Everybody Comes to Casablanca From play to screenplay, an historical perspective. – DB Casablanca is one of those films that everyone feels like they know. The many famous lines from it are part…
Why this protagonist for this story?
Many writers focus so much on their story that they overlook their main character’s connection to the story or main situation. If you are already plugging away at the script you may need to take…
Featured Script: A Few Good Men by Aaron Sorkin
A FEW GOOD MEN Written by Aaron Sorkin | Revised Third Draft July 15, 1991 FADE IN: EXT. A SENTRY TOWER — — in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere….
Case Study: “A Few Good Men” by Aaron Sorkin
“A Few Good Men,” sold for mid-six figures in 1988 and jumpstarted Aaron Sorkin’s career after he had spent years working odd jobs and struggling to break into the industry. It’s an…
Billy Wilder’s Rules of Screenwriting
The audience is fickle. Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go. Develop a clean line of action for your leading character. Know where you’re going. The more subtle and elegant you are…
COVERAGE CASE STUDY: Meltdown by John Carpenter
Read John Carpenter’s Meltdown here. TITLE: Meltdown by John Carpenter (unproduced) FORM/PAGES: Screenplay / 118 COVERAGE DATE: 10/23/13 DATE: READER: DB GENRE: Disaster/Horror CIRCA:…
“THEY ONLY READ THE FIRST TEN PAGES!” A Guide to the Biggest Myths, Half-Truths, and Clichés in Hollywood.
You hear myths, half-truths, and clichés all the time in this business. Some involve the “secret” to success, while others are urban-legend-style horror stories or lists of “no-nos” that…
WRITING A LOGLINE: Dr. GetYourScriptRead or: How to Stop Worrying and Learn to Love the Logline (In 4 Easy Steps)
During the decade or so I have spent working in Hollywood, I have discovered a near-universal truth: Writers hate (or at least dislike) loglines. Often the reasons for this vary from writer to…
DOES THIS CONCEPT GET YOU HIGH? A Guide to the Elusive “High Concept” and What It Means for You as a Writer
“High concept” has become such a Hollywood cliché that many writers disregard it as a meaningless term or an out-and-out myth. I’ve heard writers complain that “a high concept is anything…
COVERAGE CASE STUDY: Gods and Monsters by Bill Condon
Read Bill Condon’s incredible script online here. TITLE: Gods and Monsters AUTHOR: Bill Condon FORM/PAGES: Screenplay/110 COVERAGE DATE: 8/19/13 DATE: 5/30/1997 READER: GC…
Let’s Get Faded (Out): Developing the Best Possible Ending for Your Screenplay
Most people think of endings as either “happy” or “sad.” The hero accomplishes his goal, gets the girl, and finds fulfillment, or, more rarely, something horrible happens, the hero ends up…
SCREENPLAY STRUCTURE: Avoiding The 2nd Act Slump
There can be no argument that the climax of any movie is critical. It’s the last thing the audience will be left with as they exit the theater and throw out their popcorn bags and soda cups….