Theatre & Film – Words & Deeds

September 2, 2021

Hidden Meanings in the “I’d Do Anything” Pet Store Commercial

I can’t help but wonder if the person who came up with the “I’d Do Anything” pet store commercial had ever seen the musical the song came from. As fun as musical numbers in Oliver! can be, many of them also have a depth of hidden meanings and darker hints, and I can’t help but think of those other meanings...

Literary Devices & Writing Techniques/Theatre & Film Comments: 0

May 13, 2021

8 Examples of Rhyme in Movies

Rhyming doesn’t have to be something that happens accidentally in a throw-away line. Movies can use it to enhance the mood, add to plot or exposition, or just to have some fun. And they can do it in very different ways. As these examples of rhyme in movies will show – they’re all over the place. 8. Cool Runnings Using...

Humor & Wordplay/Theatre & Film Comments: 0

August 14, 2018

5 Dangerous Plot Devices to Put in a Play

One major aspect of plays to remember as a playwright is that not everything that we’re used to having in movies and books can be done on stage. Many definitely can’t be done easily or cheaply. That’s why I call these dangerous plot devices to put in your play – because they can make it harder for the play to...

Characterization, Plot, & Setting/Theatre & Film Comments: 0

June 8, 2017

The Evolution of Fairytales & Their Purpose

Some friends and I were discussing Disney movies, and one person mentioned that there are certain movies that she can’t stand to watch because of how Disney changed the original stories. Which made me think about the evolution of fairytales and how their purpose has changed over time. Remember the awful things that used to happen in the old fairytales? The...

General Thoughts & Updates/Inspiration/Theatre & Film Comments: 4

May 11, 2017

5 Ways to Use Inspirational Speeches in Your Story

Persuasive speeches are such a strong, traditional way to motivate people that they show up not only in life but also in books, movies, musicals, and more. Here are a handful of examples of ways to use inspirational speeches in your story. How Persuasive Speeches Affect Plots It may seem like an inspirational or persuasive speech has an obvious purpose, and from...

Literary Devices & Writing Techniques/Theatre & Film/Videos Comments: 0

April 25, 2017

Should Lyrics Be Universal or Specific?

Have you seen Moana? Several of my family members have, and we ended up discussing a contradiction we encountered with the music – the music is catchy, but the lyrics aren’t or aren’t as catchy as the music. Mostly because they’re so specific to the story. But is that really a problem? When should lyrics be universal or specific? The Pros...

Poetry/Theatre & Film Comments: 0

May 25, 2016

Blogs versus Books: A Battle of Motivation

BLOG: Have you finished the posts for this week yet? WRITER: Ummm, no. I was just going to- BLOG:-Then, you better get on that. We have a strict posting schedule to keep up. BOOK: [Coughs] Excuse me. I believe I was guaranteed at least an hour of undivided attention each day. WRITER: Yes. That is- BLOG: What are you talking...

General Thoughts & Updates/Theatre & Film Comments: 0

February 11, 2016

Why Authors Should Think Twice About Voicing Their Own Audio Books

Not everyone listens to audio books, so not everyone realizes how important it is to have a good voice actor or actress to do the recording. I will be the first to admit that I am pretty picky when it comes to voice acting in general (don’t get me started on bad dubbing); however, audio books don’t have animation to make the audience...

General Thoughts & Updates/Theatre & Film Comments: 0

February 5, 2016

How Doubling Can Add Irony & Change Meaning

I wasn’t going to talk about the other use for doubling (it’s even less about playwriting and more about interpretation – and the fierceness of some of the online arguments is kind of scary), but I think the idea of the technique is interesting. Sometimes, doubling is used to change the meaning of a play, or it can be written into the play...