One of the most important elements of any story is the emotional tension -- it’s the stuff that makes audiences cry, scream, gasp, and swoon. When you ask most people what their favorite movie is, they often give an emotional reason for loving it. For me, it’s the classic “It’s A Wonderful Life” (1946). I watch it every year, and every ...
The first scene in a movie has many jobs to do. Not only must it nail down the tone, time and place where the story is being told, it must also tease the journey ahead. It’s no wonder some writers spend months conceiving and writing the first five pages of their screenplay.