BlueCat Writers Blog

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...

Build your laughs from the Inside-Out.   Have you ever struggled to make a comedic scene work? Maybe you’ve been working on it for a long time, maybe you keep coming back to it with new jokes and ideas but it’s still not working. This is common. Many writers...

If you’ve ever taken a screenwriting class or read a book on the craft, you’re probably familiar with the adage “show, don’t tell”. We know it's better to display information than to simply explain it. This can be a surprisingly challenging concept to understand. ...

By Andrew Schwartz   Wonder Woman shows hope for the DC Universe.   Patty Jenkin’s Wonder Woman provides breath of fresh air as DC’s followup to the dismal Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice. Starring Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, the film juggles ancient Greek...

By Gordy Hoffman While I’m thinking about the script in front of me, staring me in the face, casting its shadow across my every day, I know full well why it might be difficult to write a great screenplay. What are the common reasons it’s so challenging? Why can’t we...