Blog | Phil Parker | Screenwriter. Scriptwriter. | ISA Top 25

Image Nation Abu Dhabi to co-produce CATSAWAY!

Apr 7
3 min

Image Nation Abu Dhabi to co-produce CATSAWAY!

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

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Screenwriting Tips: Scene Checklist Part 3

Jun 30, 2020
4 min

Screenwriting Tips: Scene Checklist Part 3

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

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Screenwriting Tips: Toy Story 3 Writer

Jun 23, 2020
2 min

Screenwriting Tips: Toy Story 3 Writer

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

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Screenwriting Tips: Scene Checklist Part 2

Jun 8, 2020
3 min

Screenwriting Tips: Scene Checklist Part 2

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

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Creating Unique Characters

May 24, 2020
3 min

Creating Unique Characters

When writing a screenplay, or a novel, you should have two objectives as you create characters: 1. Make them different to what we've seen before, but still recognisable, and 2. Make them distinctive from one another. Neither of these tasks is easy, but they are essential if you want your readers to emotionally engage with your story. Here are a few quick tips to get you started on the right path. Your first character- the hero An effective way to find the best kind of hero fo

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Screenwriting Tips: Scene Checklist Part 1

May 17, 2020
3 min

Screenwriting Tips: Scene Checklist Part 1

I was going through my old screenwriting files the other day when I came across this 'scene checklist'. I remember compiling these tips from various sources, including Robert McKee's book STORY, David Mamet, Michael Hauge, Karel Segers, etc. It's a guide that proved so invaluable to my screenwriting, I thought I'd share it with you. Not a list of rules, just a guide. Don't be put off by the word 'checklist'. I know it raises the hackles of screenwriters when they see words th

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Client's Script Reaches Competition Finals

Aug 19, 2019
1 min

Client's Script Reaches Competition Finals

This week I found out that a script I was hired to rewrite for a client placed as a Top 10 Finalist in the Stage 32 Sci-fi & Fantasy Screenwriting Competition! My client is thrilled and so am I. Seeing KINDRED prevail through tough competition from over a 1,000 other screenwriters is very rewarding. As a working screenwriter, you live for moments like these. KINDRED continues to impress KINDRED's selection as a Top 10 Finalist in the Stage 32 Screenwriting Competition is the

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5 Projects, 5 Producers!

Jun 17, 2019
2 min

5 Projects, 5 Producers!

Every screenwriter knows how hard it is to get attention for your own work, let alone finding someone willing to pay you to write for them. That's why I feel fortunate to have producers attached to the projects I've written or was hired to write, who are out there fighting the good fight to get them made. Here's a quick look at some of the exciting projects I've got cooking right now. FIVE PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT 1. THE THIRD BOMB This is my baby, my spec screenplay, THE THIR

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Praise For 'The Third Bomb' From Black List

Aug 2, 2015
2 min

Praise For 'The Third Bomb' From Black List

My WWII action/ adventure screenplay ‘The Third Bomb’ received a great review on the prestigious industry website ‘The Black List’ www.blcklst.com not too long ago. The life of a screenwriter is filled with lots of rejection, so it’s days like this I have to celebrate! NEWS UPDATE: March 19, 2019 The Third Bomb has gone on to win awards in nine different film festivals and place in twenty others. It has also been optioned twice by BAFTA-winning producer Sias Wilson. LOGLINE:

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