The hero’s journey is the epic structure defined by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Campbell argues that the great enduring myths from around the world all share an underlying structure he calls the “monomyth.” In the introduction to his book, Campbell breaks it down: >A hero ventures forth from the world […]
In dialogue, how do you express that one character is interrupting another?
As with all formatting advice, the idea is to clearly express your vision without interrupting the flow of the screenplay. One easy way to show one character interrupting another is to use double-dashes or an ellipsis to indicate the first character’s dialogue is being interrupted. SETH How about -- ERIN No. Both doble-dashes and ellipses […]
What is the proper way to use parentheticals?
Parentheticals (also called “wrylies” or “actor’s direction”) are used to clear up confusion about a line that could be read multiple ways: COACH FOX (sarcastically) Nice throw, Kyle. They can also be used to indicate who a speaker is addressing: COACH FOX (to Tebow) Get in there already! You will sometimes see them used to […]
What is standard screenplay format?
While there can be slight variations for different types of scripts (ie multicam sitcom teleplays), screenplays follow strict formatting rules. Fortunately, software like Highland, will do the heavy lifting for you. Here are the basics: More from johnaugust.com
What is a premise pilot?
A premise pilot, as its name suggests, is a TV pilot that establishes the premise of a show. In the Lost pilot, for example, the plane crashes on the island, and the passengers are lost. A non-premise pilot is one that feels like any other episode of the show. South Park’s pilot is about Cartman […]
How should fight scenes or action scenes be written?
There is no universal way of writing action scenes. As with all formatting advice, the goal is to clearly express your vision without taking the reader out of the screenplay. However that is best accomplished for your scene is the right way to write it. In a [2011 blog post](http://johnaugust.com/2011/writing-fight-scenes), John August offers this headline: […]