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First Draft: The 10 Commandments of Brainstorming
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, “First Draft” is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. Life is trying things to see if they work. ~Ray Bradbury Creativity is a...
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First Draft: Don’t Beat Yourself Up for Downtime From Screenwriting
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, “First Draft” is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. I used to have a big problem whenever I didn’t write something—anything—for...
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First Draft: What’s Missing From Your Screenplay? Stakes
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting, we present “First Draft,” a series on everything to do with screenwriting. New articles, first published by Creative Screenwriting, are posted regularly....
View ArticleStudy Up: If You’re Not Reading Screenplays, You’re Missing Out as a...
As you probably know, the best way to master any creative craft is to study and learn from the best. In the way Picasso’s early work owes a massive debt to Van Gogh, Woody Allen based his persona on...
View ArticleFirst Draft: 11 Ways Screenwriters Can Avoid Annoying Their Contacts
Screenwriters are a desperate bunch. This isn’t meant to be a derogatory statement by any means—it’s just the truth. You face seemingly endless barrages of rejection, disappointment and despair when...
View ArticleFirst Draft: Five Keys to Making Your Protagonist Likable
In partnership with the blog ScreenCraft, we’re publishing “First Draft,” a series on everything to do with screenwriting. I’ll be the first to admit when I’m struggling on a screenplay. I’m...
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First Draft: How “Done” is Your Script?
In partnership with the blog ScreenCraft, “First Draft” is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. New articles, first published by Screencraft, are posted regularly. The most underrated...
View ArticleThe Politics of Plot: What Liberal or Conservative Architecture is Your...
One hears a great deal these days about the universal nature of story. It’s a gratifying conceit that deep down we all share the same fundamental narrative. But what about the more factional, political...
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The Hook-Up: The Unique, NSFW-ish Research Process Behind Amateur Night...
Lisa Addario and I met in college and decided to become partners, first in writing, then in sex, then in marriage. After graduation, we both took production jobs in NYC with the hope of breaking into...
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First Draft: Three Ways Screenwriters Can Master the Art of Remixing
In partnership with the blog ScreenCraft, we’re publishing “First Draft,” a series on everything to do with screenwriting. Filmmaker Kirby Ferguson defined the state of Hollywood best when he named his...
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First Draft: What “Write What You Know” Really Means
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, “First Draft” is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. Screenplays must be built upon scenes which convey universally relatable...
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First Draft: How The Big Chill Teaches Writers to Introduce Ensemble...
In partnership with the blog ScreenCraft, “First Draft” is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. Previously, we explored how to introduce multiple characters quickly in an action film. The...
View ArticleFirst Draft: Five Inspiring Ways Famous Screenwriters Got Their Big Break
In partnership with the blog ScreenCraft, “First Draft” is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. The famous screenwriters writing some of Hollywood’s most popular movies weren’t gifted...
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First Draft: Learn to Write a Satisfying Third Act from Return of the Jedi
In partnership with the blog ScreenCraft, “First Draft” is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. Screenwriters have love-hate relationships with third acts. On one hand, you get to bring all...
View ArticleFirst Draft: How to Gauge Your Screenplay’s Budget While Writing It
In partnership with the blog ScreenCraft, we’re publishing “First Draft,” a series on everything to do with screenwriting. “I’m a screenwriter. It’s not my job to know how to budget my screenplay.”...
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First Draft: Three Fun Games to Help You Find Better Screenplay Ideas
In partnership with the blog ScreenCraft, we’re publishing “First Draft,” a series on everything to do with screenwriting. We all have a seemingly endless plethora of ideas for movies rolling around in...
View ArticleFirst Draft: Why A Screenwriter Should Think Like A Film Editor
In partnership with the blog ScreenCraft, we’re publishing “First Draft,” a series on everything to do with screenwriting. When the original cut of First Blood was first screened for the studio, it was...
View ArticleFirst Draft: 30 Screenwriting Lessons From The Twilight Zone Creator Rod Serling
In partnership with the blog ScreenCraft, we’re publishing “First Draft,” a series on everything to do with screenwriting. Rod Serling, one of the greatest and most prolific genre writers and producers...
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The Hook-Up: The Unique, NSFW-ish Research Process Behind Amateur Night...
Lisa Addario and I met in college and decided to become partners, first in writing, then in sex, then in marriage. After graduation, we both took production jobs in NYC with the hope of breaking into...
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First Draft: Lessons in Plotting Film Noir, From The Big Sleep, The Big...
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, “First Draft” is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. The Nice Guys follows private detective Holland March (Ryan Gosling) and...
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