The Story Toolkit

In Islam, Jihad means the struggle for peace, particularly within oneself. In this podcast series I interview writers at different points in their careers to talk about struggling and finding peace in their work. Contact me @bassimstory and you can support this series at my Patreon of my name: Bassim El-Wakil (www.patreon.com/user?u=4409461) In this eleventh episode, I have the pleasure of talking to Roger Langridge, award-winning cartoonist, and writer of one of my favourite comics, Thor: The Mighty Avenger. He talks about his desire for fame as a cartoonist and how he matured past that need. Thank you for listening to this series. Royalty free music from Bensound. Story Toolkit logo design by the Proxy Guy.

In Islam, Jihad means the struggle for peace, particularly within oneself. In this podcast series I interview writers at different points in their careers to talk about struggling and finding peace in their work. Contact me @bassimstory and you can support this series at my Patreon of my name: Bassim El-Wakil (www.patreon.com/user?u=4409461) The tenth episode is with my one of my oldest and closest friends, Willard Foxton-Todd, who guest-starred on a couple of Toolkit episodes. An award-winning producer of television and podcasts, Will talks about his yearning to write personal fiction and the sense of worth attached to that process. Royalty free music from Bensound. Story Toolkit logo design by the Proxy Guy.

In Islam, Jihad means the struggle for peace, particularly within oneself. In this podcast series I interview writers at different points in their careers to talk about struggling and finding peace in their work. Contact me @bassimstory and you can support this series at my Patreon of my name: Bassim El-Wakil (www.patreon.com/user?u=4409461) The ninth episode is with John McLean-Foreman. A narrative designer for various game companies, he discusses his burn out from that industry and his reasons for moving to writing a self-help book. Royalty free music from Bensound. Story Toolkit logo design by the Proxy Guy.

In Islam, Jihad means the struggle for peace, particularly within oneself. In this podcast series I interview writers at different points in their careers to talk about struggling and finding peace in their work. Contact me @bassimstory and you can support this series at my Patreon of my name: Bassim El-Wakil (www.patreon.com/user?u=4409461) The eighth episode is with Gavin Verhey, a game designer for Magic: The Gathering. We talk about how Gavin's desire to write and how fulfilling a creative outlet game design can be. Royalty free music from Bensound. Story Toolkit logo design by the Proxy Guy.

In Islam, Jihad means the struggle for peace, particularly within oneself. In this podcast series I interview writers at different points in their careers to talk about struggling and finding peace in their work. Contact me @bassimstory and you can support this series at my Patreon of my name: Bassim El-Wakil (www.patreon.com/user?u=4409461) The seventh episode is with Jonny White, an academic scholar of psychology and entrepreneur. With a strong love for story and desire to write his own works, I chatted to him about his standards of success and the process of over-intellectualising the creative act and analysis paralysis. Royalty free music from Bensound. Story Toolkit logo design by the Proxy Guy.

In Islam, Jihad means the struggle for peace, particularly within oneself. In this podcast series I interview writers at different points in their careers to talk about struggling and finding peace in their work. Contact me @bassimstory and you can support this series at my Patreon of my name: Bassim El-Wakil (www.patreon.com/user?u=4409461) The sixth episode is Daniel Joshua Rubin, author of 27 Essential Principles of Story: Master the Secrets of Great Storytelling, from Shakespeare to South Park. DJR talks about living the life of a writer and the bizarre eddies of trying to make it in LA, in one entertaining anecdote after another. Royalty free music from Bensound. Story Toolkit logo design by the Proxy Guy.

In Islam, Jihad means the struggle for peace, particularly within oneself. In this podcast series I interview writers at different points in their careers to talk about struggling and finding peace in their work. Contact me @bassimstory and you can support this series at my Patreon of my name: Bassim El-Wakil (www.patreon.com/user?u=4409461) The fifth epsisode is Adam Maxwell, author of the Kilchester crime-comedy novel series, talking about how negative criticism in his career caused him to quit writing for two years. Royalty free music from Bensound. Story Toolkit logo design by the Proxy Guy.

