The emotion you must elicit with your stories will come primarily from the conflict your heroes face – the hurdles and obstacles they must overcome as they pursue their desires,… read more →
Captivating, entertaining dialogue is essential to great storytelling. As I discussed in my previous newsletter entitled “Talk,” what your characters say can add detail, depth, realism, humor, understanding and emotion… read more →
In coaching film and fiction writers as well as speakers, marketers and entrepreneurs, I stand by the principle that stories are universal, and that the same qualities that make movies… read more →
Your success as a storyteller depends on your ability to create IMAGES. Whenever audiences or buyers hear or read a story, they immediately picture what is happening. So it is… read more →
(The phrase “Spoiler Alert” has permeated the media so frequently in the last few weeks that it’s probably unnecessary to repeat it. But I’m providing that alert anyway to anyone… read more →
As Film Courage continues posting chunks of my interview with them, I want to supplement the videos with some added thoughts about my 6 Stage approach to structure. Stage 2… read more →
James Cameron’s screenplay Avatar is an outstanding example of using many structural tools and devices successfully in one script. In addition to the overall structure of your screenplay – the… read more →
Imagine a story about a soldier, wounded by past battles, who is sent to a hostile, unfamiliar place filled with danger and overwhelming obstacles. He’s a stranger in a strange… read more →
Hollywood movies are simple. Though writing a successful Hollywood movie is certainly not easy, the stories for mainstream Hollywood films are all built on only three basic components: character, desire… read more →
The causes and effects of one’s identity are brilliantly illustrated in Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s award-winning screenplay Good Will Hunting. It’s a wonderful example of a hero living an emotionally safe existence and how he gradually finds the courage to abandon that identity to achieve real fulfillment.
