Go Into The Story

Free Screenwriting Resource: Guide to Watching Movies

I came up with this screenwriting mantra several years ago: Watch Movies. Read Scripts. Write Pages. Why watch movies? Because to be a good screenwriter, you need to have a broad exposure to the world of film. Every movie you see is a potential reference point for your writing, everything

Classic International Movie: “Diabolique”

October is classic international movies month. Today’s guest post comes from Sherin Nicole. Movie Title: Les Diaboliques (also Diabolique) Year: 1954 (France) 1955 (US) Writers: Henri-Georges Clouzot, Jérome Geronimi, Frédéric Grendel, René Masson — from the novel Celle qui n’était plus by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac Lead

The Black List Unveils Shortlist For The 2016 Feature Writers Lab

From the Black List: LOS ANGELES, CA (October 11, 2016) — Seven screenwriters have been chosen for the Black List’s 2016 Feature Writers Lab. The writers, none of whom have made more than $100K in their writing careers, were selected from more than 800 submissions. All seven will participate in

Writing Mantra: Writing as a Protagonist’s journey

Most stories involve a Protagonist going on a journey. Whether it’s physical, spiritual, geographical, symbolic or all of the above, a writer almost always puts their story’s central character on a psychological road trip from hell. And in a mysterious sort of synergy, a writer goes through their

Daily Dialogue — October 12, 2016

“This is Gettysburg. This is where they fought the battle of Gettysburg. Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fighting the same fight that we are still fighting among ourselves today. This green field right here, painted red, bubblin’ with the blood of young boys. Smoke and hot

Writing Mantra: On the other hand…

Those pages you’re working on? They suck. That sentence you just wrote? Good chance that sucks, too. In fact the whole damn story, if you’re really honest with yourself, you will have to admit there’s a decent chance it sucks. Or will suck. Or already sucks. Hell,

Free Screenwriting Resource: The Theology of Screenwriting

The #1-rated movie on the IMDB Top 250 list is The Shawshank Redemption. Redemption. A theological term. In fact, it’s possible to see theological themes and dynamics in almost every movie. Conversion. Doubt. Evil. Faith. Forgiveness. Salvation. Sin. Temptation. Through my eyes, Drive is every bit a theologically

Classic International Movie: “This Man Must Die”

October is classic international movies month. Today’s guest post comes from Marija Nielsen. Title: This Man Must Die (Que la bête meure) Year: 1969 Writers: Paul Gégauff (screenplay), Nicholas Blake (novel) Lead actors: Michel Duchaussoy, Caroline Cellier, Jean Yanne, Director: Claude Chabrol Awards: NBR Award for “Top Foreign Film”

Great scene: “The Usual Suspects”

The ‘big twist!’ Is there any movie ending more satisfying than a scene sequence where you realize the writer has totally played you, set you up to think one thing, then through the course of events in the scene, methodically let you in on the secret the writer has carefully

Screenwriting 101: Mike Leigh

“If the proposition is that a screenplay should have three acts, I would say that’s not rocket science, because you can’t help but have three acts. You set up the premise. You challenge the status quo. Then you resolve this. Those are the three acts. That’s all

Daily Dialogue — October 11, 2016

The coach finishes setting up a position. Bruce Pandolfini: Mate is four moves from the position in front of you. Don’t move until you figure it out in your head. Don’t look to me for a hint. Josh Waitzkin: I can’t do it without moving the pieces.

Free Screenwriting Resource: The Story Behind Script Coverage

Every script that funnels through the Hollywood development system gets ‘covered’. What does this mean? Someone reads it, then writes coverage which in turn accompanies that script up the food chain. Who reads it? There are professional script readers and story analysts who work full-time for agencies or studios,

Classic International Movie: “Akira”

October is classic international movies month. Today’s guest post comes from Clay Mitchell. Movie Title: Akira Year: 1988 (Japan) Writers: Screenplay by Katsuhiro Ôtomo and Izo Hashimoto (based on the manga by Katsuhiro Ôtomo) Lead Actors: Mitsu Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, Taro Ishida, Tetsusho Genda, Mizuho Suzuki (original

Video: Courier 12 Screenwriting Conference

On Saturday, October 8, the DePaul University School of Cinematic Arts hosted its 5th annual Courier 12 Screenwriting Conference which was simulcast live on the DePaul Visiting Artists Series YouTube channel. The theater in which we held the event was packed for every session which figures because panelists included Steven

On Writing

“If you’re afraid you can’t write, the answer is to write. Every sentence you construct adds weight to the balance pan. If you’re afraid of what other people will think of your efforts, don’t show them until you write your way beyond your fear. If writing

Daily Dialogue — October 10, 2016

“Now, let’s analyze what’s been working for us. Not a goddamned thing’s been working for us! Like this suit! And this stinking tie! lt doesn’t work for me! You know how to play winning football? You play like Ed Gennero played! He gave his life for

2016 Award Season Screenplay Downloads (9 new scripts)

Christmas comes early for screenplay fans as Hollywood studios and production companies have just begun their annual ritual of making the year’s movie scripts available to the public. As I update them here and add them to the site’s script archive, what this means is unlike other sites,

Screenwriting News (October 3-October 9, 2016)

This week’s writing deals and movie project news. Ben Bolea sells comedy spec script “The Miserable Adventures of Burt Squire Aboard the Horn High Yo” to LD Entertainment. Ray Bogdanovich and Dean Lines writing crime drama “Pretty Boy” for Hereford Films. Michelle Dean writing untitled Dee Dee Blanchard &

Interview (Video): Julia Hart and Jordan Horowitz (“Miss Stevens”)

A DP/30 interview with Julia Hart (co-writer / director) and Jordan Horowitz (co-writer / producer) of the indie drama comedy Miss Stevens. For more DP/30 interviews, go here.

Interview (Written): Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan (“Westworld”)

A /film interview with Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan, co-creators and executive producers of the new HBO series “Westworld”. You both save some exposition that’s expected of a pilot for the second episode. How did you want to establish the world with the first? What were some lessons

Daily Dialogue — October 9, 2016

Wayne: I was knocking on a lot of doors looking for you. Yours was ajar. April: Come in. How’s it going? Wayne: No foreseeable problems. I was just about to check your turkey myself, then I thought since it’s yours, perhaps you’d prefer to do the checking.

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Coaching

The Daily Dialogue theme next week: Coaching. “All I know is when we win a game, it’s a team win. When we lose a game, it’s a team loss.” The Bad News Bears (1976) The usual drill: * Copy/paste dialogue from IMDb Quotes or some other transcript source.

Michael Arndt: “Beginnings: Setting a Story Into Motion”

I have been a big fan of screenwriter Michael Arndt ever since I read his script Little Miss Sunshine, then saw the movie. And, of course, there’s Toy Story 3 which Arndt penned. My admiration goes beyond his writing, it extends to how Arndt thinks about writing as clearly

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 258th installment of Saturday Hot Links, your week’s essential reading about movies, TV, streaming, Hollywood, and other things of writerly interest. R.I.P. #OscarsSoWhite: Why 2017 Will Be The Most Diverse Awards Season In Decades. How the Academy’s New Class Impacts Asian Representation in

Live-Blogging: Courier 12 Screenwriting Conference

Today, Saturday, October 8, the DePaul University School of Cinematic Arts is hosting its 5th annual Courier 12 Screenwriting Conference which is being simulcast live on the DePaul Visiting Artists Series YouTube channel. I am live-blogging today’s panels: Project development 1 p.m. Brian Banks, executive in charge