Go Into The Story

How I Wrote Memento (Christopher Nolan’s Writing Advice)

A Behind the Curtain video featuring the writer-director whose movie credits include The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, Interstellar…

Daily Dialogue — June 21, 2020

You’re a part time lover and a full time friend The monkey on your back is the latest trend I don’t see what anyone can see In anyone else…

Great Scene: “The Godfather”

The dramatic denouement from the classic 1972 movie The Godfather, screenplay by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, novel by Mario Puzo.

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Subway

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 4,419 consecutive days and counting.

Interview (Video): Guillermo del Toro, Joel Coen, and Ethan Coen

An awesome conversation between brilliant filmmakers.

Daily Dialogue — June 20, 2020

“Forrest, what are you doing here. What are you doing? Put me down!”

Song as Thematic Motif

Sometimes a song can be the perfect distillation of a story’s key theme.

Songwriters on Songwriting: Suzanne Vega

“You’re drawing the listener into this world with very simple, basic information. And it then proceeds to state the problem without ever…

Writing and the Creative Life: Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling (Part 2)

The intriguing thing here is that while we, as writers, are thinking about emotions and psychology, much of it apparently boils down to a…

Daily Dialogue — June 19, 2020

“Can you sing a little for your dad? Right here in the middle of the store?”

Script To Screen: “The Apartment”

A key revelation scene from my favorite movie, the 1960 The Apartment, written by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. “Izzy” Diamond.

Songwriters on Songwriting: Paul Simon

“I’m interested in discovering where my mind wants to go.”

The Business of Screenwriting: Script readers, Hollywood’s threshold guardians

They may not get a lot of respect, but they are important to writers.

Daily Dialogue — June 18, 2020

Nigel Tufnel: The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and… Marty DiBergi: Oh, I see. And most…

“Toy Story 3: Mistakes Made, Lessons Learned”

A wonderful video from Michael Arndt on his experiences writing Pixar’s animated movie Toy Story 3.

“Songwriters on Songwriting”: Pete Seeger

“Whatever it is, your brain often suppresses such idle connections because you’re busy with the business of the day. You’re doing whatever…

Great Scene: “There’s Something About Mary”

Ah, the infamous ‘hair gel scene.

Daily Dialogue — June 17, 2020

“I don’t see a lot of money here.”

Reader Question: Does the pandemic alter how and what stories we write?

Quarantine Screenplays: Not about a quarantine, but written during a quarantine.

Songwriters on Songwriting: Janis Ian

“Every professional songwriter I know — people who do it 100% for their living — is terrified every time they sit down to write.”

Screenwriting 101: Scott Miles

“When you’re writing a spec script, I think it’s so important that you’re not chasing a trend, that you’re not chasing what you think…

Daily Dialogue — June 16, 2020

Charming Guy With Guitar: I gave my love a cherry / That had no stone / I gave my love a chicken / That had no bones / I gave my love a…

Nikhil, check out this series: How I Write a Script.

https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/the-10-steps-how-i-write-a-script-571d2852b555

Tweetstorm: Melissa Hilfers on the attitude to have when taking a meeting

“No matter how many times you get knocked down not only must you get up, you must hold up your head knowing that last guy was a fool for…

Songwriters on Songwriting: Bruce Hornsby

“In hindsight, everyone said, ‘Oh, I know that it would be a hit.’ But they didn’t — they said it was a B-side if anything.”