Go Into The Story

Spec Script Deals Analysis 2016: First-Timers

As we continue our analysis of spec script sales in 2016, today we check out the first-timers, writers who broke into the business by…

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 277th installment of Saturday Hot Links, your week’s essential reading about movies, TV, streaming, Hollywood, and other…

Actually, Jenny, the number of spec script deals by women is on average with the historical figures…

There are a lot of theories about this. One prevailing theory — although there’s no official way to support the numbers — is that fewer…

Interview (Written): Jordan Peele

Writer-director of the horror movie “Get Out”.

Daily Dialogue — February 18, 2017

Scarlett: Sir, you should have made your presence known. Rhett Butler: In the middle of that beautiful love scene. Now that wouldn’t have…

The next Go Into The Story Read and Analysis Script: “La La Land”

Read the script for the hit movie musical and analyze it next week.

Spec Script Deals Analysis 2016: Top Sales

Continuing our week long analysis of spec script sales from 2016, today we look at the deals with the biggest payoffs (at least as reported…

Writing and the Creative Life: “Nothing succeeds like failure”

As writers, we have to learn how to handle losses and let-downs. Why? Because it is a constant dynamic in our lives. I was reminded of this…

Daily Dialogue — February 17, 2017

Miss Minchin: [voiceover, as she leads Sara up to the attic] And because of the expenses you’ve incurred, everything you own now belongs to…

2016 Spec Script Deals Analysis: Agents & Managers

We continue with our analysis of spec script deals in 2016. Today: Agents and Managers.

Spec Script Deal: “Ruthless”

Amblin Entertainment acquires action spec script “Ruthless” written by John Swetnam. From Deadline:

The Business of Screenwriting: Celebrate your victories

Based on my experiences as a screenwriter in Hollywood, there are many things I can advise you to do that are not particularly enjoyable:

Daily Dialogue — February 16, 2017

“I have a theory that there is something in the Italian landscape which inclines even the most stolid nature to romance.”

2016 Spec Script Sales Analysis: Buyers

Yesterday we looked at 2016 spec script deals by genre. Today we break down the numbers per major studios, mini-majors, subsidiaries…

Character Introductions: 12 Part Series

Everything you need to know about the subject and probably more.

Video: THR 2017 Screenwriter Roundtable

70+ minute conversation with 6 of the year’s most notable screenwriters.

Great Scene: “Halloween”

This is one of the iconic scenes in the history of horror movies: Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) versus Michael Myers (Tony Moran) in the Final…

Daily Dialogue — February 15, 2017

“Let us think of the pain Christ suffered when they nailed him to the cross. Left him to hang there until he was dead. Think of his most…

2016 Spec Script Deals Analysis: Genres

By my count, Hollywood studios, production companies, and financiers acquired 75 spec scripts in 2016. During this week, I’ll be breaking…

Character Introductions: Part 12

Think there’s nothing to introducing characters in a script? Think again!

Video: “Notes — a life story, a love story”

A series of notes tell the life story of a couple.

Screenwriting 101: Walter Bernstein

“I love movies. I love movies. I still get that frisson when I go on a movie set — the most boring business in the world — but I feel that…

Daily Dialogue — February 14, 2017

“This has been a sad day’s business for our family, Mr. Redmond Barry. And you’ve robbed us of fifteen hundred a year. Now you’d better…

2016 Spec Script Deal List

Every year since I launched the blog in 2008, I do a week-long analysis of the recent year in terms of spec script deals. This week, we…

Read 2017 Oscar nominated screenplays

Download 9 of the 10 nominated scripts