February 28, 2012
The Writer:
London-born Christopher Nolan is responsible for some of the best action-packed, mind-bending films of the last decade. A writer/director currently at the top of his game, Nolan is the creative force behind the latest Batman installments, Inception, and Memento. He’s the writer that aspiring screenwriters most desire to emulate, and the one one writer that they shouldn’t attempt to.
According to IMDB, Nolan’s favorite films are 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), The Black Hole (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Chinatown (1974), The Hitcher(1986), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), The Man Who Would Be King (1975) and Topkapi (1964), as well as anything by Stanley Kubrick.
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February 15, 2012
The Writer:
Michael Mann is another one of those Hollywood triple threats: a writer, director, producer. Mann is the creative force behind such great films as Public Enemies, Heat, and The Last of the Mohicans. Favorite subjects of Mann include lone wolf heroes, criminals, and the great city of Chicago.
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February 7, 2012
The Writers:
Along with Howard Koch, Julius & Philip Epstein were the writers behind Casablanca. Born in New York in 1909, the twin brothers were under contract at Warner Brothers at the time. They started their writing careers separately, then decided to team up in 1939. Producers who wanted “the Epstein flair” added to a script were known to shout what became a common phrase in Hollywood: “Get me the Epsteins!”
The brothers turned in their draft of Casablanca (based on the never produced play Everybody Comes to Rick’s) three days before production started — the famous ending wasn’t settled until the end of the production.
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January 31, 2012
The Writer:
Oliver Stone has written, directed, and produced some of the most powerful films of the last thirty years. His films are always controversial, dark, and unforgettable. Known for writing such classics as Scarface, Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, Natural Born Killers, and Evita, Stone is a true Hollywood legend.
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January 5, 2012
The Writer:
Paddy Chayefsky is one of those names that every writer should know. A top writer from the early days of television, late in his career Chayefsky scribed the cynical masterpiece, Network. Other highlights from his illustrious career include Marty and his work on Goodyear Playhouse. He remains the only person to hold three individual Academy Awards for writing — other writers who have won three all wrote with partners (Billy Wilder, Francis Ford Coppola. and Charles Brackett).
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December 20, 2011
The Writer:
Steven Zaillian got started with such major hits as Schindler’s List and Mission: Impossible. This year, he’s had his biggest year in the last decade, penning the scripts for Moneyball and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Zaillian is also known as a top-notch script doctor and has done un-credited rewrites on such scripts as Twister, Patriot Games, Crimson Tide, and Saving Private Ryan. Read a recent interview with Mr. Zaillian here.
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December 13, 2011
The Writer:
By Hollywood standards Dustin Lance Black is still a very young writer, and yet he has already picked up an Oscar, found major success in film and television, and made his name as a screenwriting powerhouse. Most recently Black penned the script for J. Edgar, and a few years back he won the Academy Award for Milk. Aside from his writing pursuits, Black is also on the board of directors for the Trevor Project, a national crisis and suicide prevention organization that helps LGBT and Questioning young people who are facing familial rejection or considering suicide.
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December 6, 2011
The Writer:
Judd Apatow is the reigning king and (many would argue) the creator of what my good friend Matt Miller has coined the “dick flick” — essentially romantic comedies aimed at men as well as women. A triple threat, Apatow has written, directed, and produced some of the greatest broad comedies of the last ten years, and he doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.
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December 2, 2011
The Writer:
John Logan may not be a name that you know, but you should. With a background as a playwright, Logan made the switch to the silver screen with his first spec script, Any Given Sunday. Most recently, Logan penned the script adaptation for Hugo. He’s also responsible for such films as Gladiator, The Aviator, and Rango. His eclectic credits all have one thing in common: great writing. Logan has been nominated for two Oscars, an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and has won a Tony.
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November 28, 2011
The Writer:
Nora Ephron is the undisputed queen of the romantic comedy. Often writing in teams, Ephron has earned an Oscar nod and a place in film history for her script When Harry Met Sally. Other classics she has turned out include You’ve Got Mail, Julie & Julia, and Sleepless in Seattle. Beyond her screenwriting achievements, Ephron has also directed, produced, published a novel, and a book of essays.
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