Scott Myers

Screenwriters Roundtable (Part 6): Jessica Bendinger, Lindsay Devlin, Stephany Folsom, Liz W. Garcia, Julia Hart, and Lisa Joy

A special treat this week and next as I will be posting excerpts from an extensive screenwriter’s roundtable I did in December 2015 with a group of talented Hollywood screenwriters: Jessica Bendinger, Lindsay Devlin, Stephany Folsom, Liz W. Garcia, Julia Hart, and Lisa Joy. Here is Part 6: Scott:

Interview (Written): Paul Feig

A Den of Geek interview with actor-producer-writer-director Paul Feig whose credits include Bridesmaids, The Heat, Spy, and the upcoming Ghostbusters: Since Bridesmaids changed your movie directing career — I think I can safely say that — there’s been a two year release gap between your movies. This one

“Conversations With Wilder”: Part 2

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

Screenwriting 101: Stephen Susco

“I got my first job when I was still a film student, my third semester. It was a pretty big job even though we got paid minimum, it was an established director Ted Demme and New Line Cinema was producing it, so it was firm. And the whole thing was

Daily Dialogue — July 5, 2016

DOROTHY: Phony! You’re nothing but a phony! THE WIZ: I’m out! The Wiz is out! He’s not here! DOROTHY: Lies! No more lies. TIN MAN: You charlatan! I’ve seen men shot for less. SCARECROW: You’re a terrible man! THE WIZ: I’m sorry! LION: (Threatening)

115 words for “walks” and 90 words for “looks”

Did you know that in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, there is no dialogue in the first 25 minutes, nor in the last 23 minutes. Indeed, there are around 88 dialogue-free minutes in the movie. That’s a good reminder of perhaps the most fundamental fact regarding cinema:

Screenwriters Roundtable (Part 5): Jessica Bendinger, Lindsay Devlin, Stephany Folsom, Liz W. Garcia, Julia Hart, and Lisa Joy

A special treat this week and next as I will be posting excerpts from an extensive screenwriter’s roundtable I did in December 2015 with a group of talented Hollywood screenwriters: Jessica Bendinger, Lindsay Devlin, Stephany Folsom, Liz W. Garcia, Julia Hart, and Lisa Joy. Here is Part 5: Scott:

Interview (Video): Michael Cimino

This weekend we learned that writer-director Michael Cimino had died at the age of 77. From Variety: Cimino directed eight films in his career. His first was 1974’s “Thunderbolt and Lightfoot”; his second was the 1978 Vietnam War masterpiece “The Deer Hunter,” which won five Academy Awards, including

“Conversations With Wilder”: Part 1

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

Daily Dialogue — July 4, 2016

Dr Dave Bowman: Open the pod bay doors, Hal. Hal: I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that. — 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), screenplay by Stanley Kubrick & Arthur C Clarke The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Apology. Today’s suggestion by Michael Waters. Trivia:

“Back to the Future” came out 31 years ago today

July 3, 1985. The day Back to the Future debuted in North America. And I am inclined to agree with the sentiments of this Vox article: Back to the Future is the most perfect blockbuster ever made. Here are the reasons as detailed in the article: 1) It boasts the

Spec Script Deal: “Porter Rockwell”

Hyperion Media Group acquires period western spec script “Porter Rockwell” written by Antonio Macia. From Deadline: The Western action-adventure drama is based on Rockwell, the real-life gunslinging bodyguard of Mormon Church founder Joseph Smith (and later Brigham Young) who was known as the “Destroying Angel of Mormondom” for

Screenwriting News (June 27-July 3, 2016)

This week’s writing deals and movie project news. Deniz Gamze Erguven writing-directing “Kings” for CG Cinéma. Ori Guendelman and Rob McClelland 2015 Black List script “Bump” at Working Title with Zach Braff to direct. Blaise Hemingway adapting novel “The Gates” for DreamWorks Studios. Phil Johnston and Rich Moore

Interview (Written): Michael Cimino

Yesterday we learned that writer-director Michael Cimino had died at the age of 77. From Variety: Cimino directed eight films in his career. His first was 1974’s “Thunderbolt and Lightfoot”; his second was the 1978 Vietnam War masterpiece “The Deer Hunter,” which won five Academy Awards, including best

Interview (Video): Nicolas Winding Refn (“The Neon Demon”)

A DP/30 interview with Nicolas Winding Refn, writer-director numerous movies including Fear X, Bronson, Valhalla Rising, Only God Forgives, and his latest The Neon Demon. For more DP/30 interviews, go here.

