Go Into The Story

Screenwriting News (September 19-September 25, 2016)

This week’s writing deals and movie project news. Amy Aniobi adapting “The Love Playbook” for Codeblack Entertainment. Christian Contreras 2015 Black List script “LABryinth” moving forward with Open Road Films with Johnny Depp to star. Richard Cordiner writing untitled Wimbledon FC project for Fox 2000. Christopher Cosmos sells historical

Video: Jenny Nicholson — “Batman V Superman Script Doctor”

Another funny / smart video from Jenny Nicholson, this time critiquing Batman Versus Superman: Dawn of Justice: For more from Jenny, go here.

Interview (Video): 2016 Santa Barbara International Film Festival Writers Panel

One of my favorite movie journalists Anne Thompson (@akstanwyck) moderates an It Starts With a Script writers panel every year at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. This year was no different with a panel that featured Pete Docter (Inside Out), Emma Donoghue (Room), Alex Garland (Ex Machina), Drew Goddard

Daily Dialogue — September 25, 2016

“What have I done?” — The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), screenplay by Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson, novel by Pierre Boulle The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Military Moments, suggested by Will King. Trivia: The bridge cost $250,000 to build; construction began before anyone had been cast.

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Autumn Challenge: Day 24

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 24. September 1: Type FADE IN / The Beginning. September 30: Type FADE OUT / The End. 30 days. 1 script. Movie script. TV script. First draft. Rewrite. Whatever. Get it down. Get it done. For background on how the Zero Draft Challenge came into being and what

Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Clairvoyance

The Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Clairvoyance. “Redrum.” The Shining (1980) The usual drill: * Copy/paste dialogue from IMDb Quotes or some other transcript source. * Copy/paste the URL of an accompanying video from YouTube or some other video source. I’d also ask you to think about why

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 256th installment of Saturday Hot Links, your week’s essential reading about movies, TV, streaming, Hollywood, and other things of writerly interest. ‘La La Land’ Wins Toronto Audience Award. Has the Toronto Film Festival Gotten Too Big for Its Own (or Anybody’s) Good? ‘Suicide Squad’ Could

Spec Script Deal: “American Rebel”

Pascal Pictures acquires historical drama spec script “American Rebel” written by Christopher Cosmos. From Deadline: It is based on the true story of Deborah Sampson, who risked her life during the Revolutionary War by disguising herself as a man and joining the Continental Army. It is a “major pre-emptive

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

A Wired interview with Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan, co-creators and exec producers of the upcoming HBO series “Westworld”. The original Westworld came out in 1973. What made you want to revisit this world? Jonathan (Jonah) Nolan: I’ve been working for several years now with [show executive producer]

Daily Dialogue — September 24, 2016

Sergeant HARTMAN stops in front of a black recruit, Private SNOWBALL. HARTMAN: What’s your name, scumbag? SNOWBALL: (shouting) Sir, Private Brown, sir! HARTMAN: Bullshit! From now on you’re Private Snowball! Do you like that name? SNOWBALL: (shouting) Sir, yes, sir! HARTMAN: Well, there’s one thing that you

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Autumn Challenge: Day 23

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 23. September 1: Type FADE IN / The Beginning. September 30: Type FADE OUT / The End. 30 days. 1 script. Movie script. TV script. First draft. Rewrite. Whatever. Get it down. Get it done. For background on how the Zero Draft Challenge came into being and what

Spec Script Deal: “Inner City”

Sony Pictures Entertainment acquires legal thriller spec script “Inner City” written by Dan Gilroy. From Tracking Board: Described as Michael Clayton meets The Verdict, Gilroy’s new flick follows Roman J. Israel (Denzel Washington), a liberal lawyer in Los Angeles. For years people have taken credit for his hard work,

Everything you wanted to know about specs [Part 15]

Spec scripts, that is. I’m guessing that perhaps 90% of the people who follow this blog at some point in their lives will write a spec script. And the other 10% are involved in buying and selling them. In light of that fact, last year I interviewed a top

“Studio Notes on the 2016 Presidential-Election Screenplay”

From the latest New Yorker, a fun piece by Tom O’Donnell: Over all, we LOVE what you’ve done. (So many unexpected twists!) However, we feel like we’re not quite there yet. Excited to see you incorporate these notes into the next draft!! 1 — Hmm. Does Donald have

Daily Dialogue — September 23, 2016

LEWIS: Sergeant Ross, this is the most pathetic group of trainees I have ever laid my eyes on. ROSS: Ma’am. LEWIS: Ladies, my companies are the best-trained, the best-disciplined soldiers on this base– BENJAMIN: Excuse me. LEWIS: Huh? BENJAMIN: Um, I hate to interrupt you, but, um,

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Autumn Challenge: Day 22

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 22. September 1: Type FADE IN / The Beginning. September 30: Type FADE OUT / The End. 30 days. 1 script. Movie script. TV script. First draft. Rewrite. Whatever. Get it down. Get it done. For background on how the Zero Draft Challenge came into being and what

Courier 12 Screenwriting Conference

The DePaul University School of Cinematic Arts is hosting the 5th Annual Courier 12 Screenwriting Conference on October 8, 2016 here in downtown Chicago. We are finalizing the schedule, but I know I’ll be moderating a panel featuring two screenwriting icons: Steven E. de Souza, whose credits include 48

Everything you wanted to know about specs [Part 14]

Spec scripts, that is. I’m guessing that perhaps 90% of the people who follow this blog at some point in their lives will write a spec script. And the other 10% are involved in buying and selling them. In light of that fact, last year I interviewed a top

Videos: “Film Meets Art”

Movies are primarily a visual medium. It’s something I repeat over and over to my students. It’s also something I’ve been reminded of recently due to my move to Chicago. The cityscape is stunning. The other night, I was at a social event for the upcoming 52nd

The Business of Screenwriting: Low-budget filmmaking [Part 1]

After I left Yale with my M.Div. degree in 1978, I spent the next two plus decades as a free-lancer. First as a musician. Then as a stand-up comic. And finally screenwriter. In 2002, one of my best friends [who I had met as a fellow grad

Daily Dialogue — September 22, 2016

“15… 14… 13… 12… 11… 10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… zero…” — Paths of Glory (1957), screenplay by Stanley Kubrick & Calder Willingham and Jim Thompson The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Military Moments, suggested by Will King. Trivia: For box-office reasons, Stanley Kubrick

Zero Draft Thirty 2016 Autumn Challenge: Day 21

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 21. September 1: Type FADE IN / The Beginning. September 30: Type FADE OUT / The End. 30 days. 1 script. Movie script. TV script. First draft. Rewrite. Whatever. Get it down. Get it done. For background on how the Zero Draft Challenge came into being and what

Interview (5 Part Series): Julia Hart and Jordan Horowitz (“Miss Stevens”)

Entertainment Weekly calls it a “breezy indie gem”. Bilge Ebiri of the Village Voice calls it a “tight, unnerving and deceptively complex movie”. David Ehrlich of Indiwire writes, “With her directorial debut, The Keeping Room screenwriter Julia Hart proves that she belongs behind the camera.” And the New York Times

Everything you wanted to know about specs [Part 13]

Spec scripts, that is. I’m guessing that perhaps 90% of the people who follow this blog at some point in their lives will write a spec script. And the other 10% are involved in buying and selling them. In light of that fact, last year I interviewed a top

The Narrative Connection Between Protagonist and Antagonist

I normally don’t promote content involving the screenwriting ‘guru’ set for a variety of reasons, however here is a post via an outfit called StudioBinder, who approached me, which pretty much aligns with how I write and what I teach. The post, inspired by this video, lays out what