Now that SPIDERMAN: NO WAY HOME has brough that trilogy to a close
and we are waiting for #4 in this reboot, whic h has been much better than the last one,, I thought I'd revisit that film from a whole 17 years ago callled SPIDER-MAN 2. Back then, many
of the critics thought that the second film was superior to the first - but I had the alternative opinion the
second film dropped the ball. Although the villain and villain's plan were much better in
SPIDER-MAN 2 (probably what the critics were responding to) the film managed to
puncture any dramatic situation that great villain created. The first film was filled with
dramatic tension and unresolved conflicts that continued to simmer under the surface.
Tension is *unresolved* conflict that is still present in the scene. Once you resolve the
conflict, the scene loses its tension. Once you resolve a long-standing conflict in the
film, the story loses its tension. So the key to maintaining tension is to hold off resolving
any big conflicts until the end of the film. In a case like the SPIDER-MAN movies, you may not
want to *ever* resolve major emotional conflicts because you'll need them in the next
film. It's that "CHEERS thing" where everyone wonders wehn Sam & Diane (and then Sam & Rebecca) would hook up, and maybe ger married.
but the minute that happens... the show is over.
The SPIDER-MAN movies were the gold standard of super-hero flicks until that Disco one, and now
we've had two reboots which have made *less* money than the first films. The first SPIDER MAN movie
made over $400m domestic, AMAZING SPIDER MAN 2 didn't even crack $200m domestic. It's even worse
if we adjust for inflation. SPIDER MAN 2 made less than the first film. But this series ushered in
the "serious superhero" movie like the DARK KNIGHT trilogy and IRON MAN and the Marvel films (like WINTER SOLDIER,
which is a 70s film masquerading as a superhero movie). These are serious films... about guys in tights and
capes. But SPIDER-MAN 2 mis-stepped right away with a recap sequence telling us what happened in the first film. Problem is
that the opening titles did such a great job of recapping the first film in an interesting
way (comic book frames) that the film version of the recap became redundant. Hey, we
already know this stuff! For those of us who saw the first film, it was *really* redundant.
But the biggest problem for me with SPIDER-MAN 2 (original) was conflict dissipation. The film keeps
neutering the conflict! The engine that runs the machine of SPIDER-MAN is that Peter
feels guilty about contributing to Uncle Ben's death. That is Peter Parker's motivation
for donning the spidey-suit and fighting crime. In a past tip about the first film, I noted
that the guilt that the character feels is not only his motivation for being a super-hero,
it's also our doorway into the character. We understand the guilt and understand the
character. Without that guilt, he is less interesting and less motivated.
CREATED BY GUILT
Every time there is a scene with Peter and his Aunt, the tension is thick - he killed her
husband. Maybe he didn't pull the trigger, but he's partially responsible. This tension
makes for great dramatic scenes between the two... but in SPIDER-MAN 2 Peter
decides he can't bear the tension... so he confesses to his Aunt and she *forgives him*!
Conflict resolved. Tension over. Now there is no more dramatic tension in the scenes
with his Aunt... and Peter has lost his motivation for being a super-hero and is no longer
as *deep* a character as he once was. Huge mistake!
Peter feels that Spider-Man is too much responsibility for him and presto-chango, his
powers fade! Peter doesn't have to *give up* his powers, they go away. No *decision*
involved. Peter Parker is *passive* in his own life. When his powers fade, his decision
to give up being a super-hero is much easier... it's really not even his choice. Spidey
does not give up using his powers, they gave up on him. You never want things to be
easier for your protagonist, you want to make things more difficult. You want the
character to make the decisions, not to have the decisions made for them.
EASY OUTS
The story is filled with "easy outs" where problems just solve themselves or disappear.
Conflict - real conflict - just vanishes. This removes the drama from the situation. Drama
(and conflict) is what brings out character - so we end up with a story that actually
weakens the characters instead of explores them. I can't imagine a scene in any super-
hero movie where the super-hero is unmasked in public - and nothing happens!
