A 73 Hour Movie: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss on Game of Thrones
The Game of Thrones showrunners on their writing process, creating characters who resonate, and the portrayal of women on television.
The Game of Thrones showrunners on their writing process, creating characters who resonate, and the portrayal of women on television.
Understanding Screenwriting #159
Tom Stempel on Wonder Woman, The Hero, My Cousin Rachel, Twin Peaks: The Return, Fargo, and Brockmire. Plus a message for his readers.
Tom Stempel on Wonder Woman, The Hero, My Cousin Rachel, Twin Peaks: The Return, Fargo, and Brockmire. Plus a message for his readers.
Breaking Boundaries: The Making of Preacher
Seth Rogen, Sam Catlin and Garth Ennis on trusting your instinct, knowing where to draw the line, and translating the ideas in your head.
Seth Rogen, Sam Catlin and Garth Ennis on trusting your instinct, knowing where to draw the line, and translating the ideas in your head.
Al Jean on The Simpsons
The Simpsons showrunner Al Jean on keeping the show fresh, the use of cultural references, and what he looks for in a writer.
The Simpsons showrunner Al Jean on keeping the show fresh, the use of cultural references, and what he looks for in a writer.
A deep dive into character: Ken Biller and Noah Pink on Genius
Ken Biller and Noah Pink discuss writing in a nonlinear narrative structure, the advantages of working in a writers room, and the value of doing more work than you should.
Ken Biller and Noah Pink discuss writing in a nonlinear narrative structure, the advantages of working in a writers room, and the value of doing more work than you should.
“Most of Writing is Thinking.” Sam Esmail on Mr. Robot
Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail discusses the importance of authenticity, portraying mental illness, and playing with memory.
Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail discusses the importance of authenticity, portraying mental illness, and playing with memory.
Understanding Screenwriting #158
Tom Stempel on The Fate of the Furious, Baywatch, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Free State of Jones, and Tales of Wells Fargo.
Tom Stempel on The Fate of the Furious, Baywatch, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Free State of Jones, and Tales of Wells Fargo.
Pushing through the membrane of discomfort: Damon Lindelof on The Leftovers
Damon Lindelof discusses writing a show with religious overtones, making every character the star of the show, and using the title sequence as an overture to the episode.
Damon Lindelof discusses writing a show with religious overtones, making every character the star of the show, and using the title sequence as an overture to the episode.
Keep your stories true and interesting: Zander Lehmann on Casual
Zander Lehmann discusses planning a season of Casual, the differences between writing for television and film, and a writer’s greatest asset.
Zander Lehmann discusses planning a season of Casual, the differences between writing for television and film, and a writer’s greatest asset.
“This is a story that we have to honor.” Misha Green on Underground
Misha Green discusses making your worst stories better, the importance of strong opinions, and the use of contemporary music in a period show.
Misha Green discusses making your worst stories better, the importance of strong opinions, and the use of contemporary music in a period show.
Understanding Screenwriting #157
Tom Stempel on Personal Shopper, Colossal, Five Came Back, Their Finest, The Intervention, The Son, and the season finale of Big Little Lies.
Tom Stempel on Personal Shopper, Colossal, Five Came Back, Their Finest, The Intervention, The Son, and the season finale of Big Little Lies.
“There are no rules or guidelines.” Ilene Chaiken on Empire
Ilene Chaiken discusses working in television, recognizing when ideas in the room are better than your own, the recipe for creating an iconic cliffhanger, and the spectacular season 3 finale of Empire.
Ilene Chaiken discusses working in television, recognizing when ideas in the room are better than your own, the recipe for creating an iconic cliffhanger, and the spectacular season 3 finale of Empire.
Let characters be at the top of their intelligence: Paul Rust on Love.
Paul Rust discusses taking an idea from pitch to finished show, how working with Judd Apatow literally opens doors, exploring character through location, and the importance of characters having an intelligence.
Paul Rust discusses taking an idea from pitch to finished show, how working with Judd Apatow literally opens doors, exploring character through location, and the importance of characters having an intelligence.
Daniel Pyne on Screenwriting
Bosch showrunner Daniel Pyne discusses writing plot twists, research, and updating novels for the screen, and offers great advice for screenwriters.
Bosch showrunner Daniel Pyne discusses writing plot twists, research, and updating novels for the screen, and offers great advice for screenwriters.
