Story. Screenplay. Sale.
If you want the life of a scribe, check out what this entails.
This post is about fantastic story ideas, not just any story idea. It is about finding the gems, and not settling for the duds. Tomorrow I will help you assess those ideas. Today we will talk about how and where to find them. I have worked in the creative industries for over 30 years now, and I can tell … Read more
Behind the charming accent and sweet demeanor hides a clever cynic. Angry at the injustice of society, Jimmy McGovern has a reason to write. In an unexpectedly controversial Bafta lecture, he covers generating story, professionally causing offense, and the gravity of hard work. “You haven’t got to be better, you just have to work harder.” … Read more
People go to the movies to be entertained. The emerging screenwriter should rule out writing scripts for any other reason than that. Like Spotlight. This film should not have been made. Even with its impressive cast, at the time of writing it only grossed about $40m, which is barely what you would expect the production budget to be. Why Spotlight … Read more
Build it and they will come, right? In other words: just write an amazing screenplay, and producers will start hassling you. Well, not really. And I’m not the only one to disagree with Kevin Costner’s character in Field Of Dreams. We live in the age of noise. Everyone is trying to get your attention. TV … Read more
Beau Willimon is a powder keg of clean-cut realism, childlike curiosity and sharp wit. During his Bafta speech, Willimon covers political writing, research in everyday life and the importance of finding your characters’ inmost needs. “I don’t think writing is a choice. It’s not a career. It’s something that’s born of necessity. If I didn’t write, … Read more