Screenwriting

  • Most Topular Stories

  • Why Haven't I Hit Yet?

    Complications Ensue: The Crafty TV and Screenwriting Blog
    Alex Epstein
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:31 pm
    Q. I have great ideas but it seems like others get these things done before me. For example, etc. etc.A couple of possibilities.One, maybe you're on the right track. You're writing scripts about the right sort of things. Personally, I wrote a Pretty Boy Floyd movie, and then Larry McMurtry wrote a Pretty Boy Floyd movie, and which do you think got into development? And I wrote a hacker movie and then that Sandra Bullock thing came out. I had an idea for a movie inspired by Paul Reubens, and then Paul Reubens put a biopic of himself into development. It tells me I'm in the right territory.Two,…

  • Scriptnotes Ep. 21: Casting and positive outcomes — Transcript

    johnaugust.com
    Stuart
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:35 pm
    The original post for this episode can be found here. John August: Hello and welcome to Scriptnotes. This is episode 21. My name is John August. Craig Mazin: My name is Craig Mazin. John: And usually this is the point where I would say, “Welcome to Scriptnotes.” But I actually said that in the intro because everything is a little thrown off because I am in New York. Craig: New York. John: New York City. It’s the Big Apple. Craig: My birthplace. John: You were born in New York City? Craig: Yes sir. John: What part of New York City? Craig: Brooklyn. John: Ah, how nice. Craig:…

  • Roger Corman: titles as pitches

    Screenplay Europe
    Michael Leahy
    20 Jan 2012 | 7:37 am
    To tie in with a horror exhibition at the EMP Museum in Seattle, horror maestro Roger Corman gave some background into the success of "Dinocroc" and the ludicrous "Sharktapus". Bad news for all of us scriptwriters that sweat over spec scripts for five years: all these films came from brainstorming sessions around titles! The rest was filled in by the team. I've sat in on these sort of projects and nearly got a horror story set in Pyrenees going because of one. Before you rush around saying, "I could do that", remember that in these cases it's not what is being said that makes the difference,…

  • Prequel to Cannes & B-REEL

    Scriptwriting in the UK
    15 Jan 2012 | 5:30 am
    As I type, it's the day before the Red Planet Prize deadline (Monday 16th January), so I'm sure a lot of you are getting your first ten pages ready to send *any* *second* *now*. I'll pretty much have my head down over the next few weeks reading the entries, not to mention busy with my own writing deadlines, but I just wanted to mention two networking events that might be of interest (especially to those local to Bournemouth/Poole): B-REEL and Prequel to Cannes.First up, is White Lantern Film's B-REEL film networking and screening event, which this month takes place on Thursday 19th January.

  • screenwriting: Screenplay nominees for 84th Academy Awards announced http://t.co/apA54P1d

    Twitter / screenwriting
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:28 am
    screenwriting: Screenplay nominees for 84th Academy Awards announced http://t.co/apA54P1d
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Complications Ensue: The Crafty TV and Screenwriting Blog

  • Why Haven't I Hit Yet?

    Alex Epstein
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:31 pm
    Q. I have great ideas but it seems like others get these things done before me. For example, etc. etc.A couple of possibilities.One, maybe you're on the right track. You're writing scripts about the right sort of things. Personally, I wrote a Pretty Boy Floyd movie, and then Larry McMurtry wrote a Pretty Boy Floyd movie, and which do you think got into development? And I wrote a hacker movie and then that Sandra Bullock thing came out. I had an idea for a movie inspired by Paul Reubens, and then Paul Reubens put a biopic of himself into development. It tells me I'm in the right territory.Two,…

  • The General Election: A Preview

    Alex Epstein
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:39 pm
    [POLITICAL THEATRE] This video has been circulating a lot on Facebook:I think this is exactly where I'd want the President's rhetoric. The President can't run on cutting taxes; everyone knows the Republicans will do more tax cutting than anyone else. He has to make the case for taxes. So he does.Notice how he jumps almost immediately to "strong military." In the past this has been a Republican talking point. Obama's stealing it. He makes the point that you can't cut taxes, cut the deficit, and have a strong military. At the end he makes the Elizabeth Warren argument. You're going to be…

  • In memoriam: Nicol Williamson

    Alex Epstein
    25 Jan 2012 | 2:30 pm
    Nicol Williamson has died. I'll remember him always as the brilliant, tricksy, wise Merlin in John Boorman's wonderful EXCALIBUR. I once visited Boorman at The Glebe, his place in Ireland. He told me that Williamson hadn't been able to make sense of his character until the costume designer made his odd little silver skullcap. Then the whole character came to him.And Laurence Olivier never felt he had a character until he'd designed the right nose.Goodbye, old wizard. May She treat you well in the Summerlands.

  • Need Someone Who Can Read...!

    Alex Epstein
    25 Jan 2012 | 2:09 pm
    I'm auditioning actors tomorrow in Montreal for my cheese videos. I'm looking for someone who might have three hours tomorrow to volunteer to read with the auditioning actors... know anyone?

