Scott Myers

Interview (Written): Jesse Andrews (“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”)

Indiewire’s Anne Thompson interviewed novelist turned screenwriter Jesse Andrews, who adapted his own book “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” for the screen. The movie won both the 2015 Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury and Audience prizes. How did you get to write the screenplay? I wrote

Daily Dialogue — July 4, 2015

Dowager in Cab: I’ve never gone this way before. John Winger: Well, I’m sure there are a lot of ways I’ve gone that you haven’t. Dowager in Cab: What is your name? (reading the license) John Ringer? What kind of a name is Ringer? John Winger:

Go Into The Story Movie Analysis: Jurassic World

Starting Monday, we begin our next installment of the Go Into The Story Movie Analysis series: Jurassic World, screenplay by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver and Colin Trevorrow & Derek Connolly, story by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver, characters by Michael Crichton. To date per Box Office Mojo, Jurassic World

“There are no original story ideas, only original ways to tell them”

Last week, we had a terrific discussion about the movie Ex Machina. In it, Marija Nielsen made this comment: My takeaway is that this movie beautifully demonstrates my belief that there are no original story ideas, only original ways to tell them. We should always look for various ways into

Script Analysis: “Barney’s Version” — Part 5: Takeaways

Reading scripts. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. The focus of this weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Our daily schedule: Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown Tuesday: Major Plot Points Wednesday: Sequences Thursday: Psychological Journey Friday: Takeaways Today: Takeaways. This

30 Things About Screenwriting: Learn the craft

Here’s one big problem with most of the screenwriting approaches I see floating around: Their focus is almost exclusively on writing a screenplay. Obviously this is important. You must be able to translate your talent, voice, and vision for a story onto the printed page. A script not only

Great Character: Lt. Col. Wilbur “Bull” Meechum (“The Great Santini”)

In the 1979 movie The Great Santini, there is a character very near to my own life experience. The film was based on a novel by Pat Conroy (“The Lords of Discipline,” “The Prince of Tides,” “My Losing Season”) and Lieutenant Colonel Wilbur “Bull” Meechum was based on Conroy’s

Daily Dialogue — July 3, 2015

“In case I don’t see ya’… good afternoon, good evening, and good night.” — The Truman Show (1998), written by Andrew Niccol The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Quitting. Trivia: Part of the original screenwriting deal called for Andrew Niccol to have his directing debut, but Paramount executives later

Interview: Marc Hofstatter (Indiegogo)

Since the concept of crowdfunding has taken hold over the last few years, particularly in relation to movies, TV, and web content, I thought it would be a good idea to talk with Marc Hofstatter who is Head of Film at Indiegogo. Here are links to the two installments of

Script Analysis: “Barney’s Version” — Part 4: Psychological Journey

Reading scripts. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. The focus of this weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Our daily schedule: Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown Tuesday: Major Plot Points Wednesday: Sequences Thursday: Psychological Journey Friday: Takeaways Today: Psychological Journey.

30 Things About Screenwriting: Screenplays are stories, not formulas

William Goldman has famously written, “Screenplays are structure.” That is true in a tangible sense because at some point, a script becomes a blueprint for the production of a movie. And in a very real way, everything hangs on the structure of the narrative — how one scene flows to the

The Business of Screenwriting: Everything you wanted to know about specs [Part 14]

Spec scripts, that is. I’m guessing that perhaps 90% of the people who follow this blog at some point in their lives will write a spec script. And the other 10% are involved in buying and selling them. In light of that fact, last year I interviewed a top

Daily Dialogue — July 2, 2015

CALVERA: We have a saying here. “A thief who steals from a thief is pardoned for one hundred years.” Alright, what does that leave? Only one thing. I pardon you. Ride on. ADAMS: Just like that? CALVERA: Si, just like — I’ll make it easy for you. You want food?

Reader Question: How do I make supporting characters distinctive and interesting?

Reader Question: How do I make supporting characters and interesting? One sign of a well-written script: Strongly detailed secondary characters. Reader question via email from Joe: Hi Scott! A question about supporting characters. How do I make supporting characters that don’t necessarily have that much screen time but

Interview (Part 2): Marc Hofstatter, Indiegogo

Since the concept of crowdfunding has taken hold over the last few years, particularly in relation to movies, TV, and web content, I thought it would be a good idea to talk with Marc Hofstatter who is Head of Film at Indiegogo. Today in Part 2 of a two-part

Script Analysis: “Barney’s Version” — Part 3: Sequences

Reading scripts. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. The focus of this weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Our daily schedule: Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown Tuesday: Major Plot Points Wednesday: Sequences Thursday: Psychological Journey Friday: Takeaways Today: Sequences. A

30 Things About Screenwriting: There is no right way to write

This month, a series of reflections on and basic tenets about the craft. They represent my take. If any of them resonate with you, great. If not, feel free to ignore them. Bottom line: You need to figure out your own approach to screenwriting. My hope is what you read

Walt Disney’s 1957 Business Strategy

This is pretty amazing: Walt Disney’s 1957 business strategy for the company bearing his name: What’s remarkable is how much this approach parallels Disney’s philosophy today. Swap out Disney Radio for Disney Magazine, add ancillary revenue sources such as video games and Broadway musicals, and basically what

Daily Dialogue — July 1, 2015

J.D. Sheldrake: Say, Baxter, you gave me the wrong key. C.C. Baxter: No, I didn’t. J.D. Sheldrake: But this is the key to the executive washroom. C.C. Baxter: That’s right, Mr. Sheldrake. I won’t be needing it because I’m all washed up

Another Story Idea Straight from the News

Every April for six consecutive years, I have run a monthly series called A Story Idea Each Day for a Month. It’s exactly like it sounds: I post a story idea every day for 30 days in a row. We brainstorm possible ways to take each story, then I

Interview (Part 1): Marc Hofstatter, Indiegogo

Since the concept of crowdfunding has taken hold over the last few years, particularly in relation to movies, TV, and web content, I thought it would be a good idea to talk with Marc Hofstatter who is Head of Film at Indiegogo. Today in Part 1 of a two-part

Script Analysis: “Barney’s Version” — Part 2: Major Plot Points

Reading scripts. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. The focus of this weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Our daily schedule: Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown Tuesday: Major Plot Points Wednesday: Sequences Thursday: Psychological Journey Friday: Takeaways Today: Major Plot

2015 Scene-Writing Challenge: The Last Day!

Today is the final day of the 2015 Scene-Writing Challenge. For background and to learn how you can win a free one-week online Core class with me, go here. For the Week 1 writing prompts, go here. Week 2 — here. Week 3 — here. Week 4 — here. Writers who

Screenwriting 101: Tim McCanlies

“That second act, for me, is the most fun, because the first and third act have such clearly defined functions. The first act you have to set up the problem or problems, introduce all your characters — there are so many things that you’ve got to do, there just isn’

Daily Dialogue — June 30, 2015

“Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, you’re cool, and fuck you, I’m out!” — Half Baked (1998), written by Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Quitting. Today’s suggestion by David Proenza. Trivia: Neal Brennan who co-wrote this movie makes a cameo