How They Write A Script: Anna Hamilton Phelan “It’s the character that usually grabs me. My downfall always is the plot. That’s the hardest part for me, plot.”
Screenwriting 101: Gerald DiPego “Before this interview, I thought I would do a little homework. I made a column of original screenplays called ‘Sold and Produced,’ and I…
My alliterative definition of Story. A character we care about confronts complex challenges created by a compelling crisis with a cathartic conclusion.
Page One: “McFarland, USA” (2015) Screenplay by Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois and Grant Thompson, story by Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois
How They Write A Script: Leigh Brackett “I don’t think there’s anything better than screenwriting to teach you the construction of a story.”
Great Scene: “Arrival” How the 2016 science fiction movie uses a bookend to reveal a remarkable truth… and upend our understanding of time.
Page One: “The Mauritanian” (2021) Screenplay by M.B. Traven) and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani, story by M.B. Traven, book by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, book editor Larry Siems
Writing and the Creative Life: “That pure part of you” Writing words of wisdom from the screenwriter of Ordinary People.
Great Scene: “Amadeus” Compare screenplay to screen: The wondrous scene in the 1984 movie in which Mozart dictates the Requiem Mass to Salieri.
Go Into The Story Interview: Stephany Folsom My 2014 in-depth interview with the screenwriter of Toy Story 4, consulting producer and writer on the TV series The Lord of the Rings: The…
“The only way out is through” Imagine the process of writing a story as being a journey. Perhaps as you embark on your adventure, you have a map — an outline or beat…
Screenwriting 101: Humphrey Bogart “If I ever have to spout exposition, there’d better be two camels humping in the background to distract the audience.”
Go Into The Story Interview: Brian Duffield My conversation with the filmmaker whose writing credits include The Babysitter, Spontaneous, Love and Monsters, and No One Will Save You.
Screenwriting 101: Lindsay Devlin “A lot of people think movies are just sort of, ‘Anybody can do it. Anybody can be a screenwriter.’ But it’s a tough, tough craft. It’s…
Writing and the Creative Life: Seeing… Hearing… One day a while ago, I was out with my family for a walk in the neighborhood. As we returned home, I noticed a speed limit sign in the…
Page One: “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” (1994) Screenplay by Steph Lady and Frank Darabont, based on the novel by Mary Shelley
The Business of Screenwriting: Hurry up and wait The bane of a screenwriter’s existence: They want the script NOW… then they make you WAIT… and wait… and wait…
Writing Tip: Something is Better Than Nothing “No matter what you write, good or bad, it’s an improvement to a blank page.”
On Writing “A lesson any writer can use. Don’t be afraid. That simple; don’t let them scare you. There’s nothing they can do to you. If they kick you…
Page One: “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” (2021) Screenplay by Dean Fleischer Camp and Jenny Slate and Nick Paley, story by Dean Fleischer Camp and Jenny Slate and Nick Paley and Elisabeth…
Screenwriting Tip: Feet on the ground… head in the clouds A twist on a familiar adage speaks to the business of writing.
