ironic lessons RSS
Write Something They Won’t Make: Ironic Lessons from GAME OF THRONES
Writing in the hopes of your script getting produced can be, counterintuitively, limiting. Setting limits on your imagination before the script has gone into production may seem pragmatic and business-minded, but it can also weaken the final product. This is the ironic lesson to draw from GAME OF THRONES. In an interview with the New York Times before the show came out, George RR Martin explained the genesis of his epic fantasy series – he was a frustrated TV writer. “To some extent, the project was also a reaction to my own Hollywood career. I was out there for 10...
Tags
- All
- "Die Hard in a..." thrillers
- "Sad Man movies"
- "Telling of the Legend"
- "The Campfire Story"
- 10 pages
- 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU
- 20/80
- 30 pages
- 300
- A Case Study
- A Few Good Men
- A FISH CALLED WANDA
- A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
- A Quiet Place
- A Star Is Born
- A-story
- Aaron Sorkin
- Academy Awards
- Act II
- action
- Action-adventure
- Action-comedy
- Action-horror
- Action-thriller
- actor-bait
- Actors
- Adam Sandler
- adaptation
- Adaptations
- ADVENTURELAND
- agent
- Al Pacino
- ALIEN
- AMADEUS
- Amazon
- Ambiguity
- AMERICAN BEAUTY
- AMERICAN GRAFFITI
- Ana De Armas
- Andy Dufresne
- antagonist
- arcane
- Aristotle
- article
- artificial
- Artists
- Arya
- aspiring screenwriter
- assumptions
- Atlanta
- Austin Film Festival
- Avatar
- BACK TO THE FUTURE
- backstory
- bad dialogue
- balance
- balanced intellectualism
- BASIC INSTINCT
- belief in your material
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- best work
- best-selling book franchise
- BETTER OFF DEAD
- big idea
- big introductions
- Big Lebowski
- Big-budget spec scripts
- BIPOC
- Black List
- Black Panther
- blad exposition
- Blade Runner
- Blake Snyder
- block-buster comedy
- bold choices
- bolding slug lines
- book
- book series
- Boss Level
- BOURNE
- Bradley Cooper
- brain storming
- Brand
- BRAVEHEART
- BREAKING BAD
- Breaking the rules
- BRICK
- BRIDESMADS
- Broader idea
- Bruce Willis
- budget
- Budgeting
- building blocks
- Bull Durham
- BURIED
- CABIN IN THE WOODS
- call to adventure
- CANDYMAN
- CARRIE
- catalogue
- catharsis
- challenge
- challengeing roles
- Character
- Character Arc
- character beats
- character contradictions
- character development
- character fundamentals
- character hook
- character introduction
- character motivations
- character's reality
- checklist
- Chloe Zhao
- Chris Pratt
- Christ-like
- cinematic action
- cinematic narrative
- CITIZEN KANE
- clarify
- clarity
- clear writing
- cliche
- Clint Eastwood
- cloaked scene
- CLUELESS
- collection
- Combining genres
- comedy
- comic book
- Comic Books
- Comixology
- Commercial Screenplays
- commercial script
- commercial writing
- compelling concept
- compelling writing
- complex characters
- complex roles
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN
- Concept
- Conflict
- confusion
- connecting to a scene
- contained thriller
- Contained thrillers
- contest
- continuity
- cop/serial killer
- Coronavirus scripted content Netflix Amazon Hulu Executives Film and TV Pandemic
- cost-benefit analysis
- craft
- crazy openings
- creative concepts
- creative freedom
- Dan in Real Life
- DARK CITY
- Dark Horse
- DARK SKIES
- darket hour
- Darth Vader
- David Sedaris
- DAZED AND CONFUSED
- DEADPOOL
- DEATH WISH
- defined market
- Denouement
- density
- Depth
- Depth in screenwriting
- Detective genre
- devil in the details
- DEXTER
- Dialogue
- Die Hard
- dig deep on character
- discipline
- Disney+
- DO THE RIGHT THING
- documentaries
- DOM HEMINGWAY
- domestic film market
- drama
- dramatic stakes and beats
- dramedy
- EASY A
- EAT PRAY LOVE
- Edge of Tomorrow
- efficient storytelling
- ego
- elevate
- elevated story telling
- Elizabeth Gilbert
- Ellen Ripley
- ELYSIUM
- emotion
- emotionally satisfying
- epic
- episode
- Erin Brockovich
- EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
- Everything Must Go
- Ex Machina