  • Letters to Young Filmmakers

    Alex Epstein
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:04 am
    Howard Suber was one of my professors when I was at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television; for years he team-taught alongside studio head Peter Guber in the Producers Program. His 2006 book, THE POWER OF FILM, talked about what makes a film great. He's just come out with a new book, LETTERS TO YOUNG FILMMAKERS, which is a sort of FAQ from his years of giving wise advice to people coming through the UCLA film program. The book is a series of brief letters answering questions about topics like inspiration, pitching, developing your writing, optioning your material, and why, if the…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    johnaugust.com

  • Scriptnotes Ep. 21: Casting and positive outcomes — Transcript

    Stuart
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:35 pm
    The original post for this episode can be found here. John August: Hello and welcome to Scriptnotes. This is episode 21. My name is John August. Craig Mazin: My name is Craig Mazin. John: And usually this is the point where I would say, “Welcome to Scriptnotes.” But I actually said that in the intro because everything is a little thrown off because I am in New York. Craig: New York. John: New York City. It’s the Big Apple. Craig: My birthplace. John: You were born in New York City? Craig: Yes sir. John: What part of New York City? Craig: Brooklyn. John: Ah, how nice. Craig:…

  • Shine on, you Kubrick theorists

    John
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:24 pm
    When I criticized Rob Ager’s analysis of spatial impossibilities in The Shining, I didn’t realize the extent of wild theories about Kubrick’s film: “Room 237,” the first full-length documentary by the director Rodney Ascher, examines several of the most intriguing of these theories. It’s really about the Holocaust, one interviewee says, and Mr. Kubrick’s inability to address the horrors of the Final Solution on film. No, it’s about a different genocide, that of American Indians, another says, pointing to all the tribal-theme items adorning the Overlook Hotel’s walls.

  • Casting and positive outcomes

    Stuart
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:20 am
    Craig and John discuss the screenwriter’s role in casting, then segue to the New York Times profile of producer/executive Lindsay Doran and her approach to story. Doran argues (persuasively) that successful movies are often less about whether the hero wins or loses, but rather how his achievements are measured. For example, a character’s victory is much more satisfying when there is someone to share it with — the real moment isn’t the game-winning touchdown, but when the quarterback kisses his wife afterwards. She’s not pitching happy endings, but rather positive…

  • Smug ignorance

    John
    23 Jan 2012 | 12:46 pm
    I haven’t said much about SOPA/PIPA, largely because the whole thing makes me so depressed about the industry I work in and the lawmakers who are too stupid or too lazy to understand what they’re voting on. As Mike Davidson puts it: If you want to pass any sort of bill that affects the internet, you better vet it with the people who control the internet. […] It would be like the EPA trying to sneak through a law that automobiles get 100mpg by year’s end without even talking to the car companies first. But that’s just what Congress did, and was shocked when freedom-loving…

  • How long is Rope?

    John
    22 Jan 2012 | 10:43 pm
    In an old article that Scientific American recently reprinted, Antonio Damasio looks at how Hitchcock’s “no cuts” feature Rope squeezes 105 minutes into 80: Where do the missing 25 minutes go? Do we experience the film as shorter than 105 minutes? Not really. […] First, most of the action takes place in the living room of a penthouse in summer, and the skyline of New York City is visible through a panoramic window. At the beginning of the film, the light suggests late afernoon; by the end night has set in. Our daily experience of fading daylight makes us perceive the…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Screenplay Europe

  • Roger Corman: titles as pitches

    Michael Leahy
    20 Jan 2012 | 7:37 am
    To tie in with a horror exhibition at the EMP Museum in Seattle, horror maestro Roger Corman gave some background into the success of "Dinocroc" and the ludicrous "Sharktapus". Bad news for all of us scriptwriters that sweat over spec scripts for five years: all these films came from brainstorming sessions around titles! The rest was filled in by the team. I've sat in on these sort of projects and nearly got a horror story set in Pyrenees going because of one. Before you rush around saying, "I could do that", remember that in these cases it's not what is being said that makes the difference,…

  • Daerden Brothers pick up European screenplay award

    Michael Leahy
    4 Dec 2011 | 11:31 am
    At its 24th awards ceremony in Berlin, the European Film Academy handed out its awards for 2011. As is often the case, their choice of films is strictly - almost fanatically - art-house, with Lars Von Trier's "Melancholia" picking up Best Film and "Le gamin au vélo/The Kid With the Bike" the rather unusual choice for the screenplay award. Mads Mikkelsen, Stephen Frears and Michel Piccoli were also given awards. Von Trier skipped the event, sending his wife to pick up the award instead. The academy has 2,500 members. EUROPEAN FILM 2011: MELANCHOLIA, Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany WRITTEN &…

  • GERMAN FILMS AND CO-PRODUCTIONS AT MIFF 2011

    Michael Leahy
    18 Jul 2011 | 5:39 am
    The 60th Melbourne International Film Festivals (21 July – 7 August 2011) will showcase a large number of German productions and co-productions this year.International PanoramaDREI (THREE) by Tom Tykwer, X Filme Creative PoolTHE FUTURE by Miranda July, Razor Filmproduktion (DE/US)IM ALTER VON ELLEN (AT ELLEN’S AGE) by Pia Marais, Pandora FilmproduktionINNOCENT SATURDAY by Alexander Mindadze, Bavaria Pictures (RU/DE/UA)JEAN GENTIL by Laura Guzmán, Bärbel Mauch Film (MX/DE)LE HAVRE by Aki Kaurismäki, Pandora Filmproduktion (FR/DE/FI)MELANCHOLIA by Lars von Trier, Zentropa International…

