Up vs. Soul: What Theme is Driving Your Writing?
How do you fulfill your destiny as a writer? Jake examines how Pete Docter explores this question in two of his best works, Up and Soul, and reveals how struggling to be the writer you want to be may be the very thing that’s holding you back from being the writer you already are.
The Mandalorian: Where Hook Meets Engine
Jake discusses the hook and engine of The Mandalorian, the structural, character and thematic challenges that limited the engine to only two seasons, and how to apply those lessons when crafting an engine for your own original series.
One Night in Miami: Writing for Political Change
Jake discusses three elements of One Night in Miami: the way the screenplay lands its political message, the slightly old-fashioned way it uses exposition (it’s not perfect), and the simple power of a character’s secret as a tool for building structure.
Cobra Kai: How to Find Your Hook
Jake breaks down the hook, engine and structure of Cobra Kai, how to find your hook, and what to do if the engine of your TV series runs out of steam.
The Little Things: How to Write a Trick Ending
Jake dissects the trick ending of The Little Things and other great films like The Sixth Sense, The Usual Suspects and Se7en to answer the how do you write a trick ending in your screenplay?
How To Be a Dope Ass Motherf#&ker: Writing for Hire Tips with Steven Bagatourian
Jake and special guest Steven Bagatourian discuss writing for hire screenwriting gigs, pitching and how building a career as a writer starts with finding your own voice.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom: The Art of Adaptation
Jake breaks down the screenplay adaptation of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and the art of adapting a play for the screen.
The Queen’s Gambit: Writing the Limited Series
Jake breaks down the many ways The Queen’s Gambit flaunts the traditional rules of structure, and shows you how to overcome friction points in your own writing.
Keep Your New Year’s Writing Resolutions
Keeping your New Year’s resolutions as a writer begins with learning to think a little more like your characters. The person you are today is not going to be the person you are at the end of the screenplay.
