Scott Myers

Writing and the Creative Life: “In great attempts, it is glorious even to fail”

When legendary football coach Vince Lombardi would speak in public, he rarely strayed far from two closely related subjects: success and failure. One quote I’ve always remembered is this one: It seems to me this embodies a mindset writers would do well to embrace for it re-frames the

Daily Dialogue — January 23, 2014

Reporter: Mr. Keith, there’s been a general assumption in that the space program will be brought to a halt for an investigation of the accident. Plus a general examination of our purposes in space and the morality of putting men into space without adequate… Charles Keith: What’s your

Quest Writing Workshop: Santa Monica, March 13–16, 2014

Last October, ten writers from across the United States and Canada converged at The Writers Junction in Santa Monica for a 4-Day Quest Writing Workshop with me as their host and teacher. It was a remarkable weekend. * The learning that went on as we immersed ourselves in character-based

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

Spec Script Sale: “Vice”

Emmett/Furla Films acquires science fiction spec script “Vice” written by Andre Fabrizio and Jeremy Passmore. Via THR: Vice, which has been described as having a Westworld-meets-Grand Theft Auto vibe, is set on a resort in the future where the staff are lifelike synthetic beings and the rich

The Toughest Scene I Wrote: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen (“Inside Llewyn Davis”)

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, Joel

Movie Trailer: “Adult World”

Written by Andy Cochran A recent college graduate who believes she’s destined to be a great poet, instead winds up working for an adult book store. IMDB Comment Archive

So-Called Screenwriting ‘Rules’: Part 8

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

Script To Screen: “Argo”

A dramatic scene from the 2012 movie Argo, written by Chris Terrio, book by Tony Mendez, magazine article by Joshuah Bearman. Plot Summary: Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans

Daily Dialogue — January 22, 2014

On the run from the authorities, Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) is trying to find the one-armed man who killed his wife. Kimble disguises himself as a maintenance man to gain access to the hospital’s amputee clinic database. Just as he’s leaving the hospital, there’s a

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