Understanding how to write a screenplay, also known as a movie script, can seem daunting at first, but once you understand script format and structure, you can focus on your creativity. Grasping the basics of screenplay format will ensure your ideas are communicated clearly and professionally. We’ll take you through the process of writing a screenplay so that you can begin building that great movie idea into a professional script. Bottom line: If you’re wondering how to write a script, this guide will give you the steps.Continue reading How to Write a Movie Script: Screenplay Format and Examples
The rule of three is one of the most important rules in all of writing – but what is the rule of three? We’re going to explore this fascinating and useful rule by looking at examples in sentences, situations, and stories. This article will serve as a referential guide for you to circle back to whenever you’re stuck in a writing jam.Continue reading What is the Rule of Three — A Literary Device for Writers
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 down a few visual metaphor examples to answer these questions and more.Continue reading What is a Visual Metaphor — Definition & Examples in Art & Film
Is 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 those genres. All movies have to set up their worlds and characters.There’s an art to providing good exposition in a story. It’s almost like the art of the con. Here are three techniques to help you make exposition so good, the audience never notices it’s…
If you want to write a script, and finish it, story outlines are helpful. Why? Because once you have waded even knee-deep into the writing, it's easy to lose sight of things. Even worse? Predators named fear and self-doubt will be stalking you.Continue reading How to Write a Story Outline that Works [FREE Script Outline Template]
We all know that conflict is needed to keep viewers engaged, to create an emotional response, and to ultimately, push the story forward. Without conflict in a story, the film, show, or novel, may seem a bit, well, boring. It’s also true that conflict can be defined by all of the “types” that exist — internal, external, people vs people, people vs society, etc. And while all of those things are helpful, it’s not a fully developed definition. This article takes a macro perspective, answering what is conflict in a story by highlighting why we need it in the first…
Scenes numbers are extremely important in any project. Keeping the original numbers intact will save any pre-production work you’ve already done. But there are times when renumbering scenes makes sense. How is this done and what are the negative aspects of this process? The good news is that renumbering your scenes in super simple. The only thing you need to keep in mind is what happens to the rest of your project. This article will take you through the steps of renumbering scenes so you can push forward and put your project back on track. Continue reading How to Renumber…
Whether you're writing the first draft or sharing the final draft with your collaborators, taking notes is critical. Keeping these thoughts, suggestions, or inspirations organized can be a difficult task. But we've solved the problem. Script Notes is an extremely valuable resource that will help keep your ideas intact and accessible so you can stay productive. We’ve created an example of script notes using The Big Lebowski. You can see for yourself how the Coen Brothers might have used all the features of Script Notes to their advantage. Continue reading How to Write Script Notes in StudioBinder (with Industry Examples…
If you’re wondering how to write a film treatment, you’re not alone. Whether you’re writing a screenplay treatment for a feature film, TV show, or short, a professional treatment can help pitch your concept to studios, producers, or investors. If you’re just starting out and wondering how to write a treatment for film, this guide will walk you through each step with clarity and examples. This post will explain treatments and how you can use one to sell your concept. Producers love a person who has a clear idea for a film or television show, and nothing will help you…
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
