THE SCRIBBLERS TOOLBOX
“A collection of tips, tools, observations, and ephemera for like-minded scribblers. Peruse, share, or disregard at your leisure.”
Jesse Alexander
The Wizard of Haecceity
Michael Moorcock was a true haecceity wizard. This guy scribbled novels faster than most of us can type a grocery list, and he did it all without sacrificing an ounce of depth or detail.
Establishing Shots
Let’s jibber jabber about the unsung icons of visual storytelling: establishing shots. The powerhouse moments and opening chords of your cinematic symphony – they set the stage, grab audience attention, and deliver a taste of the incredible journey to come.
The Scribblers Film School
Over the next few weeks The Scribblers Toolbox is returning to our roots with a series of posts re the tools and techniques of cinematic storytelling.
Haecceity Rules!
Haecceity is a medieval word for scribbling those juicy, specific details that make your characters, settings, and scenes come alive on the page.
Strong C.O.R.E. without the Abs
Let Curiosity, Obsession, Resilience, and Empathy be the C.O.R.E. that supports your scribbler’s lifestyle.
I am Scribbling.
My dance card requires Deep Work scribbling at the moment. I shall return.
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.