Stuff to Read

If a screenwriter isn’t writing something or watching something, they’re probably reading. And no screenwriter’s bookshelf is complete without some titles focusing on the craft itself. These essential books about screenwriting will provide guidance, reference, and inspiration for any writer on your list.   

Books About Screenwriting

• Story by Robert McKee — $23.47 from Amazon | $37.99 from Barnes & Noble | $39.53 from Bookshop.org
• The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler — $18.18 from Amazon | $29.95 from Barnes & Noble | $27.85 from Bookshop.org
• Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need by Blake Snyder — $12.69 from Amazon | $22.95 from Barnes & Noble | $21.34 from Bookshop.org
• The Screenwriter’s Bible (7th Edition) by David Trottier  — $23 from Amazon | $23.95 from Barnes & Noble | $25.06 from Bookshop.org
• Screenplay by Syd Field — $13.79 from Amazon | $15.99 from Barnes & Noble | $16.74 from Bookshop.org
• Screenwriting is Rewriting by Jack Epps Jr. — $29.95 from Amazon | $29.95 from Barnes & Noble | $34.44 from Bookshop.org
• Classical Storytelling and Contemporary Screenwriting by Brian Price — $46.95 from Amazon | $46.95 from Barnes and Noble | $56.34 from Bookshop.org
• The Protagonist’s Journey by Scott Myers — $20.08 from Amazon | $18.99 from Barnes & Noble | $28.74 from Bookshop.org
• The Anatomy of Genres by John Truby — $15.39 from Amazon | $21 from Barnes & Noble | $19.53 from Bookshop.org
• Kill the Dog: The First Book on Screenwriting to Tell You the Truth by Paul Guyot — $19.95 from Amazon | $19.95 from Barnes & Noble | $19.95 from Bookshop.org

Books About Movies, TV Shows, and Hollywood

Reading about writing is great, but inspiration can also be found in the stories of how beloved movies, TV shows, and Hollywood institutions came to be. Whether your screenwriter likes comedy or drama, action or romcoms, there’s a book on this list they’ll love. 

• Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears by Michael Schulman — $28.33 from Amazon | $36 from Barnes & Noble | $37.20 from Bookshop.org
• You Are What You Watch: How Movies and TV Affect Everything by Walter Hickey — $27.49 from Amazon | $30 from Barnes & Noble | $27.90 from Bookshop.org
• Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever by Matt Singer — $26.10 from Amazon | $29 from Barnes & Noble | $26.97 from Bookshop.org
• MCU: The Reign of Marvel by Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, and Gavin Edwards — $31.50 from Amazon | $35 from Barnes & Noble | $32.55 from Bookshop.org
• Warner Bros: 100 Years of Storytelling by Mark A. Viera — $26 from Amazon | $40 from Barnes & Noble | $37.20 from Bookshop.org
• They Shouldn’t Have Killed His Dog: The Complete Uncensored Ass-Kicking Oral History of John Wick, Gun Fu, and the New Age of Action by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman — $15.92 from Amazon | $28.99 from Barnes & Noble | $26.96 from Bookshop.org
• No Crying in Baseball: The Inside Story of A League of Their Own by Erin Carlson — $23.49 from Amazon | $29 from Barnes & Noble | $26.97 from Bookshop.org
• Welcome to the O.C.: The Oral History by Alan Sepinwall, Josh Schwartz, and Stephanie Savage — $20.29 from Amazon | $28.99 from Barnes & Noble | $26.96 from Bookshop.org
• Surely You Can’t Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane! by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker — $29.99 from Amazon | $30.45 from Barnes & Noble | $32.55 from Bookshop.org
• From Hollywood with Love: The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of the Romantic Comedy by Scott Meslow — $15.59 from Amazon | $27.99 from Barnes & Noble | $26.03 from Bookshop.org
• Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of the Godfather by Mark Seal — $17.69 from Amazon | $24.49 from Barnes & Noble | $26.96 from Bookshop.org
• We’ll Always Have Casablanca: The Life, Legend, and Afterlife of Hollywood’s Most Beloved Movie by Noah Isenberg — $15.94 from Amazon | $17.95 from Barnes & Noble | $16.69 from Bookshop.org
• I’ll Be There For You: The One About Friends by Kelsey Miller — $11.49 from Amazon | $16.49 from Barnes & Noble | $17.66 from Bookshop.org
• Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman — $14.29 from Amazon | $19.49 from Barnes & Noble | $20.45 from Bookshop.org

Software, Schooling, & Subscriptions

Give the gift of software this holiday season! Screenwriting software is the gift that keeps on giving every time your screenwriter sits down for a writing session. But since it’s highly likely that a screenwriter already has Final Draft, a subscription or writing class might just provide the inspiration they need to make it through their next script. 

• Final Draft 12 — New for $249.99 | Upgrade for $99.99
• Scriptnotes Premium Podcast Subscription — $29.94 for six months | $49 for one year 
• Masterclass Annual Membership Subscription — $10, $15, or $20 per month
• Script Anatomy Screenwriting Classes — Gift cards available starting at $50
• ScreenCraft eCourses (various topics) — $49

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Writing Tools

Screenwriters may toil for hours and hours in front of their laptops, not typing a word, but there are tools of the screenwriting trade just like in any other profession. A change of pace thanks to a new keyboard, some story cards, or writing gloves might just do the trick this year. 

• QwerkyWriter Retro Mechanical Typewriter Keyboard — $249.99 from Amazon
• Writer Emergency Pack — $9.99 from Amazon
• Save the Cat Story Cards — Story Beat Card Pack for $12.95 | Develop Your Story Card Pack for $12.95
• Storymatic Storyteller Cards — $31.95 from Amazon
• Writing Dice — $19.95 from Amazon
• Fingerless Writing Gloves — $29 from StoriArts
• Typewriter Pencil Cup — $18.99 from Amazon
• It’s Only a First Draft Coffee Mug — $17.99 from Amazon 

Fun Screenwriting Gifts

Screenwriters just wanna have fun, too! If the educational or practical doesn’t suit your fancy this gift-giving season, check out the items below for some cozy, silly, and amusing options that are sure to bring a smile to your screenwriter’s face on Christmas morning. 

• Marcel the Shell Figurine — $30 from A24
• Movie Clapboard Blanket — $19.99 from Amazon
• A24 Screenplay Books — $60 from A24
• Careful or You’ll End Up in My Screenplay Sweatshirt — $41 from Etsy
• Screenwriter Era T-Shirt — $24.99+ from Etsy
• Binging With Babish: 100 Recipes Recreated From Your Favorite Movies and TV Shows — $16.59 from Amazon | $26.49 from Barnes & Noble | $30.23 from Bookshop.org
• Custom Movie Slate Clapboard Christmas Tree Ornament — $18+ from Etsy
• Writer’s Block Sign — $13.50 from Etsy
• Custom Movie Script Poster — $15 from Etsy
• Screenwriter Beanie — $30 from Etsy
• Custom Screenwriter’s Journal — $25 from Etsy
• Writer’s Desk Candle — $23 from Etsy
• Script Poster by Cinematic Scribbles — Available on Etsy, prices vary
• Finish Your Script Vinyl Sticker — $2.25 from Etsy

Gift Cards 

If you waited until the last minute to do your shopping and not even Santa could ship something in time, gift cards are always great. Treat the screenwriter in your life to some movies, a paid writing retreat, tunes to fill the silence while they write, or fuel for those tough writing sessions (AKA: coffee). 

• AMC Theatres
• AirBnb
• Spotify
• Starbucks
• Fandango
• HBO Max
• Netflix
• Apple TV
• Disney Plus
• Amazon Prime Video
• Hulu
• Paramount Plus
• Peacock
• Showtime

Want More Gift Ideas? Check Out ScreenCraft's 2022 Holiday Gift Guide for Screenwriters!

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

The post ScreenCraft's 2023 Holiday Gift Guide for Screenwriters appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Enjoy!

Got a great sci-fi or fantasy script? Enter it into the ScreenCraft Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenwriting Competition!

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100 Magical and Mystic Location Ideas for Your Fantasy Stories

1. Enchanted Forest: A sprawling woodland where trees whisper ancient secrets.
2. Hidden Waterfall: A secluded cascade concealed behind a shimmering veil of illusion.
3. Mystic Library: A vast repository of otherworldly knowledge guarded by sentient books.
4. Dragon's Lair: A cavernous home to a colossal, slumbering dragon.
5. Fairy Village: A charming settlement inhabited by tiny, mischievous fairies.
6. Haunted Castle: A spectral fortress filled with restless, ghostly inhabitants.
7. Underwater City: An illuminated metropolis beneath the ocean's depths.
8. Floating Islands: A realm of floating landmasses suspended in the sky.
9. Celestial Realm: A realm bathed in divine light and inhabited by celestial beings.
10. Lost Temple: An ancient temple concealed in a dense jungle, holding untold treasures.
11. Witch's Cottage: A crooked, mysterious dwelling surrounded by enchanted herbs.
12. Enchanted Garden: A flourishing garden filled with magical, sentient plants.
13. Dark Abyss: A seemingly bottomless chasm shrouded in darkness.
14. Crystal Caves: A labyrinthine system of caves adorned with luminescent crystals.
15. Elven Kingdom: An elegant realm ruled by noble and immortal elves.
16. Dwarven Mines: Underground tunnels where dwarves mine precious gemstones.
17. Pirate Cove: A hidden haven for swashbuckling pirates and their treasure.
18. Ghost Ship: A spectral vessel crewed by ghostly sailors sailing eternally.
19. Timeless Realm: A place where time stands still, frozen in eternal beauty.
20. Wonderland: A surreal landscape filled with whimsical and absurd wonders.
21. Mythical Mountain: A towering peak said to be the home of mythical creatures.
22. Elemental Plane: A realm where the elements take on sentient forms and powers.
23. Unicorn Meadows: Fields where graceful unicorns roam freely.
24. Goblin Market: A chaotic bazaar run by cunning goblins selling magical wares.
25. Steampunk City: A technologically advanced city with a Victorian aesthetic.
26. Cloud City: A metropolis suspended in the clouds accessible by airships.
27. Astral Observatory: A tower where seers gaze into the astral plane.
28. Gnome Workshop: A bustling factory where gnomes invent fantastical gadgets.
29. Labyrinth: A maze filled with twists, turns, and perplexing puzzles.
30. Magic Bazaar: A marketplace overflowing with enchanted trinkets and artifacts.
31. Rainbow Bridge: A radiant arch connecting different realms.
32. Sunken Ruins: The remnants of a once-mighty civilization beneath the sea.
33. Underworld: A realm ruled by dark deities and inhabited by the deceased.
34. Shadowy Forest: A forest cloaked in eternal night and inhabited by shadowy creatures.
35. Sorcerer's Tower: A towering structure where a powerful sorcerer resides.
36. Ice Palace: A palace made of ice and snow.
37. Dream Realm: A surreal realm where dreams come to life.
38. Goblin Kingdom: A mischievous kingdom ruled by cunning goblin royalty.
39. Crystal Coast: A stunning coastline adorned with iridescent gemstones.
40. Haunted Marsh: A desolate and ghostly marshland.
41. Witch's Cauldron Room: A room with a bubbling cauldron said to grant potent magical brews.
42. Firefly Forest: A forest where fireflies light up the night with their glow.
43. Starfall Lake: A serene lake under a constant meteor shower.
44. Hidden Valley: A secluded valley with a serene and mystical ambiance.
45. Vampire Castle: A foreboding castle inhabited by ancient vampire lords.
46. Mysterious Well: A well said to reveal glimpses of the past and future to those who peer into it.
47. Forgotten Ruins: Crumbling remains of a once-great civilization.
48. Enchanted Waterfall: A waterfall with the power to purify and heal.
49. Fairy Ring: A circle of mushrooms where fairies gather to dance and celebrate.
50. Cosmic Wormhole: A portal to the far reaches of the cosmos and beyond.
51. Cloud Castle: A fortress floating amidst the clouds, home to skyward adventurers.
52. Troll Bridge: A bridge guarded by trolls, demanding a toll from travelers.
53. Spirit Sanctuary: A haven where spirits of the departed find peace and rest.
54. Dragon's Nest: A safe haven for dragon eggs and their young.
55. Eternal Garden: A garden where time has no effect.
56. Dreamcatcher Grove: A grove where dreamcatchers capture and store dreams.
57. Elemental Sanctuary: A sanctuary where elemental beings find refuge.
58. Moonlit Grotto: A subterranean cavern bathed in the ethereal light of the moon.
59. Underworld Abyss: A chasm leading to the deepest, darkest depths of the underworld.
60. Cursed Swamp: A creepy swamp home to cursed beings.
61. Steampunk Airship: A fantastical flying vessel powered by steam and gears.
62. Time-Warp Tavern: A tavern where time travelers gather to swap tales.
63. Floating Gardens: Gardens suspended in the sky, nurtured by air and magic.
64. Lost Shipwreck: The remnants of a ship lost to time, holding forgotten treasures.
65. Clockwork Village: A community where clockwork automatons coexist with magic.
66. Nightmare Realm: A nightmarish dimension where fears and terrors manifest.
67. Witch's Labyrinth: A twisting maze filled with magical traps and challenges.
68. Star-gazing Grove: A tranquil grove illuminated by the light of countless stars.
69. Magical Market: A bustling market where magical goods and creatures are sold.
70. Crystal Spire: A towering spire made of crystalline material.
71. Haunted Manor: A mansion haunted by restless spirits and poltergeists.
72. Fire Elemental Forge: A forge where fire elementals craft fiery weapons.
73. Mermaid Lagoon: A vibrant underwater lagoon inhabited by merfolk.
74. Gnomish Workshop: A lively workshop where gnomes tinker with fantastic inventions.
75. Lost Oasis: An oasis hidden deep within a desert, holding hidden wonders.
76. Wizard's Academy: A prestigious school of magic where wizards are trained.
77. Celestial Gauntlet: A place connecting different celestial realms.
78. Serene Glade: A serene glade where the boundary between realms is thin.
79. Forbidden Tomb: A tomb filled with ancient curses, traps, and treasures.
80. Space Nexus: A place in the stars where all galaxies converge.
81. Hidden Waterways: Subterranean rivers and water passages hidden from sight.
82. Elven Enclave: A secluded and mystical enclave of elven culture.
83. Underworld Citadel: A citadel deep within the underworld, home to dark powers.
84. Moonstone Quarry: A quarry where precious moonstones are harvested.
85. Dreamcatcher Trees: Trees where dreamcatchers grow, capturing the dreams of the forest.
86. Goblin Tunnels: A network of underground tunnels and caverns inhabited by goblins.
87. Enchanted Treetops: Canopy of an enchanted forest where treetop dwellings are built.
88. Abyssal Depths: The deepest, darkest, and most treacherous part of the abyss.
89. Crystalline Caverns: A series of interconnected caverns adorned with shining crystals.
90. Whispering Pines: A tranquil forest where the pine trees whisper secrets.
91. Stargazing Ridge: A ridge that experiences frequent meteor showers.
92. Dragon's Roost: A mountaintop lair where dragons dwell and guard their hoard.
93. Isle of Echoes: An island known for echoing whispers and eerie sounds.
94. Monolith Structure: A monolithic black structure with mysterious powers.
95. Elemental Portal: A convergence point for elemental forces and magic.
96. Haunted Sea Passage: A narrow sea passage known for its eerie, haunting sounds.
97. Enchanted Tides: A coastal area where the tides are influenced by magic.
98. Ethereal Castle: A castle that materializes and dematerializes in the ethereal plane.
99. Shifting Sands Dunes: A desert where the sands are in constant motion, hiding ancient relics.
100. Ancient Observatory: A centuries-old observatory with mystical stargazing abilities.

Read More: 101 Epic Sci-Fi Story Prompts

'The Wizard of Oz'

Writing Fantasy Stories

The fantasy story genre incorporates magic and other supernatural elements into its core narrative, themes, and backdrop. Numerous books, series, and films within this genre are set in fictitious realms where magic and mystical beings are prevalent. And those beings usually populate different worlds far from the reality of our own. 

Consider the vast universes of franchises like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones. All serve as prime illustrations of magical and mystical adventures that transport audiences and readers to awe-inspiring new worlds. 

The Different Kinds of Fantasy Subgenres

The fantasy genre has a number of subgenres that can dictate the kind of location or setting within fantasy stories. The most prevalent fantasy subgenres include: 

1. Sword and Sorcery
2. Fairy Tales 
3. Science Fantasy      

'Avatar'

Sword and Sorcery

Films such as Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings serve as excellent illustrations of the sword and sorcery subgenre by seamlessly integrating both the sword and sorcery components. These fantasy stories involve the art of swordsmanship, interwoven with enchantment harnessed by a diverse array of mystical figures, including warlocks, shamans, and wizards.

Fairy Tales

Fantasy stories like The Princess Bride, Snow White and the Huntsman, Maleficent, The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Labyrinth, Legend, and Into the Woods either derive from classic fairy tales and literature or are deeply influenced and inspired by timeless fairy tale narratives.

Science Fantasy

Within this particular sub-genre, the emphasis pivots away from scientific principles (ala Science Fiction) leaning more heavily into the realms of fantasy, yet maintaining a distinct association with the science fiction genre. The Star Wars franchise of movies, series, and books undoubtedly stands as the most prominent illustration. The latest Dune franchise falls into the subgenre as well. The subgenre incorporates fantastical components, such as the mystical Force and other enigmatic dimensions, and weaves a unique tapestry where the hard science of science fiction meets the enchanting allure of fantasy.

Read More: 131 Sci-Fi Scripts That Screenwriters Can Download and Study

'Pan's Labyrinth'

What’s So Important About Location in Fantasy Stories?

Building a fantasy world is all about location, location, location. Yes, you can use the real world as a setting for a fantasy story. However, most readers and audiences want to be taken to different worlds that they have either never seen, or want to visit familiar fantasy settings full of castles, forests, mountains, and other go-to fantasy tropes. 

To best create your fantasy story, you need to establish one or more settings within the fantasy world you've envisioned. 

• It could entail a fantastical village, town, or city. 
• It could unfurl across a sprawling continent or territory, serving as the backdrop for the hero's epic odyssey.
• In more expansive tales, it may even encompass an entire galaxy or cosmos, providing a cosmic stage upon which the story unfolds.

To get your fantasy creative juices flowing, here we present one hundred magical and mystic location prompts for your fantasy stories — prevalent in fantasy books, fairy tales, roleplaying games, video games, series, movies, and the imagination.   

Read More: The Craft and Rules of Worldbuilding in Science Fiction and Fantasy

CHECK OUT OUR SCI-FI & FANTASY NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

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

The post 100 Magical and Mystic Location Ideas for Your Fantasy Stories appeared first on ScreenCraft.

At ScreenCraft, we asked some staff to help us build "The Ultimate Thanksgiving Television Watch List" for you to watch after your meal, as you're cleaning the dishes, or as you relax after a social gathering. Enjoy!

Enter Now  |  Final Deadline in 22 days

The Ultimate Thanksgiving TV Watch List

• Friends, "The One With All The Thanksgivings" (season 5, episode 8)
• Friends, "The One With The Football" (season 3, episode 9)
• Friends, "The One Where Ross Got High" (season 6, episode 9)
• Friends, "The One With The Rumor" (season 8, episode 9)
  

— Amy B.

• The Mindy Project, "Thanksgiving" (season 1, episode 6)
• The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, "Talking Turkey" (season 1, episode 12)
• Living Single, "Thanks For Giving" (season 2, episode 12)
• Modern Family, "Punkin Chunkin" (season 3, episode 9)
  

— Erin E.

• Bob's Burgers: "Gayle Makin' Bob Sled" (season 6, episode 4)
• Bob's Burgers: "Turkey In A Can" (season 4, episode 5)
• Parks and Recreation, "Harvest Festival" (season 3, episode 7)
• Fresh Off The Boat, "Haungsgiving" (season 2, episode 8)
  

— Jen R.

• New Girl, "Thanksgiving" (season 1, episode 6)
• New Girl, "Parents" (season 2, episode 8)
• Cheers, "Thanksgiving Orphans" (season 5, episode 9)
• The Sopranos, "He Is Risen" (season 3, episode 8)
  

— Pear B.

• The Golden Girls, "Henny Penny - Straight, No Chaser" (season 6, episode 26)
• Master Of None, "Thanksgiving" (season 2, episode 8)
• Insecure, "Lowkey Thankful" (season 4, episode 3)
• Bob's Burgers, “The Quirk-ducers” (season 7, episode 6)
  

— V R.

We hope this list gives you enough to digest. Not only that — maybe it'll inspire your future Thanksgiving-themed script! Happy Thanksgiving, ScreenCraft Community! 

Read More: 10 of the Best Family Dinner Scenes to Watch This Thanksgiving

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

The post The Ultimate Thanksgiving TV Watch List appeared first on ScreenCraft.

So, if you’re a screenwriter wondering if you should consider penning a short story, here are five reasons you should consider doing just that.   

More info coming soon  |  Remind Me

1.) Explore a New Genre

Many writers may have considered exploring genres like science fiction or fantasy but may be intimidated by writing outside of their wheelhouse. Writing an entire TV pilot or feature screenplay in a new genre can be a risky endeavor considering how specialized certain genres can be, but a short story, typically 5,000 to 20,000 words, may be your best bet when it comes to seeing if the genre is a good fit for you.

See if you can establish a genre-specific world of your choice and make it relevant to today by creating a relatable protagonist dealing with universal themes. This type of experiment can serve as a testing ground for writing with unfamiliar narrative conventions and exploring exciting worlds you may not think to explore in your screenplays. 

Read More: How to Write a Short Story

2.) Create a Short Story Instead of an Outline

If you’re the type of writer we call a “Pantser,” meaning you like to write by the seat of your pants, letting inspiration guide you instead of creating a detailed outline, maybe writing a short story would help you work out the plot and character details in a fun, generative way. Any short story with a beginning, middle and end will likely fit into a three-act structure, so why not sit down and let the creativity flow? 

Read More: 12 Best Short Stories to Read for Screenwriting Inspiration

3.) Writing Sample

Because of the growing popularity of online forums like Reddit’s ThrillSleep thread, short stories are now reaching a much wider audience. These pieces of short fiction can easily be adapted into other mediums and are getting read by Hollywood producers, executives and literary managers. Some TV showrunners are even requesting to read short stories as writing samples instead of original pilots. So, even if you’re looking to have a career in TV, having a well-written short story might get you a meeting or at the very least, be a refreshing addition to your writing samples.  

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

4.) Get Published

If you’re not a screenwriter but are interested in becoming a novelist, a short story is a great place to start if you want to get your foot in the door of the publishing world. There are dozens of literary magazines, journals and online fiction outlets seeking short story submissions year-round – some even pay to publish your work! If you do spend the months (or years) it takes to write a full-length novel, it may help to mention to potential book publishers that you’ve had a piece of short fiction published before and include a link if it’s available online. People love knowing someone else liked your work before they commit to reading a lengthy submission, so it’s a win-win situation.

Read More: Why Do Short Stories Make Great Movies?

5.) Explore an Antagonist in Depth

If you’ve ever written a screenplay and gotten the note that your antagonist or villain is too arch or not developed enough, a great experiment could be to write a short story from that character’s point of view. Write the narrative in the first person and really dig deep into their world and psychological state. See if you can really understand what motivates their actions. What do they value most of all? Are they a purely evil person? Or do they do the wrong things for the right reasons? If you can crawl inside your antagonist’s head, you’re likely to develop a greater awareness of what makes them tick and even create empathy for them. 

Read More: 8 Films You Didn't Know Were Based on Short Stories

— 

Writing short stories can enhance your screenwriting abilities by sharpening your storytelling skills, deepening character development and exploring new genres. Writing with a limited word count can also help you develop your own discipline when it comes to creating concise and engaging plots that get straight to the meat of the story. Having a surprising – maybe even mind-blowing – short story in your repertoire could set you apart from other writers.

Read More: Ground Control Producer Scott Glassgold Explains the Magic of Short Stories

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

The post 5 Reasons You Should Write a Short Story 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.

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.

CHECK OUT OUR SCI-FI & FANTASY GENRE NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

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

While you’re brainstorming brilliant ideas, keep these tips in mind.

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The Three No-Nos

Let’s get one — okay, three — things clear to start.

No births. No deaths. No marriages.

When it comes to specs, you don’t want to alter the makeup of the show. You can’t just kill off a main character, introduce someone brand new, or marry two characters off. Birth, death, and marriage are the kinds of big life events you want to stay away from in spec scripts.

Of course, there are certain instances when a birth or death would occur naturally within the world of a show.

If you’re speccing Grey’s Anatomy, for example, it’s wholly possible that someone would come into the hospital and end up dying in the operating room. Or a patient might discover they have a medical complication with their pregnancy that causes one of the doctors to re-evaluate something in their personal life.

But you’re not going to kill-off Meredith Grey or suddenly announce that Miranda Bailey is pregnant. There are just some things — well, three things — you don’t do with specs.

Read More: The Literary Manager's Process of Selling Your TV Spec Pilot  

Bridgerton (2020– )

Make a Nice Sandwich

It’s true, you can write a spec script of the first episode of your show’s next season. But it’s a risk you must be willing to take. 

The name of the game in specs is longevity — you want your spec script to have the longest shelf life possible. If you write a spec of the first episode of season three of Bridgerton, and then season three premieres and the actual writers of the show have gone in a completely different direction, your spec is essentially useless.

Instead, try to find a way to sandwich your spec script between two existing episodes of the show.

This has become increasingly difficult as shows have gotten more and more serialized. It’s much harder to find a place within the latest season of Only Murders in the Building to situate a spec episode than it is for Abbott Elementary.

So, you have to look for gaps. 

As you’re rewatching your show, try to find any gaps — either between episodes or within storylines — where you might be able to sandwich in a spec. Keep an eye out for time jumps and pay attention to where the elapsed time in between episodes is a bit vague.

What happens between episodes three and four? Find out in your spec: episode 3.5!