Nothing. Since the beginning of super-heroes, the most important thing has always
been to protect the secret identity. That's why they wear those spandex outfits and
masks in the first place (it's not just an alternative lifestyle decision). Once a super-hero
is unmasked, they are powerless - villains can destroy their lives and the police can
arrest them as the vigilantes they are. There's this whole spiel in KILL BILL 2 about
Superman and his secret identity. If there's a single rule in movies like this it's that the
super-hero can never be unmasked. If they are, there's hell to pay... Except in this film.
A whole train load of people see Spider-man without his mask... and nothing happens
at all! There are no repercussions. An action without any equal and opposite reaction.
That's just not possible in the real world - and rings false in the *reel* world.
The film has a lot of "easy outs" where problems solve themselves, but the biggest one
for me was that big, juicy scene I imagined when Harry Osborne peels off that mask to
find out who murdered his father and discovers it's his best friend. That scene in the
film's trailer was the reason why I had really high hopes for this film. Wow! Talk about
drama! Talk about conflict! But instead of juicy stuff, we get a fine example of conflict
dissipation. "Now isn't the time to deal with you and me" and we cut to *after* Peter has
been released by the best friend he betrayed who wanted to kill him! Easy out! Not only
does this cheat us out of what could have been the best scene in the story, it creates an
unresolved conflict that requires a couple of tacked on scenes to hold it over until the
next film. We end up with a RETURN OF THE KING never-ending end trying to deal
with all of these conflicts that get pushed under the rug (when they should have been
explored in juicy scenes in the film). If the purpose of this was to set up Harry Osborne
as the villain in the next film, maybe it should have been saved until the next film... or
they should have found some way to save it for the *very* end of the film as a cliff-
hanger. By placing it before the final battle with Doc Ock, it ends up not making any
sense. Harry has to work his revenge against Peter into his busy schedule? Again - we
have the action, but no equal and opposite reaction. Just an easy out.
The problem with easy outs in the SPIDER-MAN movies is that they are all about
responsibility. They are all about tough choices. They are all about how Peter's *not*
going after the guy who robbed the Wrestling Promoter results in his Uncle's murder.
For every action - even the small ones - there is a reaction. So when something
happens that should logically create a problem - and the problem just doesn't happen -
it goes against the core theme of the story and what the *character* is all about. We have removed that "great responsibility".
TALK OR DO
There's a quote from Robert DeNiro that pops up every once in a while on the
Wordplay message boards that goes something like, "Don't talk the scene away, do
something!" One way of avoiding or dissipating conflict is just to talk the problem away.
A big problem on SPIDER-MAN 2 was that everyone *talked* about problems instead
of giving us scenes that showed them dealing with them. It's Death-By-Exposition. This
also lead to a bunch of really clunky dialogue.
In the first film, the action scenes keep forcing Spidey to save MaryJane or go after the
bad guy. The end scene where he must make a decision between saving the woman he
loves or a busload of kids is all about how with great power comes great responsibility.
Scene after scene in the first film gives him difficult choices between what he wants and
the responsibility of being a super-hero. Mary Jane is on the falling balcony - rescue her
or stop the Green Goblin from killing innocent people? The action scenes were
*thematic* and all about exploring the character. In SPIDER-MAN 2 the train scene is
exciting, but isn't really about Spidey (unless one of the early drafts was about Spidey
losing faith in himself and this was illustrating renewed faith). Peter never has to make a
difficult decision in the entire film! The action scenes are just action - they don't explore
character,. There is no emotional component to the action scenes in the second film. I
think when the action scenes are telling the story, the dialogue doesn't have to do as
much heavy lifting... which leads to those clunky lines and exposition scenes.
EASY ENDINGS
The one conflict you don't to have watered down and made less exciting is the main
story conflict - the one between the hero and the villain. That's the whole story! The
SPIDER-MAN movies are all about guilt and responsibility and making the tough
decisions. You all know I'm in favor of having villains explode at the end... the villain
has put our hero through hell for the past two hours and it's time for him to pay! There's
a karma thing to the ending of a movie. You want the villain to die. A film that ends with
the police showing up and the villain being arrested is just not satisfying. So when Doc
Ock suddenly changes into a good guy for no apparent reason, the film just dies. I
wanted to see the battle of the titans - the story has been promising this battle for the
past two hours. I wanted to see Spidey win... and save the world. I didn't want to see
Spidey chat with the Doc Ock for a few minutes, convince him he's made a mistake,
and have *the villain* save the world and die in the process. Hey, the villain isn't
supposed to save the day - that's the hero's job!
