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Tim Long

Founder, PARABLE

Tim Long has over 25 years of screenwriting experience, during which he sold, optioned, and pitched film projects at the studio level. He’s had original screenplays in development with Academy Award ® winning and nominated producers.

Mr. Long is also a nationally recognized screenplay consultant, and was Head of the MFA Screenwriting Program at FSU’s College of Motion Picture Arts for nearly two decades.

He’s currently Founder of PARABLE, an online story development process that includes unlimited live-chat and a free screenplay consultation of your finished first draft. www.ScreenplayStory.com

Websites Linkedin PARABLE
NFS Score 74 (Freshman)
  • Recent Activity
  • Recent Posts
Article Comment – Avoid a Screenwriting Trap: Tell a Story Instead of Explaining Your Movie

Hi Stephan,

I’m a big believer in the notion that there is no ONE correct way to execute a screenplay. Whatever works to tell the story works - within reason. I’ve seen far too may aspiring screenwriters get so caught up in rules and formulas that they locked into a box that they can NEVER think outside. One such so-called rule is that you can only write what can be seen or filmed. This is just not true. For example, take the following screenplay excerpt….

“Goeth steps out onto the balcony in his undershirt and shorts and peers across the labor camp, his labor camp. Satisfied with it, even amazed, he’s reminiscent of Schindler looking down on his kingdom, his factory, as he loves to do, from his wall of glass. Life is great.”

This from Oscar winning screenwriter Steven Zaillian, and as you can see he is using prose and editorializing. I can sight a dozen more examples from various successful screenwriters who all do the same thing.

Obviously you don’t want to “overdo” this type of writing. As you said, it’s not a novel, but it is a technique that is used quite often.

5 years ago
Article Comment – Starting Your Script with Character: Learn Structure in This Online Screenwriting Course

Hi Austin,

Nowhere in the article does it claim the process is a “quick path to becoming a screenwriter.” Nor does it claim its author is any kind of “guru.”

I’d like to invite you to read a few articles I’ve written (that are excerpts from my process) and even perhaps visit my website. At least then your opinion, even if remains negative, would be far more informed and appreciated by others. Even by me. :)

http://nofilmschool.com/2016/07/3-key-psychological-hooks-creating-compe...

http://creativescreenwriting.com/heart/

6 years ago
ARTICLE POST
Why Screenwriting Rules are a Myth
5 years ago
ARTICLE POST
Avoid a Screenwriting Trap: Tell a Story Instead of Explaining Your Movie
5 years ago
ARTICLE POST
Your Screenplay’s True Hero? The Opening Scene
6 years ago
ARTICLE POST
How Plotting Can Kill Your Character
6 years ago
ARTICLE POST
The 3 Key Psychological Hooks to Creating Compelling Characters
6 years ago
ARTICLE POST
The One Essential Ingredient of Every Successful Screenplay
6 years ago
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