Rod Serling: Character motivation 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
Great Character: Tony Stark Recently I asked if there were members of the GITS community who would like to participate with guest columns. Today’s Great Character post is provided by longtime GITS follower Jason Cuthbert. Embodying the role of a celebrated super hero and their genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist human alter ego can
Daily Dialogue — June 15, 2012 “When there’s no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth.” Dawn of the Dead (1978), written by George Romero Dawn of the Dead (2004), screenplay by James Gunn, based on a screenplay by George Romero The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is originals and remakes,
Reader Question: How do you handle songs in a screenplay? Does including the title of a specific recorded song mark you as an amateur? From Shaula Evans: How do you handle screenplays where music is an integral element–not “musicals” and not rom-coms with playlists, but movies about bands or singers? E.g., Privilege, The Commitments, Sister Act, etc?
Spec Script Sale: “The Quiet Ones” New Regency acquires horror spec script “The Quiet ones” from writer Vik Weet. From FilmFunds: The script is in the vein of Paranormal Activity and is pitched as follows: “Three students walked into a house. Ninety minutes later, all three of them were dead. This is what happened.” That’s
Story Ideas: Obituaries 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
Tom Benedek: “Life Imitates Art — Close To Home” Screenwriter (Cocoon), colleague and long-time friend Tom Benedek sent this along. LIFE IMITATES ART — CLOSE TO HOME This is a little story from the black list. Not the list that recognizes some of the best scripts of the year. The other black list. The one that pushed some of
The Definitive Spec Script Sales List (1991–2012): 1998 The Definitive Spec Script Deals List: 1998 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: “Argo” As the Iranian revolution reaches a boiling point, a CIA ‘exfiltration’ specialist concocts a risky plan to free six Americans who have found shelter at the home of the Canadian ambassador. Screenplay by Chris Terrio, based on an article by Joshuah Bearman IMDB site Release Date: 12 October 2012 Comment
Rod Serling: Creativity and Action 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
The Business of Screenwriting: “Three Ways To Not Be F*cking Stupid!” As I noted in this post yesterday, that boisterous, opinionated fellow ‘Producer Scott’ who we’ve been hearing from the last few weeks is actually a movie producer named Max Millimeter. I’ve brought him on as a consultant for “The Quest” project, but he surprised me recently with an
Daily Dialogue — June 14, 2012 “Sorry, I didn’t hear you in all this rain. Go in, please.” — Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), Psycho (1960), screenplay by Joseph Stefano, based on a book by Robert Bloch — Norman Bates (Vince Vaughan), Psycho (1998), screenplay by Joseph Stefano, based on a book by Robert Bloch The Daily Dialogue
Update: “Go Into The Story: The Quest” Because my email is getting hammered by folks who apparently are waiting with bated breath for results regarding “The Quest,” here’s another update. It’s a long one. If interested, click continue. As you will recall [or for those who missed it], I posted this on Monday detailing the
Story Ideas: Franchises 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
Reader Question: Is it okay for there to be more action lines in an action script? Once again into the breach against so-called screenwriting ‘rules’. From Alan Rambaldini: I’m reading the script for ‘Clash of the Titans’ and there is much more action lines than I’ve been told is ideal. The paragraphs are still short, but there can be many lined up one
Why do we find conflict entertaining? I’m sure all of us have heard that bromide: “Drama requires conflict.” As I sit here pondering that thought, the single best reason I can think of for why that is the case is we find conflict entertaining. But why is that? We go through life, at least most
The Definitive Spec Script Sales List (1991–2012): 1997 The Definitive Spec Script Deals List: 1997 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
Rod Serling: “I was traumatized into writing by war” 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
Script To Screen: “Almost Famous” A terrific movie Almost Famous (2000), written and directed by Cameron Crowe. One of the keys to creating drama is to put characters under pressure. Here is a classic example. Setup: Members of the rock band Stillwater, troubled by underlying tensions, find themselves on a small plane which hits a
Daily Dialogue — June 13, 2012 SIDDIE: Watch your ring with my stocking ALFIE: Move over a bit then…get your knee off the steering wheel! SIDDIE: I can’t I’m stuck ALFIE: Here, look out, I’ll do it. SIDDIE: Ooh, that hurt. ALFIE: I told you before to be careful where you put
Screenplay time Time is a mystery and perhaps nowhere more than in stories. As writers, we can jump through decades with one scene transition. Conversely we can stretch out mere moments for many pages, slowing down, even stopping the clock. Indeed something so fundamental as the choice of past tense, typical of
Story Ideas: Titles 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
Reader Question: What are keys to a sparse style of screenwriting? From Michael Traven. Part two of a two-part question: If I remember correctly, wasn’t Amini’s script for DRIVE only 60 pages? (It’s on IMSDB.com, but not as a PDF, so I can’t tell how many pages). I’m reading through that script right now,
The Definitive Spec Script Sales List (1991–2012): 1996 The Definitive Spec Script Deals List: 1996 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
Spec Script Sale: “Atom and Eve” Code Entertainment acquires romantic comedy spec script “Atom And Eve” from writers Ethan Furman and Adam Farasati. From Deadline: Script is a romantic comedy in which a recently jilted young computer scientist needs to impress her family by pretending that her humanoid artificial intelligence robot is actually her boyfriend. Seems