  • Happy, Happy wins script prize at Brussels film fest

    Michael Leahy
    30 Jun 2011 | 3:02 am
    The 9th Brussels Film Festival wrapped up last night in Brussels. The festival focuses on European cinema, paying particular attention to first and second films.The best screenplay award offered by the ASA (Francophone Association of Belgian Screenwriters and the SABAM) went to "Happy, Happy (Sykt lykkelig)" (photo) a black comedy directed by Anne Sewitsky (Norway) and written by Raghnild Tronvoll.Other winners include"Innocent Saturday (V Subbotu)" directed by Alexander Mindadze - Golden Iris for Best Film and Jameson Cinephile Award"Nothing's All Bad (Smukke Menesker)" by Mikkel Munch-Fals…

  • “Three” to open KINO!2011 at MoMA in New York

    Michael Leahy
    23 Mar 2011 | 4:59 am
    German Films will be presenting the 32nd edition of KINO!2011: New Cinema from Germany from 27 April-2 May 2011 as part of the annual film season curated by program founder Laurence Kardish (Senior Curator, Department of Film) at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.A total of seven new films and TV productions will be shown in the presence of numerous German artists. KINO!2011 will open with THREE (DREI) by Tom Tykwer, who will personally introduce his film which has been nominated for six German Film Awards. The US distributor, Strand Releasing, will release the film in US cinemas…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Scriptwriting in the UK

  • Prequel to Cannes & B-REEL

    15 Jan 2012 | 5:30 am
    As I type, it's the day before the Red Planet Prize deadline (Monday 16th January), so I'm sure a lot of you are getting your first ten pages ready to send *any* *second* *now*. I'll pretty much have my head down over the next few weeks reading the entries, not to mention busy with my own writing deadlines, but I just wanted to mention two networking events that might be of interest (especially to those local to Bournemouth/Poole): B-REEL and Prequel to Cannes.First up, is White Lantern Film's B-REEL film networking and screening event, which this month takes place on Thursday 19th January.

  • UK Scriptwriters Podcast: Goals

    10 Jan 2012 | 10:06 am
    A quick shout-out for the latest UK Scriptwriters podcast, with me and Tim Clague, where we round up the latest news (Red Planet Prize, Prequel to Cannes etc) and discuss New Year goals (goals shmoals?). We've been doing some podcast extras over the last few months (Tim's interviewed Lord David Puttnam, I've interviewed Kill List's director Ben Wheatley & The Fades writer Jack Thorne, and other stuff), so we've put all the relevant links on the podcast's revamped Facebook page (previous group page being archived, or summink). So feel free to have a poke and a gander at all the extra goodness,…

  • Fleabag Monkeyface

    3 Jan 2012 | 9:38 am
    Fleabag Monkeyface is CiTV's new animation series. It's quite a big deal because it's their first UK commission in five years. The series is based on the best-selling books by Knife & Packer. The mighty writing duo also lead the way for the TV series, together with producing partners Impossible Kids, Sparky Animation and Walker Books. I'm delighted to say that I've written six episodes for the show (one of which was on Boxing Day; always nice to contribute to some Christmas telly!). It was huge fun to write, as it revels in everything gross and OTT-humour.If you like a bit of gross-out fun…

  • Christmas TV!

    22 Dec 2011 | 5:12 am
    Now then, to get you in the festive spirit (and to round off the blog for 2011), here's an embarrassing clip of me on Irish telly, from December 1992, reviewing The Muppet Christmas Carol for RTE's Jo-Maxi (remember the other review that I posted earlier this year?). WATCH OUT WINKLEMAN, FILM2012 IS MINE! It's been an interesting 2011, and a busy run up to the holiday break, so I'll have an update on everything in the New Year.Until then, Happy Christmas!

  • Ben Wheatley, Kill List interview

    12 Dec 2011 | 7:54 am
    More podcast-extras and interviews for you, this time in the shape of a half-hour chat with Ben Wheatley, writer and director of Kill List, the low-budget UK thriller that got everyone excited/horrified this year. He gives great value in the interview, full of passion and insight, worth checking out. Here's a clip of Ben talking about film as a 'memory trick'. We also refer to one of his self-made virals that got him a lot of attention. Here it is: 'cunning stunt' (you can follow Ben on Twitter here)The interview (and more like it) is for Industrial Scripts' Insider Interview series, and you…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    BLACK WRITERS REUNION & CONFERENCE

  • BWRC Final Call for 2012 Workshops, Lectures & Breakfast Roundtable Proposals

    BWRC
    5 Jan 2012 | 5:16 am
    Black Writers Reunion & Conference invites you to contribute your ideas, experience, and expertise at our 7th national conference on creative, professional, and freelance writing and publishing... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • Apply Now for the Write Time Black Writers Retreat

    BWRC
    3 Jan 2012 | 10:42 am
    Write Time Black Writers Retreat is a 2-1/2 day program immediately following Black Writers Reunion & Conference that offers attendees the peace and quiet to work productively on your writing in... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • Black Literary Scoop to Spotlight BWRC Fam News

    BWRC
    2 Jan 2012 | 6:53 pm
    Black Literary Scoop is an online newsletter/e-zine created to keep the literary community updated with the latest news from current and past Black Writers Reunion & Conference faculty, alumni,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • Winners of “Give Me Five” Writing Competition Announced

