When people write loglines or a “premise test,” they often write one that misses the meat of the story. Stories aren’t just about the setup of an idea, it’s about the execution of that idea. That execution occurs in the second act.
Learn how to write a screenplay through detailed analysis of feature films.
Recent SHT
Breakfast Club Sculpture
File this one under closing image masterclass. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen the Breakfast … [Read More...]
What’s the Climax of Good Will Hunting?
People email questions from time-to-time. I've always answered these questions. I've also always … [Read More...]
Jurassic World, Jurassic Values
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CofZ7xjGyI8 If there’s one thing to learn from this video, and … [Read More...]
Recent Analysis
L.A. Confidential
Director Curtis Hanson and his co-writer, Brian Helgeland, have taken a massively complex novel by … [Read More...]
Vertigo
At the very beginning of the movie, we see Scottie vaulting across rooftops, struggling to keep up … [Read More...]
The Shawshank Redemption
Frank Darabont has often compared The Shawshank Redemption to a Rorschach test. Written and executed … [Read More...]