I would have rather had Spidey use Doc Ock's mega-weapon against him somehow,
and solve both the villain and the weapon (fusion gizmo) problem at the same time...
then have Octavius get in some last words as himself as redemption. Darth Vader
doesn't just fall on his sword in RETURN OF THE JEDI, he's the villain up unto the
point where he's mortally wounded... and reverts back to his human self so that he can
die in Luke's arms. Even then, it's kind of a "have your cake and eat it, too" ending -
less satisfying than the Death Star blowing up in STAR WARS. You want the villain to pay
for what they've done... not turn into the hero.
And leave Spider-Man as the guy who *does nothing* to save the day! The ultimate in
passive protagonists - he doesn't solve the problem. The ultimate in easy outs - the
problem basically solves itself.
DISSIPATING FUTURE CONFLICT
This goes back to that secret identity that must be protected at all costs - the big
romantic triangle in *any* super-hero movie is between the super-hero, the love
interest, and the secret identity. Look at Superman, Lois Lane, and Clark Kent! Part of
what makes the relationships tick is that it's all about unrequited love. Clark loves Lois
who loves Superman. Nobody here is ever gonna be happy!
For the character dynamics to work, Peter must love Mary Jane who loves Spider-Man.
Problem is, Peter *is* Spider-Man, but can never reveal himself without putting Mary
Jane in danger. The point of SPIDER-MAN's ending was that Peter had to sacrifice his
love for Mary Jane in order to continue being Spider-Man. A great CASABLANCA
ending!
So ending SPIDER-MAN 2 with Mary Jane knowing that Spider-Man is Peter Parker?
Just ruins everything in that relationship! No more love triangle! No more emotional
conflict within Peter where he must choose between love and duty. Plus it kills a major
conflict in SPIDER-MAN 3 which leads to that disco ball scene! Oh, and she accepts his being Spidey - another easy out!
Another conflict dissipated!
The first film had a dopey over-the-top and motiveless villain in Green Goblin. SPIDER-
MAN 2 has a great villain in Doc Ock, but seems to miss whatever point it was trying to
make. Peter's wish is to avoid conflict and lead a normal life? The lesson that Peter
learns is that sometimes a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do? So what didn't the
*script* learn that lesson? Why do we get mixed signals - the script avoids conflict all
the way until the end, but preaches that Peter needs to forget his dreams and face the
conflicts? The biggest conflict in SPIDER-MAN 2 is it's point - it seems to be
saying one thing and doing another. The first film was *consistently* about great
power requiring great responsibility. Somewhere between the two is a GREAT movie,
but I think they're just two good ones... and one awful one. How could SPIDER-MAN 3 suck so much?
Will we have reboooted reboots in ten years? SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME was as good as HOMECOMING. and FAR FROM HOME.,
and left Spidey in a changed world... where nobody remembers him. What will the next film. and the next trilogy,. bring?
New to screenwriting? You probably have questions! How do I get an Agent? How do I write a phone conversation? Do I need a Mentor? What’s does VO and OC and OS mean? What is proper screenplay format? Should I use a pen name? Do I need to movie to Hollywood? What’s the difference between a Producer and a Production Manager, and which should I sell my script to? How do I write a Text Message? Should I Copyright or WGA register my script? Can I Direct or Star? How do I write an Improvised scene? Overcoming Writer’s Block? How do I write a Sex Scene? And many many more! This book has the answers to the 101 Most Asked Questions from new screenwriters! Everything you need to know to begin writing your screenplay!
All of the answers you need to know, from a working professional screenwriter with 20 produced films and a new movie made for a major streaming service in 2023!
Thinking about writing a big Disaster Movie? An Historical Epic? An Epic Adventure Film? Or maybe you like Gladiator Movies? This book looks at writing Blockbusters and those Big Fat Beach Read novels - anything epic! Usng movies like JAWS, POSEIDON ADVENTURE, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, THE GUNS OF NAVARONE, and those MARVEL and FAST & FURIOUS flicks as examples. What *is* a Blockbuster? 107 years of Blockbuster history! Blockbuster Characters. Blockbuster Story Types! Why modern Blockbusters are soap operas! Social Issues in Blcokbusters? Big Emotions! Keeping All Of Those Characters Distinctive! How to avoid the Big problems found in Big Movies and books! More! If you are writing a Big Event Movie or a Big Fat Novel, there are tips and techniques to help you!
