Justin Kownacki

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Storytelling

Scandal, Star Wars, and Being “Out of Character”

Why some choices can seem so out of character, they leave fans of stories like Scandal and Star Wars feeling betrayed.

By Justin, 7 yearsApril 24, 2018 ago
Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in the opening scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark
Storytelling

From Indiana Jones to James Bond: Which Traits Define a Character?

A female Indiana Jones? Why not? Here’s how to tell a defining character trait apart from a trait that can evolve over time.

By Justin, 7 yearsApril 5, 2018 ago
Long John Silver (Luke Arnold) and Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) in Black Sails
Storytelling

Why Black Sails Has One of the Best Main Characters in TV History

Here’s why Captain Flint on Black Sails is one of the best-written characters in this current era of Peak TV.

By Justin, 7 yearsMarch 23, 2018 ago
Daniel Kaluuya as Chris in Jordan Peele's Oscar winner Get Out
Storytelling

How Jordan Peele Changed Get Out from Script to Screen

Compare the biggest changes between Jordan Peele’s screenplay for Get Out and his finished film.

By Justin, 7 yearsMarch 7, 2018 ago
Black Panther movie poster
Storytelling

Why Black Panther and Wakanda Are the Keys to Marvel’s Future

How the success of Black Panther changes action movies and lays the groundwork for Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

By Justin, 7 yearsFebruary 19, 2018 ago
The cast of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle - Kevin Hart (Franklin "Mouse" Finbar), Karen Gillan (Ruby Roundhouse), Jack Black (Dr. Shelly Oberon), and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (Dr. Smolder Bravestone)
Storytelling

The 3 Story Elements That Jumanji Gets Right

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is satisfying despite its shortcomings. How? Because it gets the three most important aspects of any story right.

By Justin, 7 yearsFebruary 14, 2018 ago
Girl reading a book with a strong story hook
Storytelling

3 Worldbuilding Details Your Fantasy Story Needs (and 3 It Doesn’t)

If your story doesn’t hook your audience early, they won’t keep reading. Here are three assets every good story needs, and three more that make readers (okay, me) quit.

By Justin, 7 yearsFebruary 12, 2018 ago
Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), and Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia Organa) in Star Wars: A New Hope
Storytelling

How Good Editing Saved Star Wars

From Star Wars to Casablanca, some of Hollywood’s best-loved classics were saved in the edit. Here are three ways editing can make or break a film.

By Justin, 7 yearsFebruary 8, 2018 ago
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, 7 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, 7 yearsJanuary 18, 2018 ago

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Popular Posts

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

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