From structure to content to representation to industry trends, this is the place to discuss, share content and offer tips and advice on the craft and business of screenwriting
Hi everyone. Has anyone heard of the kinolime screenplay competition at kinolime.com? It sounds interesting, but I don't know. Entry is free.
Hi, John Snell. I've heard of kinolime. I haven't entered it yet though.
Ah, okay Maurice Vaughan. Like I say, it sounds interesting where they let an audience pick the winning script, I haven't heard that angle until now, but as I say that intrigues me a bit.
John Snell Competition adverts pop up all the time. It's one of those winning script-to-production contests so I imagine it will be somewhat popular barring any issues. Interesting the runners use the...
Expand commentSubmitting a limited series TV Pilot but not sure how much supplemental material to include with it. Not thinking a bible but how about a single sheet summary of remaining episodes?
Hi, Jennifer Strome. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you need a single sheet summary when you submit a script to a Stage 32 contest.
Hey Jennifer Strome just the screenplay is all you need. Contest submissions are judged solely on the scripts.
Hey Screenwriting Lounge! Come on in and join us in The Pitch Tank today at 4pm PT! We have a recently onboarded exec coming on for the first time, a great producer named Ian Phillips! Ian, John and I cannot wait to hear your pitches, bring 'em on!
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81241961886?pwd=8IUAHWfKin...
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Hey friends, today is the Final Deadline for the 2nd Annual Period Piece Screenwriting Contest. So now is the time to flash back to the past and immerse us in history with your scripts! This year's judges feature execs from CAA and producers on films such as THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7, LADY MACBETH,...
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Deborah Gilels (Award-Winning Publicist & Marketing Consultant and President of LA Media Consultants) is having an Ask Me Anything today, focused on “Crafting the Perfect Film Festival Promotion Plan”!
The AMA Is free, and it’s all day in the Filmmaking/Directing Lounge.
Feel free to ask Deborah any...
Expand postWhat is the best way to get a foreign screen writing partner. I am writing a script that would be good for the Korean market but I need parts of the script translated to Korean. So I need to the format Korean producers expect the script that be in.
Hi, Delrey Pearson. Welcome to the community. Great question. I suggest putting it on the AMA post so Deborah can see it. www.stage32.com/lounge/directing/Ask-Me-Anything-AMA-Wednesday-2-12-to-T......
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I’m a big proponent of point of view in screenplays. Which character has storytelling ability? I say stay with your main character as much as possible. Keep the story through their eyes.
CinemaStix just posted a video essay about The Bourne Identity, which just might be a better film if we cut out a...
Expand postI'm a big proponent of point of view in screenplays too, Mike Boas. And POV in scenes. I agree. Keep the story through the main character’s eyes, unlike the story calls for something different.
And I t...
Expand commentThe case for Bourne Identity is that if we never leave the character, we are more involved in the mystery, learning as he learns.
In the actual movie, we're ahead of the character, so the tension come...
Expand commentThe best movies in my opinion are deft at shifting the points of view around to capture the story from different angles. A great hyper-focused one track POV can be cool if done well, but most of the t...
Expand commentI remember reading that o...
Expand commentI agree that most films have cutaways to multiple points of view. I had never considered that there would be downward pressure on the writer to give the lead actor fewer shoot days.
Star Wars is an in...
Expand commentIs "Title Card" still an acceptable way of portraying a title over a black screen? For example:
Title Card: September 2023.
Thank you.
Kim Feeney In scripts I see in 2025 people still use them to emulate Guy Ritchie-esque character name introductions, definitions of obscure terms, etc.
Hey Mike, I am neurodivergent and visual, can you give me a tangible example of what you are speaking of? It would be so helpful, thank you!
Hi Kim Feeney. Ritchie will do a lot of character title cards like the one in the picture I am attaching, but will also do them for asides to the viewers. Would your "September 2023" example in your p...
Expand commentPerfectly fine, Kim Feeney
Hey, I was wondering if any writers could answer a question for me. I am new at scriptwriting. While between character convo. I like to break down the scene descriptively on what's going on in the scene. Someone pointed out that I am writing too much description/blocking and that it could stall the...
Expand postThank you to everyone’s advice, i appreciate all of your time for getting back to me on it. I had only 1-2 lines with each new scene. And maybe 1-4 lines in non dialogue scenes. So I didn’t think it w...
Expand commentAgree with Mike Childress. LESS IS MORE. Also, try doing a script reading. Do not participate. Just listen to your script out loud and you'll see where the read bumps and the flow gets disrupted....
Expand commentHi Meagan. I completed a course in screenwriting, what I learnt is what Marc and Francisco mentioned. Less is best. And what Marc mentioned in his comment "Don’t direct the director and don’t coach th...
Expand commentEvery element in a film should serve the story. If something contributes to a new layer of narrative discovery, it must be explicitly stated. Otherwise, we leave room for the director’s vision. Even t...
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Fight, fight, fight! Haha I see some writers use taglines as their loglines, so I wanted to make a post to clear up any confusion.
A tagline is a short, catchy phrase like you would see on a poster, in a pitch deck, etc. Something like, “This vacation is gonna be wild.” That could be the tagline for...
Expand postTrottier advocates for Loglines as an initial step in cranking up the Ideation Machine, but I don't write them until after completing scripts. Loglines started as a marketing device rather than an ide...
Expand commentCool, Mike Childress. If it works for you, it works for you. The logline is one of the first things I write when I come up with a script idea. I wrote a feature script once and after finishing the rew...
Expand commentMaurice Vaughan I have told you previously I don't like them haha. As a writer I get the general purpose, but it's the idea of dumbing-down an expansive story into something so succinct that gets my g...
Expand commentI remember, Mike Childress. I didn't like loglines before, but I think I'm in love now. Haha I can write a logline quickly and easily (sometimes). It took A LOT of practice though. Ultimately, I think...
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I paid for two $35 written pitches. They will be reviewed today. I assume that if the producer really likes what they see, they'll get back to you ASAP, right?
I was hoping for a video pitch but had issues installing Skype. I'm not in the US so a phone call wasn't an option.
I still included a link...
Expand postGreg Zawaski "I believe they ought to focus on the sale of scripts and earning potential commissions." Look at the number of spec sales from now to back twenty or so years ago. If anyone could magical...
Expand commentYes Mike, I know it's somewhat of a crapshoot.. I would have written something else if I had the inspiration.. I like what I have.
Greg Zawaski You hit the nail on the head with "I like what I have." I mean we all tend to like our own stuff! As a spec writer you are writing unsolicited scripts for a potential multitude of mostly...
Expand commentStage 32 is giving away scripts to all of this year's Awards nominated movies for you to read and study! 55 scripts! Download them here: https://mailchi.mp/stage32/oscarscripts
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Yes! Glad to hear it, Paul Rivers! I hope the ruling leads to more wins for copyright holders!
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Love to see it -- “One thing is clear, merely using copyrighted material as training data to an AI cannot be said to be fair use per se.”
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All for more of this.