Screenwriting Courses Film Script Writing Classes Sydney Australia

Why Toy Story 3 makes grown men sob

July 7, 2010

Toy Story 3 reduces men to blubbering wrecks. Here’s why I think it’s so powerful – and it’s not about toy separation anxiety.

Rocket Science: charming but does it pass the fundamental story test?

June 29, 2010

Rocket Science movie Anna Kendrick Reece Thompson School Bus

The Herald raved about this indie charmer and it is fabulous in parts. But ultimately it didn’t satisfy my own personal definition of a good story.

How much do Australian films have to take to break even?

June 11, 2010

In LA, they say your film has to take 4 times its budget at the box office to make a profit – but local producer Vincent Sheehan says in Australia the equation is even more daunting.

Animal Kingdom: Yes, it’s good but …

June 9, 2010

Local critics are raving and David’s Michod’s crime family drama has some exceptional elements but here I try to balance the hyperbole with a little critique.

The high concept trapped inside I Love You Too

May 27, 2010

I love you too Megan Gale Brendan Cowell Peter Dinklage Peter Helliar Yvonne Strahovski

Peter Helliar’s debut writing feature is disappointing but buried deep in the film is a high concept that might have made for a huge hit.

4 basic questions 90% of screenplays don’t answer

May 18, 2010

There are 4 questions every screenplay should be able to answer. Yet 9 out of 10 scripts don’t. What are the 4 basic questions for dramatic storytelling?

What I learned about deus ex machina from dominoes (and Gary “Big” Ross)

May 10, 2010

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever had about dramatic writing came from Gary Ross. It involves dominoes.

Why Schindler’s List won Best Film and Saving Private Ryan didn’t (in 27 words or less)

May 10, 2010

Spielberg won Best Director Oscars for Schindler and Ryan but his Holocaust film won Best Film and Best Screenplay while his other WW2 film won neither. Why?

10 “great” films I just don’t get

April 24, 2010

Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption

Here are 10 movies – films considered among the best of all times – that leave me cold.

Why David Stratton didn’t dig Beneath Hill 60

April 15, 2010

Brendan Cowell and Gyton Grantley in Beneath Hill 60

Beneath Hill 60 is a decent film but it “didn’t connect” with David Stratton. We look at why and how a good basic story could have been tweaked to make a better film.

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