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The first GITS post

Posted on by of Go Into The Story

This is the very first post I composed for this blog on May 16, 2008:

Welcome to Go Into The Story! Right now, it’s nothing but a humble, threadbare blog, but I hope it will evolve into an active resource for aspiring screenwriters, as well as a community for anyone interested in storytelling and the creative life. What you may expect:

* Observations: I’ll post comments regularly about the movie and television business with a particular focus on screenwriting.

* Lectures: As an online screenwriting instructor through UCLA Extension’s Writers Program since 2002, I have written nearly 100 lectures. I am in the process of revising and updating them in order to post them here.

* Daily Dialogue: Everyday, a choice side of dialogue from a great movie with an acknowledgment to the credited screenwriters.

* Bitter Truths: Occasionally, I will post a “bitter truth,” penned by my good friend Kurt Brown and myself. Hey, it’s a tough world out there, why not wallow in its acridity!

* Screenwriting Mantras: Truisms to remember from FADE IN to FADE OUT.

I’ve got other ideas knocking around my head, but my main interest is in having an ongoing dialogue with my students and others who happen by.

So again, welcome!

I had no idea what I was getting myself into! Here we are 4 years and over 9,000 posts later. Where will the next 12 months take us?



Screenwriting Tip #995

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Writing a scene every movie-goer has seen 100 times before? E.g. ‘team leader explains the tactical situation’, ’best friend gives confused protagonist advice on her relationship’, ‘frightened character investigates the basement armed only with a flashlight’. Mix your version up; be deliberately different. Make their 101st time a surprise.



Spec Script Sale: “2″

Posted on by of Go Into The Story

Universal announces it recently acquired action thriller spec script “2″ from writer Barry L. Levy.

No plot details available.

Levy is repped by UTA and Evolution Management.

By my count, this is the 47th spec script sale in 2012.

There were 38 spec sales at this point last year.

The 47th spec script did not sell last year until June 29th.

Spec script sales are up 24% year-to-date compared to 2011.



Spec Script Sale: “My Owner’s Wedding”

Posted on by of Go Into The Story

Millennium Films has acquired romantic comedy spec script “My Owner’s Wedding” from writers Robert Cary and Jonathan Tolins. From Deadline:

My Owner’s Wedding is a romantic comedy about two eligible young women, the man both of them want, and his dog. The latter will go to any length to make sure his owner ends up with the right girl.

Wow, is that a clean high concept. And another one just sitting there right in front of us. Kudos to Cary and Tolins for having the eyes to see it.

The writers are managed by Alan Gasmer & Friends.

By my count, this is the 46th spec script sale of 2012.

There were 38 spec sales at this point last year.

The 46th spec script did not sell last year until June 22nd.

Spec script sales are up 21% year-to-date compared to 2011.