Narrative pleasure relies on a bunch of underlying ideas: that good and evil exist; that people can change; that change isn’t easy; that the effort to change and improve should result into a reward (see…
The Punisher, Mindhunter, Lost in Space, Jessica Jones, Bloodline, Gypsy, Seven Seconds, Luke Cage. What do all these shows have in common? Yes, they all stream on Netflix. But there’s more… They all have been…
Read the PostNetflix, “Slow-Burning TV,” and Narrative Quality
Stories have effects. Screenplays are machines built to produce emotions—and to open new perspectives on life. What are the implications of this truth when it comes to 13 Reasons Why? Much has been written about…
Every screenwriting handbook offers its own conception of this structural step. In fact, the first reason to have a Midpoint – i.e., something strong – at the middle of Act II is to feed viewers’…
Good screenwriters are masters of frames. Evoking mental imagery to influence the way viewers perceive characters, situations, and events is part of the craft. Consider The Sixth Sense and its main character, Dr. Malcom Crowe:…