For our first screenwriting craft episode, we sit down with novelist and screenwriter Julia Batavia to talk about the often overlooked hurdles to telling a good story.

We unlock the secrets of compelling character development and thematic evolution in screenplays, discovering how themes can emerge naturally during the writing process rather than being forced from the onset.

While Yaroslav shares his unique approach to screenplay structure by tweaking the "Save the Cat" method, opting for four acts over the traditional three, Julia champions flexibility and adaptability in script formatting, inspired by insights from various screenwriting professors, with an emphasis on readability and narrative flow rather than rigid adherence to conventional structures.

Gain valuable techniques for enriching your screenplays with subtext and tension as we illustrate how to trim dialogue without losing the essence and transform direct lines into rich subtext. Drawing inspiration from techniques such as Phoebe Waller-Bridge's layered tension, this episode reveals how to weave multiple story layers for dynamic and engaging narratives.

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A Podcast for Indie Filmmakers

More on:
IG: @indiewoodpod
YT: Cinematography for Actors

In the world of social media, and fast-paced journalism, knowledge is abound. But with all the noise, finding the right information is near impossible. Especially if you’re a creative working in independent film.

Produced by Cinematography For Actors, the Indiewood podcast aims to fix that. This is a podcast about indie filmmakers and the many hats we wear in order to solve problems before, during, and after production.

Every month, award-winning Writer/Director Yaroslav Altunin is joined by a different guest co-host to swap hats, learn about the different aspects of the film industry, and how to implement all you learn into your work.

"We learn from indie filmmakers so we can become better filmmakers. Because we all want to be Hollywood, but first we have to be Indiewood."