The Young Screenwriters Podcast (Young Screenwriters)

Professional screenwriters Alexie Basil and Adam Schaller discuss five of the most common "unbreakable" screenwriting rules . . . and when to completely disregard them in your script. They break down why classics such as "only one protagonist," "never change your protagonist's objective," and "raise the stakes" are usually helpful and then share some examples of when breaking the rules may actually strenghten your story.

Films discussed include RRR, HUNGER GAMES, LAW ABIDIING CITIZEN, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, and more.

Ever struggle to get your screenplay over the finish line? You aren't alone! In this episode of Breaking Story, Adam and Alexie share some of their favorite tips for finishing the first draft of your script (and importantly, getting over the page 60 hump).

Some ideas are MADE for TV.

How do you know if your idea is up to par? Professional screenwriters Alexie and Theo talk about how to come up with a strong idea for a TV story by striking a careful balance between:

• World
• Characters
• Plot

Grab your coffee and come join us for screenwriting talk!

Also, from now until July 20th, we want to share Writing the Pilot with you for 30% off. That means the course, which is usually $147, will be only $102.90. Use Code SUMMER24 to get your discount!

Connect with Us

• YS Website
• YS Discord
• Script Vault

YS Courses

• Writing the Short
• Writing the Scene
• Writing the Feature
• Writing the Pilot

Professional writers Alexie Basil and Theo Luoma chat about the benefit of writers groups, giving notes, and taking notes (even bad ones).

• Join us at 5:30pm ET every Friday for coffee and story analysis! Get pinged before we go live: https://youngscreenwriters.com/coffee... 
• Join Writing the Pilot
• Join Discord

Haven't read THE WRITER'S JOURNEY: MYTHIC STRUCTURE FOR WRITERS by Christopher Vogler? No problem! Professional screenwriters Alexie Basil and Adam Schaller share the best and worst takeaways from the famous screenwriting classic.

Last year, we both tried different habits for hitting our screenwriting goals. Join Alexie and Theo LIVE to discuss which ones actually worked and which ones we're leaving behind in 2023. We'll get into:

• Healthy habits that worked (and didn't work!) for us last year
• Strategies for making and hitting big goals
• Projects we're hoping to accomplish

Useful Links

• Browse Our Free Courses: https://youngscreenwriters.teachable....
• Discord: https://youngscreenwriters.com/discord

Join Alexie and Theo live as they break down the pilot episode of one of their favorite shows of 2023, the Emmy-winning BEEF.

• Read the Pilot Script: BEEF, Episode 1
• Watch the Series
• Join us on Discord
• Check out our courses

They're going to look at how two beautifully flawed protagonists with overlapping but related flaws kept in each others orbits and constantly raised the stakes for one another. 

How do you share your amazing TV idea with producers or potential collaborators? An amazing pitch deck is the perfect place to start! Professional screenwriters Alexie and Theo share step-by-step how to build a pitch deck by looking at:

• Real-world pitch decks that WORKED (like STRANGER THINGS and ADVENTURE TIME)
• Essential ingredients for your own pitch deck
• Step-by-step guide for using our pitch deck template

Grab your coffee and come join us for screenwriting talk!

Also, from now until July 20th, we want to share Writing the Pilot with you for 30% off. That means the course, which is usually $147, will be only $102.90. Use Code SUMMER24 to get your discount!

Connect with Us

• YS Website
• YS Discord
• Script Vault

YS Courses

• Writing the Short
• Writing the Scene
• Writing the Feature
• Writing the Pilot

We talked about habits--now let's talk about the psychological side. Join Alexie and Theo LIVE to discuss strategies for getting and STAYING motivated in the new year. We'll get into:

• How writers groups can create accountability
• Setting achievable goals
• When to stick with an idea... and when to move on

Connect with Us 

• Join our Discord Community
• Browse Our Free Courses: https://youngscreenwriters.teachable.com/ 

Professional writers Alexie Basil and Theo Luoma break down how the world is established as a character in the pilot of one of their favorite CW shows: THE 100.

