Clik here to view.
Fascinating characters are a little paradoxical
Paradoxical characters in A Fish Called Wanda. Given the plethora of books, TV series, and films available nowadays, there is a danger that stories and the characters that inhabit them become stale...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Action-reaction: How to write air-tight scenes.
Action-reaction in Traffic. A sure fire way to create momentum in your story is by linking scenes together, and to do it often. Specifically, to end a scene with a hook of some sort—say with an...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Symbols – your secret power
Symbols in The Joker What are symbols, and how can we use them to prolong longevity, add resonance and depth to our stories? In his book, Man and his Symbols the renowned psychologist, Carl Gustav...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Setting: How to Write like a Cinematic Genius.
Masterful settings in Anna Karenina How important is the setting you choose for your story and characters? The short answer? Critical! In cinema where locations come alive, as much as in novels, your...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What is meant by Save the Cat moment?
The Save the Cat Moment in Spider-Man: No Way Home. One of the best storytelling concepts in movies and novels, can be found in Blake Snyder’s book, Save the Cat. This concept highlights the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Dissecting Story Secrets
The power of Secrets in the movie, Knives Out. I believe that secrets in storytelling are some of the most potent narrative components at the writer’s disposal. Secrets shape character and plot....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Five Techniques for Great Exposition
Great exposition in Arrival Ever wondered how to inject great exposition seamlessly and unobtrusively into your story? Here are five techniques to help you do just that! TECHNIQUE 1: Emotion as...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Pace your story right!
Controlling pace in Fury Road What is story pacing, and how can we manage it using just six techniques? Let’s explore this subject through the exciting lens of George Miller’s action film, Mad Max:...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Act 2 in stories – the nitty gritty
No Country for Old Men – act 2 What are the sorts of narrative beats that go into Act 2 of a story? To illustrate, let’s dip into the Oscar-winning film, No Country for Old Men. This thriller directed...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Scenes analysis: How to use it
Scene analysis a la Breaking Bad. Today, we’re going to learn all about scene analysis by studying specific beats. We’ll learn how to align scenes using Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat beat...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Oppenheimer – the morality of scientific progress
Oppenheimer – Hero or Villain? Today, we delve into the acclaimed film Oppenheimer, a masterpiece that takes us on a gripping journey through the life of its complex protagonist, J. Robert...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Fifteen Beats to Save the Cat!
Fifteen beats to Save the Cat Today, we explore the fifteen beats that comprise the core of Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat method. We have lots to get through so let’s begin by breaking down the beats...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Show-Don’t-Tell in Six Easy Steps!
Today, we’re exploring the brilliance of the ‘Married Life’ montage sequence from the film, Up, and extracting six valuable show-don’t-tell techniques to help improve your storytelling skills. This...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A.I. Friend or Foe?
Ex Machina. Friend or Foe? Today, we’re exploring the intriguing world of Ex Machina to gain insight into the sorts of relationships that might arise between humans and intelligent machines. As...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Creator
The Creator. Today, we’re continuing to ponder the future of artificial intelligence, this time, through the lens of the thought-provoking movie, The Creator. The film introduces us to a world where...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How many characters do you really need in your story?
Character selection in Inception How do you know how many characters you need to tell a story? And how do you select them? Some writers turn to Joseph Campbell’s eight character archetypes for...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Making of an Antihero
The Sopranos is an antihero template. Today, we continue our exciting journey into the world of television, focusing on the iconic character who helped to define the Antihero genre – Tony Soprano. The...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Blockbuster and the Hero’s Journey
The Blockbuster and the Hero’s Journey. Today, we will study the Hero’s Journey drawing from Christopher Vogler’s book, The Writers Journey, showing how the modern blockbuster exemplifies this...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Who Speaks for the Superhero Genre?
The Boys and the Superhero Genre Today, we’re looking into the world of the superhero, but not the kind of superhero we’re used to. I’m talking about The Boys, a series that has taken the genre by...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Art of the Hook: Crafting Compelling Stories!
How The Boys uses the hook Today, we’re learning about how to hook readers and audiences into stories, drawing from episodes from The Boys. 1: Immediate Intrigue A strong hook doesn’t just grab...
View Article
