There are so many greats in the screenwriting world, and few have had the longevity as Mike White. Primarily known for The White Lotus, White bursted onto the scene with 2000’s Chuck & Buck and 2003’s...

Boardwalk Empire had all the hype in 2010. With the weight of Martin Scorsese directing and Terence Winter writing, expectations were enormous. HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, which debuted in 2010, was one o...

Whether you’re a Marvel fan or not, there is something to analyze regarding the success of superhero movies in the last 10-20 years. While I have my issues with the superhero craze, 2018’s Black Panth...

Why go with a straightforward narrative structure when you can explain the beauty in nonlinear storytelling? Think of nonlinear stories as a departure from the standard story format, which weaves mult...

At the most basic level, what distinguishes a dual protagonist film from an ensemble piece or a “hero and sidekick” story is how much the film focuses on those characters. In an ensemble film, such as...

Phyllis Nagy is an underrated writer in the screenwriting world and a personal favorite of mine. Nagy is best known for Carol (2015), an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt, for...

The Leftovers, created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta (based on Perrotta’s novel of the same name), is one of the best pilot’s to examine as a writer. Premiering on HBO in 2014, it offered one of ...

Nothing has terrified me more at a young age than the iconic Xenomorph in Ridley Scott’s 1979 horror film Alien. This franchise, and more importantly, the first installment, marked my early developmen...

Keeping your audience engaged is imperative to the success of every script, but sometimes it’s more nuanced than packing it with explosions or chase scenes. If it sounds too analytical instead of play...

The central plot shouldn’t always be your focal point, especially with the importance of a subplot. While your characters, general plot, and narrative structure are crucial, there isn’t a great script without a subplot to go along with it. Thus, let’s discuss interweaving subplots and the ability to craft narrative arcs across multiple storylines.Still from 'The Lord of the Rings:' (2001). Photo credit: New Line CinemaThe Purpose of SubplotsA subplot is a secondary narrative strand that supports

It’s easy to get sidetracked by screenwriting books, overanalyzing the rules, overthinking every scene, and end up paralyzed when you actually sit down to write. It’s best to analyze the greats in the...

Regarding writing for television, few recent projects have demonstrated narrative innovation and emotional impact as powerfully as The Chosen. Created by Dallas Jenkins, The Chosen is the first multi-...

Regarding antagonists, few are as well-written and put together as Captain Bligh in 1935’s Mutiny on the Bounty. The film draws from real-life events and the 1932 historical novel of the same name. As...

Alexander Payne is a top-five filmmaker for me and someone I argue doesn’t get enough love in the cinephile world. Election (1999) and Sideways (2004) will always hold a special place in my heart, and...

You’ve heard it before, including from me, on how characters make or break a script. That is especially the case when you're discussing television writing because, after all, the audience is going to ...