Scott Myers

Screenwriting News (March 14-March 20, 2016)

This week’s writing deals and movie project news. Isaac Adamson 2015 Black List script “Bubbles” acquired by Starburns Industries. Etan Cohen writing-directing remake of “Cannonball Run” for Warner Bros. Pictures. Michael Colton and John Aboud’s adaptation of “A Futile and Stupid Gesture” going forward with Principato-Young

Spec Script Deal: “Bright”

Netflix acquires spec script “Bright” written by Max Landis. From Deadline: A two-week bidding battle has finally ended and Netflix has won Bright, a Max Landis scripted cop thriller with fantastical elements and tent pole potential that David Ayer will direct, with Will Smith and Joel Edgerton starring. This

Interview (Video): Julius Epstein

God bless the Writers Guild Foundation as they continue to roll out an amazing array of video interviews with some legendary Hollywood screenwriters. Today: Julius Epstein whose career in movies ran from 1935 to 1983 and includes such notable titles as Arsenic and Old Lace, Pete and Tillie, House Calls,

Daily Dialogue — March 20, 2016

“It’s past ten. My daughter is in pain. I don’t understand why she has to have this pain. All she has to do is hold out until ten, and IT’S PAST TEN! My daughter is in pain, can’t you understand that! GIVE MY DAUGHTER THE SHOT!

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Spring Challenge: Day 19

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 19. March 1: Type FADE IN / The Beginning. March 30 31: Type FADE OUT / The End. 30 31 days. 1 script. Movie script. TV script. First draft. Rewrite. Whatever. I’m doing it. You’re invited. For background on how the Zero Draft Challenge came into

Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Pregnancy

The Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Pregnancy. “This is one doodle that can’t be undid, home skillet.” Juno (2007)) Pregnancy announcements. Pregnancy decisions. Pregnancy deliveries. A ton of memorable movie moments featuring this particular theme. Let’s come up with 7 great ones for this week! The usual

Interview (Part 6): Ava DuVernay

In addition to making history as the first African-American woman to win the Best Director Prize at Sundance, DuVernay was honored with the 2013 John Cassavetes Spirit Award and the Tribeca Film Institute’s Affinity Award for her second feature film Middle of Nowhere. In 2010, she wrote, produced

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 230th installment of Saturday Hot Links, your week’s essential reading about movies, TV, streaming, Hollywood, and other things of writerly interest. SXSW: Complete List of Winners at the 2016 Film Awards. SXSW Film 2016 Reveals the Gaps of the Hollywood System. The 2016 Indiewire SXSW Bible:

So-Called Screenwriting ‘Rules’: 15 Part Series

Here it is, all 15 parts: 1. The Organic Nature of the Screenplay 2. The Emergence of the Selling Script 3. The Evolution of Screenplay Format and Style 4. There are no screenwriting ‘rules’ 5. There are expectations 6. We See / We Hear 7. Unfilmables 8. Action Paragraphs — 3 Lines

Interview (Written): Jeff Nichols (“Midnight Special”)

A WGA interview with Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter, Mud) who wrote and directed Midnight Special which is debuting in selected theaters this weekend: This film combines your organic, humanistic Southern style with the genre of sci-fi. Was marrying these disparate elements one of the things that inspired you to

Daily Dialogue — March 19, 2016

13-Year-Old Girl in Jewelry Store: Excuse me. Annie: Oh, hi.  13-Year-Old Girl in Jewelry Store: I’m looking for a birthday gift for a best friend. I want to get her a necklace that says, “Best friends forever.” Annie: You sure you want it to say

The Benefits of a Writing Workshop

Many writers benefit from the structure of a writing workshop to encourage them through their story-crafting process. Plus you receive the benefit of feedback and support from your peers and the instructor. Finally, you not only work your way through your story, you also learn proven principles and practices

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Spring Challenge: Day 18

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 18. March 1: Type FADE IN / The Beginning. March 30 31: Type FADE OUT / The End. 30 31 days. 1 script. Movie script. TV script. First draft. Rewrite. Whatever. I’m doing it. You’re invited. For background on how the Zero Draft Challenge came into

