Reader Question: What to do if I’m reluctant to submit my finished script? A question from Courtney: What is it, that tells you to, “let it go.” My first draft could have cleared a room. It really did stink. But a year later, I’m beginning to wonder if all of these rewrites are evolving into nitpicking. I’m at the point where
Spec Script Sale: “Monster Witness Relocation Program” Per Michael Flemming at Deadline, Disney buys spec script “Monster Witness Relocation Program” from writers Ahmet Zappa and Michael Wilson: The script’s based on an original idea by Ahmet Zappa. Zappa’s Monsterfoot Productions will produce with Overbrook Entertainment. Word is that the film will be developed as a
“How Do I Critique My Own Work?” One of the most important skills a writer can develop is the ability to critique their own work. This is a specific set of analytical muscles that, I suppose, some have well-trained innately, but most of us have to work with on a recurring basis in order to get
Popcorn Fiction: “Me (from before)” From screenwriter Derek Haas and his wonderful short fiction site Popcorn Fiction: Elena Tropp’s “Me (from before)” imagines a few pages from the journal of a woman dealing with life after leaving the grid. Okay, after everyone leaves the grid. Elena is an excellent screenwriter and storyteller who has
On Writing “The first thing that distinguishes a writer is that he is most alive when alone.” — Martin Amis
Daily Dialogue — August 23, 2010 Travis Bickle: [Travis is trying his guns on the mirror]: Huh? Huh? [Draws] Faster than you, fucking son of a… Saw you coming you fucking… shitheel. [Reholsters] I’m standing here; you make the move. You make the move. It’s your move… [Draws] Don’t try it you fuck.
Special Video Find: Robert Altman, Peter Bogdanovich, Mel Brooks, and Frank Capra With the hundreds of video interviews I’ve aggregated on this site, this little voice in my head pipes up from time to time saying, “That’s it, there’s nothing more out there.” Then I find footage like this! Robert Altman, Peter Bogdanovich, Mel Brooks, and Frank Capra together
“50 Essential Comic Book Movies with Edgar Wright” Okay, so we’re going to have to deal with the fact that Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is not going to be a box office hit”. My guess is it will do really well in its ‘afterlife’ and become a beyond-cult-favorite. And in honor of that future
Video Interview: Wes Anderson and Peter Bogdanovich (They All Laughed) I moved to Ventura, California in 1981 and made a living for several years as a musician. For a movie lover, it was a great lifestyle. Work until 2AM. Go to sleep at 4AM. Wake up at noon. Go catch a double or even triple-header of movies. Then play
Daily Dialogue — August 22, 2010 Somewhere over the rainbow Way up high, There’s a land that I heard of Once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow Skies are blue, And the dreams that you dare to dream Really do come true. Someday I’ll wish upon a star And wake up where the
Don’t Forget To Validate Your Parking: “Opera” I’ve tracked L.A.-based writer Mike Le for awhile now beginning here: “Don’t Forget to Validate Your Parking” is written by a screenwriter in LA: WHO ARE YOU? I am a highly-paid, morally shallow Hollywood professional avoiding his Hollywood responsibilities by doing a webcomic that makes
Written Interview: Jennifer Salt (“Eat Pray Love”) Today’s written interview is with Jennifer Salt who after a lengthy career as an actor has turned to writing. Her credits include 19 episodes of the FX TV series “Nip/Tuck”, and co-writing Eat Pray Love with Ryan Murphy. Jennifer is the daughter of noted screenwriter Waldo Salt
Daily Dialogue — August 21, 2010 Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything Better than you. No, you can’t. Yes, I can. No, you can’t. Yes, I can. No, you can’t. Yes, I can, Yes, I can! Anything you can be I can be greater. Sooner or later,
How They Write a Script: Walter Hill We’ve discussed writer-director Walter Hill previously here and here. Noted for his distinctive approach to writing — he describes it as “haiku style” — Hill has written or directed numerous movies including The Getaway (1972), The Warriors (1979), Alien (1979), uncredited, 48 Hours (1982), and Aliens (1986). In the book,
“20 Tips for Strategizing Festivals & Distribution Today” From IndieWire: For an independent filmmaker, the prospects for distribution can seem daunting, if not downright depressing. Many studios have shuttered their specialty divisions, getting into the big festivals gets more difficult each year, and new media offer increasing competition for consumers’ attention. But for the panelists at “Ask the
Great Scene: “The Wizard of Oz” The tornado scene sequence in The Wizard of Oz is memorable for a number of reasons, not the least of which is without it, there’s no Oz and therefore no story. This meteorological event is (my terminology) The Lock, serving as the major plot point that transitions the story
Daily Dialogue — August 20, 2010 When somebody loved me, everything was beautiful Every hour we spent together, lives within my heart And when she was sad, I was there to dry her tears And when she was happy, so was i, when she loved me. Through the summer and the fall, we had each other,
“Hollywood Goes High-Tech for Script Security” From TheWrap: If you’re Aaron Sorkin, who wrote the screenplay for David Fincher’s upcoming “The Social Network,” or Diablo Cody, who wrote Jason Reitman’s next movie, “Young Adult,” you can’t be very happy with the internet lately. “Social Network” and “Young Adult” are only two of
“The Plays” by Joshua James Screenwriter and playwright Joshua James has a new book out called The THE Plays: Six Short Works by Joshua James. The plays are: THE FIGHT (2m, one set, fifteen minutes) — A small man does his utmost to pick a fight with a much larger man. THE DANGER (1m,1f) — A
Daily Dialogue theme for next week An email from Greg Colburn: How about characters talking out lout to themselves? Could be voiceover or out loud. A few come to mind… — Deniro in Taxi Driver — Nuke & Crash in Bull Durham — Tom in 500 Days of Summer when Summer and him are about to have sex for
Paramount Pictures’ movie slate? Not often we get to peer behind the curtain and see what’s really going on in terms of script / project development at a studio, but there’s been an email going around Hollywood the last week that purports to be Paramount’s active development slate. Per TheWrap: Wanna know
“The Pitch” After “Battleship,” the next great movie blockbuster! http://www.xtranormal.com/site_media/players/jwplayer.swf http://www.xtranormal.com/site_media/players/embedded-xnl-stats.swf Honestly I’m pretty damn sure that at some point a year or so ago, when it seemed like every project getting bought
Scene Description Spotlight: “Wall-E” I have discussed the writing style of the Pixar film Wall-E before: here, here, and here. On the subject of scene description, here’s a money quote from co-screenwriter and director Andrew Stanton: “The only thing I did that was a little unconventional, is the manner in which
Daily Dialogue — August 19, 2010 MARIA Only you, you’re the only thing I’ll see forever In my eyes in my words and in everything I do Nothing else but you Ever TONY And there’s nothing for me but Maria Every sight that I see is Maria MARIA Tony, Tony TONY Always you,
Movie trailer: “Black Swan” First trailer for Aronofsky’s newest film Black Swan: Plot synopsis: “A thriller that hones in on the relationship between a veteran ballet dancer and a rival.” In other words, straight out of “The [blank] from hell” movie story type. And yet, it looks fantastic, doesn’t it? Proof once