In Islam, Jihad means the struggle for peace, particularly within oneself. In this podcast series I interview writers at different points in their careers to talk about struggling and finding peace in their work. Contact me @bassimstory and you can support this series at my Patreon of my name: Bassim El-Wakil (www.patreon.com/user?u=4409461) The fourth episode is with Shannon O'Neill, a published writer who talks about learning the craft of writing through studying the processes of many different writers, writing courses, and community retreats. Royalty free music from Bensound. Story Toolkit logo design by the Proxy Guy.

In Islam, Jihad means the struggle for peace, particularly within oneself. In this podcast series I interview writers at different points in their careers to talk about struggling and finding peace in their work. Contact me @bassimstory and you can support this series at my Patreon of my name: Bassim El-Wakil (www.patreon.com/user?u=4409461) The third episode is with Jason Jillings, a childhood friend who has written and produced plays with both myself and Luke. Jason talks about the difficulty of trying to write when your full time-job uses all the same creative muscles, and how writing as part of a team eases his doubts about his talent. Royalty free music from Bensound. Story Toolkit logo design by the Proxy Guy.

In Islam, Jihad means the struggle for peace, particularly within oneself. In this podcast series I interview writers at different points in their careers to talk about struggling and finding peace in their work. Contact me @bassimstory and you can support this series at my Patreon of my name: Bassim El-Wakil (www.patreon.com/user?u=4409461) The second episode is with Ashlea Erin, an Toolkit listener who wants to writer. Ashela chose to talk about the feelings of imposter syndrome. Royalty free music from Bensound. Story Toolkit logo design by the Proxy Guy.

In Islam, Jihad means the struggle for peace, particularly within oneself. In this podcast series I interview writers at different points in their careers to talk about struggling and finding peace in their work. Contact me @bassimstory and you can support this series at my Patreon of my name: Bassim El-Wakil (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4409461) The first episode is with Luke Lyon-Wall, my co-host from our previous podcast series, The Story Toolkit. Luke chose to talk about the difficulty in making an artistic career self-sustaining. Royalty free music from Bensound. Story Toolkit logo design by the Proxy Guy.

A live commentary of Batman v Superman, conducted over discord in anticipation of the upcoming Snyder Cut of Justice League. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we talk about the excellent historical drama, VIKINGS starring Travis Fimmel and Linus Roache and how it arcs a story through generations. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we talk about the recent adaptation by Kenneth Branagh of Agatha Christie's famous Poirot novel, "THE MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS". Full of the fudge, we talk about Branagh's interpreation and reminisce a little on the 1974 version starring Albert Finney. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we return to Santa Clarita for the second season of SANTA CLARITA DIET! We talk the joy of watching a long-form series opening up slowly and the potential for writers to examine their own expectations as an audience to learn how to manage and satisfy those expectations for their own work. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we get to the joy that is the Amazon series, THE MARVELLOUS MRS MAISEL starring Rachel Brosnahan. We talk about how important rehearsal and timing is to comedy, something that plays out across the first season. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we finally address a topic some of you have asked for: Horror! And we take a look at the genre through the lens of a terrific episode of DOCTOR WHO... BLINK! Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we look at the late John Mahoney's terrific and iconic performance as Martin Crane on FRASIER and how that character worked into the show's cast dynamic. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we finally get to THOR: RAGNAROK, the wonderful Action Comedy by Taika Waititi! We talk about how the film wonderful polarises its cast, simply and efficiently, driving dynamic scenes all the way to its climax. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we talk about Rian Johnson's wonderful independent film noir, BRICK, and how its originality stems from the choices he made. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we take a look at a single episode of the anthology comedy series, INSIDE NO.9; it second episode from its first season, "A QUIET NIGHT IN". The episode is a short, 30-minute farce about a burglarly in which there is no dialogue. A joy from start to finish, we breakdown each of the turning points in the episode. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy. 1. First Criminal breaks in (+) 2. Second Criminal breaks in (+) 3. They discover they're not alone (the maid) (-) 4. The little dog starts barking (-) 5. They kill the little dog (+/-) 6. The wife puts on Eastenders so they can't get the painting (-/+) but they're not noticed 7. The wife and husband fight (-) sub-plot 8. The wife and husband go out to the pool to argue (+) 9. They cut out the painting but don't have a replacement (+/-) 10. They makeshift a replacement but the painting is trapped beneath the wive's heels (+/-) (cross cut with 11) 11. The wife and husband's marriage seems over (-) 12. The maid takes the painting thinking it's linen (-) 13. Second criminal is discovered by the maid who maces him (-) 14. First criminal chloroforms the maid and hides her in a closet (+) 15. They find the painting (+) 16. It's immediately taken upstairs by the dumb waiter (-) 17. The wife locks the painting in her suitcase (-) on both plots 18. Second criminal puts chillies on his eyes instead of a cucumber (-) 19. The husband gets out his gun (-) on both 20. The husband doesn't commit suicide (+) on sub-plot 21. The painting the second criminal broke as he stumbled around arouses feelings in the husband who plays their song (+) cross-cut with 22 22. The wife comes out of the bathroom, forcing the first criminal under the bed, she leaves when their song plays taking the keys (-) 23. The wife spurns the husband's advances and reconciliation (-) sub-plot 24. The husband shoots her dead (-) both 25. They're dragging the suitcase down when there's a knock on the door (-) cross-cut with 24, on both subplots 26. The person knocking on the door sells door-to-door cleaning supplies and is both deaf & dumb (+) 27. The husband hides the wife in the other closet and makes the blood look like spilled tomato soup so the cleaner gets to work (+) 28. The first criminal meets the cleaner and buys products needed to get the suitcase out (+) 29. The cleaner discovers the bullet hole and sees the suitcase being lowered out the window (-) for both 30. The husband goes to investigate what's going on outside and looks up and sees the suitcase (-) 31. The criminals drop the suitcase, killing the husband (+/-) 32. The painting falls into the pool (-) 33. The cleaner kills both the criminals and takes their counterfeit (-/+)

