Go Into The Story

Interview (Part 6): Byron Hamel

My interview with the 2021 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Script Analysis: “La La Land” — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Interview (Video): James L. Brooks

A nearly 90-minute conversation with the noted writer whose credits include TV series The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Taxi, as well movies…

Page One: “The Electric Horseman” (1979)

Screenplay by Robert Garland, screen story by Paul Gaer and Robert Garland, based on a story by Shelly Burton

Update: 2021–2022 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 5 New Scripts, 37 Total

It’s that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

Interview (Part 5): Byron Hamel

My interview with the 2021 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Script Analysis: “Knives Out” — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Writing and the Creative Life: Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling (Part 3)

“Every storytelling exercise should begin by asking: Who is my audience and what is the message I want to share with them? Each decision…

Page One: “Edward Scissorhands” (1990)

Screenplay by Caroline Thompson, story by Tim Burton & Caroline Thompson

Sundays with Stephen King’s “On Writing”

A series featuring reflections on writing from the famed writer’s memoir.

Interview (Part 4): Byron Hamel

My interview with the 2021 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Script Analysis: “Joker” — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Learning the Craft

What is the craft? It’s not just writing a screenplay.

Page One: “Ed Wood” 1994)

Written by Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski, book by Rudolph Grey

The Six Word Test

If you’re having trouble finding the focus of your story, try this test.

Interview (Part 3): Byron Hamel

My interview with the 2021 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Script Analysis: “JoJo Rabbit”— Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

The Business of Screenwriting: The Phone Call

“They want your script.”

Page One: “A Dry White Season” (1989)

Screenplay by Colin Welland and Euzhan Palcy, novel by André Brink

Interview (Part 2): Byron Hamel

My interview with the 2021 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Script Analysis: “Jackie” — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

60 Second Screenwriter: What’s an elevator pitch?

A video series addressing key screenwriting concerns in one minute.

Screenwriting 101: David Rabinowitz and Charlie Wachtel

David Rabinowitz: We talk about this all the time, for better for worse, if we’re talking about pursuing any idea, we need to know what the…

Page One: “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (1941)

Screen play by John Lee Mahin, novel by Robert Louis Stevenson

Update: 2021–2022 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 32 Total

It’s that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.