Go Into The Story Resource: Script Reading & Analysis Series
Movie scripts analyzed to depth including Scene-By-Scene Breakdown, Plot, Characters, Themes, Dialogue.
Movie scripts analyzed to depth including Scene-By-Scene Breakdown, Plot, Characters, Themes, Dialogue.
On May 16, 2023, Go Into The Story turns 15 years old — you can read the very first blog post here. I led with this paragraph:
Welcome to Go Into The Story! Right now, it’s nothing but a humble, threadbare blog, but I hope it will evolve into an active resource for aspiring screenwriters, as well as a community for anyone interested in storytelling and the creative life.
And evolve it did! To the point where it was recently named “Best of the Best” Scriptwriting Website in the 20th Annual Writer’s Digest Best Websites for Writers list.
To celebrate 15 years of blogging about screenwriting, writing, Hollywood, movies, TV, and the creative life, each day in May, I’m going to feature a piece of Go Into The Story trivia, plus a writing resource you can find in the site’s archives. This is not an exercise in self-congratulations so much as I figured readers could use some tips about how to best use the site. With — to date — over 100 archive topics, there is a LOT of content here. Hopefully, these posts for the next 31 days will clue in more recent followers and remind long-time readers about resources you can use to facilitate deepening your understanding of the writing craft.
Today’s trivia: Over the years, some Go Into The Story posts have gained traction in the online screenwriting community and emerged as popular memes. For instance, 1, 2, 7, 14 achieved popularity as a way to structure a work week to increase one’s screenwriting productivity. Another one: The 3 E’s of Scene-Writing: Essential, Efficient, Entertaining. But the biggest one is this screenwriting mantra: Watch movies. Read scripts. Write pages. I coined that in a 2009 blog post and it immediately gained traction — three keys to learn the craft.
Since I started teaching as a hobby in 2002 and now full-time as an assistant professor at the DePaul University School of Cinematic Arts, my brain has become more and more wired to think of pedagogical ways to communicate about the craft of writing. I’m always on the lookout for metaphors, life experience, or verbal devices to get across ideas and theories to readers and students. Hopefully, there will be more to come here on the blog as we move forward.
Today’s Go Into The Story resource: Script Reading & Analysis Series.
Semi-regularly we spend a week reading and breaking down a movie script with some in-depth analysis. To date: 118 movie scripts. Here are the links to those series.
12 Years a Slave [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
1917 [War Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
(500) Days of Summer [Romantic Comedy]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
TweetCast Transcript
Entire Series
Aeronauts, The [Adventure Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
After the Wedding [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Aftersun [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
All Is Lost [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
American Hustle [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
Antebellum [Horror Thriller]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Argo [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
Arrival [Science Fiction]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaway
Entire Series
The Artist [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequence
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
Avengers: Endgame [Action Superhero]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Barney’s Version [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Big Sick [Romantic Comedy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Birdman: (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) [Comedy Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Themes
Takeaways
Entire Series
Black Swan [Horror Thriller]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
TweetCast Transcript
Entire Series
BlacKkKlansman [Crime Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Blade Runner [Science Fiction]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Entire Series
Boyhood [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
Bridesmaids [Comedy]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Entire Series
Buried [Contained Thriller]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Cloverfield [Found Footage]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Coco [Animated Family]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
CODA [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Crazy Rich Asians [Romantic Comedy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Dallas Buyers Club [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Themes
Takeaways
Entire Series
Destroyer [Crime Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Drag Me To Hell [Horror-Humor]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Eighth Grade [Drama Comedy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Elvis [Biopic]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
The End of the Tour [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Enough Said [Drama Comedy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind [Charlie Kaufman]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series 1
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Entire Series 2
Everything Everywhere All At Once [Action Adventure Comedy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Ex Machina [Drama-Science Fiction]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Farewell [Drama Comedy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Father [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
First Cow [Indie Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
First Reformed [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Flight [Drama-Thriller]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Florida Project [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Ford v Ferrari [Drama Action]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Frankenweenie [Horror-Fantasy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Galaxy Quest [Science Fiction Comedy]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
TweetCast Transcript
Entire Series
Get Out [Social Thriller]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Gladiator [Action]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Entire Series
Gone Girl [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Entire Series
The Good Dinosaur [Family Animation]
Scene-By- Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Good Will Hunting [Drama]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Entire Series
The Grand Budapest Hotel [Wes Anderson Comedy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
Gravity [Science Fiction]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
Groundhog Day [Comedy]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Entire Series
Hanna [Action]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
Hell or High Water [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaway
Entire Series
Honey Boy [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Hustlers [Crime Drama Comedy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
I, Tonya [Bio Comedy Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
I’m Your Woman [Crime Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Imitation Game [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Incredibles [Animation Action]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Invitation [Thriller]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
It’s A Wonderful Life [Drama]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Entire Series
Jackie [Biopic / Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Jojo Rabbit [Comedy Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Joker [Crime Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Juno [Drama]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
TweetCast Transcript
Entire Series
Knives Out [Mystery Drama Comedy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Kubo and the Two Strings [Animated Adventure]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaway
Entire Series
La La Land [Drama Musical]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Lighthouse [Horror]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Lincoln [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
Little Women [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Logan [Action]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Looper [Science Fiction]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Themes
Takeaways
Entire Series
Luca [Family Animation]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Man Up [Romantic Comedy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Menu [Horror Thriller]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Michael Clayton [Drama]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
TweetCast Transcript
Entire Series
Midsommar [Horror Mystery]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Minari [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Mitchells vs. the Machines [Family Animation]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Moonrise Kingdom [Drama / Wes Anderson]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
Mudbound [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Nebraska [Drama Comedy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Themes
Takeaways
Entire Series
Nightcrawler [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Themes
Takeaways
Entire Series
Nightmare Alley [Thriller]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
No Country For Old Men [Drama / Coen Brothers]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
TweetCast Transcript
Entire Series
Nomadland [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Nope [Horror Science Fiction]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
One Night in Miami [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Palm Springs [Indie Comedy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Pan’s Labyrinth [Fantasy]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Entire Series
Panic Room [Thriller]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Entire Series
Parasite [Drama Thriller]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Prisoners [Drama Thriller]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
Promising Young Woman [Crime Drama Thriller]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
A Quiet Place [Horror]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Raiders of the Lost Ark [Action Adventure]
General Comments
Structure
Character
Themes
Dialogue
TweetCast Transcript
Entire Series
Rocketman [Musical Biopic]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Roma [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Shakespeare in Love [Romantic Comedy]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Entire Series
Short Term 12 [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Silence of the Lambs [Thriller]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Entire Series
The Sixth Sense [Supernatural Thriller]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
The Social Network [Drama]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
TweetCast Transcript
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
Sound of Metal [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Spencer [Biopic Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse [Animation Superhero]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Thing [Horror]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Tomorrow War [Science Fiction]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Toy Story 3 [Family]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Toy Story 4 [Family]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Trainwreck [Comedy]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Trial of the Chicago 7 [Historical Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Up In The Air [Drama]
General Comments
Structure
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Us [Horror]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Waves [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Whiplash [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Sequences
Psychological Journey
Takeaways
Entire Series
The White Tiger [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
The Wolf of Wall Street [Drama]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Major Plot Points
Characters
Themes
Takeaways
Entire Series
Zootopia [Animation Family]
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Plot
Characters
Themes
Dialogue
Takeaways
Entire Series
Each day this month, I want to take the opportunity to thank you for supporting Go Into The Story. I’d love to hear from you in RESPONSES. When did you start following the blog? What are your favorite features? And as always, if you have any suggestions, feel free to suggest away.