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

Logline examples and guides to help you attract managers and producers.

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

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

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

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

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

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: