Screenwriting : Genres by Brian Stoneking

I don’t colour strictly in the lines. I have some things that make my work mine:

People die (Check).

People don’t change much (Check)

There is a road to salvation which they don’t take (Check)

I punish them for not saving themselves (Check)

No happy endings (Check)

I have written:

Alternate universe sci-fi (Love Money Bombs)

Post-Apocalyptic Action (The Valley)

Crime Drama (The Hostage)

Psychological Drama (Next Caller)

Horror-Thriller (Wolf in a sheep’s suicide vest)

I think genre is a sitting with some guide posts. These are free story for fans of the genre.

Yes. Usually writing sci-fi and fantasy stories but several people recommended I go outside my comfort zone. Wish I'd have done it sooner. Now have a new feature script to pitch and try and help me get my foot in the right producer's door.

I write in several genres, which reflects the varied genres I love to read.

Many prominent writers mainly stay on the course....you wont see AK Walker doing 'Pinocchio" as you wont see C. Kaufmann doing "8 mm"...myself stick to horror and thriller more detailed into serial crimes...got lotta insight, got people I can consult, why not use those resources...

Artistic voice is more of a tonal thing than a genre thing. While I do have preferences I tend to lean into, nothing is off limits.

Brian Stoneking yes, my first three or four spec feature scripts are dark edgy crime stories, and now I've just completed my first family-friendly adventure piece with a comic tilt, so I am even looking forward to tackling sci-fi and going more in this direction of upbeat adventure pieces.

I go with whatever moves me...genre-be-damned.