Justin Kownacki

  • Hello!
  • About Justin
  • My Top Posts
  • Contact

Storytelling

Daisy Ridley stars as Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Storytelling

The Storytelling Flaw That Ruined the New Star Wars Trilogy

There’s something missing from the new Star Wars trilogy, and without it, none of the characters can find satisfying closure.

By Justin, 3 yearsSeptember 10, 2020 ago
William Zabka stars as Johnny Lawrence in the hit Netflix series Cobra Kai, a TV sequel to The Karate Kid movie franchise
Storytelling

Cobra Kai: How to Build Character Through Internal Conflict

Cobra Kai’s pilot episode shows why every villain thinks he’s the hero of his own story… and why he’s also his own worst enemy.

By Justin, 3 yearsSeptember 8, 2020 ago
Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker movie poster
Storytelling

The Mystery Box Is Broken, and Here’s How to Fix It

From Lost to Game of Thrones to The Rise of Skywalker, the “mystery box” style of storytelling is coming up short. Here’s why — and how to fix it.

By Justin, 3 yearsApril 5, 2020 ago
Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) drive to graduation in Booksmart
Storytelling

Is Booksmart One of the All-Time Best High School Comedies?

Booksmart, Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut, is a glorious mess, just like its characters… and it works.

By Justin, 4 yearsMay 28, 2019 ago
Daenerys emerges victorious with her dragon behind her
Storytelling

Game of Thrones’s Biggest Surprise of All Was… a Satisfying Ending?

The final episode of Game of Thrones leaves no one entirely happy… and that’s exactly the way it should be.

By Justin, 4 yearsMay 20, 2019 ago
Jon Snow (Kit Harrington), Grey Worm of the Unsullied (Jacob Anderson), Ser Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) and their army enter the destroyed King's Landing in HBO's Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode "The Bells"
Storytelling

How “The Bells” Ruins Several Major Character Arcs in Game of Thrones

In the penultimate Game of Thrones episode “The Bells,” the show explores the ugly side of war, power, and consequences — but is it good storytelling?

By Justin, 4 yearsMay 13, 2019 ago
Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) watch the armies prepare for the Battle of Winterfell in "The Long Night" on HBO's Game of Thrones
Storytelling

Why Game of Thrones’ Battle of Winterfell Is Such Disappointing Storytelling

In “The Long Night,” Game of Thrones — a story built on unpredictability, mystery, and sacrifice — has now completely diverged from what made it great.

By Justin, 4 yearsApril 29, 2019 ago
Avengers: Endgame movie poster from Marvel Studios spotlighting the six original Avengers: Black Widow, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Captain America and the Hulk / Bruce Banner
Storytelling

How Avengers: Endgame Fulfills the Emotional Arcs of Marvel’s Characters

Avengers: Endgame owes its success to one word: character.

By Justin, 4 yearsApril 28, 2019 ago
Lady Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), Lord Jon Snow (Kit Harrington), and Queen Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) have some tense character moments in season 8 of HBO's Game of Thrones
Storytelling

This Lazy Dialogue Habit Is Making Game of Thrones Funny By Accident

Overusing this soap opera writing trope will turn your story’s drama into comedy.

By Justin, 4 yearsApril 24, 2019 ago
Hugh Jackman, Zach Galifianakis, and Zoe Saldana are the voice actors of Sir Lionel Frost, Susan the Sasquatch, and Adelina Fortnight in Laika's animated movie Missing Link
Storytelling

The Unfortunate Lesson Storytellers Should Learn from Missing Link

Laika’s biggest animated fim is missing a crucial element that causes the movie to fall short of satisfying.

By Justin, 4 yearsApril 24, 2019 ago

Posts navigation

Previous 1 2 3 … 11 Next

Popular Posts

  • • What Makes Game of Thrones So Addictive?
  • • This Storytelling Flaw Ruined the New Star Wars Trilogy
  • • Why Does Every Marvel Movie Tell the Same Story?
  • • Cobra Kai: How to Build Character Through Conflict
  • • How Iron Man Created the Formula for Every Marvel Movie

Latest Posts

  • • Worldbuilding and Exposition: 6 Writing Tips from Dune
  • • Writing a Perfect Scene: Bunk vs. Omar in The Wire
  • • Screenwriting Lessons from ALIENS
  • • The Story Problem at the Heart of the Snyder Cut
  • • WandaVision's Biggest Question Gets Deep
  • • Why The Queen's Gambit Is Such Smart Storytelling

Frequent Topics

  • • DC
  • • Game of Thrones
  • • Marvel
  • • Star Wars

What Writing Skill Do You Want to Improve?

  • • Character
  • • Pacing
  • • Plot
  • • Story Structure
  • • Theme
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
Hestia | Developed by ThemeIsle