flying wrestler
thoughts on screenwriting from writer-producer erik bork
One-Act Films
Robert McKee recently blogged about the "Rise of One-Act Films," and I found so much of interest in his article that I wanted to expand on the...
Top 10 Script Problems
There are certain fundamental qualities that stories for the screen seem to need, which all writers struggle to master. I see problems related to...
Screenwriting outside L.A.
I moved to Los Angeles to become a screenwriter. But that was before the internet made the world a lot smaller. So what’s the value of living in...
Not About the Work
I, Tonya strikes me as a great example of a point I often find myself making to writers who bring me film or TV ideas about someone trying to...
Fun & Games Section
Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat books called the first half of a screenplays second act the “Fun & Games section.” This is where the action shifts...
Who is My Antagonist?
Many writers believe their story needs a villain -- a single character who is the main source of opposition in the story, or the primary “bad...
Write 2 Scripts a Year
How do you know when it’s time to put down a script, and write something else? How do you stay motivated, and not get discouraged when a script...
I Got This
A short comedy I wrote and directed is debuting at film festivals next month. It’s called I Got This. It’s a 22-minute reworking of a feature film...
Writing miniseries on spec
Post updated January 20, 2018: A lot has changed in the television landscape in the seven plus years since I wrote the article below. "Miniseries"...
Debate Section
I’ve written before about the first ten pages of a screenplay, and touched on the nature of the Catalyst (which the Save the Cat "beat sheet"...
One Problem Affecting Everyone
At the heart of a good original TV series idea is one big problematic situation. It somehow affects all the series regulars. And it leads to endless...
Main Character’s Problem/Goal
The main character of a story has a problem they want to solve. The main character of a story has a goal they want to achieve. Which is it? It’s...
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