• Join the Discord
• Browse Our Free Courses
• The 100 Script

In this episode Adam and Alexie dive into the universal problem all writers face - putting words on the page. They go over the psychology of their own processes and share some tricks to try the next time you're putting words on the page.

Young Screenwriters Course List

• Writing the Short
• Writing the Scene
• Writing the Feature

Scene description offers an opportunity for writers to help shape what a reader sees in their mind’s eye. How do you create evocative imagery? How do you capture cinematic action?

In this episode, NYU Film Professor John Warren and professional screenwriters Adam Schaller and Alexie Basil break down the type of language to use in scene description. They discuss controlling the rhythm, your objective as a writer, and finding your own voice.

This is a special annoucement! We are rebranding the Breaking Story Podcast into THE YOUNG SCREENWRITERS PODCAST!

This change comes due to this podcast expanding in scope with interviews, discussion on theory, and talking about things that impact the industry of Screenwriting. Don't worry though, we'll still be breaking and discussing films, tv, games, and other stories that inspire us :)

Below are the links Alexie mentions during the announcement!

Young Screenwriter Courses

• Writing the Short
• Writing the Scene
• Writing the Feature
• Writing the Pilot

Young Screenwriter Community Links

• YS Discord
• YS Youtube

Alexie and Adam take a look at set-ups and pay-offs in DECISION TO LEAVE. They discuss their ideas on what great set ups are and explain the nuance of writing payoffs that work.

Join us at 4:00pm EST every Friday for coffee and story analysis of our favorite screenplays and films!

Screenwriters Alexie Basil and Adam Schaller share three techniques for writing powerful natural-sounding dialogue.

Low-to-medium budget scripts with incredible character development are a golden ticket for producers... which makes them an excellent target for newer screenwriters! Alexie meet with Kinolime Producer John Schramm and Kinolime Creative Executive Danny Murray to break the beloved film BILLY ELLIOT and talk about:

• Why producers want strong points of view and voice
• How characterization is key for lower-budget films 
• Tips for making your spec script stand out to producers 

Plus, learn more about Kinolime's free screenplay contest, which promises to produce the winner's movie (of any genre!) for up to $15,000,000! They're accepting submissions through April 4, 2024. Find out more: https://www.kinolime.com/

About John Schramm

John Schramm is an American screenwriter/producer who has sold various scripts to top independent producers such as Basil Iwanyk's Thunder Road Pictures ("John Wick," "The Town," "Sicario"). Schramm has also been hired to write for Oliver Stone ("Platoon," "Wall Street," "JFK") under his Ixtlan Productions banner, as well as for Scott Free Productions and Original Films.

As a feature producer, Schramm is producing "The Mother" (2024) starring Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh and "The Falling Man" (2024) alongside Niv Fichman ("Blackberry," "Enemy," "The Red Violin"). 

Professional screenwriters Adam Schaller and Alexie Basil break down the script for GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY.

• Watch the live stream
• Join Writing the Pilot
• Join Discord

Summer is coming! Which means that epic summer blockbusters are right around the corner. How do you write something awesome that also goes BOOM?! Join professional screenwriters Alexie Basil and Adam Schaller as they create an outline for an action-packed summer blockbuster film on the spot. They'll get into:

• Building around exciting set pieces
• Creating spectacles
• The balance of objective and stakes vs. flaw and inner-need in action films

Check out their outline

 Connect with Us

• YS Website
• YS Discord
• Script Vault

YS Courses

• Writing the Short
• Writing the Scene
• Writing the Feature
• Writing the Pilot

Nicholl Finalist Victoria Male joins Alexie and Theo for a conversation about how to navigate risk-averse Hollywood and sell original ideas by creating your own IP. In addition to chatting about Victoria's success releasing short stories alongside her screenplays, we're going to get into:

• The current state of Hollywood (what producers are looking for)
• Strategies for creating your own IP
• Tips for making your script irresistible

About Victoria Male

Victoria Male (she/her) is a 2023 Academy Nicholl Fellowship Finalist whose writing also made the 2024 Love List of best unproduced romance scripts. Her prose has been published in over a dozen literary magazines worldwide. Victoria worked in creative development for The Montecito Picture Company and media startup Graphic India, in addition to producing a podcast for three years.

