Worried someone might steal your script? You’re not alone. Copyright doesn’t protect “big ideas” but the specific words and scenes you’ve written.

From registering with the U.S. Copyright Office to WGA claims and trademarks, we’ll break down how to secure your screenplay and keep your work undeniably yours.

Tired of contests that charge fees and deliver nothing? Kinolime’s short film competition offers no submission fees, real funding ($7,500 + $500), producer mentorship, and audience voting that actually matters. Keep your rights, make your film, and let your story shine.

What do you get when you mix Tarantino swagger with talking animals, fart jokes, and a heartfelt redemption arc? A heist comedy that charms kids, winks at cinephile dads, and delivers a surprisingly sweet bite. The Bad Guys proves that being bad never looked so slick—or felt so fuzzy.

From Whiplash to The Babadook, some of the biggest films began as bold, brilliant shorts. Let’s unpack what makes a short film stand out, why they matter, and how studying the best can sharpen your own storytelling craft. Start small, think big — and make every frame count.

John Schramm and Danny Murray interview Andre Ford, a screenwriter who created "Cooperville," a horror-comedy screenplay that was a top 3 finalist for Kinolime’s Feature Film competition.

Sun-drenched, seductive, and soaked in longing—Call Me By Your Name isn’t just a romance, it’s a rites-of-passage fever dream. Between peaches, piano solos, and painfully shy glances, Elio stumbles into adulthood one heartbreak at a time. Love fades, but that summer stays scorched in memory.

Great characters are the heartbeat of any screenplay, the thread that ties every scene together. Without them, even the most intricate plot can feel hollow. Through 10 essential steps, you’ll learn how to shape characters with purpose, layered depth, and arcs so compelling they don’t just carry the story—they make it unforgettable, drawing audiences into your world and holding them there long after the credits roll.

John Schramm and Danny Murray tackle viewer questions in a rapid-fire mailbag session covering the current state of breaking into Hollywood, whether they'd prefer making divisive or universally liked films, and cinema trends they're pushing back against.

John Schramm and Danny Murray dive into the history and definition of the summer blockbuster, starting with the fascinating origin story of how World War II newsreels inspired the term "blockbuster."

Antagonists raise stakes, test flaws, and drive the story forward. They're not always villains—sometimes they're inner demons, rivals, or society itself. The best ones challenge the hero's values and goals, revealing who they truly are. No great story exists without great opposition.

Comedy is subjective, but Superbad makes a strong case for universal appeal. With its mix of absurd humor, heartfelt friendship, and endlessly quotable lines, it nails the trifecta of a great comedy: a funny plot, unforgettable characters, and genuinely sharp jokes. Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg from the chaos of their own adolescence, it captures teen awkwardness with rare honesty—and even rarer hilarity. Nearly two decades later, it’s still as iconic as ever.

Before it became a billion-dollar franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was a masterclass in adventurous, witty, and tightly-structured screenwriting. We dive into cursed treasure, iconic intros, and how Jack Sparrow sailed a perfect script into legend.

Every great film begins with a blank page, and this guide helps you conquer it. From idea to outline, logline to final draft, we walk you through the essentials of writing your first screenplay. Demystify the process, embrace imperfection, and start creating the story only you can tell.

After months of voting, debates, and unforgettable table reads, the Kinolime community has crowned a winner: MOB MENTALITY by Eric Landau. This audacious, heartfelt comedy about a kid who thinks he’s John Gotti stole your hearts—and now it’s headed into full production.

What makes a screenplay quintessentially British? The dry wit? Quiet melancholy? A well-timed pub-side tirade? Explore 14 of the greatest British screenplays you should read and study —from 28 Days Later’s apocalyptic tension to the tender stillness of Aftersun. Spanning decades and genres, each script is a masterclass in tone, voice, and identity.

What happens when the thing you love most begins to destroy you? Sound of Metal isn’t just a story about hearing loss, it’s a raw, compassionate portrait of addiction, identity, and the painful clarity that comes with learning to let go, rebuild, and sit in the silence of acceptance.

Fingleton shares insights about breaking into the industry with "The Survivalist," working with Game of Thrones star Liam Cunningham, and his philosophy of "going for the rafters" - making classics rather than programmers.

John Schramm and Danny Murray discuss the significant film tax incentive updates from California and Texas, marking a potential turning point for American film production.

Western cinephiles too often miss the brilliance unfolding beyond English-speaking screens. This curated list of 11 remarkable foreign-language screenplays- available in English—invites you to explore bold storytelling, rich cultural nuance, and the true global artistry of cinema.