Go Into The Story

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 14

This is the 11th year in a row I’ve run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I’ll work my…

Script Analysis: “Toy Story 4” — Part 2: Plot

Read and analyze the script for the hit Pixar movie.

Screenwriting 101: Kristen Gray-Rockmaker

“Just keep writing and don’t get fixated in any one project for too long. Write your project. Get your feedback, rewrite it, and then send…

Daily Dialogue — April 14, 2020

“Don’t fuck with me now, man, I am Ahab.”

Laura, I agree: the “inner voice,” indeed, voice itself is a recurring theme in the story.

Re the scene-by-scene breakdown and the script itself, this may be one of the most active Pixar stories. Yes, there are some reflective…

Austin, I’m at heart a perfectionist, so I can related to your quandary.

Indeed, I encourage my students and writer clients not to think so much when they take a first pass at a scene, but rather get in touch…

Screenwriting 101: Kristen Gray-Rockmaker

“Just keep writing and don’t get fixated in any one project for too long. Write your project. Get your feedback, rewrite it, and then send…

Great Scene: “Double Indemnity”

“There’s a speed limit in this state, Mr. Neff. Forty-five miles an hour.”

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 13

This is the 11th year in a row I’ve run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I’ll work my…

Script Analysis: “Toy Story 4” — Part 1: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Read and analyze the script for the hit Pixar movie.

On Writing

Always tell us where we are. And don’t just tell us where something is, make it pay off. Use description of landscape to help you…

Daily Dialogue — April 13, 2020

“Nice marmot, man.”

Scene-Writing Workshop

I’m reprising my one-week Scene-Writing Workshop which starts next Monday, April 15th.

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 12

This is the 11th year in a row I’ve run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I’ll work my…

Go Into The Story Script Reading & Analysis: “The Lighthouse”

The entire 6 part series delving into the hallucinatory horror movie.

Spec Script Deal: “16 States”

Lionsgate acquires horror thriller spec script written by John Requa and Glenn Ficarra. Via Deadline:

Daily Dialogue — April 12, 2020

“I’m listening to the fucking song!”

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 11

This is the 11th year in a row I’ve run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I’ll work my…

Script Analysis: “The Lighthouse” — Part 6: Takeaways

Read and analyze the script for the hallucinatory horror movie.

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Bath

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 4,349 consecutive days and counting.

Interview: Bong Joon Ho

A half-hour conversation with the writer-director of Parasite.

Daily Dialogue — April 11, 2020

“Fredo, you’re nothing to me now. You’re not a brother, you’re not a friend. I don’t want to know you or what you do. I don’t want to see…

I bolton, good work here.

Protagonist: Young (as you suggest), the outsider who best represents the audience experience. Also, as you note, he’s the character with…

I bolton, first off, I’m glad you have embraced the practice of reading scripts and watching movies.

Re identity as a theme: I believe that lies at the heart of most every movie, an existential question for key characters, especially…

Lois, thanks for those comments.

In our current cultural climate, the propensity of entitled people to perceive themselves as victims, then project their negative personal…