Film is primarily a visual medium. Filmmakers have various tools to create meaning through visual elements, one of which is the visual metaphor. Visual metaphors are often subtle, but are incredibly important for filmmakers in communicating and resonating with an audience. What is a visual metaphor? How and why do filmmakers use them? We’ll break… Continue reading What is a Visual Metaphor — Definition & Examples in Art & Film
Writing contests are great ways to build your portfolio, and hone your writing skills. For emerging writers especially, the price to pay is usually quite small, while the rewards range from getting published to receiving thousands. Not a bad trade-off. The only reasonable downside is all the extra work…for well…all the extra rejection. Ah, I’m only… Continue reading Short Story Contests Worth Your Time — Prizes, Fees, Deadlines
Human beings have been telling stories for as long as we have roamed this Earth. Storytelling has gone from oral tradition to a natural part of the cinematic landscape. And in-between it all, we have learned how to end a story. Throughout our years telling stories, we have learned that there are ultimately four ways… Continue reading How to End a Story — Different Types of Story Endings Explained
Why do we love superheroes? Is it because we fantasize about having powers that make us greater than what we are? Is it because we long for justice in an unjust world? Is it because we’re bored and there’s nothing better to watch? Yes, but there is more to our fondness of the superhero genre… Continue reading What is a Superhero? Definition, Types and Characteristics
Alright — you’ve got it. The screenplay idea that will change the world, break box office records, and win you every single Oscar. Only… you don’t quite understand how to format a screenplay. Do you even really need screenplay format?Continue reading Formatting a Screenplay: How to Put Your Story Into Screenplay Format
With new streaming platforms emerging every year and binge watching becoming an art form, the television industry needs more writers than ever. Unfortunately, there is also more competition than ever. Breaking into the TV industry can be tough, but here are the fundamentals you need to know about becoming a television show writer as well… Continue reading Writing for Television — Format, Genre and Structure
From romantic comedies to dramas, many films require a scene where the future love interests meet. There’s love in their eyes, even if one or both of them don’t realize it yet. This is the meet cute, and if you’re writing a script with a romantic plot, then you need to know how to answer,… Continue reading What is a Meet Cute? 4 Ways to Write Them in a Screenplay
Introducing StudioBinder’s screenplay library — your one-stop-shop for reading, downloading, and analyzing the best movie scripts online. Our collection contains all the feature-length screenplays in our database as well as scripts that we have broken down by plot, character, ending, quotes, and more. Our hope is that screenwriters everywhere can have access to these iconic… Continue reading Explore and Read the Best Free Movie Scripts Online (with PDF Downloads)
Years before Avengers: Infinity War was dubbed “the most ambitious crossover event” in history, there was the film that started it all: Marvel’s The Avengers. In this article, we’re going to analyze The Avengers script by looking at quotes, plot and characters. But before we jump in, let’s remind ourselves of the story structure and… Continue reading The Avengers Script PDF Download: Plot, Quotes, and Analysis
⌂ OverviewVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony We encounter irony every day: in our favorite movies, TV shows, and in our own lives. Most people have a general understanding of irony but there are also a lot of misconceptions about it. For example, were you aware that there are 3 different types of irony? In this article, we’re… Continue reading 3 Types of Irony Every Storyteller Should Know (with Examples)
The Mean Girls script is widely known for being Tina Fey’s screenwriting debut and the foundation for a cult hit, but what are the things that make it work so well? Let’s break down the Mean Girls script by looking at characters, quotes and story with the goal of finding the story’s major theme! Continue… Continue reading Mean Girls Script PDF Download: Plot, Quotes, and Analysis
Before a screenplay is crafted by underpaid writers, it starts as a logline. At any stage of a production, a logline is a tool used to sell your idea.Continue reading How to Write a Logline Producers Won’t Pass On [with Logline Examples]
Writing dialogue is the best part of writing a screenplay. It’s the part of the writing where you get to be an actor for a while and cast powerful magic spells, or save an innocent man from prison, or lead an army into battle – at least in your mind. But dialogue is also something… Continue reading Say What? Fundamental Approaches to Writing ‘Realistic’ Dialogue
I s there anything more fun than an epic fight scene? They don’t win Oscars, but the best stay with you. And when written well, they can say as much as any other scene in the most serious dramas. Many writers struggle with how to write action scenes. They think because they don’t know martial… Continue reading Mastering the Screenplay: How to Write an Epic Fight Scene
A great screenplay is worth millions (sometimes billions!) of dollars, so protect them through watermark PDFs! Are there simple steps to help increase the security of your script? YES! And they are readily available in StudioBinder. We’re going to show you how to create a watermark PDF of your script that also includes headers and footers.… Continue reading Watermark PDF: How to Protect Your Screenplays
What do writers do? To be a screenwriter, all you have to do is write, and many people struggle with doing that consistently. A lot of screenwriters out there have the perfect idea for a film they just need to put to paper. Maybe they’ve already written a few pages or the first act. Getting… Continue reading How to Write Every Day: Successful Writing Habits for Screenwriters
The Fight Club script was adapted from Chuck Palahniuk’s book of the same name. This was Fox 2000’s first film, and while it is arguably one of the best films ever made, the executives at Fox 2000 reportedly hated the film. We’re going to provide analysis of the Fight Club screenplay by touching on the Fight… Continue reading Fight Club Script: Characters, Quotes, and Screenplay PDF Download
⌂ OverviewVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Verbal irony is the most common type of irony because it’s tied directly to language – which we use every day. But what is verbal irony exactly and what are its different subtypes? We’re going to answer those questions by exploring how verbal irony can add depth and complexity to… Continue reading What is Verbal Irony? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
Writing an Audio/Visual (AV) script template can be a nerve-racking undertaking. Your message may be simple, but getting it down to one-minute timing can be an intimidating thing.Continue reading Ultimate AV Script Template to Write Better Ads [FREE AV Script Template]
Screenwriters have a tendency of defining the three act structure by either vehemently opposing it or swearing by it. Some define it entirely differently than others. How is that possible? Well, let’s answer ‘what is the three act structure,’ learn its original intention, and see if we can find some middle ground between the many… Continue reading What is The Three Act Structure? No Formulas Necessary
You’ve got a great idea for a montage. But what does it look like on the page? Figuring out how to write a montage in a script the “right” way is a common concern. There isn’t one definitive way to write a montage. You have plenty of industry-standard options. We’ll cover all of them in this… Continue reading How to Write a Montage in a Script — Formatting For Various Locations
You love William Shakespeare, right? Regardless, you’re looking for the best movie adaptation of William Shakespeare plays, but there are so many and you’re not sure which are the best to watch. We’ve put together a list of the 10 best William Shakespeare movie adaptations so you can not only learn more but also appreciate… Continue reading 10 Best Shakespeare Movies: Film Adaptations Based on his Plays
I s there anything worse than bad exposition in film? Few things turn an audience off than listening to a character explain things for no reason. But at the same time, the exposition of a story is vital. And while sci-fi and fantasy are where you’ll find the really bad examples of exposition, it’s not just for… Continue reading Mastering the Screenplay: Writing Exposition in Film
I f there’s one thing writers will agree on, it’s that character development is super critical to writing a winning script.Continue reading Character Development: Write Stronger Characters [with FREE Worksheet]
A cliche is an expression in any artistic work that has been overused to the point of losing all meaning. A car failing to start while a killer is hot on the protagonist’s tail may have once worked as an effective way to build suspense. But now, audiences are more likely to roll than eyes… Continue reading 20 Movie Cliches and Tropes to Avoid in Your Next Screenplay
