What is a Story Mountain — How to Tackle Story Structure

What does every story have in common? They all have a beginning, middle, and end. Obviously, writing and storytelling is more complex than simply laying out a beginning, middle and end. But simplifying those plot structures into clear stages can help with brainstorming and organizing your ideas as a writer. This visual guide of plot points is usually called a story mountain.Continue reading What is a Story Mountain — How to Tackle Story Structure

Succession Theme Song — How the Soundtrack Tells a Story

Succession is a witty satire, portraying the inner turmoil of a family-owned media empire, Waystar RoyCo. So it’s no surprise that the Succession theme song needed to be as tumultuous and grandeur as its scenes. Nicholas Britell’s opening theme and entire score perfectly capture the essence of wealth and power in a fresh and original way. But how? Continue reading Succession Theme Song — How the Soundtrack Tells a Story

Game of Thrones Script PDF Download & Analysis

Let’s break down the Game of Thrones pilot screenplay. Unlike other more straightforward television pilot scripts, the Game of Thrones script is a bit more complex because it introduces several storylines and characters that at first seem to have nothing to do with each other. Let’s teardown the Game of Thrones original pilot script and discuss some of the main takeaways. Continue reading Game of Thrones Script PDF Download & Analysis

Thelma Schoonmaker Editing Style & Working with Scorsese

Film editing is an underrated art form, and oftentimes under-appreciated. Editing is the backbone of filmmaking — it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to the craft, including developing one’s own unique editing style, and breaking the rules. Let’s examine one of Hollywood’s most accomplished and notable film editors, Thelma Schoonmaker, and discover what led her to become one of the most prominent names in the business. In this post, we’ll get a brief Thelma Schoonmaker biography, look at her unique editing style, and of course her decades-long collaboration with filmmaker and pioneer of cinematic techniques, Martin Scorsese. Continue reading…