Scott Myers

Reader Question: What is the history of script reading/coverage?

From Ben: Hi Scott, I’ve been trying to find out the history of script reading/coverage but can’t seem to find anything. Do you know any good sources? Ben, I don’t know of any specific books that deal with the subject. My sense is that ever since

Matthew Hickman: Reflections of an Independent Screenwriting Fellowship Winner [cont’d]

About a month ago, there was this announcement: The Black List and Cassian Elwes have announced the winner of their first Independent Screenwriting Fellowship. Unrepresented screenwriter Matthew Hickman will attend the upcoming Sundance Film Festival with the producer behind 2013 awards contenders Lee Daniels’ The Butler, All Is Lost, Dallas

The Toughest Scene I Wrote: Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber (“The Spectacular Now”)

Once again, Vulture does screenwriters a solid: In this series, Vulture has been speaking to the screenwriters behind 2013′s most acclaimed movies about the scenes they found most difficult to crack. What pivotal sequences underwent the biggest transformations on their way from script to screen? In this article, Scott

Movie Trailer: “About Last Night”

Screenplay by Leslye Headland, based on the screenplay by Tim Kazurinsky & Denise DeClue, based upon “Sexual Perversity in Chicago” by David Mamet New love for two couples as they journey from the bar to the bedroom and are eventually put to the test in the real world. IMDB Release

So-Called Screenwriting ‘Rules’: Part 7

Two weeks ago, I posted this about an occurrence that happens with irritating regularity in the online screenwriting universe: The contentious specter of so-called screenwriting ‘rules’: What happens is pretty much this: * Somebody posts something about how there is a rule against doing this or that. * That circulates as

Screenwriting 101: Paul Feig

“I say [dialogue] out loud. If I can’t say it and make it sound convincing and not clunky, then no poor actor will be able to make it any better. It’s all about being in a character’s head. I do like to sit in places by myself

Daily Dialogue — January 21, 2014

Oskar Schindler: I could have got more out. I could have got more. I don’t know. If I’d just… I could have got more. Itzhak Stern: Oskar, there are eleven hundred people who are alive because of you. Look at them. Oskar Schindler: If I’d made more

Oscar Nominated Screenplays

Wendy Cohen sent along this post: BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY “American Hustle” — David O. Russell and Eric Warren Singer “Blue Jasmine” — Woody Allen Dallas Buyers Club” — Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack “Her” — Spike Jonze (excerpt) “Nebraska” — Bob Nelson BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY “12 Years a Slave” — John Ridley “Before Midnight” — Julie Delpy,

Movie Analysis: “Her”

“Theodore represents a futuristic Everyman, the result of human experience enshrouded and infused by technology. What promises to give us connection results in precisely the opposite — the illusion of relationships.” Some thoughts on the movie Her. Written and directed by Spike Jonze, here is how the movie is described on

The Toughest Scene I Wrote: Danny Strong (“Lee Daniels’ The Butler”)

Once again, Vulture does screenwriters a solid: In this series, Vulture has been speaking to the screenwriters behind 2013′s most acclaimed movies about the scenes they found most difficult to crack. What pivotal sequences underwent the biggest transformations on their way from script to screen? In this article, Danny

Movie Trailer: “Gimme Shelter”

Written by Ron Krauss A teenager sets out to find her Wall Street father and is forced into the streets in a desperate journey of survival. Based on a true story. IMDB Release Date: 24 January 2014 (USA)  Comment Archive

So-Called Screenwriting ‘Rules’: Part 6

Two weeks ago, I posted this about an occurrence that happens with irritating regularity in the online screenwriting universe: The contentious specter of so-called screenwriting ‘rules’: What happens is pretty much this: * Somebody posts something about how there is a rule against doing this or that. * That circulates as

On Writing

“Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.” — Napoleon Hill

Daily Dialogue — January 20, 2014

HAN: Get behind me! Get behind me! Can’t get out that way. LEIA: Looks like you managed to cut off our only escape route. HAN: Maybe you’d like it back in your cell, Your Highness. LUKE: See-Threepio! See-Threepio! Are there any other ways out of the

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

Links to the week’s most notable posts: 2014 Film and Television Writers Calendar Daily Dialogue Theme for Next Week: Rescue Final Update: The Official 2014 GITS Spec Script Sales Prognostication Contest! GITS Interview: 2014 Nicholl Fellowship winner Barbara Stepansky Great Character: John Bender (The Breakfast Club) Great Scene: The

Interview: Barbara Stepansky (2013 Nicholl Winner, 2013 Black List)

Barbara Stepansky’s original screenplay “Sugar in My Veins” not only won the filmmaker a 2013 Nicholl fellowship, it also landed on the 2013 Black List. Here are links to the six installments of the entire interview: Part 1: “I actually worked as an ice cream girl at the cinema

Studying Aristotle’s “Poetics” — Part 18(B): Four Kinds of Tragedy

As I’ve been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again: Aristotle’s “Poetics”. I confess I’ve never read the entire thing, only bits and pieces. So I thought, why not do a weekly series with

Screenwriting News (January 13–19, 2014)

Jay Basu adapting YA fantasy novel “Talon” for Universal Pictures. Peter Craig rewriting action thriller “The Mission” for Warner Bros. Peter Dowling adapting thriller novel “Sacrifice” for Cheyenne Enterprises with Dowling to direct. Paul Greengrass to adapt drama thriller novel “The Director” for Sony Pictures with Greengrass to direct. Max

Interview (Video): Carl Gottleib (“Jaws”)

Here’s something special: A DP/30 interview with veteran screenwriter Carl Gottleib whose credits include the 1975 movie Jaws. During production of the movie, Gottleib kept a journal which has been published as “The Jaws Log.” You can check it out here.  Comment Archive

Daily Dialogue — January 19, 2014

Bobby Pellitt: You’re three hours late. What’s the deal? Kurt Buckman: I was at your father’s funeral. Bobby Pellitt: Uh huh. Well, maybe that excuse would have flown when my dad was here, but I’m in charge now. — Horrible Bosses (2011), screenplay by Michael Markowitz and

Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Rescue

After this week of Daily Dialogues, I think we’re all about ready to fire our bosses. So many jerks, but so entertaining! Thanks to kevinpgoulet for that recommendation. Next week’s them: Rescue, suggested by Despina. “Who you gonna call? Snake! Plissken!” The usual drill: * Copy/paste dialogue from

Interview: Barbara Stepansky (2013 Nicholl Winner, 2013 Black List) — Part 6

Barbara Stepansky’s original screenplay “Sugar in My Veins” not only won the filmmaker a 2013 Nicholl fellowship, it also landed on the 2013 Black List, so I was excited when she agreed to do an interview to see what we could learn from this talented young filmmaker. Today in

Great Scene: “The Verdict”

Courtroom dramas. A staple of Hollywood cinema for decades. From a string of great films nearly a half-century ago Anatomy of a Murder (1959), Inherit the Wind (1960), Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) to more recent hits including Presumed Innocent (1990), A Few Good Men

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 121st installment of Saturday Hot Links! Today: The Greatest Nicholas Cage Movie Moments With A Hat Tip To @MysteryExec Edition! Sundance: A look back at how last year’s acquisitions fared at the box office. Sundance: Screen 10 former festival films online for free. Sundance: The 10

Interview (Written): Lindsay Devlin (“Devil’s Due”)

A feature in the Detroit Free Press on hometown girl made good Lindsay Devlin who wrote the script Devil’s Due which opens in theaters this weekend: For Devlin, the idea for the story started with a dream she had in spring 2012 about a paranormal pregnancy. “I started thinking