Scott Myers

• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 18

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

  writing

  Apr 18, 2025
• Screenwriting Mantra: Minimum Words, Maximum Impact

  The origin and importance of one of the best screenwriting mantras... ever!

  writing

  Apr 18, 2025
• Writing and the Creative Life: What are you afraid of?

  The single greatest inhibitor to creativity is fear. Do you recognize any of these negative voices?

  creativity

  writing

  Apr 18, 2025
• Page One: "Leprechaun" (1993)

  Written by Mark Jones

  writing

  Apr 18, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 17

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

  writing

  Apr 17, 2025
• Story as Psychological Journey

  "To dig up diamonds in our imagination, we must plumb the depths of our own souls and enter our deepest, darkest caves, for it is there...

  writing

  Apr 17, 2025
• On Writing

  "And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely...

  writing

  Apr 17, 2025
• Page One: "The Legend of Zorro" (2005)

  Screenplay by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, story by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman and Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio, based on a character by...

  writing

  Apr 17, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 16

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

  writing

  Apr 17, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Titanic"

  Before Avatar went on to gross $2.72B worldwide, writer-director James Cameron created another movie phenomenon called Titanic (1997) which...

  writing

  film

  Apr 17, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Michele Atkins

  My interview with the screenwriter whose screenplay won a 2016 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting.

  Apr 17, 2025
• Page One: "The Lego Movie" (2014)

  Screenplay by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, story by Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman and Phil Lord & Christopher Miller

  writing

  Apr 17, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 15

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

  writing

  film

  Apr 15, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Spenser Cohen

  "Stories are an emotional medium. People always say, write what you know, and I think it's write what you know emotionally. Sometimes I'll...

  writing

  film

  Apr 15, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Elijah Bynum

  My interview with the screenwriter whose scripts Mississippi Mud and Hot Summer Nights both were named to the 2013 Black List.

  Apr 15, 2025
• Page One: "Law Abiding Citizen" (2009)

  Written by Kurt Wimmer

  writing

  Apr 15, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 14

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

  writing

  Apr 14, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "There's Something About Mary"

  There are many funny scenes in the Farrelly brothers' movie There's Something About Mary (1988), but the "franks or beans" scene is right...

  writing

  film

  Apr 14, 2025
• On Writing

  "If someone's on a soapbox saying this is what I am or, more accurately, this what I think you should be, I run for the hills. But if...

  writing

  Apr 14, 2025
• Page One: "The Last Temptation of Christ" (1988)

  Screenplay by Paul Schrader, novel by Nikos Kazantzakis

  writing

  Apr 14, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 13

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

  writing

  Apr 14, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Larry Cohen

  "When Larry Cohen is writing a screenplay, there are certain things he will not do. He will not rely on an outline. Over the years, he has...

  writing

  film

  Apr 13, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Cameron Fay

  My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

  Apr 13, 2025
• Page One: "The Last Station" (2009)

  Screenplay by Michael Hoffman, based on the novel by Jay Parini

  writing

  Apr 13, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 12

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

  writing

  Apr 13, 2025
• Interview (Part 6): Cameron Fay

  My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

  writing

  Apr 12, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Some Like It Hot"

  Many older screenplays from the 40s and 50s are written in a style that makes them hard to read — loaded with directing notes, lots of...

  writing

  film

  Apr 12, 2025
• Page One: "The Last Picture Show" (1971)

  Screenplay by Larry McMurtry and Peter Bogdanovich, based on the novel by Larry McMurtry

  writing

  Apr 12, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 11

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

  writing

  Apr 11, 2025
• Interview (Part 5): Cameron Fay

  My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

  writing

  Apr 11, 2025
• "Come to the edge"

  Going beyond the edge of the Old World into the New World can be a terrifying experience, but a necessary one for the transformation...

  writing

  Apr 11, 2025
• Page One: "Last Holiday" (2006)

  Screenplay by Jeffrey Price & Peter S. Seaman

  writing

  Apr 11, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 10

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

  writing

  Apr 10, 2025
• Interview (Part 4): Cameron Fay

  My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

  writing

  Apr 10, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Joel Coen

  "Every movie ever made is an attempt to remake The Wizard of Oz."

  film

  Apr 10, 2025
• Page One: "Lake Placid" (1999)

  Written by David E. Kelley

  writing

  Apr 10, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 9

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

  writing

  Apr 09, 2025
• Interview (Part 3): Cameron Fay

  My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

  writing

  Apr 09, 2025
• Spec Script Deal: Untitled Teen Comedy

  A24 acquires raunchy untitled teen comedy spec script written by Morgan Lehmann. Via Deadline:

  film

  Apr 09, 2025
• Page One: "Ladyhawke" (1985)

  Screenplay by Edward Khmara and Michael Thomas and Tom Mankiewicz, story by Edward Khmara

  writing

  Apr 09, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 8

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work my...

  writing

  Apr 08, 2025
• Interview (Part 2): Cameron Fay

  My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

  writing

  Apr 08, 2025
• On Writing

  "The most important element of any story is to make the reader want to know what happens next. Period. Everything else is gravy."

  writing

  Apr 08, 2025
• Page One: "L.A. Story" (1991)

  Written by Steve Martin

  writing

  Apr 08, 2025
• The Coen Brothers and the Craft of Storytelling

  My one-week online class begins Monday, April 14.

  writing

  Apr 07, 2025
• Interview (Part 1): Cameron Fay

  My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

  writing

  film

  Apr 07, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 7

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work my...

  writing

  Apr 07, 2025
• Page One: "Krampus" (2015)

  Written by Todd Casey & Michael Dougherty & Zach Shields

  writing

  Apr 07, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 6

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work my...

  writing

  Apr 07, 2025
• On Writing

  "Sneaking up on it sometimes helps. I've found I can be very productive for an hour before dinner, because there obviously isn't enough...

  writing

  Apr 06, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Isaac Adamson

  My interview with 2015 Black List writer for his script Bubbles.

  Apr 06, 2025
• Page One: "Knowing" (2009)

  Screenplay by Ryne Douglas Pearson and Juliet Snowden & Stiles White, story by Ryne Douglas Pearson

  writing

  Apr 06, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 5

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work my...

  writing

  Apr 05, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Dana Coen

  "I learned by continually asking myself those essential craft questions. Is the scene driven by the intent of the characters? Are there...

  writing

  film

  Apr 05, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Se7en"

  I posted this sequence in the movie Se7en as a Great Scene here and you can go there to see an analysis and commentary about it. But this...

  writing

  Apr 05, 2025
• Page One: "A Knight's Tale" (2001)

  Written by Brian Helgeland

  writing

  Apr 05, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 4

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work my...

  writing

  Apr 04, 2025
• On Writing

  "Writers spend all their time preoccupied with just the things that their fellow men and women spend their time trying to avoid thinking...

  writing

  Apr 04, 2025
• Psychology of Storytelling: Dark Places

  "One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious."

  writing

  Apr 04, 2025
• Page One: "Knight and Day" (2010)

  Written by Patrick O'Neill

  writing

  Apr 04, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 3

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work my...

  writing

  Apr 03, 2025
• Hollywood Tales: Someday someone will beat you to the punch

  If you traffic in high concept stories, chances are you'll confront this scenario.

  writing

  Apr 03, 2025
• Writing Tip: Are You a Push Writer or a Pull Writer?

  Do you do your best creative work when you're pushed... or pulled?

  writing

  Apr 03, 2025
• Page One: "Kingsman: The Secret Service" (2014)

  Screenplay by Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn, based on the comic book "The Secret Service" by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons

  writing

  Apr 03, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 2

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work...

  writing

  Apr 02, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Diablo Cody

  "I don't have a formal rewrite process. I just compulsively groom and re-groom scenes like a cat with OCD."

  writing

  film

  Apr 02, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Saving Private Ryan"

  I doubt anyone who has seen Saving Private Ryan — written by Robert Rodat, directed by Steven Spielberg — will ever forget the film's...

  writing

  film

  Apr 02, 2025
• Page One: "The Kings of Summer" (2013)

  Written by Chris Galletta

  writing

  Apr 02, 2025
• A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 1

  This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work...

  writing

  Apr 01, 2025
• On Writing

  "In any story there are three elements: persons, a situation, and the fact that in the end something has changed. If nothing has changed...

  writing

  Apr 01, 2025
• Page One: "Kingpin" (1996)

  Written by Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan

  writing

  Apr 01, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 31

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 31, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Jack Waz

  My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

  Mar 31, 2025
• "Just write the next word"

  Words of writing wisdom from screenwriter Anna Hamilton Phelan.

  writing

  Mar 31, 2025
• Page One: "The King" (2019)

  Written by David Michôd by & Joel Edgerton

  writing

  Mar 31, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 30

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 30, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Diablo Cody

  "I didn't really look at it as teen-speak but more like weirdo language! Ellen Page just presents it in such a saucy way, too, and I'm kind...

  writing

  film

  Mar 30, 2025
• Interview (Part 6): Jack Waz

  My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

  writing

  Mar 30, 2025
• Page One: "Kin" (2018)

  Screenplay by Daniel Casey, based on the short film "Bag Man" by Jonathan Baker & Josh Baker

  writing

  Mar 30, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 29

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 29, 2025
• Interview (Part 5): Jack Waz

  My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

  writing

  Mar 29, 2025
• On Writing

  "We need myths to get by. We need story; otherwise the tremendous randomness of experience overwhelms us. Story is what penetrates."

  writing

  Mar 29, 2025
• Page One: "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" (2017)

  Written by Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou

  writing

  Mar 29, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 28

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 28, 2025
• Interview (Part 4): Jack Waz

  My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

  writing

  film

  Mar 28, 2025
• 18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently

  Are you creative? Chances are you do some things differently.

  creativity

  writing

  Mar 28, 2025
• Page One: "Killer Klowns from Outer Space" (1988)

  Written by Charles Chiodo and Stephen Chiodo

  writing

  Mar 28, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 27

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 27, 2025
• Interview (Part 3): Jack Waz

  My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

  writing

  Mar 27, 2025
• The Business of Screenwriting: 24/7/365

  When you're a writer, you're basically never NOT working.

  writing

  Mar 27, 2025
• Page One: "Kill Your Darlings" (2013)

  Screenplay by Austin Bunn and John Krokidas, story by Austin Bunn

  writing

  Mar 27, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 26

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 26, 2025
• Interview (Part 2): Jack Waz

  My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

  writing

  Mar 26, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Raising Arizona"

  I'll always have a soft spot for Raising Arizona as it was the very first industry screening I attended back in March 1987. That and the...

  film

  Mar 26, 2025
• Page One: "Kill the Messenger" (2014)

  Written by Peter Landesman, book by Gary Webb, book by Nick Schou

  writing

  Mar 26, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 25

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 25, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Tze Chun

  "When I want to come up with a new project, I will sit down and I will try to write 25 ideas a day for a week or two. So that I have 100...

  writing

  Mar 25, 2025
• Interview (Part 1): Jack Waz

  My interview with 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

  writing

  Mar 25, 2025
• Page One: "Kids" (1995)

  Written by Harmony Korine, story by Larry Clark

  writing

  Mar 25, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 24

  Zero Draft Thirty: Day 24.

  writing

  Mar 24, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Mikey & Wyatt

  A conversation with the creators of the popular YouTube series.

  writing

  film

  Mar 24, 2025
• On Writing

  "Plot, or evolution, is life responding to environment; and not only is this response always in terms of conflict, but the really great...

  writing

  Mar 24, 2025
• Page One: "Kill Bill: Vol. 2" (2003)

  Written by Quentin Tarantino

  writing

  Mar 24, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 23

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 23, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Lisa Cholodenko

  "I think the most important thing I learned [from editing] is that you start with this huge bear of a film which really has no pacing or no...

  writing

  film

  Mar 23, 2025
• Screenplays are stories, not formulas

  "If you go in with formula, you come out with formula."

  writing

  Mar 23, 2025
• Page One: "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" (2003)

  Written by Quentin Tarantino

  writing

  Mar 23, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 22

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 22, 2025
• On Writing

  "I sit in the dark and wait for a little flame to appear at the end of my pencil."

  writing

  Mar 22, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Raging Bull"

  Sports movie are tough to write for many reasons. Here's one of them: How to describe athletic action without being too specific and...

  writing

  Mar 22, 2025
• Page One: "The Karate Kid Part III" (1989)

  Written by Robert Mark Kamen, characters created by Robert Mark Kamen

  writing

  Mar 22, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 21

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 21, 2025
• Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling

  Part 5: "We like to be engaged and entertained by what transpires in the plot, but more important we want to find meaning in the...

  writing

  Mar 21, 2025
• 4 Sure-Fire Ways to Stimulate Creativity

  Sadly, bourbon is not one of them.

  creativity

  writing

  Mar 21, 2025
• Page One: "The Karate Kid Part II" (1986)

  Written by Robert Mark Kamen, characters created by Robert Mark Kamen

  writing

  Mar 21, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 20

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  creativity

  writing

  Mar 20, 2025
• Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling

  Part 4: What Is / What Could Be / What Is / What Could Be / What Is...

  writing

  Mar 20, 2025
• Great Scene: "Rachel Getting Married"

  A wedding toast gone awkwardly, painfully awry.

  writing

  film

  Mar 20, 2025
• Page One: "The Karate Kid" (1984)

  Written by Robert Mark Kamen

  writing

  Mar 20, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 19

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 19, 2025
• Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling

  Part 3: "Every storytelling exercise should begin by asking: Who is my audience and what is the message I want to share with them? Each...

  writing

  Mar 19, 2025
• Update: 2025 London Screenwriters' Festival

  More information on my appearance at this year's event: April 24–27.

  writing

  Mar 19, 2025
• Page One: "K-PAX" (2001)

  Screenplay by Charles Leavitt, novel by Gene Brewer

  writing

  Mar 19, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 18

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 18, 2025
• Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling

  Part 2: The intriguing thing here is that while we, as writers, are thinking about emotions and psychology, much of it apparently boils...

  writing

  Mar 18, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Stan Chervin

  "I always try to bang out a first, rough draft as fast as I can. There's a story of George Abbott, the theatre director, coming into the...

  writing

  film

  Mar 18, 2025
• Page One: "Just Mercy" (2019)

  Written by Destin Daniel Cretton & Andrew Lanham, based on the book by Bryan Stevenson

  writing

  Mar 18, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 17

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 17, 2025
• Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling

  Part 1: Something about your story, most particularly involving your Protagonist, must resonate with a reader. What that boils down to is...

  writing

  Mar 17, 2025
• On Writing

  "Sit down and put down everything that comes into your head and then you're a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff's...

  writing

  Mar 17, 2025
• Page One: "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" (1997)

  Screenplay by David Koepp, novel by Michael Crichton

  writing

  Mar 17, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 16

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 16, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Charmaine Colina

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  Mar 16, 2025
• Writing Tip: Free Association

  Sometimes if you're stuck in your writing, it's best just to cut loose.

  writing

  Mar 16, 2025
• Page One: "Jockey" (2021)

  Written by Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar

  writing

  Mar 16, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 15

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 15, 2025
• Interview (Part 6): Charmaine Colina

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Mar 15, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Pulp Fiction"

  Quentin Tarantino is noted — among other things — for his ear for great dialogue. However in Pulp Fiction (1994), it's worth noting that...

  writing

  film

  Mar 15, 2025
• Page One: "Julieta" (2016)

  Written by Pedro Almodóvar, based on stories by Alice Munro

  writing

  Mar 15, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 14

  Write an entire draft of a script in September — FADE IN. FADE OUT. Or any sort of creative goal you have in front of you.

  writing

  Mar 14, 2025
• Interview (Part 5): Charmaine Colina

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  film

  Mar 14, 2025
• Why Creativity Thrives in the Dark

  Some scientific props for all you fellow night writers out there!

  creativity

  writing

  Mar 14, 2025
• Page One: "Joy" (2015)

