I can’t recall how many times I’ve read the advice not to direct your screenplay, but I do know that I’ve even written about it before here at ScriptXRay.
It’s a perfectly sound guideline to write …

A quick post today …
There are pros and cons to everything – here, I’m focusing on the cons of three particular motives for writing screenplays. While these reasons aren’t evil by any means, they simply tend …

The post published before this one generated a swell of interest – both from those who agreed and those who didn’t. You can see who a few reactions to the post here, but it’s the …

It never fails to astound me to hear a screenwriter admit that they’re too afraid their work will be stolen if they share it with anyone – they usually have a horror story about a …

Having a POV is crucial. As a screenwriter, you need a POV to explore themes and character. As a character, you need a POV to act and react within the world of your story. And …

If you’re like me you probably find that your best story ideas come when you least expect them, and that they hardly come at all when you go looking for them. Story is not something …

As we come closer and closer to July, the month I created ScriptXRay (launched the 27th), I felt the need to revamp the site with a new look and a couple ideas in mind.
1. Streamline …

Last night was pretty much like any other night – I left the office, stopped by the house for my things, went out to dinner, and ended up at my daily writing spot, Barnes & …

If you’re anything like me, you struggle with the challenge of finding time to write your screenplay on a daily basis. Whether you work an energy-draining day job, have kids, find yourself being consumed by …

This question makes its way into my thoughts every now and then, and though I’m pretty confident, I can’t help but explore the possibility of the “what if.”
We see the typical screenwriter in the cafe …

If you’re like me, it probably takes you a while to find your flow when you sit down to write. I don’t consider this a bad thing as it usually takes me around 20 minutes …

I can’t help but notice that screenwriting continues to be approached more and more from the business side of the trade rather than the artistic and expressive side these days.
Whether you’re skimming the UCLA extension …

Questions and confusion surrounding the correct form of screenplay sluglines have always been in the air, so I thought I’d share a few examples, good and bad, from actual screenplays I covered as a story …

I’m a big fan of using myth in screenwriting. Not only is it a sound guideline for screenwriters, but also because is has helped screenwriters create some of the most memorable stories and moments for …

I saw Terminator Salvation for the second time yesterday and realized just how easy it is to implement a thematic discussion into your story. The central character in Terminator, Marcus, not only acts as the …