Billion dollar screenwriters Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon

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A clunky first draft is a million times more valuable than a perfect 10 pages or only 3/4 of a script that that never gets finished.

Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon are a very successful screenwriting team whose films have grossed $1.4 billion worldwide (with the Night at the Museum franchise, their creation, being the heavy lifters in their filmography). Garant and Lennon met in 1988 while at NYU film school and joined with other students to form the comedy group, “The State,” which would later become an MTV sketch comedy series and land them a movie deal. Garant and Lennon were the only two members of the group with the discipline to sit down and write a feature-length screenplay, but they were newcomers and the deal fell through (in their words, they “would go out to L.A. and people would yell at us” because their ideas were just too weird for mainstream producers). Read more

I Love You, Man | Setups and Payoffs Part 2

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Excerpt from Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay, Chapter 12: Scene Work:

“One could say that a screenplay is merely Setups and Payoffs, nothing more; I wouldn’t disagree. Often the strongest payoffs come in the third act and are set up in the first act.

A payoff is always best when WE get to recognize it, without it being explained to us. In Kill Bill Vol. 2, The Bride uses her hand technique to escape the buried coffin, which we just learned about in the flashback entitled, ‘The Cruel Tutelage of Pai Mei.’ Read more

Superman Returns opening and other bad ideas

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I recently found the deleted opening scene from Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns, which is rumored to have cost $10 million (huh?) and was meant to show where Superman went and thus where he’s returning from (thus the title), so I was psyched to view it since I’ve always felt that this unanswered question in the theatrical release was the biggest thing that torpedoed the first half of the film (and the second half’s torpedo came in the form of Lex Luthor’s preposterous real-estate plan). Read more

Kill Bill | Setups and Payoffs Part One

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Like Hannibal in The A-Team, I love it when a plan comes together, but especially when it happens in a screenplay in the form of a terrific, unforeseen Payoff to an earlier Setup. If you can call back to an earlier scene and reward me for remembering it, then surprise me with a clever way to use that knowledge, you’ve got me. Read more

Contest – Win free Story Maps E-books and E-Book Consultation!

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Calling all screenwriters,

I’m launching a contest in which you can win a free copy of my e-book, Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay, and the first place winner gets the book as well as a free E-Book Consultation, which is a $49.95 value.

It’s FREE to enter and each entrant will receive a special discounted offer from me very soon. Read more

What are readers saying about Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay?

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Dear screenwriters,

I’m getting lots of positive reviews from my readers on the e-book and the booster pack and I’d like to share some of them with you.

“I vowed I’d never look at another story map/plot plan/paradigm etc. again because they seem to throw me in a different direction each time I read one. But your examples guided rather than confined me, so I broke my own rule.”
-Beverley M. Read more

Emmy nominations 2011

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Louis C.K. in FX channel's "Louie"

The Emmy Nominations are in. Major categories listed below; for the full list, see The Hollywood Reporter.

Writing noms are at bottom, highlighted in blue.

There’s some great choices this year. I’m most excited about these noms… Read more

Pro Screenwriters Panel Part 2 (video)

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Dan’s 2-Minute Screenwriting School brings you Part 2 of this expert panel of top screenwriters including Oscar winners Diablo Cody (Juno) and Dustin Lance Black (Milk, Big Love) as well as Josh Olson (A History of Violence) and Emmy-winning writing team Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (Captain America, Chronicles of Narnia, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers).

In this clip, these professional script doctors talk about dealing with studio notes and interference. Read more

“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” cast interview part 1 (video)

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I had the opportunity to visit the set of one of my favorite shows on television: the sitcom “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” which shoots on the Fox lot. A group of us observed the shooting of a very funny scene in Paddy’s pub (I wish I could tell you the premise, but I can’t reveal any spoilers), toured the set and interviewed the cast. Read more

Pro Screenwriters Panel at L.A. Film Fest (video)

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Even Spike "the Story Analysis cat" is not entertained by me.

