Truth, Reality, and the Story World
Navigating and exploiting the multiple realities of story worlds. The three “realities” Stories sit at the intersection of three “realities.” the world as it is, the [...]
Extending the ‘So…, But…’ chain
Extending the So…, But… tool to bring in other characters can broaden your story, as long as you maintain focus on the central character’s dilemma. Applying [...]
Four Spheres of Conflict
A tool for giving your characters a range of obstacles to overcome, which gives your story more dramatic energy and your characters more depth. To [...]
Three Key Questions
Three key questions can help you shape your story, giving it substance, shape and a satisfying ending. Three Flavours of Narrative Narrative is shaped by one [...]
Who Knows What? When? And How?
Successful storytelling hinges on choreographing a dance between characters and audience, with information as the music. Controlling the Flow of Information As audience members watching a [...]
Why Do We Laugh? The Nature of Comedy
What is funny, and how do you make it funny? It’s often said that you can’t explain comedy. Or teach it. If you’ve got the [...]
Sequences: How They Work
Make your story more cinematic by thinking and writing in sequences, not scenes. These notes refer to the document Sample Sequences, which was written to illustrate various aspects [...]
Sequences: How They Work, part 2
More about how sequences work, referring to Sample Sequences. Behind, Beside or Ahead By sequence X we are well into the story, and as you’d expect, we [...]
Sequences: How They Work, part 3
More about how sequences work, referring to Sample Sequences. Variations in Point of View Unlike a typical novel, cinema can treat point of view quite fluidly. Sequences [...]
Sequences: How They Work. Final.
Wrapping up how sequences work, referring to Sample Sequences. Stakes: Tension and Release Across the journey of each sequence you are trying to raise the stakes [...]
