Who’s Got the Problem Now?
How to use “Who’s Got the Problem Now?” (and its corollary “Who’s got the Power Now?”) as tools for managing point of view in cinematic storytelling. What’s [...]
The Originality Paradox
The harder you consciously strive to be original, the less likely you are to succeed. Don’t push it. Or sweat it. Striving is an act of [...]
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 [...]
Give That POV a Sandwich
One of the cleanest and most common ways of encouraging the audience to project their feelings onto a character is called a Point of View Sandwich. The Kuleshov [...]
Keep the Audience Hungry to Know
What does the audience want to know? Keeping them actively asking is the key to having them lean forward into the story. Editing for New [...]
Subjective Storytelling and Audience Connection
Cinema creates character psychology collaboratively. The filmmakers supply the dots, and invite the audience to draw the lines. We both contribute, so we share ownership. The difference [...]
The Politics of Script Development
Write cinema, not radio with pictures. Cinema is built on sequences, not scenes The basic unit of cinema is sequences built of shots, sounds, and [...]
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 [...]
Three Flavours of Subtext
Invite your audience to work with you to add layers of meaning to your story through three kinds of subtext. When you are telling a story, [...]
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 [...]
