Go Into The Story

Interview (Part 3): Jimmy Miller

My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director’s TED Talk

Andrew Stanton is one of the key members of Pixar’s ‘braintrust’ whose screenwriting credits include Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2…

The Business of Screenwriting: Surviving a Script Notes Meeting

Filmmaking, they say, is a “collaborative” effort. To a screenwriter, what this effectively means is that everybody gets to mess with your…

Page One: “Driving Miss Daisy” (1989)

Screenplay by Alfred Uhry based on his play

Pound Out That First Draft!

Go from FADE IN to FADE OUT in my upcoming online writing workshop. Starts August 26!

A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director’s TED Talk

Andrew Stanton is one of the key members of Pixar’s ‘braintrust’ whose screenwriting credits include Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2…

Screenwriting 101: Alan Ball

“[In American Beauty] Lester’s a man who in midlife has completely lost his passion about living, as do many people who have mind-numbing…

Page One: “Dressed to Kill” (1980)

Written by Brian De Palma

Interview (Part 2): Jimmy Miller

My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director’s TED Talk

Andrew Stanton is one of the key members of Pixar’s ‘braintrust’ whose screenwriting credits include Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2…

On Writing

“Writing, I think, is not apart from living. Writing is a kind of double living. The writer experiences everything twice. Once in reality…

Page One: “Dredd” (2012)

Screenplay by Alex Garland, character created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra

Interview (Part 1): Jimmy Miller

My interview with the 2023 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director’s TED Talk

Andrew Stanton is one of the key members of Pixar’s ‘braintrust’ whose screenwriting credits include Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2…

Studying Aristotle’s “Poetics” — Part 26: Tragedy vs. Epic Poems

As I’ve been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again…

Page One: “DragonHeart” (1996)

Screenplay by Charles Edward Pogue, story by Patrick Read Johnson & Charles Edward Pogue

A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director’s TED Talk.

Andrew Stanton is one of the key members of Pixar’s ‘braintrust’ whose screenwriting credits include Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2…

Studying Aristotle’s “Poetics” — Part 25: Impossible and Improbable

As I’ve been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again…

Script to Screen: “(500) Days of Summer”

Tom’s best day ever plays out as a music video accompanied by Hall & Oates.

Page One: “Dr. No” (1962)

Screenplay by Richard Maibaum & Johanna Harwood & Berkely Mather, based on the novel by Ian Fleming

2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge!

One month. Fade In. Fade Out. Write an entire zero draft.

Andrew Stanton TED Talk: “Clues to a Great Story”

A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director’s TED Talk.

Studying Aristotle’s “Poetics” — Part 24: Tragedy and Epic Poem

As I’ve been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again…

Page One: “Downhill” (2020)

Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, inspired by the motion picture “Force Majeure” by Ruben Östlund

Andrew Stanton TED Talk: “Clues to a Great Story”

A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director’s TED Talk.