  Screenplay by David O. Russell, story by Annie Mumolo and David O. Russell

  writing

  Mar 14, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 13

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 13, 2025
• Interview (Part 4): Charmaine Colina

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Mar 13, 2025
• 2025 London Screenwriters' Festival

  The event runt thfough Friday, April 25–27, 2025 ... I'll be there!

  writing

  Mar 13, 2025
• Page One: "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling" (1986)

  Written by Rocco Urbisci & Paul Mooney & Richard Pryor

  writing

  Mar 13, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 12

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 12, 2025
• Interview (Part 3): Charmaine Colina

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  film

  Mar 12, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Memento"

  With the movie Memento (2000), Christopher Nolan had a challenge when writing the script: How to make clear to the reader — and the...

  writing

  Mar 12, 2025
• Page One: "Jingle All the Way" (1996)

  Written by Randy Kornfield

  writing

  Mar 12, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 11

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 11, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Damien Chazelle

  "I know my strengths, and I know my weaknesses. I'm very good at sitting around and brainstorming, thinking up ideas and mapping them out...

  writing

  film

  Mar 11, 2025
• Interview (Part 2): Charmaine Colina

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Mar 11, 2025
• Page One: "The Jewel of the Nile" (1985)

  Written by Mark Rosenthal & Lawrence Konner, characters by Diane Thomas

  writing

  Mar 11, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 10

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 10, 2025
• Interview (Part 1): Charmaine Colina

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Mar 10, 2025
• On Writing

  "No scene is ever about the words being spoken."

  writing

  Mar 10, 2025
• Page One: "Jaws 2" (1978)

  Written by Carl Gottlieb and Howard Sackler, based upon characters created by Peter Benchley

  writing

  Mar 10, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 9

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 09, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Paddy Chayefsky

  "Artists don't talk about art. Artists talk about work. If I have anything to say to young writers, it's stop thinking of writing as art...

  writing

  Mar 09, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "The Matrix"

  Still for my money, one of the best scripts for action-writing. The Wachowskis use the basic elements of visual writing — strong verbs and...

  writing

  Mar 09, 2025
• Page One: "Jarhead" (2005)

  Screenplay by William Broyles Jr., book by Anthony Swofford

  writing

  Mar 09, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 9

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 09, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 8

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 08, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Lethal Weapon"

  There have been many forces of nature impacting screenplay style over the years, but there are only a very few actual screenwriters to whom...

  writing

  Mar 08, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Jeremiah Friedman & Nick Palmer

  In September 2010, Jeremiah Friedman and Nick Palmer who sold their spec script "Family Getaway" to Warner Bros. Turns out, there were fans...

  writing

  Mar 08, 2025
• Page One: "Jagged Edge" (1985)

  Written by Joe Eszterhas

  writing

  Mar 08, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 7

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity

  writing

  Mar 07, 2025
• Writing and the Creative Life: The Curse of Shiny Object Syndrome

  "It's not quite ADD/ADHD. It's more that a new idea captures your imagination and attention in such a way that you get distracted from the...

  writing

  Mar 07, 2025
• "Saving Private Ryan": Minute By Minute Breakdown

  A podcast analysis with MovieRob and me about the dramatic scene: What to do with the German POW "Steamboat Willie"

  film

  Mar 07, 2025
• Page One: "Jack Reacher" (2012)

  Written for the screen by Christopher McQuarrie, based on the book "One Shot" by Lee Child

  writing

  Mar 07, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 6

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 06, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Paddy Chayefsky

  "If it should occur to you to cut, do so. That's the first basic rule of cutting. If you're reading through and stop, something is wrong...

  writing

  Mar 06, 2025
• Spec Script Deal: "I Can See You're Angry"

  Miramax acquires comedy spec script "I Can See You're Angry" written by Brandon Cohen. Via Deadline:

  writing

  Mar 06, 2025
• Page One: "It's Kind of a Funny Story" (2010)

  Screenplay by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, novel by Ned Vizzini

  writing

  Mar 06, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 5

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 05, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Filipe Coutinho and Ben Mehlman

  My interview with 2021 Black List writers for their script Whittier.

  Mar 05, 2025
• On Writing

  "Writing is like meditation or going into an ESP trance, or prayer. Like dreaming. You are tapping into your unconscious. To be fully...

  writing

  Mar 05, 2025
• Page One: "It" (2017)

  Screenplay by Chase Palmer & Cary Joji Fukunaga and Gary Dauberman, based on the novel by Stephen King

  writing

  Mar 05, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 4

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 04, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Andrew Bujalski

  "Write out the scene the way you hear it in your head. Then read it and find the parts where the characters are saying exactly what you...

  writing

  film

  Mar 04, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Jerry Maguire"

  "A beat of silence, then noise returns to its normal commercial roar. A couple of fleas have been swatted off the carcass of an immense...

  writing

  Mar 04, 2025
• Page One: "Isle of Dogs" (2018)

  Screenplay by Wes Anderson, story by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola & Jason Schwartzman and Kunichi Nomura

  writing

  Mar 04, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 3

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  creativity

  writing

  Mar 03, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Inglourious Basterds"

  Today let's consider the narrative voice of a drama: Inglourious Basterds (2009), written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.

  writing

  Mar 03, 2025
• On Writing

  "The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes."

  writing

  Mar 03, 2025
• Page One: "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978)

  Screenplay by W.D. Richter, novel by Jack Finney

  writing

  Mar 03, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 2

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 02, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Wendy Britton Young

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  Mar 02, 2025
• Writing and the Creative Life: The Creative Personality

  Creative Personality as comprised of 10 dichotomies. How many do you have?

  creativity

  writing

  Mar 02, 2025
• Page One: "The Interview" (2014)

  Screenplay by Dan Sterling, story by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg & Dan Sterling

  writing

  Mar 02, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 1

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Mar 01, 2025
• Interview (Part 6): Wendy Britton Young

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

  writing

  Mar 01, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "The Hangover" (2009)

  Today, we check out The Hangover, screenplay by Jon Lucas & Scott Moore.

  writing

  Mar 01, 2025
• Page One: "Interstellar" (2014)

  Written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan

  writing

  Mar 01, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Get Your Head On Straight

  It's time to gear up for the latest Challenge which begins tomorrow!

  writing

  Feb 28, 2025
• Interview (Part 5): Wendy Britton Young

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Feb 28, 2025
• Spec Script Deal: "Riding Hurt"

  Teton Ridge Entertainment acquires action crime spec script "Riding Hurt" written by Buck Bloomingdale. Via Variety:

  film

  Feb 28, 2025
• Page One: "The Interpreter" (2005)

  Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Scott Frank and Steven Zaillian, story by Martin Stellman & Brian Ward

  writing

  Feb 28, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Story Prep — Character Development

  A series to help prepare writers for next month's Zero Draft Thirty writing challenge.

  writing

  Feb 27, 2025
• Interview (Part 4): Wendy Britton Young

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Feb 27, 2025
• The Business of Screenwriting: When you don't get the gig

  We are seated in the expansive office of a top Hollywood director and we are having a great time. I mean a really great time. We talk about...

  writing

  Feb 27, 2025
• Page One: "The Internship" (2013)

  Screenplay by Vince Vaughn and Jared Stern, story by Vince Vaughn

  writing

  Feb 27, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Story Prep — Gender Bend

  A series to help prepare writers for next month's Zero Draft Thirty writing challenge.

  writing

  Feb 26, 2025
• Interview (Part 3): Wendy Britton Young

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Feb 26, 2025
• On Writing

  "Fairy tales are more than true, not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."

  writing

  Feb 26, 2025
• Page One: "Insidious: Chapter 2" (2013)

  Screenplay by Leigh Whannell, story by James Wan & Leigh Whannell, based on characters created by Leigh Whannell

  writing

  Feb 26, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Story Prep — Script Diary

  A series to help prepare writers for next month's Zero Draft Thirty writing challenge.

  writing

  Feb 25, 2025
• Interview (Part 2): Wendy Britton Young

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Feb 25, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: William Broyles, Jr.

  "Writing really is a process of discovery. The biggest enemy is being satisfied. When I think, 'Oh, this is so great. They can't change a...

  writing

  film

  Feb 25, 2025
• Page One: "Inspector Gadget" (1999)

  Screenplay by Kerry Ehrin and Zak Penn, story by Dana Olsen and Kerry Ehrin, characters by Andy Heyward and Jean Chalopin and Bruno Bianchi

  writing

  Feb 25, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Story Prep — Index Cards!

  A series to help prepare writers for next month's Zero Draft Thirty writing challenge.

  writing

  Feb 24, 2025
• Interview (Part 1): Wendy Britton Young

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Feb 24, 2025
• On Writing

  "I write because I like to write."

  writing

  Feb 24, 2025
• Page One: "Insidious" (2010)

  Written by Leigh Whannell

  writing

  Feb 24, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Story Prep — "What if..."

  A series to help prepare writers for next month's Zero Draft Thirty writing challenge.

  writing

  Feb 23, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Gattaca"

  The 1997 movie Gattaca is one many Go Into The Story readers have commented on with great affection, either publicly or to me via email.

  film

  Feb 23, 2025
• Page One: "Ingrid Goes West" (2017)

  Written by David Branson Smith & Matt Spicer

  writing

  Feb 23, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Fargo"

  When is a kidnapping scene funny? When it's written and directed by the Coen brothers, like in the 1996 Academy Award-winning movie Fargo...

  writing

  film

  Feb 22, 2025
• Interview (Video): Michael Arndt

  In conversation with the late Syd Field.

  writing

  film

  Feb 22, 2025
• Page One: "Infinitely Polar Bear" (2014)

  Written by Maya Forbes

  writing

  Feb 22, 2025
• On Storytelling: Thoughts, Feelings, Mentors, and Attractors

  Reflections on two primary character archetypes.

  writing

  Feb 21, 2025
• The act of writing provides health benefits

  "From long-term health improvements to short-term benefits like sleeping better, it's official: Writers are doing something right."

  writing

  Feb 21, 2025
• Page One: "The Incredible Hulk" (2008)

  Screenplay by Zak Penn, screen story by Zak Penn, Marvel comic book by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

  writing

  Feb 21, 2025
• Writing Tip: How to Discover a Character's Humanity

  A writing exercise which helps you tap into a character's inner life.

  writing

  Feb 20, 2025
• The Business of Screenwriting: Commencement of Principal Photography

  When your movie officially starts production, that can trigger a writer's payday.

  writing

  Feb 20, 2025
• Page One: "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" (2013)

  Screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley, story by Chad Kultgen & Tyler Mitchell and Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley

  writing

  Feb 20, 2025
• What is a movie script's denouement?

  It answers this question: What do you want the audience to feel when they walk out of the theater at the end of your movie?

  writing

  Feb 19, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Ed Wood"

  A period piece. A bio-pic of an enigmatic character. A drama with absurd comic elements. The 1994 movie Ed Wood is all of these — and more.

  writing

  film

  Feb 19, 2025
• Page One: "In Fabric" (2018)

  Written by Peter Strickland

  writing

  Feb 19, 2025
• My Favorite Five Films at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival

  Amidst a strong slate of movies, these five films stood out.

  film

  Feb 18, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Rita Mae Brown

  "Character is destiny. The resolution of any plot must come from within the character. The redemption or destruction of any character is...

  writing

  film

  Feb 18, 2025
• Page One: "I Think We're Alone Now" (2018)

  Written by Mike Makowsky

  writing

  Feb 18, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "The Deer Hunter"

  During the Vietnam War, two American prisoners are forced to play Russian roulette.

  writing

  film

  Feb 17, 2025
• On Writing

  "Plot is what keeps you going when you first read a story, and character is what stays with you after you have finished reading it."

  writing

  Feb 17, 2025
• Page One: "I Love You, Man" (2009)

  Screenplay by John Hamburg and Larry Levin, story by Larry Levin

  writing

  Feb 17, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Alysha Chan and David Zarif

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

  writing

  Feb 16, 2025
• Writing and the Creative Life: Mind Wandering

  "What no [spouse] of a writer can ever understand is that a writer is working when he's staring out of the window."

  writing

  Feb 16, 2025
• Page One: "I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore" (2017)

  Written by Macon Blair

  writing

  Feb 16, 2025
• Interview (Part 6): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

  writing

  Feb 15, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "The Dark Knight"

  Today we shine the spotlight on a great piece of screenwriting, the screenplay for The Dark Knight, co-written by Christopher & Jonathan...

  writing

  film

  Feb 15, 2025
• Page One: "Tucker and Dale vs Evil" (2010)

  Written by Eli Craig & Morgan Jurgenson

  writing

  Feb 15, 2025
• Interview (Part 5): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

  writing

  film

  Feb 14, 2025
• The Business of Screenwriting: Movies are a director's medium

  "But that's the whole point of the God damn movie!"

  writing

  Feb 14, 2025
• Page One: "Memory" (2023)

  Written by Michael Franco

  writing

  Feb 14, 2025
• A Zero Draft Thirty Success Story

  You can use the month of March to pound out a screenplay. Maybe it will lead to a movie getting made ... like this writer!

  writing

  Feb 13, 2025
• Interview (Part 4): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

  writing

  Feb 13, 2025
• Page One: "In the Tall Grass" (2019)

  Written by Vincenzo Natali, based on the novella by Stephen King and Joe Hill

  writing

  Feb 13, 2025
• Interview (Part 3): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

  writing

  Feb 12, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Chinatown"

  The screenplay for the 1974 movie Chinatown is considered one of the best scripts ever written. Its writer Robert Towne received an Academy...

  film

  Feb 12, 2025
• Page One: "The Hustler" (1961)

  Screenplay by Sidney Carroll and Robert Rossen, based on the novel by Walter Tevis

  writing

  Feb 12, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Raymond Chandler

  "The challenge of screenwriting is to say much in little and then take half of that little out and still preserve an effect of leisure and...

  writing

  film

  Feb 11, 2025
• Interview (Part 2): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

  Alysha Chan and David Zarif wrote the original screenplay "Miss Chinatown" which won a 2024 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. Recently...

  writing

  Feb 11, 2025
• Page One: "Bookworm" (2024)

  Screenplay by Toby Harvard, story by Toby Harvard & Ant Timpson

  writing

  Feb 11, 2025
• Interview (Part 1): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

  writing

  Feb 10, 2025
• On Writing

  "The character that lasts is an ordinary guy with some extraordinary qualities."

  writing

  Feb 10, 2025
• Page One: "The Hummingbird Project" (2018)

  Written by Kim Nguyen

  writing

  Feb 10, 2025
• Screenwriting Tip: What about the Protagonist and the inciting incident?

