Go Into The Story

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Final Close-Up [Part 3]

“Many amateurs are prone to cheat their audiences by ending the story without some bit of action which spectators have been led to expect…

On Writing

“I only sleep two or three hours a day, so I’m writing all the time. I make notes wherever I can make them. I write in toilets, on planes…

Page One: “Good Night, and Good Luck” (2005)

Written by George Clooney & Grant Heslov

Great Scene: “Past Lives”

The quiet emotionally rich ending of this beautiful movie.

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Final Close-Up [Part 2]

“If any considerable action takes place after the climax in the ‘big scene,’ you will have ruined your photoplay with one of these deadly…

Page One: “Good Kids” (2016)

Written by Chris McCoy

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Final Close-Up [Part 1]

“Knowing when and how to stop is as important to a photoplay writer as to an after dinner speaker, but amateur scenarists, like amateur…

The Business of Screenwriting: Three Scripts

You write, you learn. And three scripts is a good target as a baseline for studying the craft. Then keeping writing … keep learning …

Page One: “The Front Runner” (2018)

Written by Matt Bai & Jay Carson & Jason Reitman, based on a book written by Matt Bai

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Midway in the Photoplay [Part 7]

“Many amateur photoplay writers are very clever in getting their characters into terribly involved situations; but they are not so clever…

Great Scene: “North by Northwest”

It was one of the scenes which inspired Hitchcock to make the movie.

Page One: “Gold” (2016)

Written by Patrick Massett & John Zinman

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Midway in the Photoplay [Part 6]

“By showing more and more action, you will elaborate your plot in the best way.”

On Writing

“Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you walk into an open sewer and die.”

Page One: “Fruitvale Station” (2013)

Written by Ryan Coogler

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Midway in the Photoplay [Part 5]

“When you are at a loss to carry on the action, cut over to the parallel line of action which is taking place in the next street or the…

Screenwriting 101: Amy Berg

“At the end of the day, the only thing that really defines a person is the choices they make. The characters in your scripts should be no…

Page One: “From Dusk Till Dawn” (1996)

Written by Quentin Tarantino, story by Robert Kurtzman

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Midway in the Photoplay [Part 4]

“It is inadvisable to attempt a minor plot in a photoplay unless it has a distinct and important bearing on your big story.”

On Writing

“Anything that isn’t writing is easy.”

Page One: “The Frighteners” (1996)

Written by Fran Walsh & Peter Jackson

The Owl Screenwriting Workshop

Reflections on reconnecting with the 2023–2024 cohort and working with the 2024–2025 group last week in Athens, Greece.

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Midway in the Photoplay [Part 3]

“The plot within the plot is one form of elaboration on the spoken stage.”

Page One: “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” (1981)

Screenplay by Harold Pinter, novel by John Fowles

Spec Script Deal: “Sporkinfeesten”

Amazon MGM announces its acquisition of the comedy spec script “Sporkinfeesten” written by Aaron Eisenberg and Will Eisenberg. Via…