s main themes.

'Barbie' (2023)

Gloria Goes on to Say:

“You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can't ask for money because that's crass. You have to be a boss, but you can't be mean. You have to lead, but you can't squash other people's ideas. You're supposed to love being a mother but don't talk about your kids all the damn time. You have to be a career woman but also always be looking out for other people. You have to answer for men's bad behavior, which is insane, but if you point that out, you're accused of complaining. You're supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you're supposed to be a part of the sisterhood. But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful. You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line.”

Gloria’s frustration and honesty about all the contradictions women face helps Barbie start to understand that women are expected to walk a tightrope between their real selves and who society thinks they should be. However, this is a tightrope where the walker is doomed to fall off! This is a clear expression of the spine of the film and Barbie’s journey. 

'Barbie' (2023)

Gloria Continues: 

“It's too hard! It's too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault.” 

Ding! That’s exactly what Barbie’s been feeling but didn’t know how to express it! She starts to feel inspired as Gloria sums it all up.  

“I'm just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don't even know.”

America Ferrera in 'Barbie' (2023)

This is the battle cry with the answer Barbie’s been searching for: stop worrying if other people like you because you cannot live up to other people’s expectations. You must accept your true self, flaws and all, despite all the twisted messages society sends you. This is easier said than done of course, but it’s the only way to get through human life. 

This truthful, heartfelt monologue causes Barbie to snap out of her gloomy state of mind to see the reality of the situation and discover the solution. They must find the courage to fight unrealistic expectations, stand up to patriarchy and commercialism, and live their authentic, flat-footed lives. 

Once the monologue is delivered, Barbie and Gloria can team up to help the other brainwashed Barbies escape the male-dominated world Ken has brought to Barbie Land and discover their own authentic selves. 

'Barbie' (2023)

How To Use Monologues in Your Script

This monologue is a tool that allows the main characters (Barbie and Gloria) to find a resolution to their big problems and arc or change. As a screenwriter, determine which character represents the spine of your film and experiment with giving them a third-act monologue. Ask yourself: how does the monologue affect my protagonist? How does it change their trajectory? How does it clear the path to victory? 

Monologues don’t have to be put in the third act, they can occur anywhere in the screenplay, but they usually come at an emotional turning point before a plot turning point. The monologue should clarify a character’s feelings to the audience and set in motion the character’s next moves. 

Read More: How to Write Memorable and Compelling Monologues

Bottom Line

You may not have room in your screenplay for such a lengthy speech in your script, but just the act of writing the monologue may clarify and focus the story in your own head. 

Read More: Barbenheimer: Why Are Barbie and Oppenheimer Battling at the Box Office?

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The post America Ferrera's Glorious 'Barbie' Monologue Explained appeared first on ScreenCraft.

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What is "Ma"? 

In an interview with film critic Roger Ebert from 2002, Ebert tells Miyazaki he appreciates what he calls “gratuitous motion” in his films, adding that, “Instead of every movement being dictated by the story, sometimes people will just sit for a moment, or they will sigh, or look in a running stream, or do something extra, not to advance the story but only to give the sense of time and place and who they are,” said Ebert. 

Miyazaki answered with, “We have a word for that in Japanese," he said. "It's called Ma. Emptiness. It's there intentionally."

Spirited Away (2001)

Miyazaki then clapped his hands several times and said:

"The time in between my clapping is Ma. If you just have non-stop action with no breathing space at all, it's just busyness, But if you take a moment, then the tension building in the film can grow into a wider dimension. If you just have constant tension at 80 degrees all the time you just get numb."

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A Moment of Rest 

Using Ma allows the audience to reflect, imagine and interpret what is happening – not only visually, but emotionally. Instead of using dialogue to tell the audience how a character is feeling, Ma allows the audience to simply experience what the character is feeling along with them. 

Another way to think of Ma is like a gap, a pause, or a space between actions. In music, this pause is called a “rest” and balances the music with silence, which can have a very powerful effect by helping to build tension and suspense.

Hayao Miyazaki

Rests also help to create and maintain the rhythm for a piece of music, just as Ma helps to determine a rhythm in a story. Whenever there is a moment of silence or stillness in a movie or piece of music, the audience is able to prepare for the upcoming emotional or physical peak. 

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Ma in Spirited Away

In this famous scene from Spirited Away, Ten-year-old Chihiro Ogino takes a train ride with a masked spirit called No-Face as she contemplates the world around her. While the train is moving, Chihiro is almost completely still. This allows the audience to see what she is seeing (the outside world passing by) and feel what she is feeling (being just a small part of a big world). 

Spirited Away (2001)

This scene is incredibly effective for several reasons. First, the music is just achingly beautiful and doesn’t overpower the images. The sounds of water around the train add a feeling of nature, adding to the smallness of the people who exist in the world. The color palette is pale and haunting, and the ghost has an ethereal, transparent quality. The other people on the train look like dark shadows, as if they might disappear in the night. At the end of the scene, the ripples in the water behind the train indicate a fleeting sense of purpose. The camera then zooms in on Chihiro’s face, making it clear we are still in her world as night falls and the train sputters away. Chihiro’s stillness juxtaposed with the moving train gives a sense of time and place that is unique to her character and absolutely gripping to watch. 

Read More: 5 Trademarks of a Hayao Miyazaki Movies

Use of Ma in American Films

In American films, Ma can be seen in the way filmmakers use pauses, stillness and the timing of shots to create tension, atmosphere, and emotional impact. To create suspense, directors often use moments of silence or slow pacing to build anticipation and heighten the impact of a sudden event. 

Theme Music From Jaws 

In this scene from Jaws, the famous music goes, “Dun, dun,” then pauses before another “dun, dun,” as the lady swims in the dark and murky ocean. The music symbolizes the shark (or life’s hidden dangers) and the audience comes to associate danger and dread with the unnerving music that stops and starts.  

Jaws (1975)

The Whisper Scene in Lost in Translation

In dialogue-driven films, the use of pauses and silence between lines can add meaning and weight to the spoken words. But sometimes silence says more than any line of dialogue ever could. Writer/Director Sophia Coppola had a stroke of genius by not letting the audience hear what Bob (Bill Murray) whispers to Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) in this scene. In fact, they are standing in the middle of a busy Tokyo street and all the street sounds have been subdued to give emphasis to the quiet emotional moment the characters are sharing. 

Mexican Standoff in Reservoir Dogs

Writer/director Quentin Tarantino is known for bold violence and witty dialogue in his films, so there’s no chance of traditional Ma making its way into his movies. Instead, this Mexican standoff serves as a restful moment where the characters pause the action to reassess the situation and come up with a plan for moving forward. The characters are literally just standing there, with no action taking place so the audience can prepare for the bloodbath that’s about to come. 

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While the traditional concept of Ma may not be widely used in American filmmaking, the idea of creating tension, balance, and meaning through the use of pauses, silence and stillness are certainly popular techniques seen in many movies and can trace their roots to the Japanese aesthetic of Ma. 

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The post Hayao Miyazaki Says 'Ma' is an Essential Storytelling Tool appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Christopher Nolan piqued audiences' interest in his twelfth feature film, Oppenheimer, when he told Total Film that he had achieved the effect of detonating an atomic bomb without the use of CGI. This led to many fans jokingly saying that the British auteur with his eye on realism had somehow convinced Universal Pictures, the studio he worked with on Oppenheimer rather than Warner Bros., to purchase and blow up a real nuclear device in the middle of the desert to replicate the Trinity Test, the world's first atomic bomb explosion.

However, this wasn't the case—and isn't practical narrative filmmaking either. So how did Nolan create the bomb effect in Oppenheimer? Let's get into it.

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How Oppenheimer Pulls Off the Atomic Blast Effect

Special Effects Supervisor Scott R. Fisher, who has now worked with Nolan on the director’s previous films including Interstellar and Tenet, let Total Film peek behind the curtain to see how the larger-than-life visuals were created.

“It was definitely not as rigorous with day-to-day filming,” said Fisher. “[Nolan] said, ‘There’s not as much stuff for you on this as the other one, but there’s a couple of things we do have to cover. And that was, of course, the Trinity explosion, and some prop builds, and elements of different things that we had throughout the film.”

Nolan is famous for using practical effects in a world where most films use heavy CG to create larger-than-life effects. “I find CG rarely is able to grab you,” Nolan told Empire for their July issue. “It tends to feel safe. Even if it’s impressive and beautiful, it’s difficult to make you feel danger. And we were presenting the ultimate danger. We needed it to feel threatening, nasty, and frightening to the audience.”

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Oppenheimer (2023)

Recreating the Trinity Test without CG was a huge challenge for Nolan to take on, which is why he brought Visual Supervisor Andrew Jackson on board early to find ways to create most of the visual elements, such as the quantum dynamics and quantum physics, of the test practically.

Nolan, Fisher, and his team found a way to create the practical effect by using an old Hollywood in-camera trick: forced perspective. Forced perspective is a technique that uses the space between your subjects to manipulate the viewer's perception of the space and distance between the two objects to create an optical illusion. One of the most famous examples of forced perspective in cinema is in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

"We don't call them miniatures; we call them 'big-atures,'" he explained. "We do them as big as we possibly can, but we do reduce the scale so it's manageable. We get it closer to the camera, and do it as big as we can in the environment."

When it came to the explosion of the bomb, the intense blaze was “mostly” a combination of gasoline and propane “because you get so much bang for your buck,” Fisher said. Aluminum powder and magnesium were then added to the mixture to mimic the instant blinding flash that so many records recall of the nuclear blast. "We really wanted everyone to talk about that flash, that brightness. So, we tried to replicate that as much as we could."

But not every explosion is created equal. Nolan described the technique of creating the bombs used during filming as “very experimental” and ranging in size. "Some on a giant scale using explosives and magnesium flares and big, black powder explosions of petrol, whatever," Nolan said. "And then some absolutely tiny, using interactions of different particles, different oils, different liquids."

Director of Photography Hoyte Van Hoytema told Variety, "We created science experiments. We built aquariums with power in it. We dropped silver particles in it. We had molded metallic balloons which were lit up from the inside. We had things slamming and smashing into one another such as ping-pong balls, or just had objects spinning. We had long shutter speeds, short shutter speeds, wide negative color, negative overexposure, underexposure. It was like a giant playground for all of us."

Read More: Screenwriting Wisdom from Christopher Nolan

'Oppenheimer' (2023)

How Do You Record Explosions on Film?

Nolan and Van Hoytema set out to make Oppenheimer on film and finished it on film. Using Kodak 35mm and 65mm on IMAX, the largest format available, Nolan and Hoytema captured some of the best-looking explosions in cinema history.

A deep depth of field is already necessary when working with the “big-atures,” which allows the camera to already be in the best settings to capture explosions. This protects the film from being overexposed by the intense flash of the explosions.

Now, you have to capture explosions that audiences can see. Explosions are quick, and the awe-stopping moment of the explosion can start and end within seconds. By adjusting the frame rate of the camera, the team can capture the explosions in slow motion.

Rumor had it that one of the cameras Nolan and Hoytema attempted to use was a Photo-Sonics 35mm 4C high-speed rotary prism camera, which is capable of 2,500 frames per second. However, if a shot requires a faster camera, then creatives must rely on a rotary prism camera. The Photo-Sonics 16mm E10 is one such camera that can capture up to 10,000 frames per second while still using film, making it a great solution for slowing down motion to a near standstill.

Unfortunately, the camera was unable to capture usable footage at such a high rate for a feature film. Instead, the cameras used on Oppenheimer maxed out at 150 fps. The pyro work on the film was done at a substantial scale due to the limits of in-camera magic.

Read More: The Insane Film Technology Behind 'Avatar: The Way of Water'

Oppenheimer (2023)

While the close-ups of the fiery explosions that have been teased throughout the trailers of Oppenheimer are a hair-raising experience in themselves, the infamous mushroom cloud that the atomic bomb creates is a challenge that Christopher Nolan accepted without hesitation.

"The most obvious thing to do would be to do them all with computer graphics," the writer-director said. "But I knew that that was not going to achieve the sort of tactile, ragged, real nature of what I wanted. ... The goal was to have everything that appears in the film to be photographed. And have the computer used for what it's best for, which is compositing, and putting ideas together; taking out things you don't want; putting layers of things together."

Nolan is a filmmaker who is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of filmmaking, creating new technology with IMAX to present the brilliant complexities of Robert J. Oppenheimer in a way that presents the visual tones to the audience while entertaining them. The filmmaker is one who cares about the details, spending most of his pre-production time creating accurate depictions of atomic bombs and black holes in a way that serves the audiences and pushes filmmaking technology, all while keeping his cast and crew safe.

Oppenheimer is now in theaters.

Read More: How 'Evil Dead Rise' Carries on Sam Raimi's DIY Filmmaking Legacy

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The post How Oppenheimer Created a CGI-Free Atomic Blast appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Tze Chun’s been the showrunner for the recent MAX animated series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. He’s also written for such shows as Prime’s I’m a Virgo, Apple TV+’s Little America, Fox’s Gotham and ABC’s Once Upon a Time.  He spoke with ScreenCraft about his creative process, setting realistic expectations, and developing an awareness about oneself as a writer. 

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Passion – Combined with Persistence ­– Pays Off 

As a teen, Chun’s first love was comic books. After attempting to tell stories on the flat page, he says he was able to borrow a video camera from the AV department at his high school and borrow their editing deck. He transferred his love of drawing images to filming them, making a series of low-budget short films. When his short Windowbreaker got into Sundance in 2007, his career was off and running.   

Read More: 10 Elements of a Great Family TV Series

Knowing When an Idea Has Legs

We’ve all had that genius, creative spark of an idea only to sit down, begin writing and realize, maybe this isn’t a movie after all. Sometimes we may not have any ideas at all and feel like we’ll never have a great idea again – that’s when panic can set in. Chun knows both feelings all too well, but he has a solution. 

“What I do when that happens,” says Chun, “is I give myself permission to come up with bad ideas. I will sit down for a week, maybe two weeks and write out 10 ideas a day. It doesn’t matter if I get good or bad ideas and sometimes, I’ll only get 5.” 

'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai'

He says the process of letting yourself come up with bad ideas can actually be fun and inform other good ideas by getting the bad ones out of your system. He keeps all his ideas – good and bad - in a Google doc that he can revisit and reassess at a later date. “It sounds clinical. But it’s better than sitting around not knowing what I’m going to write,” says Chun. 

Read More: 5 Pieces of TV Writing Advice to Live By

Dealing With Procrastination 

We’ve all been there. We finally have an idea we love but somehow, it’s easier to let it live in our head than on the page. This is when our apartment or closet gets super clean and organized because anything seems better than actually writing. But Chun has a method of dealing with the self-imposed delay.   

“When I started writing,” says Chun, “there was a procrastination element. But I knew I wanted to finish these projects. What I told myself was: of all the things that can happen today, the only way a script is not going to get done is if I don’t jump into it. Anything I do with the computer open is going to be moving me towards that goal.”

'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai'

So just typing in a doc, brainstorming, coming up with character names – these are all ways to focus your mind on your story. 

Read More: How to Find Discipline, Beat Procrastination and Take Hold of Your Writing Career

Break Large Tasks Down Into Small Tasks 

Chun says sometimes you just have to take baby steps because writing an entire script can be really daunting. His advice is to break it into small tasks. 

“When I come up with a movie idea or even a TV idea, I give myself permission to write 3 pages of just nonsense. Nothing that has to end up in the script – thoughts about character, theme, why am I interested in this story. What are some cool things you haven’t seen before that maybe could go into the script? I allow myself to just write a huge amount. I’m not going to write 120 pages, I’m going to write one page that tells the story – very generally. Then I’ll break that into a four-pager. If it’s a movie, every page is Act I, Act II a, Act II b and Act III. If it’s a TV show, then maybe I’ll split it up so that every ¾ of a page is an act. At that point it’s less daunting already.” 

Long Outlines Pay Off 

Most writers hate outlining but it’s a necessary evil if you don’t want to get lost in your second act – or anywhere else! Chun thinks spending time on a lengthy outline will help writers in the long run. 

'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai'

“If it’s a movie, maybe I’ll write a 40-page outline. I know that’s overkill, but at the same time, I know that when I jump into writing the script - turning a 40-page outline into a script [will take] a week. But it might take 2 or 3 weeks to do a 40-page outline. TV is the same. I’ll probably do a 19-page outline for a 60-page script or a 10-page outline for a 30-page script,” Chun says. 

Putting everything into an outline will help structure the story and allow the writer to see the repercussions of each action more clearly. Story can be like Newton’s Laws of Motion – for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, so putting each action and reaction into the outline can be really helpful. 

Read More: To Outline, Or Not - That is the Screenwriting Question

Develop Your Own Writing Process

By now, says Chun, he’s very aware of the ups and downs of his own writing process. He’s developed a self-awareness around it so that he can trust it will lead to something great – even when it seems like nothing productive is happening. He explains:   

“Sometimes I have intense anxiety about whether I’m on the right track, but at the end of that anxiety, I have a good idea. So now I know that when I’m going through a really tough time, I know there’s something that’s going to happen. I have to allow that to happen, to feel all that anxiety and at the end of it, I’ll just be walking around and think, ‘Oh, that’s something I want to write.’ That was a hard lesson, because you’re in [the middle of] it,” he says.

'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai'

Develop Self-Reliance 

So much of the film and TV industry is out of the writer’s control. The WGA strike is a good example. So, the more a writer can rely on themselves, the better off they will be. 

“Projects are short-term,” says Chun, “but you as a writer are a long-term project. You are somebody who is going to have to know themselves in a certain way because there’s a lot of stuff you can’t necessarily control about this industry. But if you can control an understanding of who you are and what you need in order to be productive, that’s a really important goal to set for yourself. It’s also just taking care of yourself because there’s a lot of stuff that can happen in the industry that can be really hard. You have to know yourself and the way that you deal with it so you can be healthy and productive.”

Read More: 6 Reasons Screenwriters Should Consider Writing for Animation

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Taylor, who is still relatively new to screenwriting but has had his scripts optioned by major studios like Warner Bros. and Netflix, stepped onto the scene with a script that landed on 2019’s Black List.

Although the official script for the film has not been released, the 2019 script from the Black List is available online for our reading pleasure. After watching the film and chatting with Taylor about his project, here are six lessons we learned from his screenplay for They Cloned Tyrone. 

[Editor's Note: Beware of Spoilers!]

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1. Mix Genres

Written by Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier, the film tells the story of an unlikely trio coming together after uncovering a government conspiracy that threatens their home and community. Fontaine, a drug dealer, finds the help of a pimp named Slick Charles and a sex worker named Yo-Yo, who witnessed Fontaine die the day before. 

Throughout the script, the tone of the story works as a satirical hybrid of genres that shifts from: 

• Gangster film that focuses on the community and dynamics of the Glen
• Political thriller as unmarked black cars and secret underground lavatories kidnap Black community members to test on them
• Coming-of-age film as the character discover who they want to be and how they can break away from the system created to keep them down
• Heist movie as the gang tries to save a lost member of the trio and free the clones 

The script maintains comedic undertones that bring levity to the heavy tones and themes that take over at the end of act two to keep the story from falling victim to the assumptions and tropes of the genres listed above. Here is how Taylor was able to subvert expectations in his script while keeping his audience hooked from beginning to end.

Read More: The Power of Genre-Bending Screenplays

Jamie Foxx (Producer) as Slick Charles and Writer, Director, Producer Juel Taylor on the set of They Cloned Tyrone. Cr. Parrish Lewis/Netflix © 2023.

2. Use the References People Know

Throughout the screenplay, Taylor sets the scene or upcoming events by drawing on references that most audiences are familiar with. 

“I had this silly idea of creating a bootleg Scooby-Doo movie,” Taylor says. “So it's a blend of something frivolous with something personal and somber, and as the project grew, it delved into weirdness.” Some of the weirdness comes from a slew of references Taylor calls on to like John Carpenter’s They Live, Dr. Strangelove, A Clockwork Orange and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. 

Taylor incorporates these references in his screenplay in multiple ways. For example, he has characters reference moments in the film to specific shots in iconic films, like when Slick Charles says, “We just found out they're Clockwork Orange-ing [people],” (pg. 61). Other references are in the small details, such as the name of the corrupted radio DJ named DJ Strangelove (in reference to the Nazi-turned-American Dr. Strangelove (Peter Sellers) in Dr. Strangelove) or when the gang finds the breakroom in the trap house and a small TV is playing Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

These references in the screenplay allow the reader to understand the tones of the film and the structure of a specific genre of the film that the story is following.

Read More: 101 Epic Sci-Fi Story Prompts

They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

3. Lean Into Your Unique Voice

Establishing your voice is crucial to creating a standout script. Taylor’s voice is present within the first few lines of the screenplay by using language to perfectly capture the aesthetics of his world. 

When describing the world, Taylor’s language is short and exact, yet there is an energy to it that brings the image into clear view for the reader. When describing the Glen, the neighborhood the story takes place in, Taylor describes it, writing, “...past boarded up abodes and homes barely holding on … rusted lemons… crackheads… It’s active out here. Folks just… around.” 

In so few worlds, we can see the Glen clearly. It’s a run-down yet active community. 

Taylor’s voice understands the stakes of the world he has created immediately, the stakes of his characters, and how to escalate conflict or de-escalate moments by leaning into the comedy of three unlikely heroes fighting against a government conspiracy. 

Read More: How to Develop Your Voice as a Screenwriter

They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

4. Find the Balance Between the Comedy and Drama

They Cloned Tyrone is a satire that balances a delicate edge of absurdity. Taylor balances between a cool-effortless gang who have an asks-questions-later type of energy and the drama of what is happening, which is a hard tightrope to walk. 

“It’s an ongoing negotiation with each scene to avoid being too obvious,” Taylor says. “I never want to come across as preachy or prescriptive. I recoil from anything in that sphere.”

In the first laboratory scene, Fontaine is experiencing a very life-altering moment, but Taylor brings levity to this by having Slick Charles accidentally kill someone and attempt to convince the others that the dead man is still alive. While the dead man might seem like a life-altering moment, Fontaine's discovery of a clone of himself weighs down the chaos of what happened on the other side of the room. It’s an odd balance that works visually.

Read More: You've Got to Have Heart: The Power of Comedy in Drama

They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

5. Repetition Builds Familiarity

One of the biggest references that Taylor looked at while writing the script for They Cloned Tyrone was The Truman Show. Similar to how Truman has a distinct routine every day, Fontaine has the same day, every day. 

Taylor establishes this by walking us through a day in the life of Fontaine. He wakes up, lifts weights, and goes to the gas station for a drink and a scratch-off that always says “You Lose!” We walk through the same events the next day when something strange happens. From there, every time Fontaine goes through those same motions, he is following his “life plan” established by some higher force. 

This is a thematic element of blame and responsibility that Taylor wanted to explore in a sci-fi satirical story. If Fontaine continues his routine, he will always lose. But who is to blame if he does? Who tells him that he isn’t responsible for his actions, even if he is a clone? 

Taylor understands that audiences understand visual repetition very well and lean into that to showcase who his characters are and their internal struggles as the story unfolds. You don’t have to explain things that the audience already knows. 

They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

6. Plant and Pay-Off

ScreenCraft writer Ken Miyamoto wrote it best when he said that the most entertaining movies are the ones that have plants that pay off. These moments of foreshadowing feel rewarding when an audience notices that small details have a purpose in the larger narrative. 

For They Cloned Tyrone, Taylor creates a tight screenplay by having the smallest moment have the biggest impact on the screen. 

The government conspiracy is established early on in the film when Fontaine interacts with the world around him. From the hair formula making people careless about their problems to the commercials for fried chicken with “Inserts of folks lovin’ the shit outta said chicken. Motherfuckers dancin’ after every bite,” the gang becomes aware that they are being used as lab rats for a government experiment. 

Another plant and pay-off is the code, “Olympia Black.” Originally, the phrase is used against Fontaine and his gang to take control of the clones. However, Fontaine ends up using the code to save himself, his neighborhood, and the corruption of power from the person in charge. 

There are so many little details that end up paying off in a satisfying way in the script, which makes each detail strong and meaningful. After the first plant pays off, the audience is hooked and is ready to find more of those entertaining and satisfying moments. 

They Cloned Tyrone is a masterfully written screenplay that subverts expectations in a number of ways. Taylor's use of references, his unique voice, and his ability to balance comedy and drama all contribute to the film's success. Additionally, Taylor's use of repetition and plant-and-pay-off techniques help to keep the audience engaged from beginning to end.

If you're a screenwriter looking to learn from the best, then I highly recommend checking out They Cloned Tyrone. It's a film that is sure to inspire you to create your own unique and entertaining stories.

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The post 6 Screenwriting Tips from Juel Taylor's ‘They Cloned Tyrone’ appeared first on ScreenCraft.

What started this madness, and is there already a clear winner? Let’s get into it. 