    BWRC
    23 Jun 2010 | 11:55 pm
    The winners of the first “Give Me Five” Writing Competition were announced tonight during the welcome reception for the 2010 Black Writers Reunion & Conference. Third Place Prize of... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

  • African-American authors gather for BWRC Book Signing in Atlanta – June 26

    BWRC
    12 Jun 2010 | 10:29 am
    The Black Writers Reunion & Conference is proud to present the BWRC Author Expo on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at the W Perimeter Hotel (111 Perimeter Centre West, Atlanta) from 1 PM – 3 PM. This... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    By Ken Levine

  • Answering questions and dispelling myths

    27 Jan 2012 | 7:54 am
    Hello from somewhere between Australia and New Zealand.  You can follow my progress on Twitter if you're bored enough.   Just go here.   Never standing down from my blog watch, even from the end of the earth, here are Friday Questions: RockGolf is up first: According to EW.com, there are plans underway for a TV series based on Romancing the Stone. Since you & your partner largely re-wrote the script for the original, can see it working as a regular series?We re-wrote the sequel, JEWEL OF THE NILE. Big difference. I see no reason why it wouldn’t work if they…

  • Writing advice you might not want to hear

    26 Jan 2012 | 7:59 am
    Since I can't think of an appropriate photo...This is one of those Friday Questions that deserves a separate post. It’s from Chad (even though he admits that that is not his real name).   My question is about crafting and selling scripts. You mention that story credit goes to the person who submits the episode outline. I realize this is a necessary part of the process in getting each story told...but I'm not really an outline kind of writer. I jot down some relevant notes/lines/jokes and then head into the first draft, which is where the story really takes shape. Writing the entire…

  • Is anybody really listening?

    25 Jan 2012 | 7:55 am
    When network ratings are low we always joke that “no one is watching”. And by nobody we mean probably a million. And yes, when that number was more like fifteen million for even low rated shows, one million seems paltry. On a smaller scale is radio. Even when you’re a small station playing informercials for colon cleanser you always assume there is somebody listening. This theory has been put to the test.Back in 1988 I was broadcasting minor league baseball for the mighty Syracuse Chiefs (the then-AAA affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays). I had a great partner, Dan Hoard (now the voice…

  • R.I.P. Dick Tufeld

    24 Jan 2012 | 7:53 am
    One of the great all-time voices has been silenced. Dick Tufeld passed away. For many years in the 50’s & 60’s he was the voice of Disney, a gazillion movie trailers, two gazillion variety shows, and the Academy Awards. He would always finish the closing announcements and say, “This is Dick Tufeld speaking.” I’m sure many people thought “Speaking” was his last name and “Tufeld” his middle. You might know him as the voice of the robot in LOST IN SPACE. No one ever made more money saying, “Danger! Danger!”He was a longtime friend of the family. Only once did I impose…

  • Short-sighted casting

    23 Jan 2012 | 7:57 am
    In a follow up to a Friday Question from ChicagoJohn (who wondered if we had ever passed on an actor who later became a big star and did we have any regrets?), a few more names have come to mind.And one rather unusual incident.   Especially in light of my post on how difficult it is to land a part in a TV series.  Like I had said, when you pass on good actors it’s generally because they’re just not right for the particular roles. We passed on Lisa Edelstein (but hired her for something else). We passed on one actress but made a note that she’s really funny and we should…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    A Bucket of Love

  • So You Wanna Call Yourself A "Coach"?

    Brett
    19 Jan 2012 | 10:45 pm
    Then go read THIS.It's the final send-off from (former) Texas Aggies football coach Mike Sherman to a long list of hundreds of Texas high school football coaches, a sort of combination thank you/so long/keep in mind sermon wherein Sherman defines and delineates several concepts which he feels are paramount to successful coaches.And what's most cool is how most of the concepts do not really limit themselves to football coaching application.Sure, advice like "Never Pass Up an Opportunity to Practice Tackling" might be rather specific and limited in non-football application, but when the bulk of…

  • First Ten Verbs 2011

    Brett
    6 Dec 2011 | 12:18 pm
    Back in the halcyon days of 2006 -- when the Internet still seemed interesting and amusing rather than just overrun with howler monkeys and hardcore Miracle Whip addicts -- I posted a meme wherein writer-type folks were asked/encouraged/ordered to post the first ten verbs from whatever project they were then currently working on:A Bucket Of Love: Your First Ten Verbs (April 2006)"Why?" you ask in that typically sniveling and mewling nasal tone of yours which sets all right-thinking people's nerves well on edge."SHUT UP," I explain.And then I continue with another ref to that long ago post:The…

  • Greatest Song Lyrics Ever, vol 102

    Brett
    6 Dec 2011 | 9:10 am
    "Stomp & Holler," by Hayes CarllOh, Little Johhny Walker caught a bullet last nightRunning from the guitar storeHe took a left down the alley, guess he should've gone rightNow he ain't taken nothing no more more moreEverybody knows it's a hard timeLivin' with hate and the greedMost folks earn what they get for a livin'Others just steal what they needDown on the corner, already talkin'How they're gonna cut that takeI'm out here just workin' for a dollar And all I wanna do is stomp and holler...Oh, eighteen years, eighteen yearsThat's a long-old time to be Sittin' face down, stoned in the…

  • OCTOPI WALL STREET!

