Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

How can interweaving timelines elevate the emotional experience for the audience?

In our final part, part 3, of our Interweaving Timelines series, we — Chas, Stu & Mel — take a deep dive into Greta G…

How can interweaving two timelines change how we feel about a character?

In this Part 2 of Interweaving Timelines (aka The Stu Monologue Episode), Mel, Chas and Stu tackle Sorkin/Fincher's The Social…

How does interweaving two timelines change how the audience feel?

Stu and Chas are joined by Mel Killingsworth to dissect interweaving timelines. Not anthology films. Not Cloud Atlas. But films where…

How do you choose which project to start next?

In their now-annual full backmatter episode, Stu and Chas let their hair down, drop the guise of objectivity, and allow themselves to have an even more …

What can we learn from Sofia Coppola’s on-the-page skills over her career?

Following the success of the Tips from Tarantino episode, we have again decided to look at three different scripts from over…

How can you do powerful storytelling... without dialogue?

Stu and Chas are joined by filmmaker, podcaster and writer Matthew Brown to deep dive into FURY ROAD and its astounding visual storytelling, …

What can we learn from folk horror?

Draft Zero return with their next YouTube livestream! Stu and Chas are joined by previous guest (and successful screenwriter) C.S. McMullen for a deep dive into MI…

How do I write selling documents differently to development documents?

In developing our stories and scripts, we have probably written some combination of treatments and loglines and outlines. Some o…

How can I develop my theme without writing script pages?

Continuing our look at tools used in development, Chas & Stu are joined by Stephen Cleary to talk about Theme, The Thematic Logline and what S…

How can I develop my plot before writing the screenplay?

Stu and Chas are joined by fan-favourite, Stephen Cleary, to NOT look at what makes great screenplays work -- but what makes great  "short doc…

How does Joker use melodramatic techniques to elevate its storytelling?

Draft Zero return with their next YouTube livestream! Stu and Chas take a deep dive into JOKER and analyse the film through the…

How can you use audience questions to heighten emotional investment?

Draft Zero return with their next YouTube livestream! Stu and Chas take a deep dive into PARASITE and how its mastery of audience …

How can shifting narrative point of view drive your sequences?

Born out of isolation madness, this episode is an edited version of Draft Zero’s first YouTube livestream. Stu and Chas both watched KNI…

How do I tell a powerful story where the protagonist cannot drive the plot?

Stu and Chas are joined by Stephen Cleary following his exploration into Melodrama, and together they try to reclaim the wo…

How does Draft Zero cope with lockdown?

LINKS

• Facebook: http://facebook.com/draftzeropodcast/
• Patreon: http://patreon.com/draftzero/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIEz5b9FMNa7Tj8DkcJQWRA
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How does audience knowledge affect your character’s motivations?

Chas and Stu are joined by special guest - filmmaker Mel Killingsworth - to talk all things Star Wars. Well. Focusing on The Mandalori…

What changes in your writing and development when collaborating with a director?

This episode, Chas steps down as co-host (kinda) and is interviewed by Stu as a guest, alongside director Ben Mizzi, a…

In our annual Backmatter-only episode, Stu and Chas indulge themselves by offering personal opinions on the life and work of emerging screenwriters based on their own personal experience.

To that end…

How can you create flow and contrast in your dialogue?

A full three years after the first instalment (and one of our most popular), Stu and Chas have kidnapped Stephen Cleary to once again develop so…

How do you know if your unfilmable is good... or if you’re just being a wanker?

In this third and final part of our series on unfilmables, Chas and Stu turn their critical eye to... each other’s work…