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Twin Films Happen All the Time… So Why is Barbenheimer Different?

Twin films are not a new phenomenon. They typically happen when two studios invest in similar scripts at a similar time and are racing to get their film in theaters first. 

However, two completely different movies becoming twin movies are rare. The only example that comes to mind is in 2008 when Mamma Mia! and The Dark Knight were released on the same date. 

When we look at the cast and crew of both Barbie and Oppenheimer, we see industry-beloved, Oscar-nominated writers/directors creating projects with a highly awarded and praised crew and an all-star cast. These movies are more similar than we realize when we look at the posters. 

While they couldn’t be more different in aesthetics, tone, and style, Barbie and Oppenheimer have similarities. They were both created by auteurs. Case in point when Barbie's director Greta Gerwig captured the attention of the male-dominated cinephile world, who would have never been willing to give the Barbie movie a minute of their day, by referencing Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey with the first Barbie trailer.  

Read More: Screenwriting Advice from Lady Bird Writer/Director Greta Gerwig

The marketing of Barbie is trying to convince a male audience who isn’t comfortable with their masculinity that this movie is also for them through careful marketing and highlighting the level of craft that went into each and every frame. 

Oppenheimer's director Christopher Nolan, however, doesn’t have to prove that he is making a movie for a specific audience. He is a filmmaker that has established himself by taking risks and crafting visually compelling narratives as an auteur that film bros. and cinephiles everywhere adore. He is a filmmaker who also cares about the details of each frame, which makes audiences care about the story he is telling us. 

At this point, both films and filmmakers have told audiences everywhere that their movies are for people who love movies. Neither film is targeting a specific audience, but they are rather opening the doors for original stories that have the potential to perform well at the box office. 

Read More: Screenwriting Wisdom from Christopher Nolan

Why Are ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ Releasing on the Same Day?

While it is not fully transparent why Barbie and Oppenheimer are being released on the same day, there are some excellent theories behind the strategic move. 

After Warner Bros. Discovery decided to dump its entire 2021 theatrical slate on HBO Max during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nolan, who had a 20-year relationship with the studio, packed his bags and went to Universal. 

"Some of our industry's biggest filmmakers and most important movie stars went to bed the night before thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio and woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service," Nolan told THR in December 2020.

When Deadline reported that Nolan would be making his next movie, Oppenheimer, at Universal, Warner Bros. saw the opportunity to release a major film on the same day to compete. 

As theatrical-release dates began to fill the 2023 calendar, Oppenheimer was slated for July. 21, which studios, theaters, and movie fans know is the prime blockbuster season and Nolan’s preferred-release week since 2008’s The Dark Knight (four out of his last six movies have been released in mid- to late-July). Rather than going for an adult drama that would ultimately not perform well at the box office, Warner Bros. decided to swing in the opposite direction and slate Barbie, a light-hearted comedy from Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig. 

Sources familiar with the issue tell Insider that Nolan was upset with Warner Bros. scheduling Barbie on the same weekend as Oppenheimer. There was even an attempt by the movie-theater community to convince Warner Bros. to change the release date of Barbie. However, the studio didn’t budge or comment on why they wouldn’t change the date. 

While Nolan has avoided answering interview questions about this theory, he does state that “those who care about the theatrical experience, we’ve been longing for a crowded marketplace with a lot of different movies. That’s what theaters have now, and those of us who care about  movies are thrilled about that.” 

Despite the possible efforts from Warner Bros. to sabotage their ex-filmmaker, the plan may have backfired as audiences are eager to watch both films for one of the strangest double features to date.

Read More: How Oppenheimer Created a CGI-Free Atomic Blast

Who is Winning “Barbenheimer”?

It seems that almost everyone excited for Barbenheimer has already gotten their hands on tickets for the opening weekend of both films. 

Cillian Murphy and Tom Cruise have both stated that they will be watching both films in theaters on Jul. 21, with Murphy saying in an interview, “I think it’s just great for the industry and for audiences that we have two amazing films by amazing filmmakers coming out on the same day. Yeah, you get to spend a whole day in the cinema. What’s better than that?” 

Currently, Barbie is projected to gross $80-$100 million on opening weekend, while Oppenheimer is estimated to gross $50 million. Two weeks before their release, AMC Theaters released a press statement that over 20,000 AMC Stubs members had already pre-booked tickets to both films on the same day, seeing a 33 percent increase in people buying double feature tickets from Jul. 7 to Jul. 10. 

While Oppenheimer might be the more critically-acclaimed film of the two, it’s clear that Barbie has a larger appeal to the general public. 

Read More: America Ferrera's Glorious 'Barbie' Monologue Explained

Unfortunately, Oppenheimer is a mature drama, and adult dramas have notoriously not done well in the theaters in our post-pandemic world. Sure, the three-hour-long biopic will be stunning to see in theaters as we watch the first black and white IMAX footage ever shot shine on the silver screen, but Barbie is barely an hour and a half long and is telling the story of an American icon and cultural phenomenon. 

While Barbie will more than likely come out on top, further drawing a divide in Nolan and Warner Bros. strained relationship, it will be wonderful to spend a day at the cinema watching two great films made by writers/directors who care about the longevity of cinema and the moviegoing experience.

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The post Barbenheimer: Why Are ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ Battling at the Box Office? appeared first on ScreenCraft.

There probably weren't 10 books in existence about filmmaking at the time. My particular focus was screenwriting, and if I recall correctly (and you'll figure out in a second why I might not), there were only two books that had anything to do with the subject of screenwriting at all: Syd Field's Screenplay and William Goldman's Adventures in the Screen Trade. Which were both relatively recent.

Every other text from which we gleaned screenwriting knowledge was not actually a book specifically about screenwriting, from Aristotle's Poetics (plays) to Lajos Egri's The Art of Dramatic Writing (also plays). So yeah, let's just say this was a while ago. (I actually knew somebody who had the hairstyle we then referred to as the "Flock of Seagulls.")

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That was then, and this is now.

Today, there are so many books about every aspect of film and video production that there's even a successful publisher, Michael Wiese Productions, that only produces high-quality filmmaking books. Like YA (Young Adult) fiction, it's a category that barely existed decades ago but has now become its own best-selling genre.

Because there are so many hundreds (at this point, probably well over a thousand) potential "top picks," I've focused on ten filmmaking books that were meaningful to me personally. Every one of them taught me things I didn't already know. Each changed my perspective on the art of cinema or the business of film and television in some way. And every one of them left me feeling inspired. In the way a great foodie movie like Chef, Big Night or Babette's Feast can make you hungry, these books made me hungry to get busy creating.

I've also made the decision to highlight filmmaking books that are considered classics because I think it's critical to cinema that its artists have a shared lexicon of references. Just as it's important for film students to study and understand the importance of movies made before, say, 2010 (black and white is okay! It will NOT hurt your eyes!), it's important to read the filmmaking books that previous generations have deemed foundational (and that many current film and TV tomes are trying to emulate).

Read More: These Filmmaking Podcasts Will Change the Way You Make Movies

Adventures in the Screen Trade, William Goldman (1983)

Goldman, the writer of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Marathon Man, All the President's Men and The Princess Bride, among other classics, provides an often hilarious account of his singular career as a screenwriter that brought readers into the world of a professional screenwriter, creating a public awareness of what "screenwriting" actually entailed for the first time. It's also partly a survival guide and warning about the vagaries of Hollywood and creativity. Its opening sentence, "Nobody knows anything," has proven to be as memorable and oft-quoted by film buffs as the rest of his work.

Spike Lee's Gotta Have It, Spike Lee (1987)

This chronicle of the making of She's Gotta Have It is an inspiring deep dive into the boots-on-the-ground, nuts-and-bolts process of indie filmmaking, based on journals that Lee kept during the production. She's Gotta Have It is one of the films that kicked off the modern era of independent film, and is still a touchstone today: Lee recently remade the film as a Netflix series. My most vivid memory of this book is Lee writing about trying to wedge a rented editing console (a Steenbeck, maybe?) into his tiny New York apartment.

Read More: The Script Lab: 5 Trademarks of a Spike Lee Script

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Making Movies, Sidney Lumet (1996)

Another great New York filmmaker, Lumet was the director of such classics as Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Network and The Verdict. He lays out the process of getting a movie made and while it can be a little dismaying at times to realize that on some levels, it's just as hard to make a movie that has a fantastic script and huge stars attached as it is to make a low-budget indie, this is ultimately an inspiring page-turner that's a master class from one of the greats.

Rebel without a Crew, Robert Rodriguez (1996)

Decades later, it's still hard to believe that such a stylish, inventive, visually witty film was made by a first-time director on a $7,000 shoestring budget. In this book, he literally tells the reader how he did it — the book reads almost like a bonus feature to the film. Thanks to Rodriguez's passion and zeal for his work, this behind-the-scenes account crackles with energy — you will definitely finish this book knowing that you, too, can make a movie worth watching for next to nothing.

Read More: The Script Lab: Download El Mariachi

El Mariachi (1992)

Every Frame a Rembrandt, Andrew Laszlo (2000)

The veteran director of photography walks his readers through five motion pictures he shot, teaching the fundamentals of cinematography along the way. "War stories" from the sets of Southern Comfort, The Warriors, Rambo: First Blood, Streets of Fire and Innerspace illuminate unique pictorial challenges in each production. Essentially the book version of the author's acclaimed and highly popular 2-day cinematography seminar, Every Frame a Rembrandt brims with absorbing accounts of how the look of a film is crafted by professionals with decades of experience.

In the Blink of an Eye, Walter Murch (2001)

A superb introduction to the art of film editing by one of its masters: Murch, who edited the Godfather trilogy and classics such as Ghost and The English Patient, is not only an Oscar-winning editor but was also the first person to ever receive an on-screen credit as "sound designer" (for Apocalypse Now). His "Rule of 6" (6 criteria to consider in making a cut) has become a touchstone, and his theories about the psychological aspects of editing are endlessly fascinating. An embracer of new technologies, Murch updates this volume from time to time as editing systems advance; he was the first editor to cut an entire feature film in Final Cut Pro (Cold Mountain). Essential for editors of any type of cinema.

If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die, Patti Bellantoni (2005)

A fascinating exploration of the use and symbolism of color in filmmaking, the author posits that certain colors (utilized either with instinct or intent) can actually not only influence emotions, but create them. The book's intended audience is the visual designers of films — it's priceless alone for its interviews and comments from cinematic heavy hitters such as production designer Henry Bumstead (Vertigo, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Sting and most of Clint Eastwood's films including Unforgiven) and cinematographer Roger Deakins (The Shawshank Redemption, Fargo and many other Coen Brothers films, and two Oscars recently for Blade Runner 2049 and 1917). However, even as a screenwriting teacher, I found this book essential for getting me to think about ways to get students out of the "action…dialogue…dialogue…action" box and be more visual on the page.

Vertigo (1958)

The War of Art, Stephen Pressfield (2002)

Pressfield, famed as a historical novelist (his Gates of Fire is an even better version of the Battle of Thermopylae than 300) has some street cred in the movie world: his book The Legend of Bagger Vance was turned into a major motion picture starring Will Smith and Matt Damon. But Pressfield also has a side gig as a writer of inspirational works aimed mostly at writers and let me tell you, this guy feels your pain. You're getting the goods here, from someone who has faced the blank page and had to come up with something out of nothing. I never use the words "writer's block," but when I have a few times in the past gotten…let's call it "stuck"...this book helped me get my fingers tapping at the keyboard again. I've bought many paperback copies of this treasure and given them away to writer friends as gifts. Practical but spiritual at the same time, it's a quick-read breaker of creative logjams and a map that guides, to paraphrase Mary Heaton Vorse, "the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair."

So You Want to Be a Producer, Lawrence Turman (2005)

There are a number of fantastic filmmaking books that focus on producing: Christine Vachon's Shooting to Kill and Julia Phillips' You'll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again both spring immediately to mind. But this how-to from the producer of The Graduate and more than 40 other films is uniquely encouraging and enthusiastic about the job of producing. Describing it as a frustrating rollercoaster ride, he also insists, "Even the complainers love it." The producer of The Thing, Short Circuit, The River Wild and American History X — and for more than 25 years, the chair of USC's eminent Peter Stark Producing Program — Turman covers the entire process of making and releasing a film, from raising money through hiring the creative talent to marketing the finished product. A brass-tacks look at the mechanics of making motion pictures from an authoritative source whose work was always smart and frequently influential.

Letters to Young Filmmakers, Howard Suber (2012)

Deceptively breezy and easy to consume in one thoroughly enjoyable sitting, legendary UCLA professor Suber distills a lifetime of teaching emerging filmmakers into this single repository of advice and encouragement. Inspired by Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet, Suber's cinematic pearls of wisdom will echo in your brain later when you're on set or at the keyboard. His chapter that takes a skeptical view of the age-old advice, "Write what you know," will be very familiar to my screenwriting students. His chapter simply titled "Decisions" is meant for filmmakers but honestly? It's just a solid overall life lesson. If you don't have a mentor in the business, at least you can read a mentor's book.

The Graduate (1967)

Read More: 10 Best Filmmaking Websites for Indie Filmmakers

Karl Williams is a screenwriting instructor at Scottsdale Community College in Arizona. He has won the Comedy and Sci-Fi Awards at the Austin Film Festival and the Jack Nicholson Prize for Excellence in Screenwriting at UCLA, where he earned his MFA. In addition to blogging for Final Draft, he co-hosts the screenwriting advice podcast Get Your Story Straight.

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Bringing Authenticity to the Characters

John and Kat became a writing team in 2003, a couple of years after they were married. Together, they started off with TV comedies like Hope and Faith, and later My Name is Earl. But Kat says she never intended to partner professionally with her husband.

“I had my writing career first,” says Kat, “I was writing animation and I did a lot of Nickelodeon stuff and some Disney stuff. When John and I got together, all of our friends and family went, ‘Oh, that's so cute! You guys are going to be partners!’ I was like, ‘No way, man, I have my own career.’ And then within two years, we teamed up,” she says with a smile.

As a team, John and Kat balance each other in very important ways. John admits he’s incredibly logical in his approach to story while Kat is very emotional. “In the best way, Kat writes from her gut,” says John, adding, “If she's sick with a 102 fever, if it's not true to what a character would do, she's not going to like to give in on that.”

Elemental (2023)

It turns out their dynamic was perfect for writing the two protagonists in Elemental: Ember (Leah Lewis), a feisty, temper-prone gal made of fire and Wade (Mamoudou Athie), a young man made entirely of water who prefers to go with the flow. Director Peter Sohn set up a lunch with Kat and John and discussed the ways in which the two characters could grow.

“Pete was really trying to figure out how to deepen Ember and Wade – the characters weren't quite there yet. I think he saw that in us,” says John. Though the two characters have cultural [and elemental] differences, it’s the love that makes it all work and John and Kat were able to bring that to the writing.

Read More: Learn the Pixar "Art of Storytelling"

An Immigrant Story

The character Ember is the only child of immigrant parents and understands that her parents have sacrificed greatly to leave their hometown, Fireland, in hopes of giving her a better life in Element City. Ember’s father Bernie (Ronnie del Carmen) expects her to take over the family shop when he retires, but Ember discovers she may have her own dreams.

Elemental (2023)

Kat says she related to Ember since her own parents are second-generation immigrants. Kat says she was expected to go to college and get a good job, but nothing too highbrow or fancy. “It was like, ‘Think about your family and think about the economics and think about the support of your family before you think about your own self want.’ That was a real struggle we had in my family. I was kind of the weird creative one, although both my mom and dad have little tiny creative sparks, they both went in completely different directions,” says Kat.

The filmmakers also listened to over 100 Pixar employees share their personal first- and second-generation immigrant stories that culminated in both tears and laughs. Working from shared immigrant experiences and their own understanding of familial obligations, Kat, John, and the entire story team had to decide on Ember’s main objective. This objective would not only define Ember’s journey but also the movie.

Read More: Script Apart: Screenwriting Lessons From Pixar's Turning Red Co-Writer Julia Cho

Discovering the Character Objective

When the Pixar story team develops a story, they explore a lot of different avenues until they find the perfect storyline. “One of the big tricks with Ember,” says John, “was in an early version of the movie, she kind of knew she wanted to get out of Firetown at the beginning. It had kind of a Disney Princess vibe, right? Where you go on the roof and sing about what you really want. But it didn't feel right. And also, it made her feel really young,” he says.

Elemental (2023)

There was a lot of discussion about what specifically Ember wanted. “The key to the whole character, I think, is when we landed on Ember's prime directive of what she wants: to be a good daughter. And to be a good daughter means to take over the shop and do what her parents want. And she thinks the problem is she's got this temper,” says John. But Ember ­– with the help of Wade – discovers that underneath that temper is her true desire to express herself creatively and follow her own path, not her father’s. John says that getting past the shame of not being what your family wants, is something he and everyone else involved could relate to. Though painful at first, it’s the path to finding true happiness in life.

Read More: What's It Like to Visit Pixar Animation Studios

Story Advice

Stories should always be personal to the writer, but it can be hard to really open yourself up emotionally and be vulnerable. But it’s what is necessary if you want that story to resonate with an audience, says Kat. “As a new writer, don't be afraid to look deeply inward for your story because every story starts with that hidden space inside of you that you don't want people to see. That's where your good story is. It's not just the mechanics of ­– I've got this plot thing, that plot thing, that big car chase. If you don't have the emotion behind those things, your story will always fall flat. So, start with the emotion first and then build your story from there,” she says.

Read More: The Secret Screenwriting Themes Behind All Pixar Movies

Elemental (2023)

Advice from Meg LeFauve

John said that they worked for a bit with Meg LeFauve, who’s best known for the Pixar film Inside Out and, as a bonus, shared the advice she gave them.

“Meg said this key thing about Inside Out that I thought was incredible and so insightful. She said the opening 12 minutes of that movie, what we had to do is get you, the viewer, to buy into Joy's worldview that sad things are bad, and life should be happy,” says John. Once the audience agrees with Joy and is onboard for her happy journey, the audience will go through the same self-discovery Joy does. “So, you emotionally go through the same change she does when you discover that actually, you need sadness in your life, too. I think that’s at the core of [Elemental], too. … When you meet a character, they've got all these status quo defense mechanisms up to hide that one vulnerability. And I think your job as a writer is to take those away through the story until you reveal this truth about them that they didn't even want to face.”

Elemental is currently playing in theaters.

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While there are hundreds of films that reflect the queer experience, here is a list of twelve LGBTQIA+ movies (in no particular order) that will be remembered for having a strong influence on cinematic history, not only for their powerful and relatable queer characters but also the conversations about the LGBTQIA+ community the films inspired.

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12. Paris is Burning (1990)

This documentary explores the ball culture of New York City in the 1980s and the lives of the queer people who bravely forged its culture. This film is an important record of a life and aesthetic not typically seen in documentaries and is the precursor to popular shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race. The film itself is a fierce act of resistance and rebellion as it boldly celebrates the Black and Latino drag queens and trans women who dared to be fabulous as they stared down the tragedy of the AIDS crisis and the dangers of homophobia.  

11. My Own Private Idaho (1991)

Directed by Gus Van Sant, this movie stars River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves as two young street hustlers in Portland from very different backgrounds. Loosely inspired by Shakespeare’s Henry IV, the film is a mix of scripted drama that includes Mike’s (Phoenix) narcoleptic episodes that dissolve into flashbacks of an abusive childhood, Scott’s (Reeves) irreverent and self-destructive lifestyle on the eve of gaining a huge family inheritance, and interviews with actual male sex workers. The dreamy, sometimes experimental film is one of the first to bring mainstream actors into a movie with queer actors and themes. 

Read More: Gus Van Sant and the Windows to Other Worlds

10. Happy Together (1997)

Directed by Wong Kar-wai, this romantic drama tells the story of two gay men (played by Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-wai) from Hong Kong who move to Argentina to start a new life together. Unfortunately, they struggle with jealousy and resentment that ultimately leads to violence. This “beloved gay downer” of a film shows a relationship between two people who love each other passionately but are too dysfunctional to make the relationship work – a theme not often seen in queer movies. Wong Kar-wai won Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival.  

9. A Fantastic Woman (2017)

This Chilean drama tells the story of Marina (Daniela Vega), a transgender woman who faces discrimination and violence after the death of her older lover Orlando (Francisco Reyes). The film explores the struggles faced by transgender people including the unfair judgment they receive from law enforcement and family members. The film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and brought trans rights into focus in Chile, even helping garner political support for the 2018 Gender Identity Law that allows “transgender people over the age of 14 to update their names on legal documents and guarantees their right to be officially addressed according to their true gender.”

8. Go Fish (1994)

This low-budget indie film was one of the first queer rom-coms written, directed and acted by queer women, including director Rose Troche and writer Guinevere Turner. Shot in black and white, the film has an experimental, neophyte vibe that could feel amateurish but instead feels fresh and electric due to the youthful, sexually-charged subject matter. Premiering at Sundance, it forged a path for many other independent gay and lesbian films. The movie sold to Samuel Goldwyn Films, helping to establish a viable market for LGBTQIA+ movies. 

7. Philadelphia (1993)

Starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, Philadelphia was the first film from a major studio (TriStar) to confront the AIDS epidemic in a straightforward way. In the 1980s, many queer people in Hollywood (and America) suffered in silence as they became ill and often died from AIDS, including actors like Rock Hudson, who passed from the disease in 1985. This film brought awareness to the crisis and bravely depicted the gay community as important, resourceful and resilient. Tom Hanks also won the Oscar for Best Actor. 

6. Boys Don’t Cry (1999)

Based on the true story of Brandon Teena, a trans man facing brutal discrimination, violence and ultimately his untimely death, the film is also a love story. This film is remarkable for its ability to eschew stereotypes and give dignity to transgendered people. But it’s Hilary Swank’s vulnerable yet brave performance as Brandon that makes the story so accessible and heart-wrenching. It’s no surprise that Swank got an Oscar for this role.

5. Boy Erased (2018)

Based on the memoir of the same name by Garrad Conley, Australian filmmaker Joel Edgerton wrote and directed this powerful film about a young man named Jared (Lucas Hedges) who is outed as gay to his father Marshall (Russell Crowe), a Baptist preacher, and his wife Nancy (Nicole Kidman). Unsure how to handle the situation, Jared’s parents agree to send him to gay conversion therapy. 

What makes Boy Erased stand out is that it’s about how one individual being gay affects the entire family. Also, all the characters are presented without judgment, only as imperfect and complicated human beings that all have the potential to grow and change. While Nancy seems subservient to her domineering husband, it’s her maternal instincts that give her the courage to love her child for who he really is. Nancy is a role model for other parents who may be struggling to accept their own gay children. 

4. Carol (2015)

Starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, and directed by Todd Haynes, Carol is based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 novel The Price of Salt. The story is about two women who fall in love despite the challenges and complications their relationship adds to their lives, mirroring the lives of many lesbians who may not see typically see themselves reflected on screen. As difficult as it was for two lesbians to be together in the 1950s, the film is sadly very relatable today due to all the discrimination the LGBTQIA+ community is facing in today’s political climate. Ultimately, the film is a nuanced story of love and hope in a world that is often harsh and painfully difficult to navigate. 

3. Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Andre Aciman, Call Me by Your Name stars Timothee Chalamet as Elio, a seventeen-year-old student who falls for Oliver (Armie Hammer), the older man hired as Elio’s father's research assistant in 1980s Italy. The film did significantly well at the box office in 2014, and had the best opening for a gay romance film since Brokeback Mountain. Screenwriter James Ivory took home the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. 

Call Me by Your Name gives a new paradigm for queer romance films in that it doesn’t define the love story by a tragedy or crisis. Instead, the romance flourishes in ways that feel authentic and wholesome, allowing the space for this love story to exist alongside other cinematic love stories where the lead characters aren’t queer. 

2. Moonlight (2016)

Mahershala Ali stars in this film adapted from Tarell Alvin McCraney’s semi-autobiographical play called In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. Moonlight not only won the Oscar for Best Picture, but Ali also took home the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The movie tells the story of Chiron, a young black man growing up in Miami and coming to terms with his sexuality. This film is important because of its nuanced portrayal of Black masculinity and for shedding light on the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people of color.

Director Barry Jenkins tells the story in three chapters, allowing the protagonist to discover the world in different phases and grow into a fully actualized man. In addition to sexual identity and race, the film deals with risky themes like class and socioeconomic status, drug abuse and violence.   

1. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Directed by Ang Lee, this movie tells the story of a complex relationship between two cowboys, Ennis and Jack (Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal). The film sparked widespread discussion and debate about LGBTQIA+ issues, both within and outside the film industry. It started many conversations about the representation of gay characters in mainstream media and the challenges faced by people who identify as LGBTQIA+. 

Brokeback Mountain also broke new ground with its commercial success, allowing other LGBTQIA+ movies to be made because it proved there was a mainstream audience for these stories. The film won three Oscars: Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Musical Score. 