    Brett
    28 Nov 2011 | 10:37 pm
    So back on October 7, right after the time this whole "OCCUPY" thing was starting to grab traction online and become an oft-reffed meme in the social media universe, I spent maybe 6.27 minutes cobbling together a really childish pun based upon a favorite shot from the old 1955 Ray Harryhausen classic "IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA", wherein a giant cephalopod was mutated by Atomic Testing and decided to attack San Francisco as a reaction. I posted the silly pic to Facebook on the evening of October 7, 2011.I guess people liked it, as it kinda sorta took off and ran away from home, playing in…

  • AFF 2011: Day 0 -- I Have A Dream

    Brett
    26 Oct 2011 | 10:24 pm
    Before I embark on what might well end up an aborted attempt to blog my way through a replay of my 2011 Austin Film Festival (AFF) experiences, I think I'll share a dream I had the night before the conference opened. It was Wednesday night, I'd already checked in and had my credentials and IDs and invites and such, had already had some beers in the Driskill, had already had multiple way-cool screenwriterly experiences as part of this year's conference, and already had good times catching up with far-flung friends whom I only get to see maybe once a year at this specific event. So by all…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    clarkblog

  • OLD SCHOOL

    Clark Perry
    19 Jan 2012 | 5:10 pm

  • ANTI-LIFE? I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT!

    Clark Perry
    14 Dec 2011 | 2:03 pm

  • AL QAEDA LA

    Clark Perry
    7 Dec 2011 | 6:07 pm
    I have some very sick friends. They make stuff like this. AL QAEDA LA - watch more funny videos

  • TRUTH

    Clark Perry
    22 Nov 2011 | 4:19 pm

  • THANKS FOR THE FUTURE

    Clark Perry
    6 Oct 2011 | 4:21 pm
    Steve Jobs, Rest in Peace. I first sat down at a Macintosh in 1986. Prior to that, I'd worked on early PCs and Commodore machines. The Mac blew me away. It still does. Here's a pic of the first Mac I could actually afford. I've owned several since the venerable Mac Classic, but this one holds a special place in my heart because it's the first one that actually lived with me and became part of my personal space. The way my other Macs do. And the iPod. And iPhone. And iPad. And AppleTV.
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Scriptwriting in the UK

  • Prequel to Cannes & B-REEL

    Danny Stack
    15 Jan 2012 | 5:30 am
    As I type, it's the day before the Red Planet Prize deadline (Monday 16th January), so I'm sure a lot of you are getting your first ten pages ready to send *any* *second* *now*. I'll pretty much have my head down over the next few weeks reading the entries, not to mention busy with my own writing deadlines, but I just wanted to mention two networking events that might be of interest (especially to those local to Bournemouth/Poole): B-REEL and Prequel to Cannes.First up, is White Lantern Film's B-REEL film networking and screening event, which this month takes place on Thursday 19th January.

  • UK Scriptwriters Podcast: Goals

    Danny Stack
    10 Jan 2012 | 10:06 am
    A quick shout-out for the latest UK Scriptwriters podcast, with me and Tim Clague, where we round up the latest news (Red Planet Prize, Prequel to Cannes etc) and discuss New Year goals (goals shmoals?). We've been doing some podcast extras over the last few months (Tim's interviewed Lord David Puttnam, I've interviewed Kill List's director Ben Wheatley & The Fades writer Jack Thorne, and other stuff), so we've put all the relevant links on the podcast's revamped Facebook page (previous group page being archived, or summink). So feel free to have a poke and a gander at all the extra goodness,…

  • Fleabag Monkeyface

    Danny Stack
    3 Jan 2012 | 9:38 am
    Fleabag Monkeyface is CiTV's new animation series. It's quite a big deal because it's their first UK commission in five years. The series is based on the best-selling books by Knife & Packer. The mighty writing duo also lead the way for the TV series, together with producing partners Impossible Kids, Sparky Animation and Walker Books. I'm delighted to say that I've written six episodes for the show (one of which was on Boxing Day; always nice to contribute to some Christmas telly!). It was huge fun to write, as it revels in everything gross and OTT-humour.If you like a bit of gross-out fun…

  • Christmas TV!

    Danny Stack
    22 Dec 2011 | 5:12 am
    Now then, to get you in the festive spirit (and to round off the blog for 2011), here's an embarrassing clip of me on Irish telly, from December 1992, reviewing The Muppet Christmas Carol for RTE's Jo-Maxi (remember the other review that I posted earlier this year?). WATCH OUT WINKLEMAN, FILM2012 IS MINE! It's been an interesting 2011, and a busy run up to the holiday break, so I'll have an update on everything in the New Year.Until then, Happy Christmas!

  • Ben Wheatley, Kill List interview

    Danny Stack
    12 Dec 2011 | 7:54 am
    More podcast-extras and interviews for you, this time in the shape of a half-hour chat with Ben Wheatley, writer and director of Kill List, the low-budget UK thriller that got everyone excited/horrified this year. He gives great value in the interview, full of passion and insight, worth checking out. Here's a clip of Ben talking about film as a 'memory trick'. We also refer to one of his self-made virals that got him a lot of attention. Here it is: 'cunning stunt' (you can follow Ben on Twitter here)The interview (and more like it) is for Industrial Scripts' Insider Interview series, and you…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    d e a d t h i n g s o n s t i c k s .