• Instagram: @VictoriaMale1
• Twitter: @VictoriaMale
• Website: https://www.victoriamale.com/

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• Join our Discord Community
• Browse Our Free Courses

Links Mentioned

• https://www.chillsubs.com/

Which comes first: story or characters? As screenwriters, we use characters to reveal story just as much as we use story to inform our characters. So, how does that story-driven character development process work?

In this episode, NYU Film Professor John Warren, Adam Schaller, and Alexie Basil talk about building and developing characters for stories. They explore the symbiotic relationship between character and story, and share their favorite techniques for character development.

People love to talk about how there are only a few basic stories, and all other work is a variation of them. THE SEVEN BASIC PLOTS is one of the most famous books sharing this theory!

Haven't read THE SEVEN BASIC PLOTS by Christopher Booker? No problem!

Professional screenwriters Alexie Basil and Adam Schaller share the best and worst takeaways from the famous storytelling classic.

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• YS Website
• YS Discord
• Script Vault

YS Courses

• Writing the Short
• Writing the Scene
• Writing the Feature
• Writing the Pilot

As screenwriters, we spend a lot of time thinking our characters, story, conflict, and dramatic action. But what about the world they inhabit?

In this episode, NYU Film Professor John Warren, Adam Schaller, and Alexie Basil talk world building—about designing rich and authentic worlds in screenplays. They dive into iconic scripts like STAR WARS and ALIEN, as well as series like BREAKING BAD, to identify what world building techniques screenwriters can employ to bring their world to life.

Is film school worth it? What makes a strong film school application? If you do go to film school, how can you be sure to get the most of it?

In this episode, NYU Tisch Film Professor John Warren and alum Alexie Basil answer all of your burning questions about film school—getting in, attending, and post-grad life—as well as some questions about NYU Tisch specifically.

Professional writers Alexie Basil and Theo Luoma share their favorite tips for getting past burnout and writers block.

• Join Writing the Pilot
• Join Discord

The first draft of a screenplay is only the beginning. In this episode of Breaking Story, Alexie and Adam share their favorite strategies for revising scripts and making them into something ready to show the world, including the benefits of taking time between drafts, completing separate "passes," and getting notes.

Passive protagonists are one of the most common problems in screenplays—from seasoned screenwriters and newbies alike. Instead of driving the story forward and making active choices, these characters let the story come to them and then react.

In this episode, screenwriters Alexie Basil and Adam Schaller examine how to spot a passive protagonist in your own work, why it matters, and how to transform them into an integral part of your story engine.

For many screenwriters, dialogue is one of the most exciting parts of screenwriting. It’s where our characters come to life on the page and on the screen. But how do you create dialogue that is authentic, interesting, AND moves the plot forward?

In this episode, NYU Film Professor John Warren and professional screenwriters Adam Schaller and Alexie Basil talk about techniques for writing effective, story-driven dialogue. They break down why some dialogue works, while other dialogue falls flat.

NYU Film Professor John Warren joins Adam and Alexie to talk about the personal side of screenwriting: staying motivated, getting out of ruts, and why it's worth it.

Some film endings stick with us through the ages. Why is that? What makes some screenplays end with a BANG! and what makes others fizzle?

In this episode, NYU Tisch Film Professor John Warren and screenwriters Alexie Basil and Adam Schaller discuss writing powerful endings for your screenplay, including Michael Arndt’s theory on endings and case studies of stellar endings such as PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE, and THE WIZARD OF OZ.

