2023–2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 3 New Scripts It’s that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.
Page One: “Mission: Impossible — Fallout” (2018) Written by Christopher McQuarrie, based on the TV series created by Bruce Geller
Screenwriting Tip: 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.
Script To Screen: “L.A. Confidential” The 1997 movie L.A. Confidential won two Academy Awards including Best Adapted Screenplay, written by Brian Helgeland and Curtis Hanson…
Page One: “Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation” (2015) Screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie, story by Christopher McQuarrie and Drew Pearce, based on the TV series created by Bruce Geller
Page One: “Mission: Impossible III” (2006) Screenplay by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci & J.J. Abrams, based on the TV series created by Bruce Geller
Writing Tip: Celebrate Your Victories Based on my experiences as a screenwriter in Hollywood, there are many things I can advise you to do that are not particularly enjoyable…
Script To Screen: “Leaving Las Vegas” The 1995 movie Leaving Las Vegas, screenplay by Mike Figgis, based on a novel by John O’Brien] features two key characters: Ben Sanderson…
Page One: “Mission: Impossible II” (2000) Screenplay by Robert Towne, story by Ronald D. Moore & Brannon Braga, based on the TV series created by Bruce Geller
Make Words Your Friend “Putting one right word after another” — that is so right. When you bust it all down, writing is about choosing words. A writer can choose…
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…
Page One: “Mission: Impossible” (1996) Screenplay by David Koepp and Robert Towne, story by David Koepp and Steven Zaillian, based on the TV series created by Bruce Geller
Update: 2023 Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference I’m moderating three panels, participating in a roundtable, leading a post-screening Q&A at the world premiere of the documentary The Stars…
Page One: “Mirrors” (2008) Screenplay by Alexandre Aja & Grégory Levasseur, based on the Korean movie “Into the Mirror” by Sung-ho Kim
Writing a Story = Wrangling Magic The very fact writers create something seemingly out of nothing is a special kind of magic.
Writing Tip: The Importance of Character Names A well-chosen character name can reflect their personality.
Page One: “The Mirror Has Two Faces” (1996) Screenplay by Richard LaGravenese, screen story by Richard LaGravenese, based on “Le Miroir a Deux Faces” by André Cayatte and Gérard Oury
Screenwriting Tip: Advice from a Professional Script Reader “An experienced pro reader always knows a ‘bad’ script within the first 10 pages, usually within the first 3, and often on the first page.”
Hollywood Tales Screenwriter Wendall Mayes on how he was hired to write a script with the legendary Billy Wilder.
Page One: “Maverick” (1994) Written by William Goldman, based on the TV series created by Roy Huggins
Scene-Writing Workshop I’m reprising my one-week Scene-Writing Workshop which starts next Monday, October 30th.
On Writing “A nap clears the head wonderfully, besides giving fresh energy. I realize that about half the people of the world cannot nap without…
Page One: “Mars Attacks!” (1996) Screenplay by Jonathan Gems, screen story by Jonathan Gems, trading card series by Len Brown & Woody Gelman & Wally Wood & Bob Powell &…
