The Young Screenwriters Podcast

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 actual...

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

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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

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

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...

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 transfor...

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 us...

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 particula...

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 W...

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.

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,...

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 objecti...

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 enou...

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 relationsh...

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 betwee...

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 id...

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 an...