Scott Myers

Script Analysis: “The Good Dinosaur” — Part 4: Themes

Reading scripts. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. The focus of this weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Our daily schedule: Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown Tuesday: Plot Wednesday: Characters Thursday: Themes Friday: Dialogue Saturday: Takeaways Today: Themes. I have

How They Write A Script: Anna Hamilton Phelan

Anna Hamilton Phelan has been a working screenwriter since 1985 with numerous writing credits including Mask (1985), Gorillas in the Mist: The Dian Fossey Story (1988), and Girl, Interrupted (1999). These excerpts are taken from a wonderful book called “The New Screenwriter Looks at the New Screenwriter,” by William Froug,

The Business of Screenwriting: Hurry up and wait

We have worked on the script for months. It’s an assignment. The studio and the project’s producers have made it known emphatically since day one they want to see the draft ASAP. Our agents, well aware of this fact, check in routinely to see how things are going.

Daily Dialogue — September 1, 2016

Oskar Schindler: I could have got more out. I could have got more. I don’t know. If I’d just… I could have got more. Itzhak Stern: Oskar, there are eleven hundred people who are alive because of you. Look at them. Oskar Schindler: If I’d made more

The Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Autumn Challenge is on!

It’s Midnight on the East Coast (U.S.) which means it’s the official start of the Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Autumn Challenge! 30 days in September: FADE IN to FADE OUT. Whatever scripted project you choose. Get it down. Get it done. For background on how the Zero

Zero Draft Thirty Autumn 2016 Challenge: 1 Day and Counting!

The 3rd Zero Draft Thirty Challenge starts at Midnight tonight Eastern (U.S.) and you are invited… nay, encouraged to participate in this free writing adventure. Write an entire first draft of a script in September — FADE IN to FADE OUT in 30 days. Feature length movie screenplay. Original TV

Script Analysis: “The Good Dinosaur” — Part 3: Characters

Reading scripts. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. The focus of this weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Our daily schedule: Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown Tuesday: Plot Wednesday: Characters Thursday: Themes Friday: Dialogue Saturday: Takeaways Today: Characters Characters are

How They Write A Script: Nancy Meyers

Nancy Meyers was for many years part of the Meyers & Shyer writing team that produced numerous hit movies including Private Benjamin (1980), Baby Boom (1987), and Father of the Bride (1991). She directed her first solo writing effort Something’s Gotta Give (2003), which was a hit with critics

Great Scene: “To Kill a Mockingbird”

I’ve been going through my various Lists and was shocked to discover that in Great Scenes, I currently do not have anything from one of my favorite movie of all time To Kill a Mockingbird. I determined there and then to do something about it — now! The problem is

Daily Dialogue — August 31, 2016

Ricky Roma: You stupid fucking cunt. You, Williamson. I’m talking to you, shithead. You just cost me $6,000. Six thousand dollars and one Cadillac. That’s right. What are you going to do about it? What are you going to do about it, asshole? You’re fucking shit.

“Movies don’t owe anybody a living”

This is actually a lesson I learned before I became a screenwriter. After I graduated with an M.Div. from Yale and turned my back on an academic career — although I didn’t know it at the time, only thought I was taking a year off before I went on

Zero Draft Thirty Autumn 2016 Challenge: 2 Days and Counting!

T minus 2 days. On September 1, the Zero Draft Thirty Autumn 2016 Challenge kicks off! Write an entire first draft of a script in September — FADE IN to FADE OUT in 30 days. Feature length movie screenplay. Original TV pilot. Rewrite a current project. Break a story in prep.

Script Analysis: “The Good Dinosaur” — Part 2: Plot

Reading scripts. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. The focus of this weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Our daily schedule: Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown Tuesday: Plot Wednesday: Characters Thursday: Themes Friday: Dialogue Saturday: Takeaways Today: Plot. In every

How They Write A Script: Leigh Brackett

“She wrote that [The Big Sleep] like a man. She writes good.” — Howard Hawks, quoted in “Hawks on Hawks” The “she” to whom Hawks was referring was screenwriter Leigh Brackett. Brackett, whose career spanned four decades, demonstrated incredible breadth in terms of genres with writing credits on movies as diverse

Screenwriting 101: Adam Rifkin

“You can just say, ‘Well, I’m not really inspired by an idea yet, so I’m just gonna hang out, see what hits me. Maybe I’ll write a scene and see where it takes me.’ I don’t know any writers who are successful who approach writing like

Daily Dialogue — August 30, 2016

Marty enters his house and sees Biff harassing George. Biff Tannen: I can’t believe you’d loan me your car without telling me it had a blind spot. I could’ve been killed! George McFly: Blind spot? Now, now, Biff, now I never noticed that the car had any

Are you ready for The Quest

This September, I begin a new chapter in my creative journey as an assistant professor of screenwriter at the DePaul University School of Cinematic Arts. As a result, I will only offer group workshops — Prep: From Concept to Outline, Pages I: Writing the First Draft, and Pages II: Rewriting Your

Zero Draft Thirty Autumn 2016 Challenge: 3 Days and Counting!

T-minus 3 days until the beginning of the Zero Draft Thirty Autumn 2016 Challenge. If you don’t know about the Challenge, you can go here to find out more. Write an entire first draft of a script in September — FADE IN to FADE OUT in 30 days. Feature

Script Analysis: “The Good Dinosaur” — Part 1: Scene By Scene Breakdown

Reading scripts. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. The focus of this weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Our daily schedule: Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown Tuesday: Plot Wednesday: Characters Thursday: Themes Friday: Dialogue Saturday: Takeaways Today: Scene-By-Scene

How They Write A Script: Jay Presson Allen

“She is one of a handful of first-rank screenwriters of the post-1960s who also happens to be female. This has figured into her trademark of flamboyant female characters, stories that often focus on divorce and marriage or explosive relationships, family matters (including the pilot episode of the prestigious

On Writing

“Imagination is like a muscle. I find out the more I write, the bigger it gets.” — Philip José Farmer

Daily Dialogue — August 29, 2016

Butch Cassidy: I’ve got a great idea where we should go next. Sundance Kid: I don’t want to hear it. Butch Cassidy: You’ll change your mind when I tell ya’. Sundance Kid: Shut up. It’s your great ideas that got us into this mess. I never

Zero Draft Thirty Spring 2016 Challenge: 4 Days and Counting!

T-minus 4 days until the beginning of the Zero Draft Thirty Autumn 2016 Challenge. If you don’t know about the Challenge, you can go here to find out more. But the main thing is this: If you are writing an initial draft of a story, align your mind

Write what they’re buying or sell them your dream

Let’s consider this a response to a reader question because I get this type of inquiry pretty regularly from aspiring screenwriters via email. It takes different forms: What type of stories should I focus on? I have a lot of story ideas: How do I know which one to

Screenwriting News (August 22-August 28, 2016)

This week’s writing deals and movie project news. Brandon Boyce scripted thriller “Bad Samaritan” at Electric Entertainment with David Tennant to star. Michael Gilio writing “Dark Universe” for Warner Bros. Pictures. Kevin Hageman and Dan Hageman rewriting “The Croods 2” for DreamWorks Animation. Daniel Kunka sells spec script “The