It’s not always easy to find an example of exposition done well, especially when there’s a lot to uhm… “expose”. Using exposition basically means giving an information to the audience. It could be some background information about the protagonist, it could be the introduction of a new character, a detail about the story, or the …
Example of exposition done well in Crazy Rich Asians Read More »
Let’s face it, in a comedy dialogue does 50% of the work. So if you write comedy dialogue that is good enough to make the audience chuckle, they’ll probably overlook the crappy set you built in your garage, the terrible actor you found on Craigslist, and the direction which is so terrible that it seems …
How to write comedy dialogue – The marvelous Mrs. Maisel Read More »
To put it simply, creating characterization through dialogue means to let your characters present themselves to the audience. I don’t mean breaking the fourth wall or using voice over, I mean making each line that the character says (or doesn’t say) meaningful and personal. This way after only a few lines, your audience will feel …
The 4 levels of characterization through dialogue Read More »
The words “narrative exposition” sound like an innocuous term, but for writers they are terrifying. Especially if they hear them from someone who is evaluating their work: “There is too much exposition”. Here’s the truth: there is no such a thing as too much exposition, there is just exposition badly delivered. In order to understand …
Why narrative exposition is essential – Breking Bad Read More »
It’s not a secret that the main characters of the movie three billboards are not exactly “good people”. Mildred has humiliated an innocent man in front of his town and his family because he can’t catch the culprit of a crime; Dixon is a man who uses his power as a police officer to torture …
Who hasn’t dreamt of being the portagonist of an awesome action movie scene? To be hanging from the ceiling in a life or death situation where you can only rely on your skills and hope to get out of there alive. This adrenaline filled scenes are what the Mission Impossible franchise has been giving to …
How to write a scene in an action movie – Mission Impossible Read More »
Worldbuilding is one of the most exciting parts of writing a story. There’s a reason why games like Minecraft, that allow you to let your creativity go wild, are so popular and so addictive. You can play God by creating a world out of thin air: decide what species populate it, what are the natural …
What’s the secret to worldbuilding? – Fantastic beasts Read More »
Exposition means facts – the information about setting, biography, and characterization that the audience needs to follow and comprehend the events of the story. – Robert McKee This is McKee’s definition for exposition in his book “Story”. It sounds like a pretty simple thing: it’s informations that the audience needs to have, so why are …
What is exposition and how musicals handle it – Mamma Mia! Read More »
A few days ago I started bingewatching The Punisher on Netflix and I was immediately hooked, the action is good, the acting is good, nothing wrong with it. Then I got to episode 10 and felt the familiar punch in the stomach that occurs when the writers of a good series go “eh whatever” and …
How to – and not to – discuss politics through fiction Read More »