Read More: 10 LGBTQIA+ Movies You Can Stream Right Now During Pride Month

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Here we will delve into the character of Joel, analyzing his origins, personality, strengths, flaws and how all of those character traits and elements affect those around him.

Note: Beware of The Last of Us Spoilers!

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The Last of Us (2023-)

Joel's Backstory

As revealed throughout The Last of Us, Joel's origins showcase him as a loyal, loving, fun, and protective single father to his daughter Sarah. The year is 2003 when Joel, Sarah and Joel's brother Tommy flee their Texas home as the infection begins to spread rapidly, creating dangerous and lethal infected humans that continue to multiply.

During their escape, Sarah is shot and killed by a soldier.

Twenty years later, Joel is a smuggler embedded within the quarantined zone of Boston, run by the corrupt and authoritative Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA). He's been desensitized by the death of his daughter during the beginning of the pandemic. He's also separated from his brother Tommy, who lives in Wyoming. He struggles to find a way to escape Boston and reach Tommy, but it's been difficult to find the transportation he needs to do so. He and his smuggling partner Tess are duped into buying a needed car battery that the dealer has sold to a group of Fireflies, a rebel group that opposes FEDRA. They soon encounter Marlene, the head of the Fireflies. She begs Joel and Tess to smuggle Ellie out of the quarantined Boston, offering them a working truck in exchange.

Read More: Neil Druckmann to Adapt 'The Last of Us' Video Game for the Big Screen

The Last of Us (2023-)

Joel's Antihero Qualities

An antihero is someone who does not exhibit the traditional qualities of a hero. For example, he does not run into battle crying, "I shall conquer you!" Instead he is methodical, reluctant and abrasive in his approach to the conflict of the story.

But, he has ever reason to embrace this attitude. Joel lives in a global pandemic caused by a mass fungal infection of mutated Cordyceps, causing its hosts to transform into zombie-like creatures that prey on the uninfected and spread the infection. The results of the pandemic collapse society, pitting humans against each other as groups and individuals struggle to survive.

Joel is tasked to smuggle a young girl, Ellie, out of a quarantined city and across what remains of the dangerous post-apocalyptic United States. It's revealed that Ellie is immune to the infection and may carry the key to humanity's survival. This could be good for everyone. But at this point in the story, Joel is only concerned with his own survival. He does not want to be tasked with the responsibility of someone else's survival.

Lucky for him, that's exactly what makes for a good character arc. The reluctant hero. This complexity is what draws us to his character.

Read More: How to Develop and Write Great Antiheroes!

The Last of Us (2023-)

The Goodness Within

That said, his character has been expertly built with glimmers of goodness within. The audience loves these hints at the man who Joel could become if only he could harness the light inside himself.

Joel showcases some loyalty when it comes to Tess (his smuggling partner), as well as his pursuit to reunite with his brother, but beyond that, he'll punish anyone that gets in his way. And when he lets someone into his bubble of loyalty, he'll do whatever it takes to protect them as well.

His personality slowly changes after he meets Ellie. At first, he's the no-nonsense, antihero smuggler that looks upon her as nothing more than cargo to be delivered in exchange for a vehicle that can get him back to his brother.

However, as they begin to travel together and survive multiple threats, Ellie does her best to knock down his barriers. And in the process, Joel slowly begins to show what we saw in his origins — the loving and protective side of him that also has a sense of humor. Ellie unlocks those personality traits, making him laugh. Even more important, she unlocks his sense of love and loyalty. She is no longer cargo to him. She's a replacement for his daughter whom he lost two decades prior. And because of that, we see more personality come out in him.

Read More: Play Mechanics: Adapting Video Games for the Screen

The Last of Us (2023-)

Joel's Strengths and Flaws

Beyond the military skills (and others) he clearly learned earlier in his life, Joel's strengths lie in his various weaknesses — and vice versa.

Joel is initially laser-focused on survival and getting back to his brother. These survival instincts are unparalleled, which drives him to overcome nearly every obstacle he comes across. The weakness in this otherwise strength is the necessity to shut off all emotions and disregard the ethical and moral dynamics of killing and sacrificing others for the task at hand. That is what it takes to survive the world he inhabits.

Even when Ellie comes into the picture, he needs to embrace those antihero elements for them to both survive. At first, self-preservation — both a strength and weakness — prevails. He looks upon her as nothing more than cargo, which allows him to react to threats with keen precision, and without any emotional attachment. She is nothing more than a means to get what he needs to get back to his brother.

However, as their relationship grows, he begins to rediscover his humanity. His ethics and morals resurface. He's even beginning to rediscover his sense of humor, allowing some levity to their otherwise dire situation.

These are strengths, to be sure, but they also become flaws down the road for him. He takes risks that may sacrifice his ability to survive and reunite with his brother — all to ensure that Ellie survives. These are admirable flaws, mind you. Once he learns that Ellie may have a cure for the infection within her, he now has a chance to ensure not just his survival, but humanity as a whole. As they become closer, that shifts. By the end of the first season of the series, he doesn't want to sacrifice her when he learns that to save humanity, a procedure must be done that requires her to unknowingly sacrifice her life.  Joel isn't willing to allow that, no matter what the cost to humanity. So he goes on a rampage of death to free her, killing many in the process, and, therefore, taking away humanity's only hope for a cure.

His strengths helped to save Ellie. However, the strengths of his love and loyalty become flaws in the big scheme of things.

Read More: Character Analysis: How Star-Lord Goes From Outlaw to Hero

The Last of Us (2023-)

Joel is a loving, loyal, and kind-hearted character haunted by the past and forever scarred by the death of his daughter. His undying struggle to survive this barren world of turmoil has created mental and physical scar tissue that covers his more endearing qualities. After two decades of mourning the loss of his daughter and using his skills and instincts to survive a brutal post-apocalyptic world, only the responsibility of protecting a newcomer (Ellie) can shed that scar tissue one tear at a time as he slowly rediscovers love, loyalty, and kind-heartedness — even if it clouds his reason when she may need to be sacrificed for the greater good of saving all of humanity.

Read More: 101 Epic Sci-Fi Story Prompts

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, and Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries BLACKOUT, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller HUNTER'S CREED, and many produced Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies and Instagram @KenMovies76.

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The post Antihero with a Heart: Analyzing Joel from 'The Last of Us' appeared first on ScreenCraft.

It’s also a great academic exercise to compare short films with the feature films they inspired. Let's take a critical look at what was essential to the story and characters in short form and compare it to what was done with a bigger budget (see: Whiplash below). 

Here are 6 short films that became awesome features.

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Whiplash

Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, Whiplash started out as a 2013 drama short film that premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Short Film Jury Prize. The feature film adaptation won three Academy Awards. You could say it captured some attention.

Both films star J.K. Simmons — in fact, the short is a scene nearly word-for-word from the feature script. Watch a comparison of the two side-by-side to see how similar and how different they are, from lighting and location to shot selection.

Whiplash is a great example of how a short film should start late and leave early. It doesn’t require the same conclusion that the feature film needed to satisfy audiences. It’s also a great example of how feature films often contain segments within them that could be their own individual story.

Read More: Write Your Short Film in 7 Days

Obvious Child

Gillian Robespierre first made the Obvious Child short film in the winter of 2009. “​​We were frustrated by the limited representations of young women's experience with pregnancy, let alone growing up. We were waiting to see a more honest film, or at least, a story that was closer to many of the stories we knew. We weren’t sure how long that wait was going to be, so we decided to tell the story ourselves,” she wrote on the Kickstarter page for her feature film in 2014.

The short starred Jenny Slate (as would the feature) and did well online — sadly it is now password protected on Vimeo — and in a festival run. “But what was even cooler were the conversations the movie ignited,” Robespierre reflected. “That truly encouraged and inspired me to expand to feature-length, to share this film and these conversations with even more people around the world.”

The short served as a proof of concept that earned the filmmakers some funding from producers and grants. The crowdfunding campaign covered the rest. The feature film would go on to enjoy its world premiere at Sundance and earn a Critic’s Choice Award for its lead, Jenny Slate (a loving reminder to actors to take a chance on short filmmakers — you never know where the road may lead).

Diversion → Fatal  Attraction

In 1979, writer-director James Dearden made waves with his short film Diversion. It resulted in a commission from Paramount to create the feature film Fatal Attraction — 1987’s second-highest-grossing film and the recipient of six Academy Award nominations. In April 2023, Fatal Attraction will debut as a television series, proving that you can’t keep a compelling story down. 

Read More: 10 Great Short Films You Can Watch Online Right Now

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On 

Marcel started out as a series of short films in 2010 about an endearing little shell and his curious life. Written by director Dean Fleischer-Camp as well as Jenny Slate (who voices Marcel’s tiny, precious little voice) and Nick Paley, the mock documentary became a feature film in 2021 that rose to critical acclaim and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Monster → The Babadook

Jennifer Kent’s first feature film, The Babadook, was another Sundance premiere — and a critical and commercial hit. Inspired by her 2005 short film, Monster, which Kent has referred to as her “baby Babadook.”

The short has similar themes and concepts as the feature would later display, but it’s much more simple in its execution (including the black and white cinematography).  

The passion for horror films is alive and well, unlike many of the villains and victims in them — and you can tell a scary film in under a minute (watch this nightmare fuel) — so if you’ve got a scary feature on the brain, a short version of it might be the best way to sell it (just ask the creators of Saw).

Read More: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Horror Movies

Shiva Baby

Writer-director Emma Seligman’s 2018 short film about a girl running into her sugar daddy (and his family) at a shiva was her thesis project while studying film at New York University Tisch School of the Arts. The short film premiered at South by Southwest in 2018, motivating Seligman to adapt the film into her directorial debut in 2020. 

The feature received a very positive critical reception and received many notable awards and nominations, including the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award.

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Shorts aren’t just great proofs for features — they can also be developed into television series. Broad City and Insecure both started out as online web series — and let’s not forget where Ted Lasso began. With filmmaking equipment becoming so accessible, it’s a great idea to create your own content to get some traction going. Writing and filming (and, honestly, editing) a short will also make you a better writer, so grab your phone and some friends and get cracking.

Read More: 101 Story Prompts to Kickstart Your Short Film

Shannon Corbeil is a writer, actor, and U.S. Air Force veteran in Los Angeles with appearances on SEAL Team and The Rookie. She was also a 2023 DGE TV Writing Program Finalist, and her screenplays have placed in various contests. You can read more about her on her website or come play on Instagram and Twitter!

The post 6 Features That Started Out as Short Films appeared first on ScreenCraft.

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The Political Fantasy Perspective Problem

Anyone who remembers the David Lynch movie from 1984 will cringe at the thought. And as you cringe, you might remember something distinct about the disaster that was Dune’s first cinematic attempt: The perspective problem. Fans will obviously already know that Dune is a sci-fi fantasy epic involving high-stakes political plots.

More than that, the people involved in those politics have their own motivations, musings, and manipulations to consider along the way. This interpersonal intricacy leads Dune to the forefront of the zeitgeist, with many political fantasies drawing inspiration from it time and again. A famous example of this inspiration is George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, whose interwoven betrayals and dastardly intrigue were adapted into the award-winning series, Game of Thrones.

Consider the interplay between Lady Jessica and Duke Leto Atreides, who are forced to play into a game of seeming mistrust. Perception is everything, and the reader only knows what the Duke knows thanks to the fantasy convention of multiple-perspective writing. Much like the insider’s perspectives that we get from the characters in Martin’s novels, the same applies here — and it requires thoughtful work to demonstrate those perspectives in the same intricate manner. If you fail, you wind up with Lynch’s forced internal monologue moments, an absolute travesty in the world of screenwriting.

Read More: The Biggest and Baddest "Big Bad" of Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Dune (2021)

High-Density Lore and Exposition

In the same vein as high-density dialogue that speaks to perspective, there are also places where dialogue must deliver the specifics about the science-fiction world in question. That said, Dune is a novel that uses everything from internal musings to open conflict to deliver exposition and even worldbuilding lore, such as the reason computers have been eradicated.

But, to deliver all of this in character speeches would diminish the narrative. Everyone knows that it’s better to show, not tell — especially when you’re writing an adapted screenplay. How can you show the years of royal family feuds and bad blood, the centuries of human skill advancement, all in one movie? The truth is that you simply can’t do that.

Read More: 5 Ways to Crack the Code of Writing Great Movie Adaptations

Instead, a filmmaker is forced to pick small moments and explain them as succinctly as possible. Showing a mentat or Bene Gesserit using their skills or having a political figure explain a single choice gives insight into the world — but it doesn’t force the window open for too long. An audience can’t be subjected to an entire encyclopedia of Frank Herbert’s vast universe, with its keen worldbuilding and stunning backstories. Instead, exposition comes from unique, actionable moments that affect the development of a character or storyline.

Lady Jessica being told that she was instructed to conceive a daughter shows how Bene Gesserit can control their bodies. Baron Harkonnen’s malicious actions betray his desire to unravel House Atreides — and he explains very little about the history between them, making the revelations more organic and engaging by default.

The Loudness of Subtlety

One of the most unique things about the world of Dune is its focus on acts of subtlety. Body language, tone of voice, and other methodologies of essentially mind-reading come up throughout the series. That said, a movie can carry some of that weight very well in most stories. Dune is the exception because the story necessitates a valuable skill in the protagonists: Paul and Lady Jessica each can exercise superhuman detection of these minutiae.

Their ability to detect lying, deference, and bodily workings beyond normal perception makes this story riveting even in a room with no true “action.” These subtleties are loud and can be perceived by the reader thanks to these kinds of perspectives — but when attempting to recreate these subtleties on screen, this loudness dissipates. The creativity then has to flow as filmmakers decide how to convey specifics like heightened levels of fear, habitual tells, and other openings only a trained assassin could spot.

In the 2021 adaptation, one creative maneuver involved changing the conflict. Instead of discovering through body language — and failure — that one of the Harkonnen soldiers was deaf and immune to the Voice, the movie showed the same deaf soldier turning away when the Voice was finally used to orchestrate Paul and Lady Jessica’s escape. It’s this kind of maneuver that saves time and energy in belaboring the point: We know that Paul and Jessica understand the human body, so why drive it home in a spot too laborious to do so?

Read More: What Hollywood Wants (And How to Give It To Them): Intellectual Property Adaptations

In Summary: Rationale, Memory, and Attention

It’s easy to pin down specific moments where book-to-movie changes happen. What’s not so easy is finding out why.

The big umbrellas under which these problems come up have yet to be defined — so let’s define them. Firstly, we mention perspectives and the problems that come with that transition onto the big screen. Essentially, that’s the character’s rationale. The way they think — and why they think that way — create very important signposts for the audience, but the modality simply changes between book and movie. That’s a major difference.

The next challenge was Dune’s use of lore and exposition: the world’s memory, so to speak. Memory is a powerful device that can be conveyed through flashbacks, dialogue, and character actions, but the context for it is often lost when moving something from page to film. This is a difficulty even in original screenplays — but in adaptations, you risk cutting and losing the wrong things in translation.

Finally, there’s the issue of plot attention, made clear in Dune by the more specific challenge of communicating major plot points through subtle actions. Between these three major categories, you can see why any adaptation might be difficult — and why Dune most of all has such complex hurdles to overcome for any filmmaker. There are other challenges, too, like communicating the planetary scale of the conflicts in the story. Luckily, with a bit of ingenuity, adaptations like Denis Villeneuve’s Dune (and its upcoming Part Two) can deliver on these challenges in fascinating, successful ways, making fans happy in a way that the 1984 film never could.

Read More: Plot Vs. Story: What's the Difference?

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The post Pitfalls of Epic Adaptation: Why 'Dune' Was So Hard to Get Right Onscreen appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Here we will delve into the Marvel character of Star-Lord, analyzing his origins, personality, strengths, flaws, and how all of those character traits and elements affect those around him.

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Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Star-Lord's Character Analysis

Star-Lord is a charming and funny character that showcases unparalleled loyalty to those close to him. He will utilize his skills and unorthodox instincts to save them, and the galaxy, with little to no hesitation. However, his difficult upbringing, the loss of his mother, and his emotional connection (and love and loyalty) to the Guardians create a continuous struggle to focus on the greater good. Thankfully, he usually manages to figure things out. And when he can't, he relies on his Guardians of the Galaxy family to figure them out for him.

Read More: 3 Types of Supporting Characters Your Protagonist Needs

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Star-Lord's Origins

Star-Lord was born Peter Jason Quill, a human abducted by a group of alien thieves, smugglers, and bounty hunters named the Ravagers. Peter was a boy when the abduction occurred, just moments after his mother died of cancer.

He was raised by the Ravagers under the leadership of Yondu and was taught the ways of smuggling and thievery. He would eventually make a name for himself as Star-Lord, a wanted intergalactic outlaw. It is later revealed that the Ravagers were initially tasked with delivering Star-Lord's child self to his father, Ego, a powerful celestial being bent on terraforming the universe for his own benefit of power and control. Ego fathered thousands of children throughout the galaxy, hoping to find one to help him achieve his vision. Star-Lord's mother was a human on Earth that fell in love with Ego. When Ego saw Star-Lord's attachment to his mother, he was the one that gave her the cancer she died from, fearing that their relationship would hinder Star-Lord's promise.

Yondu was supposed to deliver Star-Lord to Ego but decided against it. He raised Star-Lord, sometimes in a brutal fashion. Star-Lord later revolted against Yondu while pursuing a valuable Orb that would eventually be revealed as an Infinity Stone that Thanos desired.

Read More: How to Write a Marvel Movie According to 'Black Widow' Screenwriter Eric Pearson

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Star-Lord's Personality

He is a compelling character because of his personality. At first glance, Star-Lord is a cocky, charming, and funny character who uses these personality traits to steal, swindle, and manipulate. However, after he meets the individuals who will become the original members of the Guardians of the Galaxy (Gamora, Rocket, Groot, and Drax), he slowly showcases heroism and loyalty. This is mainly due to the fact that he's never really had a family dynamic beyond that strict upbringing he had within the captivity of the Ravagers.

The Guardians of the Galaxy become his family. They are co-dependent in many ways. And because of this, Star-Lord can connect with others on a more emotional level. He has a strong love and bond with them, which offers a more endearing personality amidst his flaws and quirks. He's still immature and petty at times, primarily because of his upbringing. However, his love and loyalty for the makeshift family of the Guardians of the Galaxy have allowed him to grow as a human.

Read More: 9 Types of Enneagram Personalities Writers Can Use for Characters

His cockiness, charm, and sense of humor bring levity to the group and any situation they find themselves in. They also help him and the group cope with the severity and danger they encounter during their adventures. And he uses these traits to take on a brotherly and fatherly role beyond his leadership as leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, helping the others to cope with loss and defeat. And also allowing them to thrive.

Lastly, there's also a sense of wonder that initially drives his personality. He has a connection with his late mother that can't be broken. When we first meet him, he's obsessed with everything from the 1980s — particularly a cassette tape of songs from that era, given to him by his mother before her death. It's his only remaining link to her. This nostalgia drives his personality in a way that separates him from others around him.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Star-Lord's Strengths

Beyond the skills he's learned during his unique upbringing, Star-Lord excels in conceiving inventive and unorthodox solutions to any problems that come his way. He even rivaled the intellectual planning skills of the late Tony Stark, concocting a plan to defeat Thanos (more on that below).

But it's his loyalty and love for his Guardians family that remains to be his greatest strength. He will go above and beyond to protect and defend them. These family dynamics drive him to do right by them whenever he can, pushing him to go above and beyond not just to save the universe but to save them as well. And this love originates from his connection to his mother. The Guardians allowed him to retap that love he felt for her.

However, sometimes one's greatest strengths can also be their most significant flaws as well.

Read More: 101 Action-Packed Story Prompts

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

Star-Lord's Flaws

Love and loyalty are amazing strengths to have in life. However, they can also become flaws when one is blinded by them when faced with bigger-picture conflicts and goals. Star-Lord is forever haunted by the death of his mother, namely because of his reaction to the moment of her passing when she reached out her hand to hold his one last time. Star-Lord was too scared to take her outstretched hand. She breathed her last breath as she watched him back away from her in fear and grief.

That moment haunts Star-Lord. And while he was given some closure while taking Gamora's hand in a time of need, the safety and death of his makeshift family trigger deep emotions that push up against reason, forcing him to become insecure, selfish, and reckless. He's driven to protect the Guardians and is often very reluctant to allow harm to come to them. And when harm comes to them, he reverts to his old wild ways.

Read More: James Gunn Talks "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" Details

Case in point, despite conjuring an unorthodox plan that may well have succeeded in stopping Thanos from being able to snap his Infinity Stone Gauntlet fingers — thus eradicating half of the life in all of the universe — Star-Lord let his emotions get the best of him when he learned that Thanos had sacrificed Gamora's life to attain the last Infinity Stone he needed. Star-Lord's rage gave Thanos the millisecond he needed to break free, resulting in billions upon billions of lives throughout the universe being extinguished in the snap of Thanos's fingers.

Star-Lord even let a cassette tape and Sony Walkman endanger himself and others, due to the attachment the objects had to his mother. He often put himself and the Guardians at risk for those items, fearing that he would lose his only physical connection to her.

His emotions — directly tied to his love and loyalty towards the Guardians — get in the way of his better judgment.

Read More: Antihero with a Heart: Analyzing Joel from 'The Last of Us'

Download the script for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2!

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, and Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries BLACKOUT, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller HUNTER'S CREED, and many produced Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies and Instagram @KenMovies76.

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The post Character Analysis: How Star-Lord Goes From Outlaw to Hero appeared first on ScreenCraft.

The standards of the Evil Dead franchise established by writer/director Sam Raimi are practically a bloody good time, featuring many practical effects and make-up that deliver an immeasurable amount of disgust throughout the original trilogy. The B-film aesthetic and horror-comedy have been a staple of the franchise, with Fede Álvarez’s gritty 2013 requel Evil Dead using little CGI in the film, often to remove wires and protect the cast and crew from the last act’s house fire, and Lee Cronin’s upcoming Evil Dead Rise, which star Alyssa Sutherland tells /Films that "there's no digital" effects. 

Read More: How Oppenheimer Created a CGI-Free Atomic Blast

Practical effects in a horror movie are always fun to break down. In a world where CGI reigns, practical effects are a creative solution that looks better and gives filmmakers a chance to make their audience’s skin crawl. 

Whether possessed characters are levitating, climbing on walls, or sawing a part of their body off, all of these lend themselves to practical stunts, stop-motion animation, and highly theatrical acting. 

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Creating the Perfect Deadite

What makes a monster in a film terrifying is its ability to transform human characters into something uncanny. Evil Dead Rise’s Ellie (Sutherland) looks gruesome with her sickly decomposing skin, following closely to Álvarez’s portrayal of a Deadite possessed rather than Raimi’s white-eyed demons. 

When Ash (Bruce Campbell) returns to find his girlfriend Linda (Besty Baker) possessed by a Deadite, a demon that possesses humans and feasts on their souls, in The Evil Dead, her appearance is instantly memorable. The glazed-over, white eyes, and hauntingly wide smile were done practically. 

Raimi had actors wear contact lenses that were painful to apply and blinded the actors wearing them. While the eyes of the Deadite-possessed characters are a gold hue that actors can see out of, a little CGI is used to control the contacts. 

As for the bloody, scared, decomposing bodies that the Deadite possessed, it’s all special effects makeup and gore. It’s safe to assume that most of Ellie’s look is done through special effects makeup as she becomes something more sinister throughout the film, and camera angles and lens choices will also help contort her face to make her look even more uncanny as she taunts her family into an early grave. 

Read More: 25 Films You Have to Watch If You're Writing a Horror Script

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

The Demonic Movements

The Deadites enjoy showing off their supernatural abilities, mostly to scare the life out of their next victim. We’ve seen spot-motion, practical effects, and heightened acting used to create the unique ticks and inhuman movements of the possessed, from Linda’s decapitated body dancing around in The Evil Dead 2 to Mia’s (Jane Levy) final encounter with the abomination (Randal Wilson) in Evil Dead. 

Evil Dead Rise continues the legacy of practical effects with stunt doubles doing most of the daring effects throughout the film. Sutherland tells /Films that stunt doubles replaced post-production digital FX. Although she fought hard to do her own stunts (and was unfortunately told no by production for time constraints), Sutherland did work on perfecting the twitchy movement of a Deadite possessed. 

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Blood, Blood, and More Blood

Evil Dead films do not shy away from graphic content, which often features a lot of blood, guts, and gore. According to All The Right Movies, audience members who gave blood got a free ticket to see The Evil Dead in theaters, establishing itself as a film full of bloody moments. 

The Evil Dead did have its limitations with gore, with censor boards cutting multiple scenes that were too graphic despite the blood being different colors of liquid, and Germany banning the film for its graphic content. Special effects artist Tom Sullivan created many of the bloody effects, adding coffee grinds to the traditional fake blood formula of corn syrup and food coloring to give it a more visceral texture on camera. 