  "Something. Happens. In my view, that is the essence of an inciting incident."

  writing

  Feb 09, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Cast Away"

  The screenplay for the 2000 movie Cast Away was written by William Broyles Jr. Once the story transitioned to the island, a challenge he...

  writing

  Feb 09, 2025
• Page One: "Hugo" (2011)

  Screenplay by John Logan, based on the book entitled "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick

  writing

  Feb 09, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Basic Instinct"

  Let's say you're writing a sexy thriller. Per the concept of narrative voice, you should write scene description that is... well... sexy and...

  writing

  Feb 08, 2025
• On Writing

  "When in doubt have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand."

  writing

  Feb 08, 2025
• Page One: "Howard the Duck" (1986)

  Written by Willard Huyck & Gloria Katz, based on the character created by Steve Gerber

  writing

  Feb 08, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Barton Fink"

  An enigmatic ending, a movie that leaves you hanging, so that as you exit the theater with your date or friends, everyone is talking about...

  film

  Feb 07, 2025
• The Business of Screenwriting: Hurry up and wait

  The bane of a screenwriter's existence: They want the script NOW... then they make you WAIT... and wait... and wait...

  writing

  Feb 07, 2025
• Page One: "How to Build a Girl" (2019)

  Screenplay by Caitlin Moran based on her novel

  writing

  Feb 07, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Park Chan-Wook

  "A common beginner's mistake would be to try and be perfect about everything that you write, and each line that you write you want to make...

  writing

  Feb 06, 2025
• Screenwriting Tip: The Nemesis as the Protagonist's 'Shadow'

  Want drama? Ask your Protagonist: What do you fear the most? Then put them in a story where they have to confront that fear: Their Nemesis.

  writing

  Feb 06, 2025
• Page One: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (2000)

  Screenplay Jeffrey Price & Peter S. Seaman, based on a book by Dr. Seuss

  writing

  Feb 06, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"

  The ending sequence includes a most interesting sentence...

  writing

  Feb 05, 2025
• On Writing

  "I have come to see this fear, this sense of my own imperilment by my creations, as not only an inevitable, necessary part of writing...

  writing

  Feb 05, 2025
• Page One: "House Party" (1990)

  Written by Reginald Hudlin

  writing

  Feb 05, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: John Cassavetes

  "People who are making films today are too concerned with mechanics — technical things instead of feeling. Execution is about eight percent...

  film

  Feb 04, 2025
• Screenwriting Tip: The Value of Three Scripts

  You write, you learn. Three scripts is a good minimum number for starting to understand the craft.

  writing

  Feb 04, 2025
• Page One: "Hot Fuzz" (2007)

  Written by Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg

  writing

  Feb 04, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "Avatar"

  There are many reasons to read and analyze the script to Avatar (2009), at last count about 2.7 billion of them by one measure.

  writing

  Feb 03, 2025
• On writing

  "To do your very best work as an artist, whatever the discipline, takes complete immersion in the work. You need to get caught in the...

  writing

  Feb 03, 2025
• Page One: "Hostel" (2005)

  Written by Eli Roth

  writing

  Feb 03, 2025
• Is there a rule as to how many "cuss words" can be used in a script?

  Delving into the sometimes mysterious world of the MPA ratings system.

  writing

  film

  Feb 02, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Ward Kamel

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  Feb 02, 2025
• Page One: "Horrible Bosses 2" (2014)

  Screenplay by Sean Anders & John Morris, story by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley and Sean Anders & John Morris, characters by...

  writing

  Feb 02, 2025
• 2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge!

  One month. Fade In. Fade Out. Write an entire zero draft.

  writing

  Feb 01, 2025
• Interview (Part 6): Ward Kamel

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Feb 01, 2025
• Page One: "Horrible Bosses" (2011)

  Screenplay by Michael Markowitz and John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein, story by Michael Markowitz

  writing

  Feb 01, 2025
• Interview (Part 5): Ward Kamel

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  film

  Jan 31, 2025
• Scene Description Spotlight: "The African Queen"

  Today a blast from the past: An excerpt from the shooting script for the movie The African Queen (1951), adapted from the C.S. Forrester...

  writing

  Jan 31, 2025
• Page One: "Honey, I Blew Up the Kid" (1992)

  Screenplay by Thom Eberhardt and Peter Elbling & Garry Goodrow, story by Garry Goodrow, characters by Stuart Gordon & Brian Yuzna & Ed Naha

  writing

  Jan 31, 2025
• Interview (Part 4): Ward Kamel

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jan 30, 2025
• The Business of Screenwriting: "Everyone is here because of us"

  It is late spring 1988. I am in San Diego where K-9 is being shot. It's my first day on a movie set. Ever. The scene the crew is shooting...

  writing

  Jan 30, 2025
• Page One: "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" (1989)

  Screenplay by Ed Naha and Tom Schulman, story by Stuart Gordon & Brian Yuzna & Ed Naha

  writing

  Jan 30, 2025
• "Raising the Stakes" video series

  The entire four-season series of screenwriting videos from Black List screenwriter Jonathan Stokes.

  writing

  film

  Jan 29, 2025
• Interview (Part 3): Ward Kamel

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jan 29, 2025
• Page One: "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" (1992)

  Written by John Hughes

  writing

  Jan 29, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: John Cassavetes

  "As an artist I feel that we must try different things — but above all we must dare to fail. You can fail in films because you don't have...

  writing

  film

  Jan 28, 2025
• Interview (Part 2): Ward Kamel

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jan 28, 2025
• Page One: "Home Alone" (1990)

  Written by John Hughes

  writing

  Jan 28, 2025
• Interview (Part 1): Ward Kamel

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  film

  Jan 27, 2025
• On Writing

  "There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before."

  writing

  Jan 27, 2025
• Page One: "The Hollars" (2016)

  Written by Jim Strouse

  writing

  Jan 27, 2025
• Reader Question: Do I HAVE to use INT/EXT — LOCATION — DAY/NIGHT in scene headings?

  Wherein we consider selling scripts, shooting scripts, conventional wisdom, and writing whatever the hell we want.

  writing

  Jan 26, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Leigh Cesiro and Erica Matlin

  My interview with 2021 Black List writers for their script Cruel Summer.

  writing

  Jan 26, 2025
• Page One: "Day of the Fight" (2023)

  Written by Jack Huston

  writing

  Jan 26, 2025
• The Narrative Imperative of the Hero's Journey

  "The adventure they are ready for is the adventure they get."

  writing

  Jan 25, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber

  Screenwriting duo whose movie writing credits include (500) Days of Summer, The Spectacular Now, The Fault in Our Stars, and The Disaster...

  Jan 25, 2025
• Page One: "Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl" (2024)

  Screenplay by Mark Burton, story by Nick Park & Mark Burton

  writing

  Jan 25, 2025
• Script Readers: Hollywood's Threshold Guardians

  They may not get a lot of respect, but they are important to writers.

  writing

  Jan 24, 2025
• Download Each of the 2025 Oscar Nominated Screenplays

  Your chance to read and study 10 Academy Award nominated scripts.

  film

  Jan 24, 2025
• Page One: "Transformers One" (2024)

  Screenplay by Eric Pearson and Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari, story by Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari

  writing

  Jan 24, 2025
• Your characters want you to tell their story

  Lean into your characters. After all, it's their story.

  writing

  Jan 23, 2025
• On Writing

  "Writing is a craft that requires both talent and acquired skills. You learn by doing, by making mistakes and then seeing where you went...

  writing

  Jan 23, 2025
• Page One: "Thelma" (2024)

  Written by Josh Margolin

  writing

  Jan 23, 2025
• THR 2025 Writers Roundtable

  The Hollywood Reporter's annual sit-down with six screenwriters with notable films from the previous year.

  writing

  Jan 22, 2025
• The Business of Screenwriting: Hip pocket representation

  The gray area between being signed by an agent... and kinda signed.

  writing

  Jan 22, 2025
• Page One: "Anora" (2024)

  Written by Sean Baker

  writing

  Jan 22, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Leigh Brackett

  "I sort of went off into corners and wept a few times at things that made me very unhappy. I think the hardest thing about adapting to...

  writing

  film

  Jan 21, 2025
• Great Scene: "Barbie"

  In a quiet, reflective moment, Barbie experiences something of what it means to be a human.

  writing

  film

  Jan 21, 2025
• Page One: "Small Things Like These" (2024)

  Written by Enda Walsh, book by Claire Keegan

  writing

  Jan 21, 2025
• The Importance of Subplots

  An in-depth exploration of the value of these mini-stories.

  writing

  Jan 20, 2025
• On Writing

  "A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something."

  writing

  Jan 20, 2025
• Page One: "Juror #2" (2024)

  Written by Jonathan A. Abrams

  writing

  Jan 20, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Colton Childs

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jan 19, 2025
• The Best 25 Films of 2024

  A Video Countdown by film critic David Ehrlich.

  film

  Jan 19, 2025
• Page One: "The Innocents" (1961)

  Screenplay by William Archibald and Truman Capote, based on the story "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James

  writing

  Jan 19, 2025
• David Lynch's Favorite Films: 10 Movies the Director Wants You to See

  David Lynch, who recently passed away, was an eclectic filmmaker, thus, it's no surprise his favorite films reflect that sensibility.

  film

  Jan 18, 2025
• Interview (Part 6): Colton Childs

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jan 18, 2025
• Page One: "Better Man" (2024)

  Written by Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole and Michael Gracey

  writing

  Jan 18, 2025
• Interview (Part 5): Colton Childs

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  film

  Jan 17, 2025
• Hero's Journey as Psychological Journey

  When we think of the Hero's Journey, what comes to mind is a geographical adventure. The Heroine starts out in their Ordinary World...

  writing

  Jan 17, 2025
• Page One: "I Saw the TV Glow" (2024)

  Written by Jane Schoenbrun

  writing

  Jan 17, 2025
• Interview (Part 4): Colton Childs

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  film

  Jan 16, 2025
• Download 2025 WGA Screenwriting Award Nominated Screenplays

  10 screenplays. Get them here.

  film

  Jan 16, 2025
• Page One: "Civil War" (2024)

  Written by Alex Garland

  writing

  Jan 16, 2025
• Interview (Part 3): Colton Childs

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jan 15, 2025
• The Key to Character Introductions

  What is it we need to know about a character to help us craft an effective introduction? Their core essence.

  writing

  Jan 15, 2025
• Page One: "Nickel Boys" (2024)

  Screenplay by RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes, book by Colson Whitehead

  writing

  Jan 15, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Mark Bomback

  "A big misconception that people have about these franchise movies is that all the studios care about is the action. It's very cynical and...

  writing

  film

  Jan 14, 2025
• Interview (Part 2): Colton Childs

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  film

  Jan 14, 2025
• Page One: "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" (2024), original title: "Dane-ye anjir-e ma'abed"

  Written by Mohammad Rasoulof

  writing

  Jan 14, 2025
• Interview (Part 1): Colton Childs

  My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jan 13, 2025
• On Writing

  "Don't write about a character. Become that character, and then write your story."

  writing

  Jan 13, 2025
• Page One: "The Fire Inside" (2024)

  Written by Barry Jenkins, based on the documentary T-Rex

  writing

  Jan 13, 2025
• The Iceberg Theory of Writing

  How much character development is enough?

  writing

  Jan 12, 2025
• 6 Old Grammar Rules That Are Finally Going Out of Style

  Writers should feel free to write stories how the stories need to be told.

  writing

  Jan 12, 2025
• Page One: "Moana 2" (2024)

  Screenplay by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, story by Jared Bush & Dana Ledoux Miller & Bek Smith

  writing

  Jan 12, 2025
• Guest Series: Extend Your Script's Message with Hidden Easter Eggs

  A deep dive into movie "Easter eggs"

  writing

  Jan 11, 2025
• Best Writing Approach: Routine or Ritual?

  I am fascinated by creativity, in particular how creativity manifests itself in the wide variety of people I meet or learn about. That has...

  writing

  Jan 11, 2025
• Page One: "A Different Man" (2024)

  Written by Aaron Schimberg

  writing

  Jan 11, 2025
• Guest Series: Extend Your Script's Message with Hidden Easter Eggs

  Part 5 of the series written by Karen Grube.

  writing

  Jan 10, 2025
• Writers on Characters

  Quotes from professional writers about the importance of characters in the story-crafting process.

  writing

  Jan 10, 2025
• Page One: "Memoir of a Snail" (2024)

  Written by Adam Elliot

  writing

  Jan 10, 2025
• Guest Series: Extend Your Script's Message with Hidden Easter Eggs

  Part 4 of the series written by Karen Grube.

  writing

  Jan 09, 2025
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 58 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Jan 09, 2025
• Page One: "September 5" (2024)

  Written by Moritz Binder and Tim Fehlbaum, co-writer Alex David

  writing

  Jan 09, 2025
• Guest Series: Extend Your Script's Message with Hidden Easter Eggs

  Part 3 of the series written by Karen Grube.

  writing

  Jan 08, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Dan Gilroy

  "Anytime you step outside the conventional formulaic bounds of the screenwriting style, it becomes a little scary. We're already vaguely...

  writing

  film

  Jan 08, 2025
• Page One: "Wicked" (2024)

  Screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, musical book Winnie Holzman, novel by Gregory Maguire

  writing

  Jan 08, 2025
• Guest Series: Extend Your Script's Message with Hidden Easter Eggs

  Part 2 of the series written by Karen Grube.

  writing

  comics

  Jan 07, 2025
• On Writing

  "The reason 99% of all stories written are not bought by editors is very simple. Editors never buy manuscripts that are left on the closet...

  writing

  Jan 07, 2025
• Page One: "Nosferatu" (2024)

  Written for the screen by Robert Eggers, inspired by the screenplay "Nosferatu" by Henrik Galeen, inspired by the novel "Dracula" by Bram...

  writing

  Jan 07, 2025
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 1 New Script, 1 Returning Script, 56 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Jan 06, 2025
• Guest Series: Extend Your Script's Message with Hidden Easter Eggs

  A deep dive into movie "Easter eggs"

  writing

  Jan 06, 2025
• Page One: "Dune: Part Two" (2024)

  Screenplay by Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts, novel by Frank Herbert

  writing

  Jan 06, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Liz Hannah

  Sometimes the story behind the story is as compelling as the story itself and that's the case with Liz Hannah, writer of the 2015 Black...

  Jan 05, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Danny Boyle

  "Beyond persistence, the only advice I ever give to young filmmakers is, don't be shy in the way you tell a story. Be bold. There is that...

  film

  Jan 05, 2025
• Page One: "Flow" (2024)

  Written by Gints Zilbalodis and Matiss Kaza

  writing

  Jan 05, 2025
• Character Development Exercise: Switch Protagonists

  After all, every character is the Protagonist in their own story.

  writing

  Jan 04, 2025
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 1 New Script, 55 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Jan 04, 2025
• Page One: "Unstoppable" (2024)

  Screenplay by Eric Champnella and Alex Harris and John Hindman, book by Anthony Robles and Austin Murphy

  writing

  Jan 04, 2025
• The Business of Screenwriting: The Birth, Life, and Death of a Movie

  It's 1997. My writing partner and I are seated in a screening room on the Paramount lot. We are there with a handful of studio execs...

  writing

  film

  Jan 03, 2025
• Go Into The Story Interview: Justin Marks

  My in-depth interview with the screenwriter of The Jungle Book and showrunner-writer of the hit TV series Shōgun.

  Jan 03, 2025
• Page One: "Heretic" (2024)

  Written by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods

  writing

  Jan 03, 2025
• Prosody: The Secret to Memorable Writing

  Another in the excellent screenwriting video series Raising the Stakes.

  writing

  Jan 02, 2025
• On Writing

  "You have to be reckless when writing. Be as crazy as your conscience allows."

  writing

  Jan 02, 2025
• Page One: "The Order" (2024)

  Screenplay by Zach Baylin and Gary Gerhardt, book by Kevin Flynn

  writing

  Jan 02, 2025
• Reader Question: "What should I do if a project sells similar to a script I'm writing?"

  Before you jump, step back from the ledge, and consider the following.

  writing

  Jan 01, 2025
• Screenwriting 101: Jon Boyer

  "A bad script written is still better than an amazing one that isn't."

  writing

  film

  Jan 01, 2025
• Page One: "All We Imagine as Light" (2024)

  Written by Payal Kapadia

  writing

  Jan 01, 2025
• Reader Question: Is it realistic to expect a career as a screenwriter?

  My response to an email query.

  writing

  Dec 31, 2024
• Video: Reckless Creatives Symposium

  Two hours of yours truly answering questions about character-driven screenwriting and storytelling.

  writing

  film

  Dec 31, 2024
• Page One: "Sing Sing" (2023)

  Screenplay by Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar, story by Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar & Clarence Maclin & John Divine G Whitfield

  writing

  Dec 31, 2024
• 12 of the Most Popular Go Into The Story Articles from 2024

  Jump-start your screenwriting in 2025 with inspiration from these articles which generated the most buzz on my blog.

  writing

  Dec 30, 2024
• "This is the true joy of life..."

