RECENTLY ADDED
ISA Reviews: A Quiet Place
“A Quiet Place” speaks volumes with what it doesn’t say or show.The horror genre is often most successful when it doesn’t show too much of its monsters. Better to let the audience fill in the blanks of the bogeyman hiding in the shadows. It worked in “Jaws”, “Alien”, “The Babadook”, a....
ISA Reviews: Ready Player One
The adaptation of “Ready Player One” has Steven Spielberg written all over it.The new tentpole movie “Ready Player One” may boast its author Ernest Cline as one of the screenplay adaptors, along with Zak Penn, but the greatest influence on the material is director Steven Spielberg. The 2011 bestseller’s plotting, chara....
Jacob Krueger: Bojack Horseman - Breaking the Rules of Structure
Excerpt from Podcast:"...This week we are going to be talking about BoJack Horseman. But we aren't just going to be talking about the series. We are going to be talking about one very particular episode, and doing a really deep breakdown of Season 4, Episode 9, entitled Ruthie...And what is interesting about this episode is that it is breaking all ....
ISA Reviews: Tomb Raider
Despite a game Alicia Vikander, the reboot of “Tomb Raider” feels dusty and derivative.The rebooting of “Tomb Raider” should have yielded something better than this decent, but uninspired attempt. It had brilliant source material to adapt from with the successful 2013 relaunch of the Lara Croft v....
ISA Reviews: First Time Writer/Director, Cory Finley's Thoroughbreds
“Thoroughbreds” marks an auspicious debut for writer/director Cory Finley.Coming from the world of theater, writer/director Cory Finley has made a masterful first film. His dark comedy/thriller is utterly enthralling, as much for what it doesn’t show as what it does. The story, concerning two teen girls (Olivia Cooke and Anya Tayl....
Episode 32 - Bingeable TV with Special Co-host, Karen Kirkland
We recently had our very first special guest on with Felicity and Max. Karen Kirkland is a Creative Strategist and long-time VP of Talent Development at Nickelodeon. In this episode we talk about what makes a TV show so re-watchable and/or bingeable. Why do you keep tuning back into a show?Tune in to our....
ISA Reviews: Annihilation
Alex Garland’s adaptation of “Annihilation” creates a world of wonder.Powerful is the film that doesn’t spoon feed everything to its audience, especially when it comes to science fiction. That’s why writer/director Alex Garland is such an expert in the genre. In his adaptation of Jeff VanderMeer’s novel “An....
ISA Reviews: Black Panther
“Black Panther” is a landmark film for Marvel Studios and one of their very best.Just when you think that the comic superhero movie is all but played out, along comes “Black Panther” from Marvel Studios. This superb comic book adaptation by filmmaker R....
ISA Reviews: 2018 Oscars - Short Film Nominees & Lessons in Writing
2018’s Oscar-nominated shorts have a lot of lessons for writers.Since 2012, the AMPAS has been releasing their Oscar-nominated Animated and Live Action Shorts nationwide in theaters to an enthusiastic public. For screenwriters, these mini-films offer a number of invaluable storytelling lessons. Because....
ISA Reviews: The Shape of Water
“The Shape of Water” blends fantasy, morality and horror into a steady stream. Guillermo del Toro is a filmmaker of singular vision. His movies are almost always morality tales, uniquely blending elements of fantasy, romance, and horror into a seamless mi....
ISA Reviews / 2018 Page 2 Screen Oscar Special
2018 Oscar nominations reflect diversity and strong, original writing. The 90th Academy Award nominations have been announced and the voters have delivered an impressive and diverse spectrum of honorees. Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird”) and Jordan Peele (“Get Out”) netted Best Director nods. Agnes Varda, James Ivory, and Chri....
How to Sell Your Indie Film Using Ninja Facebook Hacks with Kyle Prohaska
IFH 200: How to Sell Your Indie Film Using Ninja Facebook Hacks with Kyle ProhaskaWe all want to make money selling our feature films or streaming series but getting peoples attention in this noisy world is pretty impossible. We don't have the marketing budget of the studios to reach our audience. What i....
Go From a 6K Micro Budget to Directing a 100K Feature with Josh Caldwell
How to Go From a 6K Micro-Budget to Directing a 100K Feature Film with Joshua CaldwellEver wondered what happens to those directors who make a micro-budget feature film? Do they ever sell that film? Do they ever get to direct a feature film again? Today guest is filmmaker Joshua Caldwell, a rare returnin....
Episode 15 - The Language of Page Writing & Formatting
Most of the writing we do as screenwriters takes place well before we even start using a screenwriting software program. All that program does for you, really, is properly formats the script. Sadly, it doesn't write the script for you! Still, and even though the outlining process is essential to developing a great script, the page writing is essent....
Episode 14 - Let's Get Inspired! Success, Inspiration & Vino
Becoming aware of how other successful writers have "done it" can help you devise a plan for you and your own writing. It is, of course, important to remember though that there isn't one way to make it in this industry. You have to pave your own way, while learning from the people who have come before you. So, join the ISA's Felicity Wren and Max T....
I S A Reviews: One of 2017's Best Films, Mudbound
“Mudbound” adapts the symbol-heavy bestseller with finesse.Adapting a book is never easy, particularly one such as Hillary Jordan’s Mudbound. The narrative is told first-person by multiple characters, and that contradicts the first rule of screenwriting – show, don’t tell. Yet in their “Mudbo....
Episode 16 - Open Q & A: Answering Burning Creative & Industry Questions
Join the ISA's Felicity Wren and Max Timm as they open up their broadcast (and a bottle of wine) to questions from their faithful viewers. Thanks to Facebook Live and good 'ol technology, they're able to chat with any and all writers who have burning questions; from specific craft-oriented questions t....
ISA Reviews: Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle
“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” reboots the franchise with lots of laughs.Rebooting a franchise can be a tricky thing. You want to keep what’s beloved and familiar, but you also have to find new ways to make the updated version fresh and involving. Fort....
ISA Reviews - Star Wars: The Last Jedi
“The Last Jedi” tells the familiar in surprising ways.By now, movie fans can be assured that each new “Star Wars” saga will have a lot of the same: light saber battles, snarling villains, and a ragtag band of resistance fighters. And writer/director Ri....
Episode 13 w / BizTank - Career Paths, Intentions & Planning For The Future
In a special Facebook Live broadcast of the ISA's Wine Wednesdays, Felicity Wren and Max Timm join forces with a Wisconsin company named Geneva Supply who hosts a free career planning and mentoring program for high school students called, Biz Tank. The program is designed to offer high school students insights into various industries and busin....
