Storytelling Blog

Resident Evil: Why they work as 'video game' movies.

While finally bringing myself to watch Resident Evil: The Final Chapter on Netflix recently, I noticed something which had strangely gone...

Analysis

The Trailer as Prologue

I wrote a blog post a while back about the problem with spoiler heavy trailers, and referred specifically to The Girl in the Spider's Web...

Analysis

Comparing The Avengers and The Justice League

With the recent success of Marvels' Avengers Endgame still a talking point around the water cooler, I thought it might be interesting to...

We've Moved (sort of).

It's been a year since we officially launched The Script Department and a lot has happened in that year. We've built a successful...

Screenwriting Tips

The Imitation Game: How to Write Flashbacks

I often get asked about writing flashbacks in screenplays. I know that, for some people, writing flashbacks can be seen as the lazy way...

Screenwriting Tips

The Truman Show: Understanding Active Questions

Active Questions are perhaps one of the most important aspects of your script and yet they are the often something that screenwriters...

Analysis

2008-2018: My List

If you follow Mark Kermode's blog, you'll know that he recently did his 10 best and worst films of the last ten years. Naturally, it got...

Screenwriting Tips

Building Your Own Story Map

Introduction Story structure is such a huge part of screenwriting. There is a resistance to such an emphasis on structure in some...

Analysis

Die Hard: A Perfect Christmas Movie

by John Finnegan | It's the time of year when movie buffs around the world argue in pubs about the validity of Die Hard's status as a...

Screenwriting Tips

Inception: Keeping it Simple

A blog title called Inception: Keeping it Simple, might sound like an oxymoron given the incredible complexity of Christopher Nolan's...

Screenwriting Tips

How to Write Effective Action Sequences in a Screenplay

| by John Finnegan Crafting action sequences in a screenplay is a common challenge for screenwriters. While it may seem straightforward...

Analysis

Hannibal: More Important than Silence of the Lambs

I recently wrote a post arguing how Alien 3, one of the least popular Alien films, is actually the most significant entry as far as...

Analysis

The Girl in the Spider's Web: Plot Heavy Trailers

I'm a big fan of the Lisbeth Salander stories and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is probably one of my favourite books. I love the films...

Analysis

Alien 3 Explained: A Case for Ellen Ripley’s Greatest Journey

| By John Finnegan “I’m sort of stunned that it is an influential character but I’m delighted, and I can kind of understand it because I...

Analysis

Writing Relatable Characters: From Final Girls to Norman Bates

Films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Psycho illustrate how identification is a fluid, powerful tool in storytelling.

Analysis

Making the Case for why Alien: Covenant is Good | And Why It Deserves a Second Look

In this post, I’ll break down why Alien: Covenant deserves more credit.

Analysis

Ready Player One: Nostalgia as a Storytelling Device

I don't think I can recall a more enjoyable time in the cinema recently than when I saw Ready Player One earlier this summer. A big...

Screenwriting Tips

How to Write a Third Act Climax for Your Movie: Lessons from The Dark Knight

Let’s dive into why third acts are tricky, explore techniques to make them unforgettable, and study The Dark Knight.

Analysis

Miss Sloane: The Importance of Original Storytelling

So I wanted to do a post about the importance of original storytelling in cinema and the importance of screenwriters writing original...

Screenwriting Tips

How to Write Dialogue: Rethinking your Approach

| By John Finnegan Students frequently ask me, "How do you write good dialogue?" My response is typically, "What does good dialogue...

Analysis

Wonder Woman: The Problem with DC Heroes

Wonder Woman was a huge success at the box office and no one can dispute the impact the film has had on our culture. In an industry...

Screenwriting Tips

How to Write a Subplot in a Screenplay: Lessons from The Lord of the Rings

| by John Finnegan For fans of Peter Jackson’s original LOTR trilogy, it’s hard not to reminisce about what made those films so...

Analysis

The Hateful Eight: The Danger of Long Movies

I always get excited by the prospect of a new Tarantino film, and I'm really looking forward to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. But I've...

Analysis

Jaws: Telling Stories in Stories

Anybody who has seen Jaws will remember the terrifying story that Robert Shaw's Quint recounts one evening after dinner on his boat. He...