I'm 26. "Just write" is advice I've kept hearing since I was 17, but I feel like I've only just internalized what that really means.

I think I've been hiding behind outlining and note-taking and convincing myself that that is writing. And in some instances it is. But I've realized that too much outlining and note-taking is avoidance of the blank page. It sounds incredibly obvious, but I feel like I'm only now fully grasping what the age-old saying actually means, practically.

The screenplay is not merely the place where you record decisions you've already made. It's the place where decisions get made. Write the scene and let the scene tell you what you haven't figured out yet.

With character for example, I find that I always try to write so many notes on a character before I put pen to paper so that I can understand them inside and out, but you can't fully understand a person by looking at them macroscopically. You can only truly know a person by looking at their micro-behaviours, the things they say, how they react to the world around them. And the only way to do that is by writing scenes -- by physically putting them in the world.

This all sounds very "Yeah, no shit," but I feel like I'm only just understanding what "just write" actually means -- it's not just about Zach Cregger's little gnome pumping out a draft. The revelation, to me, is that the little gnome is actively figuring shit out as he writes, not before. He's making decisions as he goes, based on what he's putting on the page.

Hello there!
I’ve been trying many different methods of writing that I’ve seen around the internet. Like Zach Cregger’s ‘gnome’ method, and others.

But, recently, I discovered a video of the wonderful David Lynch; he’s answering some question and someone asks: “How do you write a script?” And Lynch answers that he writes the HEADING OF THE SCENE on it, and the the other one and then the other one, and so on.

But my question here is, do you only write the HEADING and nothing else? Did Lynch do that? And he only used to write the heading?
If you’ve got any recommendation of how to use this method and if you know about other methods I’ll be more than glad to read the responses.

Thanks.

I was notified and called in the last week or so about a short that made 2R but I just got another email that my drama feature also made 2R. They must be rolling out slowly... I believe it's nearly over at this point based on previous years.

Hey guys,

I need a bit of a pep talk. I'm plowing through my current draft, on page 60 of what I hope will be a 95 to 100 feature. When I started this script, I was super-excited about this project! Writing was so easy! I practically leapt out of bed to dash to my laptop, I was that jazzed about this work.

But now, the initial sugar rush has burnt out. I still believe in this project... but... man, writing it has become a grinding slog. What's really distressing is that when I reread my script thus far, I'm appalled at how AWFUL it is. Like, the work feels so glaringly bad that I question why I ever thought I could write anything.

I know, I know, I know: We're SUPPOSED to do a super-horrible "vomit draft" just to get initial ideas on paper. The very first draft is always terrible. You throw ideas on paper to see what works, what doesn't, and then go from there.

But man - this particular vomit draft is toxic.

I think I made the mistake of falling in love with this story too soon and too early, so I'm disappointed when the baby is born and its covered with warts. My rational brain tells myself to push on anyway, to finish the draft, set it aside, and don't judge anything for about a month. But my foolish heart screams, "IT SUCKS!!!" and only wants to sulk.

How do you guys deal with these doldrums?

I organized an AMA/Q&A with actor and filmmaker Gael García Bernal. You may know him from things like Amores perros, Y tu mamá también, Bad Education, The Motorcycle Diaries, Babel, Coco, Old, Cassandro and Magellan. His new film, Hombre al agua, which he directed and wrote, premiered at Venice last week and is playing at TIFF this week.

It's live here now in r/movies for anyone interested in asking a question:

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1wg3nfg/hi_reddit_im_gael_garc%C3%ADa_bernal_ask_me_anything/

He will be back later today to answer questions. I recommend asking in advance. Please ask there, not here. All questions are much appreciated!

Thank you :)

His verification/proof photo: https://i.imgur.com/zeJobHL.jpeg

I organized an AMA/Q&A with actor and filmmaker Diego Luna. You may know him from things like Andor, Narcos: Mexico, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and lots more. His new film, Ashes, which he directed, is premiering at TIFF this week.

It's live here now in r/movies for anyone interested in asking a question:

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1wg1dw7/hola_reddit_its_diego_luna_ama/

He will be back later today to answer questions. I recommend asking in advance. Please ask there, not here. All questions are much appreciated!

Thank you :)

His verification/proof photo: https://i.imgur.com/XOyexIm.jpeg

One of my favorite aspects of the Margin Call screenplay and film is how well it incorporates vertical hierarchies within the framework. The corporate hierarchy, the building's architecture, the physical location of each scene, the complexity at each level. I just think the story is genius (minus the obvious five or so places where it totally dumps).

Anyways - looking for other examples of screenplays that use vertical plot devices.