Read More: What is a Story Engine and How Can It Help Your TV Pilot

Only Murders in the Building (2021– )

Be Normal, But Stand Out

I’m sorry if I’m the first person to break this to you, but your spec episode isn’t going to get made. You could write the best spec of The Sex Lives of College Girls imaginable, but Mindy Kaling isn’t going to buy it and produce it for the upcoming season.

The good news is… that means you have incredible freedom when it comes to what your spec episode can be about.

With specs, you want to stick to the series’ established structure and format, utilizing the major characters and locations to demonstrate that you’re capable of writing someone else’s show. BUT! You don’t have the budgetary restrictions or time constraints that must be taken into consideration when it comes to filming actual episodes of the show. 

Say you think it would be hilarious for the vampires of What We Do in the Shadows to visit the Statue of Liberty and then get stuck there when the sun comes up. The producers of the show might tell you that Liberty Island as a location poses too many production limitations and difficulties, but you don’t have to worry about that because you’re just writing a spec! Your spec isn’t going to be made… so go for it! 

Above all, you want your spec script to be memorable. So, write a “normal” episode of the show when it comes to structure, format, and tone, but take big swings in terms of story so that you stand out.

Read More: How to Structure a Great TV Pilot 

Abbott Elementary (2021– )

Shine The Character Spotlight

Specs are a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on unusual pairings of characters. Every show has its typical pairs… but what about characters who don’t often interact?

Take Ted Lasso. Wouldn’t it be fun if Coach Beard and Rebecca had a storyline together? Or what about Coach Beard and Keeley? Coach Beard and Roy? Basically, put anyone with Coach Beard and you’ve got a winning spec.

In all seriousness though, look for characters who aren’t often paired up and center your spec on that new and unique dynamic.

Or bring one of the minor or recurring characters to the forefront. Keeping with our Ted Lasso example… maybe there’s a spec to be written about Mae, the barkeep at the Crown & Anchor. Or Roy’s niece Phoebe, or Will, the new kitman in season two.

The point is, shows are populated with tons of characters, all of whom have stories you can tell in your spec.

Read More: 7 Unusual Ways to Describe Characters in Your Screenplay

Ted Lasso (2020–2023)

Build on the Afterthoughts and Throwaway Details

When I’m planning to write a spec, I purposefully go overboard on the note-taking while I rewatch the show. As I do this, I make sure to keep a running list of little details.

Anything can go on this list — a piece of character backstory that isn’t fully explained, a throwaway anecdote that was probably only included because it provided a good punchline, details that seem like afterthoughts but could become much more. I even add questions that I have about the characters or plotlines. 

Then, when I’m trying to figure out what my spec episode could be about, I look to this list for inspiration. Without fail, I can always find a kernel of something to center my spec around. 

When I was writing a spec to sandwich into the second season of Ted Lasso, during my rewatch I noticed that, in the wake of Earl the Greyhound’s untimely demise in episode one, Rebecca mentioned that the club made a hefty donation to a local dog shelter called “Barkingham Palace.”

Ding! Inspiration. I centered my whole spec episode around the team visiting Barkingham Palace to volunteer with the shelter dogs.

Using these small details that are already part of the show to build up into a full episode not only proves that you know the series well, but it helps make your spec feel like part of the show’s world. 

Read More: How to Watch a TV Show You Want to Write a Spec Script For

Put Yourself on the Page

Yes, writing a spec means that you’re writing someone else’s show. But that doesn’t mean you can’t infuse your script with your own unique perspective and voice.

Maybe there was a teacher who had a big impact on you in middle school and that relationship is something you can turn into a storyline for Abbott Elementary. Or a friend told you a mortifying story of a hook-up gone very wrong that could become the basis for an episode of Sex Education. Or maybe a lesson you learned after years of therapy could become a theme for a spec of Shrinking.

Don’t be afraid to mine your own life for story ideas. The more you can put yourself on the page, the better.

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

The post Tips for Coming Up with an Idea for Your TV Spec Episode appeared first on ScreenCraft.

A loser becomes a winner. A king becomes a pauper. The skeptic becomes a believer. Often, the best arcs start with a simple question or compelling traits that become the antithesis of the conflict your character is facing.

With that in mind, here are 101 character prompts that writers can test out on their characters — and their story concepts— to find compelling character arcs that can be explored within their stories.

Read More: Acceptance, Revelation, Contentment: Exploring Your Character's Inner Arc

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101 Character Arc Prompts

1. What is your character's biggest fear?

2. What is your character's biggest regret?

3. What haunts your character when they stare off into nothing?

4. What, if anything, would your character kill for?

5. What is the most traumatic event from their childhood?

6. What is their most dangerous vice?

7. What is the one obstacle between where they are and what they want most in life?

8. Is your character religious?

9. Is your character anti-religion?

10. Who does your character love?

11. Who is their biggest influence?

12. Who in their lives is a bad influence?

13. What does your character see when they look at themselves in a mirror?

14. Why is the character in their ordinary world at the beginning of the story?

15. Why is your character the one dealing with the main conflict of the story?

16. How does the main conflict most conflict with the main character?

17. Is your character rich or poor?

18. Are they an optimist or pessimist?

19. Does your character have a handicap?

20. Do they have mental health issues?

Joker (2019)

21. What triggers their mental health issues?

22. Who did they hurt in their past?

23. Who hurt them in their past?

24. What does your character strive for most in their life?

25. What makes them laugh?

26. What makes them cry?

27. What makes them lose their temper?

28. What is the most selfish thing your character has done?

29. What is the most unselfish thing they've done for someone else?

30. Does your character have a lot of friends? If not, why not?

31. What is your character's favorite holiday? Why?

32. What is their least favorite holiday? Why?

33. What is your character's biggest flaw?

34. What is their biggest weakness?

35. What causes anxiety in your character?

36. What triggers them? Why?

37. Who is your character's biggest enemy?

38. Who is your character's best friend? Why?

39. Does your character believe in love at first sight?

40. Have they been in love at all?

The Woman King (2022)

41. What are their turn-ons?

42. What are their turn-offs?

43. What gender are your characters?

44. What race is your character?

45. What is your character's sexual orientation?

46. What is the greatest thing your character has done in their lives?

47. Who are their heroes in life? Why?

48. What types of people does your character look down on?

49. Who do they look up to and respect? Why?

50. Who are their mentors?

51. Why would your character refuse a call to adventure?

52. What tragedy most affected their life?

53. What tragedy could they have prevented, but failed to?

54. Who does your character need to make amends to?

55. What are they most grateful for in their lives? Why?

56. What causes them shame?

57. What would give them more confidence in life?

58. What would make them believe in God or a higher power?

59. What would make them not believe?

60. Do they work well with others? Why or why not?

Sunset Blvd. (1950)

61. Is your character a leader?

62. Is your character a follower? Why?

63. What is the biggest grudge your character is holding onto?

64. Does your character lie?

65. What do they lie about? Why?

66. Is your character a coward? Why?

67. Is your character heroic?

68. What's an ailment they are still trying to recover from?

69. What's an injury they haven't healed from?

70. What caused the injury?

71. What are your character's negative habits?

72. What is their favorite movie? Why?

73. What is their favorite book? Why?

74. Does your character belong to a particular organization?

75. What is their innate identity?

76. What new things would rock their world most? Why?

77. Does your character have a family? If not, why are they alone?

78. What is your character most stubborn about?

79. What taboos have they broken within their community? Do they regret it?

80. Does your character trust people?

Toy Story 4 (2019)

81. Is your character trustworthy?

82. Is your character tough?

83. If so, what caused them to be so tough?

84. What would finally "break" your character?

85. Who would your character give their life for most?

86. Is your character loyal?

87. What is your character's greatest bias or prejudice?

88. What is your character's worst nightmare?

89. What is their biggest dream?

90. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to your character?

91. What is your character's favorite place in the world?

92. What location scares them the most?

93. What item does your character treasure most?

94. What is your character's deepest physical scar? How did they get it?

95. Does your character fear authority?

96. Do they fight authority at every turn?

97. If your character could make one wish come true, what would it be?

98. What did your character want to be when they grew up?

99. Why did or didn't it work out that way?

100. What does your character want for their birthday?

101. Who does your character want at their wedding?

WANT MORE IDEAS? TAKE A LOOK AT OUR OTHER 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, 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 and distributed Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies

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

The post 101 Creative Character Arc Prompts 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.

For you TV writers out there, it’s time to start writing yet another spec episode.

And that begs the age-old question… what TV show should you spec?

Never fear. I’m here to help.

Imagine this post as a process of elimination to whittle down your options for what series to spec. We’ll start with the big, obvious cuts and work our way until you’re left with a few good options.

But first, let’s go over what a spec is.

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What Is a Spec Script?

What is a spec script, anyway? When it comes to feature scripts, “spec scripts” refer to scripts written on spec or “speculation.” Writing something “on spec” in Hollywood is just code for “free.” No one is paying the writer to work on the script, nor is there any guarantee that the script will get made. Most of the time, no one’s actually expecting the script at all.

Read More: What Is a Spec Script (and Why Should You Write One)?

So, What’s a Spec TV Script?

Spec scripts for TV are similar, and they come in a couple of flavors. 

• Sample episodes of an existing TV series
• An original TV pilot wrote on spec

Now that we’ve nailed down what a spec script is for TV let’s go over how to choose a TV show to spec. There’s one guiding principle regarding what shows you can spec and which are totally off-limits.

Friends (1994)

The Show Must Be On

Unfortunately, you can’t spec a show that has already concluded its run or been canceled. We’d all love to write a spec of The Office. Or The Sopranos. Or Friends. The list of great shows of days past goes on and on.

I know what you’re going to say. Wasn’t there a guy who wrote a Seinfeld spec about 9/11, and it got him staffed?

Yes. In 2016, comedian Billy Domineau wrote a Seinfeld spec about Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer in the days following the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and put it online for the world to see. And yes, he did write for Family Guy a few years later, and then Saturday Night Live a few years after that.

Like everything else when it comes to screenwriting, there’s always one exception to the rule. And Billy is that one-in-a-billion exception. 

So, when choosing a show to spec, just stick to what’s current — a show that is currently airing (or in between seasons) on a broadcast network or streaming platform.

That still leaves a lot of options, though. How do you choose from all those current series?

Stick to the Warner Bros. List

Every year, the folks behind the Warner Bros. Television Workshop publish a list of Accepted Shows for their spec script requirement.

Given that Warner Bros. is the biggest TV fellowship program that still requires a spec for its application, it’s typically safe to assume that if it works for WB, it’ll work for other contests and fellowships too.

You want to get the most out of your spec as possible, so it’s best to write something that will be eligible for most, if not all, of the programs you’re applying for.

The Warner Bros. Accepted Shows list is fairly large and always has a wide variety of shows to choose from. 

Legends of Tomorrow (2016)

Spec a Show You Know and Love

Take that list of possible current shows and cross off anything you haven’t seen or don’t like. It could be the most critically acclaimed, award-winningest, most popular series on the planet, but if you don’t like it, that will come through in your writing.

In this case, there’s no reason to justify why you don’t like a show. If you can’t stand adult animation, you’re obviously not going to write Bob’s Burgers or Archer. If you don’t like superhero stuff, Legends of Tomorrow, The Boys, and Batwoman, all get the boot.

This is part of the spec-choosing process, where you can eliminate with abandon, so cross things out to your heart’s content.

Read More: Tips for Coming Up with an Idea for Your TV Spec Episode

Grey's Anatomy (2005)

Not the First or the Last

With the list of possible series you have left, there are a few other extenuating circumstances to consider.

First, try to avoid any show in its very first season. With freshman shows, the risk of cancellation and the reader must know the show itself is high. And, if the show gets canceled, your spec is useless. Unless you know that the show will be renewed for season two, my advice is to stay away. Similarly, avoid any show that’s in its very last season. Once the show is over — you guessed it — your spec is useless.

The sweet spot for shows to spec is those in their second, third, or fourth seasons. They’re new enough so that readers will know them, but they’re not so long-running that everyone’s sick of reading specs for them (*cough* Grey’s Anatomy *cough*).

Read More: The Fastest Way To Give Your Spec Scripts a Killer Hook

Go for the Good

The next thing to consider is the toughest to define. You want whatever show you choose to spec to be GOOD.

For a spec, you want something fairly popular — enough in the zeitgeist and cultural conversation that a reader, even if they weren’t up all night binging the latest season, will know if your script captures the show's essence.

You want something that is generally well-regarded in Hollywood. It doesn’t have to be the critical darling that no one actually watches, but you also don’t want it to be the show critics have universally panned and written off as a lost cause.

The show you pick will likely be more of one than the other — slightly more popular than critically acclaimed, or vice versa — that’s okay. Just keep those elements in mind when making your decision.

Stranger Things (2016)

Build Your Brand

Finally, the last thing to consider is your personal brand as a writer.

If you write half-hour comedies, you’ll probably not want to choose Stranger Things, no matter how much you ship Steve Harrington. If your thing is medical dramas, it’s probably not wise to choose Emily in Paris, no matter how quickly you watched season three. 

That said, you also want your spec script to show your range.

Keeping with our last example, if you write medical dramas, a Grey’s Anatomy or The Good Doctor spec would seem the easy choice. But, paired with your original scripts, those aren’t going to show anything new about you as a writer. Instead, try another hour-long procedural drama like 9-1-1 or Evil. Something in the same vein as your originals but isn’t exactly the same.

You want to choose a show to a spec that will complement your writing (and your current samples). This goes for the genre, format, subject matter, and overall tone.

Read More: How to Watch a TV Show You Want to Write a Spec Script For

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Choosing a TV show to spec can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. There are a few key factors to consider before making a decision. Firstly, you should choose a show you are passionate about and deeply understand its themes and characters.

Secondly, it's important to consider the popularity and longevity of the show to ensure it will be relevant in the industry for some time. Additionally, you should research the show's production company and its track record to gauge its potential interest in new material.

Lastly, make sure to review the show's writing style and structure to determine if it aligns with your own strengths and preferences. Considering these factors, you can confidently choose a TV show to spec and create a winning script that showcases your writing skills.

Now that you’ve chosen which show you’re going to spec, it’s time to grab a snack and a notebook and do the thing we all love — watch a lot of TV and take notes.

Read More: The Literary Manager's Process of Selling Your TV Spec Pilot

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

The post How To Choose a TV Show to Spec 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.

So, here is every single Academy Award winning movie script that won either Best Original Screenplay or Best Adapted Screenplay since 2000 (except for Talk to Her and Gosford Park). Click on the buttons to download them from The Script Lab for free and start taking notes on what the Academy considers great storytelling.

Let's go!

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Everything Everywhere All At Once

Written by the Daniels (Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert)

Won Best Original Screenplay (2022)

Synopsis

When an interdimensional rupture unravels reality, an unlikely hero must channel her newfound powers to fight bizarre and bewildering dangers from the multiverse as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Read More: Script Apart: The Daniels Unpack Everything Everywhere All At Once

Women Talking

Written by Sarah Polley, Miriam Toews

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2022)

Synopsis

The women of an isolated religious colony reveal a shocking secret about the colony's men. For years, the men have occasionally drugged the women and then raped them. The truth comes out and the women talk about their new situation.

Belfast

Written by Kenneth Branagh

Won Best Original Screenplay (2021)

Synopsis

A semi-autobiographical film which chronicles the life of a working class family and their young son's childhood during the tumult of the late 1960s in the Northern Ireland capital.

CODA

Written by Sian Heder

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2021)

Synopsis

Ruby is the only hearing member of a deaf family from Gloucester, Massachusetts. At 17, she works mornings before school to help her parents and brother keep their fishing business afloat. But in joining her high school's choir club, Ruby finds herself drawn to both her duet partner and her latent passion for singing.

Promising Young Woman

Written by Emerald Fennell

Won Best Original Screenplay (2020)

Synopsis

Nothing in Cassie's life is what it appears to be -- she's wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she's living a secret double life by night. Now, an unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs from the past.

The Father

Written by Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2020)

Synopsis

A man refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality.

Parasite

Written by Bong Joon-ho, Han Jin-won

Won Best Original Screenplay (2019)

Synopsis

Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.

Read More: What the Parasite Script Can Teach Screenwriters (And Hollywood)

Jojo Rabbit

Written by Taika Waititi

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2019)

Synopsis

Jojo is a lonely German boy who discovers that his single mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. Aided only by his imaginary friend -- Adolf Hitler -- Jojo must confront his blind nationalism as World War II continues to rage on.

Read More: 10 Pieces of Screenwriting Wisdom from Taika Waititi

Green Book

Written by Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga

Won Best Original Screenplay (2018)

Synopsis

Dr Don Shirley is a world-class African-American pianist, who is about to embark on a concert tour in the Deep South in 1962. In need of a driver and protection, Shirley recruits Tony Lip, a tough-talking bouncer from an Italian-American neighbourhood in the Bronx. Despite their differences, the two men soon develop an unexpected bond while confronting racism and danger in an era of segregation.

BlacKkKlansman

Written by Spike Lee, David Rabinowitz, Charlie Wachtel, Kevin Willmott

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2018)

Synopsis

Ron Stallworth is the first African-American detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department. Determined to make a name for himself, Stallworth bravely sets out on a dangerous mission: infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan. The detective soon recruits a more seasoned colleague, Flip Zimmerman, into the undercover investigation of a lifetime. Together, they team up to take down the extremist hate group as the organization aims to sanitize its rhetoric to appeal to the mainstream.

Get Out

Written by Jordan Peele

Won Best Original Screenplay (2017)

Synopsis

Now that Chris and his girlfriend, Rose, have reached the meet-the-parents milestone of dating, she invites him for a weekend getaway upstate with her parents, Missy and Dean. At first, Chris reads the family's overly accommodating behaviour as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter's interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries leads him to a truth that he never could have imagined.

Read More: 5 Trademarks of a Jordan Peele Screenplay

Call Me By Your Name

Written by James Ivory

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2017)

Synopsis

It's the summer of 1983, and precocious 17-year-old Elio Perlman is spending the days with his family at their 17th-century villa in Lombardy, Italy. He soon meets Oliver, a handsome doctoral student who's working as an intern for Elio's father. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of their surroundings, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will alter their lives forever.

Manchester By the Sea

Written by Kenneth Lonergan

Won Best Original Screenplay (2016)

Synopsis

After the death of his older brother Joe, Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is shocked that Joe has made him sole guardian of his teenage nephew Patrick. Taking leave of his job as a janitor in Boston, Lee reluctantly returns to Manchester-by-the-Sea, the fishing village where his working-class family has lived for generations. There, he is forced to deal with a past that separated him from his wife, Randi (Michelle Williams), and the community where he was born and raised.

Moonlight

Written by Barry Jenkins, Tarell Alvin McCraney

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2016)

Synopsis

A look at three defining chapters in the life of Chiron, a young black man growing up in Miami. His epic journey to manhood is guided by the kindness, support and love of the community that helps raise him.

Spotlight

Written by Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy

Won Best Original Screenplay (2015)

Synopsis

In 2001, editor Marty Baron of The Boston Globe assigns a team of journalists to investigate allegations against John Geoghan, an unfrocked priest accused of molesting more than 80 boys. Led by editor Walter "Robby" Robinson (Michael Keaton), reporters Michael Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Matt Carroll and Sacha Pfeiffer interview victims and try to unseal sensitive documents. The reporters make it their mission to provide proof of a cover-up of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church.

The Big Short

Written by Charles Randolph, Adam McKay

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2015)

Synopsis

In 2008, Wall Street guru Michael Burry realizes that a number of subprime home loans are in danger of defaulting. Burry bets against the housing market by throwing more than $1 billion of his investors' money into credit default swaps. His actions attract the attention of banker Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling), hedge-fund specialist Mark Baum (Steve Carell) and other greedy opportunists. Together, these men make a fortune by taking full advantage of the impending economic collapse in America.

Birdman

Written by Armando Bo, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., Nicollás Giacobone, Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Won Best Original Screenplay (2014)

Synopsis

Former cinema superhero Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) is mounting an ambitious Broadway production that he hopes will breathe new life into his stagnant career. It's risky, but he hopes that his creative gamble will prove that he's a real artist and not just a washed-up movie star. As opening night approaches, a castmate is injured, forcing Riggan to hire an actor (Edward Norton) who is guaranteed to shake things up. Meanwhile, Riggan must deal with his girlfriend, daughter and ex-wife.

The Imitation Game

Written by Graham Moore

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2014)

Synopsis

In 1939, newly created British intelligence agency MI6 recruits Cambridge mathematics alumnus Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) to crack Nazi codes, including Enigma -- which cryptanalysts had thought unbreakable. Turing's team, including Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley), analyze Enigma messages while he builds a machine to decipher them. Turing and team finally succeed and become heroes, but in 1952, the quiet genius encounters disgrace when authorities reveal he is gay and send him to prison.

Her

Written by Spike Jonze

Won Best Original Screenplay (2013)

Synopsis

A sensitive and soulful man earns a living by writing personal letters for other people. Left heartbroken after his marriage ends, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) becomes fascinated with a new operating system which reportedly develops into an intuitive and unique entity in its own right. He starts the program and meets "Samantha" (Scarlett Johansson), whose bright voice reveals a sensitive, playful personality. Though "friends" initially, the relationship soon deepens into love.

Read More: 5 Trademarks of Spike Jonze's Films, TV Series, & Music Videos

12 Years a Slave

Written by John Ridley

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2013)

Synopsis

In the years before the Civil War, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South. Subjected to the cruelty of one malevolent owner (Michael Fassbender), he also finds unexpected kindness from another, as he struggles continually to survive and maintain some of his dignity. Then in the 12th year of the disheartening ordeal, a chance meeting with an abolitionist from Canada changes Solomon's life forever.

Django Unchained

Written by Quentin Tarantino

Won Best Original Screenplay (2012)

Synopsis

Two years before the Civil War, Django (Jamie Foxx), a slave, finds himself accompanying an unorthodox German bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) on a mission to capture the vicious Brittle brothers. Their mission successful, Schultz frees Django, and together they hunt the South's most-wanted criminals. Their travels take them to the infamous plantation of shady Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), where Django's long-lost wife (Kerry Washington) is still a slave.

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

Argo

Written by Chris Terrio

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2012)

Synopsis

On Nov. 4, 1979, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran, taking 66 American hostages. Amid the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge with the Canadian ambassador. Knowing that it's just a matter of time before the refugees are found and likely executed, the U.S. government calls on extractor Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) to rescue them. Mendez's plan is to pose as a Hollywood producer scouting locations in Iran and train the refugees to act as his "film" crew.

Midnight in Paris

Written by Woody Allen

Won Best Original Screenplay (2011)

Synopsis

Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) is a screenwriter and aspiring novelist. Vacationing in Paris with his fiancee (Rachel McAdams), he has taken to touring the city alone. On one such late-night excursion, Gil encounters a group of strange -- yet familiar -- revelers, who sweep him along, apparently back in time, for a night with some of the Jazz Age's icons of art and literature. The more time Gil spends with these cultural heroes of the past, the more dissatisfied he becomes with the present.

The Descendants

Written by Nat Faxon, Alexander Payne, Jim Rash

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2011)

Synopsis

Native islander Matt King (George Clooney) lives with his family in Hawaii. Their world shatters when a tragic accident leaves his wife in a coma. Not only must Matt struggle with the stipulation in his wife's will that she be allowed to die with dignity, but he also faces pressure from relatives to sell their family's enormous land trust. Angry and terrified at the same time, Matt tries to be a good father to his young daughters, as they too try to cope with their mother's possible death.

The King's Speech

Written by David Seidler

Won Best Original Screenplay (2010)

Synopsis

England's Prince Albert (Colin Firth) must ascend the throne as King George VI, but he has a speech impediment. Knowing that the country needs her husband to be able to communicate effectively, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) hires Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), an Australian actor and speech therapist, to help him overcome his stammer. An extraordinary friendship develops between the two men, as Logue uses unconventional means to teach the monarch how to speak with confidence.

The Social Network

Written by Aaron Sorkin

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2010)

Synopsis

In 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer genius Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) begins work on a new concept that eventually turns into the global social network known as Facebook. Six years later, he is one of the youngest billionaires ever, but Zuckerberg finds that his unprecedented success leads to both personal and legal complications when he ends up on the receiving end of two lawsuits, one involving his former friend (Andrew Garfield). Based on the book "The Accidental Billionaires."

Read More: How to Write Like Aaron Sorkin

The Hurt Locker

Written by Mark Boal

Won Best Original Screenplay (2009)

Synopsis

Following the death of their well-respected Staff Sergeant in Iraq, Sergeant JT Stanborn and Specialist Owen Eldridge find their Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit saddled with a very different team leader. Staff Sergeant William James is an inveterate risk-taker who seems to thrive on war, but there's no denying his gift for defusing bombs.

Precious

Written by Geoffrey S. Fletcher

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2009)

Synopsis

Pregnant by her own father for the second time, 16-year-old Claireece "Precious" Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) can neither read nor write and suffers constant abuse at the hands of her vicious mother (Mo'Nique). Precious instinctively sees a chance to turn her life around when she is offered the opportunity to transfer to an alternative school. Under the patient, firm guidance of her new teacher, Ms. Rain (Paula Patton), Precious begins the journey from oppression to self-determination.

Milk

Written by Dustin Lance Black

Won Best Original Screenplay (2008)

Synopsis

In 1972, Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) and his then-lover Scott Smith leave New York for San Francisco, with Milk determined to accomplish something meaningful in his life. Settling in the Castro District, he opens a camera shop and helps transform the area into a mecca for gays and lesbians. In 1977 he becomes the nation's first openly gay man elected to a notable public office when he wins a seat on the Board of Supervisors. The following year, Dan White (Josh Brolin) kills Milk in cold blood.

Slumdog Millionaire

Written by Simon Beaufoy

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2008)

Synopsis

As 18-year-old Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) answers questions on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," flashbacks show how he got there. Part of a stable of young thieves after their mother dies, Jamal and his brother, Salim, survive on the streets of Mumbai. Salim finds the life of crime agreeable, but Jamal scrapes by with small jobs until landing a spot on the game show.

