“22 story basics from Pixar”: #1–4 By now I’m pretty sure nearly everyone has seen this list — “22 storybasics I’ve picked up in my time at Pixar” — aggregated by Emma Coats, a storyboard artist at the studio. As opposed to just printing them out, tacking them up, then forgetting about them, I thought we
The Definitive Spec Script Sales List (1991–2012): 2000 The Definitive Spec Script Deals List: 2000 Pretty much ever since I sold a spec script in 1987, I have been fascinated by them. The very idea that a writer could conceive a story concept, research, craft and write an original screenplay, then sell it to a Hollywood buyer is
Movie Trailer: “Resident Evil: Retribution” Screenplay by Paul W.S. Anderson IMDB site Release Date: 14 September 2012 (USA)
Rod Serling: On creativity GITS reader David A sent me a link to an amazing set of videos, a sit-down conversation with TV and screenwriter Rod Serling. Most well-known for the long-running TV anthology series “The Twilight Zone” (148 episodes, 1959–1964), has over 70 writing credits including the screenplays for
On Writing “In the end something has changed. If nothing has changed, it isn’t a story.” — Malcolm Cowley Via @Quotes4Writers
Daily Dialogue — June 18, 2012 Steve Rogers: Big man in a suit of armour. Take that off, what are you? Tony Stark: Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. — Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), The Avengers (2012), screenplay by Joss Whedon, story by Zak Penn and Joss Whedon, comic book by Stan Lee &
Your favorite GITS posts? Every so often I receive an email from someone who tells me they have just discovered the site and spent a few days clicking through GITS archives. Invariably they will mention a particular post or series that especially spoke to them. And sometimes I will look at the reference, blink,
Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Title If you are a screenwriter, you should know about Anita Loos. Loos was one of the most influential writers in the early stages of American cinema, associated with 136 film projects per IMDB. Married to writer John Emerson, the pair wrote one of the first books on screenwriting in 1920:
Movie Trailer: “Sinister” Found footage helps a true-crime novelist realize how and why a family was murdered in his new home, though his discoveries put his entire family in the path of a supernatural entity. Written by Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill IMDB site Release Date: 5 October 2012 (USA) Comment
Screenwriting News (June 11–17, 2012) Patrick Aison sells action thriller spec script “Wunderkind” to Paramount. Arash Amel to rewrite “Methuselah” for Warner Bros. Shawn Christensen sells action adventure pitch “Stuff of Legends” to Disney. Joe Cornish to adapt best-selling novel “Snow Crash” for Paramount. Brian Duffield sells science fiction road romance spec script “Monster
Daily Dialogue — June 17, 2012 MAX CADY: Hey daddy, where does Sam Bowden hang out? JANITOR: In there, sir. Court is about over, I think. — Max Cady (Robert Mitchum), Janitor (Joseph Jenkins), Cape Fear (1961), screenplay by James R. Webb, based on a novel by John D. MacDonald GUARD: Ok Cady, moment you’ve been
Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Bragging! Once again, the stellar group of folks at GITS who are as much into dialogue as I am came through with an outstanding week of Daily Dialogues. And this one was not easy: Originals and remakes as suggested by saint716. But succeed you did, so I tip my virtual hat
Movies You Made: “Beer & Brainstorms” Received an email from Meg Turecek: Hey Scott, I took a class at Portland State University and my group in Low Budget Filmmaking just finished this film. It’s really all about story. Here is Beer & Brainstorm: Beer & Brainstorms A student film from Benjamin Ross Lyerly’s Chiron
Scene Description Spotlight: “Fargo” When is a kidnapping scene funny? When it’s written and directed by the Coen brothers, like in the 1996 Academy Award-winning movie Fargo. The film’s plot per IMDB: Jerry works in his father-in-law’s car dealership and has gotten himself in financial problems. He tries
Movie Trailer: “Pitch Perfect” Yahoo! Video PlayerEdit descriptiond.yimg.com A comedy set in the middle of a war between rival a cappella groups and centered on a rebellious girl who joins one of the groups as an escape from her unhappy life at school. Screenplay by Kay Cannon, based on a book by
Saturday Hot Links Back for another installment of Saturday Hot Links! Today: The Greatest Damn Rock Song Ever — “Crossroads” by Cream In honor of Father’s Day: Fifty greatest movie dads. Here’s a nice Father’s Day gift: Rent out Pierce Brosnan’s Malibu mansion for $250,000 per month. Prometheus theory
Written Interview: Todd Solondz An interview with writer-director Todd Solodnz in Anthem magazine. Excerpt: Born in 1959, writer/director Todd Solondz grew up in the suburbs of Newark, New Jersey. After enrolling in NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts to study film, he made several shorts, one of which caught the attention
Daily Dialogue — June 16, 2012 Set-up: Pépé Le Moko (Jean Gabin / Charles Boyer) is a notorious thief, who escaped from France after his last great heist to Algeria. Since his escape, Moko became a resident and leader of the immense Casbah, or “native quarter,” of Algiers. French officials arrive insisting on Pépé’s capture
Spec Script Sale: “Monster Problems” Paramount acquires post-apocalyptic road movie spec script “Monster Problems” from writer Brian Duffield. From THR: Details are being kept under lock and key but the project has been described as a post-apocalyptic road movie in the vein of Mad Max and Zombieland with a John Hughes-esque love
GITS Script Reading & Analysis: “No Country for Old Men” For our next GITS Script Reading & Analysis, the screenplay is No Country for Old Men, screenplay by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy. You can download the November 28, 2005 draft of the script here. It is 122 pages long. With this script,
Story Ideas: Having eyes to see and ears to hear As it turned out, our collective conversation about “Go Into The Story: The Quest” over the last couple of weeks has, I think, sharpened everyone’s awareness about the importance of working with the strongest story ideas possible. Let me repeat something I can not verify factually, but I know
Meryl Streep: “Don’t they want the money?” This week at the Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards in Beverly Hills, Meryl Streep slammed “Hollywood’s big tentpole failures” like John Carter and Battleship, then added: “In this room, we are very familiar with these dreadful statistics that detail the shocking under-representation of women in our business.
Help save Portsmouth [New Hampshire] High School’s TV Media Program! I received a Tweet yesterday and follow-up email from rising high school junior Jordan Schopick: My name is Jordan Schopick and I’ve been following your blog for about a year now. I’m from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. We have recently been given the news by the school board,
The Definitive Spec Script Sales List (1991–2012): 1999 The Definitive Spec Script List: 1999 Pretty much ever since I sold a spec script in 1987, I have been fascinated by them. The very idea that a writer could conceive a story concept, research, craft and write an original screenplay, then sell it to a Hollywood buyer is in
Movie Trailer: “End of Watch” A drama centered on the long-term friendship and partnership between two cops. Written by David Ayer IMDB site Release Date: 28 September 2012 Comment Archive
