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.

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.

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

It’s time for some more of my current obsession — Bollywood vs. Hollywood!

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.

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

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.

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.

I've been a professional writer for over three decades now, and if there's one thing I've learned, the journey never ends. You never "make it," you never have it all figured out. The moment you think you do, you're done. The best you can hope for is to keep growing, keep pushing yourself, keep chasing that next challenge. That's what this blog is about - the mindset, the tools, and the hard-won wisdom that have kept me in the game from the 8-bit era to the age of streaming.

The gaming world has been abuzz with the recent release of this live service game that, while echoing the likes of Fortnite in structure, brings a nostalgic twist reminiscent of my old-school raison d’etre Dungeons & Dragons.

Tom Cruise's high-flying spy jinks aren’t just an adrenaline masterclass; they're a brilliant blend of thrills and humor, borrowing a page or two from the playbooks of comedy and cartoons.

In the vibrant corridors of Indian cinema from Bollywood, Tollywood, Kollywood, and Sandalwood, the blend of high-octane action and elaborate musical numbers is not just acceptable; it's celebrated. And expected by moviegoers.

The narratives of Rod Serling explored mental health, aging, racism, the proliferation of WMDs, and other societal issues. The way he told tales transcended controversy and political divides, making them relatable and relevant to everyone.

Sometimes, a little nugget of wisdom is all I need to navigate the wilderness of scribe life. I have some go-to’s on my nightstand.

Some of my favorite Indian action flicks, like "War" or "Pathaan," luxuriously spend the first hour without introducing immediate danger.

Let's talk about something heavy but highly relevant: addiction in Hollywood and scribblers in particular. It's not a glitz-and-glam topic, but it's real and worthy of discussion.

It's amazing how many scribbling superstars didn't start in Tinseltown but in totally different worlds – from law and philosophy to scuba diving.

The house lights are dimming to spotlight some legendary playwrights who seamlessly transitioned into screenwriting and directing, using their stagecraft skills to elevate their silver-screen stories.

My favorite part of the wild world of filmmaking is the creative community. The like-minded folks that’ll help you turn those words on a page into pixels on a screen.

Today we're blasting into a trend you've probably noticed in big-budget action franchises: crafting jaw-dropping action sequences before even penning the screenplay.