Every scene in a screenplay should serve a purpose and contribute to the overall narrative. While the specific goals may vary depending on the story, genre, and context, there are things that every scene should accomplish.<\/p>","postDate":"January 28th, 2024","shortKey":"768d1060"},{"category":"Articles","title":"Who Wants What? Writing Your Scenes","subTitle":"","atime":1705608868,"cover":"0c4661f7b261913e409f4e77d8422bd3.jpg","byLine":"Dirk Dilenger","homeText":"
"Who wants what?" is a fundamental question that helps drive the narrative and character motivations for screenwriters when they sit dow to write. It's a concise way of summarizing the core element of conflict and desire in a scene.<\/p>","postDate":"January 18th, 2024","shortKey":"393d4c66"},{"category":"News","title":"Golden Globes Best Screenplay, Director & Picture","subTitle":"","atime":1704826601,"cover":"d4b663ef9099454d58627b836e7a70c4.jpg","byLine":"Staff","homeText":"
Here are the winners for a few categories at the Golden Globes.<\/p>","postDate":"January 9th, 2024","shortKey":"352ae5cc"},{"category":"Articles","title":"Strategies for Creating Effective Ticking Clock Element in your Screenplay","subTitle":"","atime":1704481143,"cover":"804387992cd5507009f042d1afddf652.jpg","byLine":"Ben (SU Staff)","homeText":"
When you're writing an action\/thriller or suspense drama of some kind you have to be able to create tension, and well, suspense. The movie SPEED always comes to mind when you think about a really effective ticking clock story element. The ticking clock plot device is a powerful tool that adds urgency and tension to the narrative. It usually involves setting a specific deadline or time constraint for the characters to achieve their goals.<\/p>","postDate":"January 5th, 2024","shortKey":"52a249d6"},{"category":"Interviews","title":"Ten Questions with Linda Seger","subTitle":"","atime":1627511624,"cover":"586fadb7661ef34a8b9398431c2f96fe.jpeg","byLine":"Christopher Wehner","homeText":"
Dr. Linda Seger is the original script consultant having literally inventing the job in 1981; before her it didn't exist. Since then she has consulted on over 2000 scripts and presented screenwriting seminars in over thirty countries around the world. Seger has written nine books on screenwriting making her the most prolific screenwriting author we have. Seger <\/strong>consulted for Peter Jackson’s break-through film, BRAIN DEAD and Roland Emmerich’s breakthrough film, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER. She also has given seminars for studios, networks including ABC, NBC, CBS, production companies, television series (MacGyver, The Mary Show), film commissions, universities and film schools. <\/p>","postDate":"July 28th, 2021","shortKey":"f5ed3812"},{"category":"Interviews","title":"Interview with REAR WINDOW Scribe John Michael Hayes","subTitle":"Interview Archive Series, 2004","atime":1596299325,"cover":"aef88f689df400ec4150b30053db8b9d.jpg","byLine":"Christopher Wehner","homeText":" This is an interview I was really happy to get back in 2004, it was a pleasure to interview such a screenwriting legend as John Michael Hayes. We have also added a neat short interview with him where he discusses characters and Hitchcock.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Rear Window<\/em> is considered to be Hitchcock's most "cinematic" picture. At times it had to communicate a lot to the audience without a word ever being spoken. This isn't surprising as Hitchcock started directing in 1922, during the silent era, making several silent films. By 1954, the year Rear Window<\/em> was released he had clearly mastered the art of directing. However, before he could unleash his visual brilliance there had to be a great script from which to allow such a great movie to be made.<\/p>","postDate":"August 1st, 2020","shortKey":"ade72ace"},{"category":"Interviews","title":"How WARM BEER turned into an EL CAMINO CHRISTMAS and got Christopher Wehner his first Movie Deal","subTitle":"A twenty-two year in the making success story","atime":1494290159,"cover":"fafa73082f843c2cbf5ee87d79c8aeaa.jpg","byLine":"Harry Caul","homeText":" Twenty-two years ago Christopher Wehner wrote his first screenplay. Like most writers he dreamed of seeing his work make it to the big screen. After many struggles, rejections, and disappointments he is on the verge of his dream. When you go to his IMDB page<\/a> it shows EL CAMINO CHRISTMAS<\/a> as his sole writing credit. From that perspective you might considered him an overnight success; only its been a twenty-two year in the making one. And like almost all of these kinds of success stories it took chance encounters, some luck, and a lot of perseverance. <\/p>","postDate":"May 8th, 2017","shortKey":"bebd9a9a"},{"category":"Op\/Ed","title":"Confessions of a \"Sometimes\" Procrastinating Screenwriter","subTitle":"","atime":1416515936,"cover":"4a6770ed7052f61664af9e787f73544d.jpg","byLine":"Christopher Wehner","homeText":" First let me stop writing the script I am currently working on so I can pound out this short editorial. Though I should say allow me to stop bleeding at the keyboard as I struggle with the current scene I am writing. I have to admit that I am my own worst enemy as a writer. I procrastinate, often, and it can sometimes be so debilitating that I never finish some screenplays. Why?<\/span><\/p>","postDate":"November 20th, 2014","shortKey":"264f97ac"},{"category":"Script Reviews","title":"Seven Lessons from Bob Nelson's NEBRASKA Screenplay","subTitle":"","atime":1394993111,"cover":"0b9f32ee23eb59bd739d4577e4b564b8.jpg","byLine":"Christopher Wehner","homeText":" The Oscar nominated movie NEBRASKA, with an award winning screenplay by Bob Nelson, is in my opinion one of the better scripts recently produced for screenwriters to learn a little something about the craft. Why? It’s the epitome of efficient and dramatic storytelling. The script is pithy, direct, yet it has depth and emotion (theme) that is so subtle in its presentation. <\/span><\/p>","postDate":"March 16th, 2014","shortKey":"1789ef74"}]