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Books & Audiobooks I Recommend for Screenwriters / Storytelling
Story by Robert Mckee (also available on Audible, excellent for walking and listening to!) Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting...
Daniel Hopson
Jun 29, 20221 min read


Stranger Things 4: Part 2
Two feature-length episodes to end another great series. An incredible achievement from the Duffer brothers as they demonstrate the power...
Daniel Hopson
Jun 29, 20221 min read


Stranger Season 4: Part 1
Amazingly plotted, seven great episodes full of action, humour and tension.
Daniel Hopson
Jun 29, 20221 min read


Scott and Bailey: Setup and Payoff
Drip feeding information. 'Nice hair' says Chris to Janet Scott. This leads to the setup Janet Scott going out; a small smart setup and...
Daniel Hopson
Jun 29, 20221 min read


Production Glossary - Scripted Department
Script editor - Report to the Development Producer and will work closely with Executive Producers, Producers and Writers to ensure that...
Daniel Hopson
Jun 26, 20221 min read


Charlie Brooker And Annabel Jones Talk Black Mirror | EITF 2017
Inspirations: Comic what if happens ideas e.g.what if the Prime Minister was blackmailed into having to fuck a pig? Twists: Reality...
Daniel Hopson
Jun 23, 20221 min read


GEITF 2013 - Breaking Bad: The Network & GEITF Joint Session Masterclass - Notes
Learned how to write and make TV through the X-FIles Pressure can help writers write! Have the audience invest in your main protagonist...
Daniel Hopson
Jun 23, 20221 min read


Michaela Coel | James MacTaggart Lecture | Edinburgh TV Festival 2018 - Notes
A powerful story about her experiences Give them a reason to come back Transparency is important and helps Have many potential artists...
Daniel Hopson
Jun 22, 20221 min read


Cracker (1993) Episode 1: Character Setup
A main character's introduction is vital and having them at their most characterful can let the audience understand the character...
Daniel Hopson
Jun 10, 20221 min read


Paddington: Why it is effective emotionally?
Paddington is an outsider trying to fit into a new world. A person going to a new school, new university or a new job can be a scary...
Daniel Hopson
May 20, 20221 min read


Snowfall (Season 4) Keeping the Audience Interested
By having numerous storylines keep the audience watching and engaged for more. Journalist exploring past murders and...
Daniel Hopson
May 18, 20221 min read


Snowfall Season 4 Episode 1: Continuing a serial crime drama
The first episode of season 4: Establishes character and their relationships in scenarios and actions Re-establishes past events to where...
Daniel Hopson
May 18, 20221 min read


Setting up an Episode: The Simpson's
It’s very interesting considering how the Simpson’s starts from one scenario and ends in a completely different one: 1. E.g....
Daniel Hopson
May 16, 20221 min read


Mr Mercedes: The villain (Brody)
A character’s wound affects their present. As a result of their wound, what did they lose? Looking at various aspects of his life:...
Daniel Hopson
May 15, 20222 min read


The Dark Knight Rises: What makes the Joker’s character so effective?
The Joker says things like: “Hit me, come on hit me” and “You have nothing on me” The Joker knows that Batman’s moral code is not to...
Daniel Hopson
May 14, 20221 min read


Luke Cage TV series - How do Marvel's characters connect with us so well?
I watched several TV shows and none of them had me hooked, but Netflix’s Marvel’s series does this very well and very quickly to have me...
Daniel Hopson
May 13, 20221 min read


What makes Gollum's Character So Effective in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy?
Gollum is what Frodo could become. Gollum was once-upon-a-time a hobbit. Gollum and is Frodo’s mirror-future reflection if Frodo lets the...
Daniel Hopson
May 12, 20221 min read


Why is the opening of Pixar's Up so emotionally effectively?
No dialogue. Emotional. Life from marriage, to own home, to holidays, to getting older, to decorating baby room, to baby possibly dying...
Daniel Hopson
May 11, 20221 min read


Deadwater Fell (TV): Miniseries versus. Gone Girl (Film)
A comparison:.
Daniel Hopson
May 11, 20221 min read


War of the Worlds Season 1 and 2 - Review
War of the Worlds (Canal+, 2019-present) is a television show I love because the set-up was well-executed, which left me curious for...
Daniel Hopson
May 10, 20222 min read
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