• Directing Directors on the ‘Right’ Approach to Coaching Actors (Guest Blog)

    Never mind the objective, a veteran mentor says, the key is to activate the character

  • How to Do the Actor-Director Dance

    Guest Blog: Imagine a world of storytelling where each character is free from the constrictions and restrictions of actors and directors

  • When it Comes to Best Actor, How are We to Judge?

    The script, and the degree of transformation required by the role, are two critical criteria. Take George Clooney and Jean Dujardin for example

  • ‘Committee Meetings’ Hold Key to Well-Developed Characters

    Writers and directors breathe life into their creations, but to give them real depth, they must rely upon actors. And those voices in their heads

  • In Storytelling, Mind the Gap

    Make sure you understand the difference between Expectations and Results — they reveal the true inner nature of the character

  • The World of Obstacles

    They are what make life rich and invigorating, challenging and colorful. They define us. And they are one of our most powerful storytelling tools …

  • Screenwriters, It’s Important to Understand ‘Both’ of Your Objectives

    At every moment there are two primary objectives attempting to be fulfilled: private and public

  • Why We Need Story Structure

    We are drawn to structure in our stories simply because our lives have no discernable structure of their own

  • Storytelling vs. Story Writing

    Maybe we should write novels first — a well-known agent in London advises his clients to write a novel first, both for professional and creative reasons

  • The Movie in My Mind

    What is the genesis of a story? It begins rumbling around inside our head, begging to be heard, begging to be told …

  • Writing With One Hand Behind Your Back

    The screenplay appears so seductively simple with its standard format and three-act 120-page structure — but its simplicity is deceptive

  • What Is a Story, and Where Does It Come From?

    We are all storytellers; the story’s first teller is our self and the first listener is our self