When we think of the Oscars, we don’t immediately think Horror movies. But it happens. This year, we got The Substance with five nominations and Nosferatu with four. Alien: Romulus claimed one nomination. Academy-lauded Horror films of the past include The Sixth Sense, Get Out, Misery, The Exorcist and Best Picture-winning The Silence of the Lambs, which many label a Horror film, although I’m not sure I agree.
Let’s do some more “Yes, and’ing” of movie stories, shall we? This time, I’ve looked at a screenplay that I originally covered on the job as a professional Reader, then watched it sell in a huge $3+ million deal for M. Night Shyamalan to write and direct the film that not only went on to […]
When watching a movie or TV show, I’m always thinking about how and why a story works, and how and why the writer made those particular story choices. I’m also intrigued by how the concept began. How small was the kernel of the idea when they began to formulate the story and how did they […]
I’d like to tell you what I love to see in a great Thriller screenplay.
My idea of fun is to go back and watch the pilot episodes of my favorite shows. You find so many little moments and Easter Eggs that make you scratch your head and wonder, How did they know to plant that little bit that wouldn’t pay off until Season Five? Seriously, I’d rather sit […]
Professional major studio Script Consultant Daniel Calvisi breaks down the essential elements that make the GREAT screenplay. A commitment to excellence is the beginning for any aspiring screenwriter learning how to write a screenplay and produce a top quality movie script.
back to page one In fact, each one of those categories in the Great Script list represents a great deal of study and practice. To truly understand each element is the first challenge and it takes time to get there. From there, the ability to implement each element on the page requires a strong focus, […]
Looking for a professional script doctor or script service to teach you how to write a screenplay in the most professional, polished, industry standard method? Are you sick of wading through the hundreds of websites that offer “script services” or “movie script coaching?” Think your screenplay deserves the best script doctoring and coaching you can […]
“Those Who Teach” Choosing a Screenwriting Coach by Daniel Calvisi, professional Story Analyst (Miramax Films, Dimension Films, Twentieth Century Fox, New Line Cinema) and author of Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay PART II: The three main types of screenplay coaches/consultants you can hire… 1) The Produced Screenwriter A screenwriter who has sold […]
The Triple Threat: Industry Vet, Teacher and Coach Due to the recent economy woes and all the layoffs in Hollywood, you’ll probably spot more new script services founded by recently downsized development and agency employees. Yes, they’ve worked in the industry, but have they taught and coached writers to improve their work? As I stressed […]
Dear Screenwriter, You may come up with a cool idea for a movie and be told that it would make a better TV series, or you may create a concept for a TV series and be told it’s more fit for the big screen. How do you tell the difference between a concept that works […]
I was so excited to see my book, Story Maps: TV Drama: The Structure of the One-Hour Television Pilot grab the #1 and #2 spots (for the Kindle and Paperback versions) on the Amazon Hot New Releases in Screenwriting chart! It was especially satisfying to see my book above the new entry from Robert McKee, […]
Back by popular demand and updated with new material and a bonus map of the classic series MR. ROBOT, my webinar THE TV PILOT BEAT SHEET: FROM AMC TO HBO TO NETFLIX is now available for download.
One afternoon in April 1990, Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and drummer Chad Channing arrived at producer Butch Vig’s Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin… “They rolled up in a van,” says Vig, “and they probably hadn’t taken a bath or shower in three or four days.” The songs Nirvana began recording that day would eventually become […]
The great SLOG-WATCH of True Detective season two is over, and I’ve got a few things to say about it. But I’m not just here to point out flaws, I’m also offering solutions so that maybe we can learn something from the 8 1/2 hours of our lives we devoted to this season. It was […]
David Simon is the creator of The Wire, which is often cited as the greatest television drama of all time. I wouldn’t argue with that label. His latest project is SHOW ME A HERO, a 6-hour miniseries on HBO, starring Oscar Isaac, Alfred Molina, Catherine Keener, Winona Ryder and many others, directed by Paul Haggis […]
Here’s a character arc we can all understand: From blocked creative to fulfilled creative. You know this story. You’re young and it comes easy. It flows out of you. You get a bit older and it starts to feel more like work. Life intercedes, your creative side suffers, and you struggle. You hit the wall […]
In early 2014, the television landscape was rocked by the debut of TRUE DETECTIVE, an epic 8-episode drama from HBO that blurred the line between television and cinema more than ever. It was a serial killer crime procedural — as familiar a genre as they come — but the execution was so unique and at such […]
It’s Fall TV season and there are way too many new shows vying for only a few open spots in network schedules. You’re flipping channels, hoping to find a winner, but also itching to boot up your Netflix queue, where you know you’ll find proven content. You find a candidate. A brand-spanking new series. A […]
Christopher Nolan is the most daring film director working in the major studio system today, and each film he directs becomes an event. With Interstellar, he’s created (along with his co-writer, brother Jonathan Nolan) an epic that combines classic Hollywood storytelling with bold narrative choices, all displayed with cutting-edge theatrical presentation. Interstellar is certainly his […]