Go Into The Story

Interview (Part 2): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

Alysha Chan and David Zarif wrote the original screenplay “Miss Chinatown” which won a 2024 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. Recently…

Page One: “Bookworm” (2024)

Screenplay by Toby Harvard, story by Toby Harvard & Ant Timpson

Interview (Part 1): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

On Writing

“The character that lasts is an ordinary guy with some extraordinary qualities.”

Page One: “The Hummingbird Project” (2018)

Written by Kim Nguyen

Screenwriting Tip: What about the Protagonist and the inciting incident?

“Something. Happens. In my view, that is the essence of an inciting incident.”

Scene Description Spotlight: “Cast Away”

The screenplay for the 2000 movie Cast Away was written by William Broyles Jr. Once the story transitioned to the island, a challenge he…

Page One: “Hugo” (2011)

Screenplay by John Logan, based on the book entitled “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” by Brian Selznick

Scene Description Spotlight: “Basic Instinct”

Let’s say you’re writing a sexy thriller. Per the concept of narrative voice, you should write scene description that is… well… sexy and…

On Writing

“When in doubt have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand.”

Page One: “Howard the Duck” (1986)

Written by Willard Huyck & Gloria Katz, based on the character created by Steve Gerber

Scene Description Spotlight: “Barton Fink”

An enigmatic ending, a movie that leaves you hanging, so that as you exit the theater with your date or friends, everyone is talking about…

The Business of Screenwriting: Hurry up and wait

The bane of a screenwriter’s existence: They want the script NOW… then they make you WAIT… and wait… and wait…

Page One: “How to Build a Girl” (2019)

Screenplay by Caitlin Moran based on her novel

Screenwriting 101: Park Chan-Wook

“A common beginner’s mistake would be to try and be perfect about everything that you write, and each line that you write you want to make…

Screenwriting Tip: The Nemesis as the Protagonist’s ‘Shadow’

Want drama? Ask your Protagonist: What do you fear the most? Then put them in a story where they have to confront that fear: Their Nemesis.

Page One: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)

Screenplay Jeffrey Price & Peter S. Seaman, based on a book by Dr. Seuss

Scene Description Spotlight: “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”

The ending sequence includes a most interesting sentence…

On Writing

“I have come to see this fear, this sense of my own imperilment by my creations, as not only an inevitable, necessary part of writing…

Page One: “House Party” (1990)

Written by Reginald Hudlin

Screenwriting 101: John Cassavetes

“People who are making films today are too concerned with mechanics — technical things instead of feeling. Execution is about eight percent…

Screenwriting Tip: The Value of Three Scripts

You write, you learn. Three scripts is a good minimum number for starting to understand the craft.

Page One: “Hot Fuzz” (2007)

Written by Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg

Scene Description Spotlight: “Avatar”

There are many reasons to read and analyze the script to Avatar (2009), at last count about 2.7 billion of them by one measure.

On writing

“To do your very best work as an artist, whatever the discipline, takes complete immersion in the work. You need to get caught in the…