When I heard that Searching was a good movie, I was skeptical. A feature-length mystery told on a computer? Stuff like this always sounds good in theory. But when you get into the writing process, the scale of just how difficult it is becomes apparent. Even the simplest moments can be hard to work out. […]

Genre: Drama Premise: (from Hit List) A Texas lowlife is “born-again” and, over the next 20 years, builds an empire out of a prayer circle in his backyard, spanning publishing, broadcasting, and politics; all while fending off demons from his past. About: Today’s writer, Jesse Maiman, studied screenwriting at Yale and currently teaches film history […]

Today’s script is The Fifth Element meets Guardians of the Galaxy meets Stranger Things meets Avatar. Is that a good thing? Genre: Sci-fi/Fantasy Premise: A thief-for-hire is sent on an assignment to steal an unknown package from a laboratory, only to have a crisis of conscience when he discovers upon arrival that the package is […]

Genre: Drama/Comedy? Premise: (from Black List) An undisciplined boy is sent to Florida for the summer with his grandparents, and the drive south changes him forever. About: This script received 13 votes on the 2012 Black List. The writer, Austin Reynolds, hasn’t broken out since making the Black List that year. However, he did secure […]

At times, screenwriting can feel overwhelming. From flaws to acts to conflict to irony to theme to subtext to arcs to suspense, the sheer number of stuff we’re asked to incorporate into a screenplay can seem paralyzing. Which sucks because once we start to fear writing, we’re less likely to write. And you’re not going […]