Juno

Written by Diablo Cody

Won Best Original Screenplay (2007)

Synopsis

When precocious teen Juno MacGuff becomes pregnant, she chooses a failed rock star and his wife to adopt her unborn child. Complications occur when Mark, the prospective father, begins viewing Juno as more than just the mother of his future child, putting both his marriage and the adoption in jeopardy.

No Country for Old Men

Written by The Coen Brothers (Joel Coen, Ethan Coen)

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2007)

Synopsis

While out hunting, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) finds the grisly aftermath of a drug deal. Though he knows better, he cannot resist the cash left behind and takes it with him. The hunter becomes the hunted when a merciless killer named Chigurh (Javier Bardem) picks up his trail. Also looking for Moss is Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), an aging lawman who reflects on a changing world and a dark secret of his own, as he tries to find and protect Moss.

Little Miss Sunshine

Written by Michael Arndt

Won Best Original Screenplay (2006)

Synopsis

The Hoover family -- a man (Greg Kinnear), his wife (Toni Collette), an uncle (Steve Carell), a brother (Paul Dano) and a grandfather (Alan Arkin) -- puts the fun back in dysfunctional by piling into a VW bus and heading to California to support a daughter (Abigail Breslin) in her bid to win the Little Miss Sunshine Contest. The sanity of everyone involved is stretched to the limit as the group's quirks cause epic problems as they travel along their interstate route.

The Departed

Written by William Monahan

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2006)

Synopsis

South Boston cop Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) goes under cover to infiltrate the organization of gangland chief Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). As Billy gains the mobster's trust, a career criminal named Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) infiltrates the police department and reports on its activities to his syndicate bosses. When both organizations learn they have a mole in their midst, Billy and Colin must figure out each other's identities to save their own lives.

Read More: The Tender Bar Writer William Monahan Encourages You To Make Your Script a 'Reading Experience'

Crash

Written by Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco

Won Best Original Screenplay (2005)

Synopsis

Writer-director Paul Haggis interweaves several connected stories about race, class, family and gender in Los Angeles in the aftermath of 9/11. Characters include a district attorney (Brendan Fraser) and his casually prejudiced wife (Sandra Bullock), dating police detectives Graham (Don Cheadle) and Ria (Jennifer Esposito), a victimized Middle Eastern store owner and a wealthy African-American couple (Terrence Dashon Howard, Thandie Newton) humiliated by a racist traffic cop (Matt Dillon).

Brokeback Mountain

Written by Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2005)

Synopsis

In 1963, rodeo cowboy Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) and ranch hand Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) are hired by rancher Joe Aguirre (Randy Quaid) as sheep herders in Wyoming. One night on Brokeback Mountain, Jack makes a drunken pass at Ennis that is eventually reciprocated. Though Ennis marries his longtime sweetheart, Alma (Michelle Williams), and Jack marries a fellow rodeo rider (Anne Hathaway), the two men keep up their tortured and sporadic affair over the course of 20 years.

Read More: Brokeback Mountain Co-Writer Diana Ossana on the Art of Adaptation

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Written by Charlie Kaufman, Pierre Vismuth, Michel Gondry

Won Best Original Screenplay (2004)

Synopsis

After a painful breakup, Clementine (Kate Winslet) undergoes a procedure to erase memories of her former boyfriend Joel (Jim Carrey) from her mind. When Joel discovers that Clementine is going to extremes to forget their relationship, he undergoes the same procedure and slowly begins to forget the woman that he loved. Directed by former music video director Michel Gondry, the visually arresting film explores the intricacy of relationships and the pain of loss.

Read More: 10 Screenwriting Secrets From Charlie Kaufman

Sideways

Written by Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2004)

Synopsis

Struggling writer and wine enthusiast Miles (Paul Giamatti) takes his engaged friend, Jack (Thomas Haden Church), on a trip to wine country for a last single-guy bonding experience. While Miles wants to relax and enjoy the wine, Jack is in search of a fling before his wedding. Soon Jack is sleeping with Stephanie (Sandra Oh), while her friend Maya (Virginia Madsen) connects with Miles. When Miles lets slip that Jack is getting married, both women are furious, sending the trip into disarray.

Lost in Translation

Written by Sofia Coppola

Won Best Original Screenplay (2003)

Synopsis

A lonely, aging movie star named Bob Harris (Bill Murray) and a conflicted newlywed, Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), meet in Tokyo. Bob is there to film a Japanese whiskey commercial; Charlotte is accompanying her celebrity-photographer husband. Strangers in a foreign land, the two find escape, distraction and understanding amidst the bright Tokyo lights after a chance meeting in the quiet lull of the hotel bar. They form a bond that is as unlikely as it is heartfelt and meaningful.

Read More: 5 Trademarks of Sofia Coppola's Films

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Written by Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2003)

Synopsis

The culmination of nearly 10 years' work and conclusion to Peter Jackson's epic trilogy based on the timeless J.R.R. Tolkien classic, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" presents the final confrontation between the forces of good and evil fighting for control of the future of Middle-earth. Hobbits Frodo and Sam reach Mordor in their quest to destroy the `one ring', while Aragorn leads the forces of good against Sauron's evil army at the stone city of Minas Tirith.

The Pianist

Written by Ronald Harwood

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2002)

Synopsis

In this adaptation of the autobiography "The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945," Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody), a Polish Jewish radio station pianist, sees Warsaw change gradually as World War II begins. Szpilman is forced into the Warsaw Ghetto, but is later separated from his family during Operation Reinhard. From this time until the concentration camp prisoners are released, Szpilman hides in various locations among the ruins of Warsaw.

A Beautiful Mind

Written by Akiva Goldsman

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2001)

Synopsis

A human drama inspired by events in the life of John Forbes Nash Jr., and in part based on the biography "A Beautiful Mind" by Sylvia Nasar. From the heights of notoriety to the depths of depravity, John Forbes Nash Jr. experienced it all. A mathematical genius, he made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a painful and harrowing journey of self-discovery.

Almost Famous

Written by Cameron Crowe

Won Best Original Screenplay (2000)

Synopsis

Set in 1973, it chronicles the funny and often poignant coming of age of 15-year-old William, an unabashed music fan who is inspired by the seminal bands of the time. When his love of music lands him an assignment from Rolling Stone magazine to interview the up-and-coming band Stillwater -- fronted by lead guitar Russell Hammond and lead singer Jeff Bebe William embarks on an eye-opening journey with the band's tour, despite the objections of his protective mother.

Traffic

Written by Stephen Gaghan

Won Best Adapted Screenplay (2000)

Synopsis

A look at America's war on drugs through several interconnected stories: Ohio's Supreme Court judge is appointed as the nation's Drug Tsar, unaware that his own daughter is a heroin addict, two DEA agents pursue the wife of a jailed drugs baron who seeks to control his lucrative business, and a Mexican cop takes a lone stand against the powerful cartels in his community.

There are countless examples outside of Academy Award winning movies that demonstrate all kinds of amazing qualities of great storytelling. And no, I'm not just talking about other Oscar nominees, either! I'm talking about stories that fly under the radar, that maybe garnered only a few wins outside of the Oscars, like at Cannes, Sundance, BAFTA, or the Spirit Awards, like In the Mood for Love, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, or Tokyo Story. Even films that receive zero nominations deserve to be analyzed and studied. There are many older titles or low/no-budget movies that are insanely good but don't hit the festival circuit.

If you want to learn storytelling by reading scripts, you can also just read the scripts of your favorite directors, screenwriters, and movies.

So, hopefully, your hand isn't tired of downloading yet because The Script Lab has tons of these scripts available to download for free.

Read More: Why Each of the Best Picture Oscar Nominees Deserve to Win

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

The post Academy Award Winning Movies You Need to Read From the 2000s appeared first on ScreenCraft.

We get our ideas from many sources — news headlines, novels, television shows, movies, our lives, our fears, our phobias, etc. They can come from a scene or moment in a film that wasn’t fully explored. They can come from a single visual that entices the creative mind — a seed that continues to grow and grow until the writer is forced to finally put it to paper or screen.

They may inspire screenplays, novels, short stories, or even smaller moments that you can include in what stories you are already writing.

Read More: Dead Poets Society's Tom Schulman on How to Write an Oscar-Winning Drama

More info coming soon  |  Remind Me

101 Drama Story Prompts

1. Long-lost twins find each other.

2. A father deals with the death of his whole family after a tragic accident.

3. A mother struggles with grief after losing her oldest child.

4. A recently divorced man returns to his hometown and reconnects with his childhood sweetheart.

5. A rich executive realizes the error of their ways and sells everything to travel the world.

6. A family discovers the truth about ancestors.

7. A father and son go on a safari to reconnect.

8. A family befriends a homeless person.

9. Parents learn that their college-age daughter has disappeared.

10. A man befriends the drunk driver who killed his parents.

11. A mother wants to realize her life-long dream and train for the Olympics.

12. A father is tasked with coaching his son's soccer team, even though he has never played the sport.

13. A teacher deals with returning to school after a mass shooting.

14. A group of teen friends decides to stop their partying ways after a friend dies after a party.

15. A little boy struggles to fit in with the kids living in his new neighborhood.

16. A family that loses everything in a fire must rebuild their lives.

17. A family must adjust to the PTSD of the father after returning home from war.

18. An estranged family is reunited.

19. The President of the United States and his family go incognito to live a normal life.

20. A famous family goes incognito to live a normal life.

21. A group of friends goes on a quest to bury a time capsule after one of their own dies.

22. A family travels to the American Frontier to find their new home.

23. A star baseball recruit struggles to decide whether he should take a scholarship or go pro.

24. A teen comes out of the closet in the rural Midwest.

25. Siblings learn that their parents were Soviet Union-era, sleeper agents.

26. A family on a wilderness retreat takes in a wounded bank robber.

27. A rich and affluent family loses everything and must live in the ghetto.

28. A group of families decides to move out of the city and live in a commune, cut off from the corrupt society.

29. A family sells everything to buy a sailboat to sail around the world.

30. A family finds a wild wolf pup.

31. Siblings start a successful business after their parents lose their jobs.

32. Two brothers do everything they can to ensure that their family gets to keep their house.

33. Two sisters navigate the difficult world of teen angst as their parents navigate the difficult world of keeping up with the Joneses.

34. A family decides to buy their own island.

35. Newlyweds spend their honeymoon together, only to learn some deep and dark secrets about one another.

36. A racecar driver dies, and his family struggles with grief.

37. An African-American family escapes the crime-ridden ghetto and moves into the suburbs.

38. A woman travels the world in search of love.

39. A family on a canoe trip is whisked away down the Mississippi River during a horrible storm and flood.

40. Kids discover an underground mine shaft and are trapped within it.

41. A bullied boy struggles to stand up to the bullies that torment him.

42. A bullied girl struggles to stand up to the mean girls of the school.

43. A family must survive when their plane crashes.

44. A family is willed in an old castle.

45. Two divorcees meet in a diner as one waits for a bus.

46. A man and woman fall in love during a layover.

47. A sailor decides to sail into the ocean where his brother was lost at sea years ago.

48. A town must survive the worst flood in history.

49. A lawyer goes up against the government.

50. Overwhelmed parents leave their kids home and go for an adult vacation.

51. A small farm family avoids the invading armies of World War III.

52. An outcast nerd decides to organize an alternative Prom for other outcasts.

53. An Asian-American teen living in the rural south struggles to realize his dream of becoming a country music singer.

54. Athletic siblings from a split home face up against each other in the state tournament.

55. A dog struggles to find the right human family.

56. Puppy siblings separated by pet adoption escape bad homes to find each other.

57. Siblings in an orphanage escape and find their beloved aunt and uncle.

58. Past prison cellmates find each other after thirty years.

59. A WWII veteran struggles to return to normal life.

60. Two groups of kids from rival gangs are forced to live together in a house.

61. A boy from a rich and spoiled family wants them to live without their mansion, belongings, and money for a year.

62. A rich boy and poor girl convince their families to switch places for a year.

63. A family sailing the ocean waters must overcome the worst hurricane in history.

64. A grief-stricken cop that killed a teen struggles to reconcile with the family.

65. A mentally-challenged student wants to make the football team.

66. A physically-challenged student wants to letter in every sport in high school.

67. A dog trainer takes in an abused dog and trains it to compete in a dog show.

68. A woman that spent 30 years in prison returns to her hometown.

69. A father struggles with becoming a stay-at-home dad.

70. A woman that grew up in a family of football star boys decides to become the high school football coach.

71.  A family struggling in life sell everything to move to Hawaii.

72. A local town bands together as miners are trapped in the local mine.

73. Parents deal with their son robbing a bank and being on the run.

74. A city family inherits a farm.

75. A riverboat captain and his children attempt the first trip down the Mississippi River.

76. Childhood friends have reunited after thirty years apart.

77. The son of a poor family struggles to attain a sports scholarship so he can go to college.

78. A teenage girl decides to join the football team.

79. A World War II-era family starts a minor league baseball team to uplift the town.

80. The high janitor that students make fun of is actually a war hero.

81. A family adopts a puppy after losing the family dog.

82. A family is tasked with going on a unique scavenger hunt at the behest of the grandpa's last will and testament.

83. A girl overwhelmed by middle school drama decides to be homeschooled.

84. A farm family nurses a wild wolf back to health.

85. Siblings mourn the death of their father and inherit his business.

86. A grumpy executive is forced to live with his family after a stroke.

87. A family must find each other after the worst earthquake in human history.

88. A family discovers that they are the descendants of Hitler.

89. A girl with Asperger's Syndrome befriends a horse.

90. A disgraced boxer begins to train youth boxers.

91. A disgraced professional baseball manager starts a baseball team of inner-city kids.

92. A wilderness firefighter is trapped on a mountain.

93. A stay-at-home mother deals with empty nest syndrome.

94. A successful female executive leaves her career to spend quality time with her husband and children.

95. A young student has a crush on their teacher.

96. Former middle school best friends decide to have an old school sleepover after they've all gone their separate ways in high school.

97. A Post Civil War-era Union soldier returns to his southern hometown.

98. A beloved school teacher loses his family as the community bands together to become his new family.

99. A mob boss goes into the witness protection program and struggles to adjust to life in the suburbs.

100. The life of a girl is told as she grows into an adult.

101. A family decides to move into a lighthouse and take on the daily duties within.

Share this with your writing peers or anyone that loves a good dramatic story. Have some prompts of your own? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!

WANT MORE IDEAS? TAKE A LOOK AT OUR OTHER STORY PROMPTS!

What Entails a Drama Concept?

Drama can be best defined as a state, situation, or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict of forces. While other definitions can be found, this is best applied to the cinematic context of film and television.  Screenplays and teleplays focus on situations or series of events that involve interesting conflict — with the best kind of drama containing conflict that is intense and cathartic.  Conflict is everything in film and television. Without it, there is no story to tell. Nothing is interesting about a character that doesn't struggle in some way, shape, or form.

Drama is also recognized as a specific genre of storytelling featuring realistic characters forced to deal with true-to-life issues and conflicts.  Yes, there is drama found in superhero movies, spy thrillers, and suspenseful horror stories. However, a drama — as defined by genre definitions — is a story that is embedded explicitly within reality, often involving characters that audiences can identify with because the conflicts they face are everyday struggles.

Read More: The Single Difference Between Cinematic Drama and Melodrama

Please note: Because we’re all connected to the same pop culture, news headlines, and inspirations, any similarity to any past, present, or future screenplays, novels, short stories, television pilots, television series, plays, or any other creative works is purely coincidence. These story writing prompts were conceived on the fly without any research or Google search for inspiration.

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 Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies.

The post 101 Riveting Drama Story Prompts appeared first on ScreenCraft.

We have compiled a massive list of romance story prompts to help get your creative juices flowing so you can start conceptualizing your romance story.

Let's go!

Enter Now  |  Final Deadline in 22 days

101 Romance Story Prompts

1. A woman's date goes horribly wrong and meet-cutes the waiter.
2. One character thinks their relationship is a fling — the other thinks it's destiny.
3. Mutual friends set up a blind date.
4. A guy is auctioned off for a date at a company fundraiser.
5. Two characters at a vintage record store listen to the same record in the same listening booth.
6. A guy looking for an engagement ring for the wrong girl falls for the ring saleswoman.
7. A character goes on an online date with someone that lied about their looks.
8. A woman falls in love with the twin of the man she just dumped.
9. A man arranges for a random woman to call him during a date as an Escape Call — they fall in love.
10. Opposites attract when two characters pretend to be dating and fall in love.
11. Two characters are stuck on a Ferris wheel together and fall for each other.
12. A man delivers flowers to a beautiful woman that's being wooed by the wrong guy.
13. A fling goes south when one of them offers the other character a drawer in their apartment.
14. Characters meet their in-laws and discover that each has dated the other's sibling.
15. A woman discovers an old mix tape made by her high school boyfriend — she tries to reconnect.
16. Despite going on what are considered traditional dates, two people don't believe they're actually dating.
17. A couple breaks up and each is on the rebound.
18. A man uses his brother's baby to attract women.
19. Someone asks another out as a dare and ends up falling in love with them.
20. A man bets his female childhood friend that he can make her fall in love with him in two weeks.
21. A man asks his twin brother to fill in for him in the relationship after he grows tired of it.
22. Two people have a secret relationship.
23. Two people are stood up on their dates and end up falling for each other.
24. A teacher falls for her student's single parent.
25. A woman is always a bride, never a bridesmaid.
26. The third wheel of a couple struggles to find love.
27. The third wheel of a couple ends up falling in love with one of them.
28. Characters fall in love when the Tunnel of Love at the fair breaks down.
29. Two people that know each other only from an online fantasy football league meet for the first time.
30. A woman doesn't know her type and ends up seeking out every type of person to find her preference.

'If Beale Street Could Talk'

31. A woman seeks out the model that was used for a popular romance novel series.
32. One secret agent falls in love with another.
33. A popular character falls for an unpopular character.
34. An unpopular character learns that the popular character they had a crush on is not who they want to be with.
35. A character falls in love with an angel living on Earth for a limited time.
36. An angel falls in love with the human they are assigned to watch over.
37. A celebrity falls in love with a regular person.
38. Cupid is actually an angry relationship therapist.
39. A popular girl is highly attracted to nerdy types.
40. A popular guy is highly attracted to nerdy types.
41. The drama teacher's budget is reallocated to the football coach's program.
42. A chemist-by-trade finds a way to manipulate pheromones to make people attracted to them.
43. Two people drink a love potion that makes them fall madly in love.
44. An older woman is attracted to a much younger man.
45. A younger woman is attracted to a much older man.
46. A character falls in love with a fictional character, only to see them come alive.
47. A female coach's team budget is taken over by a male coach's budget.
48. A man who travels a lot falls in love with a flight attendant he always sees.
49. A woman who travels a lot falls in love with a small-town man that has never left his small town.
50. A woman falls in love with her AI phone.
51. A nanny travels abroad with the family she watches over, only to fall in love with a local.
52. One character must overcome a physical or emotional scar to find love.
53. There's a misunderstanding between a couple that is destined to be together.
54. A woman is attracted to both a man and a woman and must decide which one to choose.
55. A woman who was shamed by a bully in high school falls in love with him at the reunion.
56. A character comes home for the holidays.
57. A career-driven woman inherits a small-town property.
58. A businessman whose car breaks down while traveling cross country falls for a rancher.
59. A businesswoman whose car breaks down while traveling cross country falls for a rancher.
60. A character falls in love with the first human-looking android.

'La La Land'

61. A couple that thought they were divorced is not.
62. Enemies in business fall in love.
63. A fake engagement leads to love.
64. A big city character falls for a small own character.
65. A small-town character falls a big-city character.
66. Characters are trapped in a confined location and fall in love.
67. Friends of a couple enjoy disliking each other but soon fall in love.
68. A character unknowingly falls in love with a ghost.
69. A grieving character falls in love with their deceased significant other's sibling.
70. A rich girl doesn't want her rich lifestyle anymore.
71. A rich guy doesn't want his rich lifestyle anymore.
72. Identical twins agree to change lives to see if sparks fly with the significant others they've grown tired of.
73. A character falls in love with their abductor.
74. A character is learning a new skill under the teaching of another — they fall in love.
75. There's a love triangle and only true love will prevail.
76. One character gets a makeover and finds love.
77. Characters have a marriage of convenience and agree to seek love elsewhere.
78. Medical industry co-workers fall in love.
79. A character falls in love with the police officer that saved them.
80. One character is actually a mystical creature living a normal human life for a short time.
81. The new girl in town finds love.
82. The new guy in town finds love.
83. The mysterious stranger in town attracts locals.
84. Police officers assigned as partners fall in love.
85. A character wins the lottery and falls in love.
86. A character thought dead returns home to the surprise of those that have moved on.
87. A rock star falls in love with a local during a music festival.
88. A runaway bride finds love elsewhere.
89. A runaway bride discovers that the groom she ran from is actually the right one for her.
90. High school sweethearts reunite.

'Happiest Season'

91. High school best friends reunite, only to discover they should be a couple.
92. A rich character hides their true wealth to find true love.
93. A werewolf falls for a vampire.
94. Single parents find love together.
95. Soul mates finally find each other against all odds.
96. A character falls in love with someone that is terminally ill.
97. A character falls in love with someone that is traveling in time.
98. Two characters that had a fling discover that they're having a baby together.
99. Characters fall in love at a wedding.
100. Characters are accidentally married.
101. Two characters vowed years prior to marrying each other if they had not yet found love.

If you loved our list of romance story prompts, take a look at our other genre story prompts!

Should You Write in the Romance Genre

The romance genre — specifically the romantic comedies that are so popular right now on platforms like Lifetime and Hallmark — is booming. Those two cable networks produce dozens upon dozens of titles each year for their networks and streaming platforms. Why? Because audiences love them. They love the familiar. They love the formulaic. Both of which offer an easy and laid-back viewing experience at home. The networks that are producing and distributing them have created platforms more accessible to undiscovered screenwriters.

Only the top 1% of working screenwriters make a living writing for major studios and production companies.

Read More: How to Create Engaging Romance in Movies

Most working screenwriters could be referred to as blue-collar screenwriters — those that are signing non-Guild low-five-figure contracts for channels like Lifetime and Hallmark. Yes, there's a script market for Direct-to-Streaming action, science fiction, and horror thrillers that former A-list stars (and plenty of B, C, and D-list stars as well) make a living from, but nobody makes more movies per year than Lifetime, Hallmark, and other smaller networks and streaming platforms.

These are places where a screenwriter can build a resume of onscreen credits and compile a few noteworthy low-five-figure contracts that add up to a sustainable career as a paid screenwriter.

Even Netflix has seen the potential of these romance flicks. You can now see a steady flow of Lifetime-like and Hallmark-like titles produced and distributed on the Netflix streaming platform.

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 Lifetime thrillers.

Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies

The post 101 Romance Story Prompts appeared first on ScreenCraft.

The expectations are high, the competition is immense, and the degree of difficulty in breaking in is high and intense.

Not everyone can make it. In fact, most people don't.

However, somebody has to make it. Most screenwriters that end up with successful careers come from outside of the Hollywood system. Matter of fact, unknowns make it each and every year. But how do you know if it's worth the effort, given the odds against you? How do you know if you're even right for the job?

With those questions in mind, here we present 101 reasons you should or shouldn't become a screenwriter.

Enter Now  |  Final Deadline in 22 days

Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Become a Screenwriter

1. You're hoping to win the lottery with one script
2. You don’t like taking notes and directions from your bosses
3. You only want to sell your pitches to Hollywood
4. You can't handle the competition
5. You're cynical about Hollywood and why they aren't making your movies
6. You don't want to keep writing scripts while you wait to sell one or get hired for an assignment
7. You're not willing to put in 5-10 years before seeing your first contract
8. You don’t make an effort to network
9. You're afraid and paranoid about showing your script to anyone
10. You're too focused on preaching what's wrong with Hollywood movies and not focused enough on showing how you can make a difference

Okay, now let's focus on the positives.