Understanding Screenwriting #156
Tom Stempel on Hidden Figures, Fences, Get Out, Eye in the Sky, Deadpool, and Mid-season Television 2016-2017
Tom Stempel on Hidden Figures, Fences, Get Out, Eye in the Sky, Deadpool, and Mid-season Television 2016-2017
Adapting Fiction for Television: Purvis and Wade on SS-GB
Neal Purvis and Robert Wade discuss adapting a complex plot into series format, turning budget limitations into creative opportunities, and delaying the moment when the gun comes out.
Neal Purvis and Robert Wade discuss adapting a complex plot into series format, turning budget limitations into creative opportunities, and delaying the moment when the gun comes out.
John McNamara & Sera Gamble: The Magicians
John McNamara & Sera Gamble discuss finding the best version of the moment, the importance of not knowing what happens next, and the value of treating everything as practice.
John McNamara & Sera Gamble discuss finding the best version of the moment, the importance of not knowing what happens next, and the value of treating everything as practice.
“One Script does not make you a writer.” Gloria Calderon Kellett on One Day at a Time
Gloria Calderon Kellett talks about how a show is developed, writing for television, and how exactly a writers' room works.
Gloria Calderon Kellett talks about how a show is developed, writing for television, and how exactly a writers’ room works.
“I could hear their voices.” Michael Hirst on Vikings
Michael Hirst discusses the process of writing historical fiction, the importance of poetry, and how Vikings has rejuvenated interest in Scandinavian culture.
Michael Hirst on the process of writing historical fiction, the importance of poetry, and how Vikings has rejuvenated interest in Scandinavian culture.
Nadiya Chettiar: An Emerging Screenwriter on the Rise
Nadiya Chettiar on the importance of networking, what you should consider before signing with your first agent, and what really happens at one of those infamous LA meetings.
Nadiya Chettiar on the importance of networking, what you should consider before signing with your first agent, and what really happens at one of those infamous LA meetings.
Blunt Talk: No Unkind Humor
Jonathan Ames on writing about friendships, his rules of screenwriting, and ideas for a film of his cult show Bored to Death.
Jonathan Ames on writing about friendships, his rules of screenwriting, and ideas for a film of his cult show Bored to Death.
“I want to entrance and surprise.” Stephen Poliakoff on Close to the Enemy
Stephen Poliakoff discusses handling multiple characters, seeing what your protagonist sees, and avoiding the distancing effect of period dramas.
Stephen Poliakoff discusses handling multiple characters, seeing what your protagonist sees, and avoiding the distancing effect of period dramas.
Into the Badlands: Blood-splattered Heroes and the One Degree of Jackie Chan
Alfred Gough and Miles Millar on keeping the martials arts authentic, why a fight scene is like jazz, and writing for Jackie Chan.
Alfred Gough and Miles Millar on keeping the martials arts authentic, why a fight scene is like jazz, and writing for Jackie Chan.
Understanding Screenwriting #151
Westworld, Lethal Weapon and more! Tom Stempel takes a look at the 2016 Fall Television Season.
Westworld, Lethal Weapon and more! Tom Stempel takes a look at the 2016 Fall Television Season.
Banshee: Brutal Good Fun
Jonathan Tropper on collaborating with your actors, imperfect characters, and saying goodbye to a show.
Jonathan Tropper on collaborating with your actors, imperfect characters, and saying goodbye to a show.
“There’s both light and dark…There’s a lot of dark!” Black Mirror
Charlie Brooker & Annabel Jones on screenwriting levers, satire, and why checking your phone is like smoking. Plus great practical advice for writers!
Charlie Brooker & Annabel Jones on screenwriting levers, satire, and why checking your phone is like smoking. Plus great practical advice for writers!
Understanding Screenwriting #149
Tom Stempel on Indignation, Café Society, Florence Foster Jenkins, Complete Unknown, Morgan, Rizzoli & Isles, and BrainDead.
Tom Stempel on Indignation, Café Society, Florence Foster Jenkins, Complete Unknown, Morgan, Rizzoli & Isles, and BrainDead.
“Ever fancied yourself a filmmaker? Guess what? You are!” Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith on Yoga Hosers, Mallrats the Series, and inviting Tarantino to direct The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai.
Kevin Smith on Yoga Hosers, Mallrats the Series, and inviting Tarantino to direct The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai.
Julian Fellowes: Looking Forward to The Gilded Age
Julian Fellowes on his new show The Gilded Age, the truth to rumours of a crossover with Downton, and what he wishes he had done differently.
Julian Fellowes on his new show The Gilded Age, the truth to rumours of a crossover with Downton, and what he wishes he had done differently.
Julian Fellowes: Looking Back on Downton Abbey
Julian Fellowes on multiple narratives, balancing light and shade, and writing period dialogue.
