Go Into The Story

Script Analysis: “Belle” — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Studying Aristotle’s “Poetics” — Part 9(A): Poet and Historian

As I’ve been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again…

Reader Question: What role does formal education have toward working as a screenwriter?

How important is college or film school for a writer trying to break into Hollywood?

Page One: “The Bucket List” (2007)

Written by Justin Zackham

WGA’s 101 Greatest Screenplays of the 21st Century (*so far)

Yesterday, the Writers Guild of America announced their latest list of greatest screenplays: This one for the 21st century… so far.

Script Analysis: “Beginners” — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Studying Aristotle’s “Poetics” —Part 8: Unity

As I’ve been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again…

Screenwriting 101: Dana Coen

“Writing on a staff is very different than writing features by yourself. You’re beholden to so many people and levels of expectation. And…

Page One: “The Brothers Bloom” (2008)

Written by Rian Johnson

Unpacking the Mysteries of Screenplay Time

Flashback, Flashforward, Set-Up / Payoff, Callback, Montage, Series of Shots, Cross Cut, Visual-to-Visual Transition, Audio-to- Audio…

Script Analysis: “Beasts of No Nation” — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Studying Aristotle’s “Poetics” — Part 7(C): Story Length and Change of Fortune

As I’ve been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again…

On Writing

“When I lace my boots, before stepping out for my walk, I’m entering a ritual. I’m mindful of the notepaper and the small yellow pencil in…

Page One: “Brooklyn” (2015)

Screenplay by Nick Hornby, novel by Colm Tóibín

Sundays with Stephen King’s “On Writing”

A series featuring reflections on writing from the famed author’s memoir.

Script Analysis: “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” —Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Studying Aristotle’s “Poetics” — Part 7(B): Beauty, Magnitude and Order

As I’ve been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again…

Video: 20 Writing and Screenwriting Tips from Stephen King

Advice from the noted author whose writing movie credits include Carrie, The Green Mile, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Page One: “Broken Arrow” (1996)

Written by Graham Yost

Update: 2021–2022 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 10 Total

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

Script Analysis: “Barney’s View” — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Studying Aristotle’s “Poetics” — Part 7(A): Beginning, Middle, End

As I’ve been interviewing screenwriters, I typically ask what some of their influences are. One book title comes up over and over again…

Interview (Video): Steven Spielberg

A rare 1982 interview with the filmmaker of Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Page One: “Brokeback Mountain” (2005)

Screenplay by Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana, short story by Annie Proulx

Tweetstorm: Selwyn Seyfu Hinds on the Ups and Downs of a Hollywood Writer

“One of my favorite songs is by Donnie McClurkin: ‘We fall down but we get up.’ We ‘fail.’ We fall. We get up. In life, & in this madcap…