"The Presidential Suite of the Hollywood Hoover Hotel looked like a bloody battlefield: bodies everywhere, furniture broken, red liquid dripping from the walls, dead soldiers littering the elegant Berber rug as clouds of smoke overhead bounced between two air conditioning vents.
Mitch Robertson stepped over the body of an ex-child star turned sex tape star turned pop star and entered the room, spotted a gun on the floor and picked it up... careful not to spill his coffee with three pumps of mocha syrup from Penny’s Coffee Shop. That coffee was gold, the only thing keeping him going in this dazed state of wakefulness. The gun felt light. Holding it, he saw the silhouette of an 80s action star sitting sideways on a tipped over chair. Motionless. Was he dead? Mitch was still hung over from the Awards Party the night before, and wondered whether this was all some sort of crazy nightmare that he would wake up from... but when he tripped over the brown legs of a bottomless Superhero, flaccid junk encased in a condom but still wearing his mask, and hit the edge of the sofa, gun skittering and coffee spilling, he realized that it was all very real. What the hell had happened here?"
When You Finish Your Screenplay Or Novel... The Rewrites Begin!
The end is just the beginning! You’ve finished your story, but now the rewriting begins! This 405 page book shows you how to rewrite your screenplay or novel to perfection. Everything from Character Consistency to Shoeboxing to How To Give And Receive Notes to 15 Solutions If Your Script’s Too Long! and 15 Solutions If Your Script’s Too Short! to Finding The Cause Of A Story Problem to Good Notes Vs. Bad Notes to Finding Beta Readers to Avoiding Predictability to Learning To Be Objective About Your Work to Script Killer Notes and Notes From Idiots to Production Rewrites and What The Page Colors Mean? and a Complete Rewrite Checklist! The complete book on Rewriting Your Story!
*** HITCHCOCK: MASTERING SUSPENSE *** - For Kindle!
Alfred Hitchcock, who directed 52 movies, was known as the *Master Of Suspense*; but what exactly is suspense and how can *we* master it? How does suspense work? How can *we* create “Hitchcockian” suspense scenes in our screenplays, novels, stories and films?
This book uses seventeen of Hitchcock’s films to show the difference between suspense and surprise, how to use “focus objects” to create suspense, the 20 iconic suspense scenes and situations, how plot twists work, using secrets for suspense, how to use Dread (the cousin of suspense) in horror stories, and dozens of other amazing storytelling lessons. From classics like “Strangers On A Train” and “The Birds” and “Vertigo” and “To Catch A Thief” to older films from the British period like “The 39 Steps” and “The Man Who Knew Too Much” to his hits from the silent era like “The Lodger” (about Jack The Ripper), we’ll look at all of the techniques to create suspense!
Contained Thrillers like "Buried"? Serial Protagonists like "Place Beyond The Pines"? Multiple Connecting Stories like "Pulp Fiction"? Same Story Multiple Times like "Run, Lola, Run"?
HITCHCOCK DID IT FIRST!
This book focuses on 18 of Hitchcock's 52 films with wild cinema and story experiments which paved the way for modern films. Almost one hundred different experiments that you may think are recent cinema or story inventions... but some date back to Hitchcock's *silent* films! We'll examine these experiments and how they work. Great for film makers, screenwriters, film fans, producers and directors.
Why pay $510 for a used version of the 240 page 2000 version that used to retail for $21.95? (check it out!) when
you can get the NEW EXPANDED VERSION - over 500 pages - for just $9.99? New chapters, New examples, New techniques!
"SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING is the
best book on the practical nuts-and-bolts mechanics of writing a screenplay I've ever read."
- Ted Elliott, co-writer of MASK OF ZORRO, SHREK, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN and the sequels (with Terry Rossio). (ie; 4 of the top 20 Box Office Hits Of ALL TIME.)
All Six Movies analyzed! All of the mission tapes, all of the “that’s impossible!” set pieces and stunts, the cons and capers - and how these scenes work, the twists and double crosses, the tension and suspense (and how to generate it), the concept of each film as a stand alone with a different director calling the shots (broken in the sixth film), the gadgets, the masks, the stories, the co-stars and team members (one team member has been in every film), the stunts Tom Cruise actually did (and the ones he didn’t), and so much more! Over 120,000 words of fun info!
THE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE MOVIES - 347 Pages - Only $3.99 !
All five "Bourne" movies (including "Legacy" and it's potential sequels) - what are the techniques used to keep the characters and scenes exciting and involving? Reinventing the thriller genre...
or following the "formula"? Five films - each with an interesting experiment! A detailed analysis of each
of the films, the way these thrillers work... as well as a complete list of box office and critical
statistics for each film. This book is great for writers, directors, and just fans of the series.
He's back! The release of "Terminator: Dark Fate" is set to begin a new trilogy in
the Terminator story... 35 years after the first film was released. What draws us to these films about
a cybernetic organism from the future sent back in time? Why is there a new proposed trilogy every few
years? This book looks at all five Terminator movies from a story standpoint - what makes them work
(or not)? What are the techniques used to keep the characters and scenes exciting and involving? How
about those secret story details you may not have noticed? Containing a detailed analysis of each of
the five films so far, this book delves into the way these stories work... as well as a complete list of
box office and critical statistics for each film. This book is great for writers, directors, and just
fans of the series.
Screenwriting books have been around as long as films have. This series reprints vintage screenwriting books with a new introduction and history, plus new articles which look at how these lessons from almost 100 years ago apply to today’s screenplays. Anita Loos book is filled with information which still applies.
In addition to the full text of the original book, you get the full screenplay to Miss Loos' hit THE LOVE EXPERT, plus several new articles on the time period and women in Hollywood.
Expanded version with more ways to find great ideas! Your screenplay is going to begin with an idea. There are good ideas and bad ideas and commercial ideas and personal ideas. But where do you find ideas in the first place? This handbook explores different methods for finding or generating ideas, and combining those ideas into concepts that sell. The Idea Bank, Fifteen Places To Find Ideas, Good Ideas And Bad Ideas, Ideas From Locations And Elements, Keeping Track Of Your Ideas, Idea Theft - What Can You Do? Weird Ways To Connect Ideas, Combing Ideas To Create Concepts, High Concepts - What Are They? Creating The Killer Concept, Substitution - Lion Tamers & Hitmen, Creating Blockbuster Concepts, Magnification And The Matrix, Conflict Within Concept, Concepts With Visual Conflict, Avoiding Episodic Concepts, much more! Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 175 pages!
ARE YOUR SCENES IN THE RIGHT ORDER? AND ARE THEY THE RIGHT SCENES?
Your story is like a road trip... but where are you going? What's the best route to get there? What are the best sights to see along the way? Just as you plan a vacation instead of just jump in the car and start driving, it's a good idea to plan your story. An artist does sketches before breaking out the oils, so why shouldn't a writer do the same? This Blue Book looks at various outlining methods used by professional screenwriters like Wesley Strick, Paul Schrader, John August, and others... as well as a guest chapter on novel outlines. Plus a whole section on the Thematic Method of generating scenes and characters and other elements that will be part of your outline. The three stages of writing are: Pre-writing, Writing, and Rewriting... this book looks at that first stage and how to use it to improve your screenplays and novels.
William Goldman says the most important single element of any screenplay is structure. It’s the skeleton under the flesh and blood of your story. Without it, you have a spineless, formless, mess... a slug! How do you make sure your structure is strong enough to support your story? How do you prevent your story from becoming a slug? This Blue Book explores different types of popular structures from the basic three act structure to more obscure methods like leap-frogging. We also look at structure as a verb as well as a noun, and techniques for structuring your story for maximum emotional impact. Most of the other books just look at *structure* and ignore the art of *structuring* your story. Techniques to make your story a page turner... instead of a slug!
