Scott Myers

Go On Your Own Quest — Week 14: Prep

The 2013 version of The Quest starts Week 14 today. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by because you can Go On Your Own Quest by following the structure of The Quest to dig into screenwriting theory [Core — 8 weeks], figure out your story [Prep — 6 weeks], and write

Movie Trailer: “Endless Love”

Written by Shana Feste, Joshua Safran The story of a privileged girl and a charismatic boy whose instant desire sparks a love affair made only more reckless by parents trying to keep them apart. IMDB Release Date: 14 February 2014 (USA)

Hidden Movie Gem: “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind”

Today’s Hidden Movie Gem guest post comes from Zach Jansen. Movie Title: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind Year: 2002 Wwriters: Screenplay by Charlie Kaufman (uncredited rewrite by George Clooney); based on the book by Chuck Barris (screenplay link here) Starring: Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Rutger

Great Character: David (“The Lost Boys”)

With Halloween approaching, our theme this month is Supernatural Characters. Today in his regular weekly guest post, Jason Cuthbert looks at David from the 1987 movie The Lost Boys, screenplay by Janice Fischer & James Jeremias and Jeffrey Boam, story by Janice Fischer & James Jeremias. Can you imagine those

Daily Dialogue — October 18, 2013

Joan Crawford: [muttering to herself, hacking down the rose garden] Hollywood royalty! Parted friends… everyone already knows! Box office poison! Box office poison! Class! You’re… class… you’re… class… box office poison! Eighteen years in the business and we parted friends! Creative differences! Notices the others. Joan Crawford: Oh…

Question: What about working with a co-writer?

A question from Tom: Co-writers… I am just beginning to work with a foreign-born writer I met who asked me about working with him on a screenplay that takes place in his native (third world) country. He approached me for a variety of reasons, but bottom line, we

Dispatch From The Quest: Sandy Leviton

Over the course of the 24 weeks I am working with the writers in The Quest, each will write a weekly dispatch to share with the GITS community. There are several reasons for doing this, the main one educational: Hopefully you will learn something of value for your own understanding

Final Call: 30 Essential Movies for Screenwriters to Watch

For my original post, go here. For your suggestions yesterday, go here. Let’s do one more day to solicit your take: What movies would you consider to be essential for us to watch? Movies where we can learn something substantial about the craft. Movies that are critical to watch

Go On Your Own Quest — Week 14: Prep

The 2013 version of The Quest starts Week 14 today. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by because you can Go On Your Own Quest by following the structure of The Quest to dig into screenwriting theory [Core — 8 weeks], figure out your story [Prep — 6 weeks], and write

Movie Trailer: “Non-Stop”

Screenplay by John W. Richardson & Chris Roach and Ryan Engle, story by John W. Richardson & Chris Roach An air marshal must spring into action aboard an international flight. Release Date: 28 February 2014 (USA)

Hidden Movie Gem: “The Fountain”

Today’s Hidden Movie Gem guest post comes from Mark Walker Movie Title: The Fountain Year: 2006 Screenplay: Darren Aronoskfy Story: Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel Cast: Hugh Jackman — Tomas/Tommy/Tom Creo, Rachel Weisz — Isabel/Izzi Director: Darren Aronofsky Plot Summary: Three stories — one each from the past, present,

Writing and the Creative Life: What if…

Perhaps the two most powerful words in the creative process. Screenwriter James V. Hart (Dracula, Contact, Tuck Everlasting) recounts the creative inspiration behind the movie Hook: “The secret, the great key to writing Hook, came from my son. When he was six, he asked the question, ‘What if Peter Pan

Daily Dialogue — October 17, 2013

“Don’t be a good neighbor to her. I’ll send you a love letter… [shouting] straight from my heart, fucker! You know what a love letter is? It’s a bullet from a fucking gun, fucker! You receive a love letter from me, you’re fucked forever! You understand,

Dialogue Paradigm

One of the great aspects of the screenwriting courses I teach is the contributions of the writers involved. Case in point, John Hörnschemeyer recently took my Core V: Dialogue class which led him to this epiphany: Another intense, thought-provoking, and dare I say, inspiring week, the fifth, of Scott’

Dispatch From The Quest: Waka Brown

Over the course of the 24 weeks I am working with the writers in The Quest, each will write a weekly dispatch to share with the GITS community. There are several reasons for doing this, the main one educational: Hopefully you will learn something of value for your own understanding

Update: 30 Essential Movies for Screenwriters to Watch

For my original post, go here. What I’d like to do today and probably tomorrow is solicit suggestions from the GITS community: What movies would you consider to be essential for us to watch? This is not necessarily a Best Of list, but rather movies tied to the craft

Go On Your Own Quest — Week 14: Prep

The 2013 version of The Quest starts Week 14 today. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by because you can Go On Your Own Quest by following the structure of The Quest to dig into screenwriting theory [Core — 8 weeks], figure out your story [Prep — 6 weeks], and write

Movie Trailer: “Last Vegas

Written by Dan Fogelman Three sixty-something friends take a break from their day-to-day lives to throw a bachelor party in Las Vegas for their last remaining single pal. IMDB Release Date: 1 November 2013 (USA)  Comment Archive

Hidden Movie Gem: “The Third Man”

Today’s Hidden Movie Gem guest post comes from Jonathan Melikidse. MOVIE TITLE: The Third Man YEAR: 1949 WRITER: Graham Greene LEAD ACTORS: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotton, Alida Valli, Trevor Howard DIRECTOR: Carol Reed PLOT SUMMARY: Pulp novelist Holly Martins travels to shadowy, postwar Vienna, only to find himself investigating

Script To Screen: “Witness”

From the 1985 movie Witness [screenplay by Earl W. Wallace and William Kelley, story by William Kelley and Pamela Wallace & Earl W. Wallace]. Setup: Samuel, a young Amish boy, is traveling with his mother. Needing to use the facilities, he enters the bathroom at a train station in Philadelphia.

Daily Dialogue — October 16, 2013

“Ah, little lad, you’re staring at my fingers. Would you like me to tell you the little story of right-hand/left-hand? The story of good and evil? H-A-T-E! It was with this left hand that old brother Cain struck the blow that laid his

What one word best describes your experience as a writer?

Like one word can do it justice, right? But look at this question as a chance to step back from who you are and what you do as a writer, and reflect on it with a long view. Joy? Suffering? Relentless? Endless? Inspiring? Take a one word snapshot of how

Dispatch From The Quest: Troy Klith

Over the course of the 24 weeks I am working with the writers in The Quest, each will write a weekly dispatch to share with the GITS community. There are several reasons for doing this, the main one educational: Hopefully you will learn something of value for your own understanding

Spec Script Sale: “Reminiscence”

Legendary Pictures acquires spec script “Reminiscence” written by Lisa Joy. From Variety: Legendary Pictures has paid low seven figures for Lisa Joy’s sci-fi thriller “Reminiscence,” beating out several studios for the rights to the spec over the weekend making it one of the biggest script deals of the

Spec Script Sale: “The Strategist”

Millennium Films acquires thriller spec script “The Strategist” written by Inon Shampanier. From Deadline: It is the story of a most unusual CIA recruit, a chess master who is brought in to mastermind the takedown of a dangerous dictator. The adversary is himself a brilliant man with impenetrable security who