Reasons Why You Should Become a Screenwriter

1. You love movies
2. You love episodic series
3. You can spot common character arcs in movies or tv shows
4. You can spot common story arcs in movies or tv shows
5. You can interpret themes and messages in movies or tv shows
6. You can see where the stories could go
7. You can see where the stories should go
8. You can see where the stories could have gone but didn't
9. You can see where the stories of supporting characters could go but didn't
10. You can easily conceive sequels to movies you just watched
11. You can easily conceive what happens in the next episode of a series you just watched
12. You can problem-solve what movies or series did wrong
13. You can write compelling concepts and loglines for movies and TV shows
14. You have a unique sense of humor that makes people laugh
15. You tell the best stories to your kids
16. You tell the best stories to your younger siblings
17. You tell the best stories to your peers
18. You're interested in being a part of an uncommon breed
19. You want the chance to play God or Creator by creating worlds, characters, and circumstances that didn't exist before you started writing
20. You want to feel the ultimate rush of creating a story and characters from scratch
21. You want to feel the ultimate rush of finishing a feature script and seeing your full movie in your head
22. You want to feel the ultimate rush of having others see your movie in their head after reading your script
23. You want to feel the ultimate rush of seeing your words come to life on the big or small screen
24. You want to play in a world of magic
25. You want to change lives by telling compelling and inspirational true stories
26. You want to change lives by telling compelling and inspirational fictional stories
27. You want to get free therapy by expressing yourself and working out inner and outer conflict through writing
28. You want to offer free therapy to others that have dealt with similar things you've gone through, and you're writing about
29. You want to work in an office space of your choosing
30. You want to work from home without having to go into an office
31. You want to work on your own time and create your own hours
32. You want to live your wildest fantasies through the eyes of your characters
33. You want to make sure that you'll never ask yourself, "What if I had tried..."
34. You want to collaborate with people that have made the movies you love
35. You want to collaborate with talented people from around the world
36. You want to inspire and connect with people from all walks of life
37. You want to entertain and connect with people from all walks of life
38. You can visualize stories well when you read books
39. You can visualize stories well when people are sharing them with you
40. You can visualize the unique and imaginative descriptions children make when telling their stories
41. You can remember your dreams in a vivid fashion
42. You can describe those dreams in a way that people can understand
43. You can watch a movie trailer and see the many directions that the presented concept could go
44. You can describe visuals easily
45. You can describe things with clarity, using fewer words and sentences
46. You can discipline yourself easily
47. You can meet deadlines
48. You can find time to write throughout the days, weeks, and months of the year
49. You can adapt to the wants and needs of others
50. You are open to changes and suggestions through a collaborative process
51. You like to collaborate with others
52. You can hand over a project and let other people interpret it
53. You can accept that film is a collaborative medium
54. You can accept changes that you don't agree with
55. You can be patient with your career
56. You're willing to let scripts that haven't drawn attention gather dust on the "shelf" as you write more
57. You're willing to revisit older scripts you've written and look upon them with a new perspective
58. You're able to keep your head out of the clouds
59. You can accept that your first screenplay probably isn't going to sell
60. You can accept that your second screenplay probably isn't going to sell
61. You can accept that your third, fourth, and fifth script likely won't sell
62. You can hope for the best that they do but be prepared for the likelihood that they won't
63. You can retain that hope, knowing that it could happen for you, all while moving forward
64. You can accept that most spec scripts are not sold
65. You can accept that most script contracts are assignments
66. You can take someone else's idea and deliver on their vision by using your storytelling skills
67. You can find ways to bring new ideas to familiar ones
68. You can make the familiar seem new
69. You can blend genres in creative ways
70. You can choose your battles wisely when working with others
71. You can be as objective as possible with your own work
72. You're ready, willing, and able to write outside of your comfort zones
73. You have a strength in writing about a certain genre
74. You're ready, willing, and able to apply that strength and adapt it to other genres
75. You're willing to work a regular job to support yourself as you write on the side
76. You're willing to submit your work to the scrutiny of others
77. You're willing to accept industry guidelines and expectations
78. You're willing to navigate through those guidelines and expectations
79. You understand why format matters
80. You are willing to explore the many story structures you can utilize
81. You're willing to constantly grow and evolve as a writer
82. You're willing to go the extra mile to pepper your scripts with twists, turns, and added depth
83. You can resist worrying about people stealing your ideas
84. You can tell a visual story without directing it with specific camera angles, camera movement, etc
85. You can stay disciplined and write a draft in three months, not three years
86. You can learn to write fast and well
87. You can display confidence in your writing
88. You can avoid being arrogant and egotistical about your writing
89. You can get to a point where you don't have to rely on others to read, review, and offer feedback for your scripts before you submit them to anyone
90. You can handle rejection with grace and learn from it
91. You can accept that Writer's Block is BS, and when you're a pro screenwriter, there's no time for it

Takeaway

Becoming a professional screenwriter requires a combination of natural talent, honed skills, and dedication. While some aspects, like creativity, may come naturally, others can be developed through practice. It's important to take the time to assess your motivations and determine if screenwriting is the right path for you. Whether it's mastering the craft, honing your storytelling abilities, or finding your voice as a writer, the journey of a screenwriter is both challenging and rewarding.

 Read More: How to Write a Screenplay: 10-Step Guide

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.

The post 101 Reasons You Should (and Shouldn't) Become a Screenwriter appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Let's first debunk the common myth that most successful writers write for up to or beyond eight hours a day. And that myth usually implies that the writer is typing most of that time.

We've heard this myth in books, interviews, and panels. And let's be frank — it's BS — nobody types for eight straight hours on a regular basis. You may sit in front of your laptop for that amount of time, but you're not actually physically typing. If they were, they could write a typical novel (around 70,000 words) in three days (60 wpm x 8 hrs = 28,000 words per day). And when you equate that to the average number of words in a screenplay — between an estimated 7,500 and 20,000 words — yeah, no screenwriter is writing a single script in one writing session either (again, anomalies aside).

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With screenwriting discussions always leading to how much time you should write during your writing sessions, little is discussed about an even more important element within that writing session — the writing break.

Let's go over different types of writing breaks, what they can do for you and your screenplays, and how they are essential to learning how to write a screenplay.

What Is a Writing Break?

A writing break is a pause in work. It may be for minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months (we'll cover everything below). Regardless, it's where you step away from the computer or laptop and disengage yourself from the task at hand.

Robert Pozen, senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and author of Extreme Productivity: Boost Your Results, Reduce Your Hours, told Fast Company:

“When people do a task and then [take a break], they help their brain consolidate information and retain it better. That’s what’s happening physiology during breaks.”

Most productivity researchers agree that breaks are vital to all working shifts. It allows you to refresh and re-engage in the task at hand.

Writing Breaks By Minutes

Productivity researchers offer excellent breakdowns of an ideal number of minutes of productive work.

Pozen comments:

“Don’t think of breaks in terms of taking a set number a day, such as 12 or five. The real question is, what is the appropriate time period of concentrated work you can do before taking a break?"

There are a few different professional suggestions regarding the minutes of writing breaks when it comes to productivity.

75 to 90-Minute Writing Sessions

Pozen states that working for 75 to 90 minutes takes advantage of the brain's two modes:

1. Learning or Focusing
2. Consolidation

Kevin Kruse, author of 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management, points to the work of Tony Schwartz, founder of the Energy Project. Schwartz coined the practice as a pulse and pause process, essentially expanding energy of productivity and then renewing it.

"His research shows that humans naturally move from full focus and energy to physiological fatigue every 90 minutes."

Yet how do most battle that fatigue? Kruse says:

"We override them with coffee, energy drinks, and sugar… or just by tapping our own reserves until they’re depleted."

Instead of burning yourself out by depleting your natural reserves or masking your fatigue with sugar and caffeine, you can simply, yes, take a writing break.

75 to 90 minutes can be a very productive writing session.

52-Minute Writing Sprints

Most novice screenwriters usually write as their secondary (or third) focus during each day.

• Most have day jobs.
• Some have multiple jobs (including school).
• And don't forget family duties as parents or siblings.

If you can't get a full hour and a half fit into your busy day, maybe a shorter writing session of 52 minutes is a good option. Finding under an hour of writing time before your day starts or before your day is about to end is a bit easier than finding a full 90 minutes.

The software startup, Draugiem Group, used a time-tracking app called DeskTime to track productivity. The study showed that working in 52-minute sprints (with a 17-minute break in between) increased productivity.

"The reason the 10% most productive employees are able to get the most done during the comparatively short periods of working time is that they’re treated as sprints for which they’re well rested. They make the most of the 52 working minutes. In other words, they work with purpose."

And that's a fantastic point, as far as looking at your writing sessions as sprints. When you have more time, that just means more time to procrastinate and let your mind wander. There's an urgency to the session when you have under an hour. You write with more purpose.

25-Minute Bursts

And then there is the Pomodoro Technique, developed by Francesco Cirillo, who named it after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used. His technique focuses on short bursts of work in 25-minute intervals with five minutes of break in between.

This technique is more well-suited for single tasks that require complete focus. For screenwriting, you can use this technique to focus on the following:

• Conjuring a specific scene.
• Rewriting a particular sequence you've been struggling with.
• Polishing the dialogue of a critical scene.

These 25-minute bursts can be used a la carte throughout your whole day.

• You can utilize short bursts during your work shifts during lunch breaks.
• You can fit in a short burst of writing during breakfast before your day shift.
• You can get another writing burst in before you head to bed.

The point is to find the best session, sprint, or burst time for you within your schedule and situation — while always making sure that you have an extended writing break in between.

If you're on a professional assignment with a tight deadline, your burst may actually have to be 75-90 minutes, with your sprint as a couple of hours and your writing session consisting of a few hours.

Writing Breaks By Days, Weeks, and Months

Taking a writing break from your screenplay is vital to the creative process. As mentioned before, when you step away from your writing sessions, you're helping your brain consolidate and retain information better. As you go about different business and leisure during your breaks, your brain constantly tries to process the information and visuals you've had running through your head during your writing process.

• It's putting pieces together.
• It's making sense of the scenes, characters, actions, and location.
• It's processing a consistent tone, atmosphere, narrative, and voice.

When you walk away from the screen, your mind is still writing. When you come back, it's refreshed and rejuvenated.

Day Breaks

Another popular myth is that you need to be writing every single day. You don't. In fact, it's probably better that you work in full days off from writing, whether it's a couple of days during the week or taking the whole weekend off.

Remember, you can still be "writing" on these off days.

• Visualize your next scenes during daydreaming, driving, walking, running, exercising, etc.
• Figure out options for potential twists and turns (and their story ramifications).
• Replay scenes you've written and see if they play out visually.

Writing isn't necessarily typing. Since screenwriting is for a visual medium, you should see these scenes and moments in your head before you type them onto the page.

Spreading your writing sessions out between day breaks can be highly effective for your visualization and story/character problem-solving.

Week Breaks

You don't want to take weeks in between writing sessions. It'll take multiple months to write a single script, and it's best to train yourself to write like a professional. And professionals, under contract deadlines, don't have six months to write a script. Pros generally have 4, 8, or 12 weeks to finish a draft (depending on the contract).

Week writing breaks are more reserved for breaks in between drafts. When you finish a draft of your script, the worst thing you can do is go right into the reviewing/rewriting process. You've already spent one-to-three months working on your script, and if you dive back into it, you're going to start suffering from paralysis of analysis.

Once a draft is complete, take some time away from it. How much time will depend on your situation.

• If you're writing on spec (not under contract), take a couple of weeks away from your script.
• If you're writing on assignment through a strict deadline, work in a week where you can step away from it.

What does this accomplish? You can revisit the script with fresh eyes by doing a full review through a cover-to-cover read. Experience the script not as the writer amidst deadlines but as a script reader looking for a good read.

When you take these week(s) long breaks, you will see every glaring issue with your script that you couldn't see during the initial writing process.

• Grammar and spelling errors
• Plot holes
• Dialogue issues
• Exposition issues
• Format issues

All of that and more.

Stepping away for a week or two between drafts will be a true difference-maker in your script and rewriting process.

Read ScreenCraft's 7 Ways to Master the Art of the Rewrite!

Month-long Breaks

Each script is a baby, and it needs your undying attention and focus. While it may sound romantic or badass that you can jump from one script to the next with little-to-no breaks in between, it's not advisable if you can avoid it because the more focus you can put on one, the more nourishment you'll be able to give to each.

So once you've finished a script, before you move on to the next, take a good month before you start typing any script pages for the new one.

Read ScreenCraft's 5 Ways You Can Determine If Your Script Is Done!

Each script needs to exist within its own universe. If you're quickly jumping from one script to the next with no break in between, you're not giving the next script a fair chance to blossom and shine.

The development and visualization part of the screenwriting process is so important. You need to do the necessary front-end work. And that can take some time.

Read ScreenCraft's 5 Front-End Tasks to Complete Before You Start Your Screenplay!

If you're a pro bouncing from one paid gig to the next (congrats), there's usually a buffer time you can negotiate in between contracts. A single month isn't hard to acquire in that respect. And, sure, if you're an in-demand pro, you may have to forgo that writing break (and you're an in-demand pro, why are you reading this?). But if you're like most out there, you're writing on spec. You can make the time. It's worth it.

Focus on Writing Sessions, Not Amount of Writing Hours

Here's the final takeaway we'll leave you with — don't worry about trying to write X amount of hours per day. Instead, focus on X amount of writing sessions per script.

Writing sessions can be any number of hours you dedicate to sitting in front of that screen to mentally and physically write your script (visualizing and typing).

It doesn't matter if you have multiple-hour sessions, 75-90 sprints, or 52-minute bursts (whatever variance to each that fits with your schedule) — each of these writing sessions is how you can dictate how long it takes for you to finish that script.

Trying to make a specific hour count each day (that whole eight-hour thing) isn't going to be sustainable for most. And each time you sit down to write may produce different productivity results.

• You may sprint for an hour and suddenly have ten pages because you did the front-end work.
• You may only have 25 minutes but manage to write an amazing pivotal scene thanks to great visualization.
• You may go on a bender and write for a couple of hours and have twenty pages.

Other variables include your schedule, mindset, ability to focus amidst work, school, life duties, etc.

Regardless, make sure you're getting enough writing sessions per week to stay disciplined. You could easily finish a single script within just ten writing sessions — all while embracing the screenwriting hack of using writing breaks effectively.

If you're looking for a proven pro writing process that embraces writing sessions over writing hours, check out ScreenCraft's The 10-Day Screenplay Solution: Learn How to Write Lightning Fast!

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

The post The Most Underutilized Screenwriting Hack: The Writing Break appeared first on ScreenCraft.

For screenwriters, a new year comes with a renewed chance to evolve and grow in their craft and career. It's time to ask yourself:

• What are your screenwriting goals?
• What are you going to do differently in your screenplays?
• What can you do better?
• What are you going to do differently in your marketing approach?
• What did you learn from past years?

With that in mind, here we present 101 New Year's resolution ideas you can implement in your screenwriting journey — this year and beyond.

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101 Screenwriting New Year's Resolution Ideas

1. Write in a genre that you haven't written before.

2. Tackle a genre that scares you the most.

3. Take on a subject that intimidates you.

4. Write about something more personal in your life.

5. Write about something less personal that's more fun.

6. Try to write a script that's under 110 pages.

7. Try to write a script that has little-to-no dialogue.

8. Go through all of your spec scripts and proofread them.

9. Go through all of your spec scripts and try to cut ten pages.

10. Go through all of your spec scripts and cut down long dialogue blocks to one sentence.

11. If you've only written feature scripts, try writing a pilot.

12. If you've only written TV pilots, try writing a feature.

13. Turn your feature script into a TV series.

14. Turn your TV pilot into a feature.

15. If you usually take 6 months or more to write a script, write one in 3 months.

16. Try to write a whole screenplay in just 4 weeks.

17. Try to write a screenplay in just ten writing sessions.

18. Learn ways to write good exposition in your screenplays.

19. Gender switch what a routine male character would normally be to a female lead.

20. Gender switch what a routine female character would normally be to a male lead.

21. Switch what a routine supporting character's gender would be to that of another.

22. Change the location of your Earth-based thriller to another planet.

23. Change the location of your script set on an otherworldly planet to Earth.

24. Shift the time period of one of your present-day scripts to the future.

25. Shift the time period of one of your present-day scripts to the past.

26. Make the concept of your thriller a high-concept comedy.

27. Place a romantic comedy within the realm of a horror movie.

28. Develop a screenplay inspired by the scariest thing you've ever experienced.

29. Develop a screenplay inspired by the most inspiring thing you've ever experienced.

30. Develop a screenplay based on a dream you once had.

31. Develop a screenplay based on the worst nightmare you've ever had.

32. Search your family's past generations for a compelling story.

33. Talk to your grandparents or great-grandparents to learn about their lives for potential ideas.

34. Watch a movie from your parent's childhood.

35. Watch a movie from your grandparent's childhood.

36. Watch a movie from your great-grandparent's childhood.

37. Watch a movie that doesn't normally fall under your genre preferences.

38. Binge an old TV series.

39. Shoot a trailer for your most exciting spec script.

40. Organize a table read of one of your screenplays.

41. Swap scripts with a writing peer and each take a stab at rewriting the other's script.

42. Take that book you've been writing and write it as a screenplay instead.

43. Turn your screenplay into a novel.

44. Partner with an artist and turn your screenplay into a graphic novel.

45. Choose a screenwriting project that requires a lot of research and dive into it.

46. Choose a project that requires no research and dive into the script.

47. Before you begin your next script, create a film score playlist that you listen to while writing.

48. Learn a different part of the filmmaking trade.

49. Read an acclaimed book about film editing and apply those principles to how you organize your scenes.

50. Find the screenplays for your favorite movies online and read them.

51. Go through older scripts of yours and read them cover-to-cover.

52. Then revise them as needed and submit them to competitions and fellowships.

53. Find a true crime series to binge and create a fictional script inspired by those events.

54. Find a true crime in the news headlines and write a script inspired by it.

55. Take a supporting character from one of your favorite movies and imagine a movie revolving around them (to get the creative juices flowing).

56. Take a supporting character from one of your screenplays and write a script around them.

57. Turn a villain or antagonist in one of your scripts into the protagonist.

58. Find a character or story in the public domain and write a new script adaptation.

59. Record a video pitch of your high-concept screenplay and have it ready if someone responds to your query.

60. Take a month or two to focus solely on writing and sending email queries for your feature script.

61. Take a month or two to focus solely on writing and sending email queries for your TV pilot.

62. Develop and write a visually-stunning series bible for your TV series idea.

63. Learn how to create an excellent pitch deck for your feature scripts.

64. Write, revise, or rewrite outstanding loglines for all of your feature spec scripts.

65. Write, revise, or rewrite outstanding loglines for all of your TV pilot scripts.

66. Organize a writer's retreat.

67. Go on a vacation or weekend retreat to someplace you're writing about.

68. Take a trip to Los Angeles and tour the studios.

69. If you are in Los Angeles, make an effort to go to the Writers Guild of America and visit their library.

70. If you haven't already, find a writing partner and try to collaborate on a script together.

71. If you've only written with writing partners, try to write a script on your own.

72. Take an online course to learn something new that you want to write about.

73. Take the Method approach and walk in the shoes of a character from your scripts for a day.

74. If you're writing in the true crime genre, see if you can arrange a ride-along with local police.

75. If you're writing a screenplay about the military, see if you can visit a military base.

76. Go through all of your scripts that have been rejected and see what you can do better.

77. Go through all of your scripts that have been rejected and conjure better movie titles for them.

78. Find a new writing space.

79. Treat yourself to a new writing desk.

80. Try to work in some time for exercise amidst your writing schedule.

81. Before each new script, take a month to visualize the story, scenes, and sequences before you type a single word.

82. Pick your best script and get professional script coverage done for it.

83. Then when you're ready, make the decision to stop relying on other people's feedback to finish a script.

84. Watch a MasterClass from an acclaimed screenwriter and director.

85. As a fun exercise, conceptualize or write a sequel to your favorite genre movie.

86. Learn a skill that a character of yours is a master at.

87. Take one of your old scripts and apply a different story structure to it.

88. Create a script competition/fellowship submission schedule for the whole year.

89. Seek out new screenwriting books that you could learn from.

90. Challenge yourself to write a compelling single-location thriller.

91. If you have slow-burn scripts, find a way to start your script from a climax cliffhanger.

92. Work out a plan to write 3-5 screenplays in one single year.

93. Develop titles, loglines, and a short synopsis for each of them.

94. Write a one-page pitch for all of your current scripts.

95. Seek out entry-level places you can pitch yourself for paid screenwriting assignments.

96. Start a blog about the writing experience (to keep you inspired).

97. Start an Instagram page about the writing experience (to keep you inspired).

98. Take a break from screenwriting and go on an adventure that has nothing to do with your scripts.

99. Do this in between screenwriting projects.

100. Then come back and reread your previous project with fresh eyes for that rewrite.

101. Sit down and write 101 writing prompts and see what new ideas come to you for the next script.

Read More: 6 Obscure New Year's Films to Steal From (or Screenwriting Lessons for the Year Ahead)

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 produced Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies

The post 101 Screenwriting New Year's Resolution Ideas To Try This Year 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.

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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. 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.

Stuff to Read

Screenwriters write a lot but they also read a lot — hopefully. Whether it's a time-tested tome on the craft or a weird novel by one of the best screenwriters working today, these books belong on every writer's bookshelf.

• On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King: $12.49 on Amazon | $14.99 on Barnes & Noble
• Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee: $28.29 on Amazon | $37.99 on Barnes & Noble
• Writing Movies for Fun and Profit by Thomas Lennon: $18.00 on Amazon | $18.00 on Barnes & Noble
• How NOT to Write a Screenplay: 101 Common Mistakes Most Screenwriters Make by Denny Martin Flinn: $17.54 on Amazon | $17.99 on Barnes & Noble
• The Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier: $23.95 on Amazon | $23.95 on Barnes & Noble
• Antkind: A Novel by Charlie Kaufman: $4.25 on Amazon | $16.99 on Barnes & Noble
• Cinema Speculation by Quentin Tarantino: $21.86 on Amazon | $28.99 on Barnes & Noble
• A24 Screenplay Books: $60

Read More: The Best Screenwriting Books for Screenwriters!

Screenwriter-Friendly Gift Cards

Whether it's for movie tickets or streaming access, here are some essential gift cards you can stuff in your screenwriter's stockings.

• AirBnb (There's nothing better than a paid writing getaway!)
• Fandango
• Netflix
• Disney Plus
• Amazon Prime Video
• Hulu
• The Criterion Channel
• Apple TV
• Showtime
• Paramount Plus
• Script City (Let them pick their favorite screenplays!)

Subscriptions, Software, & E-Courses

Want to give the gift of learning? Then maybe a subscription to some e-courses, screenwriting software, or online classes are up your alley.

• Final Draft 12 Screenwriting Software: $199
• Masterclass: $180 for one year (We recommend classes taught by Aaron Sorkin, Shonda Rhimes, David Lynch, Spike Lee, Judd Apatow, David Mamet, Neil Gaiman, and Martin Scorsese.)
• Scriptnotes Premium: $29.94 for six months | $49 for one year
• ScreenCraft Screenwriting e-Courses: $49
• TSL 360: $12 for Monthly All-Access | $99 for Annual All-Access
• Script Anatomy Courses & Workshops: purchase gifts for $50 - $2,500
• IMDbPro: $149.99 or $19.99 per month

Script Coverage & Competitions

Sometimes a deadline and professional feedback on their script is the best thing to open during the holidays.

Competitions

It can be really nervewracking choosing the right screenwriting competition as a writer, but it must be damn-near impossible as someone who's just holiday shopping for one. To take out some of the guesswork, check out Coverfly, which features contests that are vetted, reputable, and lead to success stories. Entry fees can be anywhere from $30 to $70, so make sure to load up a gift card with enough funds.

Enter Now  |  Final Deadline in 22 days

Script Coverage

Script coverage provides screenwriters the chance to get professional eyes on their work. They're given notes, insight, and guidance by an industry pro reader.

Recommended coverage programs include:

• WeScreenplay Format-Based Coverage: $59.99 - $199.99 (*Gift Cards available)
• ScreenCraft Genre-Based Notes: starts at $95
• Launch Pad Development & Studio Notes: $125
• TSL Notes: $39 - $119

Fun Stuff for Writers

If the screenwriter in your life wants something practical — or just funny and ridiculous — here's a list of inexpensive stocking stuffers and big ticket items that'll make them so happy they'll write you into their next script.

• Laughing Rocks Multiverse Poster from A24: FREE
• Everyone Says I'm Adorable Bathroom Poster from A24: FREE
• Vomit Draft Formatted Screenwriting Notebook: $8.77
• A24 Office Notebook: $12
• Write On Shirt: $12.99
• Eat. Sleep. Screenwriting. T-Shirt: $19.18
• Light Me While Writing Candle: $20.39
• Coverfly Enamel Mug: $21.00
• Writer Evolution T-Shirt from Production Apparel: $23.00
• Storyclock Workbook from Plot Devices: $24.99
• Lap Desk: $25 - $50
• Creative Block: 100+ Brainstorming Card Ideas: $34.99
• The Green Knight: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game: $35
• Hot Dog Finger Gloves (from Everything Everywhere All At Once): $36
• Hereditary Gingerbread Treehouse Kit: $62
• Retro Typewriter Keyboard: $128.99
• Bose Noise-Canceling Headphones: $249

WANT MORE GIFT IDEAS? CHECK OUT SCREENCRAFT'S 2023 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE FOR SCREENWRITERS!

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 produced and distributed Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies

The post ScreenCraft's 2022 Holiday Gift Guide for Screenwriters appeared first on ScreenCraft.

The director's poll was a (slightly) different story, with Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey replacing Yasujirō Ozu's Tokyo Story at the top.

Let's take a look at the titles that made it on the 2022 Sight and Sound Greatest Films of All Time critics' poll and directors' poll.

Enter Now  |  Final Deadline in 22 days

Sight and Sound's 2022 Greatest Films of All Time Critics' Poll

The 2022 critics' poll was based on 1,639 participants, nearly doubling the 2012 number, which included film critics, programmers, curators, archivists, and academics.

A couple of contemporary standouts here on the list include Jordan Peele's horror film Get Out, Bong Joon-ho's thriller Parasite, and Barry Jenkin's coming-of-age drama Moonlight.

Here are the top 20. (For the full list, head on over to Sight and Sound.)

Seven Samurai (1954) | Dir. Akira Kurosawa

Apocalypse Now (1979) | Dir. Francis Ford Coppola

Persona (1966) | Dir. Ingmar Bergman

Close-up (1989) | Dir. Abbas Kiarostami

Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) | Dir. Maya Deren, Alexander Hackenschmied

The Searchers (1956) | Dir. John Ford

Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962) | Dir. Agnès Varda

La Règle du jeu (1939) | Dir. Jean Renoir

The Godfather (1972) | Dir. Francis Ford Coppola

'Sunrise: A Tale of Two Humans' (1927)

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) | Dir. F.W. Murnau

Singin' in the Rain (1951) | Dir. Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen

Man with a Movie Camera (1929) | Dir. Dziga Vertov

Mulholland Dr. (2001) | Dir. David Lynch

Beau travail (1998) | Dir. Claire Denis

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) | Dir. Stanley Kubrick

In the Mood for Love (2000) | Dir. Wong Kar Wai

Tokyo Story (1953) | Dir. Yasujirō Ozu

Citizen Kane (1941) | Dir. Orson Welles

Vertigo (1958) | Dir. Alfred Hitchcock

Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) | Dir. Chantal Akerman

'Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles' (1975)

Sight and Sound 's 2022 Directors’ 100 Greatest Films of All Time

The 2022 director's poll included ballots from 480 filmmakers, up from 358 from 2012. Even though both lists feature many of the same films, most of them are ranked differently, namely the titles in each Top 10 — Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey claims the top spot for the directors' list.

