Scott Myers

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

Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Femme Fatale

The Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Femme Fatale. Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor in The Maltese Falcon (1941) Ooh, lots of famous film femme fatales (say that five time fast). If you need some help, check out this list. The usual drill: * Copy/paste dialogue from IMDb Quotes or

“A spoken-word story within a film can be gold”

If you’re not following pro screenwriters on Twitter, you’re missing out on wisdom and insight into the craft on an almost daily basis. Take yesterday. Jon Spaihts (Prometheus, Dr. Strange, Passengers) tweeted this: Gary Whitta (The Book of Eli, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) suggested this: I

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 237th installment of Saturday Hot Links, your week’s essential reading about movies, TV, streaming, Hollywood, and other things of writerly interest. Film Guide: What Movie Should You Watch This Weekend. 2016 Summer Movie Preview: 27 Indie Films and Festival Favorites to See This Season. Can Indie

Interview (Written): Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (“Captain America: Civil War”)

A /film interview with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely who are Marvel mainstays having written Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor 2: The Dark World, Captain America: Winter Soldier, and the newest entry in the MCU — Captain America: Civil War. Juggling all these characters and storylines, how detailed was your

Daily Dialogue — May 7, 2016

“Fredo, you’re nothing to me now. You’re not a brother, you’re not a friend. I don’t want to know you or what you do. I don’t want to see you at the hotels, I don’t want you near my house. When you see our

Conscious Goal and Unconscious Goal

An interesting discussion arose from this post the other day on the question how to raise the stakes in a plot. I suggested one way was to track a shift that often happens with a Protagonist — from Want to Need — and one of the movie examples I cited in my

Interview: Stephany Folsom (2013 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: I’m a big Stanley Kubrick fan and Dr. Strangelove

“If you write a great script…”

…Hollywood will find you. Sale. Option. Representation. Writing sample. Writing assignments. Any/all of the above. This is not a pipe dream or fantasy. This statement does not involve unicorns, leprechauns, or magic pixie dust. This is the damn truth. If you write a great script, Hollywood will find you.

Classic 30s Movies: “Make Way for Tomorrow”

May is Classic 30s Movie month. Today’s guest post comes from Susan Winchell. Movie Title: Make Way for Tomorrow Year: 1937 Writers: Veña Delmar, based on play by Helen and Nolan Leary, based on a novel by Josephine Lawrence Lead Actors: Beulah Bondie, Victor Moore, Fay Bainter, Thomas Mitchell

Spec Script Deal: Untitled Angela Davis Project

The Firm acquires untitled Angela Davis project written by LaToya Morgan. From Deadline: Suspected 60s radical Angela Davis, accused of conspiracy in the murder of a federal judge, became the first woman on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list, became an iconic symbol of an era. After fleeing from

Daily Dialogue — May 6, 2016

Dale and Brennan are in beds next to each other. Dale Doback: [whispering] Hey, you awake? Brennan Huff: [also whispering] Yeah. Dale Doback: I just want you to know I hate you. And so does my dad. Brennan Huff: Well, that’s fine. ‘Coz guess what? I hate you, too.