"It's not sad, Edith. It's nature. It's a world of everything dying and eating each other right beneath our feet." This week on THE SCRIPT we continue our Halloween Horror Series with Guillermo Del Toro's gothic romance,"Crimson Peak." Is the titular Peak bleeding literally or metaphorically? What does the genre of Gothic Romance entail? What does Crimson Peak have in common with Matthew Robin's previous screenplay for Don't Be Afraid of the Dark? At what point in a film does the audience make a...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 40 min
"Human beings simply aren't built to function at the cruising altitude of a 747... Sit down man, acclimatize." SHOW NOTES Outside cover story on the movie By the editor who sent Krakauer on the trip Krakauer hates the movie Excerpts from original Krakauer article The book: http://www.amazon.com/Into-Thin-Air-Personal-Disaster/dp/0385494785 Anatoli's book (rebuttal of Krakauer) Why this film now? Every week on THE SCRIPT Podcast we analyze the latest popular or controversial scripts, films, and o...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 5 min
"She won't be able to tell us apart." This week on THE SCRIPT we continue our Halloween Horror Series with the twisted and creepy Austrian horror film "Goodnight Mommy." Could this be the first horror film that thematically addresses the plight of the working mother? How do you handle ambiguity without confusion, how do you keep a script complex without it getting complicated? We deconstruct the duality mind game of this intricately woven and horrible tale and remind you what Checkov said: if yo...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 27 min
"Does that feel okay? It kind of tingles. It's tingling?" - This week on THE SCRIPT we start our Halloween Horror series with the IFC Midnight franchise Contracted & Contracted: Phase II. What are the opportunities and obligations when sequelizing a successful horror concept? What defines "body horror" as a sub-genre? How does the Contracted franchise fair against its Sexually Transmitted cousin "It Follows" (Previously reviewed HERE on The Script). The Script Halloween Horror Series is for ...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 46 min
"Yo Dre. What up? I got something to say." -- Ice Cube - This week on THE SCRIPT we analyze Straight Outta Compton, the F. Gary Gray biopic of legendary gangster rap group N.W.A. Did the filmmakers design Straight Outta Compton to speak to the issues of the Black Lives Matter movement? Or is a story about animosity between police and young black men that took place 30 years ago inherently relevant because the struggle continues today? What are the structural considerations when writing a biopic ...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 59 min
THE SCRIPT Podcast: Fantastic Four (Live) “Please don't blow up, please don't blow up...” -- Reed Richards -- This week on THE SCRIPT, there was nothing Mr. Fantastic could do to salvage the biggest box office self detonation of the summer: FANTASTIC FOUR. What are the 5 elements every Superhero Tentpole should be judged by? How ‘invisible’ did the blockbuster’s only female character turn out to be? What is our expert screenwriters theory on the “1 Year Later” business? Also we address the Josh ...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 46 min
“Just as I suspected, toxic waste.” This week on THE SCRIPT, we analyze the new Netflix Series, reboot, reimagination, fever dream Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp. What a screenwriting mindfuck. What a screenwriting challenge. What story components did creators Michael Showalter and David Wain smartly bring forward from the film to the series and what did they unfortunately leave behind? What is the slight difference in comedic tone that made Wet Hot a comedy cult classic and The Stat...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 15 min
"Have you fucked before? Where is she buried?" This week on THE SCRIPT , our all woman panel returns to analyze the Amy Schumer feature film comedy vehicle: Trainwreck . What’s the difference between writing a high concept feature film comedy and edgy television sketch comedy? Is there variation in the comedic voices of Amy Schumer and director Judd Apatow? Do they blend well in Trainwreck? What is the holy grail for today's cutting edge comedy writers and performers? Is it Late Night or is it n...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 21 min
"Baskin-Robbins always find out." This week on THE SCRIPT , we analyze the Marvel action comedy: Ant-Man . Where does Ant-Man stand in the new hall of Action/Comedy tentpoles like Guardians of the Galaxy, Kick-Ass, and Hot Fuzz? We address the Edgar Wright controversy and comment on his special comedic voice as a screenwriter. What is the re-writing trick known as "Act Shifting” ( Note: it's shifting each act forward when the conflict of your screenplay isn't escalating fast enough.) Honey I Shr...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 2 min
“ Blanche you idiot! You got egg upon my snood! He was gonna wear that today, now he has to select another snood! ” This week on THE SCRIPT , our all woman panel Kara, Kristina, and Melissa assign David a period joke safeword and launch into a no-holds barred analysis of the new Comedy Central series “Another Period." Yes this is an explicit podcast. Yes it is entirely composed of powerful female comedy writers ‘going there', yes David cowers in the corner trying to hold his own. Is there such a...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 14 min