Dan’s 2-Minute Screenwriting School is back in action with an expert panel of top screenwriters including Dustin Lance Black (Milk, Big Love), Josh Olson (A History of Violence), Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (Captain America, Chronicles of Narnia) and Diablo Cody (Juno). These professional script doctors discuss the importance of writing multiple projects at once. Read more

The “Mike Teavee is the Worst Character Name ever” Rule of Screenwriting

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Dearest Screenwriters: If you find yourself wanting to give a character a supremely obvious name, please heed my “Mike Teavee is the worst character name ever” Rule, which states as follows:

Roald Dahl can name a character who watches too much television, MIKE TEAVEE, which is pretty much the definition of on the nose, because he’s Roald Dahl. You can’t because you’re not.

-Dan Calvisi

p.s. If you would like to receive more life-changing pearls o’ wisdom like the above, then you must redeem your (non-existent) golden ticket for Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay.

The “You are not J.R.R. Tolkien” rule of screenwriting

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Dearest screenwriters: If you are thinking of giving two characters very similar names, please heed my “You are not J.R.R. Tolkien” Rule:

J.R.R. Tolkien can name two separate villains SARUMAN and SAURON, which is a horrible idea, only because he’s J.R.R. Tolkien. You can’t because you’re not.

-Dan Calvisi

p.s. If you would like to discover more nuggets of wisdom such as this, then you must enter the realm known only as Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay.

Black Swan story map screenplay analysis

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Black Swan is a tight, merciless thriller that forges one, driving throughline that is supported by every character and element in the story. In order to become the Black Swan and achieve her dream of ballet perfection, Nina must prove to her director Thomas that she can transform herself on stage, fight off her mother’s attempts to stifle her and defeat her rival Lily, all while suffering from the rapid deterioration of her psyche. She loses the battle for her mind but she achieves her artistic dream, dancing a perfect Black Swan, at the ultimate cost of her life.

Download the FREE Black Swan sample Story Map Read more

Raiders of the Lost Ark story map

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Raiders of the Lost Ark is a flawless classic and my favorite film of all time. It is the benchmark of the action/adventure genre and features one of the most iconic heroes in cinema history.

Download the FREE Raiders of the Lost Ark sample Story Map

Read more

Sex and the City movie screenplay analysis

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My e-book Story Maps: 12 Great Screenplays includes a Full Story Map for the first Sex and the City movie, which is a great example of a well-written modern Romantic Comedy.

Sex and the City took proven, beloved characters from the television series and wove them into a classic Hollywood Romantic Comedy for the big screen. The first rule of the TV adaptation is “go bigger,” so they gave all of the women life-changing conflicts to navigate.

Download the FREE Sex and the City Story Map Excerpt

Read more

Story Maps: Peter Guber on the psychology and the emotion embedded in story

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In an article titled “The Inside Story,” published in Psychology Today back in March, super producer Peter Guber talks about the psychological, emotional and transformative powers of storytelling and how they apply to the movies — WHY we love movies and what gets us engaged.

Stories… are state-of-the-heart technology – they connect us to others. They provide emotional transportation, moving people to take action on your cause because they can very quickly come to psychologically identify with the characters in a narrative or share an experience…

I couldn’t help but find many points in the article where Guber affirms the very same tenets that I put forth in Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay. The quotation above, specifically the wonderful phrase “state of the heart,” immediately made me think of a line from my Introduction (excerpt here): Read more

Buy Story Maps E-Book Now!

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It’s HERE!

Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay E-Book is ready for purchase. Go HERE for excerpts, a sample story map and three options, including a “Booster Pack” with 12 new story maps!

Story Maps by Daniel P. Calvisi www.actfourscreenplays.com

E-Book now available for purchase - Click on image for Limited-Time Offer

Story Maps Books

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“There is a lot of great advice here… Most important, as I read Calvisi’s Story Maps, I was inspired to rethink my current project. And that’s what it’s all about, right?”
-SCRIPT MAGAZINE

Book cover Story Maps

NEW, UPDATED VERSION FOR 2026 NOW AVAILABLE! Exclusive PDF version of Daniel Calvisi’s flagship book, Story Maps: How To Write a GREAT Screenplay is now UPDATED and ONLY available HERE.

