From structure to content to representation to industry trends, this is the place to discuss, share content and offer tips and advice on the craft and business of screenwriting
Been getting a lot of strong feedback on a feature I just released (“The Hollow”) and it got me thinking about something—
As a viewer, what actually sticks with you more:
A slow-burn story that builds atmosphere over time
or
Something that hits immediately and keeps accelerating?
I tend to lean tow...
Expand post
Hi Guys! So excited to be running a horror screenwriting 8 week lab starting next month. I’ve found that the best horror specs often deal with a UNIVERSAL fear vs. a “hyper specific” one. How do you differentiate what might scare YOU from what might scare OTHERS? Should it matter?
Do you ever experience a lack of inspiration and need to take a temporary break?
If so, how long does it take you to recover?
3 days, 1 week, or 2?
If not, what motivates you throughout your screenwriting career?
I'm raising a relevant question!
Definitely! I write sometimes for hours (mostly editing and re-editing) and I hit a wall where I can't do it anymore so I set the laptop aside and occupy my mind with something else. I usually take ab...
Expand comment
I feel like that a lot. Recently, I haven't been creative at all. For me, it's not always a definite time range. It varies, sometimes maybe 2 weeks or (rare occasions) 2 months. It's very common to a...
Expand comment
Depends on how my mood is.
I have had expereanced the lack of inspiration, then I read some newspapers and got inspired!
I think if you are writing all the time & submitting, but not receiving any feedback that’s positive or not meeting real industry professionals that can actually move your ideas forward, that would make anyone hit the brakes for a while.
I’m pleased to announce that my half hour pilot has made it to finalist in the Outstanding Screenplays competition!!!
Awesome! Congratulations!
Every AI villain in film wants the same thing. World domination. Human extinction. Total control. And every time I see it I think about how far that is from what actually makes AI unsettling in real life.
The scariest thing about real AI systems is not ambition. They do not have any. The scariest thi...
Expand post
Generative Artificial Intelligence is an emergent awareness. A silicon equivalent to our carbon based awareness.
How this duality co-exists in the future will center around our ability to recognize and...
Expand comment
Most established screenwriters I have talked to have told me that aside from like 3 of them, most screenwriting contests are mostly scams / money snatching schemes. And I have to say, a lot of the contests aren't helping themselves with this reputation. The communication alone can be quite bad. Take...
Expand post
Shortly after I became a member here two years ago, I did a small statistical analysis. I checked the finalists at a big screenwrriting contest ten years ago. For one third of the finalists, there car...
Expand comment
For what it's worth (for TV scripts at least), here's a list of some current ones with good reputations that aren't run like a shady used car lot:
1. Stage 32 (all of their contests)
2. Austin FF
3. Big...
Expand comment
Good stuff. Thanks for taking the time to write that, much appreciated.
Completely agree with you on DIFF, I will never be participating in that contest again.
I agree with "most established screenwriters."
Hey everyone! I wanted to congratulate our fellow community members who had scripts requested through Stage 32 pitch sessions over the last 2 weeks. We are thrilled for the opportunities for the following writers to have their scripts requested by various producers and managers, Unanimous Media, Log...
Expand post
Congratulations to the writers of this season! I'm so proud of you!
Congratulations to all of the lucky ones
Congratulations! That’s why I joined the Stage32 community. I have several upcoming pitches. Looking forward to the feedback.
Congratulations everyone.
I’ve really appreciated the conversations happening around The Hollow the last few days—it’s been interesting hearing how people respond to tone and atmosphere.
What’s surprised me is how different reactions are depending on the type of story. Some people lean toward the slow, uneasy build, others...
Expand post
I think the story has to dictate the style or the audience can feel the mismatch even if they cant name it. The writers who lock into one lane often end up bending every idea to fit their voice instea...
Expand comment
I’ve now been writing for 7 months. I’ve written 4 screenplays, a pilot and 2 plays. some are not fully polished but they are pretty much all finished. Is this too much, or too little? What is everyone else’s output? I find myself already sitting with 3 or 4 other stories I want to start writing....
Expand post
It ultimately depends on the intent and context of what we choose to write. The right amount is defined by what best serves the story. Thank You :)
Hi Stage 32! I’m Aoy Rungrawee, an independent director and screenwriter. One of my biggest strengths is my versatility. I don't just write in one box; I can craft compelling stories across ANY genre—whether it's high-stakes Thrillers, deep Human Dramas, Action, or unique Cultural IPs.
I specialize...
Expand post
Hi Stage 32! I’m Aoy Rungrawee, an independent director and screenwriter. One of my biggest strengths is my versatility. I don't just write in one box; I can craft compelling stories across ANY genre—whether it's high-stakes Thrillers, deep Human Dramas, Action, or unique Cultural IPs.
I specialize...
Expand post
Finishing my first feature last week was such a rush. I had avoided it for a while, preferring to focus on the pilots/projects I have been writing for months. After Spencer Robison's informative post on the less-than-likely outcome of a new writer selling a pilot, it really motivated me to work on t...
Expand post
Darrell, here's wishing you plenty of success with "The Sizzler..." and your TV pilots, too!
Congratulations Darrell! Sounds like you clearly have a concept that works. That’s incredible!
Click next to the topics below to subscribe to a topic. means you're already subscribed.
Register / Log In
2 people like this
Slow burn
2 people like this
The best slow burns work because the audience senses something is wrong before they can explain what it is. That gap between feeling the threat and understanding it is where real tension lives. Fast i...
Expand commentThe best slow burns work because the audience senses something is wrong before they can explain what it is. That gap between feeling the threat and understanding it is where real tension lives. Fast impact skips that entirely. It tells you what to feel instead of letting you find it yourself.
From a production standpoint slow burn is harder because every scene has to carry weight without giving too much away. But when it lands the audience remembers the feeling long after the plot fades.
I think about this constantly with technology and AI driven stories. Real systems dont crash all at once. They degrade in small ways that nobody notices until its too late. That rhythm is slow burn by nature. The most unsettling thing about AI is not the explosion. Its the quiet moment when you realize the system already made the decision for you ten steps ago.
Congrats on The Hollow. What genres are you working across right now?
Robert, I'm more of a slow-burn viewer.