SALTBURN is a masterpiece of deception, manipulation, and class struggle. Professional screenwriters Alexie Basil, Adam Schaller, and Theo Luoma break down the script and take a look at:

• How to pull off unreliable narrators
• When objectives are concealed from the audience
• Manipulating audience expectations

Resources:

• SALTBURN Script
• Young Screenwriters Courses
• Young Screenwriters Discord

Breaking down a scene in a project you know is easy mode. What happens when you try to break down a scene without context? Professional screenwriters Alexie and Theo both bring two scenes the other has never seen before: Theo's bringing THE LOBSTER and Alexie's bringing the pilot of GENTLEMAN JACK. They'll table-read them and see if their analyses are spot on or off the mark!

• How the scenes reveal character
• Techniques used by the writer
• Connections to the overall material

And here are the screenplays to follow along:

• THE LOBSTER script
• GENTLEMAN JACK pilot script

Resources & Links

• Website
• Script Vault

OUR COURSES

• Writing the Short
• Writing the Scene
• Writing the Feature
• Writing the Pilot

A few years ago, Alexie and Adam watched Michael Arndt's lecture "Endings: The Good, the Bad, and the Insanely Great" and it completely changed the way they thought about endings, stakes, and giving stories meaning.

Now, they'll discuss they're favorite, most groundbreaking insights from the lecture and give practical tips about how to use it in your own work.

Watch the original lecture: ENDINGS: The Good, the Bad, and the Insanely Great

Also, from now until July 20th, we want to share Writing the Pilot with you for 30% off. That means the course, which is usually $147, will be only $102.90. Use Code SUMMER24 to get your discount!

Connect with Us

• YS Website
• YS Discord
• Script Vault

YS Courses

• Writing the Short
• Writing the Scene
• Writing the Feature
• Writing the Pilot

We read SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder so you don't have to! In this week's episode, Alexie and Adam share the most (and least) helpful lessons from this classic screenwriting book. Discover how to implement fantastic screenwriting advice, such as using irony in loglines, creating a world-changing shift at the midpoint, and utilizing memorable-and-effective strategies for story crafting like Pope in a Pool, Double Mumbo Jumbo, and more.

VFX Production Coordinator Esha Sandhu joins Alexie and Theo LIVE to talk about how screenwriters can write the most visually compelling screenplays. We'll cover:

• VFX breakdown in a script
• The nuances of writing explosions 
• Tips for breaking into the VFX industry And more! 

Join us for our live Young Screenwriters Podcast recording, and stick around after for an open Q&A and more screenwriting talk :)

About Esha Sandhu

With a background spanning over 2 years in the VFX industry, Esha’s journey began with studies in 3D Animation, Visual Effects, and a touch of Game Design. However, her true passion unfolded in the realm of Production, where the spirit of collaboration and shared objectives fuels her enthusiasm as a VFX Production Coordinator. Esha has worked on Hawkeye, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Willow series, The School for Good and Evil, Lift and Dune Part: Two.

In the autumn of 2023, Esha embarked on her WIA mentorship journey, eagerly embracing the opportunity to nurture and steer the forthcoming wave of Production Enthusiasts. Esha's guiding principle is to “embrace a production mindset while maintaining a friendly approach to artists".

Esha also thrives in the dynamic environment of a film set, where she channels her skills and experience. She also works as a Script Supervisor on set, contributing to the seamless execution of productions while writing her own short films to fuel her passion for filmmaking.

• Esha's IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13157752/
• Esha's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/films_by_esha/?hl=en
• Reach Esha: films.by.esha@gmail.com

 Connect with Us

• YS Website
• YS Discord
• Script Vault

YS Courses

• Writing the Short
• Writing the Scene
• Writing the Feature
• Writing the Pilot

Alexie and Adam talk about the screenwriting adage "Write What You Know," looking at it from both a practical and emotional sense. They discuss how it's one thing to know the details of a story--to understand the world, the actions, the characters--and another to know the heart of a story.

