Break your story in prep Let me begin with this acknowledgement: There is no right way to write. Each writer is different. Each story is different. There is no…
How They Write a Script: Ted Tally (“The Silence of the Lambs”) Ted Tally is yet another screenwriter who started out as a playwright. His film credits include White Palace (1990), The Juror (1996), All…
On Writing “Character gives us qualities, but it is in actions — what we do — that we are happy or the reverse. All human happiness and misery takes…
“Conversations With Wilder”: Part 2 Billy Wilder is my all-time favorite filmmaker. Consider just some of his movies: Double Indemnity (1944), Sunset Blvd. (1950), Stalag 17…
Page One: “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018) Screenplay by Anthony McCarten, story by Anthony McCarten and Peter Morgan
Great Scene: “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” A cinematic moment in Spielberg’s classic science fiction movie.
Story Type: Fish Out Of Water (FOOW) When a central character finds themselves WAY out of their natural element.
Writing and the Creative Life: One key to creativity… naps? “There is a cultural bias against sleep that sees it as akin to shutting down…”
How They Write A Script: Alvin Sargent “I think too many people are too organized; they’ve got it all worked out, instead of hearing their characters first. Get the goop out…
Script To Screen: “Beetlejuice” A memorable scene from the 1988 movie Beetlejuice with some significant changes from script to screen [screenplay by Michael McDowell and…
Page One: “Blood Diamond” (2006) Screenplay by Charles Leavitt, story by Charles Leavitt and C. Gaby Mitchell
Spec Script Deal: “Reality Vice” Paramount Pictures acquires comedy spec script “Reality Vice” written by Katie Silberman. Via Deadline:
The Business of Screenwriting: It’s not just about the script Yes, you should focus on your spec script, but there’s much more to learn.
Page One: “Blonde” (2022) Written for the screen by Andrew Dominik, based on the novel by Joyce Carol Oates
Screenwriting Mantra: Watch Movies. Read Scripts. Write Pages. I came up with this screenwriting mantra a decade ago. Still works.
How They Write A Script: Wendell Mayes Wendell Mayes (1918–1992) had a significant career as a screenwriter and TV writer with quite a range of movies including The Spirit of St…
Page One: “The Blob” (1988) Screenplay by Chuck Russell & Frank Darabont, story by Irvine H. Millgate, earlier screenplay by Theodore Simonson and Kay Linaker
