BlueCat Writers Blog

Are writers born with a special gift for writing dialogue? Does having an "ear for dialogue" really exist? Some people say there are writers that simply possess a knack for writing dialogue in the same way a basketball player is blessed with height, like winning a...

Writing a short film script changed my career. That’s how important it is. People do not see a demand for short film scripts in the marketplace, so they don’t write them. But writing a short screenplay can prove to be very helpful in showing how good of a screenwriter...

Making a short film is vital to the development of the filmmaker and screenwriter. But how do you do it right? If you’ve decided you want to make a short film, it might seem obvious. Write a great script, raise money and resources to produce your screenplay, cast...

Screenwriting podcasts have become quite popular and so useful over the years and we love them so much. Many BlueCat writers listen to them religiously and gain great insight from the broad range of topics they cover, be it business-related or focused on the task of...

The Truth about Talent and Obtaining Agent Representation.   The number one question that I get from screenwriters, whether I’m teaching, doing a Q and A, a Facebook chat, whatever, is “How do I get an agent?” or some version of that. How do I get connected to...

The Sequel Slump.   The sequel to Blade Runner has officially been declared a bomb at the box office, at the tail end of the worst summer for the movies in over a decade. Movie after movie has under-performed all year despite high scores on Rotten Tomatoes. Aside...

Is biopic a genre?   A question debated by film critics and historians alike. The boundaries are certainly more blurred than that of an action film or thriller, but nonetheless, audiences approach a biopic with a set of expectations that must be met by the...

Writing within Genre  When you write a spec screenplay, strategize to work within a recognizable genre paradigm. Within film, a paradigm is a typical model formed by pre-established audience expectations. So first, understand your genre. Then, all you have to do is...

The question of theme is one many writers forget to ask before starting a draft: what's this story about? Now, don't confuse theme with plot. The question of plot looks more like: what happens in my story? The question of theme goes a bit deeper. Theme deals with...

Congratulations to the 2017 BlueCat Screenplay Competition Winners & Finalists!   Feature Winner  Cadaver Dog by Judy Soo Hoo & Isaac Ho Feature Finalists  Spree by Laura Allen The Townhouse by Baruh Benjamins Chico Grande by Jesus Celaya Westchester by...

Transgender stories and characters are popping up now more than ever. From Transparent to Orange Is The New Black to The Fosters, trans storylines are the stuff of controversy and of intrigue. As a trans filmmaker (we do exist!) I am simultaneously excited and...

The third installment of the Planet of the Apes reboot brings the trilogy to a dramatic close and comes as a beacon of light for the future of Hollywood’s studio output. After a slew of mishandled and poorly received attempts at reboots  — Power Rangers and King...

By: Andrew L. Schwartz   Of all the quasi-thrillers examined in the past few months, A Ghost Story, a film written and directed by David Lowery, typifies the kind of post-modern thriller that has dominated the summer circuit so far. In the same vein as The...

Intertwining Soundtrack and Narrative By: Andrew L. Schwartz    Baby Driver is a non-stop thrill ride full of high-octane chase scenes expertly choreographed to a fast-paced soundtrack, and it comes highly recommended. For screenwriters, Baby Driver displays use music...

By: Andrew L. Schwartz   Using Setting as a Vice.   Director Sofia Coppola has long toyed with the notion of binding characters to their environment. From Versailles in Marie Antoinette to the suburbs of Los Angeles in The Bling Ring, her characters have...

by Breana Harris Last summer, when trying to finish a script, I struggled to figure out why I was so unhappy with it. I loved my characters and premise, but something wasn't right. That's when I decided to re-watch Ana Lily Amirpour 2014 debut film, A Girl Walks Home...

by Gordy Hoffman People are always telling you what you need to write a screenplay. Even I will tell you what’s required or demanded or unavoidable in writing screenplays. But I want to remind myself, and you, what you don’t need, specifically what you absolutely will...

by Breana Harris Do's and Don'ts: The Voice-Over, just don't. Whether you have taken extensive screenwriting classes or simply read a book or two on the subject, you have probably heard the longtime industry consensus on voice-over narration in your scripts: don't do...