Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchPretty Woman: a masterclass in the fundamentals (archive)
Season 13
While Melanie and I continue to beaver away in the background, we thought we'd pull PRETTY WOMAN from the archives for you. This movie is a fan favou…
1 year ago
The Dry: an intro to outback noir (archive)
Season 13
While Melanie and I cook up something extra special for you, we're highlighting some past episodes that you might have missed. THE DRY is an Outback …
1 year, 1 month ago
Whiplash: why the villain has a point (archive)
Season 13
Behind the scenes, Melanie and I are cooking up something very special for you! While we work on that, for the next few weeks we'll be replaying some…
1 year, 1 month ago
What Went Right: paddington
Season 13 Episode 1311
What makes the Paddington franchise so popular with audiences? That's exactly what Melanie and I set out to discover as we take a deep dive into the …
1 year, 1 month ago
What Went Wrong: green lantern
Season 13 Episode 1310
It's our second "what went wrong" episode and this time we're taking a deep dive into the 2011 film, GREEN LANTERN. Even Ryan Reynolds says this one …
1 year, 1 month ago
Our Best Advice: tension + 4SQ
Season 13 Episode 1309
That's a wrap on Season 13! Over the past eight episodes Melanie took a deep dive into one of the most important concepts in storytelling: tension. I…
1 year, 2 months ago
Sleepless in Seattle: relies on star power?
Season 13 Episode 1308
Valerie and I take a scalpel to some well loved movies this season. First there was the Nightmare Before Christmas and now Sleepless in Seattle. I’m …
1 year, 2 months ago
Gifted: nowhere to hide
Season 13 Episode 1307
Writers of quiet, character-driven or "literary" stories often ask me if all this story theory stuff applies to them, or if it's only for "commercial…
1 year, 2 months ago
The Secret of Roan Inish: sweet but weak
Season 13 Episode 1306
Frustration follows flaws! Can you create tension and conflict if the 4 Story questions haven’t been answered? The simple answer is “no”. I desperate…
1 year, 2 months ago
Judy: why object of desire is essential
Season 13 Episode 1305
Melanie and I talk about Object of Desire all the time and boy, oh boy, this movie really drives home why it's so important. The writers didn't go fo…
1 year, 3 months ago