Last week, I began my breakdown of how the structural elements of the original AVATAR screenplay makes it so effective: Every scene, event and character contributes to the hero’s outer motivations. Each hurdle and obstacle the hero faces is greater than the last The pace of the story accelerates throughout There are peaks and valleys…
You may have noticed the message at the bottom of my previous article, inviting you to submit any story questions you’d like me to answer.
Not a great recommendation for celebrating the holidays, I know. But if you want to find great stories to tell, this is the key. I first came up with the phrase “follow the pain” during a presentation.
“Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.” CHINATOWN, screenplay by Robert Towne. This final line, from one of the greatest scripts ever written for Hollywood.
Humanity is drawn to stories because they provide us with entertainment, enlightenment, emotional experiences and escape from our everyday lives.
Let’s talk about sports…. I know, this is supposed to be about storytelling, but bear with me – even if you have no interest in sports at all.
When you create a story for the page, stage or screen, your primary objective must always be to create an emotional experience for your readers and audiences.
Great stories are driven by desire. The hero of the story wants something, and the story is about the actions that character takes to achieve it.
Great stories are driven by desire. The hero wants something, and the pursuit of that goal keeps readers and audiences emotionally invested in its outcome.
As soon as you introduce the hero of your story, you must begin creating empathy with that character. Empathy is an absolutely critical component of drawing readers and audiences.
Send your questions to Michael and he’ll create a Q&A Article specifically for your question!