Justin Kownacki

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

Storytelling

Lucas Hedges as Danny and Saorise Ronan as Lady Bird
Storytelling

10 Subtly Amazing Moments in Lady Bird

Lady Bird is a movie that does nearly everything right. Here’s why Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut works so well.

By Justin, 8 yearsJanuary 23, 2018 ago
Jessica Chastain and Idrid Elba in Molly's Game
Storytelling

The Story Problems in Molly’s Game

Molly’s Game is missing three key ingredients that keep the story from being truly satisfying.

By Justin, 8 yearsJanuary 18, 2018 ago
Perfect Ten
Storytelling

My Top 10 Most-Read Posts of 2017

From story problems in Blade Runner to the great irony of The Walking Dead, here are my top 10 blog posts that attracted the most readers in 2017.

By Justin, 8 yearsDecember 31, 2017 ago
Luke, Leia, Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose, Kylo Ren, and the cast of Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Armchair Sociology

17 Storytelling Moments That Defined 2017

From Donald Trump to The Last Jedi, here are 17 of the stories that defined us politically, culturally, scientifically, financially, and socially in 2017.

By Justin, 8 yearsDecember 19, 2017 ago
Sam Heughan as Jamie and Caitriona Balfe as Claire in Outlander
Storytelling

Why Outlander Is the Show America Needs Now

How do the big differences between two of TV’s most talked-about prestige dramas reflect a vast gap in pop culture?

By Justin, 8 yearsDecember 14, 2017 ago
Concept art for Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Storytelling

The Tone Problems in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

As I was watching Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 yesterday, one thought kept running through my head: Marvel movies have two problems when it comes to onscreen violence: tone and stakes. This problem is actually most noticeable in Deadpool 2, but it first became obvious here. The Tone Paradox Read more…

By Justin, 8 yearsDecember 11, 2017 ago
Tapping a pencil is writer's block personified, by Rennett Stowe
Storytelling

The Secret to Never Getting Writer’s Block Again

Writer’s block is every storyteller’s worst nightmare. Here’s how to retrain your brain to get through it, including tips for some of the most common cases.

By Justin, 8 yearsDecember 7, 2017 ago
Fan-made Avengers: Infinity War poster by artist Pierre-Luc Boucher
Storytelling

The Downside to the Avengers: Infinity War Trailer

Does the Avengers: Infinity War trailer reveal too much of a good thing?

By Justin, 8 yearsNovember 30, 2017 ago
Miguel and his guitar in Pixar's COCO
Storytelling

The Surprising Theme in Pixar’s Coco

For a hero’s journey story, Pixar’s Coco has an unusual character arc… but its underlying theme is even more surprising.

By Justin, 8 yearsNovember 25, 2017 ago
Dinner
Armchair Sociology

Your Awkward Holiday Conversation Survival Guide

Here’s how to keep your next family gathering from turning into a minefield of awkward conversations.

By Justin, 8 yearsNovember 22, 2017 ago

Posts navigation

Previous 1 … 5 6 7 … 9 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