Scott Myers

Daily Dialogue — March 30, 2010

“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need…roads.”  — Dr. Emmet Brown (Christopher Lloyd), Back to the Future (1985), written by Robert Zemeckis & Bob Gale The Daily Dialogue theme this week is notable last lines, suggested by Martin. Back to the Future suggested by JD Walters.

Reader Question: What about using (CONT’D) in separated dialogue?

Open forum question via email from Chris: This is cfan from GITS. I have a question about using (CONT’D) in dialogue. I see it’s used when one character’s dialogue is interrupted by action. I thought it was meant to convey continuous speaking while the action is occurring.

“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”

This looks fun: Some background: Trailer for Director Edgar Wright’s (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) new film, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, based on the ultimately ridiculous comic written and drawn by Bryan Lee O’Malley. Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) has to do battle with the seven evil-

“The Best Writing Advice of the Best Writing Advice”

Every day for nearly a month, we’ve been reading tips on writing by professional writers from this wonderful series in the Guardian. Two things as we wrap this up. First H/T to James for sending me this link, a piece written by Sam Anderson for New York magazine:

“Writing It Visually”

Bumping around the Web, I found this: You know it when you see it. It may be on stage, or on screen, or even in a novel. It’s a scene or a story that is so well presented that you are completely immersed in it. The story seems completely

Pitch Sale: “Untitled Treverrow and Connolly project”

Producers Parkes and MacDonald dip into their development fund to purchase comedy pitch from writers Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly: The original idea sprang from research Trevorrow had done into the practice of police departments recruiting improv actors to help with low-level stings. With a “Tropic Thunder” feel, Trevorrow

On Writing

“Being an author is having angels whisper in your ear — and devils, too.”  — Graycie Harmon

Daily Dialogue — March 29, 2010

“I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.”  — Ellis Boyd ‘Red’ Redding (Morgan Freeman), The Shawshank Redemption (1994), screenplay by Frank Darabont, based

Reader Question: What are some of pluses / minuses of working with a writing partner?

Reader Question: What are pluses / minuses working with a writing partner? There are definite upsides, but do due diligence up front… or else. This is a first: A reader question via Twitter. From @LilPeep2U: Luv Ur thoughts on how it affects writers block,legal aspects,reception by greenlighters,any struggles

Profile: Akira Kurosawa (Part 1)

As noted here, Tuesday would have been Akira Kurosawa’s 100th birthday. Our friend Trevor Hogg at FlickeringMyth.com has a four-part profile of the great Japanese film writer and director. Here is Part 1. An excerpt: “I was a struggling young painter,” recalled legendary moviemaker Akira Kurosawa, “I

“Ten rules for writing fiction”: Jeanette Winterson

Several GITS readers emailed me about a great series The Guardian ran recently: Ten Rules For Writing Fiction. Today we feature Jeanette Winterson: 1 Turn up for work. Discipline allows creative freedom. No discipline equals no freedom. 2 Never stop when you are stuck. You may not be able to

“I penned the suckiest movie ever — sorry!”

At the recent Razzies, this happened: Razzie voters also made worst-of-the-decade picks, with John Travolta’s science-fiction debacle “Battlefield Earth” winning worst picture. Among all-time Hollywood dreck, “Battlefield Earth” is “like the 800-pound mongrel gorilla in the room,” Wilson said. “It’s one of

Video Interview: Christopher Guest

Since our Reader Question yesterday was about mockumentaries, I thought it would be fun to feature this ‘interview’ with actor-writer-director Christopher Guest. Guest, whose mockumentary credits include This is Spinal Tap (1984), Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), and A Mighty Wind (2003), is interviewed here

Daily Dialogue — March 28, 2010

Ilsa: But what about us? Rick: We’ll always have Paris. We didn’t have, we lost it until you came to Casablanca. We got it back last night. Ilsa: When I said I would never leave you. Rick: And you never will. But I’ve got a job to

Reader Question: What about writing a mockumentary?

An open forum question via email from Jason Toon: I love your blog. You deserve a medal. And that goes double if you can answer my question: I’m working on a mockumentary and have been surprised to see how little advice there is out there for writing this specific

“Ten rules for writing fiction”: Sarah Waters

Several GITS readers emailed me about a great series The Guardian ran recently: Ten Rules For Writing Fiction. Today we feature Sarah Waters: 1 Read like mad. But try to do it analytically — which can be hard, because the better and more compelling a novel is, the less conscious you

Daily Dialogue theme for the week

Let’s go with the suggestion by Martin: Best last line in a movie…i.e. Se7en SOMERSET: Ernest Hemingway once wrote, “The world is a fine place, and worth fighting for.” I agree with the second part. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xG5hSOMGn0&feature=related Remember it’

Written Interview: Graham Yost (Speed)

Today’s written interview is with screenwriter and TV writer Graham Yost. His movie credits include Speed (1994), Broken Arrow (1996), Hard Rain (1998), and Mission to Mars (2000) . TV credits include “Band of Brothers” (2 episodes, 2001), “Boomtown” (24 episodes, 2002–2003), and the new FX series “Justified” . In

Daily Dialogue — March 27, 2010

George Bailey: Now, you listen to me! I don’t want any plastics, and I don’t want any ground floors, and I don’t want to get married — ever — to anyone! You understand that? I want to do what I want to do. And you’re… and you’re…

Reader Question: What about selling a synopsis to Hollywood?

An open forum question via email from Dave: There’s been quite a discussion going on over at twelvepoint.com, via twitter, shooting people, etc., about selling one-page synopses, or just one-sentence ideas to Hollywood. There are plenty of anecdotes about producers buying ideas for hit movies for

“When Lynch Met Lucas”

As in [David] Lynch and [George] Lucas. A funny 2-minute animation: http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=9773538&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1 H/T to one of my students Olivia

“Ten rules for writing fiction”: Rose Tremain

Several GITS readers emailed me about a great series The Guardian ran recently: Ten Rules For Writing Fiction. Today we feature Rose Tremain: 1 Forget the boring old dictum “write about what you know”. Instead, seek out an unknown yet knowable area of experience that’s going to enhance your

Spec Script Sale: “Down”

Spec Script Deal: “Down” Broke the news Wednesday night here: “Down” to Relativity down is 1408 in an elevator — written by first timer — greg russo Now here’s THR’s report from yesterday: Relativity Media has optioned the original screenplay “Down” from freshman scribe Greg Russo. Described by one person

Rob’s Finds

Rob is back this week with his usual mixed bag of treats. Let’s start with something from MentalFloss.com — 5 Mindnumbingly Long Movies: 1. The Cure for Insomnia 5220 min (87 hours) United States, 1987 The next time you’ve got four days straight of nothing to do, go

Great Scene: “Wall Street”

It’s one of the most memorable movie monologues in the last quarter-century — and given the freefall the American economy has experienced in the last 2 years, the words of Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) are prophetic. A great scene from the movie Wall Street (1987), written by Stanley Weiser