Go Into The Story

Trimming Tricks of the Trade: Pseudo-Slugs

Another way to cut back page count.

Script to Screen: “48 Hrs.”

The Black Russian scene, a break-out moment for Eddie Murphy.

The Business of Screenwriting: Everything You Wanted to Know About Specs

Part 9: “Own All the Tickets”

Page One: “Pretty in Pink” (1986)

Written by John Hughes

Character Introductions: Part 3

Think there’s nothing to introducing characters in a script? Think again!

Trimming Tricks of the Trade: Cut Transitions

Back today with another Trimming Trick of the Trade.

Imagematic writing

Good screenwriting is visual writing. After all, movies are: Motion. Pictures.

Great Scene: “(500) Days of Summer”

Tom’s best day ever plays out as a music video accompanied by Hall & Oates.

Page One: “One Night in Miami…” (2020)

Screenplay by Kemp Powers, based on his stage play

Character Introductions: Part 2

Think there’s nothing to introducing characters in a script? Think again!

Trimming Tricks of the Trade: Minimize Parentheticals

Here is another way to help with your page count.

Reader Question: How insane is it for a forty-six year-old to try to start a Hollywood writing…

It’s crazy, but then it’s crazy for ANYONE to expect to break into Hollywood.

Screenwriting 101: Lawrence Block

“One thing that helps is to give myself permission to write badly. I tell myself that I’m going to do my five or ten pages no matter what…

Page One: “The Prestige” (2006)

Screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, novel by Christopher Priest

Character Introductions: Part 1

Think there’s nothing to introducing characters in a script? Think again!

Trimming Tricks of the Trade: Lose the Orphans

One way to cut pages while not messing with the integrity of the story.

The Coen Brothers, Storytelling, and Fate

A poem by Ethan Coen reveals a key clue to the brothers’ story sensibilities.

On Writing

“Part of the storytelling ability is simply the anticipation of boredom and the introduction of a sudden surprise. To be a good storyteller…

Page One: “Moon” (2009)

Screenplay by Nathan Parker, story by Duncan Jones

Sundays with Stephen King’s “On Writing”

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

How Judd Apatow Wrote a Movie Using Email

He emailed himself notes which became the foundation for the movie Knocked Up.

What is the point of the scene?

Begin the scene-writing process by asking this fundamental question.

Video: David Lynch on Where Ideas Come From

Story wisdom from the writer-director of such notable movies as Blue Velvet, Elephant Man, Twin Peaks, and Mulholland Dr.

Page One: “Finding Nemo” (2003)

Screenplay by Andrew Stanton & Bob Peterson & David Reynolds, original story by Andrew Stanton

Deep Work vs. Shallow Work

As writers, we need to protect time for the former from the encroachment of the latter. Here are four strategies to do precisely that.