Scott Myers

Daily Dialogue — July 19, 2016

JOHN DOE: (long pause) I… I doubt I enjoyed it any more than… Detective Mills would enjoy some time alone with me in a room without windows. (looks to Mills) Isn’t that true? How happy would it make you to hurt me, with impunity? MILLS: (coy mocking) Now… I

Writing Mantras

Some words of inspiration I have picked up or written along the way.

Writing Reflections on Carl Jung

5 Part Series

Last chance to do story prep workshop with me in 2016!

By now, most of you know I have accepted an offer to become an assistant professor at the School of Cinematic Arts at DePaul University. In the near term that means… * I am busy packing to move our family to Chicago so… * I have pushed back the start date of

Interview (Part 1): Eric Heisserer (2012, 2014 Black List)

This weekend, the horror movie Lights Out rolls out in movie theaters across North America. Starring Teresa Palmer and Maria Bello, directed by David F. Sandberg, the screenplay was written by Eric Heisserer. I thought it was a good opportunity to reprise a 2013 interview I did with Eric and

2016 Mid-Year Spec Script Deal Word Cloud Logline Challenge!

Time for the 2016 Mid-Year Spec Script Deal Word Cloud Logline Challenge! I’ve taken the loglines for each of the 36 spec scripts which have been set up (officially announced) from January through June of this year and created this word cloud: To enlarge the image, click on

“Conversations With Wilder”: Part 11

Billy Wilder is my all-time favorite filmmaker. Consider just some of his movies: Double Indemnity (1944), Sunset Blvd. (1950), Stalag 17 (1953), Witness for the Prosecution (1957), Some Like It Hot (1959), The Apartment (1960), an oeuvre that demonstrates an incredible range in a filmmaking career that went from

On Writing

“Whenever writing seems hard (all the time) remind yourself that it’s when it seems easy you have a real problem.”

Daily Dialogue — July 18, 2016

DOBBS: I was just thinking what a bonehead play that old jackass made when he put all his goods in our keeping. CURTIN: What do you mean? DOBBS: Figured he’d let us do his sweating for him, did he? We’ll show him. CURTIN: What are you getting at?

Interview: Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay

I’m a big fan of producer Mynette Louie and what she and her cohorts are doing at Gamechanger Films, a film fund for women directors, so when I saw their newest movie The Invitation was coming out in April this year, I made it a point to watch it

“Transforming Dragons”

“We have no reason to distrust our world, for it is not against us. If it has terrors, they are our terrors. If it has an abyss, it is ours. If dangers are there, we must try to love them. And if we would live with faith in the value

Screenwriting News (July 11-July 17, 2016)

This week’s writing deals and movie project news. Charles Cumming sells his idea for “The Plane” to MadRiver Pictures. Bill Kunstler adapting children’s book “Castle Hangnail” for Walt Disney Pictures. Camille Perri adapting her novel “The Assistants” for Cold Iron Pictures. Steve Pink and Jeff Morris adapting video

Video: “The Directors Series — The Coen Brothers” (Part 4)

Here is Part 4 of “The Directors Series” on Joel and Ethan Coen, focusing on O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) and The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001). If you are a fan of the Coens, as I am, you will enjoy this series: Part 1: Blood Simple (1984)

Interview (Video): Katie Dippold (“Ghostbusters”)

A DP/30 interview with Katie Dippold whose screenwriting credits include MADtv, Parks and Recreations, The Heat, and Ghostbusters (co-writer with director Paul Feig): For more DP/30 interviews, go here.

Daily Dialogue — July 17, 2016

“Time travel has not yet been invented. But thirty years from now it will have been. It will be instantly outlawed, used only in secret by the largest criminal organizations. It’s nearly impossible to dispose of a body in the future. I’m told. Tagging techniques and whatnot. So

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Accusation

The Daily Dialogue theme next week: Accusation. “Now then, what do we know? One, that Professor Fassbinder and his daughter have been kidnapped. Two, that someone has kidnapped them. Three, that my hand is on fire.” The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) Lawyers. Lovers. Business associates. Spies. And yes, clumsy

Interview (Part 6): Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay (“The Invitation”)

I’m a big fan of producer Mynette Louie and what she and her cohorts are doing at Gamechanger Films, a film fund for women directors, so when I saw their newest movie The Invitation was coming out in April this year, I made it a point to watch it

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 247th installment of Saturday Hot Links, your week’s essential reading about movies, TV, streaming, Hollywood, and other things of writerly interest. Emmys 2016: The Full List of Nominations. 2016 Emmy Nominations Breakdown by Studio: HBO, 20th Century Fox TV, FX Productions Dominate. Emmy Nominations: ‘People v

Interview (Audio): Eric Heisserer

Broken Projector (@BrokenProjector) is an excellent podcast hosted by Scott Beggs (@scottmbeggs) and Geoff LaTulippe (@DrGMLaTulippe). This week’s guest: Screenwriter Eric Heisserer (@HIGHzurrer) whose movie credits include A Nightmare on Elm Street, Final Destination 5, The Thing, Hours, Lights Out, and the much anticipated Arrival which is set to

Interview (Written): Katie Dippold (“Ghostbusters”)

A Refinery 29 interview with Katie Dippold whose screenwriting credits include MADtv, Parks and Recreations, The Heat, and Ghostbusters (co-writer with director Paul Feig): So obviously each of your four Ghostbusters — Leslie Jones, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Kristen Wiig — has their own very unique comedy style. Was that

Daily Dialogue — July 16, 2016

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: I am Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, your senior drill instructor. From now on you will speak only when spoken to, and the first and last words out of your filthy sewers will be “Sir”. Do you maggots understand that? Recruits: [In unison in a normal speaking tone] Sir,

2016 Mid-Year Spec Script Deal Word Cloud Logline Challenge!

Time for the 2016 Mid-Year Spec Script Deal Word Cloud Logline Challenge! I’ve taken the loglines for each of the 36 spec scripts which have been set up (officially announced) from January through June of this year and created this word cloud: To enlarge the image, click on

Interview (Part 5): Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay (“The Invitation”)

I’m a big fan of producer Mynette Louie and what she and her cohorts are doing at Gamechanger Films, a film fund for women directors, so when I saw their newest movie The Invitation was coming out in April this year, I made it a point to watch it

“Conversations With Wilder”: Part 10

Billy Wilder is my all-time favorite filmmaker. Consider just some of his movies: Double Indemnity (1944), Sunset Blvd. (1950), Stalag 17 (1953), Witness for the Prosecution (1957), Some Like It Hot (1959), The Apartment (1960), an oeuvre that demonstrates an incredible range in a filmmaking career that went from

Writing and the Creative Life: Your characters want you to tell their story

I found myself blurting this out in a recent teleconference with some writers in one of my screenwriting classes. I assume someone has said or written this before. I don’t know the source. But I do believe it. When we write a story, we deal with characters. We may