Creative Screenwriting Podcast: Syriana Q&A

There is a great question and answer session with Syriana writer / director Stephen Gaghan where they talk about writing, process and structure. One great thing that I learned was the Leo Tolstoy listed the four important parts of writing in order. As Gaghan explains, it's a way to get out of formulaic writing. Here are the four elements in order:

1. Transitions


2. Context


3. Character


4. Story

It's a great podcast in a series of great podcasts about writing screenplays from Creative Screenwriting Magazine.