Scott Myers

Daily Dialogue — February 15, 2015

“Ah-ha-ha-ha! Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!” — Parenthood (1989), screenplay by Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel, story by Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel & Ron Howard The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Elation. Trivia: During filming the cast became obsessed with playing the murder game ( a game in

Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Prison

The Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Prison. Prison movies have been a staple of the Hollywood movie business for decades. It’s a big ‘what if’ type story, but with a negative spin: What if I were to end up behind bars? So lots of movies to draw upon.

Interview (Part 6): Melissa Iqbal (2014 Nicholl Winner)

U.K.-based writers Melissa Iqbal wrote the original screenplay “The Death Engine” which won the 2014 Nicholl Fellowship in screenwriting. Recently Melissa and I had a transatlantic phone call in which we covered a lot of territory in an excellent conversation. Today in Part 6, Melissa provides advice to

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 173rd installment of Saturday Hot Links. Today: The Obscure Interviews With Famous Movie Directors Edition! 2015 BAFTA winners here. The 5 biggest surprises of the 2015 BAFTAs. 2015 Grammy Award winners here. The latest issue of the excellent Written By magazine available online here. Screenwriter Bob Saenz’

Go Into The Story Script Reading & Analysis: Boyhood

This week, we read and analyzed the script for the movie Boyhood, written by Richard Linklater. IMDb plot summary: The life of a young man, Mason, from age 5 to age 18. Links to the entire series: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown Major Plot Points Sequences Psychological Journey Takeaways For my

Interview (Video): Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi

A Beyond Cinema Magazine interview with co-writers / co-directors Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi whose vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows is opening in theaters: Here is the movie trailer: Here is the opening scene of the movie: Official movie website here.

Daily Dialogue — February 14, 2015

“I’m singing in the rain Just singing in the rain What a glorious feelin’ I’m happy again I’m laughing at clouds So dark up above The sun’s in my heart And I’m ready for love Let the stormy clouds chase Everyone from the place Come

Declare Your Independents — Vol. 49

GITS development assistant Wendy Cohen here, and welcome back to Declare Your Independents, our new series highlighting the latest developments in the world of independent film! This week… Are the Oscars and the Spirit Awards About To Have the Same Winners (Again)? Why Filmmakers Need the Festival Forum How to

Interview (Part 5): Melissa Iqbal (2014 Nicholl Winner)

U.K.-based writers Melissa Iqbal wrote the original screenplay “The Death Engine” which won the 2014 Nicholl Fellowship in screenwriting. Recently Melissa and I had a transatlantic phone call in which we covered a lot of territory in an excellent conversation. Today in Part 5, Melissa talks about the

Video: “Birdman Featurette: Single Take”

This is short, but gives us an idea of how incredibly elaborate the planning and execution was to create the single take feel of the movie Birdman. Incredible cinematic achievement, this movie. Via Indiewire.

Script Analysis: “Boyhood” — 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

Movie Trailer: “Aloha”

Written by Cameron Crowe A celebrated military contractor returns to the site of his greatest career triumphs and re-connects with a long-ago love while unexpectedly falling for the hard-charging Air Force watchdog assigned to him. IMDb Release Date: 29 May 2015 (USA)

2015 Dialogue-Writing Challenge: Day 10

As noted in this post last month: What if in February, we put the spotlight on writing dialogue? A Dialogue-Writing Challenge! Here’s my idea: We crowdsource a bunch of dialogue-writing prompts. From that, we choose the 20 best ones. Then next month, Monday through Friday, much like

Great Character: Mars Blackmon (“She’s Gotta Have It”)

The Great Character theme for the month: Spike Lee. Today: Mars Blackmon from the movie She’s Gotta Have It (1986), written by Spike Lee. Here is Jason Cuthbert’s weekly Great Character post. Back in 1986, She’s Gotta Have It emerged as an independent film that did everything

Daily Dialogue — February 13, 2015

Forrest: Lieutenant Dan! What’re you doin’ here? Lieutenant Dan: Well, I thought I’d try out my sea legs. Forrest: But you ain’t go no legs, Lieutenant Dan. Lieutenant Dan: Yes, I know that. [pulls folded-up letter from back pocket] You wrote me a letter, you idiot.

What I shared today with my UNC Chapel Hill students

Today was the first time I would meet with my students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after the tragic shooting deaths on Tuesday in this university town. The deceased: Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha and her sister Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha. Barakat

Interview (Part 4): Melissa Iqbal (2014 Nicholl Winner)

U.K.-based writers Melissa Iqbal wrote the original screenplay “The Death Engine” which won the 2014 Nicholl Fellowship in screenwriting. Recently Melissa and I had a transatlantic phone call in which we covered a lot of territory in an excellent conversation. Today in Part 4, Melissa and I continue

Video: George Lucas and Robert Redford in conversation

From the Sundance Film Festival on January 29, 2015: Kicking off Art of Film Weekend, a program celebrating the craft of filmmaking, join Robert Redford and George Lucas — two iconic filmmakers who epitomize the spirit of independence in American cinema — in conversation with critic Leonard Maltin. Here is the nearly

Script Analysis: “Boyhood” — 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.

Movie Trailer: “Trainwreck”

Written by Amy Schumer Since she was a little girl, it’s been drilled into Amy’s head by her rascal of a dad that monogamy isn’t realistic. Now a magazine writer, Amy lives by that credo — enjoying what she feels is an uninhibited life free from stifling, boring

2015 Dialogue-Writing Challenge: Day 9

As noted in this post last month: What if in February, we put the spotlight on writing dialogue? A Dialogue-Writing Challenge! Here’s my idea: We crowdsource a bunch of dialogue-writing prompts. From that, we choose the 20 best ones. Then next month, Monday through Friday, much like

Daily Dialogue — February 12, 2015

“We got you, you son of a bitch.” — The Dark Knight (2008), screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer, based on characters by Bob Kane The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Elation. Trivia: Christopher Nolan and his co-writers, Jonathan Nolan

Quest Writing Workshop: Santa Monica, March 12–15, 2015

Three times I have hosted the Quest Writing Workshop in Santa Monica, California and each time has been notable in its own right. * The learning that went on as we immersed ourselves in character-based screenwriting was palpable, insights and revelations throughout each session, a cumulative theoretical take on the

Interview (Part 3): Melissa Iqbal (2014 Nicholl Winner)

U.K.-based writers Melissa Iqbal wrote the original screenplay “The Death Engine” which won the 2014 Nicholl Fellowship in screenwriting. Recently Melissa and I had a transatlantic phone call in which we covered a lot of territory in an excellent conversation. Today in Part 3, Melissa reflects on some

Video: “The Evolution of Batman in Cinema”

Via Jacob T. Sweeney. HT Indiewire.