  • CBC Drama Gets It Right

    DMc
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:10 pm
    Wrote this on FACEBOOK this morning and it got shared around. The completist in me wanted to post it here. One time only thing. Comments are disabled since I don't really do this thing anymore. If you want to send me a Tweet on Twitter, I'm at @heywriterboyWRITERS LIKE TO complain. That's our lot. But if you're of the Canadian lot, you should be taking a closer look at the CBC this January -- specifically their drama department. There's good news there. The CBC premiered a show called ARCTIC AIR a few weeks ago. It's about pilots flying in the North, very much an offshoot of (and…

  • Blog Fallowing Writing Advice for Screenwriters from Sticksville

    DMc
    15 Aug 2011 | 1:30 am
    These pieces last updated August 2011. If you have a suggestion for other past pieces to include, let me know in comments. thanks. The "Big Ones" (Pieces that got me noticed.)10 Things That Would Make Canadian TV Better.  4 years old, and still relevant.How Corner Gas Ruined Everything(taken together, those two posts are the closest thing this blog gets to a "blogafesto.")Notes on a Frog (this is also linked below but it's one of my favourite posts ever.)How to Write A Spec:Part 1: Prep,Part 2: Research,Part 3: Breaking The StorySpecs: an addendum Writing The Television Series:Part…

  • One more for a Good Cause: Why Censoring Summerworks Means No More Flashpoints.

    DMc
    27 Jun 2011 | 4:04 pm
    HI.  HOW ARE YOU?  Great, Great. Oh, Good, Good. You know, working and stuff. Same old same old. Buncha stuff, really. Ah, too much to go into, and you don't wanna hear about that.  So, one might say, why have I busted out of blogtirement (which I've been enjoying immensely, thanks much) after all this time?Well friends, let me tell you a little story.About fifteen years ago, I was a frustrated, unchallenged segment producer at CityTV.  My job was fun, but unfulfilling, because I knew what I really wanted to do was write.  But before I could take the ridiculous…

  • Whoops.

    DMc
    1 Dec 2010 | 12:27 pm
    APPARENTLY I GOT WIKILEAKED.Aint I a stinker?--for updates and to continue the discussion in comments, please go directly to http://heywriterboy.blogspot.com--

  • How To Give Notes

    DMc
    7 Nov 2010 | 12:34 am
    Indeed.How to Give Notes.--for updates and to continue the discussion in comments, please go directly to http://heywriterboy.blogspot.com--
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Living the Romantic Comedy

  • Rethinking the Happy Ending

    mernitman
    16 Jan 2012 | 6:36 pm
    An article in this past Sunday's NY Times strikes me as required reading for any screenwriter who has ever attempted to answer the question, "What does the audience want?" Perfectly Happy Even Without Happy Endings, by Carrie Rickey, explores what Lindsay Doran (who produced  Sense and Sensibility and Stranger Than Fiction, among many other films) has learned from her extensive research on how movies work upon our emotions, and from the teachings of Dr. Martin Seligman, a "catalyst of the positive psychology movement" who has identified the five essential…

  • The 7th Annual Asta Awards

    mernitman
    27 Dec 2011 | 5:39 pm
    The Best in Romantic Comedy 2011 Last year's Asta roster was fairly thin, and sadly, this year's is about as sparse.  For romantic comedy, 2011 was dominated by a mere three popular hits, and two of them weren't even full-fledged rom-coms, but hybrids.  We could find meager solace in the fact that the opposite end of the spectrum was similarly slight (Is this year's New Year's Eve as dismally horrific as last year's Valentine's Day?  You'll have to be the judge, since I refuse to see it), but the overall diminishment by numbers in romantic…

  • Through a Glass Brightly

    mernitman
    21 Dec 2011 | 6:52 pm
    Living the Rom-Com in Sweden Why I love the internet: A few months ago, I opened my e-mail, and there was an invitation from a friendly screenwriter and instructor named Arvid Unsgaard - - asking me if I'd like to teach romantic comedy to the students at a relatively new film school in Sweden.  We could do it by video-cam, or if I preferred, by my coming over there...? Well, yuh-huh.  Cut to: On a Sunday evening in the dead of winter, I arrived in Visby, a medieval walled city in the countryside on the island of Gotland - here's the wall -  - had a nice dinner…

  • The Surprise of Being Human

    mernitman
    10 Dec 2011 | 1:33 pm
    I loved The Descendants, but the weird thing is, when I think about the movie, I can't remember a line of dialogue, or even a particular shot.  What I remember are the feelings. I often think of movies as vehicles we use for having our emotions, and in this regard, Descendants is a certain kind of great ride: small and unassuming, a little slow to get into full gear, but handling so smoothly that you don't even realize how fast you're going, then opening up, going full-throttle, and... get out your handkerchiefs, people - you've arrived at an exquisite…

  • Archetypes: The Manic Pixie Dream Girl

    mernitman
    5 Dec 2011 | 4:11 pm
    Famously identified by film critic Nathan Rabin in his A.V. Club pan of Elizabethtown in 2007, this particular brand of cinematic male wish fulfillment fantasy has been around for ages.  The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is a bubbly, sunshiney creature who, in Rabin's words: ... exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is an all-or-nothing-proposition. Audiences either want to marry her instantly (despite The Manic Pixie Dream Girl…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    INDELIBLE FRECKLES

  • Back When

    d f mamea
    6 Jan 2012 | 10:00 pm
    I hanker for the days of just doing it: here’s the environment, here’re the characters – See them walk! Action reveals character! Environment reveals theme! The days of just firing up the laptop, typing in FADE IN:, and seeing what happens next are long gone. Time is finite. Enthusiasm will carry one only so far. I’m trying to draw some comfort from John August, et al, about writing faster and smarter. And I shall not forsake the small voice of stubborn and wilful ignorance in my head – How hard can it be to [INSERT TASK/PROJECT]?