• Join the Discord
• Browse Our Free Courses
• Writing the Feature Sale

Alexie and Adam take a look at two complementary plotting devices for your screenplay: Dan Harmon's Story Circle and the Story Clock.

Professional screenwriters Alexie Basil and Adam Schaller take a look at popular formatting trends in the most recent Black List scripts, and how you can format your specs for competitions.

You can’t write a movie without some exposition—but often writers hear the complaint that their writing is too expositional. How do we strike that balance, and importantly, how do we recognize good and bad exposition in our own work?

In this episode, screenwriters Alexie Basil and Adam Schaller break down the dos and don’ts of effective exposition. They look at how famous stories have successfully delivered information and how you can replicate it in your own screenwriting.

Every incredible screenplay and memorable movie has a strong emotional core: flaw and inner need. Over the course of the protagonist's journey, they will gradually overcome their flaw and learn to embrace their inner-need.

In this episode, professional screenwriters Adam Schaller and Alexie Basil break down the importance of solidifying your protagonist's character arc. They look at the relationship between flaw and inner need, how it ties to theme, and how you can use it in your own writing.

The first 10 pages of your screenplay set the tone for your entire movie—and tell the reader whether they should keep reading or toss your script in the trash.

In the first-ever episode of Breaking Story by Young Screenwriters, NYU Film Professor John Warren, Adam Schaller, and Alexie Basil take a look at opening pages from exceptional screenplays like RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and MARRIAGE STORY and break down how you can make your first 10 pages punch through the slush pile.

The first ten pages of your screenplay can hook your readers in for the long haul. They're arguably the most important part of your script for capturing an audience.

Professional screenwriters Alexie, Adam, and Theo talk about how to make your first ten pages un-put-down-able by focusing on:

Grab your coffee, pick up your pen, and listen to this amazing screenwriting conversation.

 Connect with Us

• YS Website
• YS Discord
• Script Vault

YS Courses

• Writing the Short
• Writing the Scene
• Writing the Feature
• Writing the Pilot

Professional writers Alexie Basil, Adam Schaller, and Theo Luoma share their favorite tips for getting past burnout and writers block.

• Join the Discord
• Browse Our Free Courses

Join professional screenwriters Adam Schaller and Alexie Basil to discuss the strengths of series and features—and how to decide which is a better fit for the story you want to tell.

• Meet the Community on Discord
• Join our Facebook Group
• Follow on Twitter
• Browse Our Free Courses

Even with all the skills in the world, a screenwriter still needs one essential ingredient to write a knock-out script: an incredible idea. So, what makes a story or character idea good? Where do they come from and how to you put them to action?

In this episode, NYU Tisch Film Professor John Warren and screenwriters Alexie Basil and Adam Schaller discuss idea and character generation. In particular, they explore the importance of learning when to stick to your inspiration, when to let it go, and when to seek more.

Professional writers Alexie Basil and Theo Luoma break down the newest season of the hit Netflix show, BLACK MIRROR. They also discuss werewolves, The 100, and why they love CW.

~*~ Don't Miss Our Weekly Thursday Workshops at 5:30pm ET ~*~ Join the Discord Community: https://www.youngscreenwriters.com/di...

Over the course of a feature screenplay, all of the protagonist's actions are in pursuit of their tangible objective. But what happens if they don't get it? What are the stakes?

In this episode, NYU Film Professor John Warren and professional screenwriters Adam Schaller and Alexie Basil analyze the relationship between objective and stakes. They discuss how to ensure your objective has strong enough stakes that it drives your protagonist to act and motivates your audience to care.

Three act structure is the most common story analysis tools—and a favorite among screenwriters. By breaking a script down into three acts, writers can approach the beginning, middle, and end from a place of intentionality and give their film momentum and purpose.

In this episode, screenwriters Alexie Basil and Adam Schaller three act structure and how to use it effectively. They focus on how to use formula without being formulaic, helpful takeaways from their own education and careers, and the organic nature of story (even within structure).