Daily Dialogue — July 3, 2016

Arthur Kirkland: The one thing that bothered me, the one thing that stayed in my mind and I couldn’t get rid of it, that haunted me, was ‘why?’ Why would she lie? What was her motive for lyin’? If my client is innocent, she’s lying. Why? Was it

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Apology

The Daily Dialogue theme next week: Apology. “I’m poorly made.” Steve Jobs (2015) Apologies can be a challenge to write. Direct? Indirect? Try to be funny? Dead serious? Inner obstacles? External complications? How to convey an apology without coming across as maudlin or melodramatic and be entertaining. The usual

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 245th installment of Saturday Hot Links, your week’s essential reading about movies, TV, streaming, Hollywood, and other things of writerly interest. Introducing: The Academy Class of 2016. Film Academy Invites a Record 683 New Members: 46 Percent Female and 41 Percent People of Color. How the

Interview (Written): Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (“Swiss Army Man”)

Swiss Army Man, which won the Dramatic Directing Award at Sundance 2016, is written and directed by the duo who like to call themselves “Daniels” — Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. Here is an Issue Magazine feature in which Daniel and Daniel interview each other: Daniel Scheinert: You used to be

Daily Dialogue — July 2, 2016

Ian Raymond: So shall we leave it at that? Rob Gordon: I’ve already left it. [screams, lunging at Ian] You pathetic rebound fuck! Now get your patchouli stick out of my store! Move it lard-ass! [Ian retreats] Dumb motherfucker. — High Fidelity (2000), screenplay by D.V. DeVincentis &

Free 1 Week Class at Screenwriting Master Class! Starts Tuesday, July 5!

A guest post from Tom Benedek with a special offer: Okay. So the velociraptor ate my homework. It’s not my fault. Really. There is a one week online Craft class starting Tuesday about writing the web series. I have a few favorite web series to discuss, but I haven’

Screenwriters Roundtable (Part 4): Jessica Bendinger, Lindsay Devlin, Stephany Folsom, Liz W. Garcia, Julia Hart, and Lisa Joy

A special treat this week and next as I will be posting excerpts from an extensive screenwriter’s roundtable I did in December 2015 with a group of talented Hollywood screenwriters: Jessica Bendinger, Lindsay Devlin, Stephany Folsom, Liz W. Garcia, Julia Hart, and Lisa Joy. Here is Part 4: Scott:

Reports of the death of ‘high concept’ have been greatly exaggerated

During the 80s and 90s, high concept reigned supreme. [If you’re unclear what ‘high concept’ means, you can go here and read a lengthy conversation about it.] Consider these titles: Top Gun, Home Alone, Jurassic Park, Beverly Hills Cop, Speed, Twister, Armageddon, Ghostbusters, Liar Liar, War Games, Tootsie, Ferris

2016 Scene-Writing Challenge: All 22 Prompts

For the fourth straight year, June was Scene-Writing Month here at Go Into The Story. Each Monday through Friday, I posted a writing prompt and here are all 22 of them: Day 1 challenge: A scene set in an inhospitable environment, e.g., outer space, underwater, desert. Day 2

Writing and the Creative Life: How Does “Creativity” Translate Across Different Cultures?

“Globally, we move from this image or old fascination of the individual genius toward an idea that everyone can create. And beyond that, we need to collaborate in order to be creative.” From a FastCoCreate.com article: What is creativity? What does it mean to be creative? And, assuming you