Page One: “There Will Be Blood” (2007)

Screenplay by Paul Thomas Anderson, based on a novel by Upton Sinclair

The movie version of the opening:

The first lines of dialogue do not appear in the screenplay until Page Seven. If I recall from screening the movie when it was released, it’s even later than seven minutes in the movie. The opening to There Will Be Blood is a testament to the power of visual storytelling.

You may download the screenplay here.

FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY!

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.

For more Page One posts, go here.

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