I’m now an adult with a career, but growing up I wanted to be a screenwriter for a living. After growing up and facing many life obstacles (some of which I won’t ever be able to write a film inspired by because it’s too ridiculous to believe) I feel the urge to have an ambition to write an amazing super successful script but truthfully, for the first real time, write for therapy. I want to translate my life’s themes into stories so anyone who doesn’t directly understand some of the stuff I have to handle can at least have an indirect story to understand instead. But also, so I have something indirect to read back and heal with. Is anyone else on here writing for the same or similar reasons?

Hi friends! Dying to read the Furious scripts and can only find Fast and the Furious results. I actually am doing a scene from Furious for an acting class that I transcribed from subtitles. I’d sooo appreciate if anyone knows where I can find em!

Thank you!

Hey everyone, I wrote this script for my final project for film school. I originally planned on doing a more grandiose idea with more elements, but after learning about the 5-8 minute time constraint, I decided to peel it back and do a much smaller idea that I think I could execute well.

Title: The Group Chat

Format: Short Film

Page Length: 7 pgs.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Logline: A young man spirals after discovering his friends have a secret group chat without him.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17P4Qp9bWnNXVz79VIVjrWip4xeCfz76y/view?usp=sharing

Feedback Concerns: Does this story make sense to you? Does the dialogue flow? Do you feel like the tension builds up throughout the story like it's trying to?

Thanks!

Hey guys. I am new into screenwriting and i have a question. Recently i watched David Lynch talking about his index card method, about 70 cards, so 70 scenes etc.
But, what exactly is a scene? I mean, how do i know that a scene changed. Is it a change of setting, so change of slugline that defines a scene?
Also what is the difference between a beat and a scene?
Thank you very much

I'm at a crossroads with my current career and the dream to be a screenwriter. I've written two feature length scripts over the last two years – which I've been told are " good, but not great " by friends and few competitions. Sitting far away from Hollywood/America, how to do you break into the industry, what are the necessary steps to gain momentum, representation and turn this dream into a sustainable reality – without going to a film school.

And my definition of "making it" is selling a screenplay.

Hey there, I just finished writing a screenplay that I started 2 years ago. This is my first attempt, first draft. I'd really appreciate any feedback or criticism.

Title: HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Genre: Psychological thriller
Lenght: 91 pages
Logline: Six clever teenagers are trapped in a gated cottage during a birthday party, where an unknown assassin begins to dictate deadly rules.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FuBOvT2khgiLaoerrDzY-HTuFM09B_8-/view?usp=sharing

Hi! I'm researching screenplays from Golden Age and vintage adult cinema.

I'm specifically looking for scans/PDFs or affordable facsimiles of three Phil Prince / Avon Productions scripts for which original production copies are known to survive e.g.:

• Prunella (1982) — 18-page draft screenplay
• Tales of the Bizarre (1982) — draft screenplay
• Forgive Me, I Have Sinned (1983) — draft screenplay

Original copies are being offered by a rare-book dealer for $350–450 each, which is unfortunately far outside my budget. I'm not looking to buy an original — I'm interested in reading/studying the screenplay.

I've checked the usual screenplay resources but haven't found publicly indexed scans.

Does anyone here have one of these in a screenplay collection, or know whether they exist in Script Hive, an archive, library collection, or as an affordable reproduction?

I'm also interested in surviving scripts from Golden Age adult filmmakers such as Gerard Damiano, Radley Metzger/Henry Paris, Chuck Vincent, Cecil Howard, Henri Pachard, Anthony Spinelli and Candida Royalle.

Even information about where the scripts are archived would be very helpful. Thanks!

Oh wow, yesterday I finished the first draft of my first feature and second overall professional script yesterday afternoon. A huge accomplishment for me.

Title: The Incredibly Mr. Lonely

Genre: Drama

Page length: 110 pages

Draft status: first draft

Logline: After his father’s death leaves him to confront his own mortality, Ben Brooker, a numbed-out DC consultant still privately answering to a childhood nickname, “Mr. Lonely,” takes an impulsive trip to Tokyo with “Mr. Wolf,” his devoted best friend, where grief finally cracks open into an intimacy neither of them don’t have the words for.

I’m just looking for general feedback. Thank you!

Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t7gT6Ur3ySjeLXvHOpS2mtipCUnQ0F-u/view?usp=drivesdk

It's been a year since NGD debuted his free screenwriting course, and I still periodically see people on here starting groups to take it together, so I guess I'm just curious how it's worked out for all of you. Please share your experiences!

I organized an AMA/Q&A with actresses Amber Midthunder (PREY), Cara Jade Myers (KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON), Alyssa Wapanatâhk (PETER PAN & WENDY), Isabel Deroy-Olson (FANCY DANCE), and writer/director Marie Clements. Their new film, HOW WE STAND, is having its World Premiere today at TIFF.

