Go Into The Story

“Trust the Process”

One of the most important writing mantras.

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Character On The Screen [Part 3]

“A good method is to introduce important characters with some characteristic incident.”

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Meet Cute

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 4,013 consecutive days and counting.

Interview (Video): Linda Woolverton

The Season 9 episode of the PBS series “On Story” with the screenwriter of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Alice in Wonderland, and…

Daily Dialogue — May 11, 2019

“Ok. Let your head rest in my hand. Relax. I got you. I promise. I won’t let you go. Hey man. I got you. There you go. Ten Seconds. That…

Can a Protagonist evolve into an Antagonist?

“I prefer to look at it in Jungian terms: The Protagonist’s shadow has emerged from latency and because the Protagonist has not confronted…

Character Type: Gambler

Those of you who have followed my blog for some time or taken courses with me through Screenwriting Master Class know how fascinated I am…

Go Into The Story Resource: Great Characters

Need inspiration? Here are 100+ articles analyzing great movie characters.

Reader Question: What should I do if a project sells in Hollywood which is similar to a script I’m…

Before you jump, step back from the ledge, and consider the following.

Writing and the Creative Life: Look… don’t overlook

As writers in order for us to have any hope of securing a meaningful degree of understanding of a story universe and its characters, we…

Daily Dialogue — May 10, 2019

Priest: Michael, do you believe in God the father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. Michael: I do.

Some interesting background on the diner scene:

LINK

Joseph, here are two links:

Download over 100 movie scripts

Joseph, the point you made about allowing “the first draft to suck” cannot be emphasized enough.

By embracing the fact your first draft will *not* be perfect, that it will in all likelihood suck, that actually takes the pressure *off*…

The Despair of the Blank Page

What if when you start writing a story… the page really ISN’T blank?

How They Write A Script: Alvin Sargent

“I think too many people are too organized; they’ve got it all worked out, instead of hearing their characters first. Get the goop out…

Go Into The Story Resource: 120 Scene-Writing Prompts

At a fundamental level, screenwriting is scene-writing. Use these prompts to improve your scene-writing chops.

Scene Description Spotlight: “Unforgiven”

The ‘folksy’ narrative voice in synch with the movie’s Western genre and a clean read with strong bursts of imagematic writing.

The Business of Screenwriting: When you don’t get the gig

We are seated in the expansive office of a top Hollywood director and we are having a great time. I mean a really great time. We talk…

Daily Dialogue — May 9, 2019

Nacho: I’m a little concerned right now. About… your salvation and stuff. How come you have not been baptized? Esqueleto: Because I never…

Handling Rejection

It can motivate… debilitate… or take a long time to see its meaning.

Andrew Stanton TED Talk: “Clues to a Great Story”

A 10-part series analyzing the Pixar writer-director’s TED Talk.

Go Into The Story Resource: Reader Questions

Nearly 300 questions on virtually any subject related to screenwriting with my responses and feedback from GITS readers.

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

From the archives, a February 2012 post featuring Dan Harmon’s ‘circle theory’ of Story. I’ve updated it with a video featuring Joseph…

Script To Screen: “Scream”

Part of the memorable opening sequence in the 1996 horror movie Scream, written by Kevin Williamson.