Go Into The Story

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 14: “Pulp Fiction”

Why 30 screenplays in 30 days?

Spec Script Deal: “Honey Trapped”

StudioCanal and The Picture Company acquire action spec script “Honey Trapped” written by April Wolfe. Via Deadline:

Story Type: Buddy Picture

In Hollywood movie circles, there are genres like Horror or Science Fiction, cross genres like Action-Thriller or Drama-Comedy, and…

On Writing

“Remember that scene in Steven Spielberg’s film E.T. where E.T. assembles a transmitting device from the junk he pulls out of his garage…

Page One: “The Three Musketeers” (1993)

Screenplay by David Loughery, novel by Alexandre Dumas

Sundays with Sidney Lumet’s “Making Movies”

A series featuring reflections on filmmaking by one of the truly great movie directors.

Dialogue-Writing Workshop

My one-week online workshop focusing on writing dialogue begins November 21.

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 13: “Shakespeare in Love”

Why 30 screenplays in 30 days?

Update: 2022–2023 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 1 New Script, 8 Total

It’s that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

Page One: “This Boy’s Life” (1993)

Screenplay by Robert Getchell, novel by Tobias Wolff

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 12: “Toy Story”

Why 30 screenplays in 30 days?

Character Type: Healer

“Educated and intelligent, combined with their calling to make people well, the Healer is generally a character others put their trust in…

Script To Screen: “Boyhood”

The beautiful denouement of the 2014 movie Boyhood, written and directed by Richard Linklater.

Interview (Video): Sarah Polley

The writer-director of Women Talking along with cast members discuss the powerful new film.

Page One: “Thirteen Lives” (2022)

Screenplay by William Nicholson, story by Don MacPherson & William Nicholson

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 11: “Memento”

Why 30 screenplays in 30 days?

Reader Question: What if you fall out of love with a script?

“What about a script you fall out of love with after 2–3 drafts, and just can’t finish? Put it aside for now or just push through?”

Story Type: Briefcase Full Of Cash

There are genres (e.g., Action, Comedy, Drama). Cross genres (e.g., Action-Thriller, Comedy-Science Fiction). Sub-genres (e.g., Romantic…

Writing and the Creative Life: Here’s to Us Night Owls!

“The conventional wisdom is that morning people are high achievers, go-getters, while late risers are lazy. But what if going to bed in the…

Page One: “The Keeping Room” (2014)

Written by Julia Hart

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 10: “Network”

Why 30 screenplays in 30 days?

The Importance of Persistence in a Writer’s Life

“PERSIST on telling your story. PERSIST on reaching your audience. PERSIST on staying true to your vision.”

Story Type: Body Switch

Recently a project called “Opposites Attract” got set up. Here’s the premise:

The Business of Screenwriting: Imagine the movie

One test of a story concept: Can you imagine it as a movie?

Page One: “The Girl on the Train” (2016)

Screenplay by Erin Cressida Wilson, based on the novel by Paula Hawkins