Most movies can be characterized as being one genre or the other. If the plot involves a love triangle, that’s most likely romance. If the plot is about a space marine, it’s most likely science-fiction. If the plot involves a group of kids running away from a monster, that’s probably horror. The things that make up the conventions of a genre, also known as genre conventions. What are genre conventions, you ask? You’ll soon be getting an answer via definition, along with plenty of examples.Continue reading Genre Conventions — The Building Blocks of Genre Storytelling
Anticlimax is a dirty word, one which we’ve been trained to avoid at all costs. Nobody wants to tell a story only to have a friend shrug and say, “Well, that was anticlimactic.” But a deliberate anticlimax can be instructive, funny, poignant, or all of the above. How does an anticlimax work, and what lessons can we take from some of the most iconic anticlimaxes in pop culture?Continue reading What is Anticlimax? Definition & Examples
What does a good outline look like? The answer to that question will depend on what type of writer you are as well as what you personally hope to gain from an outline. We will discuss the purpose of an outline, the different types, whether or not they are even necessary, and explain how to tailor a pre-writing plan to best suit your individual needs.Continue reading What is an Outline in Writing — Examples and Techniques
You’ve likely heard of an anti-hero – a protagonist who lacks common heroic attributes like morality and courage. But what is an anti-villain? Wouldn’t that just be a hero? The real answer is a bit more complicated, so let’s take a look at when your villain actually kind of has a good point to make. Continue reading What is an Anti-Villain — Definition, Types and Examples
You’ve seen them: the crazy scientist, the damsel in distress, a noble and chaste hero, the villain who keeps his identity secret, the old guy who trains the hero. These are who you call stock characters, and they have been in fiction for an extremely long time. In fact, they keep showing up in fiction, either exactly as they are or with a new twist. So what is a stock character, where did the concept come from, and what are they used for? Plus, what are some of the most notable stock character types used? Let's get into it.Continue reading…
You’re pretty familiar with Bruce Wayne, aka Batman. He lives in Gotham City, he stops crazy villains, and he spends a lot of his time with bats. But did you also know his parents are dead!? That’s what we call backstory, something most characters in fiction have with them whenever we start their story. So even if you start the story understanding where the character is at presently, there may be more to them that is not made immediately apparent. But what is a backstory, how would you define backstory, and what types of backstory styles are there?Continue reading What…
Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” is a story of ambitious women and the birth of an artist. Of course, these themes are at the heart of the original work, but Gerwig’s Little Women screenplay strategically reconfigures the familiar narrative; the cozy classic becomes fresh and thrilling. How does Gerwig’s Little Women adaptation both hold true the original tale, while also grounding the story in present day filmmaking? Read the script and check out our analysis below to find out. Continue reading Little Women Script PDF Download — Plot, Quotes, and Analysis
Litotes may sound like it is a term from another language, but it is in fact one of the most commonly used literary devices in everyday language. Litotes can be found in literature, movies, pop cultural, and casual conversations. So what is litotes in literature? And how exactly do you say litotes? In this article we’ll take a look at the litotes definition and some litotes examples of it to better understand why it is so commonly used. Continue reading What is Litotes — Definition and Examples for Writers
Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung changed the conversation on psychology forever when he proposed his theory on archetypes and the collective unconscious. But Carl Jung’s proposed archetypes, otherwise known as Jungian archetypes, aren’t just pertinent for psychologists – they’re applicable for storytellers too. So, what are the Jungian archetypes? We’re going to look at these to see how writers have incorporated them in film and literature. By the end, you’ll know why Jungian archetypes are so important.Continue reading What are the Jungian Archetypes — A Writer’s Guide
You finally started writing that great screenplay idea and put words to paper. But all of a sudden you realize that you may have the foundation of your story, but not the details. This is not an uncommon problem. So we decided to address this uncommon problem and lay out tips that will help you learn how to develop a movie script and write a better story. Let’s dive in. Continue reading How to Develop a Movie Script — Characters, Structure & Goals
