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scr(i)pt Magazine - July/August 2004
July/August 2004 Issue
David S. Cohen examines the international sensation, Hero and writer-director Zhang Yimou's raising the bar of a genre.
by David S. Cohen
Writer-director Zhang Yimou is best known for his lush historical
dramas. With Hero, a mythic tale of early China,
the acclaimed filmmaker puts his own stamp on the kung-fu
movie—and takes the genre to a new level.
by John Scott Lewinski
The life of a Hollywood assistant consists of answering phones,
making copies and managing schedules, but assistant Adam Goldworm
doesn’t want writers to be fooled into thinking these
professionals are mere secretaries.
by Rita Cook
What if meaningless random events really do have purpose and
everything just might happen for a reason? With the sale of
his first script 2:22,
scribe Todd Stein is a true believer in the theory.
by Kate McCallum
David Franzoni, screenwriter of King Arthur, takes us beyond
the mythical back into history and shares his quest to discover
the true character of King Arthur.
by Ray Morton
After years of reading thousands of screenplays, professional
script reader Ray Morton has learned that the appearance of
certain elements usually indicates that a script is probably
going to be bad. As a public service to all those writers
out there seeking to make a good first impression on readers
and development execs, he presents his list of Warning Signs
of a (Possibly) Bad Script.
by Jeff Nathanson
Screenwriter Jeff Nathanson admits his rewrite of The
Terminal almost killed him. For 120 pages he was trapped
inside the story’s one location—an airport terminal.
In the end, however, Nathanson was able to build a structure
so strong that location would be forced to take a backseat
to drama.
by Daniel Pyne
Take a tour of the impossible—adapting a classic adaptation—with
screenwriter Daniel Pyne. Learn how he took the soul and bare
bones of 1962’s The Manchurian Candidate and
reimagined it into a contemporary and socially relevant screenplay.
by Joshua Marston
Writer-director Joshua Marston’s goal was to humanize
the story of a young woman who decides to become a drug mule.
Read as he explains what it took to take Maria Full of
Grace from thought to thought provoking.
by Elisa Bell
Scribe Elisa Bell explains how to write the screenplay we
all know best: the story of our lives. Take a peek into the
intricate workings of her new coming-of-age comedy Sleepover
and learn how she took a high-concept pitch and mixed it with
her personal adolescent recollections.
by William C. Martell
Is Jack Black symbolism? Using High Fidelity as an
example, discover how to create characters who symbolize your
protagonist’s internal and emotional conflicts.
by Michael Giampa
Development executives seek out the freshest while screenwriters
try to write with the most original—voice. Michael Giampa
explores the reasoning and influences behind unique and sought-after
voice perspectives.
by Debra L. Eckerling
Don’t panic! Read what these experts have to say about
a problem that has challenged all screenwriters at one time
or another.
by Geoff Miller
Television writer Geoff Miller explains the nuances of the
sitcom spec script while regaling us with his adventures in
the TV business.
by Marilyn Horowitz
Villains. We hate them. We love them. We love to hate them.
Marilyn Horowitz, script doctor and NYU professor, shows writers
how to create a “good villain” in 10 easy steps.
by John Hill
Writing a romantic comedy is easy. Just write funny lines
and heartbreaking romance, and find something that keeps boy
and girl apart—in a world where anything goes.
by Staton Rabin
“FADE OUT” is the easy part. Do the old rules
for writing endings still apply in the Age of Irony? Story
analyst Staton Rabin discusses the various types of story
resolutions and provides the tools to choose the best ending
for your screenplay.
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