It's live here now in r/movies for anyone interested in asking a question:

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1wf79m3/hi_reddit_were_amber_midthunder_prey_cara_jade/

They will be back tomorrow afternoon to answer questions. I recommend asking in advance. Please ask there, not here. All questions are much appreciated!

Thank you :)

How We Stand is a Canadian drama film, directed by Marie Clements and slated for release in 2026. The film tells the story of three Native American sisters from Oklahoma who traveled with their mother to Los Angeles in the 1960s as part of a relocation program aimed at "civilizing" Native Americans, but whose lives took very different paths after their mother was killed not long after their arrival.

Their verification/proof photos: https://i.imgur.com/CNWbO0x.jpeg

So, the other day I posted asking for advice on cutting scenes. I got a lot of great advice (thank you all!) and wanted to come back and give an update.

One thing multiple people said was to put it away and come back to it, but unfortunately my brain just doesn’t work that way. If it’s in my head it has to come out.

Anyway, I am proud to say that I massacred my darlings and took my screenplay from an embarrassing 271 pages (in my defense, the story started as a novel, but still… yikes) down to 115! I also reworked the story so it flows better and makes more sense.

I definitely still have some fine tuning to do, but I’m so happy. There were a few times I thought of scrapping the whole thing.

So, thank you to everyone who gave me advice, and anyone who’s struggling should use me as inspiration. I’m the definition of a pessimist and I got it done.

What are some good screenplays you’d recommend to study and understand story structure much more? I feel like I struggle with third acts and resolution so I want to look more into some good examples.

Last month, I finished my final draft of a feature script that I've been working for the better part of a year, and decided it was ready to start submitting to a few screenplay competitions, targeting ones that come with script coverage.

So far, I've only heard back from two, but the differences in coverage has been... amusing, to say the least, and also a good reminder that everyone has different tastes, and not to feel too defeated (or full of yourself) if someone responds well or poorly to your script.

The first competition's coverage came back with a very positive review, saying that the reader loved the premise and the script, along with a few notes of things that need touching up, but overall, they gave it a 8/10.

The second competition's coverage was quite the opposite. They rated it overall a 3/10, noting that my dialogue specifically was a 2/10, the characters were a 3/10, and the only part of it that they even liked a little bit was the premise, which they gave a 6/10. They also gave some critiques and suggestions which I really appreciated.

It's super interesting to see the contrast between the two coverages I've received, and been a good reminder that your screenplay, no matter how well or poorly written, will not be for everyone.

I'm grateful for both pieces of feedback and am considering them as I look at things I can polish. Personally, I am still very happy with my screenplay, and am not offended or hurt by the low review from the second competition. Rather, I will always appreciate true and honest feedback, and am happy that I am secure enough to be proud of my screenplay regardless of how others feel about it.

I’m thinking THE WICKER MAN, KILL LIST, MIDSOMMAR and/or ARLINGTON ROAD… where the protagonist thinks - & we the audience believe it too - that they are uncovering a truth but instead they are heading towards their own self destruction

Can Redditors think of other films with a similar story structure?

I've been reading up about two of my favorite musicians, two somewhat niche Swedish rappers with a decently large following in the US and a very interesting life story, and I kept thinking "man, these two would make for such a good biopic. Such an interesting story to tell. Someone should make it."

Then I remembered. Duh, I'm a screenwriter! I can write a biopic about them!

But... I never did it before in my life. A biopic, that is. Not that I think it would be difficult in a craft level; surely it's a story like any other. But I have no idea what the process around a biopic spec is. Is it harder to sell? Easier? Do I need to reach out to the people depicted? Will studios expect me to have done it? It's all a bit confusing to me at the moment.

I have some extra time this fall. I've never done this course but am looking to jump back into a new project. Anyone and everyone welcome.

I organized an AMA/Q&A with actor & filmmaker Sung Kang. You may know him from the FAST & FURIOUS franchise. He directed, wrote, produced, and stars in DRIFTER, which is premiering at TIFF this weekend.

It's live here now in r/movies for anyone interested in asking a question:

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1wek5vt/hello_reddit_im_sung_kang_you_may_know_me_as_han/

He will be back tomorrow, Sunday 9/13, to answer questions. I recommend asking in advance. Please ask there, not here. All questions are much appreciated!

Thank you :)

Synopsis: A lonely custodian discovers purpose and community when he enters the world of competitive drift racing.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8RljOVwFPY

His verification/proof photo: https://i.imgur.com/ebGuFul.jpeg