Plot TropesOpen menu What is a Trope What is a Cliche Flashback MacGuffin Plot Twist Red Herring FREE Movie Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Write Your Script for Free 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… Continue reading 20 Movie Tropes and Cliches to Avoid in Your Next Screenplay
Narrative ElementsOpen menu Antagonist Catharsis Motif Plot Protagonist Theme Narrative DevicesOpen menu Deus ex Machina Foreshadowing Irony Personification Plot Twist Red Herring Write Your Script For Free → What is mood in literature and film? We often use the term “mood” in a generalized sense to describe the overall feel of situations – but is… Continue reading What is Mood in Literature & Film — A Guide for Storytellers
Screenplay Structure 101Open menu Three Act Structure Freytag’s Pyramid Story Mountain Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey Save the Cat Dan Harmon’s Story Circle 5 Stages of A StoryOpen menu Exposition Inciting Incident Rising Action Climax Falling Action Denouement Write Your Script For Free → Whether you searched them out yourself, or whether someone recommended you “work… Continue reading Screenplay Structure Examples — A Guide for Screenwriters
What is Point of ViewOpen menu First Person Point of View Second Person Point of View Third Person Point of View Third Person Point of ViewOpen menu Third Person Point of View Third Person Omniscient Point of View Third Person Limited Point of View I, me, we, and us, are all words used to articulate… Continue reading What is First Person Point of View? Definition and Examples
Narrative ElementsOpen menu Antagonist Catharsis Motif Plot Protagonist Theme Narrative DevicesOpen menu Deus ex Machina Foreshadowing Irony Personification Plot Twist Red Herring Write Your Script For Free → What is the setting of a story? Is it simply the time and place of a story? Or is it something more? We’re going to look at… Continue reading What is the Setting of a Story — Elements of Storytelling
Narrative ElementsOpen menu Antagonist Catharsis Motif Plot Protagonist Theme Narrative DevicesOpen menu Deus ex Machina Foreshadowing Irony Personification Plot Twist Red Herring Write Your Script For Free → Onomatopoeia can make a BANG or THUD in your mind when reading a sentence. And while that sentence is definitely not the best example of the effects… Continue reading What is Onomatopoeia — Definition and Examples in Lit. & Film
Narrative ElementsOpen menu Antagonist Catharsis Motif Plot Protagonist Theme Narrative DevicesOpen menu Deus ex Machina Foreshadowing Irony Personification Plot Twist Red Herring Write Your Script For Free → Satire is a term that is often misunderstood and for good reason. With the advent of the internet, social media, and memes, it has become the main… Continue reading What is Satire — 3 Types of Satire Every Storyteller Should Know
Screenwriting ResourcesOpen menu Screenwriting Internships Screenwriting Classes Online Screenwriting Websites Screenwriting Programs Screenwriting Fellowships Screenwriting Books Free Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Write Your Script for Free Studios, producers, executives, agents, and managers are always looking for the next great up and coming screenwriter. One of the best ways they find them is through screenwriting fellowships.… Continue reading Best Screenwriting Fellowships — Nicholl, Sundance, WB, Disney
Screenplays are meant to tell a cinematic story. This can be difficult, however, without the advantage of visuals. Screenwriters are stuck with using words to communicate highly cinematic scenes. One of the best tools they have to do this is the parenthetical. Parentheticals allow screenwriters to fit in small, but vital information within a dialogue scene.… Continue reading What is a Parenthetical in a Script (and When to Use Them)?
How to Format a ScreenplayOpen menu Scene Headings Sluglines Action / Description Dialogue Transitions TV Script Format 101 FREE Movie Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Write Your Script for Free Screenwriting books and instructors often warn aspiring writers against writing flashbacks in their scripts. They know beginning and amateur writers often use them in a way… Continue reading How to Write a Flashback in a Script — Techniques & Format
Narrative ElementsOpen menu Antagonist Catharsis Motif Plot Protagonist Theme Narrative DevicesOpen menu Deus ex Machina Foreshadowing Irony Personification Plot Twist Red Herring Write Your Script For Free → Narrative is a term that pops up everywhere, not only in relation to film and literature, but also in news stories, in college curriculums, to describe a… Continue reading What is a Narrative — Definition, Examples in Literature and Film
Christopher Nolan is one of the most revered directors of the 21st century, known for his cerebral blockbusters like Inception and The Dark Knight. Much is made of his striking visual style and expert direction, but his work as a screenwriter is equally important to his career success. While Nolan’s cinematic subjects are far ranging—from sci-fi… Continue reading Christopher Nolan’s Writing Process Explained & Script PDFs
Plot TropesOpen menu What is a Trope What is a Cliche Flashback MacGuffin Plot Twist Red Herring FREE Movie Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Write Your Script for Free The term “Plot device” has grown to be taboo in the world of writing. Most screenwriters associate the term with an inherently negative connotation, but that doesn’t… Continue reading What is a Plot Device? Definitions and Examples
Narrative ElementsOpen menu Antagonist Catharsis Motif Plot Protagonist Theme Narrative DevicesOpen menu Deus ex Machina Foreshadowing Irony Personification Plot Twist Red Herring Write Your Script For Free → There are various literary devices that cross over from literature to everyday language. Perhaps the most commonly used literary device in everyday conversations is the euphemism. Euphemisms… Continue reading What is a Euphemism — Definition, Examples for All Writers
Joker dominated 2019. Upon its release, it topped the box office and attracted an unprecedented amount of attention from press and public alike. Joker’s ending is without a doubt one of the main reasons why: it’s a third act filled with unforgettable moments and tantalizing twists. What makes the Joker ending so instantly iconic? The… Continue reading Joker Ending Explained — How to Make a Satisfying Finale
Montages can be an incredibly useful filmmaking tool if utilized correctly. They can condense time, intertwine storylines, and be used for comedic or dramatic effect. Some montages are completely visual with no dialogue. Others may utilize voiceover from a narrator or dialogue for the film’s narrative. If your montage is the latter, stick around to… Continue reading How to Write a Voice Over Montage in Screenplay Format
Narrative ElementsOpen menu Antagonist Catharsis Motif Plot Protagonist Theme Narrative DevicesOpen menu Deus ex Machina Foreshadowing Irony Personification Plot Twist Red Herring Write Your Script For Free → Describing sensory experiences through the medium of writing and text can be difficult. By enlisting the use of imagery, writers are able to vividly describe experiences, actions,… Continue reading What is Imagery — Definition & Examples in Literature & Poetry
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
Writing dual protagonists is generally frowned upon, unless you’re one of the select few who can break the rules, like Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) or the late William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). Critics argue that writers, especially amateur ones, can get lost in the logistics attempting to craft… Continue reading How to Write A Compelling Script with Dual Protagonists
