What is social commentary? You may have heard the term thrown around in video essays or seen it pop up in book, music, or film analysis without knowing precisely what it means. In this post, we will be defining social commentary, examining the different ways it can manifest in cinema, and taking a look at a few great examples of films that nail social commentary. Continue reading What is Social Commentary — Definition, Examples & Meaning
Sound design is a key element of filmmaking that gives the world of a story more depth. This can be ambient sound from cars passing by or even birds chirping overhead. But what about sounds that literally move a film’s plot along? Filmmakers have used sound effects across all genres to motivate characters’ actions, create suspense, or trigger a sequence of events.Before making it to the big screen, these important sound effects are written into screenplays as storytelling devices. So how to write sound effects in a script correctly? The answer is much simpler than one might think.Continue reading How…
The role of a screenwriter is to tell a story and create a cinematic experience on paper. It is a common debate as to whether or not screenwriters should write camera directions in a screenplay. Whether or not you plan to use them or plan to avoid them, it's important to understand at least how to write camera directions in a script properly. In this article, we’ll take a look at how to write camera directions in a script as well as why to use them minimally.Continue reading How to Write Camera Directions in a Script — Tips & Techniques
Can you tell a good story without a round character? What does it mean to be a round character? There is a good chance most of your favorite movies and shows revolve around the unfolding of these characters. Conversely, stories without any well-developed characters tend to feel unrelatable. They don’t give the audience enough incentive to get invested in the story. In this post we will define what is a round character, and what is not, and show you some examples in film and television so that you can write your own compelling characters. These also work as a round…
Rear Window is a game of restraint. The rules of the film are clear: a murder mystery told through a window. The protagonist, and the camera, can’t leave the apartment. It’s a game Alfred Hitchcock was more than able to play, as Rear Window is now regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. And while Hitchcock deserves the credit for being able to keep a movie with such restrictions visually interesting and heart-pounding. Credit, too, should be allotted to the screenplay, a masterclass in the thriller genre. The Rear Window script crafts the perfect mystery, a satisfying…
What is world-building? And, more importantly, why does it matter? World-building is an integral element of storytelling that often goes overlooked and underappreciated. Good world-building might be felt rather than explicitly noticed, and a lack of world-building can leave a book, film, or video game feeling shallow. We’ll get started with a world-building definition, then explore when and why world-building is so important, and we’ll close things out by taking a look at some great world-building examples. Continue reading What is World Building — Definition, Examples & Techniques
Can you format a screenplay in Microsoft Word? And if so, how? We will be answering both of these questions as well as outlining the necessary steps to take, and detailing a couple of tricks that will save you time in the long run. Accurate formatting is crucial in getting your screenplay taken seriously by industry professionals. Read on to find out if industry-standard formatting is possible in Microsoft Word.Continue reading Writing Screenplays in Word — A Formatting Guide for Writers
How do you format a screenplay using Microsoft Word? Is it even possible? In this post, we will be answering both of these questions and providing a free template to get you started. We will also take a look at a free alternative to writing scripts in Microsoft word, examining the drawbacks of using a generalized word processor, and breaking down how our template works.Continue reading Microsoft Word Screenplay Template — Free Download & Guide
Peter Piper picked a pickled pepper, put it in his tupper-cupboard and ate it late for supper. Believe it or not, that line is emblematic of consonance – but what is consonance? We’re going to answer that question by outlining a consonance definition, and by exploring consonance examples in poetry/literature. By the end, you’ll know how to recognize consonance, and implement it in your own works. Continue reading What is Consonance — Definition, Examples and Effects
August Wilson was one of the most revered scriptwriters of the 20th century. His magnum opus Fences is widely considered one of the greatest stage plays of all time. In 2016, more than ten years after Wilson’s death, Fences was produced as a feature film, with Denzel Washington and Viola Davis starring in the leading roles. We’re going to break down the Fences script by looking at its characters, quotes, themes, and allegories. By the end, we’ll have a good grasp as to why Fences is considered such an important work.Continue reading Fences Script PDF Download — Characters & Themes…
