What goes into writing a great movie script?

A scene should change valence from beginning to end. Up to down, down to up.

Audiences are smarter than you think. Something about turning down the house lights makes their IQs go up.

Get up there yourself. Be in a movie. Take some acting (not writing) classes. Learn how a trained actor approaches a text. Learn why actors take roles. They do as much if not more than the writer does.

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To develop a unique voice for each character, try interviewing your characters.

Outline everything. Use story beats. Keep character’s mouths taped up, until they absolutely MUST speak. Write the script and the dialogue at the last minute, after you’ve revised the hell out of the outline.

Cut everything that is not a payoff, or a setup for a specific payoff. “Omit needless words.” Think about the sparseness of joke telling, or Grimm Brothers.

You found a love potion, and your friend tried to use it on an attractive popular girl, but he accidentally dropped it on the neighbors dog. Now the dog won't stop following him. How would you help him?

Your primary job is to create situations. Modern actors will fuck up your dialogue, despite whatever your contract says.

Only God gets it right the first time. Rewrite everything.

Research the facts and then throw away the research.

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A critical function of storytelling is wish fulfillment. This is why video games are so popular. “That protagonist is JUST LIKE ME.”

Write in reverse time. Major characters need to change polarity; minor characters may remain the same at the end.

The DSM 5 is a wonderful character compendium.

Do Republicans realize that the power of the people is invested in 'representative government'? If so, why did they elect a pathological liar?

All rules are made to be broken, but you damn well better know WHY you’re breaking them.

Actors give better feedback than writers do.

Conflict is your power source; without it you have no drama and hence no script.

Fishing is a popular pastime on many US beaches. What is a type of saltwater fish commonly caught from piers or by wading (flounder, redfish, etc.)?

People choose what to see based on the high concept. Make sure to deliver an ending consistent with the high concept -- it is what the audience paid for.

Primary characters must change polarities. Secondary characters can change less.

Use status to help drive conflict. King Lear/fool. Upstairs/downstairs.

Why do people turn a blind eye to bad behaviour if someone is very good looking? Whereas if someone is ugly, they get harshly judged for everything?

Leave holes. Write and unwrite. Put it in, take it out.

Maintain a slush pile/idea file. When you are ready to write, choose the best seeds to plant.

What you leave unwritten is as important as what you write. SUBTEXT.

Is it common for girlfriends to have close male friends who are single and not related to them?

Make sure to pack enough explosives into the rocket.

Don’t direct from the page. Everyone, from the director on down, wants to be part of the process of making movies. Let them do their work.

Learn to tell a story orally and not through writing. Try telling your story to a friend.

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