Searching for Theme in The Queen’s Gambit

Although theme is often overlooked when discussing dramatic works, it can have an outsized effect on an audience. It is typically the theme of a movie that causes it to linger on an audience's mind days after the showing. Theme is most effective when it ties directly into the central tension of a dramatic work. … Continue reading Searching for Theme in The Queen’s Gambit →

Miranda July’s Ticking Clock

One of the tried and true methods of injecting urgency and momentum to a script is to add a ticking clock. This dramatic device puts a story into a pressure cooker, providing a clear end point by which things will either be resolved or exploded. The ticking clock provides a metronome as a film’s backdrop … Continue reading Miranda July’s Ticking Clock →

Plano’s Rich Characters are Undermined by Bait and Switch Story

Attributed to Aristotle, unity of action is one of the most established and discussed rules of playwriting. The rule states that a play should have one unifying action, or series of cause and effect events that are linked to the protagonist’s journey. The unified action should have a clear beginning, middle, and end; though, as … Continue reading Plano’s Rich Characters are Undermined by Bait and Switch Story →

Palm Springs Presents Shallow Characters but Reaches Deep on Theme

Palm Springs, the Hulu original feature comedy is comfort food for audiences. The movie gives its viewers exactly what they expect: a feel-good romantic comedy in a familiar structure with a couple of surprises and a message that reinforces an optimistic view of the world. The characters in Palm Springs are the kinds of stock … Continue reading Palm Springs Presents Shallow Characters but Reaches Deep on Theme →

Why Cool Hand Luke Works Despite Its Passive Protagonist

The number one rule of screenwriting, something that every writing instructor will beat into your brain, is that you cannot have a passive protagonist. Your main character must want something, and the more tangible that something, and the more actively your protagonist pursues it, the better. Alfred Hitchcock may have done more for this rule … Continue reading Why Cool Hand Luke Works Despite Its Passive Protagonist →