Go Into The Story

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Getting Ideas

If you are a screenwriter, you should know about Anita Loos. She was one of the most influential writers in the early history of American…

They don’t think like you

Hollywood studio executives can have a different way of seeing the world.

Daily Dialogue — February 21, 2019

Miles: Where do you live? Buck: In the city. Miles: You have a house? Buck: Apartment. Miles: Own or rent? Buck: Rent. Miles: What do you…

Character Type: Loner

“The thing is, we’ve all experienced loneliness and almost all of us are, by our human nature, social creatures. So when we happen upon a…

The Hero’s Journey meets Molly Tuttle

Or if you will the singer-songwriter meets the Hero’s Journey in her new song “Take the Journey” featuring her distinctive claw hammer…

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Loos & Emerson (1920)

In my ongoing research into screenwriting, I discovered the book “How to Write Photoplays,” written in 1920 by Anita Loos and her husband…

Script To Screen: “Pan’s Labyrinth”

The scene in the 2006 movie Pan’s Labyrinth, written by Guillermo del Toro, wherein the Protagonist (Ofelia) moves out of the Ordinary…

Daily Dialogue — February 20, 2019

“Is it safe?”

Reader Question: What to do if you fall out of love with a script?

Quit? Push through?

Pixar and Visual Storytelling

A tiny bit of business in the movie Up reminds us that movies are primarily a visual medium.

Video: Writers Roundtable

An hour-long conversation with screenwriters Bo Burnham (Eighth Grade), Peter Farrelly (Green Book), Tamara Jenkins (Private Life), John…

Screenwriting 101: Tamara Jenkins

“The stillness that is necessary to write, the act of silencing yourself, your cellphone, silencing everything to think, to bring words —…

Daily Dialogue — February 19, 2019

Reg: I didn’t expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition. (JARRING CHORD)

2019 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge!

In March, write a draft of an original movie or TV script.

Download 2018 WGA Nominated Best Original and Adapted Screenplays

A Quiet Place, Eighth Grade, Green Book, Roma, Vice, Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, If Beale Street Could Talk…

TED Talk: J.J. Abrams

In 2007, J.J. Abrams (Alias, Lost, Super 8) gave a TED Talk. I’m sure some of you have seen it. However, like many great presentations…

On Writing

“Write. Start writing today. Start writing right now. Don’t write it right, just write it –and then make it right later. Give yourself the…

Daily Dialogue — February 18, 2019

“Tell me how you cheated.

Go Into The Story Script Reading & Analysis: “BlacKkKlansman”

The entire 6 part series delving into the Oscar-nominated screenplay.

Go Into The Story Interview: Wenonah Wilms

My interview with the 2018 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Interrogation

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 3,929 consecutive days and counting.

Screenwriting News (February 11— February 17, 2019)

Script sales, pitch deals, greenlit projects, talent attachments, and more.

Screenwriting News (February 11 — February 17, 2019)

Script sales, pitch deals, greenlit projects, talent attachments, and more.

Daily Dialogue — February 17, 2019

“This drink, I like it. Another!”

Re #1: Characters can provide multiple narrative functions, although it’s also possible to zero in…

Re #2: Titles can be huge. Like ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.’ Or as you noted ‘Snakes on a Plane.’