StoryRay Podcast

Are #screenwriting contests like Nicholl Fellowship and Sundance actually selecting the BEST writers and BEST screenplays? Every year, aspiring screenwriters spend money entering contests and fellowships hoping this will be the thing that finally opens the door. There is a major difference between saying a program has a specific taste and saying it objectively discovers the “best” writers. That di...

Why do so many movies and television shows today look fantastic but feel completely forgettable? I believe part of the answer begins with the screenplay. Too many modern screenplays are being shaped primarily to entertain one solitary reader instead of inspiring the actors, directors, cinematographers, designers, editors, composers, and other artists who must eventually bring the story to life. A...

Disclosure Day may be technically well made, but did it actually leave us with anything meaningful? In this video, I talk about the difference between spectacle and storytelling, and why impressive CGI, AI-assisted visuals, and polished filmmaking are no longer enough by themselves. We live in a time when almost any image can be generated, simulated, or manufactured on demand. So the real question...

A Screenplay can be fun to read and still make for a terrible movie. Why do so many modern movies and TV shows feel less engaging than they used to? One reason may be that screenplays are increasingly judged by how enjoyable they are to read, instead of how powerful they could be when performed. A screenplay is not a novel. It is not prose fiction. It is intended to inspire actors, directors, edit...

In Episode 4 of Rewrite In Motion, we continue using AI to illustrate the imagery in this Screenplay "Untitled Action Cop vs Stripper Thief". I discuss using some cliches to a story's advantage and why it's crucial to get rid of things like cell phones and helicopters in order to make chase scenes more dramatic. Feeling generous? Drop something in the Cashapp . Thanks for watching/listening.

Rewrite in Motion is back — and this time, we're getting visual. In Episode 3, we officially introduce the main character of " Untitled Action Cop vs. Stripper Thief "— and I used ChatGPT to generate AI images directly from scenes in the script. The results were honestly surprising. The images came out way more accurate to what I had in my head than I expected, and it completely chan...

This episode highlights some considerations as to whether or not the Microdrama Vertical Series can succeed in the U.S. market? Or will they go the way of the Quibi bird once again?

A continuation as I rewrite a screenplay, "Untitled Action Cop vs Stripper Thief". I continue to use AI not for writing, but as a tool for visualization. Follow along. Find me at: storyray.com

In this episode I begin the arduous task of rewriting a screenplay, "Untitled Action Cop vs Stripper Thief". Find me at storyray.com .

After watching the Netflix film The Rip and reading an article where director Joe Carnahan talked about the importance of outlining before writing the screenplay, I arrived at an obvious conclusion. Outlines can be incredibly helpful. They allow writers to structure complex stories and write efficiently once the blueprint is set. But it also made me consider a not-so-obvious conclusion..I wonder i...

Storytelling isn’t just about what you describe. It’s also about when you describe it. When people encounter a new scene, they don’t process information randomly. Human perception tends to notice certain things first: larger elements, potential threats, and socially or biologically relevant details. Our brains evolved to sort information that way. When a screenplay or prose description works again...

Prefer to watch episode on Youtube ?I don’t claim to have the definitive answer as to what ‘high concept’ really means. There are as many different definitions as there are people who attempt to explain the somewhat elusive, yet highly sought status of a genuinely easy-to-understand idea. How can it be genuine, if there is no one correct answer or defintiton? It’s one of those things that falls in...

Prefer to watch on Youtube ? Leave us a bit a Gratitude .Have you ever noticed how many more people suddenly seem interested in you after you’re already in a relationship? You’re the same person you were when you were single. So what changed? Nothing. And everything. What you’re witnessing isn’t coincidence. It’s an expression of the Law of Attraction. When you’re single and looking, it often feel...

One of the most common story notes writers hear is:“Your story needs more conflict.”But what does that actually mean? In this video, I break down why treating conflict as something you can simply add to a story, like salt and pepper seasoning, often leads to dramatically inert stories. Conflict isn’t an ingredient you sprinkle in after the fact. In dramatic writing, conflict is the engine. It has...

Prefer to watch this episode on YouTube or Substack ? The basic idea of the “coin method” of character development is simple. Often times creators fall in love with their characters and have a tendency to focus more on their characters’ positive attributes more than their characters’ flaws. This tendency toward creating near-perfect characters can make them feel less believable. ‘Believability’ is...

One question that has become popular for executives to ask screenwriters is, 'what is your personal connection to the material?'. The question is misguided in the assumption that writers need to be able to verbalize or explain why they are "authorized" to write the tings they write. In this episode I talk about why that question is wrong and should be avoided. Find me at: StoryRay.com

Prefer to watch this episode on YouTube ? Everyone online is panicking about Netflix buying Warner Bros. “Hollywood is dead!”“Monopoly!”“Goodbye movie theaters!” But… what if we’re all looking at this the wrong way? In this video, I break down why the Netflix purchase of Warner Bros might  actually  help the movie theater experience recover — and why streaming absorbing legacy IP could open the do...

Prefer to watch this episode on YouTube ? Do you write from  Source Energy  or pure  Intellect ? Most writers use both, but where you lean affects the kind of stories you create and the kind of writing career you’re best suited for. In this episode, I uncover the hidden divide between writers who  channel something deeper  (flow state, higher self, source energy) and writers who build stories thro...

Can a film be both brilliant and problematic? This video explores One Battle After Another, a technically stunning film with a disturbing social message. I examine how the movie’s portrayal of Black women echoes historical patterns of racial exploitation, drawing parallels to Birth of a Nation and the dynamics of slavery. While acknowledging the film’s artistry, I question what happens when cinema...

Prefer to watch this episode on YouTube ? Much like in fishing, writers all have a story about the big one that got away. For me, that big fish was a comedy screenplay called BAG SNATCHERS about how the art of snatching candy on Halloween can go terribly wrong. In this episode I make my yearly rant about how Hollywood missed the boat by not producing my Halloween epic. Feeling generous? Support th...

Do people seem to gravitate toward you everywhere you go? Try this to test your soul weight. Find me at: StoryRay.com Feeling generous? $OmegaConquest

Do we live inside a simulation? You kind of know the answer. Find me at: storyray.com

A closer look at how the movie Weapons breaks 3-Act structure with great success. Find me at: StoryRay.com Feeling generous: CashApp

Marlon shares his thoughts on the special sauce that makes certain comedy movies successful. Find me at: StoryRay.com Feeling generous? Cashapp

AI and more specifically ChatGPT has racist protocols built in. I struggled to make an image of black children. Image was for this Free Substack post about Black Boys Swimming . Feeling generous? Hit my Cashapp! Visit StoryRay.com Thanks for listening.