Scott Myers

1st Quarter 2012: Spec Script Sales

2012 Spec Script Sales: 1st Quarter 1. Title: The Incredible True Story of Jessica & Drew Who Accidentally Boned on the Way to the Wedding Logline: The story centers on two people who, while on the way to a destination wedding and with other partners on their minds, hook up

Spec Script Sale: “Manhattan Undying”

Sobini Films and Payam Films acquire vampire drama spec “Manhattan Undying” from writer Matt Deller. From Variety: A beautiful vampire commissions an artist to paint her so she can see herself for the first time. She is unaware that the artist is dying and desperately working to create his last

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 6

This is the third 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 through during this series of posts. Here’s another one: Story ideas are worth gold in Hollywood. I’m

Great Character: Jeff Lebowski (“The Big Lebowski”)

In the 1998 movie The Big Lebowski (written and directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen), the Protagonist character is Jeff Lebowski aka “The Dude.” Here is how he is introduced in the script: INTERIOR RALPH'SIt is late, the supermarket all but deserted. We are tracking in on

Daily Dialogue — April 6, 2012

Coffey: You tell God the Father it was a kindness you done. (takes his hand) I know you hurtin’ and worryin’, I can feel it on you, but you oughtta quit on it now. Because I want it over and done. I do. Coffey hesitates–now he’s the one

Reader Question: Are there professional screenwriters who just focus on writing spec scripts?

From American Jetsetters: Are there any writers who are purely represented for their spec scripts/just want to write specs and maybe the occasional too-good-to-turn-down hire? As in, they’re also writing novels (or something else) or don’t necessarily need the money? First off, it’

Video: “I’m Han Solo”

C’mon, people! Put your hands in the air like you just don’t care, and dance… “I’m Han Solo”?!?! HT to Pop and Hiss [LAT]. Comment Archive

Movie Trailer: “Savages”

http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:756692/cp~id%3D1682549%26vid%3D756692%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A756692 Screenplay by Don Winslow & Shane Salerno, based on Winslow’s novel IMDB site Release Date: 6 July 2012 [U.S.]

1st Quarter 2012: Studio Box Office Numbers

Last year at this time, the chatter was what was wrong with domestic box office, the first quarter the beginning of a poor 12 months resulting in the lowest number of ticket sales in over a decade. First quarter 2012? No problem! Up 23.2% compared to 2011 [$2,572,

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 5

This is the third 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 through during this series of posts. Here’s another one: Thinking up new story ideas keeps you on your

The Business of Screenwriting: Who does what in a writer-representative relationship?

Let’s assume you get a manager and/or agent to represent you. Then what? What are their responsibilities as a representative? What are yours as a writer? Who does what in a writer-representative relationship? Every writer is different. Every rep is different. So obviously, working relationships between writers,

Daily Dialogue — April 5, 2012

“The question is: have I learned anything about life? Only that… only that human beings are divided into mind and body. The mind embraces all the nobler aspirations, like poetry and philosophy, but the body has all the fun. The important thing, I think, is not to be bitter. You

“Who Really Determines the Fates of Aspiring Screenwriters?”

I was all set to load up a new Reader Question, but then Gavin Polone came out with his weekly Vulture column today. While all of his columns are excellent, this one is a must-read for aspiring and even working screenwriters: Last week, during the Supreme Court hearing on

Feature: Don Winslow (“Savages”)

I don’t have the time to read as many novels as I’d like, but one I did get to last year on the strong recommendation of a friend was “Savages” by Don Winslow. It’s terrific. So I was interested to see this article yesterday in The PlayList

Movie Trailer: “The Giant Mechanical Man”

Yahoo! Video PlayerEdit descriptiond.yimg.com Written and directed by Lee Kirk IMDB site Release date: 27 April 27 2012 [U.S.]

10 Producers Who Will Change Hollywood in 2012

TheWrap yesterday with a feature on 10 movie producers who will “change Hollywood.” Here’s the list: ANNAPURNA PICTURES Megan Ellison Upcoming Projects: “The Master,” “Lawless,” “Cogan’s Trade,” “The Grandmasters,” “Zero Dark Thirty” and an untitled Charlie Kaufman-Spike Jonze project. BCDF PICTURES Brice Dal Farra, Claude Dal Farra,

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 4

This is the third 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 through during this series of posts. Here’s another one: You can evolve into being a writer-producer. Let’

Script To Screen: “Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back”

This is cool: From the 1980 movie Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back [screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, story by George Lucas], the entire light sabre duel strung together as one continuous sequence without the cutaways to other action. Setup: It’s Luke versus Darth Vader

Daily Dialogue — April 4, 2012

SERA: So, Ben, what brings you to Las Vegas? Business convention? BEN: No, I came here to drink… myself… you know… SERA: To death? BEN: Yes, that’s right. Sera… what you don’t understand is… SERA: What? BEN: You can never… never… ask me to stop drinking. Do you

Reader Question: What about “set pieces” and how to use them in a script?

From Tommy Lee: I was wondering if you could give any insight into writing set pieces and working them into your script, it’s something I haven’t come across in the books I’ve read. Do you think of set pieces and structure your movie around them? Thanks! Tommy,

Rear Window Timelapse

This is rather mind blowing. From Slashfilm: Jeff Desom built a sort of 3D digital model of the apartment courtyard from Alfred Hitchcock‘s film Rear Window, and then composited all the events seen from the window of Jimmy Stewart‘s apartment into a single shot that covers a couple

“‘Mirror Mirror’: What happened to the fairy-tale renaissance?”

Steve Zeitchik in yesterday’s LA Times: This was supposed to be the era of the fairy-tale movie. Big studios threw big money at big stars to take us to the land of happily ever after. In part, this was — let’s be honest — because the source material came

Movie Trailer: “To Rome With Love”

Yahoo! Video PlayerEdit descriptiond.yimg.com Written and directed by Woody Allen IMDB site Release Date: 20 April 2012 [Italy], 22 June 2012 [U.S.] Comment Archive

Hollywood’s Waning Creativity

Have you seen this chart? Pretty startling, isn’t it? In 1981, 8 of the top 15 movies in terms of domestic B.O. were original stories. In 2011, the total was precisely zero. Several observations: * The conventional wisdom in the 80s, born out by the facts, was that sequels

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 3

This is the third 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 through during this series of posts. Here’s another one: Being able to generate original story ideas sets you