  • TO’ONA’I – Broadcast

    d f mamea
    30 Dec 2011 | 11:00 pm
    Yep. The Rialto Channel have kindly agreed to show To’ona’i. I’m chuffed. Happy new year.

  • 2011 in Print

    d f mamea
    30 Dec 2011 | 1:30 am
    Comics A nice mix of mainstream, European and indy this year.   Asterios Polyp – David Mazzuchelli   Britten & Brulightly – Hannah Berry   Chance in Hell – Gilbert Hernandez   Doing Time – Hanawa Kazuichi   Fun Home – Alison Bechdel   Hellcity: The Whole Damned Thing – Macon Blair and Joe Flood   The Lagoon – Lilli Carre   Maybe Later – Dupuy & Berberian   Powers: Z – Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming   Shaolin Burning – Ant Sang   The Third Musketeer –…

  • 2011 on Screen

    d f mamea
    30 Dec 2011 | 12:30 am
    These are straight from the viewing diary. Those that I remember with a smile get some link-love. Features   13 Assassins   Animal Kingdom   Another Year   Born into Brothels   Buck   Chugyeogja   Contagion   Frozen River   Get Low   Leaves of Grass   Please Give   El secreto de sus ojos   The Social Network   The Women on the Sixth Floor Television   30 Rock: Season 1   Go Girls: Season 2   Breaking Bad: Season 4   Downton Abbey: Season 1-2   The Good Wife: Season 3   Justified: Season 2…

  • IMF

    d f mamea
    12 Dec 2011 | 5:00 pm
    The latest Mission: Impossible instalment is around the corner and I’m kinda interested, kinda excited, though not because I’m a fan of either the franchise or Tom Cruise hisself – it’s for the directors who’ve gamely signed on (and the first one doesn’t count because Nobody knew)*:   –  M:I-2 by a post-Killer, pre-Paycheck John Woo;   –  M:I:III by the insanely prolific J J Abrams;   –  and now Ghost Protocol from Iron Giant and Incredibles maestro Brad Bird. … Yeah, I’m in. Although somehow,…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    The Athletic Nerd

  • Top 5 Big Summer Action Movies Without Bats, Spiders or Avengers

    jasonmckinnon
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:18 am
    It’s pretty difficult to look passed the end of a legendary trilogy when The Dark Knight Rises is released next summer.  Likewise, 4 larger than life heroes will assemble after years of hype.  And how can you ignore a hero like Spider-Man returning to the screen?  Today, I attempt to put aside the Bats, Spiders and Avengers to see what else the 2012 summer movie season has to offer.  There are a couple picks that could go either way but I’ve got high hopes nonetheless. 5. The Expendables 2 4. Total Recall 3. G.I Joe: Retaliation 2. Battleship 1. Prometheus Related Posts2011…

  • Indie Game: The Movie Trailer & Your Passions

    jasonmckinnon
    25 Jan 2012 | 12:14 am
    NEW DOCUMENTARY LOOKS INSPIRING! I had no idea a project like this was even in development until I read an article promoting the trailer on /FILM. The movie focuses on indie game developers and their passion for video games and video game design. I write about passion on this site often.  I don’t feel normal unless I have some kind of creative project to work on everyday.  Whether it’s a new screenplay, a blog post, an image in photoshop or a big broadcast at work, I desperately need to feel creative everyday.  It’s that passion that drives me every morning when I skip…

  • 2011 Movie Recaps & 2012 Movie Previews

    jasonmckinnon
    25 Jan 2012 | 12:14 am
    RECAPS AND REVIEWS… RECAP January 2012 was packed with posts that looked back on 2011 and ahead to a very promising 2012.  I wanted to take a moment to recap all the content that was posted over the last few weeks. You’ll find ‘best of’ posts, 2012 previews, announcements and much more! 2011 YEAR IN REVIEW The Bottom 3: 2011 Worst Movies The Top 5 Movies of 2011 All Time Best Movie Moment 2011 The Best Movie Trailer of 2011 Top 10 2011 Movies I didn’t see but I should have Eric’s Top 5 Movies of 2011 2011 Movie Reviews 17 Interviews with screenwriting,…

  • Top 10 Cinematic Game Studios

    jasonmckinnon
    24 Jan 2012 | 12:07 am
    People go to the movies for a cinematic experience.  Video games can provide a similar experience with an added level of immersion and interactivity.  Over the last few years, I’ve become obsessed with video games that play out like movies. We’ve been given countless movie like experiences in video games but today I’d like to focus on the studios behind them.  The top 10 cinematic game studios. HONORABLE MENTION | NINTENDO: THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, BETHESDA SOFTWORKS:Fallout 3, Skyrim I’m currently wrapped up in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.  It’s been dominating…

  • The Climb Is Now Available Online

    jasonmckinnon
    22 Jan 2012 | 2:58 pm
    NEW SHORT FILM ON 17WEST.CA 17 West Productions is pleased to announce the release of a brand new short film: The Climb.  The movie centers on Cameron and Destiny and their struggles living on the street. Each of them must face their terrible pasts in order to move on. While Destiny lost all hope long ago, Cameron holds to his belief that he will find a way to change things one day. The short film stars Michael Clarke, Alyssa LaPlume.  It was written & directed by Jason McKinnon and produced by Eric Gamache. Check out the trailer below and head over to 17west.ca for the whole film.
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    R.W. Ridley

  • I’m going to be giving away a Kindle Fire soon!

