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5 Rules for Great Writing, Parallel Editing, and Disney’s New Doc is Indie!?

Author

Ryan Koo
April 07, 2025

5 Rules for Great Writing, Parallel Editing, and Disney’s New Doc is Indie!?

Hey Filmmakers,

Welcome back for another round of helpful craft advice. Whether you’re a screenwriter, director, or editor, we’ve got a little something for everyone looking to take their cinematic skills to the next level.

This week’s main feature is for our hardworking scribes, diligently typing away at their scripts but just not quite reaching the level of quality they’re looking for. We gotchu—and so does Infinite Jest writer David Foster Wallace—with five truly helpful tips on how to make your writing great. Also, we tackle parallel editing—what it is and how to use it—as well as the truly remarkable story of how an indie doc about A Goofy Movie ended up on Disney+.

Let’s get to it!

🖌️ Screenwriting

'The End of the Tour' Credit: A24

David Foster Wallace may not have been a screenwriter, but his novels, especially Infinite Jest, are some of the best novels written in the last century. Over his tragically short life, he shared so much insight about the craft of writing, and in the following article, we break down five little nuggets that we think will help you most when you sit down at your desk and get to typing.

Continue on to find out what they are!

🗞️ Quick Reads for Screenwriting

• What is an Archetype? - Check out the definitions and examples of archetypes in films and TV.

• Read and Download 'The Righteous Gemstones' Pilot Script - Learn from one of the best pilots ever to air on HBO.

✂️ Editing

'The Godfather' CREDIT: Paramount

Sometimes, your story requires two things to be happening at the same time in different locations. Maybe even more things. So, how do you track them all, and how do you get them on screen? The answer is parallel editing.

Let’s go over what this technique is, how to use it, and some great examples of it in your favorite movies.

🗞️ Quick Reads for Editing

• What is Compositing? The Video Editing Technique Explained - Let’s look into the art of compositing and how it fits into post-production workflows for film and video.

🎬 Directing

The story behind how this documentary came to be is literally a Disney fairytale. Three filmmakers, Christopher Ninness, Eric Kimelton, and Scott Seibold, filmed an indie doc about the Disney cult classic A Goofy Movie that actually caught the attention of Disney executives…and now the thing is streaming on Disney+. That. Never. Happens.

Check out their op-ed for a truly inspiring story of creativity, determination, and independent spirit.

🗞️ Quick Reads for Directing

• My Journey Co-Directing 'Hell of a Summer' - Actor/director Finn Wolfhard takes us along on his journey to making a hilarious slasher for the next generation of horror fans.

• Paul Thomas Anderson on the Enduring Influence of Robert Altman - It's always nice seeing one auteur wax about another.

📚 Recommended Reads:

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See you next time with more filmmaking goodness! 🎬