Scott Myers

Writing question: “What’s your favorite script?” — The Sequel

Posted this a few days ago: Not your favorite movie — although they can be one and the same — but the favorite screenplay you’ve ever read. If you can’t select just one, feel free to name 2, 3, however many. We got a really interesting list per the comments:

“Film world jumping for Easter Bunny Sony Ani nabs ‘Hip Hop’; Illumination goes for ‘I Hop’”

This is a first since I started this blog: The concurrent sale of competing projects to two different Hwood movie studios. Per the Hollywood Reporter: Easter is becoming the new battleground for studios as two competing projects featuring the Easter Bunny go head to head. Sony Animation is pre-emptively

On writing

“Ultimately, literature is nothing but carpentry.”  — Gabriel García Márquez

Daily dialogue — April 6, 2009

“The only thing that hurts me is that I don’t have enough strength to give you the beating that you deserve for being so insolent and evil-minded. But you will leave this house right now and I swear to you on my mother’s grave that you will

Weekend Funny: Lord of the Rings (Sweded)

Note the female for Frodo. Comment Archive

“SHOCKER: ‘Fast n Furious’ Kills April All-Time Record”

From The Wrap: Universal’s “Fast & Furious” is poised to claim the biggest April opening in history after revving up $30.1 million on Friday, and may take in as much as $60 million for the weekend. Studio insiders are reporting that “Fast” will not only finish the weekend

Video interview: Dan Futterman (Capote)

Here is another Written By interview, this one with actor-screenwriter Dan Futterman. His only official writing credit is Capote (2005), but it’s a hell of a credit. In the interview, Futterman is asked about some scenes they had to add to the movie after principal production was finished.

Universal Pictures: “I Hop”

Here we go per Daily Variety — The Santa Clause for Easter: Illumination Entertainment has fast tracked “I Hop,” a comedy that will be the Universal-based family film supplier’s first live-action feature. Scripted by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, the pic focuses on an out of work slacker

Spec script sale: “Good Looking”

Missed this one (3/29/09). A second sale for screenwriter Chris McCoy in a month as DreamWorks picks up rom-com “Good Looking”: In a funky tweak on “Minority Report,” McCoy’s newest project posits a future dating service that matches soulmates around the world without fail. The story

Interview: Rebecca Sonnenshine

Here is an interview with screenwriter Rebecca Sonnenshine. Her credits include Happily Even After (2004), American Zombie (2007), The Haunting of Molly Hartley (2008), and Within (2009). A few excerpts: How do you prepare before you begin a script? Do you write an outline or treatment? I believe in outlining

Daily dialogue — April 4, 2009

“We come from people who brought us up to believe that life is a struggle, and if you should feel really happy, be patient: this will pass.” Garrison Keillor (Garrison Keillor), A Prairie Home Companion (2006), screenplay by Garrison Keillor, based on a story by Garrison Keillor and Ken LaZebnik

What is “sweding?”

I’ve been posting movie parodies on the weekends. Turns out, it’s a phenomenon known as “sweding.” What is sweding? Well, according to this it’s as follows: Although swede throwing can be very entertaining, our blog is focused on the first definition. Recreating movies from scratch with whatever

Jungian analysis of Groundhog Day

There is film analysis… then there is Jungian film analysis. As with this paper from Italian psychiatrist Massimo Lanzaro that delves into the symbolic and psychological undertones of the movie Groundhog Day: The Shadow is that part of us we fail to see or know, all that we would not

Pitch sale: “Untitled Jay Roach Project”

Per the Daily Variety: Universal Pictures has acquired an untitled comedy pitch from Edwin Cannistraci and Frederick Seton. Jay Roach will produce through his Everyman Pictures and is developing the project as a potential directing vehicle. No details on the plot.

Trailer: The Hangover

If you are still scratching your head about what a “high concept” movie is, just watch this trailer for The Hangover: That’s a high concept. Comment Archive

Friday movie reviews

Adventureland (Miramax) Daily Variety (Todd McCarthy) Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt) Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan) New York Times (A.O. Scott) Fast & Furious (Universal) Daily Variety (Todd McCarthy) Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt) Los Angeles Times (Betsy Sharkey) New York Times (Nathan Lee) http://video.latimes.com/global/video/flash/

Screenwriting for the soul

One of my favorite books on screenwriting is “Screenwriting From the Soul” by Richard Krevolin. With a format inspired by Rilke’s, “Letters to a Young Poet…,” the book is an engaging look at ways a writer can dig deep within their ‘creative self.’ I was reminded of the book

Pitch sale: “We’ll Be Out By Christmas”

As Patrick Goldstein described yesterday, the Daily Variety confirms today: Paramount nabs “We’ll Be Out By Christmas” from writers Kristen Buckley and Brian Regan: Blue Star’s William Sherak and Jason Shuman are producing alongside Madeleine Sherak. William is the son and Madeleine Sherak is the spouse of former

Spec script sale: “The Many Deaths of Barnaby Jones”

Appian Way picks up one of the Black List 2008 scripts — “The Many Deaths of Barnaby Jones” from writer Brian Nathanson: Nathanson’s original screenplay, about a teenager in a circus for the dead who is trying to bring his true love back to life, landed on the unofficial 2008

“The Top 10 International Earners for 2008”

The Wrap provides the details: The worldwide box office rose 5.2 percent in 2008 to a total of $28.1 billion, fueled by foreign ticket sales — which now comprise 65 percent of the total, an increase of 17 percent over the last five years, according to he latest annual

“Shooting a movie with 140 characters”

The Hollywood Reporter has this fun piece about the impact of Twitter on the movie production process: In the old analog days — that is to say, before cell phones, e-mail, instant messaging and blogs — filmmakers viewed their sets as sacrosanct domains. Although hand-picked journalists occasionally were invited for

ScreenTalk Radio

So as previously announced, I was a guest on ScreenTalk Radio last night. You can hear the broadcast here: My segment begins about 15 minutes into the hour. They wanted me to focus on some of the realities of being a screenwriter, which I did. Give it a listen and

Bumping around the blogs

We begin with John August who takes on a reader’s question “Why do LA people suck” and provides some sound advice: Here’s the thing to remember: Friends are for your personal happiness. Colleagues are part of your career. You may go to drinks with both, but don’t

Daily dialogue — April 2, 2009

“It’s a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done. It’s a far, far better rest I go to than I have ever known.”  — Sydney Carton (Ronald Colman), A Tale of Two Cities (1935), screenplay by W.P. Lipscomb and S.N. Behrman, based on

“Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut)”

From Cynopsis: Monty Python fans get ready for a new six-part, original documentary series, Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut) is set to air on IFC this October from Eagle Rock Entertainment. Coinciding with the comedy troupe’s 40th anniversary, surviving members John Cleese, Terry Gilliam,