This book takes you step-by-step through the construction of a story... and how to tell a story well, why Story always starts with character... but ISN'T character, Breaking Your Story, Irony, Planting Information, Evolving Story, Leaving No Dramatic Stone Unturned, The Three Greek Unities, The Importance Of Stakes, The Thematic Method, and how to create personal stories with blockbuster potential. Ready to tell a story?
Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is over 85,000 words - 251 pages!
Your story doesn't get a second chance to make a great first impression, and this book shows you a
bunch of techniques on how to do that. From the 12 Basic Ways To Begin Your Story, to the 3 Stars Of
Your First Scene (at least one must be present) to World Building, Title Crawls, Backstory, Starting
Late, Teasers and Pre Title Sequences, Establishing Theme & Motifs (using GODFATHER PART 2), Five Critical
Elements, Setting Up The Rest Of The Story (with GODFATHER), and much more! With hundreds of examples
ranging from Oscar winners to classic films like CASABLANCA to some of my produced films (because
I know exactly why I wrote the scripts that way). Biggest Blue Book yet!
Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is over 100,000 words - 312 pages!
Expanded version with more ways to create interesting protagonists! A step-by-step guide to creating "take charge" protagonists. Screenplays are about characters in conflict... characters in emotional turmoil... Strong three dimensional protagonists who can find solutions to their problems in 110 pages. But how do you create characters like this? How do you turn words into flesh and blood? Character issues, Knowing Who Is The Boss, Tapping into YOUR fears, The Naked Character, Pulp Friction, Man With A Plan, Character Arcs, Avoiding Cliche People, Deep Characterization, Problem Protagonists, 12 Ways To Create Likable Protagonists (even if they are criminals), Active vs. Reactive, The Third Dimension In Character, Relationships, Ensemble Scripts, and much, much more. Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is once again around 205 pages!
Show Don't Tell - but *how* do you do that? Here are techniques to tell stories visually! Using Oscar Winning Films and Oscar Nominated Films as our primary examples: from the first Best Picture Winner "Sunrise" (1927) to the Oscar Nominated "The Artist" (which takes place in 1927) with stops along the way Pixar's "Up" and Best Original Screenplay Winner "Breaking Away" (a small indie style drama - told visually) as well as "Witness" and other Oscar Winners as examples... plus RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 200 pages!
Most screenplays are about a 50/50 split between dialogue and description - which means your description is just as important as your dialogue. It just gets less press because the audience never sees it, the same reason why screenwriters get less press than movie stars. But your story will never get to the audience until readers and development executives read your script... so it is a very important factor. Until the movie is made the screenplay is the movie and must be just as exciting as the movie. So how do you make your screenplay exciting to read? Description is important in a novel as well, and the “audience” does read it... how do we write riveting description?
Expanded version with more ways to create interesting dialogue! How to remove bad dialogue (and what *is* bad dialogue), First Hand Dialogue, Awful Exposition, Realism, 50 Professional Dialogue Techniques you can use *today*, Subtext, Subtitles, Humor, Sizzling Banter, *Anti-Dialogue*, Speeches, and more. Tools you can use to make your dialogue sizzle! Special sections that use dialogue examples from movies as diverse as "Bringing Up Baby", "Psycho", "Double Indemnity", "Notorious", the Oscar nominated "You Can Count On Me", "His Girl Friday", and many more! Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 175 pages!
What is a scene and how many you will need? The difference between scenes and sluglines. Put your scenes on trial for their lives! Using "Jaws" we'll look at beats within a scene. Scene DNA. Creating set pieces and high concept scenes. A famous director talks about creating memorable scenes. 12 ways to create new scenes. Creating unexpected scenes. Use dramatic tension to supercharge your scenes. Plants and payoffs in scenes. Plus transitions and buttons and the all important "flow"... and more! Over 65,000 words! Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is around 210 pages!
Expanded version with more techniques to flesh out your Supporting Characters and make them individuals. Using the hit movie BRIDESMAIDS as well as other comedies like THE HANGOVER and TED and HIGH FIDELITY and
40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN and many other examples we look at ways to make your Supporting Characters come alive on the page.
Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is around 170 pages!