- execution-driven
- exposition
- Extant
- familiar
- fantasy
- FARGO
- FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH
- feature
- feature film
- FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
- FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF
- film industry
- filmmaking
- Final Draft
- Final Draft Big Break
- financial
- first 10
- First Act
- flashback
- flawed protagonist
- FLEABAG
- focus
- Forest Gump
- formatting
- fortitude
- Franchise
- FROM HELL
- FX TV
- Game of Thrones
- Gene Hackman
- genre
- GET OUT
- Gillian Flynn
- GLADIATOR
- GLENGARRY GLENN ROSS
- goal
- GONE GIRL
- good dialogue
- good vs great
- GOOD WILL HUNTING
- GRAN TORINO
- graphic novel
- great actors
- great ending
- great main characters
- great movies
- Great openings
- great scenes
- GREEN ROOM
- Greta Gerwig
- Grit
- Ground Hog's Day
- grounded scifi
- Groundhog's Day
- Guy Ritchie
- HALLOWEEN
- Hannibal Lecter
- Happy Death Day
- Harry Potter
- haunted
- Haunting of Hill House
- HBO
- HEATHERS
- HELL OR HIGH WATER
- Hero's Journey
- High buget
- high-concept
- higher ideals
- Hollywood
- hook
- horror
- horror film
- Horror-comedy
- HOT FUZZ
- house
- How to Elevate Your Writing
- HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS
- human experience
- humor
- HUNGER GAMES
- hurdles
- hustle
- idea
- ideal concept
- ideas
- IDENTITY
- Image
- IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
- INCEPTION
- incident-driven
- inciting incident
- INDIANA JONES
- inevitable surprise
- INGLORIOUS BASTERDS
- inner life
- INSIDIOUS
- insight
- inspiration
- intellectual property
- intelligent characters
- interesting scripts
- internal arc
- IP
- IRON MAN
- ironic lessons
- Isaac Asimov
- JAMES BOND
- JAWS
- Jeff Bridges
- Jeremy Renner
- JOHN WICK
- Jon Snow
- Joseph Campbell
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt
- Josh Lucas and Scott Moore
- Judd Apatow
- Jude Law
- JUNO
- Jurassic Park
- Just One Kiss
- Katniss Everdeen
- Kickstarter
- KNIVES OUT
- legal
- LEGALLY BLONDE
- length
- life experience
- lifetime style
- LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
- LITTLE THINGS
- LOGAN
- Loglines Hero goal high-stakes urgency irony Swiss Army Man Children of Men Her
- LOOPER
- Lord of the Rings
- LOTR
- Low concept
- low-budget film
- Luke Skywalker
- MacGuffin
- MAD MAX
- make it great
- Man Weepie
- manager
- Mark Wahlberg
- market ready
- marketing
- Martin Scorsese
- Martin Sheen
- Matt Damon
- melodrama
- memorable
- MICHAEL CLAYTON
- Michael Keaton
- Michelle Rodriguez
- micro details
- MID 90s
- mid-budget
- mid-point turn
- midpoint turn
- MILE 22
- Milos Forman
- MISSOURI
- Mistakes to avoid
- Monologues
- motivation
- mystery
- mythology
- NARNIA
- narrative construction
- Neo
- Netflix
- Nicholl Fellowship
- NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET PART VIII
- nirvana
- NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
- NOMADLAND
- non-verbal communication
- North by Northwest
- not boring
- notes
- obstacle
- obtuse
- on set
- on-the-nose
- on-the-nose dialogue
- On-the-Run thrillers
- One Great Scene
- Opening/Closing Image
- opportunity cost
- option
- optioning script
- ordinary world
- originality
- Orlando Bloom
- Oscars
- Our Favorite Screenwriters
- PANIC IN THE STREETS
- Paradigm
- PARANORMAL ACTIVITY
- Passion
- passionate
- patience
- Patriot's Day
- Paul Guilfoyle
- Paul Tamasy
- pay-off
- PEPPERMINT
- Perfect a screenplay
- Period pieces
- personal worldviews
- Peter Shaffer
- Pierce Brosnan
- pilot
- pilot scripts
- pitch
- pitch deck
- Planning
- plot point
- plot twist
- podcasting
- POETICS
- polish
- pre-existing IP
- producer
- producer notes
- Producers
- production
- professional readers
- Professor Exposition
- programmer
- protagonist
- protagonist's goals
- protagonist's journey
- protagonist's methods
- PSYCHO
- PULP FICTION
- punching into a scene
- punching out of a scene
- Punisher
- Quentin Tarantino
- Rachel McAdams
- RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
- Ratatouille
- re-writing
- reality
- rejection
- representation
