Scott Myers

So-Called Screenwriting ‘Rules’: Part 5

Last Monday, 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 people

Movies You Made: “Be My Baby”

In May, I will be reprising the annual Movies You Made Festival and I can’t think of a better way to inspire those of you who have a short film to submit for consideration than this wonderful effort called “Be My Baby”: Here is some background on the movie

Spec Script Deal: “Bravado”

Paramount acquires action spec script “Bravado” written by Black List writer BenDavid Grabinski. From Deadline: The protagonist is a former soldier who believes the world is a good place and worth fighting for, but his optimism is tested in the most dramatic way possible after he returns home from the

Daily Dialogue — March 4, 2016

Mike is at a blackjack table with Trent at his side. The game has paused to observe the newcomers as Mike draws a billfold out of his breast pocket. They’re pulling it off with only slightly noticeable effort. MIKE: I don’t know, I guess I’ll start with

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Spring Challenge: Day 3

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 3. 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

Movie Analysis: “Spotlight” — 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 4

Last Monday, 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 people

“The great secret of death…”

For those of you writing a story now — or anytime — which deals with death, these words by Rilke are almost certainly relevant for your creative and thought process: The great secret of death, and perhaps its deepest connection with us, is this: that, in taking from us a being we

The Business of Screenwriting: Trailer Moments, Set Pieces and Bits Of Business (BOBs)

You may have read countless screenwriting books. Attended seminars. Taken courses. But I doubt if you have stumbled across these three items in any tome related to the craft: Trailer Moments, Set Pieces, and Bits Of Business. These may have come up in some other context, perhaps a newspaper or

Daily Dialogue — March 3, 2016

Frank: You get up two and a half million dollars, any asshole in the world knows what to do. You get a house with a 25 year roof, an indestructible Jap economy shitbox. You put the rest into the system of 3–5 percent to pay your taxes and that’

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Spring Challenge: Day 2

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 2. 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

Movie Analysis: “Spotlight” — 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 3

Last Monday, 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 people

Writing Sentences

Writing sentences. It’s perhaps the most fundamental aspect of what we do as writers. And though this tweet is more about writing prose, it makes a valuable point for screenwriters as well. You should care about the look and feel of each sentence you write. Your words create a

Great Scene: “Jaws”

It’s the antithesis of ‘show it, don’t say it’… and it flat out works. Monologues are common with stage plays, but not so much with movies. Of course, “motion pictures” are primarily a visual medium — motion pictures — so dialogue, while important, is a secondary form of communication cinematically.

Daily Dialogue — March 2, 2016

Casino Dealer: 17. Number Two: Hit me. Casino Dealer: You have 17, sir. Number Two: I like to live dangerously. Casino Dealer: [Hit for four] 21. Very good, sir. [to Austin] 5. Austin Powers: I’ll stay. Casino Dealer: I suggest you hit, sir. Austin Powers: I also like to

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Spring Challenge: Day 1

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 1. 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

Movie Analysis: “Spotlight” — 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 2

Last Monday, 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 people

Reflections of Black List Chicago Mini-Lab Writers

On the weekend of October 2–4, 2015, four writers gathered in Chicago for an exciting event: The third Black List Mini-Lab. The writers — Maggie Clancy, Mark Fleming, Anna Hozian, and Brian Trapp — had been selected on the basis of scripts they had uploaded to the Black List website

Screenwriting 101: Akira Kurosawa

“With a good script a good director can produce a masterpiece; with the same script a mediocre director can make a passable film. But with a bad script even a good director can’t possibly make a good film.” — Akira Kurosawa

Daily Dialogue — March 1, 2016

“I’m not sure what four nines does, but the ace, I think, is pretty high.” — Ocean’s Eleven (2001), screenplay by Ted Griffin, based on 1960 screenplay by Harry Brown and Charles Lederer, 1960 story by George Clayton Johnson & Jack Golden Russell The Daily Dialogue theme for the

Scene Description Spotlight: Express Your Voice

I have a great class I’m reprising on March 7. It’s called Scene Description Spotlight which sounds super practical. And in a way, it is because at one level, it’s an immersion into the nuts and bolts of the writing craft. However what it’s really about

Zero Draft Thirty Spring 2016 Challenge: 1 Day and Counting!

The 2nd Zero Draft Thirty Challenge starts at Midnight tonight Eastern (U.S.) and you are invited… nay, encouraged to participate in this free writing adventure. Write an entire first draft of a script in March — FADE IN to FADE OUT in 30… 31 days. Feature length movie screenplay. Original

Movie Analysis (Part 1): “Spotlight”

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