Actor Bruce Campbell has stated that the ideal recipe for fake blood on a budget requires half a bottle of clear Karo syrup, a full bottle of red food coloring, a few dashes of blue food coloring to make the color more vibrant, and some powdered nondairy creamer to add opacity to the blood. This recipe creates visually stunning movie blood for under $25. Just don’t eat it, please. 

Read More: A Horror Writer's Responsibility: What to Consider When Writing Violence

The Evil Dead (1981)

While Evil Dead had an excellent blood rain sequence, Evil Dead Rise might take the cake for using the most movie blood in the franchise.

While Cronin and his team didn’t use Raimi’s homemade recipe, Evil Dead Rise uses a type of movie blood that is a viscous, soupy mixture that we saw dripping out of horror legend Christopher Lee’s month in the 1950s.

Today, a gallon of this type of blood costs about $135.

Cronin says that Evil Dead Rise uses about 1,717 gallons of this expensive movie blood, which is about $231,795 worth of blood. For perspective, the human body only contains about 1.5 gallons of blood. The film would have required 1,113 completely drained people. All of this is to say that there is a lot of blood for a movie focused on four people.

"[It's] all proper sticky, icky movie blood. Like the real deal. There's no cheating of taking some water and putting red food coloring in because that will not do,” Cronin told /Film. “This was all cooked. We had to hire an industrial kitchen to make the amount of blood that we needed, and it was everywhere. So yeah, it's the real deal. And it's splattered all over the screen."

Fake blood, no matter the shade or texture, has roots and connects film to the audience’s lived experience. Blood reminds us of the reality we are being presented with, and Raimi’s created reality is horror and comedy. It’s gory and over-the-top. If CGI blood was used in any of these films, the audience would be taken out, removed from the reality of the film, and only approach it as make-believe. This is the power behind practical blood effects. 

Read More: The Art of Writing Horror: Constructing a Scare

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

The Sound of Evil

To sell any practical effect, the perfect sound has to be created. The sound elements of horror films are the glue that takes everything to the next level and makes us believe in the practical effects on screen. As Sam Raimi once said to the Hollywood Report, “Sound is one of the best tools a filmmaker has at [their] disposal.” 

For The Evil Dead, Raimi’s low-budget film didn’t have the funds to create the monster, but the cult director saw this as “the luckiest thing that ever happened.” 

So, how did Raimi create his practical monster on a budget? 

“We took out the natural sounds and created a track that was part voice, part music, part sound effects – the voice of the evil,” Raimi says. “We didn’t show what it was; we used these sound tools to plant the seeds in the minds of the audience of what this horror could be.”

Read More: 101 Terrifying Horror Story Prompts

Even though Evil Dead Rise might have a higher budget, the sound design established by Raimi has become a staple of what makes Deadites so terrifying and unnerving. In the trailer, we saw multiple instances of the sound design working overtime. From the constant cracking of eggs to the tile-shattering scream from Deadite Ellie, the sound of Evil Dead Rise carries on Raimi’s legacy of a terrifying hell on Earth. 

“I take sound extremely seriously and I’m glad that people are connecting with the soundtrack, the soundscape of the movie, from the music to the sound design,” Cronin told TheWrap. “It’s a full noise film.” 

Take a listen to the horrors Cronin designed.

Raimi’s take on low budget horror showed the world the possibilities of the genre. 42 years later, Evil Dead Rise continues the legacy established by a master of horror by delivering practical effects, intricate makeup design, buckets of blood, and hair-raising sound design that is impossible to escape. 

Evil Dead Rise is relentless in its pursuit of fear. It is a love letter to the world Raimi created with his no-budget masterpiece by continuing the practical legacy of filmmaking. 

Read More: 3 Low-Budget Horror Movies To Inspire Your Scary Screenplay

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The post How 'Evil Dead Rise' Carries on Sam Raimi's DIY Filmmaking Legacy appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Even if you’re working on a story in a different genre, the character breakdown of Ariel can teach you about setting up the story, devising a backstory, building family dynamics and using familiar character traits to make a character relatable to your audience.

Here are some of the aspects that make Ariel such a beloved character that audiences have celebrated for over thirty years and who also started a major Disney run of successful animated features which included treasured princesses such as Belle, Jasmine and Pocahontas.

Read More: 50 Disney Movies Inspired By Public Domain

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The Little Mermaid (1989)

Rebellious Young Female

If there’s one thing that Disney princesses are known for, it’s their rebellious nature.

Ariel dreams of life outside the water, up where they walk, up where they run, up where they stay all day in the sun. Against her father’s wishes, she explores shipwrecks and goes above the surface to watch the humans on land or ships. She collects their items and wants to know all about people. King Triton, her father, is furious when he learns of her going to the surface, believing that humans are barbarians and dangerous. What appears to be an authoritarian rule is really just a concerned Dad, but Ariel can’t see that.

Ariel refuses to accept her father’s thinking, and she goes against his wishes because she wants something more than “life under the sea.”

Longing for more is something Disney princesses are known for. Moana wonders what is beyond the reef and ultimately travels where she’s forbidden to go. Jasmine frequently sabotages suitors because she believes it is her choice to whom she wants. And Rapunzel yearns for life outside her tower.

Ariel is no different. She’s the young woman who is eager to test her boundaries and explore what lies behind her walled off world.

Read More: 101 Family-Friendly Story Prompts

The Little Mermaid (1989)

Too Naïve, Too Trusting

Everything from Ariel’s ribbing of her pal Flounder to her believing everything Scuttle the seagull tells her about the items she collects (like a fork being called a dinglehopper and its function being like a comb), indicates she’s naïve and inexperienced in the world.

This means the character will get in over their head and undergo a coming-of-age moment in which they need to correct the mistakes they’ve made. For Ariel, she is willing to fall for Ursula’s persuasive tactics to become human for three days – the catch being that Ursula will hold onto her voice. Should Ariel succeed by getting true love’s kiss from Eric, the man she knows nothing about but loves wholeheartedly, she will remain human and live happily ever after. If she fails, she becomes a soulless worm under Ursula’s control.

Being overly  infatuated with Eric and a romantic at heart, Ariel accepts the nefarious deal.

Most writers don’t want their characters to be this naïve, but here it adds value to the story. It’s no different than a horror movie when everyone knows the character shouldn’t check out the noise in the basement with a barely functional flashlight. Being naïve or trusting opens the door to create scenarios that engage audiences because they wonder how this character will overcome the obstacles in front of them.

Read More: How to Write a 4-Quadrant Family Film

The Little Mermaid (1989)

A Fish Out of Water

When Ariel gets her legs, she literally becomes a fish (or mermaid) out of water. Everything that was set up at the beginning regarding how humans behave and the items they use start to play out. For instance, she uses the fork at the dinner table to comb her hair and she blows ash into a man’s face when she uses his pipe.

Fish out of water must learn about the world in which they find themselves. Ariel gets a tour of Eric’s kingdom and discovers amazing things she could never dream of from under the sea. This is common in lots of movies and TV shows including Black Panther: Wakanda Forever when Shuri explores the undersea world of the enemy or in Tangled when Rapunzel roams the world that her mother has kept hidden from her.

A fish out of water scenario plays on your character’s expectations and introduces the audience to a new world from a fresh pair of eyes.

The Little Mermaid (1989)

Coming-of-Age Character

Ariel’s story is a coming-of-age tale of a young teenager forced to grow up quickly and realize the world isn’t as innocent as it may seem. When we first meet Ariel, there is very little about her world that challenges her. She’s a teenager who falls in love with prince, only she can’t actually speak to this person.

As she struggles with the decision to become human, Ariel grasps with the reality of the situation should she sign Ursula’s contract and what growing up and moving away to the human world means.

“If I become a human, I’ll never see my father or sisters again,” Ariel says aloud to Ursula.

“Life’s full of tough decisions,” Ursula replies.

And this is where she starts coming of age.

The Little Mermaid (1989)

This bad deal with a sea witch leads to Ariel to getting what she wants – a chance to be with Prince Eric. That is until Ursula returns and tries to snatch it all away. This is Ariel’s moment to rise to the occasion and prove she isn’t a naïve sixteen-year-old but someone willing to fight for what’s important: both her father and the love of her life.

Coming-of-age is about characters who start out young and innocent, but then they have to face the reality of their world and make a big decision. It was Ariel’s decisions that led her down the road to disaster, but in the end, it’s up to her to save King Triton, Eric and the sea kingdom from a powerful villain. 

There are other factors that help create a compelling lead character. 

The hero of the story must have real stakes, a great antagonist who challenges them and supporting characters helping to drive their story. In The Little Mermaid, the story grows beyond a young girl trying to get the attention of a young boy. It’s about an overly protective father, a witch trying to claim the throne by any means necessary and a group of friends who will do anything to watch their friend succeed.

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

The post Character Breakdown: What Makes Ariel More Than Just A Little Mermaid? appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Here’s a list of the top 10 websites we’ve found the most helpful for indie filmmakers. Hope they help, and never forget we’re here for you too!

Got a kickass indie script? Enter the ScreenCraft Film Fund Grant Program!

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Read More: These Filmmaking Podcasts Will Change the Way You Make Movies

Film Independent

What’s it for? Film Independent is the premiere resource for indie filmmakers of all levels in every stage of their career.

When to visit: This site covers it all, from grants to festivals to helpful interviews, articles, and insights from today’s top-working indie filmmakers. Film Independent is most notorious for its annual Film Independent Spirit Awards show. You can join the organization at tiered levels of membership for exclusive voting access, screenings, and more.

Read More: Film Independent's List of Filmmakers to Follow

Film School Rejects

What’s it for? This blog-based site was founded by and for self-taught filmmakers.

When to visit: Come here when you need advice on any aspect of your indie filmmaking journey. The site is helpfully searchable by genre, topics, archives, and more! Film School Rejects is your source for any size filmmaking project, be it digital video or indie feature film.

Filmmaker IQ

What’s it for? Visit Filmmaker IQ for more technical filmmaking tips. 

When to visit: Filmmaker IQ is your destination for any specific camera, editing, and any other technical aspect of the filmmaking process. As an indie filmmaker, you might have to take on a lot of the filmmaking processes yourself; for helpful articles on camera, editing, or even the history of film and filmmaking, bookmark Filmmaker IQ.

American Film Institute

What’s it for? The AFI is the United States’ premiere organization for celebrating and preserving cinema.

When to visit: When you’re looking for inspiration or motivation, look no further than The AFI. Their website is stacked with comprehensive lists like the AFI Top 100, AFI’s 100 Years of Film Scores, and AFI’s 10 Top 10; whether you’re in the writing phase or editing, referencing these important films will reinspire and reinvigorate you on your indie filmmaking journey.

Read More: 10 Filmmaking Books Every Aspiring Filmmaker Should Read

Stephen Follows

What’s it for? Where the AFI is a site for inspiration, Stephen Follows is a site for data and analysis. Stephen Follows is a professional industry producer who uses this site to share his knowledge with indie filmmakers. 

When to visit: Whether you need references for distribution or you’re looking to further educate yourself on the state of the filmmaking industry today, Stephen Fellows’ site is the place for you. Expect data-driven articles such as: How Has the Cost of Making a Movie Changed in Recent Years or What Are the Most Common Character Names in Movies.

Backstage

What’s it for? Backstage started as a casting resource. Now it’s grown to include helpful articles and insights for every stage of filmmaking. One article to check out in particular if you’re an indie filmmaker here in Hollywood: 7 Tips for Becoming Part of the Indie Film Community in L.A.

When to visit: Come to Backstage, especially when you’re beginning auditions for your film projects. You can post breakdowns for every part in your indie project: from leads to background performers. If you’re an actor yourself, you can also create a profile for yourself on Backstage and be discovered by filmmakers looking for just your type!

No Film School

What’s it for? Your go-to filmmaking resource for every step of the process.

When to visit: No Film School is like an encyclopedia of indie filmmaking. You can search their vast website for any question you might have along your indie filmmaking journey. From Costume Design to Tik Tok editing to everything in between, if you have a curiosity about any aspect of indie filmmaking, No Film School is an incredible resource. 

Read More: DIY Filmmaking and Hollywood Politics: An Exclusive Podcast with Ryan Koo of No Film School

StudioBinder

What’s it for? Studio Binder is a paid software resource for filmmakers to expedite and streamline the production process.

When to visit: Studio Binder works for you when your script is ready, and you’re looking to start production prep. They offer production software for filmmakers, from shot lists to call sheets to shooting schedules. In addition to these logistical resources, Studio Binder also offers video courses, books, and filmmaking templates.

Shot Deck

What’s it for? Shot Deck is an enormous database of cinematic stills from close to every movie ever made. These stills elevate your prep visuals; think pitch decks/mood boards/lookbooks for your projects.

When to visit: Come to Shot Deck whenever you need reference photos for your indie film project. Whether or not you’re a writer, a producer, a production designer, or a cinematographer, you’ll need visual references. Shot Deck is the premiere and most extensive database of high-quality stills to pull from, so your decks and books are the most professional they can be.

Filmmaker Magazine

What’s it for? Filmmaker Magazine is an online resource published specifically for indie filmmakers by The Gotham organization, famous for its Gotham Awards. 

When to visit: Visit this vast resource when you’re looking for more information on the reality of filmmaking, specifically indie filmmaking. Their site is ingeniously organized by specialization from Financing to Cinematography and everything in between. In addition to craft knowledge, explore their mag's “Columns” section for fascinating think pieces and film analysis.

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Did we miss anything? Let us know about your favorite filmmaking websites on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

Read More: How to Keep Your Cool While Making An Indie Film

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The post 10 Best Filmmaking Websites for Indie Filmmakers appeared first on ScreenCraft.

That is a surprisingly low amount of words, but there are some films that have the main character remain silent throughout the film like Gordon/"Silence" (Jean-Louis Trintignant) in The Great Silence (1969) and Ryu (Shin Ha-kyun) in Sympathy for Mr. Vengeacne (2002). 

Wick is known as a character of few words, but why does it work for his character? Let’s get into it. 

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John Wick: A Man of Few Words

John Wick is a character who, despite having few words, has an abundance of talent and assassin skills to showcase on screen. According to the Wall Street Journal, in the first installment of the John Wick franchise, Reeves speaks only 484 words over a 101-minute runtime. This trend continues in subsequent films, with Wick delivering only 380 lines over a 168-minute runtime in John Wick: Chapter 4, and many of those lines being featured in the movie’s trailer. In fact, Reeves’ longest-running line in the upcoming installment is a mere twelve words.

This limited dialogue has a purpose. Throughout the franchise, Wick has evolved into a symbol of death driven by revenge for the loss of his wife and dog, Daisy. He is feared and respected as the boogeyman of the underground world of assassins, and no words from anyone, including himself, will dissuade him from his quest for vengeance.

Despite his fearsome reputation, little is known about Wick, adding to his mysterious and enigmatic nature. His quiet demeanor and lack of words serve to enhance this mystique, making him seem more unpredictable and tactical. 

The result is a character that is not only deadly but also intriguing as the audience waits to see what he will do to get out of almost any perilous situation.

Read More: 10 Things to Delete From Your Dialogue Scenes Right Now

Keanu Reeves in 'John Wick Chapter 4'

How Visuals and Sound Design Allow John Wick to Say Less

John Wick transformed how Hollywood approaches the action genre. With neo-noirs and genre-bending becoming a staple in cinema, the John Wick films adopted the Hong Kong-inspired genre of gun-fu, a style of action that merges martial arts with gunplay. This innovative approach to action choreography gave screenwriters the ability to convey character development through the fighting style of the characters and highly stylized visuals.

As Wick fluidly shifts between hand-to-hand combat and firearms, we can see the intelligence and strategic thinking of the character through Reeves’ on-screen performance, camera angles, and camera movement. Wick doesn't need to use words to intimidate his opponents. Instead, Wick is framed in camera and the story as someone whose actions will speak for themselves. 

Read More: The Difference Between Necessary and Unnecessary Dialogue in Screenplays

Editing Style

The Kuleshov effect — a film editing style that employs the theory that two shots in a sequence create more of a psychological effect than one — is often used in the edit to convey precisely what John Wick is thinking without slowing down the pace of a fight sequence. This character-building approach relies on subtle visual cues and doesn't require dialogue. It's used effectively throughout John Wick: Chapter 4, like when Wick is looking for a weapon to fight Caine in Osaka or when Wick is trying to outmaneuver the many other assassins after him in Paris.

There are also scenes during action sequences that are long-form, long takes designed to look like a single shot. These long takes establish the size and magnitude of the threat to Wick before Wick can see it. In one scene near the end of John Wick: Chapter 4, director Chad Stahelski navigates a shoot-out in an abandoned Parisian building by following Wick with an overhead long take. It might be the coolest shot of the film, but it also showcases how Wick’s character has the ability to assess a threat, adapt to any given space, and become an overtaking threat that is so terrifying that the camera has to get out of his way. 

This video essay by Thomas Flight explains in more detail how the film's editor Evan Schiff broke action genre norms when cutting together the third installment of John Wick.

Shot Design

The cinematography of each shot allows John Wick to exist within the space without saying a word. The use of desaturated blues, reds, greens, and gold reflects John Wick's mental state and reinforces the stylized neo-noir tone of the story.

On the technical side, cinematographer Dan Lausten, who shot the last three films of the franchise, decided to switch from shooting on an Arri Alexa SXT Plus to an Arri Alexa LF — the LF standing for "large format." So, what? How does that affect the image and how does it change the visual storytelling?

I'm glad you asked.

Without going too much into detail about camera sensors and lenses, a camera that has a larger sensor can shoot more pixels, and lenses designed to shoot large format can capture more of a frame. In more technical terms, your angle of view is higher and your camera can capture larger images without losing resolution. This means that, say... highly choreographed and complicated fight scenes like the ones in John Wick Chapter 4 can be captured in a single frame. You get all the action in a single shot!

Check out this awesome breakdown from Frame Voyager that explains how something like camera choice changed so much about the visual storytelling of John Wick Chapter 4.

Sound Design

The sound design is another technique that adds to the visual language. The sound of a gun being cocked adds tension to a scene that words can't convey. Even in moments of silence, John Wick's lack of dialogue creates an atmosphere of danger as he navigates a world that is brutal and unforgiving.

John Wick's scarcity of dialogue in the franchise is meaningful. It reflects his personality and emphasizes the visual and auditory language of the film. His silence is a deliberate choice that adds to his mystique and intrigue. 

If you're writing a neo-noir story, it can be challenging not to overwrite your stoic character’s dialogue. I get that you want your main character to be at the top of the call sheet. But sometimes, trust that less is more, especially in action-packed films. Challenge yourself to communicate what needs to be said through actions, sound design, and location descriptions can lead to a more compelling and immersive story.

The post How Visuals Let Keanu Reeves Say Only 380 Words in 'John Wick Chapter 4' appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Asteroid City follows the itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention disrupted by spectacularly world-changing events. Co-written with Roman Coppola, Anderson always nails his whimsical style due to how meticulously detailed his scripts are. Here are some of Anderson’s classic quirks we see in his scripts, and how they make an appearance in Asteroid City.

How Does Anderson Nail His Visual Language?

By the time Wes Anderson is ready to start principal photography, his scripts are completely finished. He doesn’t limit his imagination and writes what he wants to see on film. 

The action is precise because he knows exactly how he wants each scene to play out. If there is any room for misinterpretation, then Anderson will double down on the needed descriptions. 

Read More: How to Incorporate Visuals into Your Screenplay

Anderson’s exposition is so wonderful to read because it is on the nose, and there is nothing wrong with being on the nose. It tells everyone reading the script exactly what they should expect from the tone of the film. The best part is that he can deliver a scene’s worth of information in a single line and in a single frame, a challenge that many writers and directors struggle with. 

There is an obsessive control and reiteration of information, which is a trademark of Wes Anderson’s style. While we don’t have the screenplay for Astroid City, we can see some of his trademarks in the film’s trailer. Here are four ways Anderson translates his obsession from the page to the screen. 

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Delivering Information Through Characters

One way Anderson drives home information in a way that a viewer can’t miss is through the characters. Screenwriters know that there has to be an inciting incident near the beginning of the film that kicks off the film. In Asteroid City, we see this through the conversation between Augie (Jason Schwartzman) and Tom Hanks’s character. 

Over the phone, Tom Hanks’ character reveals that Augie and his family didn’t make it. Augie delivers the information of the inciting incident by stating that his car exploded. 

Necessary information is also told to the audience by the audience so a pivotal moment isn’t lost if someone isn’t looking at the screen. 

Read More: Supercut of the Day: Clustercuss of Swearing in Wes Anderson Films is Fucking Great

Setting the Scene

As I mentioned earlier, Anderson has an obsessive control over his story’s aesthetic. In Moonrise Kingdom, we see Anderson's Art Nouveau adapted to fit the naturalistic environment of the woods and the island in the film.

In his description of one of the locations, Anderson pointedly states what we see and what should and shouldn’t exist in the frame, even down to exactly what each character is wearing: 

Download the script!

These highly detailed descriptions establish the visual language of Anderson on the page, and easily translate to the screen because of how clearly everyone from the cast and crew understands his vision. 

'Asteroid City' (2023)

Separating Stories Within the Story

Anderson is not afraid to tell stories within his main story and play within the medium of film. In The French Dispatch, Anderson separates his vignettes with inserts that describe a title card that we see. The stylized card acts as an introduction to a scene that exists outside of the main story. 

Check out how Anderson introduces the “City Section” in The French Dispatch:

Download the script!

In Asteroid City, we see that there is at least one aspect ratio change that the town’s folk showcase their latest achievements in technology. From this, we can assume that Anderson separates this moment from his story by having an insert introducing this visual tangent that adds to the film’s overall narrative. 

Split Screen Conversations

Anderson's films often have characters having phone conversations. Rather than have one character on screen at a time, Anderson chooses to show off his characters and their atmospheres through the split screen. 

Split screens allow viewers to see both characters, and the editing plays a central role in establishing closeness and the tone between the characters. In Moonrise Kingdom, Anderson establishes the use of the split screen in his screenplay: 

This highly descriptive exposition establishes the scenes and the relationship the characters have with each other. 

Anderson’s Asteroid City uses the split screen to craft a vivid portrayal of the relationship between Augie and Tom Hanks’s characters, emphasizing the tension between them through contrasting color palettes.

Read More: Screenwriting Basics: How to Write Cinematic Phone Conversations

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There is an undeniable charm to Anderson’s aesthetic, and it comes from his ability to establish exactly what he wants in his screenplays. His stories are lean. They say exactly what needs to be said without beating around the bush. 

Screenwriters can learn from Anderson’s unique style by writing their exact intentions with a scene through the exposition. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the traditional form of a screenplay to translate your visual intentions with your story. 

In the meantime, we will be patiently waiting for Anderson’s Asteroid City to hit theaters on June 16, 2023.

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

The post 4 Screenplay Trademarks from Wes Anderson We Spotted in ‘Asteroid City’ appeared first on ScreenCraft.

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What Exactly is a Film Bro?

A film bro is someone identifying as a film nerd with shallow knowledge and limited, singular taste when it comes to cinema. A film bro often considers themselves a cinephile — and they often use the term in everyday conversation — while having a singular preference for films overpopulated with toxic masculinity, gray morals, and some other key traits.

You know these guys: To them, a film made more recently rarely makes the cut (and when it does, it’s dark and gritty). This leaves out a lot of modern or diverse perspectives, narratives, and characters, limiting their ability to enjoy other types of film. As a result, their understanding of the art is relatively shallow and informed by a very narrow point of view.

Let’s learn more about what a film bro is all about below.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

How Do You Know If Your Friend Is a Film Bro?

They likely watch crime movies religiously, as well as some of the best war stories. They probably swear by John Carpenter’s The Thing, Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, and other auteur works without knowing much about films outside these genres. But how can you be sure?

The truth is, movies like Apocalypse Now, Snatch, and Reservoir Dogs are all great. There’s a reason they live on and have earned critical acclaim even decades after their creation. But if your friend only sees films like The Dark Knight and Fight Club as “peak cinema,” they might actually be stuck in that echo chamber. Think about the following amazing films — and how, when used as the only slate a person watches, they can reinforce the film bro mentality.

Read More: Quentin Tarantino's Top 10 Rules for Screenwriting Success

Popular Film Bro Movies

Here are a bunch of examples of movies celebrated and loved by "film bros."