Interview (Part 5): Ava DuVernay

In addition to making history as the first African-American woman to win the Best Director Prize at Sundance, DuVernay was honored with the 2013 John Cassavetes Spirit Award and the Tribeca Film Institute’s Affinity Award for her second feature film Middle of Nowhere. In 2010, she wrote, produced

Movie Analysis: “The Big Short” — Dialogue

Another in our bi-weekly series in which we analyze movies currently in release. Why? To quote the writing mantra I coined over 5 years ago: Watch movies. Read scripts. Write pages. You will note which one comes first. Here are my reflections from that post about the importance of

So-Called Screenwriting ‘Rules’: Part 15

Three weeks ago, I posted this about an occurrence that happens with irritating regularity in the online screenwriting universe: The contentious specter of so-called screenwriting ‘rules’: What happens is pretty much this: * Somebody posts something about how there is a rule against doing this or that. * That circulates as

Spec Script Deal: “The Caretaker”

Screen Gems has acquired thriller spec script “The Caretaker”, written by Duncan Samarasinghe. From Deadline: Set in the future amid a violent robot uprising that pits man against machine, The Caretaker follows a lifelike female android who chooses to protect a young girl. The bond forged along the journey to

Daily Dialogue — March 18, 2016

HACKENBUSH: (to the phone) Get me Mister Whitmore. WHITMORE: Hello? HACKENBUSH: (In fake female voice) Here’s your Florida call, Mister Whitmore. WHITMORE: Alright. Hello. HACKENBUSH: (Different fake female voice) Florida medical board, good morning. WHITMORE: I’d like to talk to the man in charge of the records, please.

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Spring Challenge: Day 17

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 17. March 1: Type FADE IN / The Beginning. March 30 31: Type FADE OUT / The End. 30 31 days. 1 script. Movie script. TV script. First draft. Rewrite. Whatever. I’m doing it. You’re invited. For background on how the Zero Draft Challenge came into

Interview (Part 4): Ava DuVernay

In addition to making history as the first African-American woman to win the Best Director Prize at Sundance, DuVernay was honored with the 2013 John Cassavetes Spirit Award and the Tribeca Film Institute’s Affinity Award for her second feature film Middle of Nowhere. In 2010, she wrote, produced

Movie Analysis: “The Big Short” — Themes

Another in our bi-weekly series in which we analyze movies currently in release. Why? To quote the writing mantra I coined over 5 years ago: Watch movies. Read scripts. Write pages. You will note which one comes first. Here are my reflections from that post about the importance of

So-Called Screenwriting ‘Rules’: Part 14

Three weeks ago, I posted this about an occurrence that happens with irritating regularity in the online screenwriting universe: The contentious specter of so-called screenwriting ‘rules’: What happens is pretty much this: * Somebody posts something about how there is a rule against doing this or that. * That circulates as

Reflections of Black List / Athena Film Festival Mini-Lab Writers

On the weekend of Thursday, February 18 and Friday, February 19, 2016, four writers gathered at Barnard College in New York City for 6th Black List screenwriters mini-lab. Held in conjunction with the Athena Film Festival, the writers — Dee Chilton, Britta Lundin, Jennifer Noonan, and Kristina Zacharias — had been

Daily Dialogue — March 17, 2016

INT. CARL’S JR — BATHROOM — MORNING Inside the bathroom, Brad Hamilton applies the Carl’s scrub brush to a felt tip graffiti message near the mirror: I EAT BIG HAIRY PUSSY. He pauses and catches himself in the mirror. He adjusts his hair. BRAD:(talking to mirror) Lisa, I have

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Spring Challenge: Day 16

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 16. March 1: Type FADE IN / The Beginning. March 30 31: Type FADE OUT / The End. 30 31 days. 1 script. Movie script. TV script. First draft. Rewrite. Whatever. I’m doing it. You’re invited. For background on how the Zero Draft Challenge came into