Scott Myers

The Business of Screenwriting: Celebrate your victories

Based on my experiences as a screenwriter in Hollywood, there are many things I can advise you to do that are not particularly enjoyable: I harangue you to read scripts. I push you to come up with story concepts daily to help you generate a great one. I advise you

Daily Dialogue — May 12, 2016

Annie (exiting shower): What a joint. No more hot water. Bart: It’s a roof anyway. Annie: Yeah, it’s a roof, all right. Bart: I could still get that job at Remington. Annie: Forty dollars a week? Bart: We can get by on that. Annie: Maybe you can, but

Rewriting your script

Let’s face it: Rewriting is a bitch. Or a bastard. Pick your gender specific invective. Doesn’t matter. The process is a pain no matter how you shake your fist and swear at it. One big issue I’ve found with writers caught up in the maelstrom of rewriting

Interview: Julia Hart (2012 Black List)

One of the best ways to learn the craft is read what professional screenwriters have to say about it. To that end for the next few weeks, I will be featuring interviews I have conducted with Black List screenwriters. Today: Julia Hart’s original screenplay The Keeping Room put her

Character Type: Clown

Those of you who have followed my blog for some time or taken courses with me through Screenwriting Master Class know how fascinated I am with character archetypes, specifically how there are five — Protagonist, Nemesis, Attractor, Mentor, Trickster — which recur in movies over and over and over. Some might see

Classic 30s Movie: “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”

May is Classic 30s Movie Month. Today’s guest post comes from Will King. Movie Title: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Year: 1937 Writers: Story adaptation by Ted Sears, Richard Creedon, Otto Englander, Dick Rickard, Earl Hurd, Merrill De Maris, Dorothy Ann Blank, and Webb Smith. Based on the

Spec Script Deal: “The Last Days of Night”

Black Bear Pictures acquires historical drama spec script “The Last Days of Night” written by Academy Award winner and Black List screenwriter Graham Moore. From Deadline: Teddy Schwarzman’s Black Bear Pictures has won an auction that puts him back together with Graham Moore and Morten Tyldum, with whom he

Daily Dialogue — May 11, 2016

BRUCE: Mind if I cut in? Oh, you don’t seem happy to see me. SELINA: You were supposed to be a shut-in. BRUCE: I felt like some fresh air. SELINA: Why didn’t you call the police? BRUCE: I have a powerful friend who deals with things like

“The Most Valuable Thing I Learned at Pixar: How to Fail”

Time once again to dip into my obsession with Pixar Animation Studios. Several years ago, I interviewed Mary Coleman, Senior Development Executive at Pixar. The conversation offers a terrific insight into the story-crafting process at arguably the most successful movie studio in existence today: 16 out of 17 movies

Interview: David Guggenheim (2010, 2012 Black List)

One of the best ways to learn the craft is read what professional screenwriters have to say about it. To that end for the next few weeks, I will be featuring interviews I have conducted with Black List screenwriters. Today: David Guggenheim broke into the business in February 2010 by

Character Type: Warrior

Those of you who have followed my blog for some time or taken courses with me through Screenwriting Master Class know how fascinated I am with character archetypes, specifically how there are five — Protagonist, Nemesis, Attractor, Mentor, Trickster — which recur in movies over and over and over. Some might see

Classic 30s Movie: “Captain Blood”

May is Classic 30s Movie Month. Today’s guest post comes from John Arends. Movie Title: Captain Blood Year: 1935 Writers: Written by Rafael Sabatini, Screenplay by Casey Robinson Lead Actors: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Lionel Atwill, Ross Alexander Director: Michael Curtiz IMDb Summary: Arrested during the

Daily Dialogue — May 10, 2016

INT. HEDLEY ESTATE — DAY Chris enters and approaches a ping pong table. NOLA: So — who’s my next victim? You? CHRIS: I haven’t played table tennis in quite a while. NOLA: Would you like to play for a thousand pounds a game? CHRIS: What did I walk into? They

Write a Worthy Nemesis

If the Protagonist is most often your story’s most important character, the Nemesis is not far behind. Indeed some of the greatest characters in film history have been Nemeses including Darth Vader (Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope), the Wicked Witch of the West (The Wizard of Oz)

Interview: Joshua Golden (2014 Black List)

One of the best ways to learn the craft is read what professional screenwriters have to say about it. To that end for the next few weeks, I will be featuring interviews I have conducted with Black List screenwriters. Today: Joshua Golden who wrote the spec script “Road to Oz”

Character Type: Addict

Those of you who have followed my blog for some time or taken courses with me through Screenwriting Master Class know how fascinated I am with character archetypes, specifically how there are five — Protagonist, Nemesis, Attractor, Mentor, Trickster — which recur in movies over and over and over. Some might see

Classic 30s Movie: “It Happened One Night”

May is Classic 30s Movie month. Today’s guest post comes from Joni Brainerd. Movie Title: It Happened One Night Year: 1934 Writers: Screenplay by Robert Riskin, based on the short story by Samuel Hopkins Adams Lead Actors: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert Director: Frank Capra IMDb Plot Summary: When her

On Writing

“Talent is helpful in writing, but guts are absolutely necessary.” — Jessamyn West

Daily Dialogue — May 9, 2016

ELEKTRA: James Bond. If only you’d kept away, we might have met again in a few years and become lovers once more. (To the henchman holding Dr. Jones) Take her to Renard. (To Bond) Pretty thing. You had her, too? I could have given you the world. BOND: The

Go Out to Know What’s Within

This year as part of my daily journal writing and reflection, I’ve been reading “A Year With Rilke: Daily Readings from the Best of Rainer Maria Rilke”. Here is a recent entry: I live my life in widening circles that reach out across the world. I may not complete

Reader Question: What do I do if I’m less interested in my Protagonist than other characters?

This is actually a question that arose in the current prep workshop I am leading. My response: It’s kind of ironic that in many movies, the Protagonist is not necessarily the most interesting character. Per your references, Lecter is more interesting to most folks I would guess than Clarice

Screenwriting News (May 2-May 8, 2016)

This week’s writing deals and movie project news. Roger Avary and Gala Avary scripted “Unwind” with Constantin Film and Voltage Pictures. David Birke scripted “Slender Man” with Screen Gems, Mythology Entertainment, and Madhouse Entertainment. George Brant adapting his play “Grounded” for Sidney Kimmel Entertainment and Film 360. Andy Briggs

Interview (Written): Michael Haneke

A 2014 Paris Review “The Art of Screenwriting” interview with Oscar winning writer-director Michael Haneke (The Piano Teacher, Amour). INTERVIEWER: When you sit down to write a new script and jot down the first scene, do you already know what the last scene is going to be? HANEKE: I

Interview (Video): Carl Reiner

Another in a great series called “The Writer Speaks” presented by the Writers Guild Foundation. This one with Carl Reiner whose writing, acting, directing, and producing credits extend back to the 1950s working with such talents as Sid Caesar and Dinah Shore, then his work with the classic TV series

Daily Dialogue — May 8, 2016

Sister Mary Stigmata: [after chasing Jake and Elwood out of her office with a ruler for using foul language] You are such a disappointing pair. I prayed so hard for you. It saddens and hurts me that the two young men whom I raised to believe in the Ten Commandments