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Script To Screen: “Traffic” From the 2000 movie Traffic, screenplay by Stephen Gaghan, based on a miniseries by Simon Moore.
The Present-Past Approach to Writing a Biopic This narrative framework enables a writer to focus a biopic on the most critical moments in the featured character’s life.
Interview (Video): Alfonso Cuarón An 85-minute conversation with the writer-director of Gravity and Roma.
Writing and the Creative Life: “The hard is what makes it great” Wisdom about writing and creativity from the movie ‘A League of Their Own’.
Daily Dialogue — July 12, 2019 “It’s sad, when a mother has to speak the words that condemn her own son. But I couldn’t allow them to believe that I would commit murder…
Here’s my thing: When I was first learning the craft of screenwriting, all this chatter seemingly… So I look at a movie like Whiplash which has one of THE best third acts in recent memory… whatever transpired in the story up to that point…
Geoff, whatever works! As I say, “There’s no right way to write. Each writer is different. Each story is different.”
Black List writers on the craft: Characters (Part 4) “One thing that I do when I first start writing is to put the outline aside and just start trying to find the character’s voice.”
Spec Script Deal: “She Came Back” Witchcraft Motion Picture Company acquires horror spec script “She Came Back” written by Emily Renee Bennett. From Deadline:
The Business of Screenwriting: Always be nice to the assistants In the heady days after our spec script K-9 sells, we have several meetings with our agents at Bauer / Benedek (a boutique lit agency that…
Daily Dialogue — July 11, 2019 “Tara! Home. I’ll go home. And I’ll think of some way to get him back. After all… tomorrow is another day.”
Good question, Mike. It’s all about the characters, really. the Breakfast Club comes to mind as well.
“Damien Chazelle’s Guide to Beginnings and Endings” “You’ve got to have a good beginning, a good ending, and no shitty scenes in between.”
Black List writers on the craft: Characters (Part 3) “I approach my characters like I’m writing their biographies. I write up where they were born, what their favorite food is, all kinds of…
Script To Screen: “Toy Story” “Alright everyone, this is a stick-up! Don’t anybody move! Now empty that safe!”
Go Into The Story Interview: Adrian McKinty The author talks about his overnight success decades in the making with the new crime novel “The Chain” hailed novelists Stephen King, Don…
Black List writers on the craft: Characters (Part 2) “I find that by starting with theme, you instantly gravitate towards a character who is almost at an opposite place to deal with that…
Screenwriting 101: Scott Beck “We’re trying to figure out the characters in the story simultaneously in terms of how does the character service the story and how does…
Daily Dialogue — July 9, 2019 “I do wish we could chat longer, but I’m having an old friend for dinner.”
Great point, Ed. I like stories with complex plots, but my favorites are ones with simple plots and complex characters. And you mention a key point…
Ira, I’m reminded a story I heard about the great composer Stravinsky. Obviously, we can bend and shape a story in all sorts of ways, but having those Beginning — Middle — End movements provides a structure…
Story and the Question of Self-Identity Every story inevitably raises this question about the Protagonist: “Who am I?”
