Writing Question: What is the hardest act to write? What is the hardest act for you to write: Act One, Act Two, or Act Three? Act One is primarily about establishing the primary characters, setting up the plot, and putting it into motion. Act Two is twists and turns, complications and roadblocks, up and downs, interweaving subplots, and about
Update: “Flight of the Conchords” The Hollywood Reporter reports: In an encouraging sign for the upcoming second season of HBO’s offbeat comedy “Flight of the Conchords,” the premiere episode has raked in some 250,000 streams in its first 10 days on Funny or Die. That is in addition to the tens of thousands
On writing “Why do we want to have alternate worlds? It’s a way of making progress. You have to imagine something before you do it. Therefore, if you write about something, hopefully you write about something that’s better or more interesting than circumstances as they now are, and that way
Movie Story Types: Buddy Picture I was rummaging through my lecture files and found a series I did on Movie Story Types, everything from FOOW (Fish-Out-Of-Water) to Underdog, Road Trip to The Blank From Hell. Not the same as genre, but every bit as much a part of movie jargon. I figured
Daily dialogue — December 29, 2008 “They’re here.” — Carol Anne Freeling (Heather O’Rourke), Poltergeist (1984), screenplay by Steven Spielberg & Michael Grais & Mark Victor, story by Steven Spielberg Comment Archive
On writing “Why do we want to have alternate worlds? It’s a way of making progress. You have to imagine something before you do it. Therefore, if you write about something, hopefully you write about something that’s better or more interesting than circumstances as they now are, and that way
Daily dialogue — December 29, 2008 “They’re here.” — Carol Anne Freeling (Heather O’Rourke), Poltergeist (1984), screenplay by Steven Spielberg & Michael Grais & Mark Victor, story by Steven Spielberg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hQkBLrd1rE Comment Archive
Audio interview: Jack Kerouac & Ben Hecht When I stumbled upon this audio interview online, my head just about exploded: Jack Kerouac and Ben Hecht?!?! Two American icons and famed storytellers together talking for about 20 minutes, well, basically everything?!?! Some background. Jack Kerouac has been called “the King of the beats.” His books include “The Subterraneans,
Daily dialogue — December 28, 2008 “Women make the best psychoanalysts until they fall in love. After that they make the best patients.” — Dr. Alex Brulov (Michael Chekhov), Spellbound (1945), screenplay by Ben Hecht, adaptation by Angus MacPhail, based on the novel “The House of Dr. Edwardes” by John Palmer & Hillary St. George Sanders Comment
Audio interview: Jack Kerouac & Ben Hecht When I stumbled upon this audio interview online, my head just about exploded: Jack Kerouac and Ben Hecht?!?! Two American icons and famed storytellers together talking for about 20 minutes, well, basically everything?!?! Some background. Jack Kerouac has been called “the King of the beats.” His books include “The Subterraneans,
Daily dialogue — December 28, 2008 “Women make the best psychoanalysts until they fall in love. After that they make the best patients.” — Dr. Alex Brulov (Michael Chekhov), Spellbound (1945), screenplay by Ben Hecht, adaptation by Angus MacPhail, based on the novel “The House of Dr. Edwardes” by John Palmer & Hillary St. George Sanders http:
Rage Against The Page: Andrew Stanton transcript Anybody who’s followed this site for a while knows that I’m fascinated by Pixar and how they consistently manage to harness their creativity and produce excellent stories (check out some of my posts here, here, here, here, here, and here). So I was delighted when I visited GITS
Is it possible to write while maintaining a full-time job? In a recent “Dear Cary” letter to Salon.com advisor Cary Tennis, a reader asked: Dear Cary, I’m blocked. Creatively, spiritually, emotionally — you name it. I’m a 28-year-old writer who can’t seem to get anything onto the page without second-guessing and editing the entire
Rage Against The Page: Andrew Stanton transcript Anybody who’s followed this site for a while knows that I’m fascinated by Pixar and how they consistently manage to harness their creativity and produce excellent stories (check out some of my posts here, here, here, here, here, and here). So I was delighted when I visited GITS
Interview: Eric Roth on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Several interviews out this week with screenwriter Eric Roth about his work on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, including here, but the one I want to focus on in this post is this interview in Rotten Tomatoes. Here’s the central plot conceit of Benjamin Button per IMDB: “I
rkIs it possible to write while maintaining a full-time job? In a recent “Dear Cary” letter to Salon.com advisor Cary Tennis, a reader asked: Dear Cary, I’m blocked. Creatively, spiritually, emotionally — you name it. I’m a 28-year-old writer who can’t seem to get anything onto the page without second-guessing and editing the entire
Interview: Eric Roth on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Several interviews out this week with screenwriter Eric Roth about his work on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, including here, but the one I want to focus on in this post is this interview in Rotten Tomatoes. Here’s the central plot conceit of Benjamin Button per IMDB: “I
Worst movies of 2008? Here’s the New York Post’s worst 10: 1. The Love Guru 2. The Hottie and the Nottie 3. Mad Money 4. What Happens In Vegas 5. 110,000 B.C. 6. Babylon A.D. 7. You Don’t Mess With The Zohan 8. Rambo 9. Witless Protection 10.
Worst movies of 2008? Here’s the New York Post’s worst 10: 1. The Love Guru 2. The Hottie and the Nottie 3. Mad Money 4. What Happens In Vegas 5. 110,000 B.C. 6. Babylon A.D. 7. You Don’t Mess With The Zohan 8. Rambo 9. Witless Protection 10.
Friday movie reviews Bedtime Stories (Buena Vista) Daily Variety (Lael Lowenstein) Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt) Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan) New York Times (Jeannette Catsoulis) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Paramount) Daily Variety (Todd McCarthy) Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt) Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan) New York Times (A.O. Scott) Marley &
Great Scene: Braveheart For an actor, there is nothing better than a great death scene — and in the annals of notable dying scenes in the last few decades, the execution of William Wallace (Mel Gibson) in Braveheart (1995) is one of the most memorable ones. Here is an excerpt of Wallace’s very
Friday movie reviews Bedtime Stories (Buena Vista) Daily Variety (Lael Lowenstein) Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt) Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan) New York Times (Jeannette Catsoulis) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Paramount) Daily Variety (Todd McCarthy) Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt) Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan) New York Times (A.O. Scott) Marley &
Daily dialogue — December 26, 2008 “Oh, I lie now and then, I suppose. Sometimes I’d tell them the truth and they still wouldn’t believe me, so I prefer to lie.” — Anotione Doinel (Jean-Pierre Leaud), The 400 Blows (1959), scenario by Francois Truffaut, adaptation by Marcel Moussy & Francois Truffaut, dialogue by Marcel
Great Scene: Braveheart For an actor, there is nothing better than a great death scene — and in the annals of notable dying scenes in the last few decades, the execution of William Wallace (Mel Gibson) in Braveheart (1995) is one of the most memorable ones. Here is an excerpt of Wallace’s very
Daily dialogue — December 26, 2008 “Oh, I lie now and then, I suppose. Sometimes I’d tell them the truth and they still wouldn’t believe me, so I prefer to lie.” — Anotione Doinel (Jean-Pierre Leaud), The 400 Blows (1959), scenario by Francois Truffaut, adaptation by Marcel Moussy & Francois Truffaut, dialogue by Marcel