  A wise quote from George Bernard Shaw.

  creativity

  writing

  Dec 30, 2024
• Page One: "Babygirl" (2024)

  Written by Halina Reijn

  writing

  Dec 30, 2024
• 2024 Go Into The Story Highlights: Interviews with 2023 Black List Writers

  To date, I have interviewed 85 writers whose scripts were named to the annual Black List.

  writing

  Dec 29, 2024
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 54 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Dec 29, 2024
• Page One: "The Brutalist" (2024)

  Written by Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold

  writing

  Dec 29, 2024
• 2024 Go Into The Story Highlights: Interviews with 2023 Nicholl Fellows

  I have interviewed every Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting recipient since 2012 including last year's winners. Via the Academy:

  writing

  film

  Dec 28, 2024
• Reader Question: What is life really like for a beginning screenwriter?

  Some things to expect when you break into the business.

  writing

  Dec 28, 2024
• Page One: "Queer" (2024)

  Screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes, novel by William S. Burroughs

  writing

  Dec 28, 2024
• What if...

  Perhaps the two most powerful words in the creative process.

  writing

  Dec 27, 2024
• "The Story We Know"

  Reflections on a poem by Martha Collins.

  writing

  Dec 27, 2024
• Page One: "Nightbitch" (2024)

  Written for the screen by Marielle Heller, novel by Rachel Yoder

  writing

  Dec 27, 2024
• Mr. Potter and the Billionaire Class

  Current events bring to mind the Nemesis of It's a Wonderful Life.

  writing

  film

  Dec 26, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Craig Borten

  "For me, it's the characters, breaking the characters. That's what I spend most of my time with. Once I've done that, character will speak...

  writing

  film

  Dec 26, 2024
• Page One: "Hit Man" (2023)

  Screenplay by Richard Linklater and Glen Powell, article by Skip Hollandsworth

  writing

  Dec 26, 2024
• Why I keep hosting this blog... and a Christmas wish for you

  Because of emails like this!

  writing

  Dec 25, 2024
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 1 New Script, 52 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Dec 25, 2024
• Page One: "The Piano Lesson" (2024)

  Screenplay by Virgil Williams & Malcolm Washington, based on a play written by August Wilson

  writing

  Dec 25, 2024
• "Why It's A Wonderful Life is the greatest film ever made"

  Filmmaker Marshall Herskovitz reminds us about the remarkable power of this holiday classic.

  film

  Dec 24, 2024
• On Writing

  "Creativity — like human life itself — begins in darkness."

  writing

  Dec 24, 2024
• Page One: "Dìdi" (2024)

  Written by Sean Wang

  writing

  Dec 24, 2024
• How to Write a Marketable Screenplay

  Tips from a presentation at the Pittsburgh Shorts Filmmaker Conference.

  writing

  Dec 23, 2024
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 51 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Dec 23, 2024
• Page One: "A Real Pain" (2024)

  Written by Jesse Eisenberg

  writing

  Dec 23, 2024
• Screenwriting Tip: "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek"

  Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, and story as psychological journey.

  writing

  Dec 22, 2024
• TCM Remembers: 2024

  This year's tribute to those in the Hollywood filmmaking community who passed away is especially moving.

  film

  Dec 22, 2024
• Page One: "Emilia Pérez" (2024)

  Written by Jacques Audiard, scenario collaboration by Thomas Bidegain, collaboration by Léa Mysius & Nicolas Livecchi, novel by Boris Razon

  writing

  Dec 22, 2024
• Writing Goals: 2025

  10-part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

  writing

  Dec 21, 2024
• "Each scene must be a drama in itself"

  This advice from silent movie era screenwriter Jeanie Macpherson still resonates today.

  writing

  Dec 21, 2024
• Page One: "The Room Next Door" (2024)

  Written by Pedro Almodóvar, novel by Sigrid Nunez

  writing

  Dec 21, 2024
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 48 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Dec 20, 2024
• Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 10] — Trust the Process

  10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

  writing

  Dec 20, 2024
• Page One: "Daddio" (2023)

  Written by Christy Hall

  writing

  Dec 20, 2024
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 5 New Scripts, 46 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Dec 19, 2024
• Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 9] — The Only Way Out Is Through

  10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

  writing

  Dec 19, 2024
• Page One: "I'm Still Here"(2024)

  Screenplay by Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega, book by Marcelo Rubens Paiva

  writing

  Dec 19, 2024
• 2024 Black List Word Cloud Logline Challenge!

  Check out this word cloud from the 2024 Black List loglines, then write your OWN logline from those words to win some great prizes!

  Dec 18, 2024
• Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 8] — First Draft

  10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

  Dec 18, 2024
• Page One: "Blitz" (2024)

  Written by Steve McQueen

  Dec 18, 2024
• Reflections of 2024 Black List Project Lab Participants

  Writers who participated in this year's inaugural Black List Project Lab reflect on their experience.

  writing

  Dec 17, 2024
• Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 7] — Time Management

  10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

  writing

  Dec 17, 2024
• Page One: "Saturday Night" (2024)

  Written by Gil Kenan & Jason Reitman

  writing

  Dec 17, 2024
• UPDATE: 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 4 New Scripts, 41 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Dec 16, 2024
• Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 6] — Schedule

  10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

  writing

  Dec 16, 2024
• Page One: "The Outrun" (2024)

  Screenplay by Nora Fingscheidt & Amy Liptrot, screenstory by Amy Liptrot & Nora Fingscheidt and Daisy Lewis, based on the memoir by Amy...

  Dec 16, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Chris Borrelli

  "It's something you should always be doing, in my opinion. You should always be open to ideas and stories. I have an idea file. I look back...

  Dec 15, 2024
• Tarantino, Sorkin, and Dialogue as Purpose

  Analysis of long dialogue-centric scenes in The Social Network and Pulp Fiction reveals that underneath the entertaining conversations lies...

  Dec 15, 2024
• Page One: "The Substance" (2024)

  Written by Coralie Fargeat

  Dec 15, 2024
• Screenwriting Tip: Aristotle and Three Act Structure

  "A whole [story] is what has a beginning and middle and end."

  writing

  film

  Dec 14, 2024
• Video: MacGuffins Aren't MacGuffins

  Another in the excellent screenwriting series Raising the Stakes.

  writing

  film

  Dec 14, 2024
• Page One: "Conclave" (2024)

  Screenplay by Peter Straughan, book by Robert Harris

  Dec 14, 2024
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 37 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Dec 13, 2024
• Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 5] — Going Public

  10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

  Dec 13, 2024
• Page One: "The Apprentice" (2024)

  Written by Gabriel Sherman

  Dec 13, 2024
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 8 New Scripts, 35 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  Dec 12, 2024
• Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 4] — Practical Matters

  10-part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

  Dec 12, 2024
• Page One: "Gladiator II" (2024)

  Screenplay by David Scarpa, story by Peter Craig & David Scarpa, characters created by David Franzoni

  Dec 12, 2024
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 6 New Scripts, 27 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Dec 11, 2024
• Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 3] — Where Do You Want To Go As A Writer?

  10-part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

  Dec 11, 2024
• Page One: "The Last Showgirl" (2024)

  Written by Kate Gersten

  Dec 11, 2024
• 2024 Black List

  All 83 scripts listed in order of votes received including loglines, plus a link where you can download the official list.

  writing

  Dec 10, 2024
• Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 2] — Assessing Where You Are

  Over the next two weeks, a 10-part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

  writing

  Dec 10, 2024
• Page One: "The Holiday" (2006)

  Written by Nancy Meyers

  writing

  Dec 10, 2024
• Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 1] — Looking Back

  Over the next two weeks, a 10-part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

  writing

  Dec 09, 2024
• On Writing

  "Curiosity is the most powerful thing you own. Imagination is a force that can actually manifest a reality."

  writing

  Dec 09, 2024
• Page One: "The Hole" (2009)

  Written by Mark L. Smith

  writing

  Dec 09, 2024
• Story and the Question of Self-Identity

  Every story inevitably raises this question about the Protagonist: "Who are you?"

  writing

  Dec 08, 2024
• Why You Should Write Three Pages of Garbage Every Morning

  "Freewriting forces you to keep moving forward, keep creating, without a thought given to quality."

  writing

  Dec 08, 2024
• Page One: "Hold the Dark" (2018)

  Screenplay by Macon Blair, based on a book by William Giraldi

  writing

  Dec 08, 2024
• Video: 10 Writing and Directing Tips from Michael Mann

  Advice from the writer-director of Heat, The Insider, Ali, and many other films and TV series.

  writing

  Dec 07, 2024
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 8 New Scripts, 21 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Dec 07, 2024
• Page One: "Maria" (2024)

  Written by Steven Knight

  writing

  Dec 07, 2024
• Screenplays are stories, not formulas

  William Goldman has famously written, "Screenplays are structure." That is true in a tangible sense because at some point, a script becomes...

  writing

  Dec 06, 2024
• 2011 Go Into The Story Screenwriters Roundtable

  A conversation with Chris Borrelli, F. Scott Frazier, Jeremiah Friedman, Nick Palmer, Justin Rhodes, Greg Russo, John Swetnam

  Dec 06, 2024
• Page One: "Deadpool & Wolverine" (2024)

  Written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy

  writing

  Dec 06, 2024
• Video: Why "We're Not So Very Different, You And I"

  Another in the excellent screenwriting series Raising the Stakes.

  writing

  Dec 05, 2024
• Something is Better Than Nothing

  "No matter what you write, good or bad, it's an improvement to a blank page."

  creativity

  writing

  Dec 05, 2024
• Page One: "Red One" (2024)

  Screenplay by Chris Morgan, story by Hiram Garcia

  writing

  Dec 05, 2024
• To Write, Stop Thinking

  Think character. Think plot. Think theme. But when you sit down to write, don't think... feel.

  writing

  Dec 04, 2024
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 3 New Scripts, 13 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Dec 04, 2024
• Page One: "His Three Daughters" (2023)

  Written by Azazel Jacobs

  writing

  Dec 04, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Jeffrey Boam

  "Ultimately, plot is of little importance, more of a mechanical contrivance against which characters come to life. Plot tries to engage...

  writing

  film

  Dec 03, 2024
• Scene Description Spotlight: Express Your Voice

  On December 9th, I'll be offering an important one-week online class. It's called Scene Description Spotlight which sounds super practical...

  writing

  Dec 03, 2024
• Page One: "Hocus Pocus" (1993)

  Screenplay by Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert, story by David Kirschner and Mick Garris

  writing

  Dec 03, 2024
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 10 Total

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Dec 02, 2024
• On Writing

  "If you write one story, it may be bad; if you write a hundred, you have the odds in your favor."

  writing

  Dec 02, 2024
• Page One: "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" (2013)

  Screenplay by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro, novel by J.R.R. Tolkien

  writing

  Dec 02, 2024
• How to Break Into the Film Industry Without Any Connections

  The screenwriters of the smash hit movie A Quiet Place share the ins and outs of their journey to Hollywood.

  writing

  film

  Dec 01, 2024
• Go Into The Story Interview: Michael Ballin and Thomas Aguilar

  My interview with 2021 Black List writers.

  Dec 01, 2024
• Page One: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (2012)

  Screenplay by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro, novel by J.R.R. Tolkien

  writing

  Dec 01, 2024
• Writing Tip: Beginnings and Endings

  Remember when you first came up with the story idea you're currently writing? How great that felt?

  writing

  Nov 30, 2024
• Screenplay: The Importance of Establishing Narrative Voice

  From Page 1, Line 1, you must convey your story's tone and voice.

  writing

  Nov 30, 2024
• Page One: "The Hitman's Bodyguard" (2017)

  Written by Tom O'Connor

  writing

  Nov 30, 2024
• The Importance of Persistence in a Writer's Life

  "PERSIST on telling your story. PERSIST on reaching your audience. PERSIST on staying true to your vision."

  writing

  Nov 29, 2024
• Video: "The Christ Symbol"

  Another in the excellent screenwriting series Raising the Stakes.

  film

  Nov 29, 2024
• Page One: "A Hidden Life" (2019)

  Written by Terrence Malick

  writing

  Nov 29, 2024
• Make Words Your Friend

  When you bust it all down, writing is about choosing words. A writer can choose them well ... or not.

  writing

  Nov 28, 2024
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Nov 28, 2024
• Page One: "A Hero" a.k.a. "Ghahreman" (2021)

  Written by Asghar Farhadi

  writing

  Nov 28, 2024
• This is something you can do because this is something you have done!

  I get email:

  writing

  Nov 27, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "Clean Break

  Searchlight Pictures acquires drama spec script "Clean Break" written by Ryan Brennan. Via Deadline:

  writing

  Nov 27, 2024
• Page One: "Heavyweights" (1995)

  Written by Judd Apatow & Steven Brill

  writing

  Nov 27, 2024
• Reflections of 2024 Black List Feature Writer's Lab Participants

  Writers who participated in this year's Black List Feature Writer's Lab reflect on their experience.

  writing

  Nov 26, 2024
• On Writing

  "Style has always been in my mind the author's Self, the creative expression of that Self."

  writing

  Nov 26, 2024
• Page One: "Blink Twice" (2024)

  Written by Zoë Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum

  writing

  Nov 26, 2024
• Negative Fear, Positive Fear

  "Fear of writing, understandable, but a negative influence. However, fear of NOT writing and what that prospect could mean, that can be a...

  writing

  Nov 25, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Mark Boal

  "It's [The Hurt Locker] the not the first war movie to be told in chapters. Apocalypse Now is told in chapters, in sort of an episodic way...

  film

  Nov 25, 2024
• Page One: "The Idea of You" (2024)

  Screenpay by Michael Showalter and Jennifer Westfeldt, novel by Robinne Lee

  writing

  Nov 25, 2024
• Screenwriting Tip : "Earn this."

  When it comes to a scene where a character makes a critical choice, it's imperative that you — as the writer — have earned that moment.

  writing

  Nov 24, 2024
• On Writing

  "A writer has to have an imagination — that's what make a writer."

  writing

  Nov 24, 2024
• Page One: "My Old Ass" (2024)

  Written by Megan Park

  writing

  Nov 24, 2024
• Write "Yes" pages

  Advice to screenwriters from a literary manager.

  writing

  Nov 23, 2024
• Screenwriting Tip: How to Handle Blocks of Scene Description

  Think of each paragraph as a camera shot... with a catch.

  writing

  Nov 23, 2024
• Page One: "The Wild Robot" (2024)

  Screenplay Chris Sanders, book by Peter Brown

  writing

  Nov 23, 2024
• Screenwriting Tip: The Six Word Test

  If you're having trouble finding the focus of your story, try this test.

  writing

  Nov 22, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "Alignment"

  Fifth Season and Makeready acquire thriller spec script "Alignment" written by Natan Dotan. Via THR:

  film

  Nov 22, 2024
• Page One: "Inside Out 2" (2024)

  Screenplay by Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein, story by Kelsey Mann and Meg LeFauve

  writing

  Nov 22, 2024
• 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 6 New Scripts

  It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

  writing

  film

  Nov 21, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: "Go into the story and find the animals"

  Writing wisdom from a three year-old boy: My son Luke.

  writing

  Nov 21, 2024
• Page One: "Heavy Metal" (1981)

  Screenplay by Daniel Goldberg & Len Blum

  writing

  Nov 21, 2024
• Video: "What is subtext?"

