Go Into The Story

Daily Dialogue — December 28, 2019

“Follow me, ladies.”

Dan Harmon, The Hero’s Journey, and the Circle Theory of Story

“To this day, Harmon still studies each film and TV show he watches, searching for his algorithm underneath, checking to see if the theory…

How to Use Go Into The Story: Watch Movies

Some end of the year advice for GITS readers.

Writing and the Creative Life: Creativity-In-Action

“Creativity requires more than a dream. In many cases, people struggle to turn their dreams into a reality not because they lack ambition…

Daily Dialogue — December 27, 2019

“You’re looking at eons of repression getting purged. If only they’d let us jerk off.”

“The Story We Know”

Reflections on a poem by Martha Collins

Reader Question: How do I make supporting characters and interesting?

One sign of a well-written script: Strongly detailed secondary characters.

The Business of Screenwriting: Everything You Wanted to Know About Specs [Part 13]

“Targeting people specifically means the material can evolve or shuffle between different parties in a gradual way. You can afford a few…

Daily Dialogue — December 26, 2019

“You got an angel with you right now. Just got here.”

Why I keep hosting this blog… and a Christmas wish for you

Because of emails like this:

Bob Dylan: “Must Be Santa”

A holiday song from Mr. Robert Zimmerman.

“A Wish for Wings That Work”

The wonderful holiday story written by Berkley Breathed, adapted as an animated short feature.

Daily Dialogue — December 25, 2019

“The likelihood of one individual being right increases in direct proportion to the intensity with which others are trying to prove him…

DL wrote: “Comparing all the things one may be afraid of with their own ultimate and undeniable…

Yes, really good point. The prospect of death certainly has a way of putting our life in perspective.

The Theology of Cinema: Grace

“Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us.”

Reflections on “It’s a Wonderful Life”

This is the best piece I’ve ever read on Frank Capra’s classic movie.

Screenwriting 101: Grace Sherman

“There’s a lot of different audiences out there and a lot of different stories that need to be told. If there is a story inside of you…

Daily Dialogue — December 24, 2019

George Bailey: Look, who are you? Who are you really? Clarence: I told you, George. I’m your guardian angel. George Bailey: Yeah, well what…

The Theology of Cinema: Faith

“Faith is better understood as a verb than as a noun, as a process than as a possession. It is on-again-off-again rather than…

Update: 2019 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 37 Total

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

On Writing

“Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row…

Daily Dialogue — December 23, 2019

The Dying Man: You never saw anyone die? I stink of gasoline. I saw it all clearly — the Mercedes, the pool of oil. Karin, I should have…

Movie Story Types: Biopic

“The process of adapting a real person’s life into a movie story is one of the trickiest writing jobs around. The wealth of historical…

Interview (Written): Chris Terrio

In-depth conversation with the co-screenwriter of the movie Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.

Script To Screen: “What About Bob?”

Marvin tries to get rid of Bob using “death therapy,” but it doesn’t turn out well in this bombastic scene from the 1991 comedy, screenplay…