This list also features several films that have gained cult status among cinephiles and filmmakers, including Pier Paolo Pasolini's controversial Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, Francis Ford Coppola's spy thriller The Conversation, Roman Polanski's classic Chinatown, David Lynch's surrealist horror film Eraserhead, Nicolas Roeg's thriller Don't Look Now, and Elem Klimov's brutal anti-war film Come and See. Also, while John Cassavetes wasn't included on the critics' poll, his powerful drama A Woman Under the Influence does show up on this list — and indie filmmakers everywhere rejoiced!

Rashomon (1950) | Dir. Akira Kurosawa

A Woman Under the Influence (1974) | Dir. John Cassavetes

Apocalypse Now (1979) | Dir. Francis Ford Coppola

Stalker (1979) | Dir. Andre Tarkovsky

Á bout de souffle (1960) | Dir. Jean-Luc Godard

Seven Samurai (1954) | Dir. Akira Kurosawa

Beau travail (1998) | Dir. Claire Denis

Barry Lyndon (1975) | Dir. Stanley Kubrick

Taxi Driver (1976) | Dir. Martin Scorsese

Close-up (1989) | Dir. Abbas Kiarostami

'In the Mood for Love' (2000)

In the Mood for Love (2000) | Dir. Wong Kar Wai

Persona (1966) | Dir. Ingmar Bergman

Mirror (1975) | Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky

8 1/2 (1963) | Dir. Federico Fellini

Vertigo (1958) | Dir. Alfred Hitchcock

Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) | Dir. Chantal Akerman

Tokyo Story (1953) | Dir. Yasujirō Ozu

The Godfather (1972) | Dir. Francis Ford Coppola

Citizen Kane (1941) | Dir. Orson Welles

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) | Dir. Stanley Kubrick

'2001: A Space Odyssey'

Which films surprised you the most to see on Sight and Sound's lists of the greatest films of all time? Which titles would you have liked to see on the list? What does your list of top 10 greatest films of all time like like?

The post Here Are the 2022 Sight and Sound Greatest Films of All Time appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Check them out below:

More info coming soon  |  Remind Me

Drunktown's Finest (2014)

Written and directed by Sydney Freeland, Drunktown’s Finest tells the story of three young Native Americans: an adopted Christian girl, a rebellious father-to-be, and a promiscuous transsexual, who strive to escape the hardships of life on an Indian reservation.

The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open (2019)

After a chance encounter on the street, a woman tries to encourage a pregnant domestic abuse victim to seek help. Written and directed by Kathleen Hepburn and Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers.

Mekko (2015)

Written and directed by Sterlin Harjo, this film is about Mekko, a native American man who is released from prison. He served time for killing a cousin. Homeless, he learns that he must become a warrior to fight the "witch" preying on his people because they have lost their spirit.

Beans (2020)

Based on true events, Tracey Deer's debut feature chronicles the 78-day standoff between two Mohawk communities and government forces in 1990 in Quebec. Written by Tracey Deer and Meredith Vuchnich.

Fukry (2019)

This drama is about Ching Yazzie and friends as they get through life's unexpected encounters and the ups and downs of falling in and out of love (or not at all). Written by Sally Kewayosh, Blackhorse Lowe, and Lydell Mitchell and directed by Blackhorse Lowe.

Crash Site (2015)

Crash Site tells the story of a displaced young girl, her overwhelmed older sister, and a superhero that brings them together. Written by Sonya Ballantyne and Sage and directed by Sonya Ballantyne.

You can watch this clip from Crash Site here.

'Crash Site'

Land (2018)

This drama written and directed by Babak Jalali is about a Native American family who struggles with violence and alcohol when news reaches the Reservation that one of them has died during military service in Afghanistan.

The Land of Rock and Gold (2016)

This mystery written and directed by Daniel Redenbach and Janine Windolph takes place in a remote northern woodland community, where a young First Nations mother and her 7-year-old son search for her boyfriend in the wake of his mysterious disappearance.

Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001)

The telling of an Inuit legend of an evil spirit causing strife in the community and one warrior's endurance and battle of its menace. Written by Paul Apak Angilirq, Norman Cohn, and Zacharias Kunuk and directed by Zacharias Kunuk.

Samson & Delilah (2009) 

This romance is about a glue-sniffing boy and his girlfriend who escape the government-controlled no-hope Aboriginal community they live in and go to the city, Alice Springs, looking for a better life. Written by Warwick Thornton and Beck Cole and directed by Warwick Thornton.

Mosquita y Mari (2012)

Written and directed by indigenous filmmaker Aurora Guerrero, this film is a queer love story. After being assigned as study partners, two Chicana high schoolers find a bond that confuses them at times.

On the Ice (2011)

In Barrow, Alaska, teenagers Qalli and Aivaaq find their bond tested when a seal-hunting trip goes wrong, resulting in the death of their friend. Written and directed by Andrew Okpeaha MacLean.

Four Sheets to the Wind (2007) 

After his father's untimely suicide, Cufe leaves his home on a Native American reservation in search of a more fulfilling life. Written and directed by Sterlin Harjo. 

Monkey Beach (2020) 

A young woman with supernatural abilities reflects on profound events in her life as she awaits news of her brother, who has gone missing at sea under questionable circumstances. Based on a novel by Eden Robinson, written by Johnny Darrell and Andrew Duncan, and directed by Loretta Todd.

Parallel Minds (2020)

In the near future, an A.I. called URM is being investigated by a detective and researcher for a lab about to release a contact lens with the power to record what the eye can see to recreate memories. Written and directed by Benjamin Ross Hayden.

---

Indigenous representation in front and behind the camera is still significantly low. According to the 2018 Reclaiming Native Truth (RNT) study, Indigenous representation in primetime television and popular films ranged from 0-0.4%. Additionally, data from the 2021 Hollywood Diversity Report revealed that not only had Native representation in film remained stagnant at 0.6% but there was virtually no Native representation in writing, directing, and other creative roles.

What this means is that there are a number of stories around this community yet to be told. And the industry responds to demand, the more films by and about indigenous people we watch, the more likely it is that more will be made.

This list includes different genres and I can guarantee there’s something for everyone here — especially those who are looking for something to watch this season other than family dinner scenes. Make sure to check out these films. They show different perspectives on the lives of indigenous people and are as varied and diverse as the different experiences within this group of people. Support these stories and get inspired to write your own unique story.

The post 15 Indigenous Movies You Need to See appeared first on ScreenCraft.

In the spirit of helping writers find the spark they need to come up with a story idea, here we offer 101 story prompts that you can use as inspiration for your public domain-inspired story.

They may inspire screenplays, novels, short stories, or even smaller moments that you can include in what stories you are already writing.

We'll separate these story prompts by using the most well-known public domain stories, characters, and worlds, offering multiple story prompts for each.

Note: Because we’re all connected to the same pop culture, news headlines, and inspirations, any similarity to any past, present, or future screenplays, novels, short stories, television pilots, television series, plays, or any other creative works is purely coincidence. These story story prompts were conceived on the fly without any research or Google search for inspiration.

Contest opens in 6 days  |  Remind Me

101 Public Domain Story Prompts

Dracula and All Other Bram Stoker Characters

We've seen multiple iterations of the character and story, perhaps most notably with Universal's classic Dracula franchise, as well as Francis Ford Coppola's own Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Dracula is one of the most recognizable fictional names in literature and film. While many adaptations have been lackluster — and the overall vampire genre has been done ten times over — this is a property that screenwriters could go to in search of a fresh and new take on the characters found within Stoker's book.

Read More: The Screenwriting Do's and Don'ts of Intellectual Property

'Bram Stoker's Dracula'

1. A historian discovers that Dracula was real.  

2. Dracula immigrated to the United States and is a criminal underground boss. 

3. Van Helsing was actually the villain in the Dracula story.

4. Astronauts land on another planet full of vampires, led by none other than Dracula himself.

5. One of the greatest treasures is hidden within Dracula's castle, protected by vampires and werewolves, and pursued by treasure hunters. 

Frankenstein's Monster

The original Mary Shelly novel was first filmed in 1910, but it was the 1931 Universal film, Frankenstein, that has been most remembered. Kenneth Branagh had a go at it with Mary Shelly's Frankenstein in 1994 with Robert De Niro in the title role as well. Since then, we've seen multiple attempts to capitalize on the intellectual property, including the ill-fated box office bomb I, Frankenstein — which itself was based on a graphic novel adaptation of the public domain property.

Just as is the case with Dracula, if you're going to attempt to write another Frankenstein movie, there has to be a unique angle that you can take.

'Frankenstein'

6. A historian discovers that Dr. Frankenstein was real.

7. An heir of the Dr. Frankenstein estate decides to continue his work after finding his notes. 

8. Frankenstein's Monster was actually never killed. He lives in the mountains to this day, with Dr. Frankenstein's kin continuing to replace him with new body parts.  

9. A man named Frank Stein realizes he is the great, great, great-grandson of Dr. Frankenstein himself. He's a loser in life and tries to hilariously recreate the work of his ancestor.

10. An apocalypse survivor stumbles upon Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, believing it to be real, and struggles to create a companion from frozen bodies he finds.

The Phantom of the Opera

Made famous by Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic musical — which is under copyright, mind you — this 1910 novel written by French author Gaston Leroux offers screenwriters an enthralling character base to utilize. Forget any of the adaptations, especially those based on Webber's musical, and go directly to the book to find a way to adapt it in "original" fashion.

'The Phantom of the Opera'

11. A contemporary retelling set within a Broadway stage. 

12. A contemporary retelling set within a high school production of the play, with a teenage outcast as the Phantom.

13. The story adapted to the location of a corporate business, where an office Phantom makes a female administrative assistant a sta executive.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

The 1886 novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson, inspired many television and film adaptations, and created a common genre trope of a man with two conflicting personalities. The story has inspired such films as The Nutty Professor and its box-office hit remake of the 1990s with Eddie Murphy.

While the story has become somewhat cliche, a direct adaptation or screenplay inspired by the original story could offer screenwriters a great platform and character base to work from.

'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'

14. A contemporary retelling of the story set within the world of politics.  

15. A man discovers that his grandfather was the original Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, and he's beginning to experience the same split personalities. 

16. A teenager concocts a potion in chemistry class that forces multiple personalities. 

17. A contemporary retelling of the story with a female lead called Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde. 

18. A detective uses his multiple personalities to solve a murder mystery, only to discover that he's the killer. 

King Arthur

This character and those within the legend, myth, and proposed historical connections, have been in literature, rhyme, and song since the 9th century or before. We've seen Hollywood go to this well many times, including 1981's Excalibur and of course Monty Python's The Holy Grail.

Hollywood recently tried to resurrect this IP with the 2017 box-office bomb King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Other projects are currently in development as well, so this is a property that should be pursued with caution. But if you can find an original take on the legend of King Arthur, have at it.

'King Arthur'

19. An archeologist discovers proof that King Arthur — and Excalibur — were real. 

20. High school students studying abroad find Excalibur. 

21. The Knights of the Round table found the Holy Grail, attained immortality, and still roam Earth fighting for the greater good. 

22. A retelling of the story but using historical context and a realistic explanation for Excalibur and Merlin's magic.

23. A space opera version of the King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table story.

Robin Hood

After King Arthur, Robin Hood is the most famous character from the British Isles. Characters like Little John, Will Scarlet, Friar Tuck, Maid Marian, and The Sheriff of Nottingham are ripe for adaptation — perhaps in their own spin-off stories. Robin Hood himself has been portrayed by the likes of Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe, Sean Connery, Cary Elwes, and Errol Flynn.

So it's clearly been done. However, there's always room to expand (or condense) the story to your own storytelling will.

'Robin Hood'

24. A contemporary version of the story set within the world of Wall Street and high-stakes trading.

25. A contemporary version of the story set within England.

26. A bank robber robs the rich and gives to the poor — later being referred to as Robin Hood.

27. An Old West version of the Robin Hood story. 

28. A version where Robin Hood is the villain and the Sheriff of Nottingham is the hero.

29. A superhero version of the Robin Hood story where he has superpowers.

Captain Nemo

The Jules Verne classic Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was written in 1869 and was brought to the big screen most famously by Disney in 1954. It even became a staple Disneyland and Disney World ride for decades until it was finally retired.

The book tells the story of a ship sent to investigate a wave of mysterious sinkings that encounters the advanced submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo.

A new cinematic telling of the story has been in development for years, but studios have yet to showcase another version of this story with equal or more significance to the 1954 classic.

'20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'

 30. A space version of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea called Twenty Million Light Years Across Space. 

31. A contemporary retelling of the story set within the world of the U.S. Navy. 

32. A horror story version where the Nautilus contains terrifying horrors upon discovery. 

33. A sequel to the original story where Captain Nemo is alive. 

34. An origin story of Captain Nemo that forces us to empathize with him.  

Sherlock Holmes

Based on the mystery novels of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the character has become one of the most iconic figures in literature, film, and television. He has been featured in multiple studio films and television shows in recent years — both Robert Downey Jr. and Benedict Cumberbatch have played him on the big screen and on television.

There are certain iterations and characters from the series that are still under copyright, but the core character of Holmes himself is still readily available for writers to deconstruct and reconstruct under their own creative renditions.

'Enola Holmes 2'

35. An animated feature version focusing on Sherlock Holmes's dog as he solves pet-life mysteries. 

36. A descendent of Sherlock Holmes is a detective in New York City. 

37. A serial killer is reenacting murders from the Sherlock Holmes stories. 

38. An origin story of how Sherlock Holmes became the greatest detective the world has ever seen.  

39. An aging Sherlock Holmes in his twilight years must solve one more case. 

The Wizard of Oz

The original novel was written by L. Frank Baum in 1900, followed by many sequels from him and others. All of its associated characters are available to adapt, but only from material found in the first 16 books of the series (published in 1922 or before).

This is another property that has been widely utilized on all storytelling platforms. A recent television series was canceled. The Sci-Fi Channel offered its own original take just a few years ago. We've since seen feature films and even a hit Broadway musical adapted from it. But the original 1939 film remains to be the adaptation that is most revered.

Writers need to be careful to focus solely on the material found in the books. Any reference to characters and visuals from the classic film and any other adaptation since would be liable for copyright and trademark infringement.

'The Wizard of Oz'

40. A sequel story where Dorothy's descendant is sent to Oz. 

41. Grandchildren discover that their grandmother was Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz stories.

42. A biographer discovers that the story is actually true and was only ghostwritten by L. Frank Baum. 

43. When Dorothy is taken by the twister, someone from Oz is left behind. 

44. The Wizard of Oz set on another planet. 

45. An old west gunslinger is taken up inside a twister and left in Oz. 

Tarzan

Another hot property based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs novels. Disney made a hit movie out of the character and before that we saw multiple film and television versions. 2016 gave us The Legend of Tarzan, which was a modest success.

While the character has his constraints, story-wise, perhaps you could put Tarzan in another era — or another planet for that matter.

But beware, the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate will not hesitate to heavily litigate the use of this character, specifically through trademark infringement laws. While many of the novels are in the public domain, the estate wants to protect its various licensing agreements. Writers should proceed with caution.

'Tarzan'

46. A contemporary retelling of the story after a castaway is found twenty years after disappearing. 

47. A family traveling across space crash lands on a planet, leaving only the male son as a survivor. He is raised by an alien race.   

48. A female version of the story called Tarzana. 

49. A grandchild discovers that their outdoorsman grandpa is actually Tarzan. 

50. A child runs away into the jungle after reading Tarzan stories and wanting to be raised by apes.

The Island of Dr. Moreau

The Island of Doctor Moreau is an 1896 novel by H. G. Wells, telling the story of a man being rescued and brought to an island, only to discover that its inhabitants are experimental animals being turned into strange-looking humans, all of it the work of a visionary doctor.

The book has been adapted at least three notable times for the big screen in 1932, 1974, and 1996. Once again, to keep any possible adaptation fresh, screenwriters need to view the original text of the novel and find ways to tell a more contemporary version of it.

'The Island of Dr. Moreau'

51. A contemporary retelling of the story. 

52. A reimagining of the story called The Planet of Dr. Moreau. 

53. A surviving experiment of Dr. Moreau's lives in the mountains. 

54. A descendant of Dr. Moreau discovers his journals and finds the island. 

55. A robot/cyborg version of the story. 

Robinson Crusoe

The 1719 original story was written by Daniel Defoe. It is a classic novel about the title character's various adventures — most of which are remembered as the character being shipwrecked on a deserted island off the Caribbean coast of South America.

Like most classic stories, it has been adapted for television and film but is possibly ready for a new iteration.

There have been a couple of sequels to the original novel, including The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Serious Reflections of Robinson Crusoe, and others.

'Robinson Crusoe'

A clever writer could conjure an update to the story.

56. A horror story where Crusoe is shipwrecked on an island of cannibals. 

57. A comedy where Crusoe keeps being shipwrecked anytime he wants to travel. 

58. A futuristic version where an astronaut crash lands on an uncharted planet. 

59. A gender-switch version where a woman is stranded on an island. 

60. An alien crash lands on Earth and struggles to survive. 

Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There

Disney gave us two recent features based on these novels, written by Lewis Carroll, years after they created an animated classic in 1951. We've also seen the stories adapted into television series.

Despite the recent activity on the property, a unique retelling of the story — or part of the story — could be a launching pad for a great adventure, psychological thriller, or horror script.

'Alice in Wonderland'

61. A contemporary retelling of the story.  

62. A little girl from a broken home creates a fantasy world inspired by Alice in Wonderland — or is it real? 

63. Grandchildren discover that their grandmother is the Alice from the stories, and she leads them down the rabbit hole for an adventure. 

64. An aging Alice is visited by her friends from the rabbit hole. They need her help.  

65. A middle-aged man is dealing with his aging mother suffering from dementia. She tells stories of her adventures in Wonderland and he fears that she's losing her mind... until he starts to believe her. 

Peter Pan

The copyright is available in the United States. However, there is an exception for the United Kingdom, which has a (limited) perpetual copyright, owned by the Great Ormond Street Hospital. This was gifted to them by Barrie himself in his will and confirmed by an Act of Parliament.

Peter Pan has been utilized in many variations — with Disney's animated Peter Pan being the most iconic out of all of them. Because of this, it's best to avoid any and all visual similarities and character portrayals found within the animated feature that aren't evident in the actual original stage play and book written by James M. Barrie.

That said, there are plenty of opportunities to adapt the material to your own original versions of the stories. Hollywood has tried its best to exhaust the property — most recently with the box-office disappointment of the live-action origin story Pan.

'Hook'

66. A horror story version where Peter Pan is a serial killer that steals children.

67. Peter, having chosen to live life as a mortal, is dying and wants to find a way back to Neverland. 

68. An imaginative child is thrust into the world of Peter Pan after watching a theatre performance of it. 

69. Captain Hook comes to our world to find the descendants of Mary. 

70. The mother of Peter Pan tries to find her son. 

Pinocchio

Hollywood may be hesitant to adapt this property, especially given the fact that at least two studio projects are currently in some form of development. The Adventures of Pinocchio was first published in 1883.

The story was made even more famous in the United States, thanks to Disney's animated classic from 1940 — although that feature only retained a handful of characters and basic plot elements from the original novel.

'Pinocchio'

71.  A contemporary retelling of the story set in our current times. 

72. A robot version of the story where a robot wants to become a real boy. 

73. A horror version of the story where Peter Pan goes on a murder spree, angry that he'll never become a real boy. 

74. Pinocchio, all grown up, is beginning to show signs of turning back into wood. 

75. A sequel story where a teenage Pinocchio wants to create a companion. 

76. Jiminy Cricket finds another person in need of a conscience. 

The Arabian Nights

This collection of fairy tales touches on Middle Eastern, Indian, North African, Chinese, and Greek cultures. If you've read or watched stories about genies, evil overlords, and flying carpets, they all stem from these fairy tales. And they are obviously all adaptable by any writer.

Whether you want to write direct adaptations or take a more original route and place new contemporary or classic characters — treasure hunters, adventurers, etc. — into those stories, The Arabian Nights remains to be one of the most untapped collections of stories in Western countries beyond Disney's Aladdin animated feature.

'Aladdin'

77. Children find a magic carpet in their grandparents' antique collection. 

78. A down-on-his-luck lawyer finds a genie lamp. 

79. A retelling of The Arabian Nights collection. 

80. A contemporary update that tells the classic stories but in a present-time setting. 

81. The forty thieves are bank robbers that the FBI is trying to track down. 

82. Sinbad is a spaceship pilot that goes on adventures throughout the galaxy. 

Western Culture Fairy Tales

Whether it's The Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen writings, Western fairy tales have been the go-to property for literature, television, and film for over a hundred years.

The Brothers Grimm's Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are staple stories — many of which Disney has and will continue to go to.

Andersen's The Little Mermaid and The Emperor's New Groove caught Disney's eye as well.

Fairy tales in television and film had a rebirth of sorts after the spec screenplay Snow White and the Huntsman was sold for seven figures in 2010. After that, a plethora of TV series and movies based on or around fairy tales were all the rage. That trend has since subsided in the last few years, but it's likely ready for a revival if writers can find new ways to tell those stories.

'The Emperor's New Groove'

83. A contemporary retelling of Hansel and Gretel with two siblings getting lost in the woods and coming across an old house. 

84. A serial killer nicknamed "The Wolf" comes across a young woman that refuses to be his next victim. 

85. A male nurse falls in love with a woman in a coma (Sleeping Beauty).  

86. A grandmother with dementia claims to have previously been a mermaid — and she wants to return to her undersea home. 

87. Ms. White is a mob boss protected by seven bodyguards — each with unique traits. 

88. A contemporary retelling of the Cinderella story set within the corporate business world.  

89. The Brothers Grimm found a magical cave where they were taken into the worlds they later wrote about. 

90. A rich girl meets one of her father's workers that used to be powerful CEO before he lost everything.  She falls in love with him, giving him the confidence he needs to become successful again (The Frog Prince).

The Secret Garden

The beloved children's novel was written by Frances Hodgson Burnett and published in 1911. Since then, it has been adapted multiple times for television and film. The book tells the story of a young, privileged girl living in India that is left orphaned when her parents die. She is sent back to England where she goes to live on her uncle's estate, forced to find things to keep herself occupied. She discovers a sickly young boy and a secret garden.

While the story has been adapted many times, with the right new and fresh angle, a screenwriter could certainly adapt the intellectual property to their advantage. Perhaps it's a sequel story — a creative continuation.

With a book like this that is considered classic literature and read by millions of children and their parents, the opportunity to bring this story to the big screen again — in a different but familiar fashion — is intriguing.

'The Secret Garden'

 91. A sequel story where the now grownup little girl returns to her uncle's estate after a divorce.  

92. A sequel story where the little girl's grandchildren discover the secret garden. 

93. A sequel story where the garden has died, creating a very dark and scary world. 

94. A horror story version where the little girl struggles to escape an evil force within the garden. 

95. Author Frances Hodgson Burnett, as a young child, goes through a difficult time in her life which inspire the stories she told in the book.  

Allan Quatermain

This character is the hero of H. Rider Haggard's 1885 novel King Solomon's Mines and its sequels. The whole series spans 50 years of Quatermain's life, from the ages of 18 to 68. At the beginning of the original novel King Solomon's Mines, he has just turned 55, so the novels clearly jump back and forth in time. His one true skill is his marksmanship, where he has no equal.

The novels are full of action and adventure and are often considered the first of the Lost World genre. The character was also a template for Indiana Jones.

If there was ever a single character most ripe for the cinematic picking, Quatermain would be him. While he has been adapted for television and film — played by the likes of Richard Chamberlain, John Colicos, Sean Connery, Cedric Hardwicke, Patrick Swayze, and Stewart Granger — it's been well over a decade since the character has been notably deployed.

'Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold'

96. A contemporary retelling of the Allan Quatermain story. 

97. Quatermain seeks out one last adventure before he dies. 

98. Allan Quatermain's estranged daughter tracks him down.  

99. The descendent of Allan Quatermain tracks down one of his found treasures. 

100. A retelling of any of the classic Allan Quatermain stories. 

101. Allan Quatermain tracks down descendants of Dracula found within the wilds of Africa.  

WANT MORE IDEAS? TAKE A LOOK AT OUR OTHER STORY PROMPTS!

The Public Domain Explained

There are a few things to think about when drawing from the public domain for story prompts and ideas.

The Public Domain refers to properties that are available for anyone to utilize, thanks to copyright expiration, copyright loss due to loopholes and mistakes, death of the copyright owner, or failure for the copyright owner to file for the rights or extension to those rights.

According to Stanford University Libraries:

Copyright has expired for all works published in the United States before 1923. In other words, if the work was published in the U.S. before January 1, 1923, you are free to use it in the U.S. without permission. As an example, the graphic illustration of the man with mustache (below) was published sometime in the 19th century and is in the public domain, so no permission was required to include it within this book. These rules and dates apply regardless of whether the work was created by an individual author, a group of authors, or an employee (a work made for hire).

Because of legislation passed in 1998, no new works will fall into the public domain until 2019, when works published in 1923 will expire. In 2020, works published in 1924 will expire, and so on. For works published after 1977, if the work was written by a single author, the copyright will not expire until 70 years after the author’s death. If a work was written by several authors and published after 1977, it will not expire until 70 years after the last surviving author dies.

It's important to note that public domain characters and properties that screenwriters pursue have the danger of infringing on general trademarks from other interpretations of public domain content. While Norse mythology characters are obviously public domain, you can't emulate Disney/Marvel's Thor character trademarks from the comics and Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. You would have to tell your own, very unique and different version of the story and character. One that doesn't infringe on Disney/Marvel's trademarks that they've established.

So when it comes to the legalities of what you plan on doing with anything from the public domain, proceed with caution despite the general stipulation that the property is available.

Read More: Over 30,000 Ideas in the Public Domain to Inspire Your Next Screenplay!

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Share these story prompts with your writing peers or anyone that loves a good action-packed story. Have some story prompts of your own? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!

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

The post 101 Public Domain Story Prompts appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Let’s look at some incredible examples of low-budget horror movies and explore what made them so creepy.

