GITS

Warner Bros. acquires supernatural thriller spec script “The Waiting” from first time screenwriters Mark Bianculli and Jeff Richard. From Deadline : Described as Rear Window meets Paranormal Activity , mysterious events occur when two high school filmmakers decide to create the illusion of a haunting on an unsuspecting neighbor. Preemptive purchase by Warners. Both writers worked their way up the assistant ranks: Bianculli is currently a writer’s assistant on CBS’s Unforgettable... Read Full Story

Another in the series “Movies You Made” from Margie Kaptanoglu: Marjory Kaptanoglu wrote DEAD IN THE ROOM, a short screenplay that won the 2010 Slamdance short script contest and was then produced by them. The film premiered at Slamdance 2011 and was invited to many other film festivals, including Nashville, Woodstock, and San Diego. It won two best short awards. The film is directed by Oscar nominee Adam Pertofsky, and stars Patrick J. Adams of SUITS on the USA Network and Andrew Borba... Read Full Story

Screenplay by Seth Grahame-Smith and Simon Kinberg, based on the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith Release date: June 22, 2012 IMDB site Read Full Story

One of the best movies of 2011 is Moneyball . It has been nominated for many awards including Best Screenplay [Golden Globes] and Best Adapted Screenplay [WGA]. Screenwriters Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian have received the lion share of attention for their involvement in the project, but here are the exact writing credits: Story by Stan Chervin, screenplay by Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, based on the book by Michael Lewis When I discovered that Stan Chervin was a fan of this blog... Read Full Story

“You have to surrender to the act of writing, give up to it, and trust that if you have anything, it will discover it for you.” – E.L. Doctorow, taken from “Advice to Writers” Read Full Story

INT. APARTMENT An older apartment; a series of halls connects a chain of small high-ceilinged rooms lined with heavy casements. Smoke hangs like a veil, blurring the few lights there are. Dressed predominately in black, people are everywhere, gathered in cliques around pieces of furniture like jungle cats around a tree. Neo stands against a wall, alone, sipping from a bottle of beer, feeling completely out of place. He is about to leave when he notices a woman staring at him. The... Read Full Story

The 2012 BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay goes to Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist . The 2012 BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay goes to Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy . The Artist takes most of the major awards. The entire list of winners is here . UPDATE: @opedr Tweeted this quote from Hazanavicius from the BAFTA event: “I’m very surprised because so many people thought there was no script because there was no dialogue…” This... Read Full Story

I could watch Vi Hart’s videos all day long! Part 1: Spirals, Fibonacci, and Being a Plant Part 2: Spirals, Fibonacci, and Being a Plant Part 3: Spirals, Fibonacci, and Being a Plant There are patterns in nature. There are patterns in stories. There’s a lesson from the patterns in nature. Nature is organic. Thus in replicating its patterns, it does so organically and in harmony with itself. Writers should be aware of patterns. How about this one? Beginning. Middle. End... Read Full Story

Warner Bros. has tapped Chewie scribes Van Robichaux and Evan Susser to rewrite its bigscreen version of TV toon The Jetsons . Zak Penn ( X-Men: The Last Stand ) rewriting the sequel to Karate Kid remake. Steven Knight ( Dirty Pretty Things ) hired by DreamWorks to write the remake of Rebecca . Commencement of principal photography on Red Machine written by J.R. Reher. SkyRock Venture buys thriller spec “Picture Book” from writer Benjamin Magid, his 2nd spec sale this year. Walt... Read Full Story

Jeff Goldsmith’s annual Academy Award nominee audio podcast interview , this year with Annie Mumolo ( Bridemaids ), Nat Faxon and Jim Rash ( The Descendants ), JC Chandor ( Margin Call ), and Peter Straughan ( Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ). Read Full Story