Scott Myers

Wrangling your story

Some call it breaking a story. Others cracking a story. I prefer wrangling a story. Whatever you call it, you have to do it… figure out the story. What goes where. Who does what to whom. And for most writers, the ideal time to do that work is before you

The 2014 For Your Consideration Screenplay Download Season officially begins!

It’s that time of year again when studios make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season. As in years past, we will be tracking them and posting links as they become available. Current total of 2014 scripts for download: 1. Newly added script: Get On Up Get On

Austin Film Festival: Do you have questions for Whit Stillman?

The Austin Film Festival and Conference begins later this week and I’ll be there as part of the Black List team speaking at three events and moderating three others. For those of you who will not be attending the Festival, I want to give you a virtual opportunity to

Austin Film Festival: Do you have questions for Craig Borten, Tom Schulman and Jim Uhls?

The Austin Film Festival and Conference begins later this week and I’ll be there as part of the Black List team speaking at three events and moderating three others. For those of you who will not be attending the Festival, I want to give you a virtual opportunity to

Austin Film Festival: Do you have questions for John August, Richard Kelly and Jim Uhls?

The Austin Film Festival and Conference begins later this week and I’ll be there as part of the Black List team speaking at three events and moderating three others. For those of you who will not be attending the Festival, I want to give you a virtual opportunity to

Video: “The Wire” cast reunion

Via Slate: On Thursday night, as part of the Paley Center for Media’s PaleyFest 2014, the cast of The Wire reunited for an hour-long panel discussion, which you can watch in full above. Though not everyone could attend — Dominic West and Idris Elba chimed in via video messages

Movie Trailer: “The Humbling”

Screenplay by Buck Henry, Michal Zebede, novel by Philip Roth An aged and addled actor has his world turned upside down after he embarks upon an affair with a lesbian, in this acidulous adaptation of the Philip Roth novel. IMDB Release Date: 23 January 2015 (USA)

Great Scene: “Life of Brian”

Today: The 1979 movie Life of Brian, written by Graham Chapman & John Cleese & Terry Gilliam & Eric Idle & Terry Jones & Michael Palin. IMDB plot summary: Brian is born on the original Christmas, in the stable next door. He spends his life being mistaken for a messiah.

On Writing

“If there is no possibility for change in a character, we have no interest in him.” — Flannery O’Connor Via @AdviceToWriters Comment Archive

Daily Dialogue — October 20, 2014

Doc Holliday: What did you ever want? Wyatt Earp: Just to live a normal life. Doc Holliday: There’s no normal life, Wyatt, it’s just life. Get on with it. Wyatt Earp: Don’t know how. Doc Holliday: Sure you do. Say goodbye to me. Go grab that spirited

Go Into The Story Week In Review: October 13-October 19, 2014

Links to the week’s most notable posts: 9 Interviews with Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship Winners Black List Live! presents Brian Duffield’s “Your Bridesmaid Is a Bitch” Daily Dialogue Theme for Next Week: Dying Words Declare Your Independents: Volume 34 GITS Interview: Damien Chazzelle (Whiplash) Great Character: Rosemary Woodhouse (Rosemary’

Video: “The Silence of the Lambs” — Who wins the scene

Deft analysis by Tony Zhou of a key scene from The Silence of the Lambs. The positioning of the camera is interesting, but that’s something over which screenwriters have little control. Sure, we can write “Clarice sits down” which can create an image in the mind of the reader

Screenwriting News (October 13-October 19, 2014)

Matthew Altman and David Matalon sells spec script “The Feud” to Vandal Entertainment. Andrew Barrer and Gabe Ferrari sell thriller spec script “Low Tide” to Twentieth Century Fox. Jeffrey Hatcher writing World War I drama “Megiddo” for Warner Bros. Pictures. Rob McElhenney sells family action adventure pitch “Figment” to Legendary

Great Scene: “Back to the Future”

Where Marty meets his father for the first time… in the past! October is Great Scene month at Go Into The Story whereby we put a spotlight on notable movie scenes, then analyze and discuss them. Their structure, themes, character dynamics. Why do they work? What are their narrative elements

Interview [Video]: David Ayer

Interview with David Ayer whose writing credits include U-571, The Fast and the Furious, Training Day, End of Watch, and Fury Fury Interview - David Ayer - Trailer AddictEdit descriptionv.traileraddict.com Via Trailer Addict.

Daily Dialogue — October 19, 2014

“With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way into darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine.” — Corpse Bride (2005), screenplay by John August and Caroline Thompson and

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Dying Words

The Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Dying Words. “Clever girl.” The usual drill: * Copy/paste dialogue from IMDB Quotes or some other transcript source. * Copy/paste the URL of an accompanying video from YouTube or some other video source. I’d also ask you to think about why the

Spec Script Sale: “The Feud”

Vandal Entertainment options thriller spec script “The Feud” written by Matthew Altman and David Matalon. From Deadline: Described as The Raid meets Winter’s Bone, the story follows a mysterious man who returns to his home in Iowa for his brother’s funeral when he finds himself head to head

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 156th installment of Saturday Hot Links. Today: The Classic World Series Games Edition. Neil Patrick Harris to host the 2015 Academy Awards. The Gimp unleashed: Pulp Fiction’s creepy bondage slave tells all. Related: 12 movies to see after you watch Pulp Fiction. Related: The Academy of

Great Scene: “Full Metal Jacket”

Private Pyle declares “I am in a world of shit” and his subsequent actions prove the point. The 1987 movie Full Metal Jacket, screenplay by Stanley Kubrick & Michael Herr & Gustav Hasford. IMDB plot summary: A pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the U.S.-Vietnam War

Interview: Damien Chazelle

Damien Chazelle is the talented young writer/director of Whiplash, the intensely rhythmic story of a young drummer (Miles Teller) and a — let’s call him “harsh” — music teacher (J.K. Simmons). We caught up with Damien at the New York Film Festival earlier this month to ask him about

Daily Dialogue — October 18, 2014

Minister: David, do you take Mariel to be your wife? Do you promise to be good to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love and honor her all the days of your life? A long awkward silence. The Best Man elbows David. David:

Declare Your Independents — Vol. 34

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… Why Alejandro Iñárritu Calls Hollywood’s Superhero Obsession “Cultural Genocide” AFI Fest Announces New Auteurs, American Indie and Shorts Lineups Neil Patrick

9 Interviews with Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship Winners

In honor of the recently announced winners of the 2014 Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship, here are links to interviews I’ve done during the last two years with 9 previous Nicholl Fellows, several of them Black List writers as well. Nicole Beckwith (2012 Nicholl Winner, 2012 Black List) Destin Daniel Cretton

Movie Trailer: “Listen Up Philip”

Written by Alex Ross Perry Anger rages in Philip as he awaits the publication of his second novel. He feels pushed out of his adopted home city by the constant crowds and noise, a deteriorating relationship with his photographer girlfriend Ashley, and his own indifference to promoting the novel. When