  Another in the excellent screenwriting series Raising the Stakes.

  writing

  Nov 20, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: "The only way out is through"

  Imagine the process of writing a story as being a journey. Perhaps as you embark on your adventure, you have a map — an outline or beat...

  writing

  Nov 20, 2024
• Page One: "Heaven Can Wait" (1978)

  Screenplay by Elaine May and Warren Beatty, based upon a play by Harry Segal

  writing

  Nov 20, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: The Spirit of the Spec

  The creative empowerment of writing a spec script.

  writing

  Nov 19, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Carter Blanchard

  "Writing a script is like running a marathon. But it's also about training for that marathon. Research, plotting, character work..."

  writing

  film

  Nov 19, 2024
• Page One: "The Hate U Give" (2018)

  Screenplay by Audrey Wells, based upon the novel by Angie Thomas

  writing

  Nov 19, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Minimum Words, Maximum Impact

  I know the source of this mantra. It was one of my online screenwriting students. During a weekly live-chat session. I was going on and on...

  writing

  Nov 18, 2024
• On Writing

  "There are so many different kinds of writing and so many ways to work that the only rule is this: do what works. Almost everything has...

  writing

  Nov 18, 2024
• Page One: "Harriet" (2019)

  Screenplay by Gregory Allen Howard and Kasi Lemmons, story by Gregory Allen Howard

  writing

  Nov 18, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Test Your Story Concept

  Five questions to ask about a story idea to assess its viability as a scripted project.

  writing

  Nov 17, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "Test Drive"

  Twentieth Century Studios acquires action spec script "Test Drive" written by Matt Venne. Via Deadline:

  writing

  film

  Nov 17, 2024
• Page One: "Harlem Nights" (1989)

  Written by Eddie Murphy

  writing

  Nov 17, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Set-up and Payoffs

  One of the most important narrative elements screenwriters have available to us is set-ups and payoffs. The basic idea is this: We...

  writing

  Nov 16, 2024
• "Fear"

  A poem by Khalil Gibran describes both the Protagonist's journey ... and the writer's journey.

  writing

  Nov 16, 2024
• Page One: "The Happy Prince" (2018)

  Written by Rupert Everett

  writing

  Nov 16, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: 1, 2, 7, 14

  Here is a simple formula about three things — Read Scripts. Watch Movies. Write Pages. — you need to do to expand and deepen your...

  writing

  Nov 15, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Carter Blanchard

  "I might have been generous before, saying that they're going to read the first act. I would hope most of them do, and I'm sure no one's...

  writing

  film

  Nov 15, 2024
• Page One: "Hackers" (1995)

  Written by Rafael Moreu

  writing

  Nov 15, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Story as Psychological Journey

  "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek."

  writing

  Nov 14, 2024
• On Writing

  "A character has to be ignorant of the future, unsure about the past, and not at all sure what he's supposed to be doing."

  writing

  Nov 14, 2024
• Page One: "Gunpowder Milkshake" (2021)

  Written by Navot Papushado & Ehud Lavski

  writing

  Nov 14, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: "Movies don't owe anybody a living"

  The original quote is about music, but it pertains to all entertainment.

  writing

  Nov 13, 2024
• "How can I possibly find the time to write?" Try this approach.

  You can write 2 feature spec scripts per year ... by writing 1 page per day.

  writing

  Nov 13, 2024
• Page One: "Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio" (2022)

  Screenplay by Guillermo del Toro and Patrick McHale, screen story by Guillermo del Toro and Matthew Robbins, based on the book "Pinocchio"...

  writing

  Nov 13, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: If you write a great script...

  ...Hollywood will find you.

  writing

  Nov 12, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Shane Black

  "The feeling of finishing the script, the first draft, was the high. Everything that followed — though of interest, and sometimes slightly...

  writing

  film

  Nov 12, 2024
• Page One: "The Guest" (2014)

  Written by Simon Barrett

  writing

  Nov 12, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Imagematic writing

  Good screenwriting is visual writing. After all, movies are: Motion. Pictures.

  writing

  Nov 11, 2024
• On Writing

  "Mystery is the essential element of every work of art."

  writing

  Nov 11, 2024
• Page One: "Green Room" (2015)

  Written by Jeremy Saulnier

  writing

  Nov 11, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: "Don't think. Feel."

  With writing, there are times to think... and times to feel.

  writing

  Nov 10, 2024
• Some Inspiration for You

  I rediscover the very first draft of K-9 and I'm reminded of this singular truth: Good things CAN happen!

  writing

  Nov 10, 2024
• Page One: "Green Lantern" (2011)

  Screenplay by Greg Berlanti & Michael Green & Marc Guggenheim and Michael Goldenberg, screen story Greg Berlanti & Michael Green & Marc...

  writing

  Nov 10, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: "Beginning. Middle. End."

  Consider the universality of narrative in three movements.

  writing

  film

  Nov 09, 2024
• Report from the Austin Film Festival and Writers Conference

  Observations from an event I describe as "Woodstock for screenwriters."

  writing

  Nov 09, 2024
• Page One: "Grease" (1978)

  Screenplay by Bronte Woodard , based on the original musical by Jim Jacob and Warren Casey

  writing

  Nov 09, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Get the damn thing done!

  The one unalterable truth about writing a first draft.

  writing

  Nov 08, 2024
• Great Scene: "Tampopo"

  If you haven't seen the 1985 Tampopo, written and directed by Jûzô Itami, do yourself a favor and check it out. Starring the great Ken...

  film

  Nov 08, 2024
• Page One: "GoldenEye" (1995)

  Screenplay by Jeffrey Caine and Bruce Feirstein, story by Michael France, characters by Ian Fleming

  writing

  Nov 08, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Feet on the ground... head in the clouds

  A twist on a familiar adage speaks to the business of writing.

  writing

  Nov 07, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Shane Black

  "I studied William Goldman's writing style, especially the scripts for Marathon Man and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I found both of...

  writing

  film

  Nov 07, 2024
• Page One: "The Godfather Part III" (1990)

  Written by Mario Puzo & Francis Ford Coppola

  writing

  Nov 07, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Break your story in prep

  Let me begin with this acknowledgement: There is no right way to write. Each writer is different. Each story is different. There is no...

  writing

  Nov 06, 2024
• On Writing

  "Writing is a process of discovery. The biggest enemy is being satisfied. That's when you have to be most suspicious."

  writing

  Nov 06, 2024
• Page One: "Girls Trip" (2017)

  Screenplay by Kenya Barris & Tracy Oliver, story by Erica Rivinoja and Kenya Barris & Tracy Oliver

  writing

  Nov 06, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Similar but different

  Or Precedent and Analogy. However you refer to it, it's how Hollywood operates.

  writing

  film

  Nov 05, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "Final Score"

  Fifth Season and Makeready acquire crime thriller spec script "Final Score" written by Will Hettinger. Via Deadline:

  humor

  Nov 05, 2024
• Page One: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" (2011)

  Screenplay by Steven Zaillian, novel by Stieg Larsson

  writing

  Nov 05, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Living and writing in L.A.

  Let me say up front, there are advantages for a screenwriter to live in or near Los Angeles. Here are a few key ones:

  writing

  Nov 04, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "Three Hitmen and a Baby"

  Lionsgate acquires action comedy spec script "Three Hitmen and a Baby" written by Dave Matalon and Matt Altman. Via Deadline:

  writing

  film

  Nov 04, 2024
• Page One: "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" (2005)

  Written by Terence Winter

  writing

  Nov 04, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Stacking projects

  One key to the craft: Learn how to manage several projects at once.

  writing

  Nov 03, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "Love of Your Life"

  Amazon MGM acquires drama spec script "Love of Your Life" written by Julia Cox. Via Deadline:

  film

  Nov 03, 2024
• Page One: "Geostorm" (2017)

  Written by Dean Devlin & Paul Guyot

  writing

  Nov 03, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Know your genre

  If you want to write in a genre, you're wise to immerse yourself in it.

  writing

  Nov 02, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "Out There"

  Netflix acquires science fiction thriller spec script "Out There" written by Shane Van Dyke, Carey Van Dyke and Ian Levy. Via Deadline:

  humor

  film

  comics

  Nov 02, 2024
• Page One: "The Gentlemen" (2019)

  Screenplay by Guy Ritchie, story by Guy Ritchie & Ivan Atkinson & Marn Davies

  writing

  Nov 02, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Facing the odds

  How to sustain creativity in the face of considerable odds against success.

  writing

  Nov 01, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: Trailer Moments, Set Pieces and Bits Of Business (BOBs)

  You may have read countless screenwriting books. Attended seminars. Taken courses. But I doubt if you have stumbled across these three...

  writing

  Nov 01, 2024
• Page One: "Halloween" (1978)

  Screenplay by John Carpenter and Debra Hill

  writing

  Nov 01, 2024
• Create a Compelling Protagonist

  Workshop and develop your story's Protagonist in my one-week online class which begins Monday, November 4th.

  writing

  Oct 31, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: When something happens... something ELSE happens

  The dynamic dual nature of a screenplay universe.

  writing

  Oct 31, 2024
• Page One: "The Hills Have Eyes" (1977)

  Written by Wes Craven

  writing

  Oct 31, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Immerse Yourself in Cinema

  If you want to write movies, you need to love movies. And that love ought to manifest itself in a thorough, longstanding, and passionate...

  writing

  Oct 30, 2024
• Great Scene: "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"

  Many of the best movie scenes are payoffs to plot elements that have been set up earlier in the story. Often the set-up and payoff involves...

  film

  Oct 30, 2024
• Page One: "Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers" (1989)

  Written by Michael Jacobs & Dominique Othenin-Girard and Shem Bitterman, characters by John Carpenter and Debra Hill

  writing

  Oct 30, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: There are no screenwriting rules

  There are guidelines, conventional wisdom, patterns, and principles... but no rules.

  writing

  Oct 29, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Shane Black

  "I think about the audience in the sense that I serve as my own audience. I have to please myself that way, if I saw the movie in theater...

  writing

  film

  Oct 29, 2024
• Page One: "Hellraiser" (1987)

  Written by Clive Barker

  writing

  Oct 29, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Write what they're buying or sell them your dream

  There are many writing paths. Here are two of them.

  writing

  Oct 28, 2024
• On Writing

  "If you don't know what to write, ask your story, 'What are you trying to tell me?' Ask that and wait. There will be an answer."

  writing

  Oct 28, 2024
• Page One: "Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers" (1988)

  Screenplay by Alan B. McElroy, story by Dhani Lipsius & Larry Rattner & Benjamin Ruffner and Alan B. McElroy

  writing

  Oct 28, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: A spec script will not sell unless it has a strong story concept

  If you write a spec script based upon the first story idea that comes into your mind, that script likely won't sell.

  writing

  Oct 27, 2024
• Great Scene: "Young Frankenstein"

  One of the most inspired comedic moments in a truly inspired film: The "Puttin' on the Ritz" bit.

  film

  Oct 27, 2024
• Page One: "Happy Death Day" (2017)

  Written by Scott Lobdell

  writing

  Oct 27, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Watch movies. Read scripts. Write pages.

  You can learn pretty much everything you need to know about screenwriting by doing these three things:

  writing

  Oct 26, 2024
• Great Scene: "North by Northwest"

  It was one of the scenes which inspired Hitchcock to make the movie.

  writing

  film

  Oct 26, 2024
• Page One: "Halloween III: Season of the Witch" (1982)

  A trailer for the movie:

  writing

  Oct 26, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Learn the craft

  Being a screenwriter is much more than just writing a script.

  writing

  Oct 25, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: They will pigeonhole you (and why this can be a good thing)

  The co-star of K-9 was a dog named Jerry Lee.

  writing

  Oct 25, 2024
• Page One: "Halloween II" (1981)

  Written by John Carpenter & Debra Hill

  writing

  Oct 25, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: Screenplays are stories, not formulas

  "If you go in with formula, you come out with formula."

  writing

  Oct 24, 2024
• Page One: "Grandma" (2015)

  Written by Paul Weitz

  writing

  Oct 24, 2024
• 2024 Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference

  I'll be there moderating panels and participating in roundtables. Hope to see you there!

  writing

  Oct 24, 2024
• 30 Things About Screenwriting: There is no right way to write

  Learn all you can, but ultimately it's about your Stories and your Creative Self.

  writing

  Oct 23, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Loos & Emerson (1920)

  In my ongoing research into screenwriting, I discovered the book "How to Write Photoplays," written in 1920 by Anita Loos and her husband...

  writing

  Oct 23, 2024
• Page One: "Grace of Monaco" (2014)

  Written by Arash Amel

  writing

  Oct 23, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Final Close-Up [Part 4]

  "The genuine natural bent for photoplay writing is shown only in those who can write well and like to write. Before you attempt to write...

  writing

  Oct 22, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Brad Bird

  "To make something really great and different and interesting means taking risks and following these ideas in your head."

  writing

  Oct 22, 2024
• Page One: "The Good Nurse" (2022)

  Screenplay by Krysty Wilson-Cairns, based on the book by Charles Graeber

  writing

  Oct 22, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Final Close-Up [Part 3]

  "Many amateurs are prone to cheat their audiences by ending the story without some bit of action which spectators have been led to expect...

  writing

  film

  Oct 21, 2024
• On Writing

  "I only sleep two or three hours a day, so I'm writing all the time. I make notes wherever I can make them. I write in toilets, on planes...

  writing

  Oct 21, 2024
• Page One: "Good Night, and Good Luck" (2005)

  Written by George Clooney & Grant Heslov

  writing

  Oct 21, 2024
• Great Scene: "Past Lives"

  The quiet emotionally rich ending of this beautiful movie.

  writing

  film

  Oct 20, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Final Close-Up [Part 2]

  "If any considerable action takes place after the climax in the 'big scene,' you will have ruined your photoplay with one of these deadly...

  writing

  Oct 20, 2024
• Page One: "Good Kids" (2016)

  Written by Chris McCoy

  writing

  Oct 20, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Final Close-Up [Part 1]

  "Knowing when and how to stop is as important to a photoplay writer as to an after dinner speaker, but amateur scenarists, like amateur...

  writing

  film

  Oct 19, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: Three Scripts

  You write, you learn. And three scripts is a good target as a baseline for studying the craft. Then keeping writing ... keep learning ...

  writing

  Oct 19, 2024
• Page One: "The Front Runner" (2018)

  Written by Matt Bai & Jay Carson & Jason Reitman, based on a book written by Matt Bai

  writing

  Oct 19, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Midway in the Photoplay [Part 7]

  "Many amateur photoplay writers are very clever in getting their characters into terribly involved situations; but they are not so clever...

  writing

  Oct 18, 2024
• Great Scene: "North by Northwest"

  It was one of the scenes which inspired Hitchcock to make the movie.

  writing

  film

  Oct 18, 2024
• Page One: "Gold" (2016)

  Written by Patrick Massett & John Zinman

  writing

  Oct 18, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Midway in the Photoplay [Part 6]

  "By showing more and more action, you will elaborate your plot in the best way."

  writing

  Oct 18, 2024
• On Writing

  "Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you walk into an open sewer and die."

  writing

  Oct 17, 2024
• Page One: "Fruitvale Station" (2013)

  Written by Ryan Coogler

  writing

  Oct 17, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Midway in the Photoplay [Part 5]

  "When you are at a loss to carry on the action, cut over to the parallel line of action which is taking place in the next street or the...

  writing

  Oct 16, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Amy Berg

  "At the end of the day, the only thing that really defines a person is the choices they make. The characters in your scripts should be no...

  writing

  Oct 16, 2024
• Page One: "From Dusk Till Dawn" (1996)

  Written by Quentin Tarantino, story by Robert Kurtzman

  writing

  Oct 16, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Midway in the Photoplay [Part 4]

  "It is inadvisable to attempt a minor plot in a photoplay unless it has a distinct and important bearing on your big story."

  writing

  Oct 15, 2024
• On Writing

  "Anything that isn't writing is easy."

  writing

  Oct 15, 2024
• Page One: "The Frighteners" (1996)

  Written by Fran Walsh & Peter Jackson

  writing

  Oct 15, 2024
• The Owl Screenwriting Workshop

  Reflections on reconnecting with the 2023–2024 cohort and working with the 2024–2025 group last week in Athens, Greece.

  writing

  film

  Oct 14, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Midway in the Photoplay [Part 3]

  "The plot within the plot is one form of elaboration on the spoken stage."

  writing

  Oct 14, 2024
• Page One: "The French Lieutenant's Woman" (1981)

  Screenplay by Harold Pinter, novel by John Fowles

  writing

  Oct 14, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "Sporkinfeesten"

  Amazon MGM announces its acquisition of the comedy spec script "Sporkinfeesten" written by Aaron Eisenberg and Will Eisenberg. Via...

  writing

  film

  Oct 13, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Midway in the Photoplay [Part 2]

  "If the characters are not real enough to you to predominate the story, the photoplay will be without the vital human appeal which sells...

  writing

  Oct 13, 2024
• Page One: "Frantic" (1988)

  Written by Roman Polanski & Gérard Brach

  writing

  Oct 13, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Midway in the Photoplay [Part 1]

  "Every new turn of the plot must not only interest the audience, but must make them ask mentally, 'I wonder what will come next' or 'How...

  writing

  Oct 12, 2024
• Great Scene: "No Country For Old Men"

  "You need to call it. I can't call it for you. It wouldn't be fair. It wouldn't even be right."

  writing

  film

  Oct 12, 2024
• Page One: "French Kiss" (1995)

  Written by Adam Brooks

  writing

  Oct 12, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: How To Begin [Part 2]

  "Always try to tell the basic facts of the plot in as few scenes and sub titles as possible. The audience is not interested in the life...

  writing

  Oct 11, 2024
• Great Scene: "Night Shift"

  "What are we really talking about here? What's the essence of what we're talking about? I'll spell it out for you. PROSTITUTION!"

  writing

  Oct 11, 2024
• Page One: "Frantic" (1988)

  Written by Roman Polanski & Gérard Brach

  writing

  Oct 11, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: How To Begin [Part 1]

  "A good beginning, the value of which appears to have been sadly underrated by most amateurs, makes a photoplay nearly as salable as a good...

  writing

  Oct 10, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: There's a green light...

