I’m going to go out on a theological limb here and suggest the aliens are metaphors for God. But the main thing is this: Their experience of time is precisely the same as what orthodox Christianity asserts about its God — the Divine…
I want to zero in on two sides of dialogue. “Memory is a strange thing. It doesn’t work like I thought it did. We are so bound by time; by its order. Maybe there’s a higher order. I…
It’s a pretty classic Hero’s Journey: Separation: Louise receives Call To Adventure taking her to the site of the alien ship, pulling her away from her Ordinary World and into…
Script Analysis: “Arrival” — Part 5: Dialogue Read the script for the hit science fiction movie and analyze it all this week.
Set Pieces, Part 5: Entertainment A series this week on set pieces: A scene or set of scenes with a big idea, feel and/or scope to them, oftentimes associated with major…
2017 Dialogue-Writing Challenge: Day 15 A chance for you to work on your dialogue chops and win free prizes!
Writing and the Creative Life: Three types of creators My son Will is a recent graduate of a five-year dual degree program at Tufts University and the New England Conservatory. He received two…
Daily Dialogue — January 20, 2017 “I’ve been a rich man and I’ve been a poor man, and I choose rich every fucking time.”
Script Analysis: “Arrival” — Part 4: Themes Read the script for the hit science fiction movie and analyze it all this week.
Set Pieces, Part 4: Complications, Roadblocks and Reversals A series this week on set pieces: A scene or set of scenes with a big idea, feel and/or scope to them, oftentimes associated with major…
2017 Dialogue-Writing Challenge: Day 14 A chance for you to work on your dialogue chops and win free prizes!
The Business of Screenwriting: The phone call Can one phone call literally change your life? Yes, it can.
Script Analysis: “Arrival” — Part 3: Characters Read the script for the hit science fiction movie and analyze it all this week.
Set Pieces, Part 3: Stakes A series this week on set pieces: A scene or set of scenes with a big idea, feel and/or scope to them, oftentimes associated with major…
2017 Dialogue-Writing Challenge: Day 13 A chance for you to work on your dialogue chops and win free prizes!
Daily Dialogue — January 18, 2017 “You move me, I’ll break up in little pieces. But what a deal. Look, there’s this dough, see? There’s all this dough! 350 Gs! Do you hear…
“Hope and creativity are two of the most important things in the world” The words of Emma Stone in her Golden Globe acceptance speech.
Script Analysis: “Arrival” — Part 2: Plot Read the script for the hit science fiction movie and analyze it all this week.
Set Pieces, Part 2: Emotional Meaning One of the most valuable pieces of brainstorming a screenwriter can do with regard to a story is conjure up some good set pieces.
2017 Dialogue-Writing Challenge: Day 12 A chance for you to work on your dialogue chops and win free prizes!
Screenwriting 101: Mike Mills Reflections on the craft from the writer-director of “20th Century Women”.
Daily Dialogue — January 17, 2017 Dobbs: For a long time I’ve had my suspicions about you and now I know I’ve been right. CURTIN: What suspicions? DOBBS: Not putting…
