CATSAWAY, the animated feature film I was hired to develop, is finally a GO now that Image Nation Abu Dhabi has joined the team! “The story is perfectly constructed, with compelling characterizations and appealing plot. My idea for 'Catsaway' would NEVER have happened without the assistance of Phil. I am very grateful to work with him and still continue to do so. Thank you for running such a fine business. Great work!” - director Fadel AlMehiri (Tent Pictures Productions) Ima

In this final instalment of my Scene Checklist series (see Part 1 and Part 2), I want to talk about goals, and the strategies and tactics characters use to achieve them in a scene. First, let's examine our terms. A better understanding of them will help your screenwriting in many ways, so it's worth taking the time. GOAL - that clear, concise, easily-recognisable finish line your character thinks they need to cross to achieve what they want. STRATEGY - the holistic plan, seen

Michael Arndt, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Little Miss Sunshine, has put together an incredible video to give us a deep-dive look into his work on Toy Story 3. I spent a whole Sunday afternoon watching it, re-watching it, absorbing it, and taking notes. It's called "TOY STORY 3: Mistakes Made, Lessons Learned. Here are a few of the tips I gleaned from Michael's video: INCITING INCIDENT: it can be the best or worst thing that could happen to your hero, but its importance

In my previous blog, Screenwriting Tips: Scene Checklist Part 1, I discussed some of the essential elements of scene construction. If you haven't read it, check it out first and come back here for Part 2. Scene arcs I touched on this subject in Scene Checklist Part 1, but it's worth expanding on because it's such a critical part of writing a screenplay. Why? An 'arc' in screenwriting refers to a change FROM one state of being or place TO another. When something changes, it in