Scott Myers

“Everything You Need to Know About Writing Successfully: in Ten Minutes”

In 1986, best-selling author and screenwriter Stephen King first published this article in The Writer. Here is an excerpt from that article, 12 aspects of successful writing: 1. Be talented This, of course, is the killer. What is talent? I can hear someone shouting, and here we are, ready

Great Character: Howard Beale (“Network”)

It’s one of the most memorable movie roles in the last 50 years: TV anchorman become crazed prophet, and Dark Mentor Howard Beale, an Oscar-winning role for actor Peter Finch in the 1976 movie Network: A TV network cynically exploits a deranged ex-TV anchor’s ravings and

Daily Dialogue — January 7, 2011

Turkish: Well, do you want to do it? Mickey: That depends. Turkish: On what? Mickey: On you buying this caravan. Not the rouge one, the rose. Turkish: It’s not the same caravan. Mickey: It’s not the same fight. Turkish: It’s twice the fucking size of the last

The Screenwriter’s Art: “True Grit”

On Sunday, January 2nd, the NYT had a special section called The Oscars. It’s got some excellent articles and I highly recommend it. One of the features they ran was excerpts from four screenplays, each likely to be nominated for this year’s Academy Awards. Today: True Grit, screenplay

Studio Report Cards: Disney

TheWrap has done a series of Studio Report Cards assessing how well — or not — the major studios did in terms of box office performance in 2010. I’ll be featuring excerpts from those articles each day for the next week or so. Today: Disney Disney Grade: B Disney was the

“The Other 100 Greatest Movie Insults of All Time “ (NSFW)

Our friend Harry Hanrahan (hh1edits), a U.K.-based editor, is back with another wonderful film compilation: Other compilations by Harry include: 100 Movie Characters Saying ‘Get out of there’ Cinema’s Best Human Villains 160 Greatest Arnold Schwarzenegger Quotes The 100 Cheeziest Movie Quotes of All Time The 100

Seven intriguing movie storylines for 2011

“24 Frames” with an interesting look at seven movie storylines for this year: January brings New Year’s resolutions, holiday hangovers and, apparently, a lot of “The Dilemma” commercials. Although the Vince Vaughn vehicle isn’t a huge storyline in moviedom, there are a number of narratives in and around

Daily Dialogue — January 6, 2011

“I would like to direct this to the distinguished members of the panel: You lousy cork-soakers. You have violated my farging rights. Dis somanumbatching country was founded so that the liberties of common patriotic citizens like me could not be taken away by a bunch of fargin iceholes… like

The Screenwriter’s Art: “The King’s Speech”

On Sunday, January 2nd, the NYT had a special section called The Oscars. It’s got some excellent articles and I highly recommend it. One of the features they ran was excerpts from four screenplays, each likely to be nominated for this year’s Academy Awards. Today: The King’s

Happy 70th Birthday, Hayao Miyazaki!

Nice little notice here in the WAPO. And check this out: The scene was Hall H in 2009, as Pixar founder John Lasseter introduced Miyazaki and his latest film, “Ponyo,” to the reverent anime fans. Lasseter had asked Miyazaki about his creative process. Now, Miyazaki, speaking through a translator, was

Studio Report Cards: Universal

TheWrap has done a series of Studio Report Cards assessing how well — or not — the major studios did in terms of box office performance in 2010. I’ll be featuring excerpts from those articles each day for the next week or so. Today: Universal: Universal Grade: C+ It was a

“Phil Ochs: There but for Fortune”

Nice THR review of a new documentary by filmmaker Ken Bowser: Phil Ochs: There but for Fortune. The lede: Kenneth Bowser’s terrific documentary is a poignant portrait of an uncompromising artist who, despite a struggle with depression that eventually led to his suicide at age 35, believed in the

Screenwriting 101: Dennis Lehane

START WITH CHARACTERS: “The plot is just the vehicle by which the characters are revealed. You create a bunch of characters and let them start bouncing into one another. That’s how a good story happens.” KEEP ’EM MOVING: “My agents has a great line: ‘Alice was down the rabbit

Daily Dialogue — January 5, 2011

Booger: “Okay Takashi, what ya’ got?” Takashi: “Oh, I sink I have a frush?” Booger: “What the fuck is a frush?” Takashi: “You know, a frush.” Booger: “Yeah, well I got two sevens, and two sevens beats a frush.” Takashi: “Oh, sank you veddy much.”  — Dudley “Booger” Dawson (Curtis Armstrong)

The Screenwriter’s Art: “Rabbit Hole”

On Sunday, January 2nd, the NYT had a special section called The Oscars. It’s got some excellent articles and I highly recommend it. One of the features they ran was excerpts from four screenplays, each likely to be nominated for this year’s Academy Awards. Today: Rabbit Hole, screenplay

“Tron Lebowski”

Via YouTube: Discover the mysterious missing chapter between Tron and Tron 2.0! Starring Jeff Bridges, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, and John Goodman as the Master Control Program! What did people think of Tron: Legacy? I thought it was… okay. A boatload of exposition. But it’s worth it to

Studio Report Cards: Sony

TheWrap has done a series of Studio Report Cards assessing how well — or not — the major studios did in terms of box office performance in 2010. I’ll be featuring excerpts from those articles each day for the next week or so. Today: Sony: Sony Grade: A- A painful December,

WGA 2010 nominations announced

Per the WGA: 2011 Writers Guild Awards Screen Nominees Announced LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK — The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in writing for the screen during 2010. Winners will be honored at the 2011 Writers

Movies that inspire.. and make us jealous

An observation from Jeff Kirschner, one of the writers in my current Pages I: The First Draft course: “What types of movies do I like? Those that leave you impassioned yet speechless: American Beauty, Good Will Hunting, Slumdog Millionaire, Crash, and anything Pixar. The stories that make me feel simultaneously

Hollywood Tales

“In Hollywood there are a lot of very insecure men running the business.”  — Rosanna Arquette

Daily Dialogue — January 4, 2011

Sophie: Stingo, you look so nice. You’re wearing your cocksucker suit.” Stingo: Seersucker.  — Sophie (Meryl Streep), Stingo (Peter MacNicol), Sophie’s Choice (1982), screenplay by Alan J. Pakula, based on the novel by William Styron You can see the accompanying dialogue video here. The Daily Dialogue theme for the

The Screenwriter’s Art: “The Social Network”

On Sunday, January 2nd, the NYT had a special section called The Oscars. It’s got some excellent articles and I highly recommend it.  One of the features they ran was excerpts from four screenplays, each likely to be nominated for this year’s Academy Awards. Today: The Social Network

Studio Report Cards: 20th Century Fox

TheWrap has done a series of Studio Report Cards assessing how well — or not — the major studios did in terms of box office performance in 2010. I’ll be featuring excerpts from those articles each day for the next week or so. Today: 20th Century Fox: Fox Grade: C Take

Introduce yourself!

I think I can safely assume that after the lengthy holidays, we’re all pretty much back into the regular swing of things. And since it’s the beginning not only of a new year, but a new decade, I figured it would be a good time to propose a

Popcorn Fiction: “The Lacerations” by Nick Antosca

New short story from screenwriter Derek Haas’ terrific website Popcorn Fiction: I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday and that you haven’t yet broken your New Year’s resolutions. I’m looking forward to a great 2011 with some excellent new fiction. Speaking of which, today we’re bringing