STORY ARCHITECT & NARRATIVE CREATOR
Working with writers, directors, and producers to shape projects at various stages in the life-cycle:
Alongside the films I write and direct through Harbour View Pictures, I collaborate with writers, directors, and producers on projects that are close, but not yet fully landing. It’s a familiar moment in the process - when the structure is there, but something isn’t translating, either on the page or in how the piece comes together.
As a filmmaker, I approach this from the inside - not only in terms of story, but in how a project moves toward production, evolves through post, and ultimately plays on screen. My experience developing independent features and teaching at UCLA and The Toronto Film School has shaped this into a collaborative process focused on clarity, momentum, and execution.
"Every storyteller already knows what their project wants to be. Most are closer than they think. My job is to help them see the rest of the way."
— Myles Yaksich, Story Architect & Narrative Creator
Ongoing Work:
Some projects benefit from continuity - a steady rhythm of conversation and refinement that brings your ideas into a clear, working story.
I stay close to both you and the project as it evolves, meeting weekly and adjusting focus as needed. This might mean shaping a concept into a strong outline, working through a draft that isn’t fully holding together, refining pitches and decks ahead of investor conversations, or preparing a project as it moves toward production.
This is less about solving a single problem, and more about staying with the work long enough for it to fully take shape. This often includes:
finding the spine of a story that feels promising but unfocused
strengthening structure, pacing, and character when a draft isn’t fully landing
moving through rewrites while maintaining your voice and building clarity and momentum
The work carries a project from early concept through successive drafts into a form that is clear, compelling, and ready to be shared with collaborators, cast, and investors.
In Development:
Sometimes a script just isn’t connecting.
The idea may be strong, but something in the execution isn’t translating - whether the structure feels off, the pacing loses momentum, or the character work isn’t carrying the story forward.
This is where I come in more directly, to identify what’s not landing and why, and to help reshape the material into something clear, cohesive, and dramatically effective.
This often includes:
diagnosing structural issues across a draft
identifying where pacing or narrative momentum breaks down
refining character motivations and relationships to strengthen the spine of the story
sharpening treatments, outlines, or scripts so they read with clarity and intention
The focus is on resolving what’s not working, and bringing the material into a form that holds - both on the page and as a film.
In Post:
You’ve made it through production, but the cut isn’t working.
The film is there, but something isn’t translating - whether the pacing drags, the structure doesn’t hold, or the emotional throughline isn’t coming across as intended.
This is where I step in to re-see the film, identify what’s not landing, and help define what it needs - whether that’s restructuring the edit, refining performance and tone, or identifying targeted pickups.
This often includes:
diagnosing structural issues within the cut
identifying where pacing or emotional momentum breaks down
clarifying tone and performance across scenes
defining practical next steps - from re-editing to pickups, ADR, or additional material
The focus is on bringing the film into alignment with its original intent, and shaping a version of the story that fully plays with an audience.
“I came to Myles with ideas that were deeply personal, but not yet structured as a story. He was able to see what I was trying to say before I could fully articulate it - and translate those themes into a clear, compelling narrative, pitch, and screenplay.”
— Kevin Kreider (Actor, Producer, Reality TV Star), Feature Film - in development
“Working with Myles is simply a pleasure. From in-depth script development, to building a strong pitch deck and creating an arresting sizzle that attracted real industry attention, he brings clarity and precision to every stage of the process."
His attention to detail, positivity, and industry experience make the work both enjoyable and genuinely rewarding.”
— Claire Bermingham (Actress / Filmmaker), Feature Film - in pre-production
“I reached out to Myles with a rough cut of BUCK MARK. He quickly identified key structural issues and offered practical solutions to clarify the story and emotional beats - from reordering scenes to specific ADR adjustments. It completely shifted how the film played, and helped bring it into a festival-ready version.”
— Lucca de Oliveira (Director / Producer - BUCK MARK), Short Film
“The treatment I brought to Myles was strong in concept, but not yet fully landing. He helped reshape the story and characters into something more focused and dramatically compelling, and built a pitch deck that clearly communicated the project. Having him in the room during the pitch to a major streamer made a real difference.”
— Johnny Han (VFX Supervisor and Series Creator), Limited Series - in development
If the project sits somewhere between these areas, or doesn’t quite fit within them, we can shape an approach that suits the work.