Scott Myers

5 Screenwriting Skills: #1 — Talent

During the nearly 5 years I’ve run this blog, I have been privileged to do one-on-one interviews with a number of screenwriters, especially this year as I set a goal to post a Q&A per week for 2013. Over the course of those interviews, it’

On Writing

“The first sentence can’t be written until the final sentence is written.” — Joyce Carol Oates

Daily Dialogue — March 18, 2013

Buddusky: He don’t stand a chance in Portsmouth, you know. You know that, don’t you? Goddamn grunts, kickin’ the shit outta him for eight years… he don’t stand a chance. Mulhall: I don’t want to hear about it. Buddusky: ‘Maggot’ this, ‘maggot’ that… Marines are really

Go Into The Story Week In Review: March 11-March 17, 2013

Links to some of the key posts this week: 5 Screenwriting Traits: #1 — Passion 5 Screenwriting Traits: #2 — Courage 5 Screenwriting Traits: #3 — Consistency 5 Screenwriting Traits: #4 — Flexibility 5 Screenwriting Traits: #5 — Persistence The Business of Screenwriting: Everything You Wanted to Know About Specs [Part 5: Developing the Spec

Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Arrest

We have a whole new batch of Daily Dialogue themes extending into July!!! That’s right, summer is almost here! And we kick things off with this one: Arrests, suggested by Teddy Pasternak. The usual drill: * Copy/paste dialogue from IMDB Quotes or some other transcript source. * Copy/paste the

Interview: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber — “(500) Days of Summer”, “The Spectacular Now”

Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber have written scripts that have made the Black List a remarkable 5 times, broke in with the hit indie film (500) Days of Summer, and have become go-to guys for adapting novels having written screenplays for The Spectacular Now (to be released

“Luke’s Change: An Inside Job”

Put on your tin foil caps, conspiracy buffs. Maybe the destruction of the Death Star wasn’t as it seemed… From the video’s YouTube site: An examination of some questionable events and circumstances leading up to the destruction of the Death Star, through the eyes of an amateur investigative

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Final Close-Up [Part 1]

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 cinema, associated with 136 film projects per IMDB. Married to writer John Emerson, the pair wrote one of the first books on screenwriting in 1920:

Screenwriting News (March 11-March 17, 2013)

Joe Ahearne adapting fantasy “The Beast” for Disney. Brad Desch adapting debut novel “Shotgun Lovesongs” for Fox Searchlight. Matt Flynn and Linda McKinley set up animated “It’s a Dog’s World” at Reliance MediaWorks. Josh Friedlander sells untitled action comedy pitch to Universal with preemptive buy. Phil Johnston adapting

Spec Script Sale: “All the Good Ones Get Away”

1984 Private Defense Contractors acquires contained thriller spec script “All the Good Ones Get Away” written by Elliot San. Logline: A Perfect Murder meets Hard Candy. Deal includes a progress-to-production component that requires the project to go into production in 2013. San is repped by WME and Energy

Daily Dialogue — March 17, 2013

Man: ‘Evening, squire! Squire: (stiffly) Good evening. Man: Is, uh,…Is your wife a goer, eh? Know whatahmean, know whatahmean, nudge nudge, know whatahmean, say no more? Squire: I, uh, I beg your pardon? Man: Your, uh, your wife, does she go, eh, does she go, eh? Squire: (flustered) Well,

50 year anniversary: “To Kill a Mockingbird”

The movie To Kill a Mockingbird premiered in L.A. on December 25, 1962, then in New York on February 14, 1963, but it opened nationwide 50 years ago today. Here is the movie’s original trailer: The movie is, of course, based on the novel by Harper Lee. Horton

Interview: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber — “(500) Days of Summer”, “The Spectacular Now” (Part 6)

Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber have written scripts that have made the Black List a remarkable 5 times, broke in with the hit indie film (500) Days of Summer, and have become go-to guys for adapting novels having written screenplays for The Spectacular Now (to be released

Great Scene: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”

One of the most memorable scenes in one of the most memorable John Hughes movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: EXT. STATE STREET. FLOAT Ferris is playing “TWIST AND SHOUT” on the accordian. The  girls on the float are singing. FERRIS  WELL, SHAKE IT UP, BABY, NOW! GIRLS  SHAKE IT

Saturday Hot Links

Welcome to another installment of Saturday Hot Links. Today: The Goat Remix Edition! Here is the best article I’ve read about the “Veronica Mars” Kickstarter initiative. Joss Whedon on Kickstarter and “Firefly”. 8 short-lived TV shows that should used crowd-funding to make a movie. 25 amazing facts

Written Interview: Lena Dunham

20 questions with writer-director-actor Lena Dunham (Tiny Furniture, “Girls”) in the latest issue of Playboy: Playboy: How much do you enjoy making viewers uncomfortable? Dunham: It’s not interesting for me to make art about things we’re all okay with. I make art to explore our darker

Daily Dialogue — March 16, 2013

Sir Frederick Gray, Minister of Defence: My God, what’s Bond doing? Q: I think he’s attempting re-entry, sir. — Moonraker (1979), screenplay by Christopher Wood The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is innuendo, suggested by Hawkewood. Today’s suggestion by Mark Walker. Trivia: Producer Albert R. Broccoli

Daily Dialogue themes wanted!

The Daily Dialogue cupboard is bare, ergo time to replenish it. What suggestions do you have for a Daily Dialogue Theme? It has to be something that can sustain at least 7 good memorable movie suggestions. It’s great if it’s a theme whereby we can find accompanying video,

Interview: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber — “(500) Days of Summer”, “The Spectacular Now” (Part 5)

Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber have written scripts that have made the Black List a remarkable 5 times, broke in with the hit indie film (500) Days of Summer, and have become go-to guys for adapting novels having written screenplays for The Spectacular Now (to be released

Vimeo: Self-Distribution Platform for Filmmakers?

Vimeo made a potentially significant announcement this week. From IndieWire: At SXSW today, Vimeo’s announced the launch of an open self-distribution service that will allow filmmakers and other video creators to sell their work directly via rental or download, and to keep 90% of the revenue after transaction

Movie Trailer: “The Hangover Part III”

Written by Todd Phillips & Craig Mazin, characters created by Jon Lucas & Scott Moore This time, there’s no wedding. No bachelor party. What could go wrong, right? But when the Wolfpack hits the road, all bets are off. IMDB site Release Date: 24 May 2013 (USA)

5 Screenwriting Traits: #5 — Persistence

During the nearly 5 years I’ve run this blog, I have been privileged to do one-on-one interviews with a number of screenwriters, especially this year as I set a goal to post a Q&A per week for 2013. Over the course of those interviews, it’

Great Character: Matty Walker (“Body Heat”)

This month’s theme: Femme fatale. Today’s guest post by Jason Cuthbert features Matty Walker from the 1981 Body Heat, written by Lawrence Kasdan. What is life like after your first two produced screenwriting assignments are The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark, arguably the absolute

Daily Dialogue — March 15, 2013

QUILTY: Hello. HUMBERT: You’re addressing me? I thought perhaps there was someone with you. QUILTY: No, I’m not really with someone. I’m with you. I didn’t mean that as an insult. What I meant was that I’m with the State Police here, and…when I’

Spec Script Sale: “One Night on the Hudson”

Universal acquires comedy spec script “One Night on the Hudson” written by T.J. Fixman. From Deadline: The logline: Rookie cop and the criminal he caught go on the lam from crooked cops. Director: Seth Gordon. Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis to star. Fixman is repped by WME. By my