• Goodfellas
• The Godfather
• Joker
• Donnie Darko
• Pulp Fiction
• Fight Club
• The Dark Knight
• Apocalypse Now
• Inception
• The Wolf of Wall Street
• Inglourious Basterds
• American Psycho
• Drive
• The Shawshank Redemption
• The Usual Suspects
• Nightcrawler
• Trainspotting
• Reservoir Dogs
• The Big Lebowski
• Se7en
• Full Metal Jacket
• A Clockwork Orange
• Taxi Driver
• Snatch
  

Film Bro Movie Case Studies

Goodfellas

The mafia and organized crime element is a common feature in the film bro slate. There’s a part of this that surrounds taste — there’s been a long-standing Hollywood agenda to reaffirm mobsters as “cool,” and it pervades when all people watch are films like Goodfellas and, similarly, The Godfather. Films like this are also male-dominated, a predominant trait in film bro films. Wanton violence also occurs in Goodfellas — yet another feature that identifies it as an eye-opening experience to teenage self-described cinephiles, which is how many film bros begin their existence.

The Wolf of Wall Street

There are people who get The Wolf of Wall Street — those who understand the dangers of what Jordan Belfort has done to himself. Then, there are film bros. Film bros tend not only to identify with Jordan as a character in a different way than most, but they see his lifestyle as something to idolize. Toxic masculinity, including gay bashing and charismatic narcissism, takes its toll on the narrative in a way that confirms the error of Jordan’s ways. However, a film bro tends to look at films superficially to reinforce their “ideal” version of cinema: Does it contain crime? Does it feature “heroes” who circumvent the law? Does it feature men acting on dark desires with little to no consequence? The Wolf of Wall Street features some attractive things to a film bro, but only at the surface level. 

Fight Club

Mental health is an important subject, and it’s a great thing to know that cinema recognizes this. They even attempt to tell stories about mental health. While some fail at this, like Split clearly has, others showcase complexity and even some awareness of that complexity. Fight Club offers tongue-in-cheek commentary on mental illness, and it even plays out in a way that simulates revelations that come to people who deal with similar disorders. That said, a film bro looks at movies like Fight Club, American Psycho, or even Joker with the hope of romanticizing what mental illness really means for someone experiencing it. They idolize men whose battles with society and self are riddled with violence, doubt or anxiety, and vicarious fantasy indulgence.

Read More: Screenwriting Wisdom From the Screenwriter Behind “Fight Club”

How To Keep “Film Bro” From Spreading

It’s not wrong to love good movies; the movies that film bros tend to like are celebrated for a good reason — many of them were made by the best directors of all time. They shouldn’t be the lone determiner of anyone’s taste.

It’s unhelpful to reinforce the idea that good cinema only consists of mostly men, gritty, violent worlds, dark humor, or stories rife with high-octane action. Instead, your film bro friend needs to expand their taste and understand why the movies they like are considered great films.

Show your film bro some films that stand out for other reasons: Whether it’s the same genre but from a new, diverse perspective, or it’s an auteur film that addresses subjects other than masculinity or violence, you can find “gateway” films to open the eyes of your film bro friend. Show them the complexity of the films they already know, and compare it to other films — something you know they’d like if they gave it a chance.

Suggest These Movies to Your Favorite Film Bro

Helping your friends broaden their horizons can start with a simple idea. For example, the themes of your movies can be a linking idea between a classic film bro film and something new. Some examples of this include the following:

If your film bro friend wants to see people take their own vigilante justice, show them something like Promising Young Woman to expand their perspective beyond Inglourious Basterds, Batman Begins, or V for Vendetta — all common film bro favorites.

For a film bro who likes to think about mortality, they don’t have to stay stuck with movies like Donnie Darko or Synecdoche, New York. Instead, open their minds with movies like A Ghost Story, Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal, or even Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

If your film bro likes movies about greed, steer them away from just Goodfellas and The Wolf of Wall Street in favor of movies like Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away or a film like Sorry to Bother You, whose absurdist humor tackles the capitalist powers-that-be.

Spirited Away (2001)

For movies about power and its corruption, your friend might try to stick with The Godfather or There Will Be Blood — but instead, have them watch The Favourite.

Finally, if you’re trying to wean someone off of film bro films about masculinity, help them reexamine that lens with films like The Rider or I Love You, Man instead of Fight Club or Raging Bull. 

Read More: 5 Ways Screenwriters Can (and Should) Include Diversity in Their Writing

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Film bro or not, a skipping record repeating similar movies and genres over and over doesn’t allow for growth as a movie lover. Whether you’re a filmmaker, a cinephile, or just dipping your toes in, you should keep trying new movies. Watch movies by women. Watch movies by BIPOC filmmakers. Watch movies by LGBTQ+ filmmakers.

Doing so helps you to better understand what makes good cinema — and why it resonates with people. Don’t let your film bros down by letting them stay in that echo chamber. Don’t stay inside your own echo chamber, either. Instead, share the experience of something new with a film bro friend today!

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

The post What Is a Film Bro? appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Don’t know where to start? Check out these shows below for the best audio content out there; from how to translate your script to a production schedule, to what parts of himself Michael B. Jordan sees in Adonis Creed.

Happy listening!

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Read More: 10 Best Filmmaking Websites for Indie Filmmakers

A24 Podcast

Who's It For?

Anyone who loves prestige indie and mainstream art films.

Hosted By

No hosts! Actors and filmmakers interview each other each week; think Variety’s series "Actors on Actors".

What's It About?

In addition to prestige films, A24 also produces this top-notch filmmaking podcast. Expect interviews from today’s best filmmakers and most enthralling performers, as they offer insight into behind-the-scenes details from most if not all of the best, most lauded films in production today.

Awards Chatter

Who's It For?

Industry insiders and anyone who knows Angela Bassett did the thing.

Hosted By

Scott Feinberg - Executive Editor, Awards, The Hollywood Reporter

What's It About?

On this show, produced by the leading industry trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, esteemed critic Scott Feinberg’s vast knowledge of filmmaking, filmmakers, and film history is on full display. Each week Feinberg and other leading entertainment journalists interview the most masterful and celebrated filmmakers of our time, in their race for the industry’s top honors. (Previously only produced during awards season, due to this show’s success, you can now tune in weekly for interviews and discussion from prominent artists and critics!)

Write On: A Screenwriting Podcast

Who's It For?

Screenwriters, aspiring screenwriters, screenwriting enthusiasts, and students of the craft.

Hosted By

Sadè Sellers, Screenwriter & Producer

What's It About?

Final Draft, the industry standard screenwriting software, wants to do more for writers than simply offer software. That’s why each week, the company produces this intimate, interview-based, screenwriting-focused interview. Tune in for in-depth interviews from the top writers of film and television, including award-winners, tentpole movie writers, showrunners, and indie filmmakers alike.

The Rewatchables

Who's It For?

Movie-obsessed pop-culture and media junkies.

Hosted By

Bill Simmons, Founder, The Ringer

What's It About?

On this The Ringer-produced podcast, Bill Simmons hosts a weekly roundtable discussion of movies The Ringer staff can’t stop watching. Expect a fun mix of movies from your childhood, your parents’ childhood, and today, while media professionals dive deep into what makes a script sticky, and a film unforgettable, for better or worse!

I Saw What You Did

Who's It For?

Anyone whose friends are tired of them bringing up niche film facts at dinner.

Hosted By

Millie De Chirico, TCM Programmer & Danielle Henderson, Author, and TV Writer

What's It About?

This filmmaking podcast is like hanging out with your two best and funniest film friends! Best friends Millie De Chirico and Danielle Henderson, self-proclaimed film enthusiast and film expert, respectively, host this two-hander recapping and dissecting two films each week of a similar theme.

The No Film School Podcast

Who's It For?

Whether or not you attended film school, this filmmaking podcast is for anyone making an indie film today.

Hosted By

A rotating cast of the No Film School team, regularly featuring Writer/Director GG Hawkins

What's It About?

Everyone’s favorite online filmmaking resource, No Film School, has produced over 600 episodes of this insanely practical podcast. From interviews with not only above-the-line talent, but below-the-line crew members and post-production specialists as well, to product deep dives with manufacturers, craftsmen, and technicians, this podcast covers everything you need to know about the ins and outs of not only making a career in filmmaking but surviving and thriving as an indie filmmaker as well.

Read More: DIY Filmmaking and Hollywood Politics: An Exclusive Podcast with Ryan Koo of No Film School

IndieWire Toolkit

Who's It For?

Low-budget filmmakers looking for inspiration and motivation from the pros.

Hosted By

Christ O’Falt, Head of IndieWire’s Film & TV Craft Department

What's It About?

Produced by leading industry publication, IndieWire, this interview-based podcast leaves small talk aside and dives deep into exploring a filmmaker’s craft and art. For inspiration and motivation, tune in weekly to hear from experts and icons in film and television.

The Criterion Quest

Who's It For?

Cinephiles, aspiring cinephiles, and anyone whose friends fell asleep during Citizen Kane.

Hosted By

Chris and Lee, Australian film enthusiasts and podcasters

What's It About?

Cinephiles and film students unite! For a more casual listening experience, this filmmaking podcast documents two friends on their endeavor to screen every film in the iconic Criterion Collection. Follow along as they recap and dissect the movies we study, appreciate, and emulate as filmmakers today.

Read More: 10 Filmmaking Books Every Aspiring Filmmaker Should Read

The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Who's It For?

Not just Directors! Any filmmaker looking for insight from today’s most celebrated filmmakers.

Hosted By

A revolving door of esteemed Directors and industry professionals

What's It About?

Produced by the Directors Guild of America, this podcast features weekly interviews with Directors from the most popular films out now. Typically recorded after DGA screenings of a Director’s film, expect specifics about the Director’s approach to their craft, their journey as an artist and human being, and the unique experience of making each film.

How Did This Get Made?

Who's It For?

Anyone obsessed with niche movies, 80s movies, or any exhausted filmmaker who just needs a laugh.

Hosted By

Actors, Writers, and Comedians each in their own right: Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas

What's It About?

Twist- this comedy podcast explores bad movies! Think B-list horror films, TV movies, and more; these three hilarious comedians dissect the good, bad, and the ugly of movies we love to hate and hate to watch. Bad movies get seen too; but how?!

No-Budget Filmmaking

Who's It For?

This is required listening for any and all indie filmmakers!

Hosted By

Indie filmmakers: Alex Darke & Trevor L. Nelson

What's It About?

Let’s be honest, fundraising is hard, especially in this economy! Most of us are trying our best to scrape together what we can to tell our stories on shoestring budgets, and this podcast knows it! Come back weekly for no holds barred discussions on the practicalities of indie filmmaking, from budget-saving tips and tricks to distribution insight, make the most of your filmmaking experience, and become the filmmaker whose script makes it to screen!

Team Deakins

Who's It For?

Filmmakers, cinematographers, and any fan of Roger Deakins' work.

Hosted By

Cinematographer Roger Deakins and script supervisor James Deakins

What's It About?

If you're into cinematography, it doesn't get any better than this. Roger Deakins — the Roger Deakins — sits down every week with his wife and collaborator James to talk about everything from the film industry, cinematography, and much more. They even answer questions submitted by listeners, so if you've got any burning questions for the Oscar-winning legend himself, this is your chance to get them answered!

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Read More: 10 Excellent Screenwriting Podcast Episodes

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

The post These Filmmaking Podcasts Will Change the Way You Make Movies appeared first on ScreenCraft.

When screenwriter Jana Savage saw early footage of the documentary, she recognized that there was a feature-length narrative within it to be told, shared, and celebrated.

The film follows Bea Johnson from birth to graduation as she navigates life with two intellectually disabled parents and an extended family who can’t quite agree on the best way to help.

The touching feature film Wildflower made its way to theaters today. I was able to sit down with Smulker to discuss how the story evolved from real events to a documentary and finally to a feature film with a loveable cast that includes Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Emmy Award winner Jean Smart (Hacks), and Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook, Animal Kingdom).

Finding the Heart of the Story

“I was hesitant [when screenwriter Jana Savage] said we should pivot and do a narrative of your documentary. I didn’t want to recreate the documentary but when we started talking more and more about a different way in and that was through comedy,” shared Smulker.

The balance of love, tenderness, heartbreak at times, and comedy was what kept Smulker up at night. “I was terrified of not getting it right. I wanted to make sure people were laughing with the characters and not at them,” he confessed. Having seen the film, it’s clear that Smulker and Savage were expertly mindful of this process — had they failed, the film could be painful and tone-deaf. Instead, it absolutely sings with its humanity.

“In every family, there’s some dysfunction, but it was very important to me to highlight their profound love for one another,” Smulker reflected.

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Building a Team

Wildflower was Matt Smulker’s narrative feature film directorial debut — a feat accomplished as a result of years of experience in commercials, music videos, short films, and his documentary. From there, he recruited the screenwriting expertise of Savage. The two were collaborating on another project when she pointed out the story’s narrative potential.

“I’d been living with this story for six years but Jana was able to have an objective eye on it to say that the blueprint was there,” explained Smulker. “So then the lightbulb went off. I knew this was such an extraordinary family dynamic and by making this into a feature, I felt we could make it more accessible to more people and that it could inspire people.”

Read More: Alejandro González Iñárritu's Tips for a Successful Collaboration

Examining Structure

The feature film opens with the character of Bea (Shipka) lying comatose in a hospital bed — a departure from the documentary, where Matt Smulker’s niece isn’t hospitalized until almost three-quarters of the way through the film. This allowed the filmmakers to demonstrate the real dangers of Bea’s upbringing before journeying with Bea through her narrated flashbacks that show how her parents met and fell in love, Bea’s early childhood, and her unconventional life.

Bea’s voiceover keeps the tone light-hearted, even when the characters struggle. It’s a compassionate balance and one that makes Wildflower such a feel-good film.

[L-R] Kannon Omachi as “Nia Tanaka” and Kiernan Shipka as “Bea” in the comedy, drama film, WILDFLOWER, a Momentum Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Momentum Pictures.

Finding Purpose

Matt Smulker also wanted to use Wildflower as a means to show a different side to a story centered on a family with disabilities. “We all have our own preconceived notions about what disability looks like,” Smulker stated. “So when you hear the story of a woman with a 59 IQ who wanted to have a family, who wanted to work and wanted to live on her own — without knowing this woman and without seeing the struggles she had to get there, you can’t really imagine it.”

Smulker and Savage found a way to depict the challenges, the triumphs, and the humor the characters experienced. Sometimes, there isn’t much we can do in a situation other than to laugh without judgment or resentment — something the characters in Wildflower exemplify.

Kiernan Shipka as “Bea” in the comedy, drama film, WILDFLOWER, a Momentum Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Momentum Pictures.

Samantha Hyde, who plays the character of Sharon, Bea’s mother, studied the real-life inspiration for her character: Sheila. “From the moment I saw her,” shared Hyde, “I knew who she was. She’s Cinderella and no one else can see it.” This specificity in a character, particularly a neurodivergent character, brings her to life in a way that isn’t often seen on-screen. Hyde is on the autism spectrum herself, so she expressed a lot of joy and relief at being able to convey nuances of disabilities and help create opportunities for other disabled people to work.

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Writers will have a hard time escaping the “why you why now” questions about their stories — but in many ways, those questions are excellent guidelines for story inception and trajectory. Why Matt Smulker? Because he saw something unconventional and yet completely human in his family. Why now? Because the world is awakening to the strengths of diversity and the nuances of disabilities, which have been punished for far too long. His tender film might open minds just as it warms hearts.

When adapting true events, there must be more than just a cool story. As writers and artists, we have a sacred calling to also offer lessons and themes that bring clarity to human experiences and, hopefully, make our world just a little bit better.

Good luck finding your stories and, as always, happy writing!

Read More: 5 Reasons to Have True Story Screenplays in Your Spec Portfolio

Thanks for sitting down with us, Matt!

WILDFLOWER is now in Theaters, and available On Demand and Digital on March 21st!

Shannon Corbeil is a writer, actor, and U.S. Air Force veteran in Los Angeles with recent appearances on SEAL Team and The Rookie. She was also a 2023 DGE TV Writing Program Finalist, and her screenplays have placed in various contests. You can read more about her on her website or come play on Instagram and Twitter!

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

The post How Filmmaker Matt Smulker Told a Touching True Story with 'Wildflower' appeared first on ScreenCraft.

According to recent research studies from the Geena Davis Organization, girl characters are outnumbered by boys three-to-one — a ratio that has existed since the end of World War II. Meanwhile, behind the camera, the statistics are much worse. Only 7% of directors, 13% of writers, and 20% of producers are female, leaving women at a distinct disadvantage in the entertainment industry.

With men primarily writing and directing women’s stories, it’s no wonder that women and girls onscreen are diminished and devalued, even in family films.

Read More: Sexism in Screenwriting: How to Navigate the Industry as a Woman

While the perception is that there has been improvement, the 2023 Academy Award nominations once again failed to recognize women in the Best Director category. This occurred even in a year in which films like Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King and Sarah Polley’s Women Talking have lit up with critical acclaim and a collective “yes, finally,” from audiences.

As we celebrate Women's History Month, it remains crucial to watch and endorse movies that revolve around the experiences and accomplishments of women. Although there are numerous options available, we have curated a list of 20 of the best Women's History Month movies.

Read More: All of Your Favorite Movies Were Written by Women

Got a great story about a woman in history? Enter the ScreenCraft True Story & Public Domain Competition!

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Nomadland

Nomadland is a mediational film that follows a woman in her sixties who, after losing her job and everything that might keep her in one place, moves into a van as she journeys through the American West. Nomadland won Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Director at the 2021 Academy Awards — making director Chloe Zhao the second of only three women to earn the award and the first woman of color.

The Hurt Locker

This film deserves to be on this list of Women's History Month movies for several reasons, namely for who directed it.

Kathryn Bigelow made history when she became the first woman to win Best Director at the 2009 Academy Awards for this movie. The Hurt Locker is a suspenseful war film that follows an explosive ordnance disposal unit during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The film deftly explores the psychological reactions to the stress of combat — including the nuance of how war can become something that warriors crave as normal and meaningful.

CODA

It isn’t often these days that the awards circuit celebrates feel-good films, but Sian Heder’s CODA, a tender coming-of-age dramedy about a child of deaf adults (CODA) who struggles to balance her deaf family’s fishing business with her own dreams of being a singer.

CODA won Best Writing for Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Picture at the 2022 Academy Awards.

Thelma & Louise

The 1991 road trip film is about two friends who find themselves running away from men and toward each other — and the unknown has become an icon in the popular zeitgeist. It also garnered Khouri an Academy Award for Best Writing for Original Screenplay in 1992. It captures a wildness in womens’ spirit and offers a rare opportunity for women to be featured as adventurous, especially with such critical acclaim and popularity.

Juno

Another winner of Best Writing for Original Screenplay, Juno tells the story of a teenager confronting an unplanned pregnancy with dry humor, determined independence, and the heartbreaking naivete of her young years. Cody’s writing offered a humorous and honest glimpse into the ruminations of a young, sexually active girl, as well as the tenderness of many forms of love, from romantic to parental.

She Said

She Said is based on the 2019 book of the same title by reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. The film follows the reporters’ New York Times investigation that exposed Harvey Weinstein’s history of abuse and sexual misconduct against women.

Read More: How 'She Said' Adapted a Bombshell NYT News Article About Harvey Weinstein

Promising Young Woman

This thriller film features a woman haunted by her past as she seeks vengeance against abusive men and the women who enable them. It calls out the behavior of “good guys” in a provocative and chilling way and is a must-watch in this age of consent.

Erin Brockovich

The 2000 American biological legal drama follows the true story of Erin Brockovich, who exposed the energy corporation PG & E and its contamination of the Hinkley groundwater, resulting in the illnesses and deaths of hundreds of Hinkley residents. Julia Roberts’ portrayal of Brockovich as a take-no-shit activist and struggling single mother is one for the history books.

Lady Sings The Blues

Diana Ross' performance as Billie Holiday in Lady Sings The Blues, loosely based on the singer's memoir, tells the story of the poverty, racism, and addiction issues that Holiday faced. While a simplistic version of the singer’s life, the film celebrates the late singer’s talent and influence on jazz and swing music while also leaving you to wonder what else she could have done if not beset by systemic racism.

The Farewell

Partly based on director Lulu Wang’s real-life experience, The Farewell follows a Chinese-American family reunion in Changchun, China, as they support their grandma through her last days while keeping her terminal cancer diagnosis a secret. Through the eyes of third-generation Bili, the award-winning dramedy explores family tensions and cultural clashes in a light-hearted fashion.

Hidden Figures

When most people think about the history of space exploration, they don't tend to think about 1.) the brilliant scientists who make it possible, and 2.) the fact that some of them were women.

The 2016 biographical drama is loosely based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly, tells the story of three Black female mathematicians who worked at NASA during the Cold War. It sheds light on their contributions to the Space Race and the challenges they had to overcome in a world dominated by white men.

The Woman King

The Woman King is a 2022 historical action drama about the Agojie, an all-female warrior unit that protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey during the 17th to 19th centuries — most significantly, during the European/American slave trade. It features powerful performances from the women portraying real-life warriors, from their strengths in a battle to the fierce love in their hearts.

Read More: 'The Woman King' Writer Dana Stevens Explains How to Bring History to Life

On the Basis of Sex

A list of great Women's History Month movies wouldn't be complete without including this modern political hero. The 2018 biographical legal drama directed by Mimi Leder is based on the life and early cases of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, concentrating most significantly on a case that allowed RBG to challenge America’s sex-based laws and earn everyone, but most significantly, women, equal protection under the law.

Frida

The 2002 biographical drama offers a glimpse into the life of Mexican surrealist artist Frida Kahlo, an iconic artist and bisexual woman in a tumultuous relationship with muralist Diego Rivera. Kahlo’s deeply personal artwork explores identity, post-colonialism, gender, class, and race in Mexican society, and her legacy lives on through her bold folk-art style.

A League of Their Own

This epic sports comedy-drama tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, launched during World War II to bring morale to America. A League of Their Own has everything you want from an underdog sports film while also reminding you that America does not treat men and women equally. Just look at the injuries the female athletes endure from being forced to slide home in a skirt.

Fast Color

Fast Color flew under the radar, which is a great tragedy. The 2018 superhero drama tells the story of a woman with supernatural powers on the run from law enforcement and scientists who would study and control her. It is rare for a superhero to have powers that don’t equate to violently dominating an enemy — instead, in this film co-written by director Julia Hart and Jordan Horowitz, our hero’s strength and love for her family will be the key to saving the world.

Clueless

This may not be what comes to mind when you think of Women's History Month movies, but Clueless definitely deserves its place on the list.

Written and directed by Amy Heckerling, Clueless is a now-iconic adaptation of Jane Austen’s 1815 novel Emma. It centers on a beautiful, popular, and rich high school student living in Beverly Hills who attempts to play makeover with people in her life before realizing she may be the one who needs to make some changes. 

Queen of Katwe

Based on the life of Phiona Mutesi and directed by Mira Nair, Queen of Katwe is a biographical sports drama about a girl living in Katwe, a slum of Kampala in Uganda, who learns to play chess and becomes a Woman Candidate Master after her victories at World Chess Olympiads.

Booksmart

Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut features two high school seniors who finally decide to break some rules and party the night before graduation. An exploration of self, sexuality, and friendship, the 2019 comedy is an honest look at young women's hormone- and ambition-driven lives.

Jennifer’s Body

The 2009 horror-comedy written by Diablo Cody and directed by Karyn Kusama portrays a demonically possessed high school girl who kills her male classmates, making a treat of its femme fatale twist on slasher victims. In the years since its original release, Jennifer’s Body has rightly become a vicious cult classic.

Read More: Patty Jenkins on Powerful Female Characters and the Universality of Wonder Woman

We can’t talk about women in entertainment without addressing non-binary and trans people, who also deserve to have their stories told, and their joys celebrated. Their talents are featured in front of and behind the camera. Furthermore, so many women’s achievements are still predominantly white women’s achievements.

Hollywood still has a long way to go when hiring people of color and LGBTQ+ creators. The hashtag #OscarsSoWhite remains as relevant today as it was conceived in 2015 — and not just in how few people of color are nominated for awards, but how few stories of their joy they get to tell on screen.

Read More: 35 Powerful Quotes From Women in Hollywood

Representation on screen normalizes representation in the workplace, so it is critical that we all continue to go out of our way to fight for diversity in our cast and crews, in the projects we support, and in the stories we tell.

During Women’s History Month, let’s fight to remain intersectional feminists, lift each other up, and make space for all those reaching to join us as we rise. Which of the Women's History Month movies from our lineup is your favorite.

Shannon Corbeil is a writer, actor, and filmmaker in Los Angeles with recent appearances on SEAL Team and The Rookie. An Air Force veteran, her articles have been published in Business Insider, We Are The Mighty, and Military.com. She was also a 2023 DGE TV Writing Program Finalist. You can read more about her on her website or come play on Instagram and Twitter!

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

The post 20 Best Movies To Watch During Women's History Month appeared first on ScreenCraft.

• Science Fiction/Fantasy/Comedy/Action/Martial Arts/Drama genre blend
• Dramas
• Biopics
• Musical Drama
• War
• Dramedy
• Action Drama
• Sci-fi

From box office blockbusters (Top Gun: Maverick, Avatar: Way of the Water) to Small Arthouse Indies (Tar, Triangle of Sadness), and directed by Hollywood legends (Steven Spielberg, James Cameron) to cult arthouse indie favorites (Sarah Polley, Martin McDonagh), this year's Best Picture nominees offer Academy voters many worthy winners.