Learn the secrets to writing a GREAT screenplay from a major Hollywood movie studio Story Analyst who will show you how to BLOW AWAY THE READER! Master the structure and principles used by 95% of commercial movies by studying detailed breakdowns, or “Story Maps,” of several hit movies in all different genres, including Barbie, Get Out, The Social Network, Black Swan, La La Land, The Dark Knight, Silver Linings Playbook, The Hangover, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Wrestler, Juno, and Drag Me To Hell. It also offers lessons taken from classic films such as Sunset Boulevard, The Godfather, Gladiator, Parasite and As Good As It Gets, to name just a few of the hundreds of great movies analyzed in the book.

Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay cites examples from hundreds of hit films, several television series and includes samples from actual produced screenplays to show you HOW TO DO IT. The book provides detailed lessons on format, capturing voice and tone on the script page and developing great characters with powerful dialogue.

The book also includes exclusive insights from major industry professionals with whom the author has interacted with, including Robert Zemeckis… the screenwriters of Final Destination, Limitless, Armageddon, Speed and Blade Runner… Elijah Wood… and the former heads of Disney and Columbia Pictures.

You are learning from the pros by studying their work and reading their advice.

This is NOT a formula or just another structure paradigm — it is the view from behind the desk of the people evaluating your screenplay, what they want to read and what they will buy. With all the competition in the Hollywood marketplace, your script can’t just be good, it must be GREAT.

The Appendix of the Updated book now includes 13 Story Maps:

  • Barbie (Comedy) 2023
  • Get Out (Elevated Horror) 2017
  • La La Land (Musical) 2016
  • Silver Linings Playbook (Romantic Drama) 2012
  • The Social Network (Biopic) 2010
  • Up (Animated Action-Comedy) 2009
  • Drag Me To Hell (Horror) 2009
  • The Hangover (Comedy) 2009
  • The Wrestler (Drama) 2008
  • The Dark Knight (Action/Super Hero) 2008
  • How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (Romantic Comedy) 2000
  • As Good As It Gets (Dramatic Comedy) 1997
  • Sunset Boulevard (Noir Thriller) 1950

“Daniel Calvisi’s Story Maps is readable, insightful and exciting. It focuses on the hard work and narrative strategies the screenwriter needs to adopt to write a commercially viable screenplay, and is up to date and strategic in the clearest way. Dan’s book will help you do what you must do to succeed with your screenplay.”
-Ken Dancyger, best-selling author of Broadcast Writing, Alternative Scriptwriting, The Technique of Film and Video Editing and Writing the Short Film

“Loved it! Should be required reading in every film school.”
-Daniel Fazel, sold screenwriter and VFX Artist (Alice in Wonderland, Benjamin Button, I Robot)

“A brilliant example of what every aspiring screenwriter needs to know about the art of writing screenplays. Dan has a no-nonsense approach to screenplay analysis that cuts through the bull and delivers the goods. A must read for serious screenwriters.”
-J. Stephen Maunder, writer/director (Tiger Claws I, II, III, The Veteran, Shadows in Paradise)

“Writing a great screenplay is not easy. Dan has created a book that is straightforward and full of valuable insight and guidance for screenwriters at different experience levels. This book provides a simple way to approach your idea or rewrite for maximum results…and helpful to evaluate your work in whatever stage it’s at so you can make necessary improvements that will allow your unique story and vision to shine!”
-Laurie Lamson, co-editor Now Write! Screenwriting

More Reader Reviews

HIGH-QUALITY PDF:
(note: An Adobe PDF file will open on any computer, Mac or Windows, as well as on most e-readers, such as the iPad and the Kindle. My PDF files feature full color graphics, super-fast bookmark navigation and print-style layouts. You can also print the book from a PDF in high resolution, if you’d like a hard copy.)

 

Buy Updated version of Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay PDF for $14.95…


Buy the Book

STORY MAPS: 12 GREAT SCREENPLAYS

Story Maps: 12 Great Screenplays breaks down 12 GREAT MOVIES (NOW 13! Includes exclusive bonus map, only in PDF version, of the iconic thriller Seven, 1995). These hit movies are fantastic examples of professional screenwriting and rock-solid structure in many different genres and budget levels aimed at varied audiences. I stand by each title as a strong example of its genre and as a primer to learn the screenwriting craft at the level that you need to be: the “submission ready” tier that makes a good script into a GREAT script.

