Scott Myers

On Writing

“Write. Rewrite. When not writing or rewriting, read. I know of no shortcuts.” — Larry L. King Comment Archive

Daily Dialogue — August 19, 2013

Vera: I know why you’re here. Detective Webster: Beg your pardon? Vera: I know why you’re here. Detective Webster: Why are we here? Vera: ’Cause of what I do. Detective Webster: Because of what you do? Vera: Yes. Detective Webster: What is it that you do, Mrs. Drake?

Go Into The Story Week In Review: August 12-August 18, 2013

Links to the week’s most notable posts: Daily Dialogue Theme for Next Week: Overcome With Emotion Declare Your Independents: Volume 5 Dispatch From The Quest: Waka Brown Dispatch From The Quest: Christian Fontenot Dispatch From The Quest: Troy Klith Dispatch From The Quest: Sandy Leviton Dispatch From The Quest:

Dispatch From The Quest: Paul Wie

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

Interview: Jeffrey Lieber

Jeffrey Lieber is a screenwriter (Tangled, Tuck Everlasting) and TV writer-producer (Miami Medical, The Whole Truth, Pan Am, Necessary Roughness). He also received co-writing credit for the pilot episode of “Lost”. Here are inks to the six installments of the entire interview: Part 1: “I credit having an

Studying Aristotle’s “Poetics” — Part 7(B): Beauty, Magnitude and Order

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 (August 5-August 18, 2013)

Arash Amel sells action science fiction spec script “Soldiers of the Sun” to Universal. Michael Bartlett options science fiction spec script “Timeless” to Boundless Pictures. Nathan Brookes and Bobby Lee Darby writing horror sequel “See No Evil 2” for Lionsgate. Jared Bush writing animated action comedy “Zootopia” for Walt Disney

Video Interview: Danny Strong

Danny Strong began his career as an actor, then with the 2008 HBO movie Recount, he added screenwriting to his resume. Other writing credits: Game Change, Lee Daniels’ The Butler, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 and Part 2. Here are several Big Think sessions where Strong gives advice on

Daily Dialogue — August 18, 2013

Andy: [opens box, and takes out Jessie] This is Jessie, the roughest, toughest cowgirl in the whole west. She loves critters, but none more than her best pal, Bullseye! [pulls out Bullseye, and makes a whinnying sound] Andy: Yee-haw! [holds the two toys out to Bonnie] Andy: Here. Bonnie:

Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Overcome with emotion

As we wrap up a week’s worth of Pixar moments [thanks for that, Mark Walker], it’s time for next week’s theme: Overcome with emotion suggested by Sabina. Well, I’m sure we can do better than that. Think of movies where a character loses it. Anger. Grief.

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

Interview: Jeffrey Lieber — Part 6

Jeffrey Lieber is a screenwriter (Tangled, Tuck Everlasting) and TV writer-producer (Miami Medical, The Whole Truth, Pan Am, Necessary Roughness). He also received co-writing credit for the pilot episode of “Lost”. I recently spoke with Jeff about his background, his screenwriting and TV writing projects, and the writing

Great Scene: “Network”

The WGA has an annual honor called The Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award. And even though it’s for writers who work in TV, where Chayefsky ruled during its so-called “Golden Age,” there is no piece of writing that displays Chayefsky’s brilliance than this famous monologue in the movie

Saturday Hot Links

After an absence of one week, it’s the return of Saturday Hot Links with a special assist from fellow linkmeister Shaula Evans. Today: The Alfred Hitchcock Would Have Been 114 This Week Celebration Edition! The New Yorker’s Richard Brody: A Birthday Tribute to Alfred Hitchcock. Maybe Einstein was

Written Interview: Derek Cianfrance

An excellent Q&A conducted by Indiewire’s Anne Thompson with writer-director Derek Cianfrance about his latest movie The Place Beyond the Pines. Anne Thompson: You employ an unusual screenplay structure; like Alfred Hitchcock you kill off main characters. You seem to be ignoring the rules. Derek Cianfrance:

Daily Dialogue — August 17, 2013

“When somebody loved me, everything was beautiful Every hour we spent together, lives within my heart And when she was sad, I was there to dry her tears And when she was happy, so was I, when she loved me. Through the summer and the fall, we had each other,

Conscious Goal and Unconscious Goal

An interesting discussion arose from this post the other day on the question how to raise the stakes in a plot. I suggested one way was to track a shift that often happens with a Protagonist — from Want to Need — and one of the movie examples I cited in my

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

Interview: Jeffrey Lieber — Part 5

Jeffrey Lieber is a screenwriter (Tangled, Tuck Everlasting) and TV writer-producer (Miami Medical, The Whole Truth, Pan Am, Necessary Roughness). He also received co-writing credit for the pilot episode of “Lost”. I recently spoke with Jeff about his background, his screenwriting and TV writing projects, and the writing

Go On Your Own Quest — Week 5: Dialogue

The 2013 version of The Quest starts Week 5 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: “300: Rise of an Empire”

Screenplay by Zack Snyder & Kurt Johnstad, graphic novel by Frank Miller The Greek general Themistocles battles an invading army of Persians under the mortal-turned-god, Xerxes. IMDB Release Date: 7 March 2014 (USA)

Scene Description Spotlight: “Saving Private Ryan”

I doubt anyone who has seen Saving Private Ryan (written by Robert Rodat, directed by Steven Spielberg) will ever forget the film’s opening 20 minutes. So incredibly graphic, I can still remember the special ABC’s Ted Koppel did with some of the Normandy invasion survivors, screening the movie

Great Character: Judy Benjamin (“Private Benjamin”)

This month’s theme: Fish Out Of Water. Here is Jason Cuthbert with another of his weekly guest posts featuring Judy Benjamin (Goldie Hawn) from the 1980 comedy Private Benjamin, written by Nancy Meyers, Charles Shyer and Harvey Miller. In 1980 with the release of Private Benjamin from director Howard

Daily Dialogue — August 16, 2013

Edna: It will be bold! Dramatic! Bob: Yeah! Edna: Heroic! Bob: Yeah. Something classic, like, like Dynaguy. Oh, he had a great look! Oh, the cape and the boots… Edna: [throws a wadded ball of paper at Bob’s head] No capes! Bob: Isn’t that my decision? Edna: Do

Declare Your Independents: Volume 5

GITS development assistant Wendy Cohen here, and welcome to another edition of Declare Your Independents, our new series highlighting the latest developments in the world of independent film. This week… What Does One Learn with the David Lynch MA in Film? “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” Duo Rooney Mara and