More info coming soon  |  Remind Me

Blair Witch Project (1999)

In 1999, a small group of filmmakers created a cultural phenomenon and launched “found footage” filmmaking onto the map. Daniel Myrick and Ed Sánchez created a 35-page treatment about three students who go missing after heading into the woods to make a documentary about a legendary witch. The students were never found — but their footage remained. 

The co-directors took a big risk by not utilizing a screenplay but instead relying on actor improvisation. Over eight days, the actors lived in the woods, filming themselves and using GPS to find locations left for them by the crew where they’d leave their footage, pick up food, and go through director’s notes. 

It cost about $35,000 to film the movie and roughly another $270,000 to edit and market it — but it paid off. The documentary-style film with eerie children’s voices, satanic-looking woodsy relics, and a possession-style finale not only became iconic — it played at Sundance with a line around the block and sold for one million dollars before making $248 million at the box office.

The takeaway for writers is that a small cast in an existing location is enough to tell a compelling and frightening story. The Blair Witch Project never actually shows the witch — instead, she is a looming presence in the dark, building the feeling of being trapped, lost, and hunted.

Think about the creepiest moments you’ve experienced in your life: the feeling of something sinister there with you in the dark, how vulnerable your bare feet feel when you approach a bed not knowing what is beneath it, or when someone you trust begins to act unnatural. Go for the realistic things in life that raise the hairs on the back of your neck — no CGI needed.

BONUS: Paranormal Activity (2007)

Inspired by The Blair Witch Project, creator Oren Peli shot Paranormal Activity in his home over seven days and nights. The film plays on the fear that something will get you in the dark while you sleep — and it made $193 million at the box office on a $15,000 budget.

Get Out (2017)

Easily the most expensive film on this list, Get Out had a budget of $4.5 million, low for industry standards. It went on to not only earn $255 million at the box office but also garnered tons of accolades, including an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for director Jordan Peele, as well as three other nominations including Best Picture. Not only that, but Peele basically redefined the horror genre with Get Out. Not too shabby for a low-budget horror movie.

Get Out is a disturbing and haunting film about a Black man who discovers a sinister secret while meeting his white girlfriend’s family. Not only is it a terrifying horror concept, but the film’s smashing success is also undoubtedly due to its brilliant commentary on modern and historical racism.

“The best and scariest monsters in the world are human beings and what we are capable of, especially when we get together,” Peele shared with Indiewire. The realism of Get Out — and the haunting fate of its victims — added an extra charge to its scare factor that is both timely and astute. 

If your horror script can scare people and make a point, you’re on your way to major screenwriting success. 

Monsters (2010)

Monsters is a low-budget sci-fi horror movie that takes place years after a NASA probe crashes in Mexico, bringing with it giant tentacled monsters. It follows an American photojournalist who escorts his employer’s daughter back to the U.S. through Mexico’s infected zone. With a budget of $500,000, director Gareth Edwards shot the film over three weeks with a production crew of six people. The film went on to premiere at South by Southwest, earn $4.2 million at the box office, and launch Edwards’ career (he would go on to direct 2014’s Godzilla and a little project called Rogue One).

Monsters is another example of a filmmaker remaining very discerning when they actually show their monsters. Like the Blair Witch, they loom as a threat in the darkness. They make terrifying sounds in the night. We see their destruction long before we actually see them. 

Like other earth-altering horror films (see 28 Days Later), often it is the humans around you who can become the threat. Monsters keeps its audience on edge and shows how you can indeed create something out of this world for cheap.

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Horror films are all about the concept — a good screenwriter utilizes anticipation, innate fears, and curiosity to thrill and satisfy their readers. Great horror films allow audiences to live out alternative realities like zombie apocalypses, alien invasions, or hauntings. They teach us about the darker side of humanity and maybe even encourage us to relish in some Midsommar revenge.

Take time to develop the psychology of your low-budget horror movie. What makes it scary? What makes it exciting? What piques morbid curiosity? What sense of accomplishment will survivors walk away with?

And mostly, have some fun — no one chooses to scare themselves because they think it’s boring!

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

Ready to get started on your horror script? Download our e-book!

Develop Your Movie Idea in 15 Days

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 has written and produced hundreds of digital videos with millions of views. You can read more about her on her website or come play on Instagram and Twitter!

The post 3 Low-Budget Horror Movies to Inspire Your Scary Screenplay appeared first on ScreenCraft.

We've put together 101 original story prompts that can help inspire your next family-friendly screenplay. Check them out below and then continue on for a deeper dive into how to craft these types of stories.

Note: Because we’re all connected to the same pop culture, news headlines, and inspirations, any similarity to any past, present, or future screenplays, novels, short stories, television pilots, television series, plays, or any other creative works is purely coincidence. These story writing prompts were conceived on the fly without any research or Google search for inspiration.

Enter Now  |  Final Deadline in 22 days

101 Family-Friendly Story Prompts

1. Two treasure-hunting families race against time to find the same treasure in four different potential locations.  

2. Siblings that lost their parents find a portal to heaven and they go on an adventure to find them. 

3. A gamer wakes up in his favorite car racing game and must win multiple races to survive.

4. A young boy searches for his lost father in the nearby mountains.

5. A family of space travelers crash lands on an exotic planet.

6. A family discovers a series of mysterious tunnels underneath their house.

7. A father and son go on a safari and must survive the elements when they lose track of their guides. 

8. A family befriends a monster discovered living underneath the children's bed. 

9. Parents learn that their college-age daughter has disappeared into the jungles of a foreign country.

10. A family struggles to survive a destructive meteor shower.

11. A mother wants to realize her life-long dream and train for the Olympics. 

12. A father is tasked with coaching his son's soccer team, even though he has never played the sport.

13. A family is chosen to be the first to fly in space.

14. A family is chosen to be the first to colonize Mars.

15. A little boy begins to develop superhuman strength. 

16. A family that loses everything in a fire must rebuild their life. 

17. A family is sucked into their favorite TV show. 

18. An estranged family is reunited after one of them makes a wish. 

19. The President of the United States and his family go incognito to live a normal life. 

20. A family of famous superheroes goes incognito to live a normal life. 

'The Incredibles'

21. A family traveling the stars on the space-version of Titanic must survive when it hits an asteroid. 

22. A family travels to the American Frontier to find their new home.

23. A star baseball recruit struggles to decide whether he should take a scholarship or go pro.

24. A family of movie lovers discovers a portal where they can enter their favorite movie worlds.

25. Siblings learn that their parents used to be international spies.

26. A family on a wilderness retreat stumbles upon a group of armed criminals.

27. A rich and affluent family loses everything and must live in the ghetto. 

28. Parents find a way to travel to the future to see how their kids will turn out. 

29. A family of explorers searches the ocean for the lost city of Atlantis. 

30. A family finds a lost city underneath their farmland. 

31. Siblings start a successful business after their parents lose their jobs. 

32. Two brothers do everything they can to ensure that their family gets to keep their house. 

33. Two sisters navigate the difficult world of teen angst as their parents navigate the difficult world of keeping up with the Joneses. 

34. A family ends up searching for a mythical island paradise during their summer vacation.  

35. A family is shipwrecked on an uncharted island. 

36. A family of racecar drivers race across the country in the ultimate race. 

37. A family of pilots discovers a strange city in the clouds. 

38. A robot from the future befriends a family.  

39. A family on a canoe trip is whisked away down the Mississippi River during a horrible storm and flood. 

40. Kids discover an underground world. 

'Bridge to Terabithia' (

41. A bullied boy wakes up as a strong knight in a fantasy world. 

42. A boy dreams that his family is actually a royal family in a fantasy world. 

43. A family must survive when their plane crashes. 

44. A family is willed an old castle. 

45. A family is whisked away to the world of Oz. 

46. A family sailing on the ocean discover an injured mermaid. 

Read More: Character Breakdown: What Makes Ariel More Than Just A Little Mermaid?

47. A sailor decides to sail into the infamous Bermuda Triangle to find his brother that was lost at sea years ago.

48. A town must survive the worst flood in history. 

49. A family of storm chasers must survive a unique weather system that creates multiple F5 tornadoes. 

50. Parents meet their younger selves.

51. Aliens attack a small farm family after the rest of the country has been destroyed. 

52. An outcast nerd discovers that he's actually a revered prince from another planet, hidden by his royal family to escape an evil space lord. 

53. A family of wizards must defeat an old foe. 

54. A family wakes up from cryosleep in a spaceship with no recollection of who they are and how they got there. 

55. A family of toys struggles to find the right human family for them. 

56. Puppy siblings separated by pet adoption escape bad homes to find each other. 

57. Siblings in an orphanage escape to find their beloved aunt and uncle. 

58. After their parents seemingly die in a car accident, teens discover that they may be alive after all.  

59. A family of unicorns struggles to find sanctuary. 

60. A strange family moves into the neighborhood. 

'Addams Family Values' (

61. A boy from a rich and spoiled family wants them to live without their mansion, belongings, and money for a year. 

62. A rich boy and poor girl convince their families to switch places for a month. 

63. A family sailing the ocean waters must overcome the worst hurricane in history. 

64. Middle school-aged friends decide to climb a mountain to bury a time capsule after one of their group dies tragically. 

65. A mentally-challenged student wants to make the football team. 

66. A physically-challenged student wants to letter in every sport in high school.

67. A family of international spies moves to the suburbs. 

68. Peter Pan's mother tracks him down in Neverland. 

69. Competing treasure hunting families race on the open ocean waters to find a sunken treasure. 

70. A character within a Sim City-like game becomes self-aware and wants to escape to the real world. 

71.  A family vacationing in Hawaii unlocks a portal that transports them back in time. 

72. A local town bands together as miners are trapped in the local mine. 

73. A family — the Hoods — steals from the rich to give to the poor deal.

74. A family is transported back to the time of the dinosaurs and struggles to survive. 

75. A riverboat captain and his children attempt the first trip down the Mississippi River. 

76. Childhood friends are reunited after thirty years apart. 

77. The son of a poor couple struggles to attain a sports scholarship so he can go to college. 

78. Alien monsters chase the last living family on Earth across the country. 

79. A World War II-era family starts a minor league baseball team to uplift the town. 

80. A family-owned dog boarding business is shocked when the dogs start talking. 

'Homeward Bound' (1993)

81. A family adopts a puppy that shocks them when he begins to talk. 

82. Families are invited by a mysterious person to partake in the ultimate scavenger hunt. 

83. A girl overwhelmed by middle school drama wishes that she could wake up as a boy. 

84. A family nurses a wild wolf back to health. 

85. Siblings mourn the death of their grandpa, only to discover that he's left them an old treasure map.  

86. A witch curses a group of children, causing them to shrink to the size of ants. 

87. A family must find each other after the worst earthquake in human history. 

88. A family discovers that they are the ancestors of the real Van Helsing.  

89. A family must fend off pirates that take over their vacation cruise ship. 

90. A family of monsters moves to the suburbs. 

91. A female youth athlete tries out for the football as the family deals with the community.  

92. A wilderness firefighter must parachute into a wildfire to find his missing family. 

93. A stay-at-home dad deals with the stigmas.  

94. A successful female executive leaves her career to spend quality time with her husband and children. 

95. A family snorkeling along a reef during vacation finds themselves trapped in an underwater world.  

96. A portal to another world opens during a sleepover. 

97. The parents of a family wake up younger each day as their children wake up older. 

98. A beloved school teacher loses his family as the community bands together to become his new family.  

99. A family of ghosts continues to haunt their old house so they can live in it forever. 

100. A rich family decides to leave everything they know to move to a farm and work the fields. 

101. The local town museum begins to come to life.  

NATM-400 Security guard Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) flees, as a Tyrannosaurus Rex that has come to life at night carves a swath of destruction through a museum's marble corridors.

Want More Ideas? Take a Look at Our Other Story Prompts!

What Entails a Family-Friendly Concept?

Some of the most popular stories of all-time fall under what Hollywood calls the "Four-Quadrant" label.

Four-quadrant stories are those that hit all four demographic quadrants.

1. Males Under 25
2. Females Under 25
3. Males Over 25
4. Females Over 25

These types of stories offer the widest audience outreach by hitting all four quadrants. And a majority of the time, they are considered to be family-friendly stories because there's something for everyone.

There's no single formula to follow. Different concepts will allow or call for a different variety of elements, which we will share below. Writing a great four-quadrant story that the whole family can enjoy is about checking off certain boxes that apply to your concept the most.

Before we share what elements you can choose from, let's point out something even more important — what should NOT be found within a four-quadrant story.

Read ScreenCraft's 10 Elements of a Great Family TV Series!

What Four-Quadrant stories should NOT include

Now, let's learn how to write a 4-Quadrant family film.

• No gratuitous human-centered blood and gore. There can be a little blood, obviously. But you want to keep that to a minimum. If you look at the Marvel MCU movies, they very rarely showcase any blood and gore. And anytime they do, it's almost always an alien lifeform.
• No sex scenes. Implied sex can be there (the before and the after), but four-quadrant stories don't showcase sex scenes as a draw because that alienates children and younger adults.
• No foul language. Yes, for movies, you'll get your PG-13-allotted s***s. You may even get an F-bomb. But you should primarily avoid using a lot of foul language in a 4-quadrant script.

What Elements Can and SHOULD be Present in a Four-Quadrant story?

There's no secret formula or checklist. However, you want your four-quadrant story to have at least a majority of these elements.

• A high-concept premise. Whether it’s a superhero’s adventures, an amazing fantasy, a sci-fi quest, or a compelling true story, four-quadrant stories live in this realm — an irresistible story idea that can be grasped in one or two sentences.
• Heroes and villains. We need someone to root for and someone to root against. And their stories need to be as little complex as possible. Focus on some broad stroke depth and development. Basic stuff that everyone can understand.
• High stakes. And yes, that likely means some violence and/or death. The trick is to find the right edge without crossing into inappropriate territory.
• Universal Themes. Kids and adults both like a story that says something and has genuine resonance, whether they can articulate it or not.
• Humor.  Comic moments always enhance enjoyment, no matter how serious the story might be. Levity is important.
• Nostalgia. Nostalgia is an easy way to bring in older audiences. Look no further than Stranger Things, which is a series centered on the adventures of kids. But because it focuses on the 1980s as a setting, older demographics can enjoy the nostalgia as well.
• Kids in lead or major supporting roles. Including kid characters targets the “young” quadrant and adds new levels of dramatic tension and comedy for adults.
• Hints of romance. Love is universal. That first crush. The girl/guy that got away. The girl/guy everyone wants to meet.
• "Big-budget" isn't always necessary. For movies, if you can deliver a four-quadrant film that can be shot for under (or well-under) $50 million, studios will circle like sharks amidst chum in the water.

5 Best Four-Quadrant Themes to Use

1. Good vs. Evil

The oldest and perhaps most successful story theme.

Whether it’s Light vs. Dark (Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings), White Hat Heroes vs. Black Hat Villains (Westerns of the 40s, 50s, and 60s), Innocence vs. Evil (Harry Potter), or Superheroes vs. Supervillains (The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Batman movies, Superman movies), good versus evil is the most easily defined story theme in the history of cinema.

It’s easy to know which side to root for. And despite the conflict that ensues, the good side usually prevails. And that makes for a great family film experience.

2. Love

On par with Good vs. Evil, the story theme of love is intriguing because every human being craves it — which makes the plight of the characters within love-themed stories relatable to audiences.

Romantic Comedies (Pretty Woman, Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, Love Actually), Historical Romances (Titanic, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca), and Romance Epics (Dances with Wolves, Last of the Mohicans) have captured the hearts of audiences since the early days of cinema.

Everyone knows what it’s like to love someone, win someone over, lose someone you love, etc.

3. Perseverance

Perseverance Stories can be better defined in these contemporary times as Underdog Stories because when a protagonist is forced to persevere through conflict, trials, and tribulations, they are clearly the underdog in the situation or scenario.

Audiences love to be moved and inspired. In a world where a majority of the population doesn’t get a chance to chase their ultimate dreams, it’s intriguing to experience a story theme through the eyes of a protagonist that does.

It could be Sports Underdog stories (Rocky, Rudy, Major League, Bad News Bears, Hoosiers) or Inspiring Dramas (The Pursuit of Happiness, The Karate Kid).

Whatever the Perseverance or Underdog Story theme is, readers and audiences respond to them.

4. Coming of Age

It’s such a relatable theme because, at one point or another, everyone has that coming-of-age moment in their lives — and more likely a culmination of those types of moments and events throughout their lives.

So these types of story themes stir nostalgia.

Even though Stand By Me was set in the 1950s, children of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s can relate. Note: This film was rated R because of the foul language used. Otherwise, it's a fairly four-quadrant type of film. 

E.T. offers a coming-of-age experience for Elliot.

The Harry Potter franchise is one big coming-of-age story as we watch Harry grow into adulthood.

The Karate Kid offers a coming-of-age storyline as we watch Daniel overcome bullies and become a man.

What is it like to realize that the real world, beyond the protection of youth (void of responsibility), can be quite scary and intimidating? This is the story theme that coming-of-age movies explore. And this is what everyone can relate it and feel nostalgic about.

5. Human vs. Nature

There is no more ancient story theme than this. Since the dawn of humans, man and woman have been battling the elements. And this story theme can branch out into additional story themes of survival and philosophical quandaries.

The human vs. nature story is as old a story theme as they come. And these stories are especially intriguing because, on the surface, they are tales of physical threats that protagonists face. But, like any great story theme, there lies an emotional and philosophical message underneath that physical surface.

And that is what gives these story themes even more depth for readers and audiences to enjoy.

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

The post 101 Family-Friendly Story Prompts appeared first on ScreenCraft.

We've put together 101 story prompts that can help inspire your next screenplay based on real-life events. But first — should you try our hand at writing a true story? Let's take a look at some industry trends in Hollywood.

Contest opens in 6 days  |  Remind Me

Why Does Hollywood Love True Stories So Much?

True stories have power over the audience. As a species, we are genuinely curious. As a society, we're enthralled with stories that actually happened in real life — either because of our embedded curiosity within our DNA or because we love to live vicariously through the eyes of people that led an interesting life or lived through interesting events.

Hollywood knows this. They know what audiences love because they see the box office results, the streaming site numbers, and the pop culture tracking. Just look at all of the great true story movies that have been produced.

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

When a film or TV series is based on or inspired by a true story, there's an elevated level of interest.

Audience members that stumble upon these types of cinematic stories are intrigued.

• "This actually happened?"
• "Someone actually did that?" 
• "I always wondered what the real story was like."

And that is why Hollywood loves true stories so much. If the audience likes stories like that, Hollywood wants to make stories like that. Plain and simple.

Remember that as you start to build your portfolio as a screenwriter — because you'll probably want to include some true story specs.

True stories are even better than Intellectual Property in the hierarchy of desirable types of cinematic stories. Why does Hollywood love Intellectual Property? Because there's a proven fan base already. The less they have to market something, the better. And that's exactly why true stories are so popular. You can use the true story tag as an easy marketing tool.

To learn more about telling true stories in your scripts or books, Read ScreenCraft's Is Your Script "Based On" or "Inspired By" a True Story? What's the Difference?

Note: Because we’re all connected to the same pop culture, news headlines, and inspirations, any similarity to any past, present, or future screenplays, novels, short stories, television pilots, television series, plays, or any other creative works is purely coincidence. These true story writing prompts were conceived on the fly or were based on finding interesting true stories that are out there. While some may have proven to be told already, there are always alternative storylines not covered in what has already been written and produced.

'Elvis' (2022)

101 True Story Prompts

1. Learn more about the stories of your ancestors and how they came to the country you live in.  

2. Ask your parents about their lives and see if there are any unique stories to be told.  

3. The life of slaves escaping plantations.

4. The stories of drummer boys in the military during the Civil War.

5. The adventures of Teddy Roosevelt.

6. The Hawaiian adventures of Mark Twain.

7. The dark life of Edgar Allen Poe. 

8. The stories of people that live in the underground homeless society of Las Vegas. 

9. The first soldier to be awarded to Medal of Honor.

10. The first soldier to be awarded the Purple Heart. 

11. The very first Secret Service agent. 

12. The first African-American to play in the NFL.

13. The first white martial artist to open a school in Asia.

14. The first Asian martial artist to open a school in America.

15. A story about the first submarine crew to sink an enemy ship in WWII. 

16. The story of the first person to be infected by the AIDS virus. 

17. The story behind the creation of Winchester Mansion.

18. The story of the investigation of Amelia Earhart's disappearance. 

19. Stories told within the Chicago Fire of 1871. 

20. The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. 

'King Richard' (2021)

21. The Gary, Indiana Demon House. 

22. The story of Edison vs. Westinghouse vs. Tesla.

23. The story of the men of the missing Flight 19.

24. The story of the first person to run a four-minute mile.

25. The athletes of the very first organized Olympics.

26. The creation of the NFL.

27. The story of the first ascent of Mount Everest. 

28. The story of German soldiers that fled the Nazi regime. 

29. The story of the first man to sail around the world. 

30. The story of the first woman to sail around the world. 

31. The story of the first free African-American community. 

32. The story of the first African-American published author. 

33. The story of the first African-American mayor. 

34. The first white man that traveled down the Mississippi River.  

35. White man's discovery of the Grand Canyon. 

36. The story of the first bank robbery. 

37. The day of the first signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

38. The story of the first official and legal marriage between a same-sex couple.  

39. The first expedition to the North Pole. 

40. The story of the first slaves taken to the Americas. 

'The Last Duel' (2021)

41. The first person to parachute from an airplane. 

42. The story of woman code breakers during World War II.  

43. The story of the most deadly sniper in history who was a woman. 

44. The story of the Mercury 13 — thirteen women that trained to go to space during the Mercury Program. 

45. The true stories of Silent Film-era's biggest stars. 

46. The story of the seven Matthews during WWII. 

47. The story about the female editors in the early days of Disney.

48. The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. 

49. The true story of reunited twins Jim Lewis and Jim Springer, and the shocking similarities in their lives. 

50. The disappearance of the Mississippi riverboat Iron Mountain. 

51. The disappearance of skyjacker Dan Cooper. 

52. The true story of WWII Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi, a soldier that emerged from Pacific jungles in the 1970s, not knowing the war was over. 

53. The true story of the Loch Ness monster hoax. 

54. The true story of the most famous Bigfoot sighting hoax. 

55. A dog struggles to find the right human family. 

56. The stories of actual recorded cases of spontaneous human combustion. 

57. Where did Leonardo da Vinci get the ideas for his designs? 

58. The story behind the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan.  

59. Stories within the Japanese-American internment camps. 

60. The story of how the Crips and Bloods were formed in South Central Los Angeles. 

'Hidden Figures' (2016)

61. The story of the first Navy SEAL. 

62. The story behind the creation of the first bicycle. 

63. The story of the first person to die in space. 

64. The story behind the first American dog to be sent into space. 

65. The story behind the creation of the first television. 

66. The story of Abraham Lincoln's upbringing.

67. The story of Adolph Hitler's upbringing. 

68. The story of JFK's WWII missions. 

69. Richard Nixon's last day in office.

70. A Charles Darwin biopic. 

71.  The story behind Uncle Sam. 

72. The story of how Fredrick Douglas escaped slavery. 

73. An Emily Dickinson biopic.

74. The story of Custer's Last Stand. 

75. The true story of John Chapman, AKA Johnny Appleseed. 

76. Open up your local newspaper and find compelling true stories. 

77. The true story of how you came of age.

78. The true story of the first time you fell in love. 

79. The true story of how you overcame a seemingly impossible situation. 

80. The biggest battles of WWI. 

'Schindler's List' (1993)

81. The biggest battles of WWII. 

82. The biggest battles of the Korean War. 

83. The biggest battles of the Vietnam War. 

84. The biggest battles of the Iraq War. 

85. The biggest battles of the Afghanistan War.  

86. The story of the creator of the first Nuclear Missile. 

87. The story of the last man on the moon. 

88. The story of the most decorated soldier in history.  

89. The discovery of the location of the sunken Titanic. 

90. The discovery and exploration of King Tut's tomb. 

91. The creation of the first gun.  

92. The creation of the first automatic weapon. 

93. The creation of the first tank.  

94. The creation of Mount Rushmore. 

95. How the location of Hollywood (originally Hollywoodland) became a movie-making town.  

96. The story behind the first recorded climbing of El Capitan in Yosemite. 

97. The story of post-Civil War-era Union soldiers returning to his southern hometown. 

98. Inspiring stories about teachers.  

99. Inspiring stories about coaches. 

100. The story of the first African-American college football player. 

101. The story of how you made your first sale as a screenwriter by finding a compelling true story (you can write that one later).   

'Hustlers' (2019)

Share this with your writing peers or anyone that loves a true story. Have some prompts of your own? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!

Want More Ideas? Take a Look at Our Other 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, 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

For all the latest ScreenCraft news and updates, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post 101 Story Prompts Based on True Events appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Chrome extensions are software programs you can install in your Chrome web browser. They allow you to personalize and enhance your browser’s functionality, so you have the screenwriting tools you need. 

There are chrome extensions to help with every stage of the scripting process, from research, planning, and writing, to formatting and editing. While they won’t tell the story for you, they can simplify the storytelling process. 

Here are five of the best Chrome extensions that screenwriters should consider adding to their browsers.

5 Best Chrome Extensions For Screenwriting

ProWritingAid

A writing assistant is an indispensable tool for a screenwriter. ProWritingAid’s Chrome extension has everything you need to produce a polished script wherever you write—you can use it across a wide range of websites, as well as Google Docs. 

Spelling and grammar mistakes can make your script look unprofessional and lazy. As you write, ProWritingAid’s grammar checker highlights errors and suggests corrections, so you can catch any issues before your script lands on the producer’s desk. 

As well as fixing simple grammar mistakes, the tool also offers more in-depth reports that can analyze aspects such as dialogue. Your audience only has one chance to understand the meaning of a sentence. 

