The Sopranos pilot script was written by show creator David Chase.
September 30, 2014
Quote of the Day: Ralph Keyes
Serious writers write, inspired or not. Over time they discover that routine is a better friend than inspiration.
September 29, 2014
A Master Class in Staging: Raiders of the Lost Ark in Black and White
Last week, Steven Soderbergh did something very cool: He took Raiders of the Lost Ark (read the script) and removed all of the color and all of the sound. He then laid a groovy electronica soundtrack over the whole thing for some mood music. The result is an amazing class in staging.
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September 29, 2014
Quote of the Day: Paul Schrader
I could be just a writer very easily. I am not a writer. I am a screenwriter, which is half a filmmaker. … But it is not an art form, because screenplays are not works of art. They are invitations to others to collaborate on a work of art.
September 25, 2014
Quote of the Day: Lisa Cron
Each thing you add to your story is a drop of paint falling into clear water; it spreads through and colors everything.
September 24, 2014
The Writers Guild Foundation Library: A Writer’s Mecca
I regularly get emails from readers hoping that I have some obscure script or another in my personal collection. I almost never do. But thankfully there is a much better resource available to LA residents than my bookshelf.
The Writers Guild Foundation Shavelson-Webb Library is open to the public — you don’t have to be a WGA member to use it — and it has over 25,000 scripts and screenwriting resources on its shelves. The library’s hours aren’t exactly ideal for anyone who works a nine to five, but if you have a flexible schedule and live in or near LA, you should definitely check out the amazing collection of scripts found here.
According to the website:
Our mission is to collect scripts, preserve them, and make them available to everyone who comes to visit – not just Writers Guild members. We provide wireless internet and a quiet place for writers to work.
Most of our collection consists of produced film, television, radio and video game scripts– many of which have received major writing awards (WGA, Oscars, Emmys, Golden Globes, etc). We also collect books, periodicals, DVDs, videos, and other materials on the history, biography, art, craft and business of writing for entertainment media.
The collection includes:
- 16,000 produced television scripts
- 4,000 produced film scripts
- 760 radio scripts
- 100 new media and video game scripts
- 2,700 books on writing, writers, and the entertainment industry
- 5,600 taped programs, events, seminars, and interviews
The library provides reference help on topics such as:
- Writers’ credits and biographies
- History of writers in Hollywood
- Major industry writing awards
- WGA history
- Books and magazines on film and television writing
- Locating scripts in other collections
- Getting an agent
- Research strategies, copyright basics, and matters related to creative and business aspects of writing (See the library’s FAQ)
Basically, its a writer’s mecca. Plan your visit today:
Writers Guild Foundation Shavelson-Webb Library
7000 W. Third St.,
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323-782-4544Library Hours:
M: Closed
T: 11am to 6pm
W: 11am to 6pm
T: 11am to 8pm
F: 11am to 6pm
S: 11am to 6pm
September 24, 2014
Quote of the Day: F. Scott Fitzgerald
What people are ashamed of usually makes a good story.
September 23, 2014
13 Screenwriters to Watch This Year
IndieWire’s blog The Playlist recently put together a list of 13 screenwriters to watch in 2014.
This list is both inspiring and depressing. It’s an essential read for people who are writing their first script so that they can start to understand just how much work you have to do before you can be considered “on the rise.” Several of these writers have multiple credits and over ten years of work under their belts, either in screenwriting, television, or playwriting.
IndieWire writes:
Too often, writers are ridden roughshod over during production, overlooked by the press and forgotten when the reviews and awards come pouring in (if they do). And yet thousands still set out to make their living as writers, because the rewards for the lucky few who do make it to the top of the tree are enormous, and every year brings an exciting new batch of talent whose writing skills make them as crucial as any part of a movie-making team.
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September 23, 2014
Quote of the Day: Will Rogers
Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.
September 22, 2014
True Detective Pilot Script
The True Detective pilot was written by Nic Pizzolatto, the show’s creator. (Sorry I couldn’t find a normal PDF, but this link will work for online reading.)
