Screenwriting.io is under construction. This content is now available here. All future articles will be published in the Resources Section of the Quote-Unquote Apps Blog. More from johnaugust.com Scriptnotes, 30: How to be the script department The Hollywood Standard Screenwriting wastes a lot of paper INT. BOOKSTORE, or something better?
Can I use real people in my screenplay?
It is not uncommon to see a screenplay refer to a real person or use a real person as a character, but we recommend you tread lightly, as it could be considered libel. In general, it’s okay to refer to a person in his or her known capacity, ie, “…like when Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook!” […]
What is a two-hander?
A two-hander is a movie where there are two main characters of roughly equal importance to the story, and whose arcs are given roughly equal screen-time. Romantic comedies and buddy cop movies are often two-handers, but almost all genres have their examples. The Sixth Sense is a thriller two-hander, for instance. More from johnaugust.com Two-hander […]
How do I write a screenplay?
Writing a screenplay is a large undertaking. In not much more than 100 pages, a screenwriter must clearly and succinctly present a coherent and gripping story, complete with rich characters and interesting dialogue and action, all while following standard screenplay format. Get a feel for how they work. Screenplays are not stand-alone pieces of literary […]
Who is Robert McKee?
Robert McKee is a screenwriting guru whose book (and seminar series), Story, is one of the most popular and polarizing how-to screenwriting books on the market. McKee, a Fulbright Scholar, developed his seminar while a professor at the University of Southern California, and began offering it to the public in 1984. It has been attended […]
How should I approach rewrites?
In a blog post from 2005, John August has this general advice: Decide out what you want to accomplish, then figure out which scenes would need to change. The first instinct of a lot of writers is to start from the beginning of the script and look for dialogue blocks, action lines, or description to […]