Read More: Academy Award Winning Movies You Need to Read From the 2000s

But only one can come home with the gold statue (unless there is a Best Picture tie, which has never happened).

Here we present all ten Academy Award nominees for Best Picture (along with their loglines and trailers), accompanied by the biggest reasons they each deserve to win.

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All Quiet on the Western Front

Notable Best Picture wins thus far: BAFTA

A young German soldier's terrifying experiences and distress on the western front during World War I.

Why It Should Win:

The Academy rarely awards Best Picture to foreign films, despite the recent 2020 win of Parasite. And that's a shame because a film is a film. While All Quiet on the Western Front will likely take the Best Foreign Picture, the film deserves to win the overall Best Picture category because of its scope and size. War films often draw votes from Academy members because of all that goes into creating period war set pieces. This film depicts a war that hasn't been as represented as others (WWII, Civil War, Vietnam). While this is one of many interpretations of this particular story, the film is a masterpiece. It's poignant, relevant, cathartic, heartbreaking, inspiring, and tragic. It deserves to win.

Avatar: The Way of Water

Notable Best Picture wins thus far: National Board of Review (Top 10), AFI Movies of the Year

The sequel to 2009 Best Picture nominee Avatar. Jake Sully lives with his newfound family formed on the extrasolar moon Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na'vi race to protect their home.

Why It Should Win:

The first Avatar movie was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Picture. Cameron famously lost to his ex-wife (but a good friend) Kathryn Bigelow, who won both awards with her smaller war film, The Hurt Locker. This sequel is one that has been in the making for over a decade. It pushes the very technological advances the original Avatar made, tenfold. The world-building is outstanding. The special effects (both the CG and 3D) are the best they've ever been in any film. From a technological standpoint alone, this movie deserves to win above all others. Director James Cameron changed the way movies can be made.

Read More: How Avatar: The Way of Water Gets to "Level 3 Storytelling"

The Banshees of Inisherin

Notable Best Picture wins thus far: National Board of Review (Top 10), AFI Special Award, Golden Globes (Musical/Comedy)

Two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them.

Why It Should Win:

Some films rely on their acting performances alone to carry Oscar-worthiness. And, yes, this outstanding and powerful character piece delivers on that front. The two powerhouse performances from co-lead actors Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson (returning together after playing hitmen in In Bruges) are an unmatched duo compared to all of the other Best Picture nominees. Watching these two amazing performances is worth a Best Picture Oscar alone.

Elvis

Notable Best Picture wins thus far: AFI Movies of the Year

The life of American music icon Elvis Presley, from his childhood to becoming a rock and movie star in the 1950s while maintaining a complex relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

Why It Should Win:

Sometimes it's a single performance that warrants a Best Picture win. But the wonderful dynamic of Elvis is that Austin Butler's career-defining performance is accompanied by masterful and unique direction by director Baz Luhrmann (curiously left out of the Best Director nominations). There's a style to this film that captures not only the time period but the essence of Elvis Presley. A win would be a testament to his impact on the world. And a deserving one. Butler's performance alone is at the center as well and deserves the win.

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Notable Best Picture wins thus far: National Board of Review (Top 10), AFI Movies of the Year, Los Angeles Film Critics Awards (tie), Critics Choice, SAG ensemble

A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.

Why It Should Win:

Sometimes the Academy is faced with a truly unique and original nominee that can't be ignored. Parasite was perhaps the most recent example — until this year. Everything Everywhere All at Once, directed by directing due the Daniels, takes that baton with a tenfold approach of originality and uniqueness. Never has the Academy seen such a genre blend. There's science fiction, fantasy, comedy, action, martial arts, and drama. And all are perfectly blended with a collection of amazing performances with a predominantly Asian cast.

Sometimes the story behind the scenes adds to the allure of the Best Picture win. The comeback of Ke Huy Quan, the career-defining performance from Michelle Yeoh, the rising star of Stephanie Hsu, and the possible legacy win for Jamie Lee Curtis are all great stories. The film deserves to win on its own merits, but the behind-the-scenes story only enhances the allure of a possible Best Picture win.

Read More: 2023 Oscar Nominations: ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Gets 11 Nods

The Fabelmans

Notable Best Picture wins thus far: TIFF People's Choice, PSIFF Vanguard Award, National Board of Review (Top 10), AFI Movies of the Year, Golden Globes (Drama)

Growing up in post-World War II era Arizona, young Sammy Fabelman aspires to become a filmmaker as he reaches adolescence, but soon discovers a shattering family secret and explores how the power of films can help him see the truth.

Why It Should Win:

This film was the early favorite in the Awards race. While the Golden Globes win for Best Drama was a huge step forward for it being the front-runner, other films have generated more recent buzz. Spielberg's most personal film should win because of two factors.

First, it's a love letter to the cinema. Not only to the people that make movies but also to the people that watch them. Second, the film is a biopic that tells the story of arguably the greatest director of our time, Steven Spielberg. This is his story. A coming of age period piece about family, sacrifice, and pursuing a dream against all odds. It's not only highly cathartic from an emotional standpoint — it's also hilariously funny. A win for this film would be a testament to Steven Spielberg's career and life. And that would make for an amazing Oscar moment.

Read More: The Fabelmans: How Steven Spielberg Uses Filmmaking to Cope

Tár

Notable Best Picture wins thus far: New York Film Critics Circle, AFI Movies of the Year, Los Angeles Film Critics Awards (tie)

Set in the international world of Western classical music, the film centers on Lydia Tár, widely considered one of the greatest living composer-conductors and the very first female director of a major German orchestra.

Why It Should Win:

A film's Best Picture win can be attributed to a powerful performance, which is no easy feat. In this case, Cate Blanchett's remarkable acting skills are the centerpiece of the movie's success. Without her masterful performance, the movie may not have been a contender. However, with it, the film deserves recognition and a win.

Top Gun: Maverick

Notable Best Picture wins thus far: National Board of Review (Best Film), AFI Movies of the Year

The sequel to Top Gun. After thirty years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads Top Gun's elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it.

Why It Should Win:

There's a lot to unlock here. This could have been a dismal sequel. Instead, Tom Cruise proved how talented he is not just as an actor, but as one of the industry's best producers. It was difficult enough to concoct a worthy sequel to a beloved film that was released nearly 40 years ago. It was even more difficult to weather the storm of a global pandemic that shut down the industry's platform (theaters) for well over a year. Cruise pushed up against plans for the studio to release the long-awaited film on its streaming platform. He fought to keep it on the back burner for a global theatrical release.

According to Steven Spielberg himself, Cruise may well have saved the film industry by bringing audiences back in droves. Beyond those behind-the-scenes stories, the film itself is a masterful display of cinema, offering a heart-pounding action film with outstanding practical stunts, anchored by outstanding drama. Not every Best Picture needs to be elegant high-brow art or a dazzling and epic period piece. Top Gun: Maverick entertains. And it goes to great levels to offer cathartic moments throughout that entertainment. For that reason alone, it deserves to win Best Picture.

Triangle of Sadness

Notable Best Picture wins thus far: Cannes

A fashion model celebrity couple joins an eventful cruise for the super-rich.

Why It Should Win:

Comedies don't get their due at the Oscars. No outright comedy has won Best Picture since 1977's Annie Hall. And while you could argue that 2011's Best Picture winner, The Artist, was a comedy, that film won primarily because of its original and unique production of a black-and-white silent film. And Triangle of Sadness is far funnier than The Artist. It's hilarious. We get a true send-up of upper-class life with some of the funniest physical humor we've seen in recent years. It's about time a comedy wins Best Picture again. And this film is one of the funniest contenders we've seen.

It's also much more of a straight-up comedy than any previous comedy winner (1934’s It Happened One Night, 1938’s You Can’t Take It With You, 1944’s Going My Way, 1963’s Tom Jones, 1973’s The Sting, 1977’s Annie Hall, and, Yes, 2011’s The Artist).

Women Talking

Notable Best Picture wins thus far: National Board of Review (Top 10), AFI Movies of the Year

Do nothing. Stay and fight. Or leave. In 2010, the women of an isolated religious community grapple with reconciling a brutal reality with their faith.

Why It Should Win:

Many will say that the nomination for this film is a win. It wasn't initially very well known in many circles. However, it's a very important film for the #MeToo movement, and for our society in general. Sometimes a film's message and cultural impact are enough to warrant a Best Picture win. The film tells a harrowing true story that precedes the #MeToo movement. It's a story and message that women of all ages can sadly identify with, and it's also a story and message that men and women from all walks of life need to witness so that we can ensure that this movement doesn't fade away. Instead, we need to assure that the change continues and evolves into true equality.

Who do you think is going to win?

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, and Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries Blackout, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller Hunter’s Creed, and many produced Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies and Instagram @KenMovies76.

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

The post Why Each of the Best Picture Oscar Nominees Deserve To Win appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Yes, both of those things a true, to an extent, but something even more compelling to explore is how The Fabelmans is Spielberg’s finest manifestation of how he has used filmmaking as a way to cope with his personal reality and trauma.

This film reveals how cinema has been his perfect tool for catharsis throughout his life — and there's proof even in his earlier films.

Let’s take a look at some of his other films to get an understanding of how Spielberg has always, from the very beginning, used his films as a way to cope with reality and trauma.

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Jaws: Facing the Unknown

What is Jaws About?

Jaws is a classic thriller that has captivated audiences since its release in 1975. While the film's main plot revolves around a man-eating great white shark terrorizing a small beach town, it also explores deeper themes related to fear, masculinity, and the unknown.

Download the script!

What is Jaws Really About?

One of the most prominent subtextual themes in Jaws is the fear of the unknown, which is reflected in the way the shark is mysteriously presented — which was initially only because they could not get the mechanical shark to work correctly. The shark is rarely shown in full, and when it is, it's often in quick, ominous shots that only heighten the tension to create a more compelling experience.

This fear of the unknown can be seen as a reflection of Spielberg's personal life — seeing as he grew up in a broken home and often felt like an outsider. This feeling of not belonging may have influenced his approach to the film and his decision, subconscious or not, to create a monster that is shrouded in mystery.

The Catharsis

The catharsis in Jaws is clear. Not only do the characters confront their fear of the unknown, they literally blow it to pieces.

Read More: Screenwriting Plants and Payoffs: 'Jaws'

Jurassic Park: Controlling the Uncontrollable

What is Jurassic Park About?

Jurassic Park is about a group of scientists that travel to a remote island to tour a theme park full of dinosaurs that were created using DNA. It's a dream come true for all the visitors until the animals break out and turn their incredible journey into a nightmare.

Download the script!

What is Jurassic Park Really About?

Jurassic Park was a groundbreaking science fiction film that explores the ethical implications of bringing extinct animals back to life through genetic engineering. While the film is primarily a thrilling adventure classic, it also explores much deeper themes related to human ambition, control, and the consequences of playing God.

Subtextual Theme: The Dangers of Human Ambition and Control

One of the primary subtextual themes in Jurassic Park is the danger of human ambition and needing to have control. The film's main characters, who are attempting to create a theme park with genetically engineered dinosaurs, are portrayed as overly confident but reckless in their pursuit of scientific discovery. This theme can be seen as a reflection of Spielberg's own experiences with success and ambition — seeing as he has often been criticized for being too controlling on set and pursuing projects that are too ambitious, especially in his very early career.

We will get to this more when exploring The Fabelmans, but the idea of control can actually be considered what initially started Spielberg’s journey as a filmmaker–his need to make a film about a toy train crash in order to feel as if he has some type of control over his life as a child–after being scared by The Greatest Show on Earth, the first film he saw in the cinema.

'Jurassic Park' (1993)

Subtextual Theme: The Consequences of Playing God

Another subtextual theme in Jurassic Park is the consequences of playing God. One of the film's villains, who attempt to steal the dinosaur embryos and profit from the technology, is ultimately punished for their hubris–being eaten by a dinosaur in the scene we all remember too vividly. This theme can be seen as a cautionary tale about the dangers of meddling with nature and the consequences that can arise when we try to control the world around us. Again, this plays directly into Spielberg’s need to control his perception of reality with his control over his films. More on that soon.

The Catharsis

The catharsis in Jurassic Park is that of escape and retribution. The two antagonists who were led by greed, not considering the lives of others, were both eaten by the monsters they did not have enough respect for. The man behind the creation of the park was only spared after he contended with his own need to play God and realized his mistakes. And the people who saw the issues with the park, having a deep respect for the dinosaurs from the beginning, all made it out alive.

All of these are metaphors for lessons we, the audience, can learn in our own lives about human ambition, control, and the consequences of playing God.

Schindler’s List: The Importance of Empathy and Compassion

What is Schindler's List About?

Schindler's List is arguably Spielberg’s most powerful film — a historical drama that tells the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than 1,000 Jewish people during the Holocaust.

Download the script!

What is Schindler's List Really About?

While the film is primarily a historical drama that has impacted millions of people around the world, even being honored in Germany after it provoked serious rumination when it was released, it also explores deeper themes related to the human capacity for good and evil, the importance of empathy, and the consequences of inaction.

Subtextual Theme: The Importance of Empathy and Compassion

The importance of empathy and compassion is probably the most important subtextual theme in Schindler's List. The film's main character, Oskar Schindler, begins as a self-centered businessman who cares only about profit, driven by greed and the need for significance. However, throughout the film, he develops a deep empathy for the Jewish people and becomes determined to save as many lives as possible, willing to sacrifice his business and money to do so.

Read More: 3 Spielbergian Ways Screenwriters Can Introduce Their Characters

This theme, the importance of empathy and compassion, can be seen as a reflection of Spielberg's own values and beliefs, as he has been an advocate for social justice and human rights throughout his career. More obviously, being a Jewish person himself, he felt a calling — a need to be the person to bring this movie to life. Initially, Martin Scorsese was supposed to make the film, but he and Spielberg traded projects after much discussion. And aren’t we all happy they did…

'Schindler's List' (1993)

Subtextual Theme: The Consequences of Inaction

Another subtextual theme in Schindler's List is the consequences of inaction. The film's secondary character, Amon Goeth, represents the evil and indifference that allowed the Holocaust to happen. This theme can be seen as a commentary on the dangers of apathy and the importance of taking action to prevent atrocities.

From my own interpretation, this ties into Spielberg’s personal life in that it mirrors how he stepped away from his Jewish culture for many years after being bullied for it as a child. To him, being Jewish was just another reason to feel like an outsider, but making Schindler’s List was his way of stepping back into the culture with even more love than ever before, creating a profound bond and new understanding of what his ancestors went through. He even talks about how hard the shoot was — being in locations where all the atrocious events took place. You can only imagine how cathartic it must have been for him.

The Catharsis

Again, the catharsis here is seeing a man transform from a greedy, power-hungry human to a man willing to sacrifice the things he used to value for the people he once overlooked.

The Fabelmans

Now, on to the final act…

What is The Fabelmans About?

The Fabelmans is about a boy, Sammy Fabelman, who aspires to be a filmmaker, but begins to uncover devastating truths about his dysfunctional family once his camera starts rolling.

Download the script!

What is The Fabelmans Really About?

It's a story about the power of cinema — how it can reveal the truth about life, those around us, and ourselves. The Fabelmans reveals the traumas Spielberg went through before he became the famous director we know and love today, including the issues he faced at home, being bullied as a kid for being Jewish, and feeling like an outsider.

It's Spielberg's way of addressing his family issues, his struggle with identity, feeling like an outsider, and discovering filmmaking as a way to not only cope with trauma (and reality) but a way to control it — a way to understand it.

Subtextual Theme: The Need for Control

The most prominent subtextual theme in The Fabelmans is the need for control. This is even stated at the beginning of the film by Spielberg’s mother (Sammy’s mother). After going to The Greatest Show on Earth, a 1952 movie, the first movie Spielberg saw in the cinema, he was scared by a scene where a train crashed, killing people and creating a sense of chaos. You can only imagine how terrified a young boy would be in the 50s seeing something like that on the screen for the first time.

The way Spielberg instinctively coped with his fear was by recreating the crash with a toy train set. As stated by his mother in the film, recreating the crash made him feel like he had some sense of control. But to take it even further, he filmed it so he could watch the scene over and over again and not have to worry about his father getting mad at him.

That’s where the seed was planted. Not only did it give him literal control but it also helped him process his own fear in an empowering way, allowing him to express his creativity and feel a sense of purpose.

'The Fabelmans' (2022)

How Cinema Helped Spielberg Face His Biggest "Big Bad"

Spielberg has used some pretty scary villains and monsters to face the biggest sources of pain in his life, from sharks, to dinosaurs, to literal Nazis. However, the "big bad" in The Fabelmans might be the biggest of them all, at least to Spielberg.

It's that small piece of celluloid — that seemingly innocent moment captured on film that, when examined more closely, tears apart the fabric of his entire family.

The film directly mirrors Spielberg’s real life in terms of his mother being secretly in love with his father’s best friend, which eventually led to their divorce, creating tension throughout the entire family. In the film, the way in which Sammy discovers what is going on with his mother is only when he is editing a film he recorded of a camping trip. On the trip, he gets footage of his mother and the man she’s in love with.

In real life, Spielberg never noticed that there must have been something going on between them until he added an aspect ratio around this shot. Then, he was able to see beyond the surface and realize the romance between them.

“I obviously observed my mom’s behavior — how she lit up when she was around, you know, Bernie, and I never thought there was anything untoward about them. I never was suspicious about that. It was just my mom had a best friend that just so happen to be my dad’s business partner. But somehow, when I put an aspect ratio around that through my little Bolex 8mm camera, and took it home, starting cutting my little — all the little camping trip films together — the film told me the truth, where my eyes couldn’t.”

The moment in the film when Sammy has this realization, editing the 8mm film reels together, is the perfect encapsulation of what the entire film is about subtextually. It’s only through directing, filming, editing, and the creation of a controlled vision that Sammy is about to process reality in a true sense — just like Spielberg does in real life.

Spielberg uses his films to explore themes about the human condition that he has contended with himself. And through the process of directing, filming, editing, and the creation of a controlled vision is he not only able to understand these themes better, creating catharsis for himself, but he also allows us to understand these themes better, creating catharsis for millions of other people too.

Read More: Screenwriting Wisdom From Steven Spielberg

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To bring this back to the start: Yes, this film is Spielberg’s most personal film not only because we get to literally see what a young Spielberg went through. It is his most personal film because he allows us to dive deeply into the crevices of his own mind, seeing exactly how he has been able to process his trauma — and this little thing we all experience called reality.

Inspired to write your own autobiographical script? Check out our preparation notes so you start your story off on the right track!

The post The Fabelmans: How Steven Spielberg Uses Filmmaking To Cope appeared first on ScreenCraft.

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Short Film Structure

A short film is very much like a short story ­­– there is usually only one storyline with one central protagonist, and the action takes place all in one day (usually just a few minutes). Like a feature film, a short will have three acts with a set-up, inciting incident, big conflict or problem, and some type of resolution, often told visually or without dialogue. 

Short films may be based in reality but are more likely to have some element of magic in them — particularly animated ones. A short film is a place to explore the landscape of the human mind, both real and fantastical.

Read More: 12 Best Short Stories To Read for Screenwriting Inspiration

Twist Ending

A short film, like an amuse-bouche at the beginning of a fine meal, should leave the audience surprised and wanting more. That element of surprise usually comes in the form of a twist ending. Because a short doesn’t have to have an ending that will satisfy the masses (like a wedding at the end of a rom-com), there’s a lot of room to take the road less traveled and have your protagonist end up in a place – physically or emotionally ­– that feels unexpected or bewildering.

Life often puts us in unexpected circumstances, and a short film that reflects those uncomfortable moments can be really fulfilling in a way commercial movies and TV shows are not. 

 Read More: 10 Great Short Films You Can Watch Online Right Now

More Than Just Art

Short films can also function as more than just an expression of your creativity. They can be a “proof of concept” for a feature film idea or full-length script you might have. If people are interested and moved by the short version of your story, they may be more willing to invest in a feature version. A short film, particularly if it gets into film festivals, can also act as a calling card and garner interest from agents and managers.

Short films are also a place to hone your craft – even if you went to film school; there are lessons a filmmaker can only learn by getting a camera and shooting their script. 

Read More: 3 Things Your Short Scripts Should Have in Order to Sell

Now let’s look at some of the Oscar-nominated shorts available to watch online right now (with others on the website coming soon).   

The Flying Sailor 

By Amanda Forbis & Wendy Tilby

The Flying Sailor was inspired by the incredible true-life story of a man blown high into the sky by the 1917 Halifax Explosion, this animated film attempts to show the inner workings of a seaman’s mind during a near-death experience. 

This film has no dialogue and is told entirely through visuals. When the sailor’s life flashes before his eyes, we see a mix of harsh, drunken memories typical of a sailer,  like a fistfight, mixed in with more tender memories from when he was a small boy. The lesson here is about visually showing a three-dimensional character and not settling with a stereotype.  

My Year of Dicks 

By Sara Gunnarsdottir

My Year of Dicks has one of the best titles I’ve ever seen! This is about the mythic quest of a teen girl trying to lose her virginity with all the childish fantasy, hormonal awkwardness, and bad decision-making imaginable. 

At 26 minutes, the story is told in five “chapters,” its episodic nature makes the viewer see how this story could easily be told as a feature film or even a Netflix TV show. The protagonist feels fresh, relatable, vulnerable, and someone we’d like to spend more time with. 

Night Ride (Nattrikken)

By Eirik Tweiten

Within Night Ride, it’s a cold, snowy night in Winter as Ebba waits for a tram to take her home from a party. When the tram driver takes a break, Ebba is left alone in the tram and, on a whim, begins to drive it herself. When an incident happens on the tram with one rider harassing another, Ebba must find the courage to diffuse a potentially violent situation. 

This is a great example of a full-character arc happening in just 16 minutes. From the start, we get the feeling that Ebba isn’t used to being in control or taking charge of dangerous situations. But something is bubbling in her when she gets the nerve to start driving the tram. When faced with the story's central conflict, she first reacts in fear and denial. Then, using her clever nature, she finally decides to take action on behalf of a stranger. It’s an inspirational character study with a surprise twist.   

Ice Merchants 

By João Gonzalez

In Ice Merchants, the storyline focuses on a father and son who jumps from their cliff house with a parachute to the village below to sell their ice. The father seems to know how to care for his young son in the icy environment, but what will happen when the weather warms up?   

This beautifully animated film uses a limited color palette to show the harshness of the cold climate where the film takes place, implying a parallel to the father and son relationship in the story. The parachute jump becomes a metaphor for their tricky relationship, where it becomes clear things between them are changing as the boy grows older. This story is also told without any dialogue. It is a great example of a universal story of a father and son navigating their complex relationship that is strained by the absence of the mother.

The post What Can We Learn from the 2023 Oscar-Nominated Shorts? appeared first on ScreenCraft.

While Shrek had his last onscreen performance in 2010 with Shrek Forever After, his feline companion Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) starred in a 2011 prequel, Puss in Boots, that followed Puss’s adventures before joining Shrek and Donkey in their adventures. After ten years, Puss returns with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which takes place after the events of the Shrek franchise, where Puss struggles to live up to his reputation. 

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From the opening scene, the film declares that “this is a fairy tale,” and the film remarkably changes everything we have expected from the franchise in the first ten minutes. Director Joel Crawford injects stylized action sequences and visual gaps reminiscent of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but makes the style own through unique visuals that we haven’t seen in animation before.

Read More: 5 Serious Takeaways From Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Co-Writer Rodney Rothman

For an animated film targeted towards younger audiences, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a great movie to learn from for any person interested in making live-action or animated films. Let’s break down the story of The Last Wish and what made this story a technical and visual delight.

What Happens in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

After renowned hero and outlaw Puss in Boots is fatally crushed by a bell, Puss wakes up in a hospital where a doctor informs him that he has used eight of his nine lives. With one life left, the doctor urges Puss to retire from his life of adventure. 

Puss refuses but later changes his mind after meeting a mysterious black-hooded wolf (Wagner Moura) who disarms Puss, cuts him on his forehead, and taunts him to pick up his sword. Out of fear of dying, Puss flees to the house of Mama Luna, a cat lady, and ceremoniously buries his attire in her garden. 

Later, the crime family of Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and the Three Bears show up at Luna’s, looking to recruit Puss to steal the magical map of the Wishing Star from Big Jack Horner (John Mulaney) so they can grant a wish. After only finding Puss’s “grave,” the crime family leaves, and Puss follows with a stray dog that is only referred to as Perrito (Harvey Guillén).

