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What if the fastest way to weaken your story’s impact is to stop trusting your audience?
In this episode of the podcast, Jake explores In the Blink of an Eye, the ambitious new sci-fi drama written by Colby Day and directed by Andrew Stanton. Premiering at Sundance and now streaming on Hulu, the film unfolds across three timelines—past, present, and future—each wrestling with the same question: how do human beings confront death in a constantly evolving universe?
The structure echoes Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain, another film built around three interwoven stories exploring humanity’s struggles with mortality. That connection opens the door to a deeper craft conversation: how writers can take the structural DNA of a film they admire and transform it into something new.
From there, Jake digs into the beating heart of storytelling: theme. Theme is the glue that holds a screenplay together—but only when it’s discovered through the journey of the characters. When writers start explaining the theme instead of exploring it, the audience stops feeling it.
Finally, Jake tackles one of the most misunderstood elements of screenwriting: dialogue. Dialogue is not about language. Dialogue is about action. A point he illustrates through a scene with actual neanderthals. Because when dialogue becomes explanation for the audience instead of behavior between characters, even powerful moments lose their primal power.
By the end of the episode, you’ll see why trusting your audience is one of the most important—and most difficult—skills a writer can develop.
🎧 LISTEN NOW to learn how trusting your audience can sharpen your dialogue, deepen your theme, and make your story resonate.
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Last Updated: May 13, 2025 2:00 PM EST
By registering for the course, you are agreeing to the following terms, which form a legal contract between you and Jacob Krueger Studio, LLC (“Company”) and govern your attendance at and/or participation in Company’s course (the “Course”).
Prevention of “Zoom-Bomber” Disruptions; Unauthorized Publication of Class Videos. Company will record each class session, including your participation in the session, entitled “The Videos”. To prevent disruptions by “zoom-bombers” and provide Company and
participants the legal standing to remove unauthorized content from platforms such as YouTube and social media sites, you agree that
(1) you are prohibited from recording any portion of the Course;
(2) in exchange for the opportunity to participate in the Course, you assign to Company your verbal contributions to the session discussions.
To be clear, you assign to Company only your oral statements during recorded Course sessions. You retain all copyright to any and all written materials you submit to the class and the right to use them in any way you choose without permission from or compensation to the Company.
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