Scriptshadow Secrets (500 Screenwriting Secrets Hidden Inside 50 Great Movies)

the testosterone-filled, self-aware, blood, guts, and bullets script.

They play with language through slang, sarcasm, exaggeration, manipulation, and evasiveness.

The key is identifying the force that will get in the way of your character’s goal and building the scene around that.

Nailing the final speech 2 - The next thing you want in your final speech is a big payoff to an earlier set up.

the best horror procedurals keep you guessing until the very end, making you wonder if you’re dealing with reality or the supernatural.

every once in awhile, throw an obstacle in front of your villain. Audiences aren’t used to villains having obstacles, so when they happen, it’s shocking.

Every genre has its own eccentricities. Every writer has his or her own voice. Every story has its own challenges.

If you’re just beginning, stay close to the basics: “Guy wants something badly and has trouble getting it.”

If nobody knows what your best genre is, how will they know what to hire you for?

backstory should only be revealed if it relates to important plot points in your movie.