The following films are mapped in this e-book:

  • The Matrix (Sci-Fi Action) 1999
  • The Social Network (Biopic) 2010
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark (Action/Adventure) 1981 (sample here)
  • Up (Animated Comedy/Action) 2009
  • Black Swan (Thriller) 2010 (Sample here)
  • Meet The Parents (Comedy) 2000
  • Rocky (Sports Drama) 1977 (Sample here)
  • Juno (Teen Comedy/Drama) 2007
  • Sex and the City (Romantic Comedy) 2008
  • Rain Man (Drama) 1988
  • Hustle & Flow (Music Drama) 2007
  • X-Men (Superhero “Origin Story” Action) 2000
  • BONUS: Seven (Thriller) Se7en 1995

Buy Story Maps: 12 Great Screenplays PDF for $9.95…


Buy the Book

Story Maps book PDF bundle

STORY MAPS BUNDLE DEAL!

The discount Bundle includes:  

  • Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay UPDATED Version
  • Story Maps: 12 Great Screenplays
  • Story Maps Worksheet (map your own screenplay!)
  • Bonus story map for a hit, award-winning film

  • Buy SPECIAL BUNDLE:$24.90 $19.95 …

Any book that gives lessons in the skill of blowing the reader away is a book writers need to read. From the Introduction to Dan’s closing, “Good luck and Happy Writing,” Story Maps delivers. Imagine sitting around a coffee shop or a bar and talking one-on-one to a movie-writing, storytelling pro like Dan Calvisi. A no-holds barred, no frills, tell-it-like-it-really-is, no sugar-coating conversation. That’s what reading this book is like.


Buy the Bundle

Click to buy Story Maps on Amazon

Buy Paperback and Kindle versions (older editions) on Amazon

Looking for Story Maps: TV Drama?

Looking for Story Maps: The Films of Christopher Nolan?

All rights reserved. No parts of these books may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Story Maps Worksheet Consultation

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Screenplay Book

Would you like a crash course in the Story Maps screenwriting method with guidance from a professional Story Analyst?

The Story Map is not a formula; it is a story structure that is followed by almost every popular Hollywood film and scripted television series. It does not dictate your creative choices, it only provides a tried-and-true, industry standard framework to hold your choices. With this simple yet powerful exclusive worksheet, you can easily outline your screenplay to create a clear roadmap to guide you from the moment you type FADE IN.

With this low-price package, you will get the newest editions of the Story Maps books with bonus story maps, Dan Calvisi’s notes on two drafts of your original Story Map and a conference call to ask any questions you may have and to get Dan’s commercial assessment of your script’s potential in the marketplace.

What you get:

  • Feature Length Screenplay track: Triple Bundle of Story Maps e-books in PDF format: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay, 12 (+1!) Great Screenplays and The Films of Christopher Nolan plus 4 bonus maps (30 Story Maps total!)
  • TV Pilot Script track: Story Maps: TV Drama e-book in PDF plus 5 bonus maps (including 4 half-hour show maps; 13 Story Maps total!)
  • Worksheet to write your own Story Map (Choose feature, 1-hour, 30-min sitcom, or 30-min dramedy worksheet)
  • Two rounds of analysis from Dan via email on your Story Map worksheet
  • Commercial Evaluation: How your concept and map fit into the marketplace and how you can best focus your story on a commercially proven genre and audience
  • 30-minute phone/Zoom conference with Dan

Cost: $149

Please contact me to book your consultation.

 

Story Maps by Daniel Calvisi book cover

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bin laden movie

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For better or worse, Hollywood is always close behind major news stories so it’s no surprise that Deadline.com posted this story only a few hours after President Obama’s stunning announcement of the death of Osama Bin Laden.

Buy E-Book Now!

Could we see a movie about the hunt for Bin Laden sometime soon, and would it focus on the intelligence effort, the special forces operation, the politics behind U.S.-Pakistani relations or even the ground-level view from the various Middle-Eastern cultures impacted by the Al Qaeda leader? Whatever the focus, I hope that it’s made by top talent and not just a quick knock-off action movie.

Read more