Go Into The Story

Daily Dialogue — June 23, 2018

“I’m gonna go with the picnic shoulder ‘coz I love smoking pigs.”

I’m going with this line from Joel: “Constantly talking isn’t necessarily communicating.”

Amen! A mantra for the modern era. Communication requires active LISTENING. The tendency to just drone on with information is the…

Excellent choices, Dave, and this one really spoke to me:

“I don’t know. I’m lost. I’m scared. I feel like I’m disappearing. I’m getting old and nothing makes any sense to me.”

Reader Question: How to build a powerful Nemesis?

Some keys for crafting a worthy Nemesis.

Script Analysis: “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” — Part 5: Dialogue

Read the script for the critically acclaimed 2004 film and analyze it all this week.

Go Into The Story Interview: Lisa Joy

My in-depth conversation with the creator and co-executive producer of the hit HBO series “Westworld”.

Writing and the Creative Life: “The best way to have a good idea…”

…is to have lots of ideas.” Those are the words of Linus Pauling, chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, and educator, the only…

Daily Dialogue — June 22, 2018

Archie Gates: What’s the most important thing in life? Troy Barlow: Respect. Archie Gates: Too dependent on other people. Conrad Vig: What…

Script Analysis: “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” — Part 4: Themes

Read the script for the critically acclaimed 2004 film and analyze it all this week.

Go Into The Story Interview: Kelly Marcel

My in-depth interview with 2011 Black List screenwriter whose movie credits include Saving Mr. Banks and Fifty Shades of Grey.

The Business of Screenwriting: Everything you wanted to know about specs

Part 20: The value of a spec script… if it does sell.

Daily Dialogue — June 21, 2018

Charlie Croker: Napster, Gridlock every route except the one we chose. Force that truck to go exactly where we want it to go. Handsome Rob…

As almost everything about this movie is atypical — from the concept to narrative structure — so…

Protagonist: Joel. It’s his story, told through his perspective, all the characters are somehow connected to him, and he goes through the…

Tweetstorm: On Becoming a TV Writer

A series of tweets on how to break into the business as a TV writer.

Script Analysis: “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” — Part 3: Characters

Read the script for the critically acclaimed 2004 film and analyze it all this week.

Go Into The Story Interview: Eric Heisserer (2012, 2014 Black List)

My in-depth interview with one of Hollywood’s hottest screenwriters whose credits include Arrival, Lights Out, The Thing, and Hours.

Script To Screen: “Fight Club”

The ending to the 1999 movie Fight Club, screenplay by Jim Uhls, novel by Chuck Palahniuk.

Daily Dialogue — June 20, 2018

“Five hundred thousand dollars to win. Lucky Dan. Third race at Riverside.”

Wow, had not heard of that earlier draft, Lois.

Let’s talk structure! What is it? Is it merely how the events unfold? Is it something more? This film is told non-linearly and it lends…

Script Analysis: “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” — Part 2: Plot

Read the script for the critically acclaimed 2004 film and analyze it all this week.

Go Into The Story Interview: Robin Swicord

My in-depth interview with prolific screenwriter whose credits include Little Women and The Jane Austen Book Club.

Spec Script Deal: “1917”

Amblin Partners acquires World War I drama spec script “1917” written by Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns. From Deadline:

Screenwriting 101: Tess Morris

“Don’t spend too much time on your own. If I do any seminars or any talks and there are lots of people sitting there and they’re saying, ‘I…

Daily Dialogue — June 19, 2018

Danny: Ten oughta do it, don’t you think?

Reading the scene-by-scene breakdown really drives home how much time-switching takes place in the…

If there’s a message in these stories, I suppose it’s that humans would rather have an AUTHENTIC relationship even if it’s one filled with…