  I'm attending a fundraiser for my son's elementary school. It's an alternative private school on the Westside, an institution that prides...

  writing

  film

  Oct 10, 2024
• Page One: "French Exit" (2020)

  Written by Patrick DeWitt based on his book

  writing

  Oct 10, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Denouement [Part 3]

  "Coincidence does not enter into real life every day. It is quite permissible, however, as a basis for a story, but it is bad form to base...

  writing

  Oct 09, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Amy Berg

  "For me, there's no set formula, but you always want your characters to lead the plot, rather than plot leading your characters. The way to...

  writing

  Oct 09, 2024
• Page One: "Free Guy" (2021)

  Screenplay by Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn, story by Matt Lieberman

  writing

  Oct 09, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Denouement [Part 2]

  "The two important rules in building up to the denouement of your plot are: First, bring the situation to the highest or lowest possible...

  writing

  Oct 08, 2024
• What do 'Wall-E' and 'Logan' have in common?

  Both movies use a simple gesture to pack an emotional wallop.

  film

  Oct 08, 2024
• Page One: "Frank" (2014)

  Written by Jon Ronson & Peter Straughan, newspaper article by Jon Ronson

  writing

  Oct 08, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Denouement [Part 1]

  "Working up to the denouement, or in other words, the moment of revelation when the audience sees the point of the story, unquestionably...

  writing

  Oct 07, 2024
• On Writing

  "Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations."

  writing

  Oct 07, 2024
• Page One: "Frankie" (2019)

  Screenplay by Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias

  writing

  Oct 07, 2024
• Great Scene: "Network"

  "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

  writing

  Oct 06, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Pictorial Element

  "Most tableaus, of course, have been done many times. It is up to you to think up new and unique ways of combining beauty with drama in one...

  writing

  film

  Oct 06, 2024
• Page One: "The Fourth Kind" (2009)

  Screenplay by Olatunde Osunsanmi, story by Olatunde Osunsanmi & Terry Robbins

  writing

  Oct 06, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Writing for the Censors [Part 3]

  "You must be twice as careful as writers in any other field or your story will surely be returned to you with a rejection slip."

  writing

  Oct 05, 2024
• Script Analysis: "Argo" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

  Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

  writing

  Oct 05, 2024
• Page One: "Four Rooms" (1995)

  Allison Anders (segment "The Missing Ingredient"), Alexandre Rockwell (segment "The Wrong Man"), Robert Rodriguez (segment "The...

  writing

  Oct 05, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Writing for the Censors [Part 2]

  "While no human mind can remember the innumerable conflicting rules of these small town boards, since each local censor has his own ideas...

  writing

  film

  Oct 05, 2024
• Great Scenes: "The Natural"

  "He swings — violently and perfectly — the ball exploding off his bat."

  writing

  Oct 05, 2024
• Page One: "Focus" (2015)

  Written by Glenn Ficarra & John Requa

  writing

  Oct 04, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "Outdueled"

  Amazon MGM acquires action adventure spec script "Outdueled" written by F. Scott Frazier and Jimmy Loweree. Via Deadline:

  film

  Oct 04, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Writing for the Censors [Part 1]

  "No producer will take a chance on a story which may be disapproved entirely or mangled by the cutting of important scenes after it is...

  writing

  film

  Oct 03, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: There are three kinds of people in Hollywood

  Story. Some get it. Some kinda get it. And some... well...

  writing

  Oct 03, 2024
• Page One: "The Founder" (2016)

  Written by Robert Siegel

  writing

  Oct 03, 2024
• Great Scene: "Moonrise Kingdom"

  My favorite movie sequence of 2012 is this one from Moonrise Kingdom, written by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola.

  film

  Oct 02, 2024
• On Writing

  "If you want to write, if you want to create, you must be the most sublime fool that God ever turned out and sent rambling. You must write...

  writing

  Oct 02, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Cutting The Picture [Part 3]

  "Another factor in cutting is 'tempo.' The author should decide the relative length of scenes."

  writing

  Oct 02, 2024
• Page One: "The Fly II" (1989)

  Screenplay by Mick Garris and Jim Wheat & Ken Wheat and Frank Darabont, story by Mick Garris, based on characters created by George...

  writing

  Oct 02, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Cutting The Picture [Part 2]

  "The secret of fine cutting lies in a resolve to work with an open mind, to reject your pet scene if the director has evolved a better one...

  writing

  Oct 01, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Amy Berg

  "There's more rising and falling tension in a television show versus a film where it tends to be a more steady build to the climax... A way...

  writing

  film

  Oct 01, 2024
• The 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge is over!

  Time to start prepping for the next one in March 2025!

  productivity

  Oct 01, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Cutting The Picture [Part 1]

  Yes, you read that right. A studio. Calling in the writers. To cut the movie. After the director has shot it.

  writing

  Oct 01, 2024
• Character Development Keys

  Starting October 7, my one-week online class not only immerses you in five key archetypes, you also use them to workshop one of your...

  writing

  Oct 01, 2024
• Page One: "The Fly" (1986)

  Screenplay by Charles Edward Pogue and David Cronenberg, story by George Langelaan

  writing

  Oct 01, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 30

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 30, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: What to Write and Not to Write [Part 3]

  "At the present time, the material most in demand is the story with the emotional woman as the star."

  writing

  Sep 30, 2024
• On Writing

  "First, find out what your hero wants, then just follow him."

  writing

  Sep 30, 2024
• Page One: "Flatliners" (2017)

  Screenplay by Ben Ripley, story by Peter Filardi

  writing

  Sep 30, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 29

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 29, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: What to Write and Not to Write [Part 2]

  "Almost every conceivable situation has occurred to a writer somewhere in the past. You can, however, get a new story by adding a new theme...

  writing

  Sep 29, 2024
• Great Scene: "Moonlight"

  The quiet, but intense final scene where Black confesses a secret to Kevin.

  film

  Sep 29, 2024
• Page One: "Flashdance" (1983)

  Screenplay by Tom Hedley and Joe Eszterhas, story by Tom Hedley

  writing

  Sep 29, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 28

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 28, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: What to Write and Not to Write [Part 1]

  "It takes hard work to create a new plot, so beware of the one which comes too easily."

  writing

  Sep 28, 2024
• Great Scene: "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"

  The famous Black Night scene.

  film

  Sep 28, 2024
• Page One: "First They Killed My Father" (2017)

  Screenplay by Loung Ung & Angelina Jolie, based on the book "First They Killed My Father" by Loung Ung

  writing

  Sep 28, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 27

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 27, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Kinds Of Stories That Sell [Part 5]

  "The amateur must always remember that people go to the motion picture theater to forget their troubles and become young again in a world...

  writing

  Sep 27, 2024
• "Perfectly Happy, Even Without Happy Endings"

  Several people sent me a link to this NYT article and for good reason: It has some ideas screenwriters should definitely contemplate...

  writing

  Sep 27, 2024
• Page One: "The Firm" (1993)

  Screenplay by David Rabe and Robert Towne & David Rayfiel, novel by John Grisham

  writing

  Sep 27, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 26

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 26, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Kinds Of Stories That Sell [Part 4]

  "Few people like to cry, but every one likes to laugh. Therefore, the story with many laughs has a hundred fold better chance than the one...

  writing

  Sep 26, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: The Power of "No"

  As a screenwriter, you need to be prepared to say this word: "No."

  writing

  Sep 26, 2024
• Page One: "Firestorm" (1998)

  Written by Chris Soth

  writing

  Sep 26, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 25

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 25, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Kinds Of Stories That Sell [Part 3]

  "The exhibitor wants the sort of story that can be exploited from the box office point of view, for a photoplay that does not lend itself...

  writing

  Sep 25, 2024
• Great Scene: "Moneyball"

  How the song "The Show" nails a key theme in the story.

  writing

  Sep 25, 2024
• Page One: "Fingernails" (2023)

  Written by Christos Nikou & Sam Steiner & Stavros Raptis

  writing

  Sep 25, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 24

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  creativity

  writing

  Sep 24, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Kinds Of Stories That Sell [Part 2]

  "In writing for a producer, try to conform to the type of picture he has been making."

  writing

  Sep 24, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Robert Benton

  "David [Newman] and I felt that the line dividing a criminal and an upright citizen is much more subtle than most people realize, and...

  writing

  film

  Sep 24, 2024
• Page One: "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool" (2017)

  Screenplay by Matt Greenhalgh, based on a book by Peter Turner

  writing

  Sep 24, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 23

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 23, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Kinds Of Stories That Sell [Part 1]

  "It should be remembered that in literature and drama alike there is an artistic side and a practical side. Often the real masterpiece lies...

  writing

  Sep 23, 2024
• On Writing

  "You must stay drunk on writing so reality may not destroy you."

  writing

  Sep 23, 2024
• Page One: "The Fifth Element" (1997)

  Screenplay by Luc Besson & Robert Mark Kamen, story by Luc Besson

  writing

  Sep 23, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 22

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 22, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The "Interest" [Part 2]

  "To inspire emotion in your audience you must have been inspired with emotion yourself... Make yourself feel the things you are writing...

  writing

  Sep 22, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Roberto Bentivegna

  "Always remember how much you love movies. Always remember the movies that you grew up on, that you obsessed about, that you watched over...

  writing

  film

  Sep 22, 2024
• Page One: "A Few Good Men" (1992)

  Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin based on his play

  writing

  Sep 22, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 21

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 21, 2024
• On Writing

  "Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you're doomed."

  writing

  Sep 21, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The "Interest" [Part 1]

  "What he means by this 'interest' query is to ask if your story has the element of human sympathy."

  writing

  Sep 21, 2024
• Page One: "Fast Color" (2018)

  Written by Julia Hart & Jordan Horowitz

  writing

  Sep 21, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 20

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  creativity

  writing

  Sep 20, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Character On The Screen [Part 4]

  "Character development means a change in character taking place during the story... Any change of character during the story is legitimate...

  writing

  Sep 20, 2024
• Great Scene: "Michael Clayton"

  Clayton confronts Crowder, then rides alone with his thoughts.

  film

  Sep 20, 2024
• Page One: "Fast and Furious" (2009)

  Written by Chris Morgan, characters by Gary Scott Thompson

  writing

  Sep 20, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 19

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 19, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Character On The Screen [Part 3]

  "A good method is to introduce important characters with some characteristic incident."

  writing

  Sep 19, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: The Importance of a Writers Group

  There's that image of a writer. Sequestered in a room. Struggling over a blank piece of paper. Crumpled pages strewn about. A cup of booze...

  writing

  Sep 19, 2024
• Page One: "The Fast and the Furious" (2001)

  Screenplay by Gary Scott Thompson and Erik Bergquist and David Ayer, screen story by Gary Scott Thompson, magazine article by Ken Li

  writing

  Sep 19, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 18

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 18, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Character On The Screen [Part 2]

  "Failure to concentrate on this essential of plot making (developing of character) has been responsible for the wishy-washy substance of...

  writing

  Sep 18, 2024
• Great Scene: "The Matrix"

  "You take the blue pill, the story ends... you take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland."

  writing

  Sep 18, 2024
• Page One: "Far from the Madding Crowd" (2015)

  Screenplay by David Nichols, novel by Thomas Hardy

  writing

  Sep 18, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 17

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 17, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Character On The Screen [Part 1]

  "Every character in the story of the scenarist should be established as an individual — a living, breathing, real person."

  writing

  Sep 17, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Charles Bennett

  "The construction is the most important goddamned thing. It's like building a house — you have to build the outside properly before you...

  writing

  Sep 17, 2024
• Page One: "Fences" (2016)

  Screenplay by August Wilson based upon his play

  writing

  Sep 17, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 16

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 16, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Actor's Angle [Part 2]

  "It is your duty to think up situations which call for the necessary bits of business."

  writing

  Sep 16, 2024
• On Writing

  "Plot is people. Human emotions and desires founded on the realities of life, working at cross purposes, getting hotter and fiercer as they...

  writing

  Sep 16, 2024
• Page One: "Fallen" (1998)

  Written by Nick Kazan

  writing

  Sep 16, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 15

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 15, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Actor's Angle [Part 1]

  "It would be possible to plant the jealousy motif by a sub-title. It would be better artistry to show the husband staring after the wife...

  writing

  Sep 15, 2024
• Go Into The Story Interview: Stephany Folsom

  My 2014 in-depth interview with the screenwriter of Toy Story 4, consulting producer and writer on the TV series The Lord of the Rings: The...

  writing

  film

  Sep 15, 2024
• Page One: "The Faculty" (1998)

  Screenplay by Kevin Williamson, story by David Wechter & Bruce Kimmel

  writing

  Sep 15, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 14

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 14, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Scenery for Scenarios

  "The matter of economy in settings is perhaps the very last thing that enters the mind of the amateur photodramatist — one big reason why...

  writing

  Sep 14, 2024
• Great Scene: "Manhunter"

  I think we'd all admit the first time Clarice Starling meets Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, that was a great scene.

  film

  Sep 14, 2024
• Page One: "Eye in the Sky" (2015)

  Written by Guy Hibbert

  writing

  Sep 14, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 13

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 13, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Writing for the Camera

  "No scenarist is a genius to his cameraman... [they] have a common bond in the conviction that 90 per cent of the scenario writers have...

  writing

  Sep 13, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: The Crazed Life of a Studio Executive

  There is nothing laid-back about movie execs who live life in the fast lane and this impacts you — the writer.

  writing

  Sep 13, 2024
• Page One: "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" (2019)

  Written by Michael Werwie, based on a book by Elizabeth Kendall

  writing

  Sep 13, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 12

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 12, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Marketing the Script

  "Don't let one or a dozen rejection slips discourage you. Make a collection of them to show your friends when you become famous."

  writing

  Sep 12, 2024
• Great Scene: "Magnolia"

  The 'frog storm' near the end of Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999 movie.

  writing

  film

  Sep 12, 2024
• Page One: "The Expendables" (2010)

  Screenplay by David Callaham and Sylvester Stallone, story by David Callaham

  writing

  Sep 12, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 11

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 11, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Title

  "Although a good story is the first requisite, the title of the photoplay is most important from the point of view of the exhibitor."

  writing

  Sep 11, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Tom Benedek

  "Every script we write is a piece of ourselves. We may say we are writing a script because we want to position ourselves somewhere in the...

  writing

  Sep 11, 2024
• Page One: "The Exorcist III" (1990)

  Screenplay by William Peter Blatty, based on his novel

  writing

  Sep 11, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 10

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  creativity

  writing

  Sep 10, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Continuity (Part 2)

  "Confusion as to the characters is ruinous. Don't get your audience interested in minor characters at the start. Keep your important...

