THE SCRIBBLERS TOOLBOX
"An ever-expanding collection of tips, tools, observations, and topical ephemera for my fellow scribblers to peruse, apply, disseminate, or disregard."
Jesse Alexander

Scene & Sequel
Scene and sequel structure is the blueprint, the GPS of your story. It keeps your narrative engine revving, pacing on point, and audience on seat edge.

Berserker by Berserker
Whatever project you tackle, breaking it into bits and pieces is a tried-and-true way to get ‘er done.

Fail Faster
Not only is AI helping many creative disciplines work more efficiently, it’s creating more time for iteration and adding the elements of our work that are uniquely human.

Priority Pages
When it comes to screenwriting, the opening pages of your script are way more than just a warm-up. They're like the front door to your story, the audition tape, the chance to hook your readers and reel them in.

Blog to Book
I've taken the first year of posts from Scribbler's Toolbox and turned them into a book that's now up on Amazon. I used this amazing tool called Kindle Create.

“Quality scripts on time.”
"Quality scripts on time." was the guiding light of our writing room. It summed up exactly what our job was about—cranking out top-notch scribbles while constantly racing against network deadlines.

Movies about Movies
My scribbler’s journey wasn't just about making Super-8 movies or hitting up schools like TISCH and AFI. It was heavily shaped by flicks about the craft itself and candid insights from director commentaries on DVDs.

Feedback is your Friend
As you're grinding on those latest drafts and story sessions, bring more voices into the mix. Get hyped about getting outside takes.

Get your reps in!
Sometimes scribbling is not just about quality, but scribbling a whole freakin' lot.

Fan Fiction
Fanfiction is about taking the characters, settings, and plots that we know and love from our favorite TV shows, movies, or video games, and putting our own spin on them.

Visionaries & Operators
I’ve noticed many similarities between launching a new TV show and starting a tech company. Both require money, teams that work well together, and a leader to define the goals and culture of the endeavor.

World Building Bureaucracies!
Epic tales and ancestral feats are cool, but let’s talk about the frameworks that let other creative minds run wild.

Film School
My son is heading off to a rad film school called SCAD. This got me thinking about my journey from traditional film school to the wild world of professional filmmaking.

Prompt Dictation
I've whipped up a bunch of questions that get down to the metal of what makes a scene or character work. They’re based on all the stuff I’ve scribbled in the blog.

Public Domain Images
Let’s explore some treasure troves of free-to-use images to fuel your creative endeavors.

Slo-Mo Style vs. Slo-Mo Emo
It’s time for some more of my current obsession — Bollywood vs. Hollywood!

Bolly/Tolly Script Structure
Unlike the predictable path of their Western counterparts, Indian action flicks weave genres, traditions, and narratives that dance on the wizened face of ye olde three-act structure.

Stream Surfing for Scribblers
Let’s check into business class and take flight into the world of scribbling with an eye on that vast, interconnected global audience.

Public Domain
When looking for inspiration, consider the treasure trove of public-domain material. It's like having a Fast Pass to some of the greatest and most beloved tales ever told.

I designed a Wargame with my AI pal.
A tabletop miniature wargame set in a 2060 Earth transformed by climate upheaval. Deploy to a dynamic world of elite special forces operatives on a future Earth reshaped by mega-storms, rising seas, dissolved nation-states, and new realms of power.