Go Into The Story

Daily Dialogue — December 25, 2019

“The likelihood of one individual being right increases in direct proportion to the intensity with which others are trying to prove him…

DL wrote: “Comparing all the things one may be afraid of with their own ultimate and undeniable…

Yes, really good point. The prospect of death certainly has a way of putting our life in perspective.

The Theology of Cinema: Grace

“Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us.”

Reflections on “It’s a Wonderful Life”

This is the best piece I’ve ever read on Frank Capra’s classic movie.

Screenwriting 101: Grace Sherman

“There’s a lot of different audiences out there and a lot of different stories that need to be told. If there is a story inside of you…

Daily Dialogue — December 24, 2019

George Bailey: Look, who are you? Who are you really? Clarence: I told you, George. I’m your guardian angel. George Bailey: Yeah, well what…

The Theology of Cinema: Faith

“Faith is better understood as a verb than as a noun, as a process than as a possession. It is on-again-off-again rather than…

Update: 2019 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 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.

On Writing

“Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row…

Daily Dialogue — December 23, 2019

The Dying Man: You never saw anyone die? I stink of gasoline. I saw it all clearly — the Mercedes, the pool of oil. Karin, I should have…

Movie Story Types: Biopic

“The process of adapting a real person’s life into a movie story is one of the trickiest writing jobs around. The wealth of historical…

Interview (Written): Chris Terrio

In-depth conversation with the co-screenwriter of the movie Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.

Script To Screen: “What About Bob?”

Marvin tries to get rid of Bob using “death therapy,” but it doesn’t turn out well in this bombastic scene from the 1991 comedy, screenplay…

Daily Dialogue — December 22, 2019

Ratso Rizzo: Here I am, goin’ to Florida, my leg hurts, my butt hurts, my chest hurts, my face hurts, and like that ain’t enough, I gotta…

Darameja, Focus List is basically what I’m talking about.

Congrats on getting that sci-fi pilot done. Here’s to a creative and productive 2020!

Michael, sorry I didn’t get to your response earlier, but yes, writing is very much a long haul…

Here’s to your 2020! May it be a creatively rewarding one!

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Final Close-Up [Part 3]

“Many amateurs are prone to cheat their audiences by ending the story without some bit of action which spectators have been led to expect…

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Angel

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 4,237 consecutive days and counting.

Interview (Written): Krysty Wilson-Cairns

In-depth conversation with the screenwriter of the movie 1917.

Daily Dialogue — December 21, 2019

Passenger: You are the MAN! Annie: Thank you. Thank you very much.

“Go Into Yourself”

Words of wisdom from Rainer Maria Rilke in his Letters to a Young Poet.

Reader Question: Do characters “own” a scene?

Ownership is less important than underlying conflict between characters.

Writing and the Creative Life: Boundaries of Space, Boundaries of Time

“What if in the face of our hectic lives, we claimed our creative time to be our own ‘sacred space’?”

Daily Dialogue — December 20, 2019

“Make her feel scared. That’ll change her mind.”

Sex in Cinema

Reflections on a Playboy magazine article by the Black List’s Director of Community on what’s happening to sex on the silver screen.