Scott Myers

Interview (Part 3): 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 (Part 3): “The Big Short” — Characters

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 13

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: “Intrusion”

Good Universe acquires thriller spec script “Intrusion” written by Chris Sparling. From Variety: “Intrusion,” which is out to directors, centers on a woman who moves with her husband to a small town in Maine after a cancer scare and becomes the victim of a strange home invasion. She begins to

Daily Dialogue — March 16, 2016

COFFEE-SHOP EMPLOYEE: So, what it‘ll be! NIKO: Coffee, please. COFFEE-SHOP EMPLOYEE: To go, right? — What kind? NIKO: Just normal coffee. COFFEE-SHOP EMPLOYEE: Wanna try something new? Today‘s special is the Marocchino. For 2 Euros extra, you get a doughnut or a seed roll, all homemade

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Spring Challenge: Day 15

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 15. 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 2): 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 (Part 2): “The Big Short” — Plot

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 12

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

Screenwriting 101: Craig Borten

“For me, it’s the characters, breaking the characters. That’s what I spend most of my time with. Once I’ve done that, character will speak to plot and story. Once I know who they are and where they’re headed, then the other stuff’s a lot easier.

Daily Dialogue — March 15, 2016

Shop assistant: Hello, can I help you? Vivian: I was in here yesterday, you wouldn’t wait on me. Shop assistant: Oh. Vivian: You people work on commission, right? Shop assistant: Yeah. Vivian: Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now. — Pretty Woman (1990), written by J.F.

Why haven’t you finished that script?

You know, that story you’ve been kicking around for months. Maybe it’s pretty well worked out, but you just can’t summon up the energy to type FADE IN. Or you have a partial draft and you’re stuck, not sure which way to go. Or a story

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Spring Challenge: Day 14

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 14. 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 1): 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 (Part 1): “The Big Short”

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 11

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

On Writing

“The writer who loses his self-doubt, who gives way as he grows old to a sudden euphoria, to prolixity, should stop writing immediately: the time has come for him to lay aside his pen.” — Colette Via Advice To Writers.

Daily Dialogue — March 14, 2016

Customer: Look, I took the liberty of examining that parrot when I got it home, and I discovered the only reason that it had been sitting on its perch in the first place was that it had been NAILED there. Owner: Well, o’course it was nailed there! If I

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Spring Challenge: Day 13

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 13. 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: Amy Tofte (2015 Nicholl Winner)

Amy Tofte wrote the original screenplay “Addis Abeka” which won a 2015 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. Recently I had the opportunity to chat with Amy about her background as a writer and her award-winning screenplay. Here are links to the six installments of the entire interview: Part 1: “I

Screenwriting News (March 7-March 13, 2016)

This week’s writing deals and movie project news. Johanna Baldwin writing “The Year of the Great Storm” for 34th Street Films and Hypnotic. Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky writing-directing “The Man Who Would Be Polka King” for Permut Presentations and Red Hour Films. Zach Helm adapting “The Mercenary”

Ticket Giveaway for WGFestival 2016: THE BUSINESS

Our good friends at the Writers Guild Foundation (@WritersGuildF) have a wonderful event coming up in partnership with the Academy Education and Nicholl Fellowships Programs: WGFestival: THE BUSINESS is on Saturday, March 19. This day in the festival focuses on your career in the screenwriting trade. PROGRAM: 10am to 11:

Interview (Written): John Sayles

An Indiewire interview with renowned screenwriter, director, novelist, and independent film icon John Sayles: You never stopped making movies over the past few decades. When did you start to notice the opportunities for distribution changing? I think we’ve been lucky in that we’ve continued to be able to

Daily Dialogue — March 13, 2016

RICK: That’s the car? LOU: That’s the car. RICK: No shit? You think there’s a reward? LOU: There is a reward. RICK: How much? LOU: 50,000. RICK: Do I get any of it? LOU: I just gave you a raise. RICK: That’s salary, I’m

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Spring Challenge: Day 12

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 12. 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