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,...

It’s easy to get sidetracked by screenwriting books, overanalyzing the rules, overthinking every scene, and end up paralyzed when you...

Regarding writing for television, few recent projects have demonstrated narrative innovation and emotional impact as powerfully as The...

Regarding antagonists, few are as well-written and put together as Captain Bligh in 1935’s Mutiny on the Bounty . The film draws from...

We are absolutely thrilled to announce the GOLDEN LIST of 2025 ! Congratulations to everyone who made it onto this year’s list! Selected...

The wait is over! After more than a year of excitement and anticipation, we’re beyond thrilled to reveal the WINNERS of 2025 ! This...