Screenwriting
Great Job, Internet!: Arrival’s mysteries are still worth exploring
<i>Arrival</i> remains a rare case of a critically acclaimed, successful sci-fi movie that shirked action or horror in favor of the genre’s headier pleasures. It’s a dreamy, philosophical, sometimes melancholy film, known as much for the mood created by its elliptical editing as the twist ending that …
Science FictionThe Business of Screenwriting (Part 1): They don’t think like you
Hollywood studio executives can have a different way of seeing the world.I am sitting in the office of a studio executive. At this point, <i>K-9</i> has been …
WritingC'mon, sitcom writers -- you can do better
This is pretty much a follow up to yesterday’s post. Two trends in comedy tropes I see emerging from watching the trailers of the upcoming new …
c'monTrimming Tricks of the Trade, Part 2: Minimize Parentheticals
Here is another way to help with your page count.Via The Unknown Screenwriter#2: MINIMIZE PARENTHETICALSAny of you who have taken my screenwriting …
WritingGreat Scene: “True Grit”
A snakebit girl. A wounded lawman. A flagging horse. A desperate ride.Movie: <i>True Grit (2010),</i> screenplay by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, novel by …
WritingNow that the networks have set their Fall schedules...
...here are a few things to look for:<p>ABC is really going to challenge NBC in February with AMERICAN IDOL, ROSEANNE, and THE BACHELOR. NBC will have …
TVTeam Building: Lessons from Guardians of the Galaxy 2's Dysfunctional Family
UCLA screenwriting instructor Tim Albaugh notes that a story is interesting when someone <i>becomes</i> something, not when someone <i>is</i> what he or she was …
ComicsFriday Questions
Let’s dive into some Friday Questions.<p><b>The Bumble Bee Pendant has a question about the recent cancellation of LAST MAN STANDING:</b><p>Ken, so Tim Allen went …
TVThe current trend in network comedies
Deadline Hollywood, the online industry website, posted an interesting article recently about single-camera vs. multi-camera sitcoms. You can find it …
TVPodcasting my fate to the wind
It’s taken a few months but I’m really starting to get the hang of this podcast business. Like with my blog, when you present a variety of topics you …
PodcastingWriting a screenplay
Download the PDF version of this lesson plan.<p>Introduction<p>Strong readers make the "movie" of a book in their minds. This lesson guides children …
WritingLAST MAN STANDING and 2 BROKE GIRLS cancelled
As the networks get closer to announcing their Falls schedules, things are starting to come into focus. Pilots are being ordered, and bubble shows …
TVWriting and the Creative Life: Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling (Part 5)
Of Transactional Purpose and Transcendent Purpose.In Part 1, we looked at a Harvard Business Review article about the influence of stories on the …
StorytellingSeattle Film Festival Announces Catalyst Screenplay Prizes
The Seattle International Film Festival has announced the winners of its second annual Catalyst Screenplay Competition, with “The Tiger and the …
Festivals5 Free Go Into The Story eBooks – Go Into The Story
One GITS eBook every month in 2017… all of ’em free!<p>There are over 21,000 posts on this blog. That’s a boatload of content. I decided to do something …
WritingGreat Scene: “Caddyshack”
One weird golf course maintenance dude with one weirded out caddy.“And I say, ‘Hey Lama…”Carl Spackler: So I jump ship in Hong Kong and I make my way …
Dalai LamaGuest Post: Six Apps Indie Authors Should Take Advantage Of
<b>By Megan F.</b><p>Working as an indie author can be quite a challenge. You often don’t have the backing of big organizations to keep you on track or to help …
MobileMy meeting with John Lennon
It wasn’t a long meeting. But it was memorable.<p>Winter 1973. I’m an engineer at KABC and KLOS radio in Los Angeles. Essentially I worked as a board op …
MusicSome thoughts on rewriting
Got one of those Friday Questions that is worthy of an entire post.<p><b>It’s from SeanK.</b><p>Ken,<p>You’ve mentioned a couple of times doing an un-credited …
Writing30 Ways to Survive in Hollywood
Here’s a FQ that became an entire post:<p><b>Pete Grossman asked:</b><p>Ken, can you offer some insight about living a smart financial life in show business? (OK, …
Los Angeles ChargersWhy Screenwriting Rules are a Myth
It’s high time to throw out the so-called rules.<p>The number of so-called screenwriting rules out there is beyond epidemic. These fake rules have …
FilmmakingNBC.commercials
I missed the premier of GREAT NEWS on NBC Tuesday night, and I was curious to see it. Anything with Tina Fey attached is worth a look-see. (My quick …
TVA Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 25
This is the eighth year in a row I’ve run this series in April.Today’s story: Driver of stolen big rig carrying hazardous material surrenders after …
National ParksWe get it!
There’s a new trend in comedy that annoys me. Of course, considering the state of the world and the number of things that piss the living shit out of …
ComedyWriting and the Creative Life: Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling (Part 2)
Freytag’s pyramid, Cortisol, Dopamine, and you!In Part 1, we considered a Harvard Business Review article about the influence of stories on the …
StorytellingSELLING YOUR SCREENPLAY: Dutch Filmmaker Martin Koolhoven on Brimstone Starring Guy Pearce & Dakota Fanning
In this week’s episode I talk with Dutch filmmaker Martin Koolhoven about his new Western, <i>Brimstone</i>, starring Guy Pearce and Dakota Fanning.<p>You can …
WritingNarrative Imperative: The Protagonist’s Destiny
Reflections by Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell invert the writing process.<p>I was introduced to the writings of Joseph Campbell as an undergraduate at …
WritingUnderstanding The Option Agreement For Your Screenplay
Many writers dream that someday their story or script will garner interest from someone who wants to develop it into a film or TV project. Usually, …
WritingYOUR TV GUIDE TO Defining Your Screenwriting Brand
<i>Tawnya Bhattacharya is currently a writer/producer on Freeform’s</i> Famous in Love<i>, and formerly wrote on NBC’s</i> The Night Shift<i>, TNT’s</i> Perception, The …
TVDumb Little Writing Tricks That Work: Free Association
“This is a really dumb writing idea. Dumb, dumb, dumb… hey… wait… thank God, it works!”You’re stuck on a scene. You’ve tried to write it 10 different …
Writing