Scott Myers

Jump start your screenwriting in 2014!

I’m happy to provide all the free screenwriting content I do here at Go Into The Story and hope you benefit from it. In fact, I’m gratified to learn that several 2013 Black List writers and 2013 Nicholl Fellowship winners are fans of the blog. There is also

Spec Script Sale: “The Unseen”

Twentieth Century Fox acquires horror spec script “The Unseen” written by John Travis. Adapted from the short “Mr Pettinger’s Daemon”. Travis repped by APA and Industry Entertainment. Date: November 11, 2013 The last week of every year, I go back through various sales reports which I was not able

Spec Script Sale: “Stolen”

1984 Private Defense Contractors acquire horror spec script “Stolen” written by Joe Burke and Kevin Oestenstad. From Deadline: The script from newcomers Burke and Oestenstad follows a young couple from the city, Josh and Allison, whose short trip turns into a rural nightmare when Allison steps out of a quiet

Spec Script Sale: “White Rush”

Thunder Road acquires action thriller spec script “White Rush” written by John Schramm. Logline: N/A. Schramm is repped by CAA and Energy Entertainment. This is an option deal. Date: October 9, 2013 The last week of every year, I go back through various sales reports which I was not

Classic 80s Movie: “Repo Man”

Today’s Classic 80s Movie guest post comes from Matt Clarke. Movie Title: Repo Man Year: 1984 Writer/Director: Alex Cox Lead Actors: Emilio Estevez, Harry Dean Stanton. Plot Summary: Young punk Otto becomes a repo man after helping to steal a car, and stumbles into a world of wackiness

Classic 80s Movie: “Caddyshack”

Today’s Classic 80s Movie guest post comes from Chris Neumann. Movie Title: Caddyshack Year: 1980 Writers: Brian Doyle Murray, Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney Lead Actors: Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Bill Murray Director: Harold Ramis Plot Summary: An exclusive golf course has to deal with a brash new

On Writing

“You can make anything by writing.” ― C.S. Lewis

Daily Dialogue — December 30, 2013

Michael: There’s a plane waiting for us to take us to Miami in an hour, alright? Don’t make a big thing about it. (kisses him) I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart. President: Debido a serios reveses de nuestras tropas en

Go Into The Story Week In Review: December 23-December 29, 2013

Links to the week’s most notable posts: 2013 Black List Word Cloud Logline Challenge: Winners! Award season screenplay download (38 PDF scripts) Classic 80s Movie: A Christmas Story Classic 80s Movie: Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back Classic 80s Movie: Robocop Classic 80s Movie: Running Scared Classic

Writing Goals: 2014

Here is the entire 10-part series you can use to assess what you accomplished creatively in 2013, set realistic goals for 2014, and tips on how to go about achieving them. Part 1: Looking Back Part 2: Assessing Where You Are Part 3: Where Do You Want To Go

Movies You Made: “The Photo”

Apropos to the holiday season, a short film written and directed by Nathaniel Moher, who also plays the lead character. Some background: Scott, Thank you! Really appreciate you giving it some space on your blog (also really appreciate what you do for young writers trying to break in)! Little info

Studying Aristotle’s “Poetics” — Part 16: Recognition

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

Classic 80s Movie: “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”

Today’s Classic 80s Movie guest post comes from Illi Ferreira. Movie Title: Jumpin’ Jack Flash Year: 1986 Writers: David Franzoni, Charles Shyer, Nancy Meyers, Chris Thompson, Steven E. de Souza (uncredited) Lead Actors: Whoopi Goldberg, Stephen Collins, John Woods Director: Penny Marshall Plot Summary: Terry [Whoopi Goldberg] works for

Interview [Video]: Kelly Marcel (“Saving Mr. Banks”)

A DP/30 interview with Saving Mr. Banks screenwriter Kelly Marcel: Kelly’s script “Saving Mr. Banks” made the 2011 Black List. You can read my interview with Kelly here. Comment Archive

Daily Dialogue — December 29, 2013

Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, and old lang syne? For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne. And surely you’ll buy your pint cup! and

Daily Dialogue theme for next week: New Year’s Eve

Wrapping up a week’s worth of Christmas posts, focusing as it turns out mostly on Christmas songs, we charge toward our next holiday celebration with this week’s theme: New Year’s Eve. You may be tempted by all the romantic movies which include New Year’s Eve, but

Great Scene: “This is Spinal Tap”

The ‘mockumentary This is Spinal Tap was released 25 years ago this month, so it seemed only fitting to feature one of the movie’s most memorable scenes. Since most of the movie’s dialogue is improvised, I also thought it would be interesting to see the script, written by

Classic 80s Movie: “Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back”

Today’s Classic 80s Movie guest post comes from John Casu. Movie Title: Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back Year: 1980 Writers: Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan. Story by George Lucas. Lead Actors: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Frank Oz and Alec

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 118th installment of Saturday Hot Links! Today: The Orchestra Flash Mob Edition. Everything that happened in 2013 in one drawing. 2013: The year in charts. Ted Hope: 10 must read or watch film biz articles from 2013. Spain’s B.O drops 15% in 2013. The 13

Interview [Written]: Peter Berg (“Lone Survivor”)

Anne Thompson (@akstanwyck) with an Indiewire interview with Lone Survivor writer-director Peter Berg: How did you come to make “Battleship” if “Lone Survivor” was what you really wanted to do? I was getting ready to make “Lone Survivor” in 2008 when I was asked by the studio if we

Daily Dialogue — December 28, 2013

Christmas is all around me, and so the feeling grows It’s written in the wind, It’s everywhere I go, So if you really love Christmas, C’mon and let it snow? You know I love Christmas I always will My mind’s made up The way that I

Writing Goals: 2014 [Part 10] — Trust The Process

We pick up from last week with our year-end attempt to help GITS readers set and achieve their writing goals for 2014. To revisit the process of self-reflection from last week, here are the links: Part 1: Looking Back Part 2: Assessing Where You Are Part 3: Where

Spec Script Sale: “Unleash the Mules”

Columbia acquires drama spec script “Unleash the Mules” written by Chris Parker. From THR: In 1956 Henry Lebash, chafing to leave his teaching job at the Missouri School for the Blind for a gig at up-and-coming IBM in California, nevertheless agreed to create a wrestling team before he

Spec Script Sale: “The Drop”

The Solution acquires action thriller spec script “The Drop” written by Jeremy Drysdale. Logline: N/A Drysdale is repped by Independent Talent Group [U.K.] and Sentient. Date: October 23, 2013 The last week of every year, I go back through various sales reports which I was not able to

Spec Script Sale: “Run ‘N Gun”

Boundless Pictures acquires action comedy spec script “Run ‘N Gun” written by Casey DeVargas. From TheWrap: Story finds a thief named Jericho in the midst of a cross-country bank-robbing spree run when his getaway car is towed. When he steals a car, he gets more than he bargained