Movie Trailer: “X-Men: Days of Future Past” Screenplay by Simon Kinberg, story by Simon Kinberg and Matthew Vaughn & Jane Goldman The X-Men send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants. IMDB Release Date: 23 May 2014 (USA) Comment
Movies You Made: “Li Olo Setsur” March is Movies You Made month at Go Into The Story where we feature the work of some independent filmmakers. Today: Li Olo Setsur. Production notes from writer-director-actor Sarah Walker: Cast Young Laura Miller — Emily McLean Laura Miller — Sarah Walker Crew Director — Sarah Walker Writer — Sarah Walker Producers
Screenwriting 101: Richard Matheson “Most of my ideas have come from films. When I lived in Brooklyn, I went to see a Dracula film and the idea came to me: If one vampire was scary, what if the whole world was full of vampires? That became I Am Legend. Another time, I went to
Daily Dialogue — March 25, 2014 “Idiot. I’m a fucking idiot. I’m a fucking idiot. I’m a fucking idiot. I’m a fucking idiot. Fucking idiot fucking idiot fucking idiot fucking idiot.” — Boogie Nights (1997), written by Paul Thomas Anderson The Daily Dialogue theme this week: Self-Deprecation, suggested by JasperLamarCrab. He also
Happy 30th ‘Birthday’: “The Breakfast Club” Today is the 30th ‘birthday’ of The Breakfast Club. I know this because my son Luke brought it to my attention. He has seen the movie about a dozen times. I asked Luke if he would write up some thoughts about The Breakfast Club to celebrate his favorite movie. He
Interview: Stephanie Shannon (2013 Nicholl Winner, 2013 Black List) — Part 1 Stephanie Shannon not only is one of five recipients of the 2013 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, she did it with her very first full-length screenplay: “Queen of Hearts.”Not only that, the script landed on the 2013 Black List. Therefore I was pleased to have the opportunity to
Movie Trailer: “Night Moves” Screenplay by Jonathan Raymond, Kelly Reichardt A drama centered on three environmentalists who plot to blow up a dam. IMDB Release Date: 30 May 2014 (USA) Comment Archive
Movies You Made: “Cockatoo” March is Movies You Made month at Go Into The Story where we feature the work of some independent filmmakers. Today: Cockatoo. Production notes from writer-director Matthew Jenkin: ‘Cockatoo’ is an Australian film and it premiered at Flickerfest in Bondi, Australia in 2012 and won the Best Screenplay award.
On Writing “If writers had to wait until their precious psyches were completely serene, there wouldn’t be much writing done.” — William Styron Via @AdviceToWriters
Daily Dialogue — March 24, 2014 “Lately the strangest things have been going through my mind, ’cause I turned forty, and I guess I’m going through a life crisis or something, I don’t know. I, uh … and I’m not worried about aging. I’m not one o’ those characters, you know. Although I’
Go Into The Story Week In Review: March 17–23, 2014 Links to the week’s most notable posts: Black List and Hasty Pudding Institute Screenwriting Fellowship Daily Dialogue Theme for Next Week: Self-Deprecation Go Into The Story Interview: Rob Meyer and Luke Matheny (A Birder’s Guide to Everything) Great Character: Garth Algar (Wayne’s World) Great Scene: Pulp
Interview: Rob Meyer and Luke Matheny The wonderful indie movie A Birder’s Guide to Everything was co-written by Rob Meyer and Luke Matheny, and directed by Meyer. Luke Matheny, Rob Meyer, Ben Kingsley Here are links to the six installments of the entire interview: Part 1: “Rob had this idea about a quest for
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: Aristotle’s “Poetics”. I confess I’ve never read the entire thing, only bits and pieces. So I thought, why not do a weekly series with
Screenwriting News (March 10-March 23, 2014) Kate Angelo sells untitled female road trip pitch to Sony Pictures Entertainment. Jeff Buhler writing reboot of The Grudge for Ghost House Pictures and Good Universe. James Ward Byrkit and Alex Manugian writing thriller “Wake” for Paramount Pictures. Scott Burns adapting crime thriller “The Burglary” for Summit Entertainment and Participant
Movies You Made: “Child 31” March is Movies You Made month at Go Into The Story where we feature the work of some independent filmmakers. Today: Child 31. Production notes from writer-producer-editor Michael Campo: What has Gerard Butler, Celine Dion and Piers Morgan so excited? A new film released this month on YouTube
Interview [Video]: Tom McCarthy A DP/30 interview with writer-director Tom McCarthy, discussing his 2012 movie Win Win. Comment Archive
Daily Dialogue — March 23, 2014 Castor Troy: [as Sean Archer] Sasha, baby, I’m Castor. That’s Archer. Sasha Hassler: And I’m bored. Put the fucking gun down! — Face/Off (1997), written by Mike Werb, Michael Colleary The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Standoff. Trivia: The script as presented to director John Woo
Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Self-deprecation This week’s theme has been standoff. Next week: Self-Deprecation, a suggestion by JasperLamarCrab. I think this theme is going to be a hard one to fill out with good examples next week. Surely, there are a lot of movie moments featuring this dynamic, but are they memorable enough
Interview (Part 6): Rob Meyer and Luke Matheny When I saw the trailer for the movie A Birder’s Guide to Everything, I immediately sought out its filmmakers: Writer-director Rob Meyer and writer Luke Matheny. It’s a wonderful story starring some terrific young talent as well as Oscar winning actor Sir Ben Kingsley. The movie comes
Great Scene: “Pulp Fiction It’s not much in the way of moving the plot forward, other than some sexual subtext, but it’s one of the most memorable scenes in the 1994 movie Pulp Fiction, screenplay by Quentin Tarantino, story by Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary: The dance scene with Mia (Uma Thurman)
Movies You Made: “OPUS K” March is Movies You Made month at Go Into The Story where we feature the work of some independent filmmakers. Today: OPUS K. Production notes from writer-director Eamonn Gray: I wrote/directed/edited/produced a feature film in 2011 called OPUS K. It would be amazing if you could
Interview [Written]: Rob Thomas This is for all you Veronica Mars fans: A WGA.org interview with the movie’s co-writer and director Rob Thomas. It’s hard to believe that Veronica Mars started — and almost ended — her life as a book pitch. “It was supposed to be my fifth novel,” explains series
Daily Dialogue — March 22, 2014 King Arthur: You fight with the strength of many men, Sir Knight. [The Black Knight doesn’t respond] I am Arthur, King of the Britons. [no response] I seek the bravest and the finest knights in the land who will join me in my court at Camelot. [no response] You
Horton Foote on keys to writing Earlier this week, I ran a quote from the late great playwright and screenwriter Horton Foote, whose movie credits include To Kill a Mockingbird, Tender Mercies and The Trip to Bountiful. I was struck by one particular line because it points out how critical characters are with regard to plot,
Interview (Part 5): Rob Meyer and Luke Matheny When I saw the trailer for the movie A Birder’s Guide to Everything, I immediately sought out its filmmakers: Writer-director Rob Meyer and writer Luke Matheny. It’s a wonderful story starring some terrific young talent as well as Oscar winning actor Sir Ben Kingsley. The movie comes
