Page One: ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001)

Screenplay by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson, novel by J.R.R. Tolkien

I got to see a special screening of the movie in Beverly Hills which was attended by two of the screenwriters: Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. They talked about how they and Jackson struggled for months about how to open the movie. They tried dozens of things until they finally stumbled upon the one which had been hiding in plain view the whole time: Tell the story of the Ring.

I’d say that decision worked out pretty damn well, wouldn’t you?!

Page One is a daily Go Into The Story series featuring the first page of notable movie scripts from the classic era to contemporary times. Comparing them is an excellent way to study a variety of writing styles and see how professional writers start a story.