Script Analysis: “La La Land” — Part 5: Dialogue Read the script for the Oscar nominated movie and analyze it all this week.
Writing and the Creative Life: Routine or Ritual? I am fascinated by creativity, in particular how creativity manifests itself in the wide variety of people I meet or learn about. That has…
Melinda, excellent analysis. That said, it’s easy to look at Sebastian as a kind of dual protagonist. Indeed, I would argue it’s important to consider what he learns…
The central theme? How about the chorus from “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)”: Here’s to the ones who dream Foolish as they may seem Here’s to the hearts that ache Here’s to the mess we make
Script Analysis: “La La Land” — Part 4: Themes Read the script for the Oscar nominated movie and analyze it all this week.
The Business of Screenwriting: There’s a green light… I’m attending a fundraiser for my son’s elementary school. It’s an alternative private school on the Westside, an institution that prides…
Daily Dialogue — February 23, 2017 KARL: What do you think of this heat? JOHN McCLANE: Indian summer, huh? KARL: Feels like it’s going to rain like dogs and cats later…
Zero Draft Thirty 2017 Spring Challenge: Coming in March! Do you have a story you want to write? A feature length movie screenplay? An original TV pilot? A web series pilot? A novel? Short story…
Script Analysis: “La La Land” — Part 3: Characters Read the script for the Oscar nominated movie and analyze it all this week.
Melinda, that’s a great take on the major plotline points. Re who is the Protagonist: Let’s get into that in today (part 3: characters). It’s a great one. Can look at it as a Dual Protagonist or, I…
Katrin, it’s possible to look at the story structure in three acts with the traditional approach to… Boy and Girl meet
Great Scene: “Rushmore” What a terrific movie Rushmore (1998) is. Co-written by Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson, who also directed the film, it’s a stellar follow-up…
Daily Dialogue — February 22, 2017 ZURG: Surrender, Buzz Lightyear. I have won. BUZZ: I’ll never give in. You killed my father! ZURG: No, Buzz, I am your father. BUZZ…
Zero Draft Thirty: Story Prep Fun With Index Cards! Writers continue to step up to the Zero Draft Thirty 2017 Spring Challenge: In March, write a draft of an original movie or TV script. Some…
Script Analysis: “La La Land” — Part 2: Plot Read the script for the Oscar nominated movie and analyze it all this week.
Screenwriting 101: Darren Aronofsky “First you start with an idea, then you start to flesh out the structure, and that’s a long process. I think that’s where we spend a lot of…
Daily Dialogue — February 21, 2017 “We chose. In the cellar, all that shit we were playing with. They made us choose. They made us choose how we die.”
Reading the script, then the scene-by-scene breakdown, I can’t help but be struck — again — the… It reminds me what I felt when I walked out of the theater watching the movie the first time: I loved the movie. And in part I did because…
It’s surprising to me, too. Also there is a sweet spot for historical dramas which can be made for a budget $25M and less, especially if they have a clear primary…
Scene Description Spotlight: Express Your Voice On February 27, I’ll be offering a terrific one-week online class. It’s called Scene Description Spotlight which sounds super practical…
Catching up with Black List lab writers Reflections of writers who participated in 2013–2016 Black List labs.
