Network
I wanted everyone, every man, woman or child to realize that they had a choice. I wanted them to know that they have the right to get angry, to get mad. They have the right to say to themselves, to…
how to write a screenplay
Drive Beat Sheet
Drive Written by Hossein AminiBased on the novel by James SallisDirected by Nicolas Winding RefnRunning time: 96 minutesYear: 2011 Drive: Basic Story Map PROTAGONIST: Driver, 20s, getaway driver, stunt driver, mechanicCHARACTERIZATION/MAIN MISBEHAVIOR: loner / violentEXTERNAL GOAL: To care for Irene…
Gladiator
Style and substance. Gladiator is a phenomenal revenge drama that earned the Oscar for Best Picture in 2000 (the original screenwriter, David Franzoni, shared the award with William Nicholson and John Logan), as well as Best Actor for Russell Crowe, Best…
Risky Business
It would be wrong to label Risky Business as just another teen sex comedy. It’s much more than the best that genre has to offer. It’s the yin to The Graduate’s yang. It’s an ideal precursor to Oliver Stone’s Wall…
Drive
Violence drives Drive… Refn creates a fever dream that sucks you in. Or maybe you’ll hate it. Drive is a polarizer. It’s also pure cinema, a grenade of image and sound ready to blow. 1 Travers, Peter. “Drive | Movie…
Good Will Hunting
It’s rare when twenty-something actors write something so well received, let alone so profitable. Orson Welles did it with Citizen Kane. 1 Peter Fonda did it with Easy Rider. 2 Sylvester Stallone did it with Rocky. Matt Damon and Ben…
Cutting Scenes
Cutting scenes from your screenplay can be painful, but sometimes you just gotta do it. Filling a page with needless dialogue and exposition will bore your readers. If you’re not pushing the plot forward, try again. Think about the development…
Die Hard
Yippee ki-yay, motherfucker! Yeah, that’s the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions Die Hard. Well, either that, or a man jumping off an exploding skyscraper roof with a firehouse tied around his waist. Maybe it just depends…
Zombieland
Zombieland is a fun, fast-paced, kick-ass, zombie movie. It clocks in at roughly 83 minutes, delivering eye-popping visuals with a tight, economical story to boot. It’s a great screenplay for the aspiring screenwriter to study. While the voice-overs are entertaining,…
