10 Tips for Writing an Unsellable Screenplay
Posted on January 25, 2012 in General Screenwriting | 2 Comments
In this tongue-in-cheek guide, “Pappy Crappy” outlines some easy steps to ensure that no one ever reads your script.
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Francis Ford Coppola On Risk, Money, Craft & Collaboration
Posted on January 23, 2012 in Directing, Filmmaking 360, General Screenwriting, Interviews | No Comments
Ariston Anderson interviews Francis Ford Coppola (“The Godfather”, “Apocalypse Now”) on how to bridge the gap between distribution and commerce, screenwriting, and directing great actors.
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The Bull of Writer’s Block
Posted on January 12, 2012 in General Screenwriting | No Comments
Patrick Kirkland pens this take down about writer’s block, the false sense of inability that is only inside your head. Finish reading the article, and go write already.
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Charlie Kaufman: Screenwriter’s Lecture
Posted on January 11, 2012 in Filmmaking 360, General Screenwriting | No Comments
Charlie Kaufman, the writer behind “Being John Malkovich” and “Adaptation”, gives his first ever lecture on screenwriting for the BAFTA Guru Series
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Steven Zaillian – Screenwriter behind “Girl with the Dragon Tatoo”
Posted on January 3, 2012 in General Screenwriting | No Comments
Hollywood Steven Zaillian is no stranger to the A-List Director. Having penned scripts for Steven Spielberg (‘Schindler’s List’), Martin Scorsese (‘Gangs of New York’) and Brian De Palma (‘Mission: Impossible’), Steven Zaillian talks about what it’s like writing for David Fincher on “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and how Screenwriting is a “Lonely Business”.
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Introducing Characters in a Screenplay
Posted on December 20, 2011 in General Screenwriting, Story | No Comments
Robert McKee answers this question from writer Steve Ericsson:
“Introducing many characters within a story, even if you have just one or two main characters, is quite a challenge when writing a screenplay. How would you go about introducing several important characters during the first act/first half of the story in an effective and compelling way?”
Writing New York
Posted on November 25, 2011 in General Screenwriting | No Comments
During the 49th New York Film Festival, the Writers Guild of America East presented a free two-part forum in the Film Center Amphitheater called “Writing New York.”
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Writing the Rom-Com: Less is More
Posted on November 9, 2011 in General Screenwriting, Story | No Comments
The author of “Writing the Romantic Comedy” Billy Mernit reflects on writing Romantic Comedy and how brevity still is the soul of wit.
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The Power and Glory of Storytelling
Posted on November 1, 2011 in General Screenwriting | No Comments
In this final episode of Stephen Fry’s BBC documentary about language, Planet Word, he celebrates the power and glory of storytelling. It has been with us as long as language itself and as a species, we love to tell our stories. This desire to both entertain and explain has resulted in the flowering of language to describe every aspect of the human condition.
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5 Pro Tips for Making a Great R-Rated Comedy
Posted on October 26, 2011 in General Screenwriting | No Comments
Seth Gorden, director of Horrible Bosses, pontificates on five tips to make that R-rated comedy really stand out.
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Comedy Writing for Variety & Late Night
Posted on October 19, 2011 in General Screenwriting | No Comments
The Writers Guild of America, West Committee of Women Writers presents this four-part discussion with comedy writers, performers and directors.
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The Biggest Genre-Specific Mistakes Writers Make
Posted on October 13, 2011 in General Screenwriting, Story | No Comments
Writing inside a genre means you will have specific requirements for feel and characterization. Carson Reeves explores the biggest systematic mistakes writers make writing in their genre:
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Expendable Character’s Awful Realization
Posted on October 3, 2011 in General Screenwriting | No Comments
Ever feel like it’s not always about you? In a lot of movies like Jurassic Park, the audience knows who is going to survive way before the plot makes it obvious. It takes the characters a little longer to figure out how important they are.
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Rod Serling on Writing for Television
Posted on September 23, 2011 in General Screenwriting, Interviews | 2 Comments
In this video “Writing for Television” Conversations with Rod Serling, the master storyteller shows us why he is considered by many the best TV writer of all time. “Coming up with ideas is the easiest thing on earth. Putting them down is the hardest.” Isn’t that the truth.
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The CIA Has Some Script Notes For You
Posted on September 19, 2011 in General Screenwriting, Producing | No Comments
If you are like me you can’t figure out how Michael Bay comes up with such thought provoking, emotionally powerful scripts time and time again. Now thanks to Mark Riffee with Wired we know his secret… the CIA is his writing partner.
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