20th Century Fox has bought Chris Baldi's script SCAVENGERS and attached DIARY OF A WIMPY KID director Thor Freudenthal to helm, reports Deadline.com.
Walt Disney Pictures has picked up the rights to Dave Andron’s sci-fi pitch THE RUNNER, reports Deadline.com.
One of the most useful maxims in life is known by the acronym K.I.S.S. I'm sure you've heard of it. It stands for “Keep It Simple Stupid”. But simplicity is not just the key to a happy life; it's also the key to great storytelling—which only makes sense because stories are about life. Well-written animated features, no matter how complex they may seem upon first viewing, have basic character and plot elements that are very simple. To create a simple, well-constructed story you need only answer the following questions...
Jonah Hill is in negotiations to direct THE KITCHEN SINK, reports Deadline.com.
Josh Brolin is developing a new take of HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME for Warner Bros., reports Variety.
There are only two things you need to do to become a better writer: study and write. The question is: are you studying and writing optimally? I wrote screenplays for Columbia and Paramount on instinct, and wrote hundreds of animation scripts the same way. But I’d never really “learned” how to write. I finally decided to get serious about my craft and read all the best-selling screenwriting books. I learned quite a bit. But one of the most important things I learned was that WHAT you read is only half of the journey. HOW to read is the other. Learn the three R's and become a better screenwriter...
The Animation Picture Company has bought the script ZOMBIE PET SHOP from writer E.L. Katz, reports Variety.
Wolfgang Petersen has been tapped for Paramount Pictures' adaptation of John Scalzi's sci-fi novel OLD MAN'S WAR, reports Deadline.com.
Dwayne McDuffie, who wrote for comics and animated superhero series such as JUSTICE LEAGUE, has died, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Skydance Productions' head David Ellison is in talks to buy the rights to anime series STAR BLAZERS, reports Deadline.com.
Michael Bay is set to produce a film inspired by IDW comic ZOMBIES VS. ROBOTS, reports Deadline.com.
The reason I use Excel to develop story structure is based on a writing principle I discovered years ago. I call it getting a God’s-Eye View of the story. I realized that by writing my outline beats in a normal word processing program it took screen after screen to go through my scenes. So while I was looking at one portion of my story, the rest of the story was out of sight. And as they say, “Out of sight, out of mind”. But when I write I want all of my story in mind. And here’s how I do it...
Warner Bros. has hired HARRY POTTER scribe Steve Kloves to rewrite its live-action adaptation of AKIRA, reports Variety.
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has been hired to rewrite the book for SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK, reported Deadline.com.
R. Scott Shields, who previously worked as a visual effects coordinator, has been hired to write a sci-fi script for SKYLINE's Colin and Greg Strause, reports Variety.
The King’s Speech was named Best Film at tonight’s Orange British Academy Film Awards, held at London’s Royal Opera House.
Several of you have asked me for instructions on how to set up Microsoft Word “styles” for script writing. A style is simply a saved bundle of formatting instructions. If you are familiar with screenwriting software such as Final Draft or Screenwriter, you know that what they basically do is make it easier to write scripts by automatically formatting script elements, fonts, paragraphs, etc. If you follow the instructions below you will turn Microsoft Word into a simple but effective screenwriting program.
Talk about inspiration just being in the air, a day after it was announced that DreamWorks has acquired a Harry Houdini/ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle script from J. Michael Straczynski, Deadline.com reveals that Syfy is in talks on a Harry Houdini/ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle series.
Shane Black (KISS KISS BANG BANG) has pitched his take on IRON MAN 3 to Marvel, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Melissa Rosenberg, who has adapted the TWILIGHT SAGA for the screen, is in talks to pen the reboot of HIGHLANDER, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
DreamWorks has picked up J. Michael Straczynski's script VOICES FROM THE DEAD, reports Deadline.com.
Warner Bros. is in talks to acquire HARKER, writers Lee Shipman & Brian McGreevy's reworking of DRACULA, reports Deadline.com.
Jerry Bruckheimer has picked up a space adventure from writer Jon Spaihts (PROMETHEUS), reports Variety.
CBS Films has picked up feature rights to Marie Lu's forthcoming fantasy novel LEGEND, reports Variety.
Here's a tip for professional television and film writers. If you haven't thought of this one yet it will save you time by eliminating the need to write some things twice. But best of all, in just a couple of minutes it will let you see that you've probably already drafted over half of your script. And that will make most any writer feel GREAT! What I do is this: After I've written an outline, and am ready to start the script, I cut and paste the outline directly into my script document. But then I take it one important step further...
