Go Into The Story

Great Scene: “Blue Velvet”

The introduction of Frank Booth and his obsession with “Mommy.”

On Writing

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good…

Page One: “Leaving Las Vegas” (1995)

Screenplay by Mike Figgis, novel by John O’Brien

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 24

This is the 13th year in a row I’ve run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Because the best way to come up…

Go Into The Story Script Reading & Analysis: “Luca”

A week-long analysis of the Pixar family script and movie. Download. Read. Discuss.

Great Scene: “The Big Lebowski”

“Donny was a good bowler, and a good man. He was one of us.”

Video: 10 Screenwriting Tips from Taika Waititi

Interview with the screenwriter and director of Jojo Rabbit.

Page One: “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” (2019)

Written by Joe Talbot & Rob Richert, story by Jimmie Fails & Joe Talbot

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 23

This is the 13th year in a row I’ve run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Because the best way to come up…

Script Analysis: “Luca” — Part 6: Takeaways

A week-long analysis of the 2021 Pixar movie.

I'm going to focus on a fun runner. The line first appears on 16:

ALBERTO

One of the most prominent themes is Transformation.

We see this dynamic in several different ways and it is introduced quite early in the story when Alberto pulls Luca above the surface and…

I have this theory that there is something going on in terms of character archetypes in stories.

The Protagonist represents a forward-moving dynamic, a character or characters most often driven by a conscious goal.

Call to Adventure (10-13): When Luca intersects with Alberto who drags Luca above the sea line…

Act One end (26-28): Luca overcomes his fears and rides with Alberto on the Vespa, soaring high into the sky, then plunging into the ocean…

Luca is a classic example of a Hero's Journey story structure: It begins in the Ordinary World (the…

Everything that happens, particularly in Act Two, serves Luca's character arc as he grows in confidence and embraces his innate curiosty…

Great Scene: “Back to the Future”

Where Marty meets his father for the first time… in the past!

Interview (Audio): Dan Erickson

A conversation with the creator of the Apple TV+ series Severance.

Page One: “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” (2013)

Written by Danny Strong, based on an article by Wil Haygood

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 22

This is the 13th year in a row I’ve run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Because the best way to come up…

Script Analysis: “Luca” — Part 5: Dialogue

A week-long analysis of the 2021 Pixar movie.

“Go into the story and find the animals”

The story behind Go Into The Story…

Writing and the Creative Life: Think Psychologically

What makes a story resonate emotionally with a reader or viewer?

Page One: “The Last Samurai” (2003)

Screenplay by John Logan and Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz, story by John Logan

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 21

This is the 13th year in a row I’ve run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Because the best way to come up…

Script Analysis: “Luca” — Part 4: Themes

A week-long analysis of the 2021 Pixar movie.