The Craft of Screenwriting: Genres Part 3
Thank you for joining us for Part 3 of our look at Genres
Fantasy is a genre that can encompass many plots and if you consider it, all fiction is fantasy, but for our purposes Fantasy will include movies that have make believe, fantastic qualities like magic, sword and sorcery and fairy tales elements.
The Lord of the Rings films are classic examples of the Fantasy Genre. Wizards, dragons, trolls and elves are common in these types of films. The Harry Potter series of films had many of these same elements, but set in a more contemporary setting.
Another element that both series of films share, is the Hero Quest plot. In Lord of the Rings, Frodo ,Sam and a brave band of warriors travel across Middle Earth to stop evil from taking over the land. The characters change and grow as they are confronted by many challenges and tests of life or death.
Harry Potter and his group of friends also embark on a quest of sorts; going to Hogwarts to become wizards, but they also must grow and change to stop evil from taking over the world.
The writer must be careful to create a logical, believable world and follow the rules of this reality throughout the story. The Suspension of Disbelief must stay intact, but fans of Fantasy films will give the film makers more benefit of the doubt if the rules are not broken during the story.
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John Risner
John Morgan Risner is a screenwriter, novelist, and story analyst, and the founder of Screen Writer Ink. With over a decade of experience teaching screenwriting and filmmaking at the university level, he has helped writers develop stronger stories through a focus on character, structure, and cinematic storytelling. His work spans multiple genres, including thriller, horror, and mystery, with an emphasis on character-driven narratives. He is also a film historian with a deep knowledge of classic and modern cinema, including the James Bond films and novels. Through Screen Writer Ink, he provides writers with practical, experience-based insight into the craft of storytelling—helping them move beyond theory and write with clarity, purpose, and control.