This week we go back to STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI to talk about how the dense storytelling makes demands on your attention that means you might miss how it all works together. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we take a look at the hilarious webseries by the Onion: PORKIN' ACROSS AMERICA. The entire series is up on YouTube and takes less than an hour to watch. It's ridiculous and funny and worth your time. We discuss the nature of just how far this show goes in so short a time, as a useful example to remember for your own work. Enjoy!

This week we talk about the stylistic choices of master writer/director, Edgar Wright as used in his latest film, the delightful BABY DRIVER.

This week we talk about the things we saw in 2017 that for some reason or another, we didn't want to do a whole podcast on. Enjoy!

Straight from the cinema, this week we talk about the new episode of the STAR WARS saga, THE LAST JEDI. We talk about this film without having read anything about the discussion surrounding it, but essentially we place the criticism levied at this film on its predecessor, THE FORCE AWAKENS, which we spent our fifth episode discussing the flaws in. Enjoy! Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we finally get to season two of ATTACK ON TITAN, which is marvelous and FULL OF SPOILERS so go to Crunchyroll or wherever and watch this show before listening! Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we talk about the Netflix series, ATYPICAL. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we talk about the seminal work that is THE WIRE. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we talk the silly and quirky Netflix sitcom THE GOOD PLACE! Spoilers ahead, lots of forking spoilers. Hold on to your shirt balls. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week Willard Foxton-Todd returns to talk about both the 1995 Stallone JUDGE DREDD and the 2012 Karl Ubran DREDD! Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we examine the imaginative brilliance of a single episode of the Channel 4 series, ELECTRIC DREAMS: "THE COMMUTER" starring the sublime Timothy Spall. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we return to the superb BETTER CALL SAUL to break apart the craft and skill of a specific scene from the third season episode, "Sunk Costs", in which Mike Ehrmantraut sets a trap using a pair of sneakers. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we talk about the beautiful Studio Ghibli animated epic, PRINCESS MONONOKE. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we talk a bit on the Adult Swim hit series RICK & MORTY, focusing on the episode RICK POTION #9 as an example of how much fun the show can be when it's working, and examining the reasons why it sometimes comes up short. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we take a look at the hilariously silly and gory Netflix series SANTA CLARITA DIET. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

Spoilers ahead for the first half a dozen episodes of the terrific anime series, ATTACK ON TITAN. One of our personal favourites and a joy to discover, it's worth watching the series unspoiled, however we talk as a successful counterpoint to our Episode #16 criticism of GAME OF THRONES changing its protagonist in its first season. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we talk about the style of the Coen Brothers and their cult classic, THE BIG LEBOWSKI. Plus: bonus outtakes at the end! Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we delve into the failure of what we hoped would be a great hit, ATOMIC BLONDE. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we return to BREAKING BAD to define the nature of a cliffhanger. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we talk about the delightful take on Batman in THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE and how it creates a specific and unique Batman story. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we talk about how the originality of the excellent BETTER CALL SAUL stems from the most remarkable of creative restrictions. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by the Proxy Guy.

