Scott Myers

Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 5: Reader Identification

This is one of the simplest yet most important basic screenwriting principles of all: In writing a Protagonist, we try to create a sense of reader identification with the character. How? Imbue the Protagonist with some qualities with which a reader can connect. Why is this important? Here are two

“Inception”: Film Analysis

Ah, Inception. The movie continues to compel people to analyze it. This latest piece from Darren Foley actually offering four possible takes on the movie, is quite good. Check it out: Analysis like this is parallel to the experience of watching Inception, going deeper and deeper into the story’s

“The 10 Common Types of Writers Block”

This is a pretty good list compiled by Nikki Woods in the respect that I’ve heard each one of these voiced by folks here on the blog, emails to me and writers I work with through Screenwriting Master Class. Here it is: 1. Your idea gauge is on empty.

Movie Trailer: “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”

Written by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver & Mark Bomback, characters by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, novel by Pierre Boulle A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 20: “Short Term 12”

Why read 30 screenplays in 30 days? Because whether you are a novice just starting to learn the craft of screenwriting or someone who has been writing for many years, you should be reading scripts. There is a certain type of knowledge and understanding about screenwriting you can only get

Great Character: Mr. White (“Reservoir Dogs”)

The Great Character theme for the month: Tarantino characters. Today: Jason Cuthbert looks at Mr. White from the movie Reservoir Dogs. It was back in 1992 when the heist thriller underwent a clever genre dissection with the application of a crime novel-style nonlinear narrative by screenwriter and director Quentin

Daily Dialogue — June 20, 2014

EXT. TRAINING PITCH — FOLLOWING DAY — (1974) CLOUGH walks out into the drizzle and towards the LEEDS PLAYERS.. CLOUGH: (up-beat, clapping hands) All right, gentlemen, gather around, please. The players truculently gather round. CLOUGH watches them, notes their mood, then… CLOUGH: I might as well tell you now. You lot

Update: Black List Live! Staged Reading: “1969: A Space Odyssey”

This happened on Saturday, June 14: With a staged script reading of Stephany Folsom’s “1969: A Space Odyssey, or How Kubrick Learned to Stop Worrying and Land on the Moon,” we officially kicked off Black List Live! on Saturday night to a packed house of over 700 at the

Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 4: Character = Function

Yesterday we looked at one basic screenwriting principle: Plot = Structure. Today another one: Character = Function There are three points worth making re this principle. The first is pretty simple: Every character in a screenplay has to be there for a reason. That reason is their narrative function, how who they

Night in the Writers Room: Comedy Panel

Via Variety, a panel with TV comedy writers: Bill Lawrence (Scrubs, Cougar Town), Matthew Carnahan (House of Lies), Marc Maron (Maron), Rob McElhenney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), and Matt Warburton (The Mindy Project). Comment Archive

Character Types

Character types writers can use to develop their own stories. Stuck on how to make your Protagonist unique? What about an Addict or a Gambler? Nemesis? How about Angel or Rookie? Great resources for character development. Addict Advocate Angel Artist Bully Clown Companion Destroyer Femme Fatale Gambler Healer Innocent Loner

Movie Trailer: “And So It Goes”

Written by Mark Andrus A self-centered realtor enlists the help of his neighbor when he’s suddenly left in charge of the granddaughter he never knew existed until his estranged son drops her off at his home. IMDB Release Date: 11 July 2014 (USA) Comment Archive

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 19: “Gravity”

Why read 30 screenplays in 30 days? Because whether you are a novice just starting to learn the craft of screenwriting or someone who has been writing for many years, you should be reading scripts. There is a certain type of knowledge and understanding about screenwriting you can only get

Writing and the Creative Life: The Magic of Ambient Noise

There may be a decibel level of ambient noise to facilitate creative thought. 70 decibels. Not 50 dBs. That’s too low. Not 85 dBs. That’s too high. Nope. 70 dBs of ambient noise appears to be just right when it comes to enhancing one’s creativity. That’s

Daily Dialogue — June 19, 2014

Bill swings open the office door to the morgue while loudly humming/singing along to The Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.” Bill: Hi. How ya doin’? I’m Bill Blazejowski. You can call me Billy Blaze. You must be Chuck, right? Nice shoes. Bill looks around the office a bit.

Write Pages: Scene-Writing Challenge!

Observant GITS readers will note some method to my madness with regard to the last two monthly Noon series. In May, it was 90s movies. In June, it has been 30 Days of Screenplays. What is that but the first two of three from that essential screenwriting mantra: Watch movies.

Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 3: Plot = Structure

William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President’s Men, The Princess Bride), arguably the dean of contemporary American screenwriters, says this: “Screenplays are structure.” Screenwriting legend Charles Bennett (The Man Who Knew Too Much, The 39 Steps) says this: “The construction is the most important goddamned

“Star Wars:” Kitbashed

Via Indiewire: Let’s talk about the influences that shaped “Star Wars” for a moment — everyone name checks Joseph Campbell’s “The Heroes With A Thousand Faces,” Akira Kurosawa’s “The Hidden Forteress” and countless “Flash Gordon” serials. Those are certainly among the key touchstones that George Lucas re-imagined

10 Filmmaking Tips from ‘Legends of the Fall’ Producer and Director Ed Zwick

Ed Zwick is a well-known director with movie credits including About Last Night, Glory, Legends of the Fall, and Courage Under Fire. Zwick is also a writer perhaps most notably known as the co-creator of the ABC TV series thirtysomething. Indiewire ran an article yesterday in which TV

Movie Trailer: “The Equalizer”

The Equalizer Trailer - Trailer AddictEdit descriptionv.traileraddict.com Written by Richard Wenk A former black ops commando who faked his death for a quiet life in Boston comes out of his retirement to rescue a young girl and finds himself face to face with Russian gangsters. IMDB Release Date: 26

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 18: “Before Midnight”

Why read 30 screenplays in 30 days? Because whether you are a novice just starting to learn the craft of screenwriting or someone who has been writing for many years, you should be reading scripts. There is a certain type of knowledge and understanding about screenwriting you can only get

Script To Screen: “Frozen”

A scene from the 2013 animated movie Frozen, screenplay by Jennifer Lee, inspired by the story “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Andersen, story by Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee & Shane Morris, additional story by Dean Wellins. Plot Summary: Fearless optimist Anna teams up with Kristoff in an epic

Daily Dialogue — June 18, 2014

Tess arrives, sees a woman using the phone in the office, heads for the secretary cubicle. The woman comes out.   ALICE: Oh, I didn’t hear you come in, I’m Alice Baxter. TESS: Tess McGill ALICE: I was just using the phone. TESS: Yes, that happens. ALICE: How about

How to Have a Career: Advice to Young Writers

Good advice from author Sarah Manguso: Work. Be relentless. All over the world, people are working harder than you. Don’t go to events; go to the receptions after the events. If possible, skip the receptions and go to the afterparties, where you can have a real conversation with someone.

Spec Script Sale: “Leviathan”

Sony Pictures Entertainment acquires science fiction spec script “Leviathan” written by Cole Haddon. Haddon is repped by WME and Anonymous Content. By my count, this is the 30th spec script sale of 2014. There were 53 spec script sales year-to-date in 2013. Comment Archive