"Your internet connection. It's good. So good it scratched that part of my mind, the part that doesn’t allow good to exist without condition. That’s when I decided to hack you." This week on THE SCRIPT , we analyze the new cyberpunk drama series on USA: “MR. ROBOT” What is the definition of the Cyberpunk anyway? One convention of cyberpunk is homage to other cyberpunk works-- can you count all of Mr. Robot's (Blade Runner, Neuromancer, The Matrix)? How do you write in a niche genre and keep a br...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 4 min
"I used to want to be an astronaut. But astronauts don’t even go to the moon anymore.” This week on The Script , our screenwriters analyze Episode 1 of True Detective: Season II. The noir detective anthology kicks off with a new cast, a new case, and a new flavor of desperation. This is a rare chance for screenwriters to examine a second Pilot Episode from the same tv series and writer. How does the Season 2 Pilot stack up next to the Season 1 Pilot? How does showrunner Nic Pizzolatto violate an...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 2 min
" Monster is a relative term. To a canary, a cat is a monster. We're just used to being the cat. RUUUN! ” This week on a T-Rex sized episode of The Script , our screenwriters analyze Jurassic World-- the reboot / remake / sequel to the original Jeff Goldblum chaos theory and open shirt vehicle: Jurassic Park (1993). Does Jurassic World pay enough homage to PARK in terms of, not just easter eggs, but dramatic themes? What's the key to escalating set pieces and renewing awe in a monster movie? (HI...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 31 min
"I take everything I am feeling, everything that matters to me, I push all of it into my fist, and I fight for it." This week on THE SCRIPT , we analyze the pilot of the new science fiction drama series created by The Wachowskis and now streaming on Netflix: Sense8 . Are there structural differences between a pilot written for cable and a pilot written for binge-watching on a streaming network? What exactly is the lineage between Sense8 and "Cloud Atlas", the Wachowskis previous ensemble drama a...
Sep 04, 2016•1 hr 26 min
" I myself will carry you to the gates of Valhalla... you will ride eternal, shiny, and chrome! ” This week on The Script, our script doctors analyze the resurrection of our favorite 80’s dystopian franchise with Mad Max: Fury Road. Is this possibly the biggest budget independent film of all time? If there is no screenplay does it mean there is no screenwriting? What is the right action scene / character development scenes ratio (Hint: don’t ask Man of Steel, ask Fury Road)? Why is a lack of exp...
Jun 02, 2015•1 hr 2 min
"The city is flying, we’re fighting an army of robots, and I have a bow and arrow. None of this makes sense. ” This week on The Script, our script doctors analyze the tentpole of all summer tentpoles-- Avengers: Age of Ultron. We meditate on the skills of Joss Whedon. Is Avengers a big ass movie or is it effectively a multi-plot, ensemble television series? Does Joss’ single comedic voice across characters get old or does it function as a unifier for a complex story? What are the constraints of ...
May 10, 2015•1 hr 21 min
“Yeah. After thirty-five it’s a shit show.” This week on The Script— two New Yorkers analyze the latest movie from indie film darling Noah Baumbach. Where does "While We’re Young” fall in Baumbach’s pantheon of adult coming-of-age dramas (The Squid and the Whale, Margot at the Wedding, Greenberg, and Frances Ha)? Are we looking for the next Woody Allen? Does "While We’re Young" lampoon or represent the new New York? Is Baumbach hailing or decrying the modern era of documentary film in his fictio...
Apr 22, 2015•1 hr 24 min
" It doesn't think. It doesn't feel. It doesn't give up." This week on The Script Podcast, "It Follows" -- the sophomore effort from auteur David Robert Mitchell represents a movement towards more intelligent, modern horror films. "It Follows" is also Mitchell's love letter to classic horror, but does he represent Detroit? What does a strong female protagonist in a modern horror film need beside a scream and a great body? Two words, “super power." Do we get that in Maika Monroe's ingenue? How do...
Apr 02, 2015•1 hr 15 min
“Why did you build me to die maker?" The Script Podcast is back! CHAPPIE is the latest dystopian sci-fi allegory from South African auteur Neill Blomkamp. On this episode of The Script we discuss the self-aware robot movie sub-genre, how all great stories employ surrogate family dynamics, and also how to spell anthropomorphize. Does this film suffer from “protagonist confusion” ? Is this a low end sci-fi thriller or a fancy coming of age drama? Will David cut Corey’s microphone on his first podc...
Mar 19, 2015•1 hr 19 min
(If you enjoy The Script podcast PLEASE POST A STAR REVIEW on iTunes) - Need a Blake Snyder Beat Sheet Explanation ? - Fan mail, complaints, questions, wedding proposals can be sent to ScriptFeed@gmail.com Script Doctors David Negrin, Christopher Theokas Producers, The Script David Negrin, Jordan Rosengarten NYC Screenwriters Collective www.ScreenwritersCollective.org...
Feb 21, 2015•1 hr 1 min
(If you enjoy The Script podcast PLEASE POST A STAR REVIEW on iTunes) - Need a Blake Snyder Beat Sheet Explanation ? - Fan mail, complaints, questions, wedding proposals can be sent to ScriptFeed@gmail.com Script Doctors David Negrin, Talaiya Safdar, Christopher Theokas Producers, The Script David Negrin, Jordan Rosengarten NYC Screenwriters Collective www.ScreenwritersCollective.org...
