Scott Myers

30 Days of Screenplays — Day 3: “American Beauty”

Welcome to June and the series: 30 Days of Screenplays. Why 30 screenplays in 30 days? Because whether you are a novice just starting to learn the craft of screenwriting or someone who has been writing for many years, you should be reading scripts. There is a certain type of

On Writing

“A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.” — Frank Capra

Daily Dialogue — June 3, 2013

President Matt Douglas: What are you doing? President Russell Kramer: I needed a cup of coffee. President Matt Douglas: Good. Did you get me one? President Russell Kramer: No. President Matt Douglas: You cheap bastard! President Russell Kramer: I only had fifty cents. President Matt Douglas: Gimme a sip. President

The Quest Inititiative: Day 12

The submission period for The Quest Initiative runs from May 22-June 8. Each day I will provide an update. Today: Marks the 12th day of submissions for The Quest Initiative. Number of entrants: 320. Number of loglines [estimated]: 575. Question of the day: How tough are you going to

Go Into The Story Week In Review: May 27-June 2, 2013

Some notable posts from this week: 30 Days of Screenplays — Day 1: The Sixth Sense 30 Days of Screenplays — Day 2: Witness Coen Brothers and the Craft of Storytelling Craft Your Future: Surviving and Thriving as a Screenwriter Daily Dialogue Theme for Next Week: Witty Banter GITS Interview: Screenwriter Chris

Interview: Chris Borrelli

Christopher Borrelli, who wrote the 2007 Universal / Gold Circle horror thriller Whisper and co-wrote the 2009 Fox / WWE action film The Marine 2, sold the spec scripts “The Vatican Tapes” [Black List] to Lionsgate and Lakeshore in 2009, “Wake” to Hammer Films / Exclusive Media Group in 2010, and “Sad

30 Days of Screenplays — Day 2: “Witness”

Why 30 screenplays in 30 days? Because whether you are a novice just starting to learn the craft of screenwriting or someone who has been writing for many years, you should be reading scripts. There is a certain type of knowledge and understanding about screenwriting you can only get from

Studying Aristotle’s “Poetics” — Part 3: Medium, Objects, Manner

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

Movies You Made: “CakeWalk”

For several months, I’ve been tagging a bunch of emails from filmmakers who have contacted me about their film projects, so I figured we should feature them this May. If you have a movie, either short-form or long, with which you were involved — writer, actor, director — please either

Screenwriting News (May 27-June 2, 2013)

Luke Davies scripted James Dean project “Life” lands director Anton Corbijn for See-Saw Films. Doug Ellin writing comedy “Bad Santa 2” possibly to direct for Miramax. Jordan Goldberg and Alex Paraskevas sells action spec script “The Asterisk” to Warner Bros. Michael Green writing sequel to “Blade Runner” for Alcon

Video Interview: Nicolas Winding Refn (“Only God Forgives”)

Via Alex Billington at the excellent site FirstShowing, a 22-minute interview with writer-director Nicolas Winding Refn (Only God Forgives, Drive, Valhalla Rising and Bronson). For more of Alex’s insight into the interview, go here.

Daily Dialogue — June 2, 2013

Dorothy looks up at the ceiling, waiting. Frank suddenly reaches to his belt, where he has a small canister and a mask. He opens a valve on the canister and places the mask over his nose and mouth. The canister is filled with helium, which makes Frank’s voice very

The Quest Initiative: Day 11

The submission period for The Quest Initiative runs from May 22-June 8. Each day I will provide an update. Today: Marks the 11th day of submissions for The Quest Initiative. Number of entrants: 312. Number of loglines [estimated]: 575. Question of the day: Are writing teams eligible for consideration

Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Witty banter

I guess we’re all exhausted from a week’s worth of sex scenes (thanks to a suggestion by Dean Scott). So next week, we’ll get some pep in our step from the theme: Witty Banter, suggested by stoneinthesling. Peter Joshua: Reggie, cut it out. Reggie Lampert: Okay. Peter

Interview: Chris Borrelli (2009 Black List) — Part 6

Christopher Borrelli, who wrote the 2007 Universal / Gold Circle horror thriller Whisper and co-wrote the 2009 Fox / WWE action film The Marine 2, sold the spec scripts “The Vatican Tapes” [Black List] to Lionsgate and Lakeshore in 2009, “Wake” to Hammer Films / Exclusive Media Group in 2010, and “Sad

30 Days of Screenplays — Day 1: “The Sixth Sense”

Why 30 screenplays in 30 days? Because whether you are a novice just starting to learn the craft of screenwriting or someone who has been writing for many years, you should be reading scripts. There is a certain type of knowledge and understanding about screenwriting you can only get from

Movies You Made: “Linda”

For several months, I’ve been tagging a bunch of emails from filmmakers who have contacted me about their film projects, so I figured we should feature them this May. If you have a movie, either short-form or long, with which you were involved — writer, actor, director — please either

Spec Script Sale: “Visions”

Blumhouse Productions acquires thriller spec script “Visions” written by Lucas Sussman. From Variety: Story, in the vein of “The Others” and “What Lies Beneath,” centers on a pregnant woman moving to the wine country to be with her husband at their vineyard — a move which triggers terrifying visions. Sussman is

Spec Script Sale: “Jump”

Relativity Media acquires spec script “Jump” written by John Scott Shepherd. From Deadline: It is a romantic dramedy in the vein of Jerry Maguire, with a strong male role at the center. Shepherd is repped by Paradigm. By my count this is the 44th spec script sale in 2013. There

Saturday Hot Links

Time again for another installment of Saturday Hot Links. Today: The Coen Brothers Edition! Film School Rejects: The 10 best movies of Cannes 2013. Are there Number 1 pencils. Hey, Pasadena. Go see “Sleepless in Seattle: The Musical”. 7 bizarre ways kids entertained themselves before video games. David Lynch is

Written Interview: Stephen King

A rare interview with Stephen King in [of all places] Parade magazine: When your kids were young, did you read to them? Oh, yeah. And they read to me, because I would pay them $10 a cassette tape. They read me books that I just shoved into their hands. I

Daily Dialogue — June 1, 2013

“Oh. Where you going?… Oh, you men are all alike. Seven or eight quick ones and then you’re out with the boys to boast and brag. YOU BETTER KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. Oh… I think I love him.” — Young Frankenstein (1974), screenplay and screen story by Gene Wilder and

The Quest Initiative: Day 10

The submission period for The Quest Initiative runs from May 22-June 8. Each day I will provide an update. Today: Marks the 10th day of submissions for The Quest Initiative. Number of entrants: 295. Number of loglines [estimated]: 550–575. Question of the day: If I get selected for

Wanted: Black List interns!

A note from the Black List crew: The Black List is seeking a few summer interns to work on projects ranging from building out data on the movie industry to helping catalog the Go Into the Story blog. The position would be remote and flexible (and unpaid), so applicants wouldn’

Interview: Chris Borrelli (2009 Black List) — Part 5

Christopher Borrelli, who wrote the 2007 Universal / Gold Circle horror thriller Whisper and co-wrote the 2009 Fox / WWE action film The Marine 2, sold the spec scripts “The Vatican Tapes” [Black List] to Lionsgate and Lakeshore in 2009, “Wake” to Hammer Films / Exclusive Media Group in 2010, and “Sad