Julian Fellowes on multiple narratives, balancing light and shade, and writing period dialogue.
Burnie Burns: From Red Vs. Blue to Lazer Team
Burnie Burns on the problem with The Empire Strikes Back, keeping a fourteen-year-old show fresh, and his biggest pet peeve in science fiction writing.
Burnie Burns on the problem with The Empire Strikes Back, keeping a fourteen-year-old show fresh, and his biggest pet peeve in science fiction writing.
A Woman’s Voice in the Writers’ Room
Rosanne Welch on writing for female characters, changing the pronoun in a script, and the power of research.
Rosanne Welch on writing for female characters, changing the pronoun in a script, and the power of research.
Understanding Screenwriting #147
Tom Stempel casts his eye over Genius, Finding Dory, Central Intelligence, The Shallows, and Our Kind of Traitor.
So Why Are We Watching This? Genius (2016. Screenplay by John Logan, based on the book Max Perkins: Editor of Genius. 104 minutes.) Within the first week of its American release, this film only had a 45% favorable rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes (the audiences liked it a little better, with a 58% […]
Writing for Television
Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Breaking Bad: Daniel P. Calvisi discusses television pilots, defining character arcs, and mistakes new writers make.
Daniel P. Calvisi is a writing coach and former Story Analyst for Twentieth Century Fox and Miramax Films. His latest book, Story Maps: TV Drama: The Structure of the One-Hour Television Pilot, follows his earlier Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay, Story Maps: 12 Great Screenplays, and Story Maps: The Films of Christopher […]
“Both collaborative and challenging.” Straczynski on Sense8
J. Michael Straczynski discusses social issues in a sci-fi setting, collaborating with the Wachowskis, screenwriting formulae, and relying on your gut.
J. Michael Straczynski is a rare beast, fêted by his TV fans for the ground-breaking five seasons of Babylon 5 (1993-98), by comics fans for his audience tripling run on The Amazing Spider-Man (2002-06), and film fans for the Oscar-nominated Changeling (2008), starring Angelina Jolie and directed by Clint Eastwood. He broke into the business […]
Understanding Screenwriting #146
Tom Stempel takes a look at Alice Through the Looking Glass, The Nice Guys, Obvious Child, A Bridge Too Far, The Night Manager, and Roots.
Well, It’s Not as Badly Directed as Linda Woolverton’s Last Screenplay… Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016. Screenplay by Linda Woolverton, based on books by Lewis Carroll. 113 minutes.) Linda Woolverton wrote the 2010 version of Alice in Wonderland, which as you can read here, I liked in spite of Tim Burton’s direction. Her […]
“The characters do the work for me.” Straczynski on Babylon 5
J. Michael Straczynski discusses writing for children, arc-driven television drama, and letting the characters do the writing.
J. Michael Straczynski is a rare beast, fêted by his TV fans for the ground-breaking five seasons of Babylon 5 (1993-98), by comics fans for his audience tripling run on The Amazing Spider-Man (2002-06), and film fans for the Oscar-nominated Changeling (2008), starring Angelina Jolie and directed by Clint Eastwood. He broke into the business […]
Don’t write what you know! Stan Zimmerman on Skirtchasers
Stan Zimmerman on the changing landscape of television, greenlighting gay stories and maintaining a long-term writing partnership.
Growing up, Skirtchasers screenwriter Stan Zimmerman knew what a writer’s room was — thanks to watching The Dick Van Dyke Show — but he had no idea that he would eventually work in some of the most famous writer’s rooms in TV history. “I had a habit of rewriting plays when I was younger,” says […]
Meet the Reader: Jhan Harp
"Other readers might think characterization or premise as the most important, but I think a reversal is the strongest way to go."
Script reader Jhan Harp was pursuing two degrees at Purdue University – a B.S. in physics and a B.A. in theatre – when he first discovered his passion for screenplays. “Screenwriting, more specifically working on teleplays, was a hobby in college,” he says. “I guess it wasn’t easy enough with the two majors.” Blame Joss […]
Funny Guys: Garry Marshall & Bob Brunner on Comedy
Garry Marshall and Bob Brunner discuss writing comedy, the importance of pauses, and taking notes in good humor.
By Robert Arnett. This article first appeared in Creative Screenwriting Volume 6, #3 (1999). As a producer, director, writer, and actor, Garry Marshall found success first in television, then in feature films. He has worked with many partners, but Bob Brunner goes back with Marshall not only to The Odd Couple TV show but to […]
Understanding Screenwriting #144
Barbershop: The Next Cut; The Jungle Book; Hello, My Name is Doris; From Here to Eternity (book); A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (stage musical); Mrs. Sundance; and Wanted: The Sundance Woman.
By Tom Stempel. Fan Mail. Back when I was writing this column for the House Next Door, one of my joys was reading the comments section. The readers of House were very smart, very opinionated, and avoided the usual depressing Internet “You suck,” “No, you suck,” “No, YOU suck.” I very much miss the comments. […]
Avoid the Formulaic: Gale Anne Hurd and Natalie Chaidez on Hunters
Gale Ann Hurd and Natalie Chaidez discuss the ambiguous nature of character, and explain why screenwriters should never attempt to figure out a screenplay’s plot before writing it.
By Donna Marie Miller. “They are many. And they are angry,” reads the tag line for the new television series, Hunters, which premieres April 11 at 9 p.m. CST on the Syfy Channel. The hybrid gritty crime drama and sci-fi thriller based on best-selling books by Whitley Strieber, puts a new spin on aliens as […]
Taking Dramatic License with the Bible: Chris Brancato on Of Kings and Prophets
Showrunner Chris Brancato discusses the challenges of heavy source material, his experience with hard drama, and giving his latest project a “modern pulse.”
By Brianne Hogan. The new biblical drama Of Kings and Prophets has everything you might expect from a premium cable series: sex, violence, and bloodshed. Except it isn’t on a premium cable channel, it is on the Disney-owned ABC. Perhaps this is one reason the series has received so much criticism. For example, the Parents […]
Vince Gilligan on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul
Showrunner Vince Gilligan discusses structuring an episode, pacing a season, character development, and Easter eggs for fans.
By Ramona Zacharias. It’s not every day one has their work referred to as quite possibly the greatest television series of all time. And creator Vince Gilligan may humbly compare the success of Breaking Bad to “lightning in a bottle”. But those who avidly tuned in to the show week after week (or later binge-watched […]
Understanding Screenwriting #141
The Big Short, 45 Years, and Midseason Television 2015-2016.
By Tom Stempel. The Financial Maguffin. The Big Short (2015. Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, based on the book by Michael Lewis. 130 minutes.) Boy, talk about your degree of difficulty. Lewis’s book is a detailed non-fiction look into one of the elements that led to the Great Recession. It’s about sub-prime mortgages…zzz, […]
Understanding Screenwriting #137
Brooklyn, Spotlight, Our Brand is Crisis, Colin Welland and Melissa Mathison: Appreciations, Amarcord, Supergirl and The Death of “Superman Lives”: What Happened?
Nuances Are Us. Brooklyn (2015. Screenplay by Nick Hornby, based on the novel by Colm Tóibín. 111 minutes.) Virtually every review of this movie I have read uses the word “nuance” in one form or another, and rightly so. This is maybe the most nuanced movie I have ever seen, and coming in the middle […]
John Yorke: “What You Don’t Do Is David Copperfield II”
John Yorke discusses his new book on Screenwriting, offers invaluable advice to screenwriters, and reveals the secret of the Duff Duff moment.
By Sam Roads. John Yorke has been at the forefront of British TV drama for over twenty years, as showrunner on popular soaps such as Eastenders and The Archers. He has also been behind dramas like the Emmy Award-winning time-travel cop show Life on Mars, spy drama MI-5 (Spooks in the UK), and Wolf Hall, starring […]
Understanding Screenwriting #136
The Martian, Bridge of Spies, Crimson Peak, Sicario, Aloha, For Your Further Reading.
By Tom Stempel. Not Marvin. The Martian (2015. Screenplay by Drew Goddard, based on the novel by Andy Weir. 144 minutes.) You should know up front that my wife did not elbow me in the ribs once during this film. My wife is a scientist (molecular biology) and hates it when movies get the […]
Write Like It Will Never Get Made: 24 Hour Rental
Al Kratina and George Mihalka discuss their latest show's origins, writing for unlikeable characters, and balancing satire and drama.
By Brianne Hogan. The days of the video store might be dead in real life, but it’s alive and well in the dark comedy TV series, 24 Hour Rental. Okay, maybe “alive” and “well” aren’t the most appropriate adjectives to describe a show that follows a former Mafia boss named Tracker, who now runs a […]
Understanding Screenwriting #135
The Intern, James Dean’s Live Television Work, and the beginning of the Fall 2015 Television Season.
By Tom Stempel. Office Porn, Not Kitchen Porn The Intern (2015. Written by Nancy Meyers. 121 minutes.) You generally do not want to start a script with a pile of exposition delivered in voiceover. It shows that the writer does not know how to subtly show and tell exposition. When writers try it, readers tend […]