    R.W. Ridley
    26 Jan 2012 | 4:41 pm
    The Man Who Saved Two Notch is now available in paperback on Amazon! Keep an eye on  this blog over the next week because I’m going to be posting an announcement about a new contest.  I’ll be giving away an Amazon Kindle Fire.  This is a promotion for my book The Man Who Saved Two Notch. So – hint, hint – you will need to be familiar with the contents of the book in order to be included in the drawing.  I’m going to be making it available for free via Kindle February 1 – February 5, 2012.  Fear not, if you don’t have  a Kindle, you can download…

  • Wow! Bigfoot made Time magazine’s Newsfeed

    R.W. Ridley
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:53 am
    Should you really send the Mod Squad to find Bigfoot? Bigfoot has stepped out of the realm of myth and mystery and found himself on the pages of Time magazine’s Newsfeed.  Contributor, Lauren Daniels poses the question, do we really want to find Bigfoot?  Her comment is in reference to the unexpected popularity of Animal Planet’s Finding Bigfoot.  A show I don’t get to watch because I don’t have Animal Planet.  Thanks to the Interwebs, it’s not really necessary for me to watch it to know what happens each show.  They go to an area where some…

  • Sasquatch SuperPAC is out to get Romney

    R.W. Ridley
    20 Jan 2012 | 11:33 pm
    You have stepped in it now, Mr. Romney.

  • SOPA is not going away

    R.W. Ridley
    19 Jan 2012 | 10:17 am
    Just because we had a day of “observance” online yesterday for the attempted SOPA/PIPA takeover of the Internet doesn’t mean anything was accomplished.  On the contrary, those who support SOPA/PIPA (the entertainment industry) have turned up the heat.  In fact, if you want to know how to bring the face of the liberal establishment and the face of the conservative establishment together?  Support the anti-SOPA/PIPA movement.  Comcast/Hollywood and Murdoch have teamed up to attack Obama for saying he supports the anti-SOPA/PIPA movement.  First, the internet brought us…

  • Hitler is even outraged by SOPA

    R.W. Ridley
    18 Jan 2012 | 7:10 am
    If you want the skinny on SOPA, you can learn more here: SOPA Blackout BTW: The Hitler bunker clip you’ve seen (and will see in the video below) comes from a movie called Downfall.  Do yourself a favor, and watch it.  My wife and I watched it on Netflix.  It’s a fantastic movie.  And now I give you a video that contains the following line: “Don’t cry. Disney owns the rights to that emotion.”  
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Screenwriting from Iowa

  • You Tube Film School (Early Film History)

    Scott W. Smith
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:13 am
    The first 20 years of motion picture history had more in common with You Tube than Star Wars.The early films were often under a minute long and seldom over ten minutes. They featured animals, people kissing, people doing menial tasks—or just someone sneezing. Film was more of a novelty than business or an art form. [...]

  • “No Dogs, No Actors”—Hollywood c.1908

    Scott W. Smith
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:59 am
    “Hollywood was established in 1853, with a single adobe hut on land outside Los Angeles, California. Growing crops was so successful there that by 1870, Hollywood became a thriving agricultural community.” History of Hollywood  In the early ’80s I remember driving north on the 101 freeway in Southern California, exiting at  Santa Monica Blvd., turning [...]

  • The Secret to Being a Successful Screenwriter (Seriously)

    Scott W. Smith
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:05 am
    “The reason that I am a writer today is Shakespeare.” Three-time Oscar nominated screenwriter John Logan (Hugo) Here it is, in just under 1,000 words, the secret of being a successful screenwriter. (From the lips of a bona fide and currently successful screenwriter.) There was some disappointment yesterday when the Oscar nominations were announced. (Isn’t there always?) [...]

  • The First Academy Awards (1929)

    Scott W. Smith
    24 Jan 2012 | 9:29 am
    Inspired by seeing the silent film The Artist (2011) I’ve spent most of the past week or so reflecting on the early days of motion pictures, and since the Academy Award nominations are today it seems fitting to look back on the first Academy Awards on May 18, 1929. One of the most significant things [...]

  • Four Year Anniversary

    Scott W. Smith
    23 Jan 2012 | 9:43 am
    “Here’s my unsolicited advice to any aspiring screenwriters who might be reading this: Don’t ever agonize about the hordes of other writers who are ostensibly your competition.  No one else is capable of doing what you do.” Diablo Cody (Oscar-winning screenwriter—and Univ. of Iowa grad—who gave me the inspirational jolt to start this blog.) Introduction/Juno: [...]
 
Log in