Go Into The Story

Q&A: Michael Arndt

My exchange with the screenwriter of Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3 about his newest video: “Endings: The Good, the Bad and the…

Spec Script Deal: “Suicide 21”

Catapult Entertainment Group and Needle’s Eye Productions acquire science fiction thriller spec script “Suicide 21” written by Greg Wayne.

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 25: “The Kids Are All Right”

Take up the challenge! Read 30 screenplays in 30 days!

Writing and the Creative Life: The Joy of Running… Creatively Speaking

“Does some creative block have you feeling stuck? Go for a run. Are you deliberating between one of two potentially life-altering…

Daily Dialogue — July 27, 2018

Phil: Do you ever do anything that doesn’t end in a stand-off, Chow? Mr. Chow: I a international criminal. It always ends like this. I met…

Concur re “long, hard slog,” that should be what you prepare yourself for.

The most solid advice I’ve heard about working in Hollywood — and this extends to everyone involved in a writer’s life including talent…

Actually, a video surfaced just this month in which Kubrick explains the ending of 2001:

You can read the text of his comments here.

That’s a good question, Ashley, and difficult to answer in theory, I’d have to see it in context to…

That’s a theoretical example. The first thing that comes to mind from a movie — and I can’t find the specific scene online — is the film…

Reader Question: What advice for someone wanting to give writing a full-time shot?

First and foremost, you have to want it. I mean really want it. The competition is fierce. Think of it this way: Any time you aren’t…

Happy Birthday, Carl Jung: Screenwriting Guru!

Swiss psychotherapist and founder of analytical psychology Carl Jung was born today in 1875. He died in 1961 at the age of 85.

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 24: “Moonrise Kingdom”

Take up the challenge! Read 30 screenplays in 30 days!

The Business of Screenwriting: “God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason”

I’m at lunch with our agents in Beverly Hills. It’s February, 1987. The deal where Universal Pictures bought our spec script K-9 is…

Daily Dialogue — July 26, 2018

Tom is listening to headphones. Summer enters the elevator and Tom actively puts on a show to ignore her. Summer hears the music.

Reader Question: How to balance scene description which is minimal yet descriptive?

This question in response to my tweet featuring this screenwriting mantra: “Minimum Words. Maximum Impact.”

“Each scene must be a drama in itself”

This advice from silent movie era screenwriter Jeanie Macpherson still resonates today.

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 23: “Flight”

Take up the challenge! Read 30 screenplays in 30 days!

Script To Screen: “Ghostbusters”

The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man scene.

Daily Dialogue — July 25, 2018

“You promised! You promised we’d be together! You said we’d grow old together!”

What is the point of the scene?

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

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 22: “Mud”

Take up the challenge! Read 30 screenplays in 30 days!

Screenwriting 101: Jack Epps, Jr.

“What is really hard is that you have a draft and an intention of what you wanted to write when you started. Now, you’ve finished your…

Daily Dialogue — July 24, 2018

Elevator Passenger: Cool Spidey outfit. Spider-Man: Thanks. Elevator Passenger: Where did you get it? Spider-Man: I made it.

Screenwriting Theory

Plot. Concept. Character. Style. Dialogue. Scene. Theme. Time.

“Turn on. Tune in. Drop out.”

Wherein we appropriate the words of Timothy Leary for some writing advice.

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 21: “Monsters University”

Take up the challenge! Read 30 screenplays in 30 days!