Movie Trailer: “And So It Goes” Written by Mark Andrus A self-centered realtor enlists the help of his neighbor when he’s suddenly left in charge of the granddaughter he never knew existed until his estranged son drops her off at his home. IMDB Release Date: 11 July 2014 (USA) Comment Archive
30 Days of Screenplays, Day 19: “Gravity” Why read 30 screenplays in 30 days? Because whether you are a novice just starting to learn the craft of screenwriting or someone who has been writing for many years, you should be reading scripts. There is a certain type of knowledge and understanding about screenwriting you can only get
Writing and the Creative Life: The Magic of Ambient Noise There may be a decibel level of ambient noise to facilitate creative thought. 70 decibels. Not 50 dBs. That’s too low. Not 85 dBs. That’s too high. Nope. 70 dBs of ambient noise appears to be just right when it comes to enhancing one’s creativity. That’s
Daily Dialogue — June 19, 2014 Bill swings open the office door to the morgue while loudly humming/singing along to The Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.” Bill: Hi. How ya doin’? I’m Bill Blazejowski. You can call me Billy Blaze. You must be Chuck, right? Nice shoes. Bill looks around the office a bit.
Write Pages: Scene-Writing Challenge! Observant GITS readers will note some method to my madness with regard to the last two monthly Noon series. In May, it was 90s movies. In June, it has been 30 Days of Screenplays. What is that but the first two of three from that essential screenwriting mantra: Watch movies.
Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 3: Plot = Structure William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President’s Men, The Princess Bride), arguably the dean of contemporary American screenwriters, says this: “Screenplays are structure.” Screenwriting legend Charles Bennett (The Man Who Knew Too Much, The 39 Steps) says this: “The construction is the most important goddamned
“Star Wars:” Kitbashed Via Indiewire: Let’s talk about the influences that shaped “Star Wars” for a moment — everyone name checks Joseph Campbell’s “The Heroes With A Thousand Faces,” Akira Kurosawa’s “The Hidden Forteress” and countless “Flash Gordon” serials. Those are certainly among the key touchstones that George Lucas re-imagined
10 Filmmaking Tips from ‘Legends of the Fall’ Producer and Director Ed Zwick Ed Zwick is a well-known director with movie credits including About Last Night, Glory, Legends of the Fall, and Courage Under Fire. Zwick is also a writer perhaps most notably known as the co-creator of the ABC TV series thirtysomething. Indiewire ran an article yesterday in which TV
Movie Trailer: “The Equalizer” The Equalizer Trailer - Trailer AddictEdit descriptionv.traileraddict.com Written by Richard Wenk A former black ops commando who faked his death for a quiet life in Boston comes out of his retirement to rescue a young girl and finds himself face to face with Russian gangsters. IMDB Release Date: 26
30 Days of Screenplays, Day 18: “Before Midnight” Why read 30 screenplays in 30 days? Because whether you are a novice just starting to learn the craft of screenwriting or someone who has been writing for many years, you should be reading scripts. There is a certain type of knowledge and understanding about screenwriting you can only get
Script To Screen: “Frozen” A scene from the 2013 animated movie Frozen, screenplay by Jennifer Lee, inspired by the story “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Andersen, story by Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee & Shane Morris, additional story by Dean Wellins. Plot Summary: Fearless optimist Anna teams up with Kristoff in an epic
Daily Dialogue — June 18, 2014 Tess arrives, sees a woman using the phone in the office, heads for the secretary cubicle. The woman comes out. ALICE: Oh, I didn’t hear you come in, I’m Alice Baxter. TESS: Tess McGill ALICE: I was just using the phone. TESS: Yes, that happens. ALICE: How about
How to Have a Career: Advice to Young Writers Good advice from author Sarah Manguso: Work. Be relentless. All over the world, people are working harder than you. Don’t go to events; go to the receptions after the events. If possible, skip the receptions and go to the afterparties, where you can have a real conversation with someone.
Spec Script Sale: “Leviathan” Sony Pictures Entertainment acquires science fiction spec script “Leviathan” written by Cole Haddon. Haddon is repped by WME and Anonymous Content. By my count, this is the 30th spec script sale of 2014. There were 53 spec script sales year-to-date in 2013. Comment Archive
Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 2: Protagonist Metamorphosis Arc In almost all mainstream Hollywood movies as well as most indie films, the Protagonist character or characters go through some type of personal metamorphosis. It is no surprise this is the case. Joseph Campbell who studied thousands upon thousands of stories worldwide and through history determined that transformation is at
“Moments That Changed The Movies: Jurassic Park” Via Indiewire: With “Safety Not Guaranteed” director Colin Trevorrow currently in the midst of shooting “Jurassic World,” the series’ latest installment that’s set to open next summer, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences have released a nine-minute video which breaks down just how revolutionary the effects
Is 23 Super Hero Movies Over The Next 4 Years Too Much? Indiewire asks a simple question: “Is 23 Super Hero Movies Over The Next 4 Years Too Much?” To which I say… 23?! Really?! Really! Here they are: MARVEL “Guardians of the Galaxy” (8/1/14) “The Avengers: Age of Ultron” (5/1/15) “Ant-Man” (7/17/15) “Captain America
Movie Trailer: “Clouds of Sils Maria” Written by Olivier Assayas An aging actress is asked to star once again in the play that made her famous many years earlier, but now the part she made her name with will be played by a young actress. IMDB Comment Archive
30 Days of Screenplays, Day 17: “Argo” Why read 30 screenplays in 30 days? Because whether you are a novice just starting to learn the craft of screenwriting or someone who has been writing for many years, you should be reading scripts. There is a certain type of knowledge and understanding about screenwriting you can only get
Screenwriting 101: John Logan “Very early in my career, something clicked for me. I remember writing the line in Gladiator, ‘Are you not entertained?’ that Maximus says in the provincial arena. I said to myself: I think I can be a screenwriter. That line had a power, resonance, and muscularity appropriate to that character.
Daily Dialogue — June 17, 2014 Riggs: You know you’re not the first guy to think of this you know. A lot people have got problems especially during the silly season like now. Attempted Suicide Jumper: You don’t know shit. Riggs: No, you’re wrong, pal, you’re wrong. Attempted Suicide Jumper: You don’
Pound through that first draft! As far as I’m concerned, there’s only one rule about a first draft and it’s this: “Get the damn thing done!” Easy to say. Hard to do. That’s why Tom Benedek and I created the Pages I: The First Draft writing workshop, a structured online environment
Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 1: Writing Scenes With every scene, you should ask yourself this question: What is the scene’s Beginning, Middle, and End? Just as we think of a story with three acts or movements, so each scene has its own tripartite structure. Therefore as we approach working out a scene, we need to think
“The Rules of Film Noir” I’m not much of a fan of so-called ‘rules’ of writing, filmmaking, and creative endeavors in general, but this is an interesting documentary nonetheless. And if you think film noir is dead, an historical vestige from the 40s and 50s, no longer relevant as a storytelling influence, tell
Post-TFIOS buzz phrase: “Grounded” Teen Movies When a movie with a production budget of $12M generates $120M in worldwide box office in its first two weeks — that is a 10-to-1 ratio for all you math geeks out there — you can be sure Hollywood will pay attention. That movie is The Fault in Our Stars…
