Proper screenplay formatting is extremely particular and offers very little wiggle room. There are good reasons behind all of this specificity. A properly formatted script adheres to the current industry standards, meaning all professional screenplays, with very few exceptions, have a standardized appearance and format. In this article, we will explain why following industry-standard formatting is important, how to achieve it, and why these particular margin measurements are considered the standard.Continue reading Screenplay Margins Explained — A Guide for Screenwriters
What is a vignette? The term has the potential to be confusing because it means slightly different depending on which story-telling medium is the topic of discussion. Even within filmmaking, the term can also be used to describe two completely different things. We will sort through this confusion and break down each meaning of ‘vignette.’ We will also take a look at some vignette writing examples in literature and film. Learning this specific writing technique might be exactly what your next project needs.Continue reading What is a Vignette in Writing — Definition & Examples Explained
What are the different styles of writing? How many different types of writing styles and forms of writing are there? There is some disagreement of how many major forms of writing there are. Depending on which source you turn to, you might be told there are only four different styles of writing or you might be told there are as many as 12 forms of writing. There is no right or wrong answer to this question as the matter is subjective, but four is the most commonly accepted answer. In this post, we will be breaking down ‘the 4 types…
One of the best-known names in horror and one of the 10 highest-grossing American authors across all genres to ever live, Stephen King’s prolific body of work has been adapted numerous times with varying degrees of success. There are dozens upon dozens of books to his name, and his pen name Richard Bachman, and almost as many film and TV adaptations have been made of his writing, with more still in the works. Not every Stephen King movie adaptation has been good, but many of them have. Join us in counting down the top 20 Stephen King movie adaptations.Continue reading…
What is a haiku? What distinguishes a haiku from other forms of poetry? We will provide a definition for haiku, explore the history of the form in Japan and around the world, and take a look at some of the most well-known haiku examples. Let’s get started with the definition of a haiku poem.Continue reading What is a Haiku — Definition, Examples and Structure Explained
What is a palindrome? Actually, there are a few different types and we will dig into all of them. In this post, we’ll define palindrome, cover the rules that govern the different styles, and take a look at examples of each type. We will even take a look at a few examples of palindromes in pop culture. Let's get into it!Continue reading What is a Palindrome — Definition, Examples & How They Work
What is a red herring? We’re not talking about the smoked fish, we’re talking about the literary device designed to mislead and deceive the audience. We will explain the term's origins, look at how this technique evolved into storytelling, explore the red herring fallacy, and we will even take a look at some red herring examples in movies. While this device is commonly associated with murder-mysteries, its uses are endless. Let's investigate.Continue reading What is a Red Herring — Definition and Examples in Storytelling
What is Chekhov’s gun? What are setups and payoffs? The concepts are interconnected, and all three should be included in any and all screenwriting endeavors. We will provide working definitions, take a look at illustrative examples used in great films, and discuss how to best incorporate the practice into your own writing. Before we jump into the benefits of setups and payoffs, let’s start by defining Chekhov’s gun.Continue reading Chekhov’s Gun — How To Setup and Payoff in Screenwriting
On a low-budget independent film with a scaled back crew, there are not too many film crew positions to keep track of. When we start looking at larger productions, however, the amount of distinct movie roles can balloon to massive numbers. Gaining an understanding of the function of each movie crew member’s role can be a confusing and lengthy endeavor without a proper guide, so we put together the ultimate guide to film crew positions to make this task as simple and intuitive as possible.Continue reading Ultimate Guide to Film Crew Positions (Jobs & Duties Explained)
How do you write a short film script without dialogue? There are plenty of reasons why someone might want to keep dialogue out of their short film from stylistic choices to technical limitations. In this post, we will walk you through all of the necessary steps to write a short film script without dialogue from research through execution.Continue reading How to Write a Short Film Script Without Dialogue
