Hello, screenwriters. These posts are my attempt to provide information that you wouldn’t normally hear in a typical screenwriting class, screenwriting course or screenwriting workshop. The structure of a screenplay is the backbone of what makes your story work. Like the foundation of a house, if the story is not solid nothing else that comes […]

As I’ve said many times, what I’m trying to accomplish in this blog is to provide information you wouldn’t normally hear in your typical screenwriting classes, screenwriting course or screenwriting workshop. This certainly fits that bill. Many years ago – in the 80’s I believe – there was a script reader named Syd Fields who […]

Hello, screenwriters.  As I’ve stated many times, my sole purpose in doing this blog is to provide information you won’t normally receive in your typical screenwriting course, screenwriting class or screenwriting workshop.  This is extremely relevant to what I want to talk about today. I have been amazed by the amount of incredible information that […]

A PERSONAL STORY Hello, Screenwriters.  As you know I attempt to provide information on this blog you wouldn’t normally hear in your typical screenwriting course, screenwriting class or screenwriting workshop.  Most of the time, the best lessons come from personal experience. I have one I thought I’d share with you.  I went to UCLA to […]

Hello, everyone. As you all know, I’m all about giving you tools that you wouldn’t normally get in your typical screenwriting course, screenwriting workshop or screenwriting class.  This certainly fits that bill.  I hope this it’s not too far off the mark of what we’ve been discussing but I thought this was so important we […]

Hello, everyone. As you know, my mission to provide information you wouldn’t ordinarily get in your typical screenwriting class, screenwriting workshop or screenwriting course.  This certainly fits that bill. Here is the last part of the Inglourious Basterds scene. Colonel Landa has now discovered the Jews are indeed hiding under the floorboards. He’s broken the […]

Okay, everyone. Here is another example of very precise instruction you wouldn’t normally get in your typical screenwriting course, screenwriting class or screenwriting workshop — the second part of our scene from Inglourious Basterds. Colonel Landa has been toying with the French farmer, looking for the Dreyfus family, Jews hiding from the Nazis. We know […]

Hello, everyone. We’re now launching into a new subject, scene construction and what makes a great scene.  As you know I try and provide information that you wouldn’t normally hear in a normal screenwriting class, screenwriting workshop or screenwriting course.  There just isn’t enough time. What immediately came to mind when I thought of this […]

Okay, everyone. The time is finally here. We are moving on to a brand new subject, which has endless potential to make your writing rise to a whole new level of professionalism. We are going to look at scene construction – and most notably – what makes a scene great. This is in comparison to […]

“Work like you don’t need the money, Love like you’ve never been hurt. Dance like nobody’s watching.” — Satchel Paige Okay, everyone. Here is our last monologue. It’s a fitting end to this cycle of wonderful wordplay by gifted screenwriters. It’s from “Apocalypse Now,” written by John Milius and Francis Ford Coppola. It was sent […]