Scott Myers

Movie Trailer: “X+Y”

Written by James Graham A socially awkward teenage math prodigy finds new confidence and new friendships when he lands a spot on the British squad at the International Mathematics Olympiad. IMDB Release Date: 13 March 2015 (UK)

Script Analysis: “Argo” — 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 (Metamorphosis) Friday: Takeaways Today: Takeaways.

Great Character: Phil Connors (“Groundhog Day”)

The Great Character theme for the month: Bill Murray. Today: Phil Connors from Groundhog Day, written by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, story by Danny Rubin. September 5th 2014th was reserved as “Bill Murray Day” in Toronto Canada in support of the world premiere of Bill Murray’s most current

Daily Dialogue — November 7, 2014

“Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me. Aren’t you?” — The Graduate (1967), screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry, novel by Charles Webb The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Seduction. Today’s suggestion by Ellen Musikant. Trivia: In the famous promotional still for this film, Dustin Hoffman

The value of cliffhangers in screenwriting

We kicked off a new Script Analysis series this week and if the level of discourse exhibited by participants thus far is any indication, this could be one of the most valuable exercises ever on Go Into The Story. Case in point: After inviting people to do a scene-by-

Interview: Alan Roth (2013 Nicholl Winner) — Part 4

Alan Roth’s original screenplay “Jersey City Story” won him one of five 2013 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. I caught up with Alan recently for an interview. Our conversation turned out to be both insightful and inspirational Today in Part 4, Alan delves into some key themes and dynamics in

THR: Writers Roundtable [1-hour video]

From the Hollywood Reporter: The year’s THR roundtable series kicked off with an unusually prepared group of writers. Jon Favreau, 48, who wrote, directed and starred in the food-truck dramedy Chef, once hosted Dinner for Five, a weekly IFC roundtable show with a format very similar to THR’

Video: “The Seamless Look of Birdman”

Birdman is a fantastic movie for multiple reasons, one of them being a central narrative conceit: Make the story look like it is one continuous shot. Variety’s Tim Gray interviewed digital colorist Steve Scott to explain how they did it: It’s an amazing piece of artistry, but that’

Movie Trailer: “Son of a Gun”

Written by Julius Avery Locked up for a minor crime, 19 year old JR quickly learns the harsh realities of prison life. Protection, if you can get it, is paramount. JR soon finds himself under the watchful eye of Australia’s most notorious criminal, Brendan Lynch. But protection comes at

Script Analysis: “Argo” — 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 (Metamorphosis) Friday: Takeaways Today: Psychological

Writing and the Creative Life: Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling (Part 1)

The Harvard Business Review had an interesting article with a series of links I thought would make for a good sets of posts in the Writing and Creative Life series. The article is entitled: Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling. Two key excerpts. Here is the first: As social creatures,

Daily Dialogue — November 6, 2014

Phyllis: Mr. Neff, why don’t you drop by tomorrow evening about eight-thirty. He’ll be in then. Walter Neff: Who? Phyllis: My husband. You were anxious to talk to him weren’t you? Walter Neff: Yeah, I was, but I’m sort of getting over the idea, if

Does a record-setting October box office mean anything?

Per Box Office Mojo: Overall business totaled $755 million, which is up a whopping 20 percent from last October. It’s also a new October record ahead of 2009’s $693 million haul. — - While Gone Girl and Annabelle were the top performers, the big year-over-year increase can be

Interview: Alan Roth (2013 Nicholl Winner) — Part 3

Alan Roth’s original screenplay “Jersey City Story” won him one of five 2013 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. I caught up with Alan recently for an interview. Our conversation turned out to be both insightful and inspirational Today in Part 3, Alan talks about four other key characters in “Jersey

Video: Writer Emergency Pack

This is extremely cool! I moderated a panel at the recent Austin Film Festival in which John August was one of the guests (we discussed the movie he wrote Big Fish) and John showed me one of these Writer Emergency Packs. It appeals to me on multiple levels, not only

Movie Trailer: “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1”

Screenplay by Danny Strong and Peter Craig, book by Suzanne Collins Katniss Everdeen is in District 13 after she shatters the games forever. Under the leadership of President Coin and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta and a nation moved

Script Analysis: “Argo” — 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 (Metamorphosis) Friday: Takeaways Today: Sequences.

Script To Screen: “The Bourne Identity”

A scene from the 2002 movie The Bourne Identity, screenplay by Tony Gilroy and William Blake Herron, novel by Robert Ludlum. IMDb plot summary: A man is picked up by a fishing boat, bullet-riddled and suffering from amnesia, before racing to elude assassins and regain his memory. Here Bourne

Daily Dialogue — November 5, 2014

EXT. THE BEACHFRONT — NIGHT The hottest January in fifty years has brought the crowds to the beach in search of relief. But they’ve been disappointed. Even the breeze off the ocean seems blown from a hair dryer. Still, the nights are a trifle better and the Beachfront, the penny

A Go Into The Story primer

I’m guessing it has had something to do with me participating in six sessions at the recent Austin Film Festival, but there are a lot of new virtual faces on the blog the last week or so. Beyond that, the Twitter feed (@GoIntoTheStory) continues to grow, now over 28,

Interview: Alan Roth (2013 Nicholl Winner) — Part 2

Alan Roth’s original screenplay “Jersey City Story” won him one of five 2013 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. I caught up with Alan recently for an interview. Our conversation turned out to be both insightful and inspirational Today in Part 2, we dig into Alan’s experience taking this moment

Spec Script Sale: “Defection”

Twentieth Century Fox acquires spy drama “Defection” adapted from a novel by Ken Nolan. From Deadline: A mid-level intelligence contractor defects to North Korea and takes a mysterious bag with him. In the immediate aftermath of the bungled Edward Snowden situation, the CIA is determined to avoid a repeat

Video: Darren Aronofsky — 90 minute Q&A

If you’re a filmmaker of any sort, know what you need to do for the next 90 minutes? Watch this interview with writer-director Darren Aronofsky: Visionaries Series: Darren Aronofsky by New MuseumWatch New Museum's Visionaries Series: Darren Aronofsky on Livestream.com.new.livestream.com Via the

Movie Trailer: “Serena”

Screenplay by Christopher Kyle, book by Ron Rash In Depression-era North Carolina, the future of George Pemberton’s timber empire becomes complicated when it is learned that his wife, Serena, cannot bear children. IMDB Release Date: 26 February 2015 (USA) Comment Archive

Script Analysis: “Argo” — 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 (Metamorphosis) Friday: Takeaways Today: Major