Once Puss breaks into Horner’s bakery to steal the map and restore his life, he unexpectedly reunites with Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek Pinault), who is seeking the map to find someone she can trust. The map leads the trio of Puss, Kitty, and Perrito into the Dark Forest, a pocket dimension that changes its terrain depending on the map’s holder. While Puss and Kitty both receive dark, hellish landscapes, Perrito’s is a colorful and tranquil forest.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

During another run-in with Honer and Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Puss spots the hooded wolf again and flees. Perrito follows and calms down Puss from his panic attack. Puss confesses to Perrito that he is living his last life and leaves Kitty at the altar on their wedding day. Kitty overhears this and tells Puss that she never attended the wedding either because she knew she couldn’t compete with someone who loved themselves more than her. 

After reclaiming that map from Goldilocks, the landscape morphs, and Perrito is captured by the bears while Puss is trapped in a crystalline cave. Inside the cave, Puss encounters crystal reflections of his past lives, who mock him for changing his perspective on life.

During this argument, the hooded world appears, saying he followed the scent of Puss’s fear and introduced himself as Death. Death reveals that he seeks to kill Puss as retribution for wasting his past lives. Again, out of fear, Puss flees with the map, leaving Kitty and Perrito behind. 

Meanwhile, Goldilocks reveals that she wishes for a human family, which devastates the bears, who see her as one of their own. Even though they are hurt, the bears agree to help her if this wish ultimately makes her happy.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Ending Explained

At the wishing star, Kitty confronts Puss for his selfishness. During their argument, Goldilocks, the bears, and Horner arrive, and another fight ensues.

Goldilocks forfeits her wish to save Baby Bear’s life during the fight. Horner is trapped inside his magical bottomless bag. When Puss is given the map, Death arrives, trapping Puss and himself in a ring of hellfire.

When Death challenges Puss to a duel, Puss agrees, forfeiting his wish and choosing to be brave and face Death. During the fight, Death notes that Puss has lost his arrogance and has finally accepted his mortality, and spares him after promising Puss that they will meet again. 

Having eaten a magical growth cookie, Horner reemerges from his bag as a giant and takes the map from Puss and Kitty. As he attempts to make a wish, Perrito distracts him so Puss, Kitty, Goldilocks, and the bears can rip the map to shreds. This causes the Wishing Star to collapse and consume Horner. 

As they watch the meteor shower from the ground, Goldilocks accepts the bears as her family, while Puss rekindles his love for Kitty and includes Perrito as a member of their group.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

The Existential Crises of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 

There comes a time in everyone’s life when we start to understand the finality of death. While the concept of death is relatively simple, the “ah-ha” moment of realizing that everything has an expiration date is…well, terrifying. 

Understanding this grim subject matter is hard to make comforting, yet The Last Wish breaks down this existential crisis in an honest and comforting way. How does an animated movie about a suave anti-hero cat in the Shrek universe handle death? Let’s get into it. 

For one, death is present from the beginning. A bell kills Puss, but the audience must remember that we live in a fantasy world, and the myth that a cat has nine lives becomes true in this story. The world’s rules are established without any room for misinterpretation: Puss is in his final life and will die if he doesn’t change his perspective on life. 

Puss’s previous deaths resulted from his arrogance and lack of care for himself or others around him. He believes that his bravery came from a belief that he was invincible, which means that he had never felt accountable to himself or to anybody else. 

If you truly want to understand Puss’s perspective on life, listen to the opening song of The Last Wish:

After being confronted by Death, both physically and methodically, Puss realizes that he can die. His last life is all he has. To persevere in this life, Puss chooses to let the legend of Puss in Boots fade into oblivion as he lives the rest of his days in a cat retirement home where he is miserable and goes through the motions of life. 

After being forced into an adventure, Puss realizes how physically vulnerable he is and that he needs others’ support as much as he needs to support theirs. 

In one of the most beautiful scenes of The Last Wish, Puss has a panic attack and disappears into the woods. When the animators put us into Puss’s perspective, the world is blurry, and the voices are distorted. Perrito finds Puss in this state, understanding that Puss is having a panic attack, and lays his head on Puss to comfort him in his time of need. 

It is a simple moment, yet so profoundly moving because it shows how being there for someone in their time of need can make all the difference. 

Death is scary, but The Last Wish reminds us that we all have to face death one day. Nobody dismisses Puss’s fear of death, yet they are all encouraging him not to run away in fear of it. Instead, enjoy the life you have and do what you can to be happy in the end. 

Once Puss finds happiness from this adventure, a feeling he has never had before, his joy becomes a source of courage. He battles Death and admits that while he may not be able to defeat him, he will continue to fight for his life.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Smelling the Posies With Perrito

I am also skeptical about side characters in animated films, especially ones as adorable as Perrito. These characters are often reduced to being the butt of the joke, but Perrito is different. Perrito is okay with being the butt of the joke because he is involved with the other characters. 

Dreaming of being a therapy dog, Perrito is relentlessly optimistic, offering insight into a new perspective on life. There are many reasons Perrito exists in this narrative, but one of my favorite moments is when the trio walks into the field of posies.  

In this scene, posies violently shoot from the ground and block the path ahead. Puss and Kitty chop through the posies, attacking the enemy as they normally would, but the posies overwhelm them. Perrito, blissfully unaware of the dangers of the flowers, sniffs the posies, which allows him to walk past the flowers easily. Puss and Kitty must let go of their survival instincts and learn to take the time to smell the flowers. 

When confronting death, we often lose sight of the small joys of life. Perrito reminds us to take the time and find value in those small, joyful moments.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Finding Your Chosen Family

While death is the ever-looming theme in The Last Wish, the B story, which often features secondary characters and their problems rather than having them support the main characters, focuses on Goldilocks and her wish to have a family of her own.  

In this version of the fairy tale, Goldilocks is an orphan, or at least so young that when the bears discover her sleeping in Baby Bear’s (Samson Kayo) bed, they decide to keep her and raise her as one of their own. When we meet them in The Last Wish, they’ve been operating as a crime family. 

The foursome works so well together that it is a gut punch to the bears and us when Goldilocks reveals that she wants a “proper” family. Papa and Mama Bear (Ray Winstone and Olivia Colman) make a heart-breaking decision to continue helping Goldilocks find the star anyway because they love and care for Goldilocks and want her to be happy. 

The unawareness of the hurt Goldilocks causes something we have all done with people who care for us. It’s natural to be caught up in your ideas of what you want that you don’t take a step back to realize that you already have everything. 

The relationship between the bears and Goldilocks is a perfect example of a chosen family and the mutual love and support we all crave in our lives.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Is This the End of Puss in Boots?

With his confidence restored and a newfound appreciation for the company, the future for Puss is open to new possibilities. 

One possibility that The Last Wish explicitly teases at the end of the film is the possibility of checking back in with Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey as Puss and his team sail for the kingdom of Far Far Away. We did see many familiar faces from the Shrek films in The Last Wish, like Gingy the Gingerbread Man (Conrad Vernon) and Pinocchio. We also see brief glimpses of Shrek and Donkey with Puss as his lives flash before his eyes. 

Puss is a wonderful character that is open to any challenge that comes his way. Although he tends to stick to his Zorro-esque ways, Puss is a revolutionary figure who is open to change if it means helping those he does care about. Even though it took more than ten years to get the first sequel to Puss in Boots, the spin-off franchise is fully realized and knows how to tackle heavy conversation in a fun and honest way.

The post Why Legends Never Die in ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Wohl began writing the screenplay for Baby Ruby as an attempt to dig into some of these mysteries when she was pregnant with her third child. “I think I felt like this was the last time I was going to do this and I really wanted to somehow capture some of these feelings,” she says.  

In the film, we meet Jo (Noémie Merlant), a social media influencer, who’s expecting her first child with her husband Spencer (Kit Harington). Though she’s excited to become a mother, it soon becomes clear she has no idea what she’s in for.

Bess Wohl (Photo Credit Walter McBride)

Jo struggles to care for her newborn and soon begins to question the motives of everyone around her – her husband, her mother-in-law (Jayne Atkinson), and the local moms in the neighborhood.

Could they all be conspiring behind Jo’s back? Worst of all, it seems that baby Ruby (played by twins, Gabriella and Lucas Thompson) is angry at her mother and is trying to undermine her in all sorts of malicious ways. Could Jo be losing her mind? Or is all this perfectly normal? Baby Ruby is about one woman’s psychological descent into the madness of motherhood where she can only rely on one person to get her out: herself.

Managing Tone Through Emotional Connection

The film stretches across several genres, at times delving into body horror and toying with supernatural tropes; other times it dips its toe into comedy and fantasy. Even though it contains all these different elements, the film keeps one foot firmly rooted in reality – something incredibly difficult to do. I asked her how she managed to keep the tone so grounded. 

“It was a very tricky balancing act tonally throughout the script, throughout the shooting, and through the edit. It’s true the tone was very hard to nail because the movie doesn’t live in one particular tone. It’s flirting with different tones all the time – which to me, reflected the experience of motherhood – am I in a horror movie, or a drama, or a comedy? Am I in the deepest love story of my life? I felt like the movie had to have a tone that was complicated and nuanced as the experience itself,” she says. 

To make the story believable, Wohl says the movie had to maintain a strong emotional connection to the main character, Jo. “I think that connection grounded everything in a psychological reality – even though some incredibly crazy things happen in the film.”  

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Play vs. Movie

When I asked Wohl why she chose to make this story a movie, not a play as she’s used to writing, she had two answers. The first is the challenge of a baby being a main character. 

Wohl says the sheer logistical needs of working with a real-live baby made doing a stage play impossible. “You can’t have a baby in a play – well, The Ferryman [written by Jez Butterworth] did have a baby on stage for about 15 seconds and then it goes away. It can only be a tiny little stunt in the middle of a play,” she says.

Because Ruby is the antagonist in the story, we need to see her quite a bit. In the film, Ruby is played by twins due to the limited amount of hours a baby can work. And then there’s the question of cooperation.

“[A baby] is completely unpredictable on set. One thing I learned quickly is that if you plan to have the baby happy, it comes in crying that day. Or if there’s a scene where the baby is crying, it’s happy as a clam. You have to really adjust on the fly.” After all, the baby doesn’t know it’s acting!

The second reason Wohl knew Baby Ruby had to be a film and not a play was she wanted to create, “An internal, psychological space and film captures that really beautifully. Theatre to me feels more communal and social in some way. I felt the camera could really do things I didn’t know how to do on stage in terms of putting us in [Jo’s] world and allowing us to see her world through her eyes.” 

'Baby Ruby'

The Transition From Playwriting to Screenwriting

It’s no secret there are many differences between writing plays and screenplays. When I asked Wohl if it was difficult for her to go from one medium to the other, she said that writing a movie is always hard but her plays often deal with the unreliability of words making the transition a bit easier.

“Plays and screenplays are so deeply different,” says Wohl, “One, you’re telling a story with language vs. telling a story with images. In both mediums, I’m very interested in what the limitations of language are. One of my early plays is called Small Mouth Sounds and it happens mostly in silence, so I was already experimenting with peeling away dialogue and what you can do with images, discovering how economical I can be with what’s said. For me, that provided a really seamless transition to screenwriting because screenwriting is about what you can do with images. Figuring out what you need words for and balancing that. That’s why I was also so excited to have the opportunity to direct because I could be making these decisions in three dimensions with the actors.” 

The Difficulty of Dialogue in Plays and Screenplays

For being such a successful playwright, it may seem surprising that Wohl is so suspicious of words. But it’s her dubious relationship with words that makes her work so relatable. 

“So much of life happens without words. Many of the most important parts of life we don’t have words for. My plays are always in conflict with language in some way – characters barely say what they mean, often language is a smokescreen in my plays, so I’m always interested in how words fail us. That interrogation [of words] really fueled my interest in working more with images in film,” she says.  

'Baby Ruby'

Clearly, Wohl has thought deeply about both the power and failings of language. “We all have these feelings inside of us and often, language feels so insufficient. When you start playing with words you know you’re playing with a broken set of tools that will fail you. Because the feelings we have as people are just too complicated to fit into language a lot of the time. Words are these beautiful but flawed instruments that try to convey what’s inside of us. When people put up a smokescreen, sometimes it’s intentional but sometimes, and I often say this to actors when I’m working in theatre, ‘Your whole process of talking right now is it try to figure out what you’re trying to say.” It’s not like you know what you need to say and you say it like a chatbot would. You are searching for the thing as the words are coming out of your mouth in real-time.”

But Don’t Pare Down the Words Too Much in a Screenplay

Wohl also learned through the filmmaking process there are times when very little needs to be said and, how sometimes, saying something out loud is essential. “You can also overdo the paring down of words when transitioning from playwriting to screenwriting, so it was really about learning what the camera can do or what a close-up can do that makes language unnecessary. Also, learning where the words can explode off the screen and make a huge, huge difference,” she says. 

Wohl’s Advice for Playwrights Transitioning to Screenwriting

Wohl says it’s very important to understand how screenplay structure works. “My experience has been that even the most seemingly avant-garde films adhere to a three-act structure which is really just a beginning, middle, and end. There are people who’ve expressed it in much more fancy ways, but it feels to me like screenplays have certain structural expectations – not really expectations of people in the industry but of people who go to the movies and want to be fulfilled. In plays, there’s much more structural freedom in terms of how you can arc your story. It's a little bit less rigorous in that particular way. So, I would learn screenplay structure even if you decide to veer away from it or make your first act only three pages long – you can do anything once you know it.” 

Read More: What Pro Script Readers Consider When Reading Cinematic Stage Plays

Her second piece of advice comes from personal experience. “I always thought that doing something for TV or film, I had to take out that messy, idiosyncratic thing that only belonged in my plays. That I had to do something more commercial. What I keep learning, time and time again, is that messy, idiosyncratic thing can live in the screenplay, in an episode of television ­– it’s not a thing you can abandon because you’re writing a movie now. The thing people want is that vulnerable, scary part of yourself.”  

Baby Ruby is now playing in theaters and available on VOD.  

The post Playwright Bess Wohl Explores Postpartum Psycho Horror in Film Debut 'Baby Ruby' appeared first on ScreenCraft.

On Oct. 5, 2017, Twohey, Kantor, and Rebecca Corbett published their findings, along with on-the-record testimonies from Weinstein’s victims. After the article was published, over 80 women came forward with their own allegations against Weinstein — further proof of one of the themes of She Said: “safety in numbers.”

She Said is an excellent example of how to adapt a story from a news article and how to weave together multiple characters and an expansive timeline into a coherent and meaningful story. It also has merits on its own as a film whose villain remains a menacing threat without being centered. Thankfully, with an ending steeped in justice after the article was published, an investigation and series of trials led to a guilty conviction and 23-year sentence for rape and sexual assault in New York, which Weinstein is currently serving.

This article explores how screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz successfully navigated the adaptation of the article and book and wrote her compelling screenplay.

She Said Overview

Highly esteemed actress Ashely Judd is one of the women Weinstein harassed — and she was also one of the women who agreed to be named in the New York Times article. She went on to play herself in the unflinching film. She is far from alone among the victims portrayed in the film, whose wounds and struggles at Weinstein’s hand spanned decades.

Twohey and Kantor adapted their story into a book, She Said, half of the saying “he said, she said” — a phrase suggesting two sides to every story. In this case, Weinstein’s story was one side with at least eighty other sides, all pointing to his history of abuse enabled by others who benefited from his Hollywood success. 

Determine Which Aspects of the Story Are Most Important

When adapting a true story, it’s critical to use a discerning eye when choosing which parts of the story you want to tell. The original New York Times article could have been adapted by focusing on Weinstein as the protagonist. A protagonist that unravels as the female journalists hound him and grow closer and closer to exposing him before finally landing him in jail.

Indeed, serial killer and true crime content are extremely popular today, as people have a morbid fascination with crime and corruption. 

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Instead, the storytellers rightfully emphasized the themes of the Weinstein downfall and featured them up front and center of She Said. By recognizing that this was a story about gender inequality, women’s empowerment, and the fight for justice and accountability, it’s clear the only way to adapt this story in good conscience would be to focus on the women in it.

Here, too, Lenkiewicz, Kantor, and Twohey used discernment to bring this She Said to life. There are multiple storylines featured: the investigation itself and the crimes against the women. By centering on the journalists, She Said conveyed the gravity and number of Weinstein’s crimes. Kantor and Twohey led the charge and gave a voice to so many women who had been silenced for so long.

From a screenwriting perspective, this helped demonstrate how challenging it is to uncover truths that criminals (especially powerful ones) work to keep hidden. It captured intrigue and illustrated the stakes. And finally, it humanized the victims and gave them justice.  

Read More: How to Master Creative Liberties in True Story Screenplays

She Said (2022)

Conveying the Passage of Time

Two of the first assaults reported in the New York Times article happened in 1992 and 1998. Weinstein’s abuse continued in the three decades leading up to 2017 when most of the film takes place. Screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz uses a few different techniques to depict that passage of time — and she keenly jumped back and forth at the most meaningful moments.

Flashbacks

By beginning with a series of flashbacks, She Said foreshadows and hints at the trauma experienced by Weinstein’s victims: young women like Laura Madden, who was “excited…very young…and incredibly keen,” who is first seen on set in Ireland at the age of twenty-run before revealing her running through the street, weeping, half-dressed, fleeing. The script doesn’t say what happened to her, but because it is She Said and because we now know about Harvey Weinstein, we know. 

Character Ages

Later in the film, a now mid-40s Laura agrees to talk with Jodi about her experience and how deeply it derailed and hurt her. Finally, by the end, she decides to go on the record and be named in the article — as a sledgehammer to Weinstein. 

The film introduces young versions of Laura and another victim, Rowena Chiu, who was twenty-seven when Weinstein assaulted her. The experience caused her to attempt to take her own life. The adult versions speak with the reporters in present-day. Then, once the women’s stories come together for the article leading to Weinstein’s imprisonment, the screenplay returns to the young versions of the women during their darkest times and offers them a glimmer of hope.

Time Through Pregnancy

The investigation took the better part of 2017, and the storytellers offer another clever instrument to convey the passage of time: Megan Twohey’s pregnancy, especially fitting in a story about female empowerment. As Twohey announces her pregnancy and we watch her belly grow before she finally gives birth and her baby ages, we can see just how long Twohey and Kantor spent on that one article.

This should be a solemn reminder of the diligence of ethical journalism and an explanation as to why this New York Times article may not be free to read without a subscription.

The Looming Villian

The creature is often inescapable in monster films — think Jurassic Park or Alien or horror films like Halloween. You see T-Rex in epic fashion. The image of the chest-burster haunts you. Michael Myers’ horrible masks are unmistakable pop culture icons.

Perhaps even more sinister, however, is when the enemy lurks in the shadows, unseen but felt. In these moments, the imagination takes over. Danger could be anywhere — could be everywhere. The moment of attack is unknown, so vigilance, stress, fear, and tension are constant. 

This is how She Said portrays Harvey Weinstein. The assaults happened in the past to young women who least expected them — but his threat looms throughout the entire film, via gag orders, legal threats, promises to undo careers, or maybe even by violence at the hands of the followers of powerful men. He doesn’t even appear on camera, though his voice is heard in two phone calls. Instead, his air of invincibility hangs thick, a beast that can only be conquered when brave women come together.

A film doesn’t have to have a happy ending to be satisfying, but it must provide closure to the story it tells. Luckily in She Said, the storytellers gave us both.

Read More: 15 Types of Villains Screenwriters Need to Know

Giving Characters Their Due

She Said managed to tackle many different characters’ journeys, needs, and storylines, from Twohey and Kantor — young wives and mothers pursuing their careers in journalism and a quest to uncover the truth — to each of Harvey Weinstein’s victims mentioned or portrayed throughout the film. The film hinted at Gwenyth Paltrow’s abuse, featured conversations with Rose McGowen, and brought Ashley Judd onscreen to stand in her power against Weinstein. It used sensitivity when depicting what happened to Laura Madden and Rowena Chiu and gave their adult versions some healing.

She Said also told a story of the takedown of a giant, a powerful monster who almost got away with his crimes and behavior again — but was thwarted by the team of women who came together to stop him. 

Each heroine was portrayed with dignity and complexity, illustrating her fears, needs, strengths, and, thankfully, her victories. Weinstein’s sentencing didn’t undo the damage he caused to so many lives, but it stopped his abuse and made him pay, even a little.

She Said (2022)

Writing With Purpose

There is a question often posed to writers when pitching a story or script: “Why you and why now?” Getting to the heart of why you want to tell a story can add meaning to a project. In the case of She Said, the purpose is quite clear: topple the misogyny of unequal power dynamics and uphold justice, particularly in the wake of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements.

Social media has made fake news and clickbait journalism rampant, causing distrust in our nation’s free press. The journalism and investigative reporting conducted in She Said depicts ethical journalism and its power in the fight for justice and accountability. 

Meanwhile, the fight for gender equality in the workplace continues to rage on, and She Said offers a glimpse into the casualties of misogyny by sharing the stories of victims. The title itself, She Said, is a challenge to believe women who come forward about abuse at the hands of men — in this case, even men who make great films and employ many people. 

She Said thoughtfully and empathetically used its characters and their struggles as placeholders for women everywhere: young women starting their careers in a world of men, working mothers, women with reputations and careers to protect, and anyone with a story of injustice that never received closure or healing.

Read More: 5 Ways Becoming a Pro Screenwriter Will Change Your Writing Process

Conclusion

Events in life don’t always happen in an entertaining way, so a good storyteller must also become an artist in their interpretation and presentation of history. Sometimes it is necessary to make changes to events, conversations, or even characters in order to get to the heart and intention of a story and present it in a way that will be compelling and entertaining.

You can read about the backlash against Andrew Dominik’s Blonde, an adaption of Joyce Carol Oates’ novel about a semi-fictionalized caricature of Marilyn Monroe, to understand how missing the heart of a true series of events or misrepresenting a real person can be frustrating. Whether or not storytellers are obligated to the truth is a debate for another day. Still, it should go without saying that depicting real events and lives will inherently spark curiosity and a sense of investment from your audience. Plan accordingly. 

If you have a true story or public domain screenplay, check out the Screencraft True Story & Public Domain Competition, which celebrates true stories, biographies, and adaptations of stories and characters in the public domain! 

This year, writers who alternatively do not yet have a screenplay but instead have a true crime book, article, podcast, or even unique footage or access can submit Treatment entries. One winner will be selected by Buffalo 8 and BondIt Media Capital to receive an exclusive development opportunity with shopping to streamer, studio, and network buyers! 

Happy writing!

Shannon Corbeil is a writer, actor, and U.S. Air Force veteran in Los Angeles with recent appearances on SEAL Team and The Rookie. She was also a 2023 DGE TV Writing Program Finalist, and her screenplays have placed in various contests. You can read more about her on her website or come play on Instagram and Twitter!

The post How ‘She Said’ Adapted a Bombshell NYT News Article About Harvey Weinstein appeared first on ScreenCraft.

It was iconic screenwriter William Goldman that said:

"Nobody knows anything... Not one person in the entire motion picture field knows for a certainty what's going to work. Every time out it's a guess and, if you're lucky, an educated one."

It's the educated aspect of that quote that we're focusing on here. You can't predict what's going to hit. But you can use data analysis to better your odds.

Fandango has released its annual Most Anticipated Movies Survey. For their 2023 offering, the digital ticket sales company focused on the movies and performances audiences are most excited about in the coming year. They polled 5,000 moviegoers. Let's look at the results and see what we can learn about screenwriting from their findings, all while discovering this year's most anticipated movies.

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2023's Most Anticipated Movies

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

Most Anticipated New Performances on the Big Screen in 2023

Margot Robbie in Barbie (2023)

Most Anticipated Heros in 2023

Keanu Reeves as John Wick in John Wick 4 (2023)

Most Anticipated Villains in 2023

Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Most Anticipated Family Films in 2023

Halle Bailey as Ariel in The Little Mermaid (2023)

Most Anticipated Horror Films in 2023

Scream 6 (2023)

Most Anticipated Live-Action Comedies in 2023

Channing Tatum as Mike Lane in Magic Mike's Last Dance (2023)

Most Anticipated Action/Adventure (Non-Superhero) Movies in 2023

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)

Most Anticipated Superhero Movies in 2023

Jason Mamoa as Arthur Curry in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

Okay, that's all great and interesting information for movie buffs. But what can screenwriters really learn from the survey?

All-time Favorite Movie Genres That Never Get Old

Yes, every single one of the Top 10 most anticipated movies of 2023 is either a sequel, prequel, or based on iconic intellectual property (Super Mario Brothers). You can't play in that sandbox as an undiscovered screenwriter. It may take you well over a decade to get to a point in your screenwriting career when you can be involved in those conversations regarding studio assignments.

However, one part of the survey reveals some interesting and truthful data. Fandango asked filmgoers participating in the poll what their favorite movie genre is. The survey provided the Top 5 Movies Genres regarding audience anticipation.