Feb 21, 2015•1 hr 10 min
"We... are... Groot." Guardians of the Galaxy is Marvel Studios' first attempt at a tentpole Action/Comedy and if you look at the box office results, it appears to be a risk that has really paid off. Our script doctors David Negrin, Chris Durham, and Keith Miller analyze whether Marvel's foray into the extended Marvel Galactic Universe also paid off on the story level. Did the film succeed due to Chris Pratt's comedy chops, well honed on Parks & Recreation? Was it due to director James Gunn'...
Aug 31, 2014•1 hr 34 min
BULLSHIT-- It's not bullshit, I read it in an article. The following podcast is the true story of two different loosely based true stories told by two storytellers in two different ways but both inspired by one real life event. Probably. David and Jeremy analyze the evolution of the film "American Hustle" by David O. Russel from the acclaimed Blacklisted script "American Bullshit" by screenwriter Eric Warren Singer. How does Singer employ and innovate the conventions of the Heist/Con Artist film...
Jan 12, 2014•58 min
TRICK OR TREAT! Live from the Baron's Haunted Castle on Halloween, The Baron and his butler review the new CARRIE, our Zombie mistresses list off the TOP 10 ZOMBIE KILLS of all time, and our regular host, who's been locked in the dungeon, analyzes the 'MONSTERS OF BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA' from his putrid, rodent infested cell. Does the new Carrie earn her justification for unbridled revenge? How effective is the new treatment of Carrie's mother? What are the grossest, most vicious, most spec...
Nov 01, 2013•51 min
DON'T LET GO! In Episode 6, our script doctors analyze Alfonso Cuarón's script for "Gravity", we get a Fall Film & TV Preview from the NYCSC Staff, and The Baron goes through his 'mail bag' and responds to letters from 'fans'. How does Cuarón manage to surprise us in the Space Disaster genre we've seen so many times before? For his first film in 7 years, can Alfonso resist his history of cinematographic acrobatics and focus on good story? What are the best independent films and new televisio...
Oct 04, 2013•1 hr 23 min
THERE'S NO ROOM FOR PUNKS IN SUITS! Just real heroes who can really kick ass... again, while trying very hard to keep the franchise edgy and fresh. The original Kick Ass director, Matthew Vaughn, handed this installment off to Katie Curic's nephew? but our cast is bolstered by Jim Carrey, John Leguizamo, and can we really ever get enough of Chloë Moretz swearing and beating the hell out of dudes?! New heroes, new villains, new expectations to overcome in this ultra fan boy franchise sequel. If t...
Aug 30, 2013•1 hr 23 min
GODZILLA ain't got nothin' on me! -- Guillermo Del Toro won't come to set unless there's a monster on his call sheet and his modern homage to Japanese Kaiju (monster) films delivers everything we want in a rock 'em sock 'em summer blockbuster, wrapped in a retro 80s aesthetic, and grounded by a story with heart between bad-ass one liners. Why do genre conventions reused make us cliché squirm, but reinvented elicit cheers from the audience? What happens if your protagonist's inner conflict is sma...
Aug 22, 2013•1 hr 9 min
SHARK ATTACK-- You asked for it! You wanted more Shark meets Disaster based script analysis! You're in luck, because the NYCSC has Sharknado fever. This week on The Script - Beat Sheet Edition our 3 script doctors analyze SHARKNADO bite for bite! (uh... beat). And we love this script! A horny bartender with a past and a shotgun, an ex-surfer superdad with a hero complex, a gang of bad fish jokes and B movies actors, one Mexican hurricane, three tornadoes, and a thousand hungry, deadly, very reso...
Jul 27, 2013•1 hr 9 min
This week on The Script - Beat Sheet Edition, script doctors David Negrin and Chris Durham compare "White House Down" and "Olympus Has Fallen" beat for beat - Directed by Roland Emmerich and Antoine Fuqua, Screenplays by James Vanderbilt and Creighton Rothenberger & Katrin Benedikt. Two films, same premise, which executes it better? Is Agent StepUP's A-Story confused? Does Agent Leonidas cross into unheroic torture territory? Why White House Down is more "The Rock" and Olympus Has Fallen is ...
Jul 14, 2013•1 hr 25 min
This week on The Script - Beat Sheet Edition, script doctors David Negrin and Chris Durham analyze "MAN OF STEEL" beat for beat - Directed by Zack Snyder, Screenplay by David S. Goyer. Where does Clark's A-story really kick off, we debate old Zod vs. new Zod, old Heat Vision vs. new Heat Vision, and discover the best "Whiff of Death" moment Man Of Steel should have had. Read David & Chris' Combined Beat Sheet Breakdown for Man Of Steel on the website. Please send any comments, questions, fee...
Jun 29, 2013•1 hr 36 min
