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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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How (And Why) to Outline a Screenplay

As much as we all want to just sit down and write a screenplay, it

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Top Tips for Writing Romance

With the promise of roses, chocolate, and frustrated singletons, Valentine

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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.

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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.

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