Scott Myers

Interview: J.C. Chandor (“All is Lost”)

Rob Feld with a WGA.org interview with All Is Lost writer-director J.C. Chandor: Obviously, the great challenge of this story is the fact that Our Man has nobody to communicate with through the entire movie. From a writing perspective, in previous versions of this film, people built

Daily Dialogue — January 11, 2014

Danny Ocean: It houses a security system that rivals most nuclear missile silos. First, we have to get within the casino cages which anybody will tell takes more than a smile. Next, through these doors… each of which requires a different six digit code changed every twelve hours. Past those

Final Chance: The Official 2014 GITS Spec Script Sales Prognostication Contest!

Yes, it’s time once again for The Official 2014 GITS Spec Script Sales Prognostication Contest! Or as we refer to it around the Myers household TO2014GSSSPC [much easier to remember, don’t you think]. Put on your prognostication glasses and take a guess at how many spec scripts sales

Interview (Part 4): Writer-Director Tze Chun (“Cold Comes the Night”)

Tze Chun is a talented young filmmaker who first gained attention with his indie drama Children of Invention. Indiewire describes his latest movie Cold Comes the Night, starring Alice Eve and Bryan Cranston, as a “tightly wound noir thriller.” Having screened the movie myself, I concur wholeheartedly. It opens in

“The Simpsons” Miyazaki tribute

Via Vulture, “The Simpsons” with an homage to famed Japanese animation writer-director Hayao Miyazaki: An annotated version via Slate: The episode airs this Sunday. Comment Archive

The Theology of Screenwriting: Cross

This week I continue to explore theological themes in relation to screenwriting, considering them metaphorically because in my view, we see these themes in movies all the time. By understanding them, we can use these theological themes to enhance the meaning and depth of our stories. For background on the

Movie Trailer: “The Right Kind of Wrong”

Megan Martin (screenplay), Tim Sandlin (novel) Leo the dishwasher falls in love with a bride on the day of her wedding — to another man. IMDB Release Date: 6 February 2014 (USA)  Comment Archive

Spec Script Sale: “Slingshot”

Benaroya Pictures acquires science fiction thriller spec script “Slingshot” written by Scott Adams. Premise: Trapped on a hobbled spacecraft, an astronaut struggles to survive not just the mission, but a crew that’s more dangerous than it seems. Script was a Nicholl Fellowship finalist. Adams is repped by Above The

Great Character: Ferris Bueller (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”)

This month we are looking at memorable teenagers in John Hughes movies. Today guest poster Jason Cuthbert considers one of the most iconic Hughes’ characters: Ferris Bueller. The 1986 ultimate skip-school teen comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was quite the graduation ceremony for both screenwriter/director/producer John

Daily Dialogue — January 10, 2014

Gene Kranz: Gentlemen, at this moment, I want you all to forget the flight plan. From this moment on, we are improvising a new mission: How do we get our people home? Goes to the chalkboard, draws a big circle representing Earth, another smaller circle representing the moon, then draws

Update: Screenwriting ‘rules’

On Monday, 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 people

Interview (Part 3): Writer-Director Tze Chun (“Cold Comes the Night”)

Tze Chun is a talented young filmmaker who first gained attention with his indie drama Children of Invention. Indiewire describes his latest movie Cold Comes the Night, starring Alice Eve and Bryan Cranston, as a “tightly wound noir thriller.” Having screened the movie myself, I concur wholeheartedly. It opens in

Spec Script Sale: “Darkness”

DoneDealPro is reporting the sale of horror thriller spec script “Darkness” written by Francis Jay and C.B. Liffer to FlickBag and Turtle Bag Productions. When a woman with night blindness is abducted and wakes in a dark place with strangers, she must use only touch and hearing to decide

The Theology of Screenwriting: Annunciation

What the Angel’s visit to Mary can teach us about the Call to Adventure. When I was studying for my Masters of Divinity degree at Yale University, it struck me then how so many movies feature theological themes. Redemption. Sin. Forgiveness. Conversion. Indeed, if we widen our interpretation of

Mega Clip: “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit”

Written by Adam Cozad and David Koepp, based on characters by Tom Clancy Jack Ryan, as a young covert CIA analyst, uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack. IMDB Release Date: 17 January 2014 (USA)  Comment Archive

Matthew Hickman: Independent Screenwriting Fellowship Winner [Part 4]

Less than 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,

Writing and the Creative Life: Three types of creators

Writing and the Creative Life: Three Types of Creators Perfecter. Innovator. Synthesizer. Which type of creative are you? My son Will is a graduate of a five-year dual degree program at Tufts University and the New England Conservatory. He received two Bachelor’s degrees with three majors: Cognitive and

Daily Dialogue — January 9, 2014

Dr. Evil: Gentlemen, I have a plan. It’s called blackmail. The Royal Family of Britain are the wealthiest landowners in the world. Either the Royal Family pays us an exorbitant amount of money, or we make it seen that Prince Charles has had an affair outside of marriage and

Update: The Official 2014 GITS Spec Script Sales Prognostication Contest!

Yes, it’s time once again for The Official 2014 GITS Spec Script Sales Prognostication Contest! Or as we refer to it around the Myers household TO2014GSSSPC [much easier to remember, don’t you think]. Put on your prognostication glasses and take a guess at how many spec scripts sales

Interview (Part 2): Writer-Director Tze Chun (“Cold Comes the Night”)

Tze Chun is a talented young filmmaker who first gained attention with his indie drama Children of Invention. Indiewire describes his latest movie Cold Comes the Night, starring Alice Eve and Bryan Cranston, as a “tightly wound noir thriller.” Having screened the movie myself, I concur wholeheartedly. It opens in

The Theology of Screenwriting: Temptation

This week I continue to explore theological themes in relation to screenwriting, considering them metaphorically because in my view, we see these themes in movies all the time. By understanding them, we can use these theological themes to enhance the meaning and depth of our stories. For background on the

Movie Trailer: “Jimmy P”

Writer: Arnaud Desplechin, Co-Writers: Kent Jones, Julie Peyr IMDB Comment Archive

Matthew Hickman: Independent Screenwriting Fellowship Winner [Part 3]

Less than 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,

Script To Screen: “Wall-E”

One of the loveliest scenes from the 2008 movie Wall-E, screenplay by Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, original story by Andrew Stanton and Pete Docter. Plot Summary: In the distant future, a small waste collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of

Daily Dialogue — January 8, 2014

Rick: Louie, have your men go with Mr. Laszlo and take care of his luggage. Renault: Certainly, Rick, anything you say. (to one of his men) Find Mr. Laszlo’s luggage and put it on the plane. Man: Yes, sir.  Rick: (to Renault) If you don’t mind, you fill