Expanded version with more techniques to help you through the desert of Act Two! Subjects Include: What Is Act Two? Inside Moves, The 2 Ps: Purpose & Pacing, The 4Ds: Dilemma, Denial, Drama and Decision, Momentum, the Two Act Twos, Subplot Prisms, Deadlines, Drive, Levels Of Conflict, Escalation, When Act Two Begins and When Act Two Ends, Scene Order, Bite Sized Pieces, Common Act Two Issues, Plot Devices For Act Two, and dozens of others. Over 67,000 words (that’s well over 200 pages) of tools and techniques to get you through the desert of Act Two alive!
Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is well over 200 pages!
The First Ten Pages Of Your Screenplay Are Critical, But What About The Last 10 Pages?
Creating the perfect ending to your story! This 100,000 word book shows you how to end your story with a bang, rather than a whimper. Everything from Resolution Order to Act Three Tools to Happy or Sad Endings? to How The Beginning Of Your Story Has Clues To The Ending (in case you were having trouble figuring out how the story should end) to Falling Action to How To Avoid Bad Endings to Writing The Perfect Twist Ending to Setting Up Sequels & Series to Emotional Resolutions to How To Write Post Credit Sequences to Avoiding Deus Ex Machinas, to 20 Different Types Of Ends (and how to write them) and much more! Everything about endings for your screenplay or novel!
Loglines, Treatments, Pitching, Look Books, Pitch Decks, One Pagers, Rip-O-Matics?
You have written a brilliant 110 page screenplay, but how do you get anyone to read it? You need to distill it down into some form of verbal moonshine or story rocket fuel that will ignite that bored development executive or manager or agent and get them to request your screenplay. But how do you shrink those 110 pages into a 25 word logline or a 2 minute elevator pitch or a one page synopsis or a short paragraph? This 100,000 word book shows you how! Everything you need to know! From common logline mistakes (and how to solve them) to how your pitch can reveal story problems to the 4 types of pitches!
Should really be called the BUSINESS BLUE BOOK because it covers almost everything you will need to
know for your screenwriting career: from thinking like a producer and learning to speak their language,
to query letters and finding a manager or agent, to making connections (at home and in Hollywood) and
networking, to the different kinds of meetings you are will have at Studios, to the difference between
a producer and a studio, to landing an assignment at that meeting and what is required of you when you
are working under contract, to contracts and options and lawyers and... when to run from a deal!
Information you can use *now* to move your career forward! It's all here in the Biggest Blue Book yet!
Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is over 400 pages!
Use your creative energy to focus on the content; let Final Draft take care of the style. Final Draft is the number-one selling application specifically designed for writing movie scripts, television episodics and stage plays. Its ease-of-use and time-saving features have attracted writers for almost two decades positioning Final Draft as the Professional Screenwriters Choice. Final Draft power users include Academy, Emmy and BAFTA award winning writers like Oliver Stone, Tom Hanks, Alan Ball, J.J. Abrams, James Cameron and more.
* * * Buy It!
IT'S BACK! SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING
Over 460 pages packed with tips and techniques.
How to
write a plot twist,
the four kinds of suspense (and how to create it), reversals, ten ways to invent new action scenes, secrets and lies,
creating the ultimate
villain, five kinds of love interests, MORE!CLICK HERE!
CLASSES ON MP3
CLASSES ON MP3! Take a class on MP3! GUERRILLA MARKETING - NO AGENT? NO PROBLEM! and WRITING THRILLERS (2 MP3s). Full length classes on MP3. Now Available: IDEAS & CREATIVITY, WRITING HORROR, WRITING INDIE FILMS, more!
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MY OTHER SITES
B MOVIE WORLD Cult Films, Exploitation, Bikers & Women In Prison, Monster Movies.
E BOOKS: New Blue Books and Novelettes!
I am expanding all of the Blue Books from around 44 pages of
text to around 200 pages! Some are over 250 pages! See what is availabale and what is coming soon!Also, I've been writing Novelletes and there
will soon be novels. E BOOKS: BLUE BOOKS & NOVELLETES
BOOKLETS & PRODUCTS
FIRST STRIKE BLUE BOOKS
Each Blue Book is 48
pages and focuses on a different aspect of screenwriting. Dialogue. Visual Storytelling. Your First Ten Pages. Act 2 Booster. Protagonists. Great Endings. Seventeen Blue Books now available!
