Screenwriting Blog

We’ve all experienced watching a movie or a TV show where we relate so much to a character. The character is similar to how you see yourself or how you wish you were, and you feel passionate about the character. Seeing the character overcome their challengesis what hooks you. We’ve all also experienced losing interest in something because the characters were just flat and unexciting. They didn’t feel like real people. So as screenwriters, how can we create characters that are the former rather than the latter? I’ve put together a list of 20 character questions to understand better and further ... Continue reading

"Ideally, every scene is a story event." – Robert McKee. How do you structure great scenes? Each scene should tell its own story, reveal the characters' values, and move the plot forward. If it doesn't, you should trash it. At least, that's the wisdom shared by award-winning screenwriter, journalist, author, and podcaster Bryan Young (SyFy.com, StarWars.com, /Film, HowStuffWorks.com) and screenwriting guru Robert McKee. We interviewed Bryan on the topic of writing great scenes and sequences in your screenplay, and he said it comes down to two elements: positive and negative charges ... Continue reading

Hello Ohio! Are you a screenwriter based in the Buckeye State looking for classes to hone your skills? Well, you've come to the right place! Today I'm listing some of the best screenwriting classes in Ohio. Ohio may not immediately come to mind when you think of screenwriting hubs, but many successful screenwriters hail from this Midwestern state. Phil Hay ("Æon Flux," "Clash of the Titans"), Sam Hall ("One Life to Live," "Dark Shadows), Ernest Tidyman ("Shaft," "The French Connection"), Daniel Waters ("Heathers," "Batman Returns"), Eleanor Perry (an advocate for screenwriter recognition, Emmy-nominated ... Continue reading

Buster Keaton's action-comedy "Steamboat Bill, Jr." premiered on this day in history in 1928 in Santa Maria, California. It was the last movie he made for United Artists and the second to last film he'd ever make in his signature style. Carl Harbaugh wrote the film's story, which follows the son of a riverboat captain who joins his father's crew and falls in love with the competition. The movie features one of Keaton's most famous stunts, where the façade of a house falls on him, but he narrowly escapes by fitting through the window and remains standing. The stunt has been recreated many times over the years, and the ... Continue reading

So, you’ve got a general meeting. That is BIG! I hope you’re celebrating that win. But, you’re probably not, because you’re too dang nervous for the big event. If that sounds like you, this interview with veteran TV writer and producer Ross Brown (“Step by Step,” “The Facts of Life,” “The Cosby Show,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation”) should help. “The best advice I can give for meet and greets, or for anything in life really is you’ve got to be yourself,” Ross began. Sounds easy enough. But, it’s also easy to overthink a meeting, retreat into our fears, and say something weird or desperate to this person on the other ... Continue reading

If you're new to screenwriting, or you've decided to try to sell something, you're going to want to learn more about the business of screenwriting. It's a big topic, and there is a lot to know! But, you've come to the right place. Below, find a list of resources to help you learn the business of screenwriting basics. Getting Started: First things first, it's essential to understand precisely what the job of the screenwriter entails. What do screenwriters do exactly? What's expected from a screenwriter? Where do screenwriters live? Does your location dictate whether you can be a screenwriter or not ... Continue reading

Are you wondering if now is the right time to share your screenplay with someone else? There are a few schools of thought on this topic, but I think I'm partial to Danny Manus' advice. He is a screenwriting consultant, after all, and the owner of No Bullscript Consulting, so he's used to seeing screenplays at all life stages. His wisdom says to seek outside help sooner than later. In fact, it's never too early to start considering it. "When is the right time for writers to actually seek outside help? Writers tend to write in a bubble, and they tend to close themselves off," Danny told us. "It's usually not until they're ... Continue reading

Internship Alert! There are SO many more remote opportunities for film industry internships than ever before. Are you looking for internships this fall? If you can earn college credit, there may be an opportunity here for you. SoCreate is not affiliated with the following internship opportunities. Please direct all questions to the email address provided for each internship listing. Do you want to list an internship opportunity? Comment below with your listing and we'll add it to our page with the next update! Continue reading

“50 Shades of Grey,” “After,” and “The Immortal Instruments” all have one thing in common: they’re works of fanfiction that have been turned into movies! Sometimes written as fanfiction, fan fiction, fanfic, and fic, these stories can be defined as fictional writing created by fans of an existing fiction work such as a movie, book, or television show. Today, I’m talking diving deeper into the things a screenwriter should consider when writing your own fanfiction screenplay. What is Fanfiction in the Film and Television Industries? In television, you might find yourself writing a spec script, an episode you imagine of ... Continue reading

Procrastination gets the best of a lot of people, not just writers. But there’s this terrible, magical combination of things that really puts writers in a tough spot: procrastination plus insecurity. Writers have not one, but often two or more antagonists to battle on their hero’s journey. With these tips from veteran TV writer and producer Ross Brown, I hope you can beat those demons and get your happy ending. Ross is the program director for the creative writing MFA program at Antioch University in Santa Barbara. He developed his writing discipline as a TV writer and producer for hugely popular 20th-century ... Continue reading