- RETALIATION
- revise
- Reviving Dead Genres
- rewrites
- rewriting
- Rey
- Rian Johnson
- Richard Harris
- Ridley Scott
- Risk-taking
- risky
- ROBOCOP
- rock bottom
- Rod Lurie
- Romantic comedy
- romantic drama
- ROMEO AND JULIET
- Sacrifice
- saga
- Sam Elliott
- Save the Cat
- SAW
- SCARFACE
- Scene expectation
- scene work
- sci-fi
- Scott Eastwood
- SCREAM
- Screencraft Screenplay Contest
- screenplay
- Screenplay Competitions
- screenplay contests
- screenplay notes
- screenwriters
- screenwriting
- screenwriting competition
- Screenwriting contests
- Screenwriting Device
- Screenwriting Groups
- Screenwriting lessons
- screenwriting tips
- Script basics
- script coverage
- script length
- script openings
- Script Reader Pet Peeves
- script ready
- script structure
- script tropes
- scripts
- SE7EV
- serial killer thriller
- series
- series bible
- set-up
- setting
- SEVEN
- SHARP OBJECTS
- short film
- short story
- showrunner
- SICARIO
- Sidney Poitier
- simple hooks
- simple plots
- SINISTER
- slasher
- slow burn
- small choices
- snappy dialogue
- SNATCH
- Source Code
- source material
- SPARTACUS
- spec script
- specifics
- SPIDER-MAN 2
- SPOTLIGHT
- stakes
- standard operating practice
- standing out
- star power
- STAR WARS
- STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE
- statement of intention
- stereotypes
- story elements
- storytelling
- STRANGER THINGS
- strategic perspective
- structure
- style
- Sub-Genre
- subgenres
- subtext
- subverted tropes
- subverting expectation
- success
- superhero
- supernatural horror
- Supernatural thriller
- surface plot
- surprises
- Sympathy
- Table Reads
- Taika Watiti
- Taken
- Taylor Sheridan
- template
- Tension
- Texas Chainsaw Massacre
- The 39 Steps
- THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN
- THE BEAST
- The Buddhism of Screenwriting
- The Coen Brothers
- THE CONJURING
- THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO
- THE CROW
- THE CRYING GAME
- THE CUTTING EDGE
- THE DEPARTED
- THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE
- THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
- THE EXORCIST
- THE EXPANSE
- The Fighter
- The Finest Hour
- THE FLORIDA PROJECT
- The Fugitive
- THE GODFATHER
- THE GODFATHER PART 2
- THE GREAT
- THE HANGOVER
- THE HOBBIT
- THE HUDSUCKER PROXY
- The Hunger Games
- The importance of casting
- The Judge
- THE LAST JEDI
- The Lion King
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS
- THE MANDALORIAN
- THE MANDALORIAN Star Wars Disney + Jon Favrau Spaghetti Western simplicity universal themes anti-hero baby Yoda
- THE MATADOR
- The Matrix
- THE NORTHMAN
- The Outpost
- The Page Awards
- The Producer’s Guide to Saying No
- THE PUNISHER
- The Ring
- THE ROAD WARRIOR
- The Safdie brothers
- THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
- THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
- THE SIXTH SENSE
- THE SOCIAL NETWORK
- THE SOPRANOS
- THE THING
- The Tracking Board
- The Upside
- THE USUAL SUSPECTS
- The Weatherman
- thematic
- Thematic Depth
- thematic statement
- theme
- things to avoid
- THREE BILLBOARD OUTSIDE EBBINGS
- Three Pillars
- three-act structure
- thriller
- Thrillers
- ticking clock
- tightening
- tilt the odds
- Titanic
- title
- Todd Phillips
- Tony Gilroy
- TOTAL RECALL
- TOY STORY
- Tracking
- Tracking B Feature Competition
- TrackingB.com
- TRADING PLACES
- transgression
- TRANSPARENT
- trends
- tropes
- TRUE DETECTIVE
- true stories
- TRUMAN SHOW
- TV pilot
- UNCUT GEMS
- undeniable
- undeserved misfortune
- unfiltered language
- unforeseen complication
- UNFORGIVEN
- unity
- universal interest
- Universal Thematic Depth
- Unorthodox
- UTOPIA
- visual medium
- VOD
- voice
- Walter White
- waste of time
- WATCHMEN
- WEDDING CRASHERS
- West Anderson
- Western
- Western movies
- Whiplash
- WIDOWS
- William Monahan
- world building
- World War Z
- world-building
- writer's block
- writers workshops
- writing
- writing career
- writing contests
- Writing for the market
- writing truth
- YA romance
- YELLOWSTONE
- Zombie genre
- Zombieland