There are two dynamics displayed here:
1. What do audiences want
2. What do movie studios and production companies seek because of those audiences' wants

You can only write what you want to see when trying to break through as a screenwriter. It would be best if you also explored movie genres that Hollywood is willing to pay for. But not all genres are ones newcomers can break through with, so here we will offer simple breakdowns of what those genres mean to screenwriters.

Top 5 Movies Genres of All Time

Dave Bautista and Madelyn Cline as Duke and Whiskey in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

When you scroll through streaming libraries, the comedy section is usually full of titles.

While comedy is the most prolific genre in Hollywood, it is also one of the most difficult to sell on spec.

The hard truth is that it's a challenging genre to sell on spec. Those scripts will be complicated to sell if you're not an established comedy writer, auteur, or popular stand-up comic.

Why?

Comedy is subjective, and what may sound hilarious to you may read as bland to a dozen script readers. You may love slapstick comedy, but that script reader may prefer the dry humor of Wes Anderson.

Action concepts and clever use of thrills and explosions are relatively universal when reaching an audience. On the comedy side of things, differing types of humor can be very niche.

Read More: 10 Styles of Comedy Screenwriters Can Master!

The struggle with writing comedies is that you face the barriers of subjectivity. While every script struggles with that, comedic scripts take it to the next level.

You can overcome this by focusing on the core concept. Most successful comedies are "fish out of the water" concepts. You take a character out of their usual surroundings and throw them into places that are unusual to them — and hilarity ensues. The characters' conflicts drive the comedy as they acclimate (or don't) to their new, unfamiliar, and uncomfortable surroundings.

• Big (a child in an adult world)
• Tootsie (a man in a woman's world)
• Liar Liar (a lawyer who cannot lie)
• Crocodile Dundee (an Australian bushman visiting New York)
• Free Guy (an NPC within a videogame becomes self-aware)

Read More: 101 Hilarious (Or Slightly Amusing) Comedic Story Prompts!

Those small, quirky comedies that the spec market is saturated with usually only see the light of day if they are produced through the independent market. But the high-concept comedies are the ones that draw interest on spec.

Read More: High Concept Comedy: What It Is and How to Write It!

Animate/Family

Writing for animation takes a lot of work. It would help if you generally were an animator or in an animation house's story development team to get an animated screenplay purchased and greenlit for production.

For more information on that dynamic, read ScreenCraft's The Simple Guide to Writing Animated Screenplays!

But the family movie genre, in general, is a massive draw for Hollywood. The movie-going experience is often a family affair. And because of that, Hollywood does its best to cater to the broadest audience possible regarding family — trying to offer something for everyone. This is what Hollywood refers to as a four-quadrant film.

Hollywood breaks up its marketing strategy markers into four quadrants:

1. Males Under 25
2. Females Under 25
3. Males Over 25
4. Females Over 25

Four-quadrant films are movies that hit all four of those demographic quadrants.

With most releases, studios and distributors try to target at least two of those quadrants. The screenplays sold on spec should try to hit at least two as well — to make the scripts more desirable and increase the odds of them getting picked up by studios and production companies.

Most animated movies are four-quadrant films. Even most superhero movies offered up by Marvel are four-quadrant efforts as well.

While breaking through via animated and superhero movies is difficult — if not outright impossible for a newcomer — the family genre is still a four-quadrant possibility to explore.

Ryan Reynolds and Walker Scobell as Big Adam and Little Adam in The Adam Project (2022)

Look no further than Netflix's successful Ryan Reynold four-quadrant film The Adam Project.

After accidentally crash-landing in 2022, time-traveling fighter pilot Adam Reed teams up with his 12-year-old self for a mission to save the future.

The film wasn't based on any pre-existing intellectual property. It was a spec script sold in 2012 and eventually rewritten and developed by the film's star.

Yes, it had a hefty production budget of $116 million. However, because the concept was so strong — and also because of its four-quadrant dynamics — Netflix took the risk. If you can find a contained, high, concept family story, your odds of breaking through are even more significant.

Read More: How to Write a Four-Quadrant Family Film!

Drama

Aubrey Plaza as Emily in Emily the Criminal (2022)

So what can you do with your powerful fiction drama?

You can make the film yourself in the independent market (easier said than done, for sure), or you can market the script directly to those studio specialty companies or the production companies owned by acclaimed dramatic actors looking for a significant role.

The contest, competition, and fellowship market is an excellent place for those scripts, especially if they have a specific Drama category. Excellent writing gets you noticed in that respect, opening possible opportunities for your other scripts that may have a more marketable genre or concept.

Horror/Thriller

Horror is the most profitable genre because most horror scripts cost less to produce. And audiences love a good scare.

Much like the action-adventure genre, horror movies offer audiences a thrilling experience. For whatever reason, people love to be scared. Primarily because they get that adrenaline rush knowing that, in the end, it's all fake, and they're not going to suffer any consequences from the horror they've just experienced, beyond sleepness nights and apprehensive walks in the dark.

Read More: The Neuroscience Behind Horror Screenwriting and Filmmaking!

• The original Halloween had a production budget of just $325,000. It made $47 million. Adjusted to inflation, that's $181 million.
• Get Out was produced for just $4.5 million. It went on to gross $255 million worldwide.
• Split was produced for just $9 million and garnered $278 million worldwide.

Caitlin Stasey as Laura Weaver in Smile (2022)

Horror is easy money compared to other genres. Scares cost less because audiences are more afraid of what they don't see in the dark, unlike the visual spectacles of CGI.

But that doesn't mean you can just write the latest haunted house flick and expect it to scare people into buying it. The horror spec market is concept-driven, like comedy, and new and different takes also drive it on familiar horror tropes.

And because this market is so popular, with everyone trying to get in on the action, you have to stand out with a strong, compelling horror concept or a new and original take on what's already been produced.

If you can accomplish that, the horror genre is an easy way in.

Read More: 101 Terrifying Horror Story Prompts

The second easiest is the horror genre's cousin, the thriller.

Thrillers give viewers heightened feelings of suspense, excitement, surprise, anticipation, and anxiety through the numerous and overlapping subgenres like mystery thrillers, suspense thrillers, horror thrillers, psychological thrillers, etc.

These types of stories hinge on the tension created, accompanied by the anticipation of how the protagonist will prevail over the seemingly constant thrashes of conflict thrown at them.

Whether it's The Fugitive, The Bourne Identity, Memento, Rear Window, or The Davinci Code, the thriller genre — and its many subgenres — are huge draws for the audience.

But if you plan on competing with the best, you need to craft a script with ongoing conflict and ever-evolving twists, turns, plants, payoffs, and reveals every few pages.

Read More: 101 Great Plot Twist Ideas to Elevate Your Script!

Thrillers put the audience on an emotional rollercoaster ride instead of the more visceral rides that action-adventure takes the audience on. They challenge our intellect rather than our senses.

They're the best scripts to read, but only when done right. So you need to be ready to bring your A-game to keep readers interested, invested, engaged, and compelled.

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The post What Fandango's 2023 Most Anticipated Movies Can Teach Screenwriters appeared first on ScreenCraft.

There were a number of surprising inclusions in this year's Oscar nominations, namely those of smaller independent films like Triangle of Sadness, Aftersun, and To Leslie, which became award candidates after A-listers like Edward Norton, Cate Blanchett and Charlize Theron campaigned on its behalf. And, of course, don't forget Darren Aronofsky's The Whale, which didn't receive a Best Picture nom but did get comeback kid Brenden Frasier in the contest for Best Actor.

Enter Now  |  Final Deadline in 22 days

If you want to find out which other films will be at the big show, watch the official 95th Oscar nomination announcement below, or scroll down to see the full list.

The 95th Oscar Nominations

Best Picture

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Malte Grunert, Producer

“Avatar: The Way of Water,” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers

“The Banshees of Inisherin,” Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, and Martin McDonagh, Producers

“Elvis,” Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick, and Schuyler Weiss, Producers

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, and Jonathan Wang, Producers

“The Fabelmans,” Kristie Macosko Krieger, Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner, Producers

“Tár,” Todd Field, Alexandra Milchan, and Scott Lambert, Producers

“Top Gun: Maverick,” Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison, and Jerry Bruckheimer, Producers

“Triangle of Sadness,” Erik Hemmendorff and Philippe Bober, Producers

“Women Talking,” Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Frances McDormand, Producers

Read More: Why Each of the Best Picture Oscar Nominees Deserve to Win

Best Director

Martin McDonagh (“The Banshees of Inisherin”)

Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)

Steven Spielberg (“The Fabelmans”)

Todd Field (“Tár”)

Ruben Östlund (“Triangle of Sadness”)

Best Lead Actor

Austin Butler (“Elvis”)

Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”)

Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”)

Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”)

Bill Nighy (“Living”)

Best Lead Actress

Cate Blanchett (“Tár”)

Ana de Armas (“Blonde”)

Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie”)

Michelle Williams (“The Fabelmans”)

Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)

Read More: 12 Surprising Facts About the Oscars

Best Supporting Actor

Brendan Gleeson (“The Banshees of Inisherin”)

Brian Tyree Henry (“Causeway”)

Judd Hirsch (“The Fabelmans”)

Barry Keoghan (“The Banshees of Inisherin”)

Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)

Best Supporting Actress

Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”)

Hong Chau (“The Whale”)

Kerry Condon (“The Banshees of Inisherin”)

Jamie Lee Curtis (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)

Stephanie Hsu (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)

Best Adapted Screenplay

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Screenplay by Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson & Ian Stokell

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” Written by Rian Johnson

“Living,” Written by Kazuo Ishiguro

“Top Gun: Maverick,” Screenplay by Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie; Story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks

“Women Talking,” Screenplay by Sarah Polley

Best Original Screenplay

“The Banshees of Inisherin,” Written by Martin McDonagh

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Written by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert

“The Fabelmans,” Written by Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner

“Tár,” Written by Todd Field

“Triangle of Sadness,” Written by Ruben Östlund

Read More: Writing Tips from the 2021 Oscar-Nominated Screenwriters

Best Cinematography

“All Quiet on the Western Front”, James Friend

“Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths,” Darius Khondji

“Elvis,” Mandy Walker

“Empire of Light,” Roger Deakins

“Tár,” Florian Hoffmeister

Best Documentary Feature Film

“All That Breathes,” Shaunak Sen, Aman Mann, and Teddy Leifer

“All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” Laura Poitras, Howard Gertler, John Lyons, Nan Goldin, and Yoni Golijov

“Fire of Love,” Sara Dosa, Shane Boris, and Ina Fichman

“A House Made of Splinters,” Simon Lereng Wilmont and Monica Hellström

“Navalny,” Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller, and Shane Boris

Best Documentary Short Film

“The Elephant Whisperers,” Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga

“Haulout,” Evgenia Arbugaeva and Maxim Arbugaev

“How Do You Measure a Year?” Jay Rosenblatt

“The Martha Mitchell Effect,” Judith Mizrachy and Beth Levison

“Stranger at the Gate,” Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones

Best Film Editing

“The Banshees of Inisherin,” Mikkel E.G. Nielsen

“Elvis,” Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Paul Rogers

“Tár,” Monika Willi

“Top Gun: Maverick,” Eddie Hamilton

Read More: Academy Award Winning Movies You Need to Read From the 2000s

Best International Feature Film

“All Quiet on the Western Front” (Germany)

“Argentina, 1985” (Argentina)

“Close” (Belgium)

“EO” (Poland)

“The Quiet Girl” (Ireland)

Best Original Song

“Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman,” Music and Lyric by Diane Warren

“Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick,” Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga and BloodPop

“Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; Lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler

“Naatu Naatu” from “RRR,” Music by M.M. Keeravaani; Lyric by Chandrabose

“This Is a Life” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; Lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne

Best Production Design

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Production Design: Christian M. Goldbeck; Set Decoration: Ernestine Hipper

“Avatar: The Way of Water,” Production Design: Dylan Cole and Ben Procter; Set Decoration: Vanessa Cole

“Babylon,” Production Design: Florencia Martin; Set Decoration: Anthony Carlino

“Elvis,” Production Design: Catherine Martin and Karen Murphy; Set Decoration: Bev Dunn

“The Fabelmans,” Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara

Best Visual Effects

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Frank Petzold, Viktor Müller, Markus Frank and Kamil Jafar

“Avatar: The Way of Water,” Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett

“The Batman,” Dan Lemmon, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands and Dominic Tuohy

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Geoffrey Baumann, Craig Hammack, R. Christopher White and Dan Sudick

“Top Gun: Maverick,” Ryan Tudhope, Seth Hill, Bryan Litson and Scott R. Fisher

Best Animated Feature Film

“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar and Alex Bulkley

“Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” Dean Fleischer Camp, Elisabeth Holm, Andrew Goldman, Caroline Kaplan and Paul Mezey

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” Joel Crawford and Mark Swift

“The Sea Beast,” Chris Williams and Jed Schlanger

“Turning Red,” Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins

Best Animated Short Film

“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse,” Charlie Mackesy and Matthew Freud

“The Flying Sailor,” Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

“Ice Merchants,” João Gonzalez and Bruno Caetano

“My Year of Dicks,” Sara Gunnarsdóttir and Pamela Ribon

“An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake, and I Think I Believe It,” Lachlan Pendragon

Read More: What These 3 Oscar-Winning Short Films Can Teach You About Storytelling

Best Costume Design

“Babylon,” Mary Zophres

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Ruth Carter

“Elvis,” Catherine Martin

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Shirley Kurata

“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” Jenny Beavan

Best Live Action Short

“An Irish Goodbye,” Tom Berkeley and Ross White

“Ivalu,” Anders Walter and Rebecca Pruzan

“Le Pupille,” Alice Rohrwacher and Alfonso Cuarón

“Night Ride,” Eirik Tveiten and Gaute Lid Larssen

“The Red Suitcase,” Cyrus Neshvad

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerová

“The Batman,” Naomi Donne, Mike Marino, and Mike Fontaine

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Camille Friend and Joel Harlow

“Elvis,” Mark Coulier, Jason Baird, and Aldo Signoretti

“The Whale,” Adrien Morot, Judy Chin, and Anne Marie Bradley

Best Original Score

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Volker Bertelmann

“Babylon,” Justin Hurwitz

“The Banshees of Inisherin,” Carter Burwell

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Son Lux

“The Fabelmans,” John Williams

Best Sound

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Viktor Prášil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Lars Ginzel, and Stefan Korte

“Avatar: The Way of Water,” Julian Howarth, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Dick Bernstein, Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, and Michael Hedges

“The Batman,” by Stuart Wilson, William Files, Douglas Murray, and Andy Nelson

“Elvis,” David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson, and Michael Keller

“Top Gun: Maverick,” Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor

Read More: The 2022 Oscar Nominations Are Here and Surprise...It's All About Genre

The post 2023 Oscar Nominations: 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' Gets 11 Nods appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Directed by James Cameron, the film is a testament to the director's commitment to using and creating cutting-edge technology to bring his vision to life in the most immersive way possible with one goal in mind…

Providing a truly meaningful experience to his audience.

James Cameron has always been at the forefront of technological innovation, so let's take a look at the incredible technology used to create Avatar: The Way of Water, including custom-built cameras and underwater VFX.

This video from Cortex Videos provides an excellent primer to get you started.

Underwater Motion Capture

What do you get when you research motion capture for thirteen years? Well, if. you're James Cameron and his tech team, you end up with the ability to shoot motion capture underwater. Yeah... underwater.

Cameron has already impressed audiences with the technologically advanced CGI and mo-cap in the first Avatar, but The Way of Water just blows those advances right out of the...water. 

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Think about it. We've already seen motion capture cameras, 3D scanning, and facial capture technology produce the ultra-realistic renderings we see in the original Avatar. That's all well and good, but what happens when you have to capture a mo-cap performance that is supposed to be underwater? The physics make that almost impossible — even Cameron couldn't get it completely right the first go-around.

However, with the second iteration of the Avatar franchise, Cameron and his team were able to unlock the ability to shoot with not only underwater motion capture cameras but underwater 3D cameras This means underwater visual effects are now a thing — that's huge!

This video from Future Vision Today explains it all:

Cameron's Custom 3D Cinema Camera Systems

Many filmmakers require custom-built camera systems to capture what they need in their films — just ask Michael Bay who used a specialized RED Dragon cinema camera (made just for him) with a 8K Super 35mm Helium sensor for his work on Transformers: The Last Knight.

James Cameron is no different. He put together a crazy 3D camera rig to shoot Avatar: The Way of Water, which utilized two Sony Venice cinema cameras. This video from Frame Voyager breaks it all down, as well as the history behind some of the groundbreaking cameras Cameron has used in the past.

Practical Effects & Set Design

Cameron takes it even a step further by creating sets and props specifically for the unique process of motion capture. In the past, actors would just be working in front of a green screen with nothing tangible to react to. But Cameron, knowing how important it is for actors to be immersed themselves, creates sets and props that they can play within to allow them a better emotional experience — which creates the most authentic results for the audience to see.

This process combines groundbreaking visual effects and immersive 3D environments. The film's visual effects team used a combination of computer-generated imagery (CGI) and practical effects to create the film's stunning world. The CGI was used to create the film's digital characters and environments, while the practical effects were used to create the physical sets and props.

The end result is a film that features some of the most realistic and expressive digital characters ever created.

Read More: How Oppenheimer Created a CGI-Free Atomic Blast

Whether you are a filmmaker, screenwriter, or just a fan of great cinema, Avatar: The Way of Water is a film that you can learn so much from. And not just because of the technology used to create it. Maybe even more importantly, you can learn about the importance of passion and dedication–the unwillingness to compromise your vision when you fully believe in it.

And above all — story is king.

Read More: Screenwriting Wisdom from Auteur James Cameron

The post The Insane Film Technology Behind 'Avatar: The Way of Water' appeared first on ScreenCraft.

I watched a lot of short Christmas movies for this article. A lot. “Too many,” she shuddered, a far-off look in her glazéd eye…

There were some noticeable trends. Quite a few went the saccharine route, conjuring the Christmas spirit to bring loved ones together again. Tons turned the typical magic-of-Christmas archetype on its head with bad Santas, gritty thrillers, or dark comedies. Many had fun concepts but took way too long to get to the point. Short films are the poetry of filmmaking — they must be short.

Enter Now  |  Regular Deadline in 22 days

If you’re interested in writing and creating short films, you should be watching short films — the good and the bad. Writing a short Christmas movie, in particular, is a great way to discern what makes a film successful. Because holiday films and television episodes are so popular, by now you are probably very well versed in what a classic formula is for their tellings. Knowing that innately means you can begin to replicate it in short form, as English for Beginners masterfully did, or you can turn it on its head, such as with How Awesome Dad Saved Christmas.

Read More: 101 Story Prompts to Kickstart Your Short Film

Here are ten short Christmas movies to inspire you. Study them and be the judge of what they did right and what they could have done better.

Enjoy!

‘Come Together’ directed by Wes Anderson

This H&M Holiday Short Film featuring Adrien Brody is a classic Wes Anderson piece that unites strangers trapped together on a wintry Christmas day. Taking place on an Agatha Christie-esque cross-country train of yore, Anderson combines his unique visual styles with lovable characters and a wintry sense of whimsy.

‘English for Beginners’ by Hubert Stadnicki

Technically a commercial, English for Beginners became a viral sensation a few years ago due to its sweet story and lovable lead. We follow a precious old man throughout his daily routines as he tries to learn a new language. Notice that his motivations are kept a mystery but his journey is nonetheless compelling, especially as we see delightful details through his cute pup, his charming routine, and the, shall we say, less than polite phrases he picks up from time to time.

This one will leave you with a smile on your face — a perfect little holiday treat. If only all commercials strived toward this level of storytelling and entertainment!

‘Drunk History Christmas’ courtesy of Funny or Die

On December 15, 2012, Allan McLeod drank half a bottle of whiskey and then attempted to recite the class Christmas poem, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore. In the traditional Drunk History stylings, the inebriated narrator sets the stage for an amusing reenactment starring Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes, and Jim Carrey.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve seen one or a hundred Drunk History stories — the format is innately entertaining, as the narrator’s unpredictability inspires moments of surprise and chaos in the story. In this case, McLeod made for a sincere, inept, and remorseful narrator, adding to the humor.

‘How Awesome Dad Saved Christmas’ from Shawn Vance

Three weeks before Christmas, a group of friends decided to shoot a clever little holiday film wherein “Awesome Dad” tells a Christmas story to his very young “Awesome Kid” — and as “Awesome Mom” begins to suspect that the story will not be at all age-appropriate, the bedtime story grows exceedingly and charmingly dark and violent. It should surprise no one that a couple of veterans were behind this fun festive flick.

Told in rhyme harkening to ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas or Doctor Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, there’s much to love in this holiday short.

‘Santa Baby’ by SNL

Doug (Ryan Gosling) and Gina (Vanessa Bayer) make everyone at the neighborhood holiday party uncomfortable when they demand to meet the real Santa. This short film demonstrates excellent use of comedic tools, from parody, truth in pain moments, turning on a dime, surprising language, and the use of reactions to bring the humor home.

‘The Letter’ by Rebecca Murga

In 2013, ABC gave U.S. veterans a chance to follow their dreams of working in the entertainment industry after their military service. U.S. Army vet Rebecca Murga created The Letter, starring U.S. Navy veteran Stephanie Maura Sanchez.

By empowering veterans to tell their own stories, ABC helped create an authentic look at the sacrifices military service members and their families make, especially during the holidays.

‘Believe’ by Jeffrey Pratt

Does this film manipulate your damn heartstrings by delivering a magical Christmas story starring a dog in need of some love? Yes, yes it does. Notice how it builds emotions and tells a sweet story without the use of dialogue — and be sure to look out for animals this holiday season.

‘Keep Your Mouth Shut’ by Dan Roe

This short film takes one joke to its most extreme, building the tension and consequences against a suburban holiday backdrop. The mix-and-match use of comedy and violence makes for a darkly comedic lesson about keeping your word.

Keep your eye on the pacing and visuals as this one proceeds.

‘New Year's Eve’ by Pranav Bhasin

I loved the simplicity of this film as the endearing protagonist, a single guy on December 31st, tries to find a date for a party that night. Proof that you don’t need complex lighting or a myriad of characters to tell a compelling story, this short film leans on its clever screenplay and charismatic lead.

‘The Dance’ by Ryan Curtis

In another 2013 ABC Home for the Holidays special, U.S. Army veteran Ryan Curtis wrote and directed a touching story starring U.S. Army vet Ruty Rutenberg and Kelly Hancock. The Dance offers a sobering look at the cost of war mixed with a bit of holiday magic and hope.

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If you’re interested in writing and creating short films, you should be watching short films — the good and the bad. Short Christmas movies, in particular, are a great way to discern what makes a film successful. Because holiday films and television episodes are so popular, by now you are probably very well versed in what a classic formula is for their tellings. Knowing that innately means you can begin to replicate it in short form, as English for Beginners masterfully did, or you can turn it on its head, such as with How Awesome Dad Saved Christmas.

Read More: 3 Things Your Short Scripts Should Have in Order to Sell

If you’re in the mood to make a holiday short film, be generous with the knife as you cut out unnecessary dialogue, exposition, and scenes. If you’re writing a comedy, make it fast or funny — keep it moving and tighten up those jokes. If you’re aiming for emotional sentiments, find the most poignant ways to express them and don’t linger on excess support. Audiences are savvy and attention spans are shorter than ever. They’ll understand where you’re going — but if you bore them, you lose them. And, as always, know why you want to create a short film — it will help you fine-tune it and make it sing.

A writer’s note here: while searching for live-action narrative holiday short films, I couldn’t find any that celebrated non-Christmas holidays like Hanukkah, Kwanza, or even very many New Year’s Eve films. There’s an opportunity there to share non-dominant cultural experiences, in my humble opinion!

Happy writing to all, and to all a good night!

Shannon Corbeil is a writer, actor, and filmmaker in Los Angeles with recent appearances on SEAL Team and The Rookie. An Air Force veteran, her articles have been published in Business Insider, We Are The Mighty, and Military.com. Her screenplays have placed in the Top 10% on Coverfly and in the Top 10% at the Slamdance Film Festival. You can read more about her on her website or come play on Instagram and Twitter!

The post 10 Great Short Christmas Movies That'll Bring You Cheer appeared first on ScreenCraft.

The Hollywood Reporter listed its annual picks of the top American film schools. Here we feature the best of the best from that group, with some adjusted placements based on our own opinion.

Note: Average tuitions are based on 2022 numbers, and most do not include room & board, supplies, parking, meals, personal expense, and transportation. 

1. American Film Institute (Los Angeles)

Average Tuition: $65,800

Notable Alumni: David Lynch, Darren Aronofsky, Patty Jenkins, Terrance Malick, John McTiernan, Mimi Leder, Ari Aster, Sam Esmail, Sian Heder, etc.

American Film Institute

AFI is the industry's most prestigious graduate program, offering MFA programs in Screenwriting, Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Producing, Production Design, etc. It's highly competitive and only offers a small number of candidates per year.

What they say: