Rachel Graham on May 04, 2012 in Screenwriting Horror Tips
Script Structure Analysis: Cabin in the Woods
"Cabin in the Woods" is getting raves from critics and moviegoers alike, but the most interesting thing about it isn’t the surprise “twist,” but the twists of the plot itself. What follows is a structural breakdown of the entire movie (SPOILER ALERT) and tips on how to keep your own complicated script under control.
Rachel Graham on April 20, 2012 in Screenwriting Tips Vocab Lessons
Vocab Lesson: MacGuffin
Vocab Lessons explains a common screenwriting or filmmaking technique so that screenwriters can better utilize them in their writing. This post will cover a macguffin, a sometimes insignificant object that drives the plot forward. Some spoilers ahead.
Rachel Graham on April 06, 2012 in Screenwriting Advice Plagiarism
Protecting Yourself from Plagiarism
A comparison of The Hunger Games and Battle Royale, and advice on how screenwriters can deal with plagiarism and protect their work.
Rachel Graham on March 23, 2012 in Screenwriting Tips Plagiarism
The Hunger Games and Plagiarism
Thoughts on the debate over whether Battle Royale was plagiarized to create The Hunger Games, and what screenwriters can learn from it.
Rachel Graham on March 16, 2012 in Screenwriting Tips Vocab Lessons
Vocab Lesson: Character Foils
Vocab Lessons explains a common screenwriting or filmmaking technique so that screenwriters can better utilize them in their writing. This post will cover a character foil, which is a character whose traits either mirrors or is opposite to the main character
Rachel Graham on March 09, 2012 in Screenwriting Tips
Top Tips for Writing a Bio Pic
With the Oscars and other award shows consistently handing out trophies to actors and actresses in big name bio pics (ahem, Meryl Streep), it
Rachel Graham on March 02, 2012 in Screenwriting Tips Outlines
How (And Why) to Outline a Screenplay
As much as we all want to just sit down and write a screenplay, it
Rachel Graham on February 24, 2012 in Screenwriting Scripts That Work Top Five
The Top Five Best Oscar-Winning Screenplays
It
Rachel Graham on February 17, 2012 in Screenwriting Script That Work Structure
Scripts that Work: Beauty and the Beast
With its recent re-release in theaters, and several directors, including Guillermo Del Toro, crafting adult versions, Beauty and the Beast is having a cultural reawakening. Though the 3D effects are stunning, the truly amazing element in animated Disney version is the script, which continues to resonate 20 years after the film was released. Read on to find out why.
Rachel Graham on February 10, 2012 in Screenwriting Tips Romance
Top Tips for Writing Romance
With the promise of roses, chocolate, and frustrated singletons, Valentine
Rachel Graham on February 03, 2012 in Screenwriting Basics Character
The Basics on
"The Basics On" investigates one aspect of screenwriting in depth. This entry will focus on the ins and outs of building dynamic characters who drive action, and why a weak or underdeveloped character can led to a film
Rachel Graham on January 20, 2012 in Screenwriting Vocab Lessons Montage
Vocab Lessons: the Montage
Vocab Lessons explains a common screenwriting or filmmaking technique so that screenwriters can better utilize them in their writing. This post will discuss the
Rachel Graham on January 13, 2012 in Screenwriting Advice The Writing Process
What Screenwriters Will Never Tell You
Screenwriters LOVE to give advice, especially when an aspiring writer is asking for it. But there's one piece of advice that no one is ever going to give - and it could make or break your script.
Rachel Graham on January 06, 2012 in Screenwriting Script Notes Adaptation
Script Notes On: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Script Notes is a series about current cinema and what writers can learn from great (and not-so-great) scripts. This entry is about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, based on the international best-selling novel and starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara. There will definitely be spoilers in this entry!
Rachel Graham on December 30, 2011 in Screenwriting Basics Setting
The Basics On Setting
"The Basics On" investigate one aspect of screenwriting in depth. This entry is about the setting, or
Rachel Graham on December 23, 2011 in Screenwriting Software Advice
Choosing Your Screenwriting Software
Final Draft, Movie Magic, Celtx, and plain old Word
Rachel Graham on December 16, 2011 in Screenwriting Holiday Movies Cliques
Holiday Screenplay Cliques to Avoid
This time of year always makes me want to cozy up to a computer with a hot cup of cocoa and write something holiday related
Rachel Graham on December 09, 2011 in Screenwriting Script Notes Silent Films
Script Notes On: The Artist
Script Notes is a series about current cinema and what writers can learn from great (and not-so-great) scripts. This entry is about The Artist, a black-and-white silent film about a 20
Rachel Graham on December 02, 2011 in Screenwriting Tips Shorts
Tricks to Writing a Short Screenplay
Writing and producing a short screenplay has benefits over a full-length. They're less expensive to make, take less time to shoot, and because of youtube and internet streaming, they can now reach a bigger audience than ever before. But just because they're short doesn't mean they're easier to write. Effectively telling a full story in a short film can be a huge challenge. Check out the following tips to make your next short screenplay a success.
Rachel Graham on November 25, 2011 in Screenwriting Script Notes Voice Over
Script Notes On: The Descendants
Script Notes is a series about current cinema and what writers can learn from great (and not-so-great) scripts. This week's entry focuses on The Descendants, a drama about a man (George Clooney) whose wife slips into a coma after a boating accident. Now he must try to reconnect with his distant daughters while struggling with the news that his wife was having an affair. Some (very minor) spoilers ahead.
Rachel Graham on November 18, 2011 in Screenwriting Vocab Lessons
Vocab Lesson: The Match Cut
"Vocab Lessons" explains a common screenwriting or filmmaking technique so that writers can better utilize them in their writings. This post discusses match cuts, the editing technique of "matching" something in one scene to the next to achieve continuity between the scenes and create metaphor.
Rachel Graham on November 11, 2011 in Screenwriting Script Notes
Script Notes On: Martha Marcy May Marlene
Script Notes is a series of posts about current cinema and what writers can learn from great (and not-so-great) scripts. This week's entry focuses on Martha Marcy May Marlene, a psychological thriller about a young woman (Elizabeth Olsen) trying to regain a sense of normalcy after escaping a cult lead by the charismatic John Hawkes. This write-up contains SPOILERS so readers beware!
Rachel Graham on November 04, 2011 in Horror Genres Screenwriting Tips
Top Tips for Writing Horror
Though Halloween is over, horror is having a great afterlife. Scary movies are premiering year-round, and high-quality TV shows like The Walking Dead and American Horror Story are terrifying audiences and wowing execs with stellar production values and great acting (Jessica Lange, anyone?) In honor of terror, here are the top tips for writing a horror screenplay.
Rachel Graham on October 28, 2011 in Screenwriting Basics
The Basics On... Structure
"The Basics On..." investigate one aspect of screenwriting in depth. This entry is about structure, one of the most crucial elements of a screenplay and the key to crafting a commercially viable script.
Rachel Graham on October 14, 2011 in Screenwriting
Top Five Screenwriting Tips for Actors
Actors create characters and emotion on screen- but what if they want to go further and create their own story? Though it seems daunting at first, many actors have the skills necessary to write a script, they just need a little guidance. Here are the top five tips for actors who want to try their hand at screenwriting.
Rachel Graham on October 07, 2011 in Screenwriting
Developing Character - Writing Exercises
When inspiration strikes, writers sometimes jump into scripting, and then discover halfway through that their characters lack depth. Though it may seem tedious, it
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