The multiple values of a spec script Per Deadline about a project called “Responsible Adults”: Holmes plays 30-year-old-med student Liz Quinn, who meets charming 22-year-old Baxter Wood (Crawford). Their chemistry is electric until she realizes they have already met — she was his babysitter 15 years ago. But Baxter isn’t going to
Five trends for the 2011–2012 TV season Per The Wrap: The Endless Fall: So far, only Fox and NBC have unveiled their official schedule, and the fourth-place NBC seems to be taking a major lesson from “The Voice,” this year’s biggest hit. NBC has ordered 12 new shows in all, six comedies and six dramas.
Hollywood Tales “In the early 1990s, John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion wrote an original for Disney based on the life of 1980s television journalist Jessica Savitch — this is one installment of the notes the studio sent them: ‘We agree we need to make Talley (Savitch) a more sympathetic character and define
Daily Dialogue — May 17, 2011 The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is prayers suggested by Francisco Magdaraog. The Boondock Saints suggested by Russell. Trivia: The tattoo that Connor has on his left hand/index finger says, “VERITAS,” which is Latin for “Truth.” Murphy also has a tattoo in the same place but on his
Only in Hollywood: A screenwriter’s story This is incredible. Per THR: It’s the screenwriting equivalent of pulling the sword out of the stone. Ed Whitworth, a script reader for Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Prods., has seemingly come out of nowhere to land the plum gig to write The Lost Years of Merlin, Warner Bros.’ big-
Deep Focus: The Go Into The Movies Project — Movies In order to be a good screenwriter, you have to do more than learn about screenwriting. Indeed you must immerse yourself in the world of cinema. There are several reasons for this: * It is important to know at least something of the history of filmmaking in order to have a
Reader Question: Structure is character. Agree or disagree and why? Art asks: Structure is character. Agree or disagree and why? If by structure you mean story structure or plot, and if by character you mean the characters in a story, and if your implication is a story’s plot should arise from character, I agree 100%. However I have a
“Awake”: 4 minute video pilot highlights Last week Kyle Killen’s TV pilot “Awake” (formerly “REM”) got picked up for series by NBC. Here is a clip the network put together from the pilot: http://www.nbc.com/assets/video/5-0/swf/DirectWidget.swf?CXNID=1000004.10045NXC&widID=4727a250e66f9723&configXML=http://www.nbc.
The Hidden Message in Pixar’s Films As anyone who has read this blog for any length of time knows, I am fairly well obsessed with Pixar. Eleven movies, eleven #1-hits. But more than that is the way they are successful: exerting extraordinary focus on crafting each story. Here is some interesting analysis of Pixar’s
GITS turns three years old today I had plans to do some sort of big hoo-haw about this, the 1,095th day in a row I have been posting to this site. But if you’re reading these words, chances are you pretty much know the deal. So instead, just some random observations: GITS is
On writing “I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.” — James Michener
Daily Dialogue — May 16, 2011 Tracy Flick: Dear Lord Jesus, I do not often speak with you and ask for things, but now, I really must insist that you help me win the election tomorrow because I deserve it and Paul Metzler doesn’t, as you well know. I realize that it was your divine
Eight secrets writers won’t tell you Per this article: Secret #1: Writing is Hard Secret #2: We All Struggle With Procrastination Secret #3: We Put Ourselves Into Our Work Secret #4: First Drafts are Always Crap Secret #5: Each Piece Exists in a State of Flux — and it’s Never “Finished” Secret #6: We Do it
Movie Trailer: “The Artist” Thomas Langman présente Jean Dujardin et Bérénice Béjo dans The Artist, un film de Michel Hazanavicius. Hollywood 1927. George Valentin est une vedette du cinéma muet à qui tout sourit. L’arrivée des films parlants va le faire sombrer dans l’oubli. Peppy Miller, jeune figurante, va elle, être propulsée
Daily Dialogue — May 15, 2011 Ultrasound Technician: Well, there you have it. Would you like to know the sex? Leah: Yes! Juno MacGuff: No! Leah: Pleease, Juno, please! Juno MacGuff: No, there will be no sex! Ultrasound Technician: Planning to be surprised when you deliver? Juno MacGuff: Well, no, but I want Mark and Vanessa
Daily Dialogue theme for next week??? Okay, it’s that time again. Here is the current running list of suggestions: Double entendres [Danny] Teen girl culture [Josh K-sky] Outrageous Lies [The Unknown Lyricist] Bad Behavior Rationalizations [The Unknown Lyricist] Factoids in Film [CWillGoWrite] Bumper sticker quotes / great one-liners [Jason] Technobabble [daveed] If I’ve
Spec Script Sale: “From Mia With Love” Twentieth Century Fox buys spec comedy “From Mia With Love” from writers Seth Grahame-Smith, David Katzenberg, Bryan Shukoff & Kevin Chesley. Per Deadline: Three guys so desperate to lose their virginity order up a Russian mail-order bride, figuring they can send her back. She is smoking hot but
Written Interview: Derek Haas Today’s interview is with screenwriter-novelist Derek Haas. You may remember the name as Derek is the founder and host of the terrific short fiction site Popcorn Fiction. Derek’s screenwriting credits (along with co-writer Michael Brand) include 2 Fast 2 Furious, 3:10 to Yuma, and Wanted.
Daily Dialogue — May 14, 2011 [Helen hands the kids two masks] Helen: Put these on. Your identity is your most valuable possession. Protect it. And if anything goes wrong, use your powers. Violet: But you said never to use… Helen: I know what I said! [sighing] Helen: Remember the bad guys on the shows you
Reader Question: What about showing a character’s emotions in action description? Maurice Vaughan asks: Scott, what’s your best advice on showing emotions in action description when writing a script? At times I find it hard to express what I’m trying the character to feel in the descriptions. Thanks. Setting aside dialogue in which a character may convey their emotions
Immerse yourself in movies (CONT’D) So I’m pulling together a series of posts for next week to create a set of resources we can use to immerse ourselves in the world of movies. There will be five subject areas: Movies Scripts and Screenwriting Film Analysis and Criticism Filmmakers The Evolution of Filmmaking I pretty
Infographic: How “Star Wars” changed the world It truly is mind-boggling how much influence this one movie franchise has had in so many areas. In fact that raises a great question: What do you think is the single most important change that happened as a result of Star Wars? Comment Archive
Blogger blow up! But I’m back! In almost three years of doing this blog, I’ve never had a situation like this: Blogger just basically blew up. For 24 hours, I was unable to access anything. Plus Blogger seems to have ‘eaten’ yesterday’s posts. So I apologize for the disruption and I’ll try to
Series Pick-Up: “Awake” (aka “REM”) Great news as NBC picks up “Awake” (formerly “REM”) for series: Lone Star creator Kyle Killen delivers another dual life drama, this time a procedural hybrid starring Jason Isaacs(Brotherhood) as a police detective who can’t let go of any aspect of his fractured family after a car crash.
Great Characters: Gordon Gekko (“Wall Street”) This character is one of the faces of the 80s: Gordon Gekko from the movie Wall Street (written by Stanley Weiser and Oliver Stone). A plot summary from IMDB: Bud Fox is a Wall Street stockbroker in early 1980’s New York with a strong desire to get to the