This week we discuss the touching LOGAN, the final film of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by The Proxy Guy. End interview segment from IGN.

This week we discuss the unfortunate problems in the WONDER WOMAN film. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by The Proxy Guy.

We celebrate one year of podcasting with an examination of the beloved Shane Black film THE NICE GUYS! Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by The Proxy Guy.

This week we examine ARRIVAL and how, despite its intriguing and well-made examination of a hypothetical alien first contact situtation, it lacks any real substance. We also compare how it surprasses recent, less effective attempts at hard sci-fi: INTERSTELLAR and THE MARTIAN, but falls short of the excellent GRAVITY. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by The Proxy Guy.

This week we talk STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE and THE FLASH and the form of syndiated television writing and how the necessities of that form have changed due to technology. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by The Proxy Guy. 3:50 - ‘Premise' - Outlining DEEP SPACE NINE. 4:50 - ‘Form' - Breaking down the format of episodic television. 19:25 - ‘A Story'- Outlining examples of a DEEP SPACE NINE A story. 34:15 - ‘B/C Story' - Discussing further examples of a B/C story. 41:35 - ‘Soap' - Breaking down the soap opera elements of DEEP SPACE NINE and why they worked. 47:40 - ‘Longform' - Discussing how the show began to ape BABYLON 5 by introducing a longform element to the show. 52:45 - ‘Counterpoint' - Analysing the form of the flawed FLASH series and why it fails. 1:25:00 - ‘Summary' - Summarising the key writing techniques discussed.

This week we talk both good ideas and, thanks to comics, bad ones. From BREAKING BAD to the upcoming JUSTICE LEAGUE we talk about how to gauge what an idea might be worth. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by The Proxy Guy. 2:15 - ‘Premise' - Breaking down the purpose of a logline and introducing the logline for BREAKING BAD. 8:15 - ‘Concept' - Breaking Inspiration down into 5 key components and discussion practical application. 27:25 - ‘Example'- Applying the 5 components to the BREAKING BAD logline. 35:25 - ‘Further Examples' - Discussing further aspects of Inspiration and how they can be useful in the process of creating ideas. 48:05 - ‘Counterpoint' - Analysing the flawed Inspiration for the upcoming JUSTICE LEAGUE movie. 1:18:20 - ‘Summary' - Summarising the key writing techniques discussed.

This week: SPOILERS! Recording at the McKee Story Seminar in London we get straight into the new Marvel film, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL.2. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by The Proxy Guy. 1:50 - ‘Premise' - Breaking down the major story beats of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL.2. 6:10 - ‘Spine of Action' - Analysing the lack of Spine of Action in the film. 20:00 - ‘Dimensions'- Looking at the dimensions of the cast compared with the original movie. 29:35 - ‘Danger' - Breaking down the reason for the lack of danger in the story. 42:33 - ‘Credit' - Discussing some of the great things that GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL.2 tried to do. 56:03 - ‘Summary' - Summarising the key writing techniques discussed.

This week Luke and I talk about the beautiful Netflix series, THE OA and how it's format spells the future of TV. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by The Proxy Guy. 4:10 - ‘Synopsis' - Breaking down the major story beats of the THE OA. 14:19 - ‘Installments' - Outlining the different temporal genres, particularly how THE OA uses Installments in a unique way. 24:06 - ‘Global Frequency'- Comparing the example of THE OA to the flawed pilot episode of the excellent GLOBAL FREQUENCY. 31:06 - ‘Empathy' - Analysing the emotional sensitivity of the writing. 45:00 - ‘Genre' - Discussing the many genre elements that THE OA uses including values and audience emotion. 1:08:18 - ‘Summary' - Summarising the key writing techniques discussed.

Willard Foxton returns! He takes us through the first episode of the HBO mini-series, BAND OF BROTHERS, discussing the nature of how and why certain choices were made in the production. Royalty free music from Bensound. Logo design by The Proxy Guy.