ProWritingAid can help improve the clarity of your dialogue by flagging areas where speech is clunky or convoluted, and recommending changes. The Diction Report can also ensure your script flows well by detecting overwritten phrases. 

Best for: catching grammatical errors and improving dialogue

ScreenplaySubs

If you’re new to screenwriting, one of the best ways to hone your craft is by reading screenplays. Studying the work of others offers insight into how aspects such as formatting, dialogue, character arcs, and plot development come together in a script. 

However, ScreenplaySubs offers something arguably better: the ability to watch your favorite Netflix movies alongside their screenplays. 

The script automatically adjusts its position according to the timestamp of the film. This means you can examine how the elements of a screenplay directly translate onto the big screen. 

The extension doesn’t support all Netflix movies. Once you install ScreenplaySubs, you can check out the movie catalog and browse the available titles. 

Best for: studying screenplays in action

Joplin Web Clipper

Research is crucial if you want to write a believable and compelling screenplay. It helps your characters and the worlds they inhabit feel tangible. It can also prevent inaccuracies and rewrites further down the line. 

Researching can be an extensive process. It’s easy to lose track of resources and feel overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of data and documents. 

Jopling Web Clipper is a useful Chrome extension that can simplify the research process. It allows you to capture and save useful web pages as you go. 

You can organize the clippings into files to help keep track of your findings. The extension gives you the option to clip a whole page, a simplified version of the page, or a screenshot of a specific section. 

Best for: collecting and organizing your research

Jotterpad

Struggling to format your screenplay? Jotterpad is a text editor that transforms your writing into a professionally structured script with the click of a button. 

Your work will need to be written in Markdown or Fountain, a plain text markup language for screenwriting. You can then choose from a selection of industry-standard script formats to bring your story to life. There’s also an in-app dictionary, thesaurus, and a “search and replace” function to help you edit as you go. 

The Chrome extension allows you to work offline, and sync your writing with Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox. You can export and share your scripts in a range of formats, including Word, PDF, Final Draft, HTML, and rich text. 

Best for: formatting your script to industry standards

Read Aloud

It’s easy to overlook narrative holes or unnatural speech patterns when you’ve been staring at the same script for weeks. Hearing your work read aloud can offer a different perspective and reveal areas of your writing that need fine-tuning. After all, dialogue is written to be delivered aloud. 

Read Aloud is a text-to-speech Chrome extension that can read text from Google Docs, PDFs, Google Play Books, and Amazon Kindle. It’s also compatible with web pages and online publications if you’d prefer to digest research materials audibly rather than reading them.

There’s a variety of voices to choose from, and you can customize the speed and pitch. There’s also a text highlighting tool you can use to flag sections of script you want to rework or ideas you want to come back to. 

Best for: hearing your script read aloud

Armed with these screenwriting tools, your script will be ready to hit the big screen in no time.

Millie is ProWritingAid's Content Manager. A recent English Literature graduate, she loves all things books and writing.
When she isn't working, Millie enjoys gardening, re-reading books by Agatha Christie, and running.

The post The Best Chrome Extensions for Screenwriters appeared first on ScreenCraft.

We get our ideas from many sources — news headlines, novels, television shows, movies, our lives, our fears, our phobias, etc. They can come from a scene or moment in a film that wasn’t fully explored. They can come from a single visual that entices the creative mind — a seed that continues to grow and grow until the writer is forced to finally put it to paper or screen.

They may inspire screenplays, novels, short stories, or even smaller moments that you can include in what stories you are already writing.

Enter Now  |  Regular Deadline in 22 days

Keys to Writing Short Film Scripts?

Before we jump into our 101 Short Film Prompts, let's quickly go over a couple of important factors of writing short film scripts.

Concept is Everything

The rite of passage for any filmmaker is making a compelling short film. That is where filmmakers cut their teeth and truly come of age. It's also an epic journey through the highest of peaks and deepest of valleys as novice filmmakers quickly learn that it's not as easy as just having a few people, a boom mic, and a camera — you need a great concept.

Showcasing a talking heads short film isn't going to get you noticed by audiences or industry insiders. You need to capture their attention with compelling and engaging narratives that have a beginning, middle, and end within the short film running time of 40 minutes or less (you generally want to stick with 5-20 minutes most of the time).

Economize Your Storytelling

Short films should also focus on smaller story windows.

• Instead of having your short film tell the dramatic story of your alcoholic character trying to go sober over the course of a year, why not focus on the last day of the last step in their 12-Step program?
• Instead of having your short script tell the epic story of a historical World War II battle, why not focus on one soldier as they deal with the overarching conflict?
• Instead of having your short story tell the horrifying story of a serial killer stalking and killing multiple victims, why not center the story on a single victim in their house watching the news reports of the killings and then hearing a floorboard creak from above?

Watch Short Films

It's as simple as that — watch short films. Here are 10 shorts you can watch online right now to get you started.

(And read a short film script if you can get your hands on one.)

Note: Because we’re all connected to the same pop culture, news headlines, and inspirations, any similarity to any past, present, or future screenplays, novels, short stories, television pilots, television series, plays, or any other creative works is purely coincidence. These true story writing prompts were conceived on the fly or were based on finding interesting true stories that are out there. While some may have proven to be told already, there are always alternative storylines not covered in what has already been written and produced.

101 Story Prompts to Kickstart Your Short Film

1. Someone watching a news report about a local serial killer hears a floorboard creak.  

2. A young brother and sister survive after the apocalypse.  

3. Someone reading a scary book hears a knock at the door.

4. An alcoholic struggles to decide between taking a drink or not.

5. Students in an elementary school dealing with surviving lunchtime. 

6. Students in an elementary school dealing with surviving recess.

7. Teenagers surviving the school politics of lunchtime. 

8. An addicted gambler sits at a table. 

9. A day in the life of the first astronaut on Mars.

10. A day in the life of the first colony on Mars. 

11. A man and a woman keep seeing each other during a night out with their respective friends. 

12. The experience of a character invited to a graduation party of someone they don't know.

13. The first human clone awakens.

14. The lifespan of a dog.

15. The lifespan of a cat. 

16. Dracula is in his coffin not being able to sleep and having to kill time until dusk. 

17. An African-American child's walk to school in a dangerous urban neighborhood.

18. A character wakes up with a gun in their hand and blood all over them. 

19. A day in the life of an astronaut living on the moon. 

20. The first day of school for a new student as they struggle to make a friend. 

'Mean Girls' (2004)

21. The imaginary battle of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. 

22. The life of a handgun when it hits the streets.

23. The story of a pilot that sees a UFO in the skies.

24. A robot comes to life in an inventor's shop.

25. A person struggles to survive after being thrown from their car in an accident.

26. A remake of the original silent film The Great Train Robbery.

27. A day in the life of a puppy. 

28. A German soldier trying to flee Nazi Germany. 

29. A woman in a house is attacked by aliens. 

30. A person is granted the wish to fly. 

31. A person is granted the wish to be invisible. 

32. A person makes a wish to be young again. 

33. A man on his deathbed is taken on a road trip. 

34. A woman spends a night with her newborn child, only to have to give it to adoptive parents.  

35. A day in the life of a professional thief. 

36. A day in the life of a homicide detective. 

37. A day in the life of a teacher. 

38. The new kid in the neighborhood struggles to make friends.  

39. A slave struggles to escape its evil white pursuers.

40. A rock climber's solo ascent. 

'Free Solo' (2018)

41. The day in the life of a professional gamer. 

42. The world shown through the eyes of a drone.  

43. A late-night call at a suicide prevention center. 

44. The duel of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. 

45. The duel of two samurai. 

46. A day in the life of a maid that works for a rich family. 

47. A mother working three jobs in a single day and then coming home to kiss their child goodnight.

48. A day in the life of a truck driver. 

49. An astronaut lands on a desert planet. 

50. A day in the life of an angel on Earth. 

51. Teacher by day, stripper by night. 

52. A vampire decides to commit suicide by sunlight after one last night on the town. 

53. A day in the life of a Vegas stripper. 

54. It's revealed that a sad person has been preparing for a loved one's funeral. 

55. It's revealed that a child's friend is actually imaginary. 

56. A babysitter must save a child when a forest fire bombards the neighborhood. 

57. Surfers are lost at sea after riptides pull them out.  

58. A park ranger discovers a dead body.  

59. A travel agent struggles to hold onto a job that has no contemporary meaning. 

60. A house that is haunted.

'The Conjuring' (2013)

61. An astronaut returns home but no one remembers who he is. 

62. A day in the life of the last man on Earth. 

63. A day in the life of the last woman on Earth. 

64. A day in the life of the last dog on Earth. 

65. When the WiFi goes down, neighborhood kids discover how to keep themselves entertained. 

66. Four female kindergarten teachers and their hilarious lives after the bell rings. 

67. An assassin sent back in time struggles with killing Baby Hitler. 

68. An Uber ride gone wrong. 

69. An Uber driver picks up a hitman.

70. The Angel of Death, in human form, visits its victims. 

71.  Two people are stuck in an elevator together. 

72. Two people are stuck in the rubble of a fallen building and struggle to survive — it's a 9/11 tragic story. 

73. An actor goes through a day of auditions and life in Los Angeles.

74. A character finds a magical item in an antique store. 

75. A man contemplates suicide and finds an unexpected reason to live. 

76. A man tries to become a superhero. 

77. A day in the life of a fighter pilot told within the cockpit.

78. A man and woman fall in love over the course of thirty years of chance encounters. 

79. A man wins the lottery and does good deeds with the money until it's all gone. 

80. A serial killer stalking a victim. 

'Psycho' (1960)

81. A human clone escapes a research facility to find their double. 

82. A man discovers their doppelganger. 

83. A woman discovers their doppelganger. 

84. A child discovers their doppelganger. 

85. A carjacker accidentally steals a car full of rascal children.  

86. A man returns to his hometown only to discover that no one remembers him. 

87. A knight duals with another. 

88. A woman wakes up to discover that everyone else on Earth has vanished.  

89. A young Sherlock Holmes in middle school solves a mystery. 

90. A child wanders off on their big wheel only to be found later that night by a truck driver. 

91. A woman awakens on an island and realizes she is the only survivor of a plane crash.  

92. Someone wakes up with the ability to hear everyone's thoughts. 

93. Someone wakes up with the ability to touch anyone and see when they are going to die.  

94. A cowboy encounters a UFO. 

95. A sailor encounters a UFO.  

96. A reunion between old high school friends goes sour when past issues emerge. 

97. A man in an interrogation room confesses. 

98. A man stuck in a thankless corporate job one day walks out and goes on a road trip.  

99. One day, a woman finally decides to leave her abusive husband. 

100. A coming-of-age tale about a middle school boy confronting bullies. 

101. A first-time bank robber is forced to take hostages as he instantly regrets his choices.    

'Dog Day Afternoon

Share this with your writing peers or anyone that loves a compelling short film. Have some prompts of your own? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!

Want More Ideas? Take a Look at Our Other 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, 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

The post 101 Story Prompts to Kickstart Your Short Film appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Why? Well, not only have film adaptations been all the rage in Hollywood for quite some time, but short stories can also provide writers material with a ton of benefits before they ever touch their keyboard. (More on that later.)

Here are some short stories you should consider adapting into a film, including stories in the public domain. (That means it's fair game, people!)

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

More info coming soon  |  Remind Me

Short Stories to Read If You Want to Write a Film Adaptation

Edgar Allen Poe

Edgar Allen Poe

So many films have been made from Poe’s dark and deliciously morbid stories, that it’s a terrible shame he had to die young and nearly penniless. But such is the life of a freelance writer, even one who lived two centuries ago. All that blood under the bridge is good news for any screenwriter who wants to journey into the land of the macabre. Here are some of Poe’s stories to consider.

“The Black Cat”

This is a tale about a man in an abusive relationship with a mysterious black cat that deals with themes of insanity and psychological guilt.

“A Descent into the Maelström”

This story is widely seen as one of the first science fiction stories and considering it’s about the consequences of a natural disaster – a hurricane and a whirlpool that causes a shipwreck – it may be a timely adaptation as wild weather patterns continue to make headlines.

“The Murders in the Rue Morgue”

Considered to be the first detective story, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” is about a fictional detective, C. Auguste Dupin, who tries to solve a double murder that may involve an orangutan. Dupin is said to have influenced other fictional detectives like Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot, so it’s likely he may provide some inspiration for your own characters.

Arthur Conan Doyle

Speaking of great detective characters, Sherlock Holmes is one that has also done exceedingly well at the box office and on television. It seems audiences can’t get enough of the clever detective who uses a wide range of skills and experience to solve crimes.  

Read More: 5 Reasons You Should Write a Short Story

Arthur Conan Doyle

Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

This book is a collection of 12 short stories that feature the master at work, looking past red herrings and uncovering criminal motives. If anything, the structure of these stories will help any writer map out their own whodunnit plot and resolution. 

Tales of Terror and Mystery

If Sherlock Holmes is just too iconic for you, take a look at this collection of 12 short stories that don’t involve Holmes but do involve suspense, surprise, and even a femme fatal. One story in the collection, “The Nightmare Room,” is about Lucile Mason, a beautiful and “dangerous woman” who may be poisoning her husband. 

O. Henry

Sixes and Sevens

O. Henry is best known for his use of irony or a gut-punching emotional twist that comes at the end of his short stories. The term “at sixes and sevens” refers to a situation or relationship that is in a state of confusion or disharmony – likely something to which we can all relate. The 25 short stories in this collection all explore this theme that readily provides big conflict. 

O. Henry

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

Grimms’ Fairy Tales

Hollywood has long had a love affair with classic fairy tales, and Disney has made billions of dollars adapting them. Though we may not need a new version of “Rapunzel” or “Hansel and Gretel,” fairy tales are deeply psychological and may inspire you to explore archetypes and primal fears or add a fantasy element to your screenplay. 2017’s The Shape of Water was an adult fairy tale that explored themes of “otherness” and won the Oscar for Best Picture. 

Louisa May Alcott

Aunt Jo’s Scrap Bag: Volume 1

Female struggle powered by enduring optimism are themes Alcott explored consistently and, judging by the success of Greta Gerwig’s Oscar-Winning Little Women from 2019, these themes still resonate today. This “Scrap Bag” is the first of six volumes and offers 14 short stories.  

Virginia Woolf

Monday or Tuesday

Virginia Woolf’s writing was a century ahead of its time when it came to gender fluidity and sexuality, particularly in the novel Orlando: A Biography. Monday or Tuesday is a collection of 8 short stories that showcase the writer’s progressive, free-spirited point of view.

Virginia Woolf

Stephen King

Dollar Baby Program

Did you know you can apply to adapt a Stephen King short story for a mere buck? It’s called the Dollar Baby program and since 1977, aspiring filmmakers and students have been making films based on 23 short stories by the master horror writer we all love and respect. Not all of King’s short stories are available but it’s still a great opportunity to create a film or screenplay based on a story by one of the best American writers of all time.

Victorian Romantic Short Stories

Stories of Courtship

If you’re a fan of Jane Austen and the romance genre, here’s a collection of stories that might be just your speed. Corsets, coincidences, and forbidden crushes reign supreme in this assortment of 6 stories that will get your heart racing. 

Ghosts Only

Famous Modern Ghost Stories

Whether you believe in the supernatural or not, everyone loves a good ghost story at the movies. Well-constructed thrills and chills never get old. Here’s a collection of 15 short ghost stories, including “A Ghost” by Guy de Maupassant. 

Why Does Hollywood Love Adaptions?

Hollywood filmmakers love to adapt literature, both fiction and nonfiction, into feature films. Why?

Typically, a successful book or memoir will have an established fan base and film studios know that can translate into ticket sales. Just think of the Harry Potter series, The Hunger Games series, and the Lord of the Rings series.

What you may be surprised to discover is that Hollywood has also been keen on using short stories as the basis for feature films because they are often easier to adapt into a two-hour film than full-length novels. Drive My Car, Pete’s Dragon, Million Dollar Baby, Apocalypse Now, Memento, The Shawshank Redemption, The Invisible Man, Brokeback Mountain, Arrival, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, 3:10 to Yuma, All About Eve, Secretary, and 2001: A Space Odyssey, are all great movies adapted from short stories.

Why You Should Adapt a Short Story into a Screenplay

So, why should you adapt a short story (or any other type of literary) into a screenplay? There are several reasons short stories, typically with fewer than 10,000 words, are perfectly suited for a two-hour film.

• A short story usually begins very close to the climax of the story (eliminating a ton of exposition or backstory).
• Short stories usually have a limited number of characters.
• Short stories tend to take place in a distinct, visually-intriguing setting.

All these elements help to create the most excitement and conflict in a limited amount of time. That's a big win for a screenwriter!

How to Adapt a Book into a Screenplay

If you're inspired to turn one of these short stories into a screenplay but aren't sure how to do it, you might want to do a little homework.

Learn from successful writers who have done it before. The Bay of Silence writer Caroline Goodall shares a lot of great insight in an interview with The Filmmakers Podcast. Five Feet Apart scribes Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis have explained their process.

Read guides that explain how to write great movie adaptations. To get you started, here are 5 things you should do right off the bat to write an adaptation:

1. Don’t Adapt What You Don’t Have the Rights To
2. Find the Cinematic Elements of the Story
3. Find the Core Beats of the Story and Characters
4. Merge or Delete Secondary Characters
5. Write an Original Script Version of the Source Material

Read More: What Can We Learn From the 2023 Oscar-Nominated Shorts?

The post 12 Best Short Stories to Read for Screenwriting Inspiration appeared first on ScreenCraft.

Ranging from global epics to intimate family dramas, and from the streets of Beijing to the fields of England, each one is a modern classic. Several of them have subsequently been adapted for the screen (either TV or film); collectively they provide a vital reminder of the primary importance of live dramatic storytelling. 

More info coming soon  |  Remind Me

Jerusalem (2009)

Written by Jez Butterworth

Jerusalem has been described by one prominent British drama critic as “the greatest British play of the 21st century” and, despite being written just over a decade ago, it is already a set text on the English Language A-level course in Britain. However, such accolades can easily make Jerusalem appear dull or worthy when it is anything but. In fact, it is a frequently hilarious and often deliberately provocative examination of what it means to be a rebel in our modern, corporate-dominated age. 

The plot of Jerusalem is so simple that sometimes there appears to be no plot at all. Jerusalem’s hero/anti-hero is Johnny “Rooster” Byron, a caravan-dwelling, tall-tale-telling, 21st-century avatar of “ye olde Englande”, so much of which appears to have vanished completely, if indeed it ever existed at all. Both a modern-day Falstaff and a low-rent/low-class Withnail, with all the swagger and bluster that those descriptions imply, Johnny survives by selling drugs, which he considers a wholly honorable occupation as it allows people (including children) to escape from all the entrapments of so-called civilization. However, time appears to be finally running out for him, as he faces eviction from the land he regards as his own. Nevertheless, one thing is absolutely certain: like Falstaff and Withnail before him, Johnny will go down fighting, or at the very least ranting and railing. 

This is definitely one of the best stage plays to read if you want to learn how to write something funny and provocative.

Le Père (The Father) (2012)

Written by Florian Zeller

The “dementia drama” is virtually an invention of 21st-century theatre (and film and television), as the problems of neurological degeneration in old age become ever more common with aging populations, especially in the Western world. However, the finest of a very large crop is almost certainly Le Père (The Father), by the French playwright, novelist, and filmmaker, Florian Zeller. 

The reason that Le Père (The Father) stands out in such a crowded field is that the play does not so much depict dementia as embody it, because of its endlessly dynamic and uncertain structure. As a middle-aged woman struggles to cope with the increasingly rapid and profound mental disintegration of her father, the play itself almost seems to fall apart, just like its protagonists, giving anyone who does not have direct experience of dementia a real sense of how hellish it is. Le Père (The Father) has been filmed both in French and in English, with Anthony Hopkins winning the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the English-language version, but, like so many great films and TV series, it all began on stage. 

This House (2012)

Written by James Graham

James Graham may just be Britain’s, if not the world’s, greatest living dramatist, having conquered both television and theatre, with only film remaining for him to excel in (and the invitations from Hollywood and other major film industries are surely already on the way). This year, his TV crime drama Sherwood began as an investigation of a horrific crossbow killing in a former Nottinghamshire mining village but gradually became a historical re-examination of the 1984 miners’ strike in Britain, which ended the power of both coal and the men who mined it. It was described by The Guardian’s TV critic, Lucy Mangan, as “the cleverest, most compelling show I’ve seen in years.”

However, even that was nothing compared to the accolades bestowed on This House, Graham’s 2012 play about the fractured British Parliament of the second half of the 1970s, in which the absence of a majority-ruling party necessitated apparently endless official and unofficial coalitions (and all the associated backroom power-broking) between politicians of different parties. When the play premiered in 2012, Britain was being ruled by an actual coalition between the right-wing Conservatives and the much smaller and supposedly more left-leaning Liberal Democrats, so it had acute contemporary resonance. But its portrayal of the Machiavellian machinations of politicians, who invariably prize power above principle (if only because power allows them to enact their principles), is timeless.  

This House is one of the best plays to read if you want to write a political drama that tackles difficult power dynamics.

Chimerica (2013)

Written by Lucy Kirkwood

Chimerica is about the attempt by a news photographer and a Chinese dissident to find arguably the most globally famous but individually unknown (and possibly unknowable) man of the late 20th century – “Tank Man”. He, of course, was the lone hero who personally faced down and at least temporarily halted the advance of some of the Chinese tanks sent in to destroy the pro-democracy protests by students and other activists in Tiananmen Square in 1989. 

Chimerica was an enormous success on stage, beginning with its premiere at The Almeida Theatre in London, and in 2019 became a four-part TV drama for Britain’s Channel 4. The term “Chimerica” was coined by a historian, Niall Ferguson, and an economist, Moritz Schularick, to refer to the joint dominance of what they regarded as the two superpowers of the 21st century, China and America. Kirkwood seized upon it because of its similarity to the word “chimera”, meaning something that is hoped for but almost impossible to achieve, or even illusory. Ironically, given the reassertion of Russia as a global power player with its invasion of Ukraine, the term “Chimerica” may itself be a “chimera”. However, the play demonstrates that just as important as the shifting nature of geopolitics is the shifting nature of individual identity, as the pursuit of “Tank Man” becomes ever more difficult, if not impossible.  

If you'd like to write something based on real events, this is one of the best plays to read.

Bad Jews (2013)

Written by Joshua Harmon

Joshua Harmon’s Bad Jews is a seemingly small-scale family drama that actually takes in much of 20th-century history and its legacy in the 21st century. Two American cousins fight – metaphorically and literally – for possession of a family heirloom, which is financially worthless (or at least not worth fighting over to the extent that the cousins do) but sentimentally priceless. In the process, they try to establish which of them is more deserving of it – in essence, which of them is the Good Jew and which the Bad. 

The heirloom is so important because one of the cousins’ ancestors had saved it from the Nazis during the Holocaust, making it one of the few objects from an entire continent to have survived such plunder. Jonathan Freedland’s recent book, The Escape Artist, a biography of Rudolf Vrba, who was one of the few Jews ever to escape from Auschwitz, reminds us that the Nazis effectively industrialized the theft of Jewish wealth just as much as they industrialized the slaughter of Jewish people. However, all of that history is the backdrop to what is often magnificently petty squabbling and name-calling. That includes one of the most memorable rejoinders of 21st-century theatre when one cousin reprimands the other for trying to outdo him when it comes to guilt-tripping by proclaiming: “Don’t Holocaust me!”

Read More: Five 21st Century Plays Every Screenwriter Should Know

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Now that you know the best stage plays to read, maybe it's time to write your own! Find out what professional script readers consider when reading cinematic stage plays.

The post 5 of the Best 21st Century Plays to Read if You're a Screenwriter appeared first on ScreenCraft.

But if you're interested in studying examples of films and TV shows that address mental illness, whether through the lense of an irreverent dramedy or a harrowing biopic, we put together a list that might help.

More info coming soon  |  Remind Me

I Know This Much Is True

This television miniseries stars Mark Ruffalo as twin brothers Dominick and Thomas. His hard-hitting performance showcases the numerous issues that compound upon each other when your one and only sibling deals with something no one seems to understand.

Set in the 1990s, this drama moves back in time now and again to show the warning signs of Thomas’s descent into paranoid schizophrenia. Dominick shoulders the burden of being the point person and advocate for his brother, even when it pains him most. This story shows how even the closest relationships can be strained by tackling such an illness.

Please Like Me

An Australian television series, Please Like Me is an exploration of real-life issues that show up in both dramatic and comedic moments — just like real life.

After being dumped by his girlfriend, protagonist Josh realizes that he’s gay and gets to deal with a whole new chapter in his life. But while he gets to explore this exciting discovery, he begins having to care in a way for his mother, who recently attempted suicide. Josh’s social awkwardness sets the tone for a young man dealing with real issues like a mother’s mental struggles (and first dates), while still keeping some levity in each new development of the story.

A Beautiful Mind

A classic story and a biographical drama to boot, A Beautiful Mind is the feature film based on the life of celebrated mathematician John Nash.

Russell Crowe performs tremendously to show Nash’s struggle with the onset of paranoid schizophrenia, a narrative that begins for Nash in grad school. His wife and his friends watch as the man they knew begins to suffer delusions, leading him into a secret double life with “assignments” that only he can perform. As he learns and adjusts to the reality of his struggle, Nash also develops a method to keep the hallucinations at bay while eventually making waves enough in the subject of game theory to earn him a Nobel Prize in economic sciences.

This is a powerful story about overcoming the obstacles that a mental illness can bring on. While not every person should address their mental illness in the same way, this film also shows what people can accomplish, even after receiving such a serious diagnosis.

United States of Tara

How do you make the story of a mother with a serious mental disorder funny? Ask Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody. She explained her approach to writing United States of Tara, a series about a woman, played masterfully by Toni Collette, who suffers from dissociative identity disorder.

"I was nervous at the outset. The pilot couldn’t be 'sitcomy' but, at the same time, it had to be funny. It was a big challenge to find the humor in everyday life and not poke fun at the disorder. And I wanted to be as sensitive as possible."

