Go Into The Story

Script To Screen: “Toy Story”

“Alright everyone, this is a stick-up! Don’t anybody move! Now empty  that safe!”

Daily Dialogue — July 10, 2019

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Last Lines.

Go Into The Story Interview: Adrian McKinty

The author talks about his overnight success decades in the making with the new crime novel “The Chain” hailed novelists Stephen King, Don…

Black List writers on the craft: Characters (Part 2)

“I find that by starting with theme, you instantly gravitate towards a character who is almost at an opposite place to deal with that…

Screenwriting 101: Scott Beck

“We’re trying to figure out the characters in the story simultaneously in terms of how does the character service the story and how does…

Daily Dialogue — July 9, 2019

“I do wish we could chat longer, but I’m having an old friend for dinner.”

Great point, Ed.

I like stories with complex plots, but my favorites are ones with simple plots and complex characters. And you mention a key point…

Ira, I’m reminded a story I heard about the great composer Stravinsky.

Obviously, we can bend and shape a story in all sorts of ways, but having those Beginning — Middle — End movements provides a structure…

Story and the Question of Self-Identity

Every story inevitably raises this question about the Protagonist: “Who am I?”

Black List writers on the craft: Characters (Part 1)

“If I’m creating a character from scratch, I’ll usually start by thinking about people I know, or I’ll use some version of myself, mining…

On Writing

“I think of acting and writing as pretty much the same thing. It’s all about getting inside the skin of your characters, and seeing where…

Daily Dialogue — July 8, 2019

“…and then I remember to relax, and stop holding on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can’t feel anything but gratitude…

Hollywood’s New Rules of Rom-Coms

So Long, Ice Queens and Gay Best Friends.

Script To Screen: “Tootsie”

“That’s what I said! So if a tomato can’t move, how can it sit down?! I was a great tomato! I was a stand-up tomato!”

Black List writers on the craft: Story Prep

“Once I have a solid structure in place, I can go to pages and put all my focus on the emotional arcs of the story.”

Daily Dialogue — July 7, 2019

“Fix the picture!”

Black List writers on the craft: Story Prep (Part 6)

“Structure is so important in visual storytelling, and your structure lives or dies by your outline.”

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Last Line

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 4,069 consecutive days and counting.

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: What to Write and Not to Write [Part 1]

“It takes hard work to create a new plot, so beware of the one which comes too easily.”

Daily Dialogue — July 6, 2019

“Movietown News presents, ‘Spotlight on Adventure.’ What you are now witnessing is footage never before seen by civilized humanity: a lost…

Maybe not as much as Begelman, but I’ve screwed up plenty of times and I’ve somehow managed to get…

The main thing for a writer is really learn the craft. If you can deliver the goods on the page and do so in a professional manner, the…

I like to think of that end of Act 2 “all is lost” reversal as posing an existential question of…

In almost all movies, at least commercial ones, the Protagonist responds to that existential question by going forward… and if they lean…

The Narrative Imperative of the Hero’s Journey

“The adventure they are ready for is the adventure they get.”

Black List writers on the craft: Story Prep (Part 5)

“Usually I’ll start with a one page synopsis, just the basic beats of the story. Then I go to note cards, and then I go to a full outline.”

Writing and the Creative Life: The Creative Personality

Creative Personality as comprised of 10 dichotomies. How many do you have?