Go Into The Story

Daily Dialogue — May 14, 2019

Edward Lewis: You can’t charge me for directions! Vivian: I can do anything I want to baby, I ain’t lost.

Reader Question: What are some keys to a great opening scene?

Or how to grab the attention of a script reader right away?

Go Into The Story Resource: Script Reading & Analysis Series

74 movie scripts analyzed to depth including Scene-By-Scene Breakdown, Plot, Characters, Themes, Dialogue.

Go Into The Story Interview: Scott Beck and Bryan Woods

My entire interview with the co-writers of the movie A Quiet Place.

On Writing

“You either have to write or you shouldn’t be writing. That’s all.”

Daily Dialogue — May 13, 2019

Harry: Why don’t you tell me the story of your life? Sally: Story of my life? Harry: Got eighteen hours to kill before we hit New York…

Screenwriting News (May 6-May 12, 2019)

The week’s writing deals and movie project news.

Script To Screen: “The Searchers”

From the 1956 movie The Searchers, screenplay by Frank S. Nugent, novel by Allan Le May.

Wherein I embrace my messy desk!

For decades, I have waged a relentless war. The battlefield? My desk. Raised a military brat and a Southern Baptist to boot, the message I…

Go Into The Story Resource: Story Types

With movies, there are Genres. Cross Genres. Sub-Genres. Also Story Types.

Interview (Video): Paul Schrader

A half-hour conversation with the writer-director of First Reformed.

Daily Dialogue — May 12, 2019

“Andy crawled to freedom through five hundred yards of shit smelling foulness I can’t even imagine, or maybe I just don’t want to. Five…

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 390th installment of Saturday Hot Links, your week’s essential reading about movies, TV, streaming, Hollywood, and other…

“Trust the Process”

One of the most important writing mantras.

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Character On The Screen [Part 3]

“A good method is to introduce important characters with some characteristic incident.”

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Meet Cute

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 4,013 consecutive days and counting.

Interview (Video): Linda Woolverton

The Season 9 episode of the PBS series “On Story” with the screenwriter of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Alice in Wonderland, and…

Daily Dialogue — May 11, 2019

“Ok. Let your head rest in my hand. Relax. I got you. I promise. I won’t let you go. Hey man. I got you. There you go. Ten Seconds. That…

Can a Protagonist evolve into an Antagonist?

“I prefer to look at it in Jungian terms: The Protagonist’s shadow has emerged from latency and because the Protagonist has not confronted…

Character Type: Gambler

Those of you who have followed my blog for some time or taken courses with me through Screenwriting Master Class know how fascinated I am…

Go Into The Story Resource: Great Characters

Need inspiration? Here are 100+ articles analyzing great movie characters.

Reader Question: What should I do if a project sells in Hollywood which is similar to a script I’m…

Before you jump, step back from the ledge, and consider the following.

Writing and the Creative Life: Look… don’t overlook

As writers in order for us to have any hope of securing a meaningful degree of understanding of a story universe and its characters, we…

Daily Dialogue — May 10, 2019

Priest: Michael, do you believe in God the father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. Michael: I do.

Some interesting background on the diner scene:

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