  writing

  Sep 10, 2024
• Keys to Handling Exposition

  Take my 1-week online class to learn ways to make exposition entertaining. Begins Monday, September 16, 2024.

  writing

  Sep 10, 2024
• Page One: "Exorcist II: The Heretic" (1977)

  Written by William Goodhart, based on characters created by William Peter Blatty

  writing

  Sep 10, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 9

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 09, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Continuity (Part 1)

  "The continuity writer visualizes the story in a series of scenes."

  writing

  film

  Sep 09, 2024
• On Writing

  "First you have nothing, and then, astonishingly, after ripping out your brain and your heart and betraying your friends and ex-lovers and...

  writing

  Sep 09, 2024
• Page One: "Excalibur" (1981)

  Screenplay by Rospo Pallenberg and John Boorman, adaptation by Rospo Pallenberg, book by Thomas Malory

  writing

  Sep 09, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 8

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 08, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Story Synopsis

  "The first step in preparing a photoplay is to put it into plain English telling the entire plot in from 500 to 1,500 words. This is called...

  writing

  Sep 08, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Nikole Beckwith

  "I think if you're inviting people into a story, you should invite them into all parts of that story. I tried to inhabit each character as...

  writing

  film

  Sep 08, 2024
• Page One: "Evolution" (2001)

  Screenplay by David Diamond & David Weissman and Don Jakoby, story by Don Jakoby

  writing

  Sep 08, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 7

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity

  writing

  Sep 07, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Action [Part 5]

  "Never take your audience off the path of the real plot."

  writing

  Sep 07, 2024
• Great Scene: "Little Miss Sunshine"

  Read how screenwriter Michael Arndt scripted Olive's dance routine in his Oscar-winning screenplay.

  writing

  film

  Sep 07, 2024
• Page One: "Evil Dead" (2013)

  Screenplay by Fede Alvarez & Rodo Sayagues, based on the motion picture "The Evil Dead", written by Sam Raimi

  writing

  Sep 07, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 6

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 06, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Action [Part 4]

  "Action may be mental as well as physical."

  writing

  Sep 06, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: The Art of Stacking Projects

  Note: This is a reprint of an article from 2012.

  writing

  Sep 06, 2024
• Page One: "The Evil Dead" (1981)

  Written by Sam Raimi

  writing

  Sep 06, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 5

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 05, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Action [Part 3]

  "One method of heightening the suspense is by foreshadowing coming events without actually giving the secret away."

  writing

  Sep 05, 2024
• The Black List Helped Reshape Hollywood. Can It Change Publishing?

  The Black List expands into novels and fiction-writing.

  writing

  Sep 05, 2024
• Page One: "Event Horizon" (1997)

  Written by Philip Eisner

  writing

  Sep 05, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 4

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 04, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Action [Part 2]

  "Never let anything superfluous creep into your plot. Never stop the progress of events to explore blind alleys."

  writing

  Sep 04, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Ron Bass

  "I've always felt that writing was communication — not showing off how articulate you are, or showing off your vocabulary. It's about...

  writing

  Sep 04, 2024
• Page One: "Everybody Wants Some!!" (2016)

  Written by Richard Linklater

  writing

  Sep 04, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 3

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 03, 2024
• Story Summaries: From Loglines to Beat Sheets

  Learn six different types of story summaries and how to use them to develop your scripted projects. My one-week online class starts Monday...

  writing

  Sep 03, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Action [Part 1]

  "The actors may walk around engaged in animated conversation, perhaps assault each other, but the only action which counts is that which...

  writing

  Sep 03, 2024
• Page One: "Eraser" (1996)

  Screenplay by Tony Puryear and Walon Green, story by Tony Puryear and Walon Green & Michael S. Chernuchin

  writing

  Sep 03, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 2

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  creativity

  writing

  Sep 02, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Star Sympathy

  "Be sure your audience is stirred to real sympathy, throw that sympathy to the star part, and be sure that this star part which you have...

  writing

  Sep 02, 2024
• On Writing

  "Characters are not created by writers. They pre-exist and have to be found."

  writing

  Sep 02, 2024
• Page One: "Equity" (2016)

  Screenplay by Amy Fox, story by Sarah Megan Thomas & Alysia Reiner and Amy Fox

  writing

  Sep 02, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 1

  One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

  writing

  Sep 01, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Theme

  "Found your story on an original truth of such universal interest that when your climax comes everybody in the audience from stenographer...

  writing

  Sep 01, 2024
• Great Scene: "Life of Brian"

  Today: The 1979 movie Life of Brian, written by Graham Chapman & John Cleese & Terry Gilliam & Eric Idle & Terry Jones & Michael Palin...

  film

  Sep 01, 2024
• Page One: "End of Watch" (2012)

  Written by David Ayer

  writing

  Sep 01, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Theme

  "Found your story on an original truth of such universal interest that when your climax comes everybody in the audience from stenographer...

  writing

  Sep 01, 2024
• Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 5: Reader Identification

  Tap into the Protagonist's qualities which a reader can connect with.

  writing

  Aug 31, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Situation

  If you are a screenwriter, you should know about Anita Loos. Loos was one of the most influential writers in the early stages of American...

  writing

  Aug 31, 2024
• Script To Screen: "12 Monkeys"

  From the 1995 movie 12 Monkeys, screenplay by David Webb Peoples and Janet Peoples.

  writing

  Aug 31, 2024
• Page One: "Empire of Light" (2022)

  Written by Sam Mendes

  writing

  Aug 31, 2024
• Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 4: Character = Function

  Every character in a screenplay has to be there for a reason. That is their narrative function, who they are and what they do tied to the...

  writing

  Aug 30, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Crisis and Conflict

  "Crisis and conflict are the great essentials of a dramatic story."

  writing

  Aug 30, 2024
• Go Into The Story Interview: Scott Beck and Bryan Woods

  My 2018 in-depth conversation with the writing duo whose breakout film A Quiet Place turned into a horror franchise, spawning two sequels...

  Aug 30, 2024
• Page One: "Emergency" (2022)

  Written by K.D. Dávila

  writing

  Aug 30, 2024
• Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Getting Ideas

  If you are a screenwriter, you should know about Anita Loos. She was one of the most influential writers in the early history of American...

  writing

  film

  Aug 29, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "Minnie Buttons"

  Huckleberry Media acquires spec script "Minnie Buttons" written by Adam D. Boyer. Via Deadline:

  writing

  Aug 29, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: Swag

  When you're a movie star, things like this happen:

  writing

  Aug 29, 2024
• Page One: "Emancipation" (2022)

  Written by William N. Collage

  writing

  Aug 29, 2024
• Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 3: Plot Emerges From Character

  No matter what paradigm or theory you use to craft your screenplay's plot, the single most important thing you can do is this: Start with...

  writing

  Aug 28, 2024
• "How to Write Photoplays" by John Emerson and Anita Loos

  If you are a screenwriter, you should know about Anita Loos. Loos was one of the most influential writers in the early history of American...

  writing

  Aug 28, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Ron Bass

  "Everything I write is in three acts, and I actually start with three pieces of paper. I have some notion of where each act begins and...

  writing

  Aug 28, 2024
• Page One: "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain" (2021)

  Screenplay by Simon Stephenson and Will Sharpe, story by Simon Stephenson

  writing

  Aug 28, 2024
• The Coen Brothers and the Craft of Storytelling

  My one-week online class begins Monday, September 2nd.

  writing

  Aug 27, 2024
• Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 2: The Protagonist's Arc

  Transformation lies at the heart of the character's arc.

  writing

  Aug 27, 2024
• Writing Advice from Matt Stone and Trey Parker

  A video from over a decade ago resurfaces on social media.

  writing

  Aug 27, 2024
• Page One: "The Edge of Seventeen" (2016)

  Written by Kelly Fremon Craig

  writing

  Aug 27, 2024
• Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 1: Writing Scenes

  With every scene, you should ask yourself this question: What is the scene's Beginning, Middle, and End?

  writing

  Aug 26, 2024
• On Writing

  "For your born writer, nothing is so healing as the realization that he has come upon the right word."

  writing

  Aug 26, 2024
• Go Into The Story Interview: Jimmy Miller

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  Aug 26, 2024
• Page One: "Eddie the Eagle" (2015)

  Screenplay by Sean Macaulay and Simon Kelton, story by Simon Kelton

  writing

  Aug 26, 2024
• Screenwriting Tip: From Zero Draft... to Hero Draft

  "There are no mistakes. There are CHOICES. We have a scene. Or a character. Or a dialogue exchange. Whatever we're writing, it represents...

  writing

  Aug 25, 2024
• Interview (Part 6): Jimmy Miller

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Aug 25, 2024
• Great Scene: "Kramer vs. Kramer"

  Two scenes making french toast provide signposts to measure the nature of a father-son relationship.

  film

  Aug 25, 2024
• Page One: "Dutch" (1991)

  Written by John Hughes

  writing

  Aug 25, 2024
• Interview (Part 5): Jimmy Miller

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Aug 24, 2024
• A series analyzing Pixar writer-director Andrew Stanton's TED Talk

  "The Clues to a Great Story."

  writing

  Aug 24, 2024
• Script To Screen: "12 Years a Slave"

  From the 2013 movie 12 Years a Slave, screenplay by John Ridley, based on a memoir by Solomon Northup.

  writing

  film

  Aug 24, 2024
• Page One: "Duplicity" (2009)

  Written by Tony Gilroy

  writing

  Aug 24, 2024
• If you feel the pull toward creative interests ... embrace it.

  A quote from a well-known poet reminded me of a critical time in my past.

  creativity

  writing

  poetry

  Aug 23, 2024
• Interview (Part 4): Jimmy Miller

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Aug 23, 2024
• A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director's TED Talk

  Andrew Stanton is one of the key members of Pixar's 'braintrust' whose screenwriting credits include Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2...

  writing

  Aug 23, 2024
• Page One: "Dune" (1984)

  Screenplay by David Lynch, novel by Frank Herbert

  writing

  Aug 23, 2024
• Interview (Part 3): Jimmy Miller

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Aug 22, 2024
• A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director's TED Talk

  Andrew Stanton is one of the key members of Pixar's 'braintrust' whose screenwriting credits include Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2...

  writing

  Aug 22, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: Surviving a Script Notes Meeting

  Filmmaking, they say, is a "collaborative" effort. To a screenwriter, what this effectively means is that everybody gets to mess with your...

  writing

  Aug 22, 2024
• Page One: "Driving Miss Daisy" (1989)

  Screenplay by Alfred Uhry based on his play

  writing

  Aug 22, 2024
• Pound Out That First Draft!

  Go from FADE IN to FADE OUT in my upcoming online writing workshop. Starts August 26!

  writing

  Aug 21, 2024
• A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director's TED Talk

  Andrew Stanton is one of the key members of Pixar's 'braintrust' whose screenwriting credits include Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2...

  writing

  film

  Aug 21, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Alan Ball

  "[In American Beauty] Lester's a man who in midlife has completely lost his passion about living, as do many people who have mind-numbing...

  writing

  film

  Aug 21, 2024
• Page One: "Dressed to Kill" (1980)

  Written by Brian De Palma

  writing

  Aug 21, 2024
• Interview (Part 2): Jimmy Miller

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Aug 20, 2024
• A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director's TED Talk

  Andrew Stanton is one of the key members of Pixar's 'braintrust' whose screenwriting credits include Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2...

  writing

  Aug 20, 2024
• On Writing

  "Writing, I think, is not apart from living. Writing is a kind of double living. The writer experiences everything twice. Once in reality...

  writing

  Aug 20, 2024
• Page One: "Dredd" (2012)

  Screenplay by Alex Garland, character created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra

  writing

  Aug 20, 2024
• Interview (Part 1): Jimmy Miller

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Aug 19, 2024
• A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director's TED Talk

  Andrew Stanton is one of the key members of Pixar's 'braintrust' whose screenwriting credits include Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2...

  writing

  Aug 19, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 26: Tragedy vs. Epic Poems

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 19, 2024
• Page One: "DragonHeart" (1996)

  Screenplay by Charles Edward Pogue, story by Patrick Read Johnson & Charles Edward Pogue

  writing

  Aug 19, 2024
• A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director's TED Talk.

  Andrew Stanton is one of the key members of Pixar's 'braintrust' whose screenwriting credits include Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2...

  writing

  Aug 18, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 25: Impossible and Improbable

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 18, 2024
• Script to Screen: "(500) Days of Summer"

  Tom's best day ever plays out as a music video accompanied by Hall & Oates.

  writing

  film

  Aug 18, 2024
• Page One: "Dr. No" (1962)

  Screenplay by Richard Maibaum & Johanna Harwood & Berkely Mather, based on the novel by Ian Fleming

  writing

  Aug 18, 2024
• 2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge!

  One month. Fade In. Fade Out. Write an entire zero draft.

  writing

  Aug 17, 2024
• Andrew Stanton TED Talk: "Clues to a Great Story"

  A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director's TED Talk.

  writing

  Aug 17, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 24: Tragedy and Epic Poem

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 17, 2024
• Page One: "Downhill" (2020)

  Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, inspired by the motion picture "Force Majeure" by Ruben Östlund

  writing

  Aug 17, 2024
• Andrew Stanton TED Talk: "Clues to a Great Story"

  A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director's TED Talk.

  writing

  Aug 16, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 23: Unity of Action

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 16, 2024
• Videos: Academy Originals Screenwriter Interviews

  Featuring John August, Ava DuVernay, Eric Roth, Aline Brosh McKenna, David Seidler, Dustin Lance Black, and more.

  writing

  film

  Aug 16, 2024
• Page One: "Doubt" (2008)

  Screenplay by John Patrick Shanley, play by John Patrick Shanley

  writing

  Aug 16, 2024
• Andrew Stanton TED Talk: "Clues to a Great Story"

  A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director's TED Talk.

  writing

  Aug 15, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 22: Word Choice

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 15, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: There is always another way

  Between writing assignments, I wrote a spec script. It's a contained thriller called "Legacy," about a child psychiatrist who ends up on a...

  writing

  Aug 15, 2024
• Page One: "The Double" (2013)

  Written by Richard Ayoade and Avi Korine, story by Avi Korine, novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky

  writing

  Aug 15, 2024
• Andrew Stanton TED Talk: "Clues to a Great Story"

  A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director's TED Talk.

  writing

  Aug 14, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Parts 20+21: Language and Words

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 14, 2024
• Script To Screen: "A Serious Man"

  Leave it to the Coen brothers (Joel and Ethan) to come up with a denouement in their 2009 movie A Serious Man that resolves virtually...

  writing

  film

  Aug 14, 2024
• Page One: "Dope" (2015)

  Written by Rick Famuyiwa

  writing

  Aug 14, 2024
• Script To Screen: "A Quiet Place"

  The terrifying opening incident is a master class in demonstrating how to use paragraphs of scene description to suggest individual camera...

  writing

  Aug 13, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 19: Thought and Diction

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 13, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: George Axelrod

  "Writing is such a mysterious process for me. For example, I don't use a computer, because I like the manual feeling of building something...

  writing

  Aug 13, 2024
• Page One: "Don't Worry Darling" (2022)

  Screenplay by Katie Silberman, story by Carey Van Dyke & Shane Van Dyke and Katie Silberman

  writing

  Aug 13, 2024
• "Don't let the facts get in the way of the story"

  Reflections on a Hollywood axiom and the power of emotional logic.

  writing

  film

  Aug 12, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 18(D): Chorus

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 12, 2024
• On Writing

  "One thing that helps is to give myself permission to write badly. I tell myself that I'm going to do my five or 10 pages no matter what...

  writing

  Aug 12, 2024
• Page One: "Doctor Sleep" (2019)

  Screenplay by Mike Flanagan, novel by Stephen King

  writing

  Aug 12, 2024
• Great Scene: "King of Hearts"

  In a fundamental way, screenwriting is scene-writing, so the more we learn about this aspect of the craft, the better.

  writing

  film

  Aug 11, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 18(C): Multiplicity of Plots

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  film

  Aug 11, 2024
• Script To Screen: "The Abyss"

  One of the most dramatic scenes from the 1989 movie The Abyss, written by James Cameron.

  writing

  Aug 11, 2024
• Page One: "Disclosure" (1994)

  Screenplay by Paul Attanasio, novel by Michael Crichton

  writing

  Aug 11, 2024
• Script To Screen: "Adaptation"

  A memorable scene from the 2002 movie Adaptation, screenplay by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman, book by Susan Orlean.

  writing

  Aug 10, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 18(B): Four Kinds of Tragedy

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 10, 2024
• Scene Description Spotlight: "(500) Days of Summer"

  One of the best moments in the delightful film (500) Days of Summer is the morning-after-having-sex-with-Summer-big-dance-bit.

  writing

  film

  Aug 10, 2024
• Page One: "Dirty Girl" (2010)

  Written by Abe Sylvia

  writing

  Aug 10, 2024
• Go Into The Story Interview: Scott Derrickson

  My in-depth 2018 conversation with co-writer and director of the Marvel movie Doctor Strange as well as horror movies The Exorcism of Emily...

