EVALUTION MEDIA

Evalution Media is getting a fresh new home, and our blog is coming with us. We’re moving everything over to our new website to better showcase our scriptwriting and filmmaking services, and the Scriptwriters Blog will be right at the heart of it. The good news? You don’t need to do a thing.All existing subscribers will automatically transfer to the new site, so you won’t miss a post. We’ll send a message before and after the move to keep you in the loop. We’re aiming for the transition to take place on Chinese New Year — 17th February, with all blog posts…

As this year comes to a close, I’ve realised that transition is the word that best sums up 2025. It’s been challenging, joyful, exhausting, expansive – sometimes all at once – and it’s quietly set the foundations for some very big things to come. Looking Back: A Year of Shifts In many ways, I’ve become who I always wanted to be. I’m performing, entertaining, and working across theatre, film and television – both behind the scenes and on screen. That’s something I don’t want to rush past or minimise. Of course, human nature dictates that this is still not quite enough. This year began…

When people talk about the Heroine Archetype, Maureen Murdock’s The Heroine’s Journey: Woman’s Quest for Wholeness (1990) inevitably comes up – often treated like the gospel counterpart to Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces, (1949). And look, Murdock contributed something valuable to the conversation. She carved out space for the inner lives of women in myth and modern storytelling, which was missing from Campbell’s original Hero’s Journey diagram. Her framework is also limited. Constricting. And honestly? It doesn’t fully reflect the kinds of heroines we’re writing, or desperately need, today. Let’s get into it. 1. The “Internal = Feminine” / “External = Masculine”…

I grew up on Buffy, I wanted to write because of it. I love the style of dialogue and the epic world and character building. I even did an interview for the Industry section of my Writing for Script and Screen MA with Jane Espenson! I wanted to be a screen writer because of a TV show that has been off air for over 20 years with no hope of its return, now it’s back with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Gail Berman and Marti Noxon at the helm and an awesome director Chloe Zhao and producer duo Nora & Lilla Zuckman,…

There’s something quietly thrilling about a good adaptation — when a story we thought we knew is handed over to a new medium and somehow becomes even more itself. Whether it’s a dense novel stretched out over multiple seasons, a short film finding its voice on stage, or a classic film reimagined with actors standing feet away from us, some stories really do thrive in translation. And others… don’t. (But I’ll be kind and not name names.) I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes certain adaptations work, and why some feel unnecessary or flat. So here’s a breakdown — with examples…

With South Park (1997 – present, Trey & Stone) returning this July, there’s no better time to revisit Nobody Got Cereal? — the ManBearPig episode that stopped being satire the minute we all started doom-scrolling climate reports between AI meltdowns, global unrest, and 24/7 misinformation. At first glance, it’s another out-there episode — ManBearPig (from season 10, 2006) is real, he’s back, and he’s pissed. But under the surface (and ManBearPig does love hiding under surfaces), this episode is about climate change, generational selfishness, and our collective inability to admit when we’re wrong — even as the world burns. Part two of…

As we move into the vibrant summer months, my focus shifts to performance – with our final performance of The Big Palava tonight. I’m thrilled to once again be part of the dynamic landscape of the Brighton Fringe Festival 2025, celebrating its 20th anniversary and have put together a summary of the shows that I’ve been to see, and look forward to seeing in the last week of the Brighton Fringe. Once the busy summer calms down I shall return focus to my writing projects.  Penny Pound’s Big Palava I am absolutely honoured to be part of Penny Pound’s Big Palava…

Punchy parenting, boyband exes, and why I unexpectedly related.  The pilot of The Duchess (Ryan, 2020) wastes no time setting the tone: a mother-daughter conversation that’s political, pointed, and hilariously honest. Olive, Katherine Ryan’s sharp-tongued daughter, delivers the kind of truth bombs only a child could get away with — giving both the audience and the protagonist something to chew on. This isn’t just an edgy sitcom; it feels like a show quietly trying to dismantle hate, using characters on either side of the ideological fence as relatable entry points. Within minutes, Katherine clashes with the other school mums — a scene…

When I first started researching archetypes for The Script Department podcast Typecast, I was drawn to the Anti-Hero—a character who’s not quite a villain, not quite a hero, but somehow manages to steal the show. As promised, here’s a deeper dive into why we learn to love these morally ambiguous misfits. What Makes a Hero? (And What Makes an Anti-Hero?) Before we get into the nitty-gritty of Anti-Heroes, let’s establish what defines a traditional hero. Typically, they: Are responsible for completing the quest. Serve as the main lens through which we experience the story. Undergo the greatest psychological transformation. Are willing to sacrifice for a cause. But…

Are you considering entering your screenplay into a festival or competition, applying for a mentorship scheme, the BBC, or sending your script to any other industry professional? Be it television or film, here’s a comprehensive outline of best practice for formatting your scripts… You can find Scene Headings in the menu of your screenwriting software. I use Final Draft but there are some great free programs out there and having the formatting options available will save you a ton of time. Once you’ve got the hang of Scene Headings they can be fairly straight-forward: EXT/ INT. WHERE – DAY/ NIGHT. Whenever the time…