Daily Dialogue — October 12, 2012 Mavis Gary: I’m going to a rock concert with an old flame and I think there is a chance we may reconnect. Sales Lady: Let’s show him what he’s been missing. Mavis Gary: No, he’s seen me recently. He knows. But his wife hasn’t seen
“The Six Lessons I Live By” — Ari Emanuel Ari Emanuel is the co-CEO of William Morris Endeavor. Here is his list of lessons on his Linkedin site: 1. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you and move out of their way. If you feel like you know everything, you’re wrong. I know what I
Dispatch from The Quest: Ben Odgren Last week as we did here on GITS, the Quest writers focused on the fourth week of Prep. Today’s dispatch: Ben draws a metaphor between running and writing: About eight or nine weeks ago I found myself in the market for a new pair of running shoes. My left
Genre Essentials: Vote for your Family titles! It’s time to round out our Genre Essentials series. For those who need a reminder, it all started here: I have gotten to know a lot of screenwriters through the years including many of those who have broken into the business recently. In talking with or interviewing them, there
Go On Your Own Quest, Week 13: Prep “The Quest” has entered Week 13! And so did Go On Your Own Quest, an opportunity for anyone to follow the structure of “The Quest” to dig into screenwriting theory [Core — 8 weeks], figure out your story [Prep — 6 weeks], and write a first draft [Pages — 10 weeks]. It’s
Movie Trailer: “The Sessions” A man in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity contacts a professional sex surrogate with the help of his therapist and priest. Written by Ben Lewin IMDB site Release Date: 19 October 2012 (USA)
Set Pieces, Part 4: Complications, Roadblocks and Reversals A series this week on set pieces: A scene or set of scenes with a big idea, feel and/or scope to them, oftentimes associated with major plot points, and always about entertainment. Part 4: Complications, Roadblocks and Reversals. For background on what I mean by these three ‘categories,’ go
The Business of Screenwriting: Topics wanted! Devoted readers of TBOS doubtless know I have been re-posting past articles the last few months. Three reasons for this. First this may be the single busiest time in my adult life between a variety of writing projects, teaching, consulting, and blogging. Second I am reminded daily there are
Daily Dialogue — October 11, 2012 Jules: I’m not giving you that money. I’m buying something from you. Wanna know what I’m buyin’ Ringo? Pumpkin: What? Jules: Your life. I’m givin’ you that money so I don’t have to kill your ass. You read the Bible? Pumpkin: Not regularly. Jules: There’
Writing Question: What about montages? The subject of montages came up in the current Core VI: Scene class I’m teaching and we have had a lively discussion about them. I thought the comments were wide-ranging enough to warrant posting about it here to raise some of the issues related to this narrative device
Dispatch from The Quest: Emma Millions Last week as we did here on GITS, the Quest writers focused on the fourth week of Prep. Today’s dispatch: Emma Millions talks about the joy of paper and pen: This week I got a rare opportunity to go away for a few days on an actual holiday. And
Genre Essentials: Vote for your Drama titles! It’s time to round out our Genre Essentials series. For those who need a reminder, it all started here: I have gotten to know a lot of screenwriters through the years including many of those who have broken into the business recently. In talking with or interviewing them, there
Go On Your Own Quest, Week 13: Prep “The Quest” has entered Week 13! And so did Go On Your Own Quest, an opportunity for anyone to follow the structure of “The Quest” to dig into screenwriting theory [Core — 8 weeks], figure out your story [Prep — 6 weeks], and write a first draft [Pages — 10 weeks]. It’s
Movie Trailer: “The Guilt Trip” An inventor and his mom hit the road together so he can sell his latest invention. Written by Dan Fogelman IMDB site Release Date: 25 December 2012 (USA) Comment Archive
Set Pieces, Part 3: Stakes A series this week on set pieces: A scene or set of scenes with a big idea, feel and/or scope to them, oftentimes associated with major plot points, and always about entertainment. Part 3: Stakes. Will Stone survive reentry? Will Clarice prevail over Buffalo Bill? Will Luke Skywalker successfully
Script To Screen: “Magnolia” From the 1999 movie Magnolia written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, a multilinear story involving multiple characters. Setup: What can one say? A variety of characters leading up to a precipitous moment in each of their lives and then… INT. JIM KURRING'S CAR - THAT MOMENT Sequence JJim
Daily Dialogue — October 10, 2012 “As we walked along the flatblock marina, I was calm on the outside, but thinking all the time. So now it was to be Georgie the general, saying what we should do and what not to do, and Dim as his mindless, grinning bulldog. But suddenly I viddied that thinking
Reader Question: What are some guidelines about “breaking the fourth wall”? From Shaula Evans: Another topic that I’m researching and coming up pretty dry on is breaking the fourth wall (making asides or speaking directly to the camera). My working premise is that this is just like flashbacks, voice overs, or other more stylized choices: it won’t work in
Dispatch from The Quest: Brandon Cohen Last week as we did here on GITS, the Quest writers focused on the fourth week of Prep. Today’s dispatch: Brandon picks up on yesterday’s Dispatch about script notes: I was inspired by Scott Reynolds’ script journal this week regarding notes. Inspired is a nice way of saying
Genre Essentials: Vote for your Comedy titles! It’s time to round out our Genre Essentials series. For those who need a reminder, it all started here: I have gotten to know a lot of screenwriters through the years including many of those who have broken into the business recently. In talking with or interviewing them, there
Go On Your Own Quest, Week 13: Prep “The Quest” has entered Week 13! And so did Go On Your Own Quest, an opportunity for anyone to follow the structure of “The Quest” to dig into screenwriting theory [Core — 8 weeks], figure out your story [Prep — 6 weeks], and write a first draft [Pages — 10 weeks]. It’s
Movie Trailer: “Not Fade Away” Set in suburban New Jersey the 1960s, a group of friends form a rock band and try to make it big. Written by David Chase IMDB site Release Date: 21 December 2012
Set Pieces, Part 2: Emotional Meaning One of the most valuable pieces of brainstorming a screenwriter can do with regard to a story is conjure up some good set pieces. A series this week on set pieces: A scene or set of scenes with a big idea, feel and/or scope to them, oftentimes associated with
Screenwriting 101: Steve Martin “Screenplays are more scientific, they really do need a beginning, middle, and end; they really have to be concise. In terms of comic screenplays — for example Bowfinger — I visualized three or four funny scenes and I thought, I know what I want. I want three comic scenes in the movie
Daily Dialogue — October 9, 2012 [Bill Foster approaches the gang after they crashed] Bill Foster: You missed. [Foster picks up the UZI and shots to the car] Bill Foster: I missed, too. [Foster threatens the gang member as he begs for his life. Foster shoots him in the leg] Bill Foster: There, you see? That’