  Aug 09, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 18(A): Complication and Denouement

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 09, 2024
• Script To Screen: "Air Force One"

  The movie version of this pivotal scene is much different than the script.

  writing

  Aug 09, 2024
• Page One: "Dinner for Schmucks" (2010)

  Screenplay by David Guion & Michael Handelman

  writing

  Aug 09, 2024
• Go Into The Story Interview: Lisa Joy

  My 2014 in-depth conversation with the creator and co-executive producer of the HBO series Westworld, the Amazon series Fallout, and...

  Aug 08, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 17: Plot and Episode

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 08, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: Spec scripts aren't just for aspiring screenwriters

  You may think a spec script is something only relevant to aspiring screenwriters. Not true.

  writing

  Aug 08, 2024
• Page One: "The Descent" (2005)

  Written by Neil Marshall

  writing

  Aug 08, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "Hurt People"

  Netflix acquires legal thriller spec script "Hurt People" written by Melissa London Hilfers. Via Deadline:

  film

  Aug 07, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 16: Recognition

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 07, 2024
• Script To Screen: "Airplane!"

  A memorable scene from the 1981 comedy featuring the actress who played June Cleaver on Leave It To Beaver, screenplay by Jim Abrahams &...

  writing

  Aug 07, 2024
• Page One: "Denial" (2016)

  Screenplay by David Hare, book by Deborah Lipstadt

  writing

  Aug 07, 2024
• Writing Aids: 90 Words for "looks" and 115 Words for "walks"

  Movies are primarily a visual medium. Therefore as screenwriters, we need to think visually... and write visually.

  writing

  Aug 06, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 15(C): The Example of Good Portrait Painters

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 06, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: John August

  "Sometimes it's like, you wrote one really good sentence. You may never get called out for it, the props for it you deserve, but you know...

  writing

  film

  Aug 06, 2024
• Page One: "Den of Thieves" (2018)

  Screenplay by Christian Gudegast, story by Christian Gudegast & Paul T. Scheuring

  writing

  Aug 06, 2024
• Script to Screen: "The Graduate"

  This memorable montage from the 1967 movie The Graduate, screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry, novel by Charles Webb.

  film

  Aug 05, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 15(B): The Unraveling of the Plot

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 05, 2024
• On Writing

  "Why do writers write? Because it isn't there."

  writing

  Aug 05, 2024
• Page One: "Deep Star Six" (1989)

  Written by Lewis Abernathy and Geof Miller

  writing

  Aug 05, 2024
• Go Into The Story Interview: Harris McCabe

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  Aug 04, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 15(A): Four Qualities of a Tragic Hero

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 04, 2024
• Script to Screen: "Alien"

  Here is a memorable scene from Alien (1979), screenplay Dan O'Bannon, story by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett.

  writing

  film

  Aug 04, 2024
• Page One: "Death Proof" (2007)

  Written by Quentin Tarantino

  writing

  Aug 04, 2024
• Interview (Part 6): Harris McCabe

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Aug 03, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 14(B): The Conditions of a Tragedy

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 03, 2024
• Great Scene: "Goodfellas"

  "Funny how? What's funny about it?"

  film

  Aug 03, 2024
• Page One: "Death Becomes Her" (1992)

  Written by Martin Donovan & David Koepp

  writing

  Aug 03, 2024
• Interview (Part 5): Harris McCabe

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Aug 02, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 14(A): Fear and Pity

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 02, 2024
• Writing and the Creative Life: Writing sprint? How about a writing walk!

  If you frequent Twitter — and more specifically writers on Twitter — you may have run across the idea of a writing sprint. I first...

  writing

  Aug 02, 2024
• Page One: "Death at a Funeral" (2007)

  Written by Dean Craig

  writing

  Aug 02, 2024
• Interview (Part 4): Harris McCabe

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Aug 01, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 13(B): A Well-Constructed Plot

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Aug 01, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: Sometimes you're just going to get it wrong

  In which I got it completely and utterly wrong about a movie project which went on to win six Oscars.

  writing

  Aug 01, 2024
• Page One: "The Dead Zone" (1983)

  Screenplay by Jeffrey Boam, based on the novel by Stephen King

  writing

  Aug 01, 2024
• Interview (Part 3): Harris McCabe

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 31, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 13(A): A Perfect Tragedy

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 31, 2024
• Script To Screen: "Aliens"

  It's Surrogate Mother vs. Alien Mother in this memorable fight scene.

  writing

  Jul 31, 2024
• Page One: "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" (2014)

  Written by Mark Bomback and Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver, based on characters created by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver

  writing

  Jul 31, 2024
• Interview (Part 2): Harris McCabe

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 30, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 12: Prologue, Episode, Exode and Chorus

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  film

  Jul 30, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: John August

  "If you have four ideas, all equally viable, I'd recommend writing the one that has the best ending. That's the one you've thought through...

  writing

  film

  Jul 30, 2024
• Page One: "Dawn of the Dead" (2004)

  Screenplay by James Gunn, based on the 1978 screenplay by George A. Romero

  writing

  Jul 30, 2024
• Interview (Part 1): Harris McCabe

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 29, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 11: Reversal, Recognition and Suffering

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 29, 2024
• On Writing

  "Here's one simple rule to remember: Characters carry theme. Always. Develop your characters fully and set them in the story world where...

  writing

  Jul 29, 2024
• Page One: "Darkest Hour" (2017)

  Written by Anthony McCarten

  writing

  Jul 29, 2024
• Go Into The Story Interview: Kayla Sun

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  Jul 28, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 10: Simple and Complex Plots

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 28, 2024
• Script To Screen: "All About Eve"

  A scene from the 1950 movie All About Eve, written by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and featuring one of the most famous lines of dialogue in movie...

  writing

  Jul 28, 2024
• Page One: "Dark City" (1998)

  Screenplay by Alex Proyas and Lem Dobbs and David S. Goyer, story by Alex Proyas

  writing

  Jul 28, 2024
• Interview (Part 6): Kayla Sun

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 27, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 9(D): Surprise, Cause and Effect

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  film

  Jul 27, 2024
• On Writing

  "People forget years and remember moments."

  writing

  Jul 27, 2024
• Page One: "Daredevil" (2003)

  Written by Mark Steven Johnson

  writing

  Jul 27, 2024
• Interview (Part 5): Kayla Sun

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 26, 2024
• Happy Birthday, Carl Jung: Screenwriting Guru!

  Swiss psychotherapist and founder of analytical psychology Carl Jung was born today in 1875. He died in 1961 at the age of 85.

  writing

  Jul 26, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 9(C): Episodic

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 26, 2024
• Page One: "D2: The Mighty Ducks" (1994)

  Written by Steven Brill, characters by Steven Brill

  writing

  film

  Jul 26, 2024
• Interview (Part 4): Kayla Sun

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 25, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 9(C): Episodic

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 25, 2024
• The Business of Screenwriting: Sometimes you just have to say "Yes"

  I am sitting in the Beverly Hills office of my entertainment lawyer. In front of me is a contract. It's for a writing assignment. My gig...

  writing

  Jul 25, 2024
• Page One: "The Cutting Edge" (1992)

  Written by Tony Gilroy

  writing

  Jul 25, 2024
• Interview (Part 3): Kayla Sun

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 24, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 9(B): Possibility, Probability and Necessity

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 24, 2024
• Script To Screen: "Almost Famous"

  A terrific movie Almost Famous (2000), written and directed by Cameron Crowe. One of the keys to creating drama is to put characters under...

  writing

  film

  Jul 24, 2024
• Page One: "Curly Sue" (1991)

  Written by John Hughes

  writing

  Jul 24, 2024
• Interview (Part 2): Kayla Sun

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  film

  Jul 23, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 9(A): Poet and Historian

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 23, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: John August

  "While working on Big Fish, I got very Method: I'd stare at a mirror until I could get myself crying, and then I would start writing. It...

  writing

  film

  Jul 23, 2024
• Page One: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (2008)

  Screenplay by Eric Roth, story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald

  writing

  Jul 23, 2024
• Interview (Part 1): Kayla Sun

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  film

  Jul 22, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 8: Unity

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 22, 2024
• On Writing

  "To be a novelist or a short story writer, you first have to pretend to be a writer or a short story writer."

  writing

  Jul 22, 2024
• Page One: "The Crow" (1994)

  Screenplay by David J. Schow and John Shirley, based on a comic book series by James O'Barr

  writing

  Jul 22, 2024
• Go Into The Story Interview: c. Craig Patterson

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  Jul 21, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 7(C): Story Length and Change of Fortune

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  film

  Jul 21, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "Familiar"

  Paramount Pictures acquires horror thriller spec script "Familiar" written by Julien Magnat. Via Deadline:

  film

  Jul 21, 2024
• Page One: "Critters" (1986)

  Screenplay by Domonic Muir and Stephen Herek, story by Domonic Muir

  writing

  Jul 21, 2024
• Interview (Part 6): c. Craig Patterson

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 20, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 7(B): Beauty, Magnitude and Order

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 20, 2024
• Writing and the Creative Life: What are you afraid of?

  The single greatest inhibitor to creativity is fear. Do you recognize any of these voices?

  writing

  Jul 20, 2024
• Page One: "Crimson Peak" (2015)

  Written by Guillermo del Toro & Matthew Robbins

  writing

  Jul 20, 2024
• Interview (Part 5): c. Craig Patterson

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  film

  Jul 19, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 7(A): Beginning, Middle, End

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 19, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Guillermo Arriaga

  "I've written novels and screenplays, and with a screenplay you are writing something that's going to be filmed, and you have to understand...

  writing

  film

  Jul 19, 2024
• Page One: "Creed II" (2018)

  Screenplay by Juel Taylor and Sylvester Stallone, story by Sascha Penn and Cheo Hodari Coker, characters created by Sylvester Stallone

  writing

  Jul 19, 2024
• Interview (Part 4): c. Craig Patterson

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 18, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 6(G): Spectacle Sixth

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 18, 2024
• On Writing

  "Creation of character is, like much of fiction writing, a mixture of subjective feel and objective control."

  writing

  Jul 18, 2024
• Page One: "Creed" (2015)

  Screenplay by Ryan Coogler & Aaron Covington, story by Ryan Coogler, characters created by Sylvester Stallone

  writing

  Jul 18, 2024
• Interview (Part 3): c. Craig Patterson

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 17, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 6(F): Diction Fourth, Song Fifth

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 17, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "If I Had Your Face"

  Orion Pictures acquires horror spec script "If I Had Your Face" written by Ran Ran Wang. Via Deadline:

  film

  Jul 17, 2024
• Page One: "Crawl" (2019)

  Written by Michael Rasmussen & Shawn Rasmussen

  writing

  Jul 17, 2024
• Interview (Part 2): c. Craig Patterson

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  film

  Jul 16, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 6(E): Thought Third

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 16, 2024
• The Theology of Cinema Live!

  Five multimedia presentations from the popular Go Into The Story series, August 5–9 in Frankfort, Michigan.

  writing

  film

  Jul 16, 2024
• Page One: "The Craft" (1996)

  Screenplay by Peter Filardi and Andrew Fleming, story by Peter Filardi

  writing

  Jul 16, 2024
• Interview (Part 1): c. Craig Patterson

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  film

  Jul 15, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 6(D): Plot First, Character Second

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 15, 2024
• "My world is not spectacle and explosion. It's two people talking."

  Words of writing wisdom from Taika Watiti.

  writing

  Jul 15, 2024
• Page One: "Corpse Bride" (2005)

  Screenplay by John August and Caroline Thompson and Pamela Pettler, characters by Tim Burton and Carlos Grangel

  writing

  Jul 15, 2024
• Go Into The Story Interview: Brent Delaney

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 14, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 6(C): The 6 Parts of Tragedy, Part 2

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 14, 2024
• Script To Screen: "Amadeus"

  The glorious "Requiem" scene from the 1984 movie Amadeus, screenplay by Peter Shaffer based on his original stage play.

  writing

  Jul 14, 2024
• Page One: "Copycat" (1995)

  Written by Ann Biderman and David Madsen

  writing

  Jul 14, 2024
• Interview (Part 6): Brent Delaney

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 13, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 6(B): Character and Thought

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 13, 2024
• Spec Script Deal: "Over Asking"

  Paramount Pictures acquires erotic thriller spec script "Over Asking" written by Caroline Dries. Via Deadline:

  film

  Jul 13, 2024
• Page One: "Cool Runnings" (1993)

  Screenplay by Lynn Siefert and Tommy Swerdlow & Michael Goldberg, story by Lynn Siefert & Michael Ritchie

  writing

  Jul 13, 2024
• Interview (Part 5): Brent Delaney

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  film

  Jul 12, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 6(A): The 6 Parts of Tragedy

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 12, 2024
• Writing and the Creative Life: The Joy of Running... Creatively Speaking

  "Does some creative block have you feeling stuck? Go for a run. Are you deliberating between one of two potentially life-altering...

  creativity

  writing

  Jul 12, 2024
• Page One: "Contagion" (2011)

  Written by Scott Z. Burns

  writing

  Jul 12, 2024
• Interview (Part 4): Brent Delaney

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  film

  Jul 11, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 5: Comedy and Epic Poetry

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  film

  Jul 11, 2024
• Reader Question: Are screenplay contests any good or not?

  With literally dozens of script competitions, this is an important question.

  writing

  Jul 11, 2024
• Page One: "Coneheads" (1993)

  Written by Tom Davis & Dan Aykroyd and Bonnie Turner & Terry Turner

  writing

  Jul 11, 2024
• Interview (Part 3): Brent Delaney

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 10, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 4: Poetry and the Development of Tragedy

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 10, 2024
• "Good isn't good enough. You have to be great."

  If you've been paying attention to the business of Hollywood, you're probably aware that Skydance is taking over Paramount.

  writing

  film

  Jul 10, 2024
• Page One: "Commando" (1985)

  Screenplay by Steven E. de Souza, story by Jeph Loeb & Matthew Weisman and Steven E. de Souza

  writing

  Jul 10, 2024
• Interview (Part 2): Brent Delaney

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 09, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 3: Medium, Objects, Manner

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 09, 2024
• Screenwriting 101: Guillermo Arriaga

  "I have no education at all in screenwriting. But when I have read all these manuals of screenwriting, they say things that I will never...

  writing

  film

  Jul 09, 2024
• Page One: "Coming to America" (1988)

  Screenplay by David Sheffield & Barry W. Blaustein, story by Eddie Murphy

  writing

  Jul 09, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 3: Medium, Objects, Manner

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  film

  Jul 09, 2024
• Interview (Part 1): Brent Delaney

  My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

  writing

  Jul 08, 2024
• Studying Aristotle's "Poetics" — Part 2: Moral Character, Types, Tragedy and Comedy

  As I've been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again...

  writing

  Jul 08, 2024
• On Writing

  "If you're going to be a writer, there's nothing I can say to stop you."

  writing

  Jul 08, 2024