Steal This Plot
28/Feb/09 20:06 Filed in: The Method
Trying to figure out a plot for your screenplay can be difficult, but it doesn’t need to be. Just steal a plot from another writer, preferably someone who has been dead for so long that their estate probably won’t have a staff of lawyers on retainer who can sue your butt off. Read More...
Dealing with Characters
27/Feb/09 15:35 Filed in: The Method
Characters form the heart of every screenplay. If nobody cares about your characters, then nobody will care about your screenplay. Here’s how to make your characters stand out. Read More...
The Zeigarnik Effect
26/Feb/09 09:22 Filed in: The Method
The Zeigarnik Effect is a strange term that basically describes the “Cliffhanger” appeal of leaving an audience dangling, which whets their appetite more. This is what makes the 15 Minute Movie Method so effective. Read More...
The Only Thing You Can Control
25/Feb/09 19:04 Filed in: The Business
Actor, comedian, and writer Steve Martin had a suggestion when someone asked him how to break into show business. He said, “Be so good that they can’t ignore you.” Ultimately, your talent is the only thing completely under your control. Read More...
Naming Your Characters
24/Feb/09 15:23 Filed in: The Method
Names are more than just labels to identify different characters. Names can give each character a personality that audiences may not be aware of, but that subtly supports your story and theme. Read More...
Marketing Your Screenplay
23/Feb/09 22:02 Filed in: The Business
The best screenplay in the world is useless if you can’t sell it. Here are some ideas for improving your chances of success. Read More...
Protecting Your Story
22/Feb/09 19:17 Filed in: The Method
Hollywood is famous for taking a writer’s story, twisting it apart, and churning out something completely different than what the writer intended -- and then blaming the writer when the movie sucks at the box office. Here’s what you can do to protect your story. Read More...
Getting Started
21/Feb/09 22:00 Filed in: The Method
Before you start writing, take a moment to think through your story first. Only after you have defined the framework of your story and know what your story is about should you start the actual process of writing your script. Read More...
Commercial vs. Art
20/Feb/09 21:35 Filed in: The Method
Hollywood has already chosen the best pictures of the year at the Golden Globes and Oscars, but how come the best pictures always seem to have the lowest box office returns? Read More...
Watching the Twilight Zone as a Learning Tool
19/Feb/09 20:18 Filed in: The Method
TV shows are like mini-moives in themselves and if you study the structure of telling a story through a teleplay, you can learn to apply those same principles to screenwriting as well. Read More...
Winning by Losing
18/Feb/09 22:18 Filed in: The Method
Endings are the last thing an audience remembers about your movie, so it’s important to craft a memorable ending. Here are two ways to create an ending that can make your screenplay stand out. Read More...
The Elements of a Story
16/Feb/09 21:38 Filed in: The Method
The three elements of a story appear infused throughout an entire screenplay. If you omit these crucial elements of a story, you risk boring your audience. Read More...
"Finding Nemo" Analysis
15/Feb/09 19:40 Filed in: Movie Analysis
“Finding Nemo” demonstrates the distinct parts of a typical movie based on the 15 Minute Movie Method. Read More...
The Two Halves of Act III
14/Feb/09 09:25 Filed in: The Method
Act III is what your movie is really all about -- the battle between the hero and the villain. This is where the hero and the villain’s paths physically cross and only one can emerge victorious. Read More...
Creating Depth in a Story
13/Feb/09 07:38 Filed in: The Method
What makes a movie good isn’t necessarily what the story is about, but how the story is told. Bad movies tell one story where all the other characters exist solely to advance the plot. Good movies tell multiple stories where every character has a goal of their own. Read More...
Understanding Act IIa -- Positive Rising Action
12/Feb/09 19:35 Filed in: The Method
The first half of Act II is where the hero enters a new world, gradually masters it, and achieves a goal -- only to find out that it still hasn’t gotten him what he really wants. Read More...
Understanding Act IIb -- Negative Rising Action
11/Feb/09 19:18 Filed in: The Method
The second half of Act II is where the hero starts losing and the villain starts winning. By knowing the purpose of this second half of Act II, you’ll understand how to bridge the gap between Act I and Act III. Read More...
The Obvious Goal vs. the Real Goal
10/Feb/09 07:30 Filed in: The Method
What you see in a movie usually isn’t what the story is really about. What you see is the method that the hero uses to achieve his or her goals. What you don’t see is the real story for why the hero wants to achieve a particular goal. Read More...
Dealing with Discouragement
09/Feb/09 20:58 Filed in: The Method
Writer’s Block, discouragement, whatever you want to call it, some days nothing will seem to be going your way. Now what are you going to do about it? Read More...
"Blood Simple" Analysis
08/Feb/09 21:49 Filed in: Movie Analysis
“Blood Simple” is an simple, yet amazing movie that packs enough twists and dark humor to keep you entertained, fascinated, and on the edge of your seat. This is how it fits in with the 15 Minute Movie Method. Read More...
The Differences Between Screenplays, Novels, and Stage Plays
07/Feb/09 09:20 Filed in: The Method
Screenplays are a visual medium. Novels let you peek inside the thoughts of others while stage plays tell a story through dialogue. Knowing the strength of each medium can help you craft your story for the right medium. Read More...
The Two Parts of Act II
06/Feb/09 09:06 Filed in: The Method
Act II is typically the hardest part of a screenplay to write. You have 60 minutes of time, so to make writing easier, divide Act II into halves where the first half leads the hero to a False Victory and the second half leads the hero to total despair and isolation. Read More...
The Two Halves of Act I
05/Feb/09 09:54 Filed in: The Method
Act I is the most important part of your screenplay because it introduces the hero, states the hero’s problem, opens with an Inciting Incident that gets the story going, and ends with a bang. Read More...
Foreshadowing and the Tripping Lady in the Woods
04/Feb/09 07:13 Filed in: The Method
Nothing should ever come easy to anyone, but obstacles need to be foreshadowed ahead of time or else they’ll seem fake and unreal. Read More...
The Hallmark of Bad Movies
03/Feb/09 07:35 Filed in: The Method
What makes a bad movie is a combination of characters we don’t care about and the lack of primeval goals that we can understand. Read More...
The Importance of Titles
02/Feb/09 07:36 Filed in: The Method
Titles are your audience’s first impression of what your screenplay is about. Read More...
The Purpose of the Exposition
01/Feb/09 14:13 Filed in: The Method
The five questions that the Exposition has to answer for every movie. Read More...
