Go Into The Story

There are no screenwriting rules

There are guidelines, conventional wisdom, patterns, and principles… but no rules.

Writing and the Creative Life: 19 Daily Habits Of Artists…

Let go of your idea of “perfect”… Allow yourself to have fun… When in doubt, ask for help… Be prepared to find inspiration in mundane…

Page One: “Stepmom” (1998)

Screenplay by Gigi Levangie and Jessie Nelson & Steven Rogers & Karen Leigh Hopkins and Ron Bass, story by Gigi Levangie

How To Read A Screenplay (Part 4): Subplots, Relationships and Character Functions

There are multiple layers to any story. The more you dig, the deeper your understanding.

The Business of Screenwriting: Cynicism

“In a town built on dreams, all too often they turn into nightmares. Somebody gets screwed. Just the way it is. And that’s why cynicism is…

60 Second Screenwriter: What’s a subplot?

A video series addressing key screenwriting concerns in one minute.

Scene Description Spotlight: “Unforgiven”

The ‘folksy’ narrative voice in synch with the movie’s Western genre and a clean read with strong bursts of imagematic writing.

Page One: “Still Alice” (2014)

Written for the screen by Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland, novel by Lisa Genova

How To Read A Screenplay (Part 3): Plotline Points and Sequences

There are multiple layers to any story. The more you dig, the deeper your understanding.

How They Write A Script: Alvin Sargent

“I think too many people are too organized; they’ve got it all worked out, instead of hearing their characters first. Get the goop out…

Reader Question: What exactly is a “spec script”?

It’s actually a rather amorphous term.

On Writing

“Perhaps writing opens up a parallel universe into which, one by one, we’ll move all of our dearest memories and rearrange them as we…

Page One: “Suburbicon” (2017)

Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen and George Clooney & Grant Heslov

2022–2023 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 6 Total

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

How To Read A Screenplay (Part 2): The Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

There are multiple layers to any story. The more you dig, the deeper your understanding.

60 Second Screenwriter: How is a screenplay different than a novel?

A video series addressing key screenwriting concerns in one minute.

Screenwriting 101: Darren Aronofsky

“First you start with an idea, then you start to flesh out the structure, and that’s a long process. I think that’s where we spend a lot of…

Page One: “Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi” (1983)

Screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas, story by George Lucas

Reader Question: Should I write a big budget spec script or not?

Write what you’re passionate about, but there are some good reasons to balance that by putting on your producer’s hat.

How To Read A Screenplay (Part 1): The First Pass

There are multiple layers to any story. The more you dig, the deeper your understanding.

Great Scene: “To Kill A Mockingbird”

“To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. The State has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the…

On Writing

“Characters don’t stand nose to nose and take turns speaking. People are selfish. So too are characters. Characters want to talk. They want…

Page One: “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” (1982)

Screenplay by Jack B. Sowards, story by Harve Bennett and Jack B. Sowards, based on the TV series created by Gene Roddenberry

Sundays with Sidney Lumet’s “Making Movies”

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

Video: 10 Screenwriting Tips from Billy Wilder

Advice from the writer-director of such notable moves as Double Indeminty, Some Like It Hot, and The Apartment.