Tara switches between identities, called “alters” (like alter egos), including that of her normal self, one of a doting housewife, and one of a rebellious teenager. While her alters may manifest with no warning at all, Tara’s family has grown used to the conditions of this disorder, and they help her cope in every way they can.

This show demonstrates just how good having a supportive family can really be for anyone with a mental illness or disorder.

Moon Knight

In a slightly different vein, one Marvel superhero gets to represent his mental illness on television.

Moon Knight is also known as Marc Spector, but his alter egos include Steven Grant and Mr. Knight. Marc becomes the object of interest of the Egyptian moon god, Khonshu, and his experiences with dissociative identity disorder (or something that looks a lot like it) make him the perfect terrestrial avatar for the god.

Of course, some of what you see in the series mirrors the aspects of DID, but Marvel is here to tell a big story using some real-life elements alongside fantasy and sci-fi. While the earlier four mentions are about real-life effects on people, Moon Knight is something both reminiscent and different.

Conclusion

I know my life has been affected by mental illness, just as so many others have. Whether you’re there to watch those stories, or you want to tell your own, remember that these issues are real and touch more lives than maybe we tend to realize.

Stories about mental health are becoming more common these days — we're talking about it as a society more often than we used to — so, when writing these stories, be kind, be honest, and be aware.

The post Explore 5 Drama Films and TV Series About Mental Illness appeared first on ScreenCraft.

But what are the other quintessentially 4th of July films? Martin Keady, our resident cinema historian, names nine others. 

Enter Now  |  Final Deadline in 22 days

Independence Day (1996)

Directed by Roland Emmerich

Written by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin

It’s impossible not to begin any assessment of 4th of July films with Independence Day, not least because the film ends, after the invading aliens have been defeated, with a sincere wish by the US President, played by Bill Pullman, that henceforward 4th of July will be celebrated as “Independence Day” for the whole of Planet Earth. 

More than a quarter of a century since the release of Independence Day, the film itself almost stands as the highwater mark of US triumphalism at the end of the 20th century. Released just a few years after the collapse of the old Soviet Union, when historian Francis Fukuyama wrote and talked earnestly about “The End of History” and the triumph of US capitalism, liberalism, and democracy, it imagined the whole world being united under the USA in a common cause.

Now, however, as the Second Cold War begins in earnest and US democracy itself faces an existential crisis, it is hard not to think of Independence Day as being almost as dated, even anachronistic, as a silent movie.

No wonder the sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence, which was released in 2016, the same year that Donald Trump won the US presidency, was a relative flop by comparison. 

Born On The Fourth Of July (1989)

Directed by Oliver Stone

Written by Oliver Stone and Ron Kovic, based on Kovic’s book of the same name

The only film that can rival Independence Day for sheer “4th of July-ness” is Born On The Fourth Of July, Oliver Stone’s screen adaptation of Ron Kovic’s autobiographical account of how he went from being a US Marine Corps Sergeant to an anti-war activist after being wounded and ultimately paralyzed in the Vietnam War. Kovic was indeed born on the 4th of July, making him almost the literal embodiment of the classical American ideals of independence and self-determination — ideals that were challenged, if not crushed, by his being confined to a wheelchair after his military service. 

Oliver Stone had himself served in the US Infantry in Vietnam before becoming first a screenwriter, winning the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Midnight Express (1978), Alan Parker’s harrowing adaptation of Billy Hayes’s autobiographical account of being incarcerated in Turkey for drug-smuggling, and then a director. And Born On The Fourth Of July was part of Stone’s remarkable run of films in the 1980s — including Salvador, Platoon, and Wall Street — in which he forensically examined American values, especially as they were enacted overseas, to consider whether they withstood scrutiny. Invariably, he found that they did not. 

Top Gun (1986)

Directed by Tony Scott

Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr., based on the magazine article "Top Guns" by Ehud Yonay

If any actor could be said to embody the spirit of the 4th of July and its associated ideals, it is almost certainly the man who played Ron Kovic in Born On The Fourth Of July, Tom Cruise. Cruise’s performance in Born On The Fourth Of July, alongside that in Rain Man from a year earlier, proved that he could be more than just a pretty-boy movie star. However, he was only offered such challenging and provocative roles because of his box-office clout, having been the definitive 80s movie star, and nowhere more so than in 1986’s Top Gun. 

It probably says everything about Top Gun that, unlike so many of the great 1970s Hollywood films such as The Godfather and The Exorcist, it was based not on a book but on a magazine article written by Israeli journalist Ehud Yonay in 1983 and famously read by Top Gun’s producer, Don Simpson, while awaiting a doctor’s appointment.

In many ways, Top Gun is simply that magazine article, with its at-the-time astonishing aerial photography, brought to life, and with all the attendant lack of depth and characterization that that description implies. Nevertheless, Simpson, who was undoubtedly the great 1980s movie — or rather, blockbuster — producer, instantly realized that Top Gun crystallized so many American ideals of military might and political right (in both senses of the word). Its legacy or at least its box-office success was such that, more than 35 years on, a sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, could be released this year. 

Hamilton (2020)

Directed by Thomas Kail

Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, based on his musical of the same name

In some ways, the film of Hamilton is not a film at all but a recording of the extraordinary musical of the same name by Lin-Manuel Miranda, which may be not just the greatest musical of the 21st century so far but possibly the greatest musical ever written, as even many historians of musicals have argued. Miranda has often said that he would love to write an actual screen adaptation of the musical, rather than just recording the stage performance, but, being the canny producer that he is, he wants to make sure that everyone has seen the musical first. 

Such has been the unprecedented success of Hamilton the musical, which itself was based on Ron Chernow’s 2004 biography of the then largely unknown Founding Father, that Miranda may not have to wait long for the full-screen adaptation of Hamilton to happen. The musical, a hip-hop rewriting of American history, is phenomenal, with the songwriting alone — “My Shot”, “The Room Where It Happens”, et al. — suggesting that all the great pop songwriting of the second half of the 20th century was now to be found not in the pop charts but in this one Broadway show. And if the film is little more than a record of that show, it is still a remarkable celebration of African-Americans’ unique contribution to the American story, which only makes one long for the full, widescreen, epic film to be made. 

Lincoln (2012)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Written by Tony Kushner, based on the book “Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Lincoln is Steven Spielberg’s cinematic love letter to the man who was arguably America’s greatest ever President, who won the US Civil War and ended slavery but paid with his life, in the most extraordinary theatrical assassination since Alexander The Great’s father, Philip of Macedon, over two millennia earlier. 

Lincoln was based on “Team of Rivals”, a book by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which was adapted by Tony Kushner, the Tony Award-winning playwright of Angels In America (1993) who has subsequently become Spielberg’s go-to-screenwriter, most recently updating West Side Story (2021). Consequently, Lincoln is a sober, thorough analysis of the political machinations that engulfed the Lincoln presidency during the last few months of the Civil War, which would also prove to be the last few months of Lincoln’s life. Un-jingoistic and often un-celebratory, Lincoln is a necessary antidote to the thoughtless tub-thumping of so many 4th of July films, and features one of Daniel Day-Lewis’s greatest screen performances. Given that he was probably the greatest screen actor of his generation before apparently retiring definitively after The Phantom Thread (2017), that is the highest praise imaginable. 

Glory (1989)

Directed by Edward Zwick

Screenplay by Kevin Jarre, based on the novels “Lay This Laurel” by Lincoln Kirstein and “One Gallant Rush” by Peter Burchard

Fittingly for a film about the importance of comradeship, esprit de corps, and sheer teamwork, Glory is based not on one novel but on two, which both examined the previously under-explored role of African-American soldiers in the US Civil War. And in another classic case of “doubling”, Glory would make the perfect double-bill with Lincoln for anyone wanting to celebrate their 4th of July by reconsidering some of the myths of American history. 

Glory tells the story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first African-American units established by the Union Army. But typically for the time, when even the supposedly slave-freeing Northerners were often racists themselves, these black men fight under a white officer (played by Matthew Broderick), with all the inevitable tensions that generated. The breakthrough movie of Denzel Washington, who played a rebellious private who did not easily take to being ordered around (especially by a white man), Glory, like Lincoln, is a necessary corrective to many of the falsehoods about 19th century America in general and the US Civil War in particular, which are still propagated today, showing how black and white men fought together against the slave-owning South, but not without complication and certainly not without conflict. 

A League Of Their Own (1992)

Directed by Penny Marshall

Written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel

It is fitting that so many of the best 4th of July films are set during wartime, given that the original 4th of July celebrations marked the end of the original American war, that of independence from the British Empire at the end of the 18th century. However, Penny Marshall's A League of Their Own has a different take on war, showing, to quote Talking Heads, “Life During Wartime” and in particular telling the extraordinary story of the women’s baseball league that briefly flourished during WWII, when so many American men (including baseball players) were overseas fighting in Europe or the Pacific. 

There are many fine films about baseball, which until WWII was undoubtedly “America’s Pastime”, although it has subsequently been overtaken, certainly on the global stage, by both American football and basketball. They include Bull Durham (1988), Field of Dreams (1989), and, above all, The Pride of the Yankees (1942). However, while Gary Cooper was playing the legendary Lou Gehrig in the latter, A League Of Their Own shows that at almost exactly the same time American women were playing baseball for real in front of huge crowds. As such, it is the great female baseball movie and one of the great “alternative” 4th of July films. 

The Sandlot (1993)

Directed by David Mickey Evans

Written by David Mickey Evans and Robert Gunter

If A League Of Their Own is the great female baseball film, then The Sandlot is the great children’s baseball film, telling the story of a young team in the historically resonant summer of 1962, a year before, as Philip Larkin famously wrote, “Sexual intercourse began/In nineteen sixty-three/(which was rather late for me) - /Between the end of the "Chatterley" ban/ And the Beatles' first LP”. The Sandlot captures that almost Edenic spirit of innocence as it charts the trials and tribulations of children on the cusp of coming of age in arguably the most momentous decade in human history. 

The Sandlot has, at its heart, one of the great 4th of July moments, or rather sequences, in film. Illuminated by the regulation celebratory fireworks, the team plays a night game against a local rival and not only wins but, even more importantly, learns the supreme importance of baseball, which remains arguably the greatest sporting metaphor for human existence. As the magnificently named Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez (a name that combines both the spirit of the original Anglo-American founding fathers and the increasing “Latino-fication” of America in the late 20th century) puts it, “Baseball is life”. In this film, at this point in history, it is certainly American life at least, and The Sandlot captures it forever.

Selma (2014)

Directed by Ava DuVernay

Written by Paul Webb

The finest 4th of July films show that independence — freedom — is for everyone, and not just the Founding Fathers and their white descendants. And just as Benny Rodriguez in The Sandlot shows how Latino-Americans have as much right as anyone else to celebrate American independence, so Selma shows the incredible, indeed existential, struggle that African-Americans went through to gain their own civil rights, including the right to be independent and to celebrate that independence. 

Selma is the story of the voting rights marches in Alabama in 1965 by African-Americans, led by Martin Luther King Jr., between the cities of Selma and Montgomery. They were met by probably the most brutal resistance that any civil rights marches of the era encountered and the film does not flinch from showing that brutality in at times truly gut-wrenching detail. But ultimately Selma is a great 4th of July film for showing that the original American War of Independence, at the end of the late 18th century, still continues today, albeit in different forms.

Consequently, one looks forward in the future to the great LGBTQI+ 4th of July films that show how, as the immortal Maya Angelou put it, “The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free”. 

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)

Directed by Frank Capra

Written by Sidney Buchman and Myles Connolly

And finally, to round off this assessment of 4th of July filmic fare, an absolute and undisputed classic: Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, in which Jimmy Stewart plays a Montana Senator who goes to the capital to demand an end to the corruption engulfing the American political system. It was the film that made Jimmy Stewart, who plays the titular Mr. Smith, a star and, even more importantly, cemented his position as arguably The Most All-American Movie Star Who Ever Lived. 

There are two main reasons why Stewart is deserving of that accolade. The first is that among all the many masterpieces he made, from Harvey to Vertigo to The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance, two still stand out because they have become classic holiday staples — indeed, almost as much a part of that holiday as the associated food and drink. The obvious one is It’s A Wonderful Life, probably the greatest Christmas film ever made. And if Mr. Smith Goes To Washington is not quite as synonymous with the 4th of July as It’s A Wonderful Life is synonymous with Christmas, then perhaps it should be, because it embodies all the initial idealism and optimism that drove the original American War of Independence. 

The second reason is simpler — Stewart was an authentic hero in life, as well as on-screen. He was the first major American movie star to enlist to fight in WWII, at a time when studios (and even politicians) were eager to keep their biggest box-office earners away from the frontline, not least because of the propaganda victory that it would have afforded the enemy if they were killed. But Stewart insisted on fighting, and in particular flying, as part of the bomber missions over Europe that were so crucial to winning the war but so deadly for those involved. However, Stewart survived and returned to America to make many of the greatest American films.

That is why perhaps the ultimate 4th of July/American independence film is yet to be made. It is “Jimmy”, a biopic of Stewart, the ultimate All-American hero, and even if Frank Capra isn’t around to direct it, it should still be magnificent. 

The post 10 of the Greatest 4th of July Films Explored appeared first on ScreenCraft.

We get our ideas from many sources — news headlines, novels, television shows, movies, our lives, our fears, our phobias, etc. They can come from a scene or moment in a film that wasn’t fully explored. They can come from a single visual that entices the creative mind — a seed that continues to grow and grow until the writer is forced to finally put it to paper or screen.

In the spirit of helping writers find those seeds, here we offer 101 originally conceived adventure story prompts that you can use as inspiration for your next adventure story.

They may inspire screenplays, novels, short stories, or even smaller moments that you can include in what stories you are already writing.

More info coming soon  |  Remind Me

Common Elements in the Adventure Genre

Adventure movies are the action genre's closest relative. They are seemingly one and the same beyond a single element — location.

Adventure movies are best defined as action movies set within an exotic location — something beyond an otherwise anonymous big city or small town.

They entail a character — or cast of characters — traveling to a new world, or many worlds, to attain what they so desire.

• Indiana Jones movies globe-trot to many different locations.
• The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise takes us to many worlds across the open waters of the ocean.
• The Goonies takes children into the underground caves of a pirate's treasure.
• The Jumanji franchise takes characters into the jungle worlds of a videogame.
• Jungle Cruise took us down the waters of the Amazon River.

Again, the key difference between a straightforward action movie and an adventure movie is location, location, location.

Notable adventure sub-genres include:

• Disaster Flicks —  The adventure aspect of these types of films entails characters struggling to survive through seemingly impossible and yes, disastrous, circumstances. The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, San Andreas, almost every Roland Emmerich movie, etc. These are all disaster flicks that take us on the ultimate adventure of survival. They can often be blended genres set within the context of natural disasters, alien invasions, and post-apocalyptic situations. In these cases, the disaster itself creates a unique location.
• Quests —  The word quest is perhaps the most simple term to market. The mere mention of it entails a MacGuffin — a plot device in the form of some goal, desired object, or other motivators that the protagonist pursues — and the grand adventure of attaining it. The Indiana Jones franchise as a whole is perhaps the most well-known of this sub-genre.

Note: Because we’re all connected to the same pop culture, news headlines, and inspirations, any similarity to any past, present, or future screenplays, novels, short stories, television pilots, television series, plays, or any other creative works is purely coincidence. These story writing prompts were conceived on the fly without any research or Google search for inspiration.

101 Adventure Story Prompts

1. Two treasure-hunting teams race against time to find the same treasure in four different potential locations.  

2. A group of high school students traveling abroad must survive the elements when their plane crashes into the jungle. 

3. A gamer wakes up in his favorite car racing game and must win multiple races to survive.

4. A young boy searches for his lost father in the nearby mountains.

5. An astronaut crash lands on an exotic planet.

6. A group of middle school friends discovers a series of tunnels underneath their town.

7. A father and son go on a safari and must survive the elements when their guides are killed. 

8. A group of explorers searches for a long-lost ship that disappeared in the Antarctic two hundred years ago. 

9. A single mother learns that her college-age daughter has disappeared into the jungles of a foreign country.

10. A family struggles to survive a destructive meteor shower.

11. A man wakes up in a dream world that he can't escape. 

12. A woman joins the military and is shipped overseas as she intends to avenge the death of her soldier husband.

13. The last man on Earth flies into space to search for astronauts sent to colonize Mars ten years prior.

14. The last people on Earth go to China's Great Wall to evade attacking creatures that have killed everyone else on the planet.

15. A priest discovers the true entrance to biblical Hell. 

16. A woman fights her way across purgatory to find her true fate. 

17. A boy is taken to an alien world after displaying amazing fighting skills in his video game system. 

18. An FBI agent tracks down a group of bank robbers through the waters of the Grand Canyon. 

19. The President of the United States wakes up on a train taking him into a desert. 

20. A spy escapes to another continent to evade government assassins trying to take him out. 

21. A group of rock climbers discovers a drug deal in the Rockies and must survive as they are pursued. 

'127 Hours'

22. A retired assassin struggles to survive an onslaught of assassins trying to kill him near his mountain cabin home.

23. A gamer escapes into the fantasy world of his favorite game.

24. A classic horror movie fan escapes into the world of his favorite horror movies.

25. Professional thieves are tasked with stealing from a country's gold reserves hidden deep within a mountain.

26. Extreme paintball enthusiasts on a wilderness retreat stumble upon a group of armed criminals.

27. A president must fight off terrorists that attack him on a retreat. 

28. An FBI agent must team up with a cartel boss to find their missing sons in the jungles of Mexico. 

29. Explorers search the ocean for the lost city of Atlantis. 

30. A family finds a lost city underneath their farmland. 

31. A team of explorers is tasked with drilling a ship into the core of the Earth. 

32. A man is catapulted into an apocalyptic future to find the cause of impending doom. 

33. Extreme sports athletes are forced to use their skills for heists in the world's most exotic locations. 

34. College friends search for a mythical island paradise during spring break.  

35. A family is marooned on another planet. 

36. Racecar drivers race across the country in the ultimate race. 

37. Pilots discover a strange city in the clouds. 

38. A robot from the future finds a little girl and takes her to the future world.  

39. Kayakers are whisked away down the Mississippi River during a horrible storm and flood. 

40. A spelunker discovers an underground world. 

41. A bullied boy wakes up as a strong knight in a fantasy world. 

42. Deer hunters discover that they have been targeted by a master hunter that hunts only one prey — man. 

43. A family must survive when they are shipwrecked on a jungle island. 

'Dora and the Lost City of Gold'

44. A waitress is given a mysterious plane ticket as a tip for her excellent service. 

45. An old west gunslinger must survive a posse that is after him. 

46. The world's most deadly convicts are hired for an impossible adventure into the depths of space. 

47. A sailor decides to sail into the infamous Bermuda Triangle to find a lost friend.  

48. A town must survive the worst flood in history. 

49. Storm chasers must survive a unique weather system that creates multiple F5 tornadoes. 

50. A man that has uploaded his consciousness to a simulated reality fights to return to his real body and world.

51. A truck driver travels across the country as he's pursued by gangsters that want his cargo. 

52. An outcast nerd discovers that he's actually a revered prince from another planet, hidden by his royal family to escape an evil space lord. 

53. The story of the Titanic, but the Titanic is a luxury space cruiser that has hit a meteor made of ice. 

54. An astronaut stuck in cryosleep wakes up after his returning ship crashlands in medieval times. 

55. A Navy SEAL is shipwrecked on a deserted island full of vampires. 

56. A submarine crew discovers an underwater civilization of humans. 

57. An asteroid crashes into Earth as people struggle to survive. 

58. Archeologists unlock the mystery of the great pyramids. 

59. The world's last unicorn struggles to get to a safe world. 

60. A wizard from another realm must find a magical item lost on Earth before their evil counterpart does. 

61. A scientist finds the cure for cancer in the jungles but is pursued by a drug cartel wanting to sell it to the highest bidder. 

62. A space pilot goes on an interstellar race to find a coveted treasure. 

'Guardians of the Galaxy'

63. A family sailing the ocean waters must overcome the worst hurricane in history. 

64. Two escaped union soldiers with key intel must make their way through the southern battlefields of the Civil War-era United States. 

65. Old West train robbers must fight off infantry soldiers as the train races across the country. 

66. A Vietnam POW escapes a prisoner camp and struggles to make his way through the war-torn territories to freedom.

67. Criminals are now shipped into space on space prison ships as some try to escape. 

68. Peter Pan's mother tracks him down in Neverland. 

69. Competing treasure hunting families race on the open ocean waters to find a sunken treasure. 

70. A character within a Sim City-like game becomes self-aware and wants to escape to the real world. 

71.  A family vacationing in Hawaii unlocks a portal that transports them back in time. 

72. Asteroid miners struggle to survive an accident. 

73. A family of assassins must survive a syndicate's attempt to take them out while they're on vacation in Europe.

74. A family is transported back to the time of the dinosaurs and struggles to survive. 

75. A riverboat captain attempts the first trip down the Mississippi River. 

76. A futuristic gamer realizes what he thought was a virtual reality shooter game is actually real life. 

77. A movie director finds a way to transport his cast and crew back in time to save money on sets and wardrobes. 

78. Alien monsters chase the last living family on Earth across the country. 

79. A warrior is tasked with venturing to the Dark World to save a captive princess. 

80. A pirate that has fallen in love and wants to leave his pirate ways is chased down by his crew. 

81. Three swordsmen fight their way across a medieval world in search of Excalibur. 

'The Green Knight'

82. A select group of individuals is invited to partake in the ultimate scavenger hunt. 

83. A best-selling author is transported into the fantasy world of his novels. 

84. A science fiction movie director realizes that the world he created for his hit franchise is real. 

85. Siblings mourn the death of their grandpa, only to discover that he's left them an old treasure map.  

86. A witch curses a group of children, causing them to shrink to the size of ants. 

87. A family must find each other after the worst earthquake in human history. 

88. An ancestor of the real Van Helsing is hunted across Europe by vampires.  

89. An off-duty detective on a cruise vacation with his family must fend off terrorists that take over the ship. 

90. A special forces team is catapulted into the world of Wonderland. 

91. An astronaut marooned on the dark side of the moon must make his way to a landing site before it is too late.  

92. A wilderness firefighter must parachute into a wildfire to find a missing family. 

93. A special forces team must retreat back to their base as they are pursued by vampires awakened within an ancient village.  

94. A group of ghost hunters must find their way out of a haunted castle. 

95. A family snorkeling along a reef during vacation finds themselves trapped in an underwater world.  

96. A portal to another world opens during a sleepover. 

97. A conspiracy theorist manages to break into Area 51 and discovers that it houses portals to alien worlds. 

98. An action star is kidnapped and hunted down by a tribe that believes he is the real deal.  

99. Career criminals utilize a city-wide blackout for their crimes. 

100. Scientists travel back to the world of dinosaurs to find a long-dead plant that could save humankind from extinction. 

101. A screenwriter awakens in the world of his science fiction script and must find a way back home.  

'Adaptation'

Share this with your writing peers or anyone that loves a good adventure story. Have some prompts of your own? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!

Want More Ideas? Take a Look at Our Other Genre-Based 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, 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

The post 101 Epic Adventure Story Prompts appeared first on ScreenCraft.

We get our ideas from many sources — news headlines, novels, television shows, movies, our lives, our fears, our phobias, etc. They can come from a scene or moment in a film that wasn’t fully explored. They can come from a single visual that entices the creative mind — a seed that continues to grow and grow until the writer is forced to finally put it to paper or screen.

They may inspire screenplays, novels, short stories, or even smaller moments that you can include in what stories you are already writing.

More info coming soon  |  Remind Me

Why Should Your Script Be Animated? 

Too many screenwriters have sent screenplays out to animation studios without the initial intention of creating a story bred for animation. Animation isn't a fallback or secondary option for the marketing of your screenplay.

You need to explore what animation can bring to your screenplays and stories. You need to ask yourself why your script should be animated — and why you should approach animation houses and producers. One of the first things they will ask you is: "Why should this be an animated movie?"

The best genre options for animation include:

• Fantasy
• Science Fiction
• Children Book Adaptations
• Comic Adaptations

Animation can bring these types of stories to life in a way that live-action can't, even in this day and age of CGI. The medium allows creative and stylistic visuals and imagery to come to life — visuals and imagery that wouldn't translate as well to live-action. And some that just wouldn't be possible in live-action.

There has to be a reason, though. There needs to be a communicable pitch for why your story is perfect for animation. Animation can't just be a marketing option for your screenplay.

For more guidance on that, Read ScreenCraft's The Simple Guide to Writing Animated Screenplays!

In the spirit of helping writers find those creative seeds, here we offer 101 originally conceived animation story prompts that you can use as inspiration for your next animated screenplay.

Note: Because we’re all connected to the same pop culture, news headlines, and inspirations, any similarity to any past, present, or future screenplays, novels, short stories, television pilots, television series, plays, or any other creative works is purely coincidence. These story writing prompts were conceived on the fly without any research or Google search for inspiration.

101 Animation Story Prompts

1. Two treasure-hunting families of mice set out on a journey that takes them around the world.  

2. Canine siblings that lost their parents find a portal to the Rainbow Bridge leading to pet heaven. 

3. A gamer finds a portal that allows him to enter his favorite games.

4. A young bear cub searches for his lost father in the mountains.

5. A family of space travelers crash lands on an exotic planet.

6. Siblings discover a series of mysterious tunnels underneath their town.

7. Animals of Africa put on a show for visiting human safari tours. 

8. A family befriends a monster discovered living underneath the children's bed. 

9. Starving ants fight to infiltrate a seemingly impenetrable suburban home for food.

10. A society of cockroaches inhabits the post-apocalyptic Earth.

11. A canine mother wants to realize her life-long dream to train for the pet Olympics. 

12. The hidden canine life of dog show participants.

13. A family of mice is chosen to be the first living being to fly in space.

14. A family of chimps is to be the first to colonize Mars.