Go Into The Story

Daily Dialogue — October 2, 2017

“Well, you’ve taken good care of your body. Such a waste.”

Video: 2017 Courier 12 Screenwriters Conference

Five panels covering streaming, web series, TV, screenwriting, and Pixar.

Reader Question: Is an 80-page spec script too short?

If 120 pages is no longer the norm, is there one and if so, what?

Screenwriting News (September 25-October 1, 2017)

The week’s writing deals and movie project news.

Fair point, Paul.

Re The Third Man: Absolutely Greene, and I’ve written about that on the blog before.

Dumb Little Writing Tricks That Work: What to do after you finish your first draft

It may seem like a really dumb idea, but it’s a crucial step in rewrite process.

Video: Rare interviews with Orson Welles

From 1955, 1960, and 1963.

Daily Dialogue — October 1, 2017

Woody: Hey, Buzz! You’re flying! Buzz: This isn’t flying, this is falling with style! Woody: [Excitedly] To infinity and beyond!

Zero Draft Thirty 2017 September Challenge: Day 30

One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Interrogation

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 3,425 consecutive days and counting.

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 310th installment of Saturday Hot Links, your week’s essential reading about movies, TV, streaming, Hollywood, and other…

Reader Question: What to do when you feel out of touch with creative energy?

Reflections and tips about when you’re feeling blue creatively.

Interview (Written): Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina and Darla K. Anderson

The co-director, co-writer, and producer of the Pixar movie Coco.

Daily Dialogue — September 30, 2017

ANNIE: Hold on. Take Sepulveda to Slauson to La Brea. Take La Brea north to Sixth into downtown. (on the phone) So what? You’ll be up late…

Zero Draft Thirty 2017 September Challenge: Day 29

One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

Reader Question: Should Antagonists think they are the Protagonists of their own stories?

Hey, even Bad Guys have mothers!

What do ‘Wall-E’ and ‘Logan’ have in common?

Both movies use a simple gesture to pack an emotional wallop.

Film 50 2017: Chicago’s Screen Gems

Honoring the city’s burgeoning movie, TV, and creative community.

Writing and the Creative Life: Structure and Freedom

Words of creative wisdom from the 20th century composer Igor Stravinsky.

Daily Dialogue — September 29, 2017

Paul discovers the subway fares went up to $1.50 at midnight. He only has 97 cents. He pleads with the Subway Attendant.

Zero Draft Thirty 2017 September Challenge: Day 28

One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

From Short Film to Sale

The rise of short films as a means to a movie deal.

“Franklin Leonard Wants to Diversify the Box Office”

Featured in this week’s New York Times Magazine.

2017 Austin Film Festival

The writers conference runs from October 26–29, 2017 and I’ll be there!

The Business of Screenwriting: Never send out a script before it’s ready

Or how I almost managed to kill my screenwriting career before it started.