Go Into The Story

Page One: ‘Pretty Woman’ (1990)

Written by J.F. Lawton.

Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 5: Reader Identification

Tap into the Protagonist’s qualities which a reader can connect with.

Page One: ‘North by Northwest’ (1959)

Written by Ernest Lehman

Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 4: Character = Function

Every character in a screenplay has to be there for a reason. That is their narrative function, who they are and what they do tied to the…

Page One: ‘Prisoners’ (2013)

Written by Aaron Guzikowski

Sharon, hard to say without knowing specifics.

In general, it's always advisable to finish what you start... even if it's similar to a preexisting project.

Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 3: Plot Emerges From Character

No matter what paradigm or theory you use to craft your screenplay’s plot, the single most important thing you can do is this: Start with…

Spec Script Deal: “Mother Land”

Lionsgate acquires horror spec script “Mother Land” written by Kevin Coughlin and Ryan Grassby. Via Deadline:

Writing and the Creative Life: Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling (Part 4)

What Is / What Could Be / What Is / What Could Be / What Is…

Page One: ‘Local Hero’ (1983)

written by Bill Forsyth

Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 2: The Protagonist’s Arc

Transformation lies at the heart of the Hero’s Journey.

The Business of Screenwriting: Someday someone WILL beat you to the punch

If you traffic in high concept stories, chances are you’ll confront this scenario.

Page One: ‘The Matrix’ (1999)

Written by the Wachowskis

50 Things About Screenwriting

Some observations about the craft I’ve come up with over the years.

Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 1: Writing Scenes

With every scene, you should ask yourself this question: What is the scene’s Beginning, Middle, and End?

Great Scene: “Duck Soup”

As much of a fan of movies as I am, I’m still shocked to remember that it wasn’t until I was in college that I saw a Marx Bros. movie for…

Page One: ‘The Graduate’ (1967)

Screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry, based on the novel by Charles Webb

Plot = Structure

A screenplay is a unique literary form. It both tells a story and serves as a blueprint to make a movie. As such, understanding structure…

Page One: ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (2012)

Written by Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola

Screenwriting 101: J.J. Abrams

“Whether it’s alternate universes or time travel, the idea that reality isn’t exactly what we assume it is is the sort of primordial ooze…

On Writing

“If you want to be a writer, then just be a writer. Be one every day, all day.”

Page One: ‘Mean Girls’ (2004)

Screenplay by Tina Fey, book by Rosalind Wiseman.

Sure, as long as you're not asking him to read a script, check out a logline, give you a job, help…

Mickey is a great guy and if you ask a reasonable question, I suspect he'll be happy to answer.

My Interviews with 39 Nicholl Fellowship Screenwriting Winners

The Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition is the most important of all screenplay contests. Founded in 1986, it is administered…

Spec Script Deal: “The Prize”

Village Roadshow Pictures acquires thriller spec script “The Prize” written by Chris Sparling. Via Deadline: