Everyone wants to be the next Ari Aster in this day and age–seamlessly combining genres from across the board. Whether it’s the COVID dark comedy horror satire in Eddington or the surreal landscape in Beau is Afraid, who does it better? Nevertheless, that’s not to say genre blending is a good thing, since there are plenty of points to recognize within the context. Just look at Cowboys & Aliens , a film that tried to merge Western grit with sci-fi spectacle and ended up pleasi

The sidekick has always been one of the most reliable figures in cinematic storytelling. To understand this evolution, one must look not just at the history of film but at the changing assumptions behind screenwriting: who stories are about, how secondary characters are developed, and why audiences crave more than a single point of identification. Still from 'Batman and Robin' (1997). Photo credit: Warner Bros The History When Hollywood storytelling was in its classical phase

There are so many greats in the screenwriting world, and few have had the longevity as Mike White. Primarily known for The White Lotus , White bursted onto the scene with 2000’s Chuck & Buck and 2003’s School of Rock . What can we learn from Mike White as writers? Let’s take a look! Photo license: Canadian Film Centre Recurring Themes and Tone Tone-wise, his writing is often a tonal balancing act between satire, absurdity, drama, and sometimes horror or tragedy. It's not pur

Boardwalk Empire had all the hype in 2010. With the weight of Martin Scorsese directing and Terence Winter writing, expectations were enormous. HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, which debuted in 2010, was one of the most ambitious series launches in TV history, blending cinematic scope with serialized storytelling. So, what can we learn as writers? Let’s discuss! Still from 'Broadwalk Empire'. Photo credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment Opening Sequence The opening sequence plunges us in

Whether you’re a Marvel fan or not, there is something to analyze regarding the success of superhero movies in the last 10-20 years. While I have my issues with the superhero craze, 2018’s Black Panther is definitely one of the better options from this era. While the film is remembered for its groundbreaking cultural significance and box office impact, it also features a fascinating, layered portrayal of antagonism within the narrative. Unlike many superhero films, where the

Why go with a straightforward narrative structure when you can explain the beauty in nonlinear storytelling? Think of nonlinear stories as a departure from the standard story format, which weaves multiple flashbacks, storylines, and present-day scenes together. In my opinion, it works well for stories based on real life. Let’s be honest, life events don’t always follow a neat or logical flow. We all know that life is full of leaps in logic or seeming inconsistencies, things t

At the most basic level, what distinguishes a dual protagonist film from an ensemble piece or a “hero and sidekick” story is how much the film focuses on those characters. In an ensemble film, such as Robert Altman’s Nashville or Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia , no single figure dominates; the narrative weight is distributed widely. In a hero-sidekick story, one character clearly drives the plot while the other remains a supporting presence. Still from Nashville (1975). Pho

Phyllis Nagy is an underrated writer in the screenwriting world and a personal favorite of mine. Nagy is best known for Carol (2015) , an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt, for which Nagy received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Nevertheless, what can we learn from Nagy as writers? Let’s dive into it! Photo license: Harald Krichel Common Themes Phyllis Nagy’s work reveals specific concerns and stylistic traits that recur acros

The Leftovers , created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta (based on Perrotta’s novel of the same name), is one of the best pilot’s to...

Nothing has terrified me more at a young age than the iconic Xenomorph in Ridley Scott’s 1979 horror film Alien . This franchise, and...

Keeping your audience engaged is imperative to the success of every script, but sometimes it’s more nuanced than packing it with...

The central plot shouldn’t always be your focal point, especially with the importance of a subplot. While your characters, general plot,...