People & News
The Buzz
Conan lives! Plus, the latest gossip on Batman: The Frightening, and the cinematic spin-offs of Magnum, P.I. and The Hardy Boys.

Breaking In
Fernley Phillips
Nikki Reed
Catherine Hardwicke

Anatomy of a Spec Sale
Some writers wait an eternity before one of their specs goes into production, but for relative newcomer Sarah Thorp, the Hollywood machine is running at full throttle.

Lost Scenes
Alien birthed a huge franchise and many a career but didnt start out as the film you love - find out why.

People
Tim Sullivan
Steve Niles
Jacob Krueger
David Kajganich

DVD Spotlight
Black Hawk Down, Punch-Drunk Love, The Lion King, and more.

The Code
Lessons from the ad world.

Why I Write
Actor-turned-writer/director Keith Gordon talks about why he thinks original screenplays are miraculous and how adaptations are like falling in love.

Coming Soon...
Pieces of April
Peter Hedges digital video film sparked heavy buzz at Sundance, but can such an intimate and personal film survive in the marketplace? By Jeff Goldsmith

Kill Bill
Tarantino's latest script proves that in the past seven years he's improved his style, his deft touch with humanizing killers, and his page count. By David Konow

The Station Agent
Writer/director Tom McCarthys film about a dwarf won both the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award and the Audience Award at the 2003 Sundance Festival. By Jeff Goldsmith

Wonderland
Like a trip down the rabbit hole, this neo-noir mystery set in the early 80s porn world will take you to some strange, strange places. By Nancy Hendrickson

Columns
The Busine$$ of Screenwriting
Where All the Stories?
With the dominance of the SFX-driven blockbuster, have we lost the art of storytelling? by Ron Suppa

Writer Beware!
Prices Go Up Thursday!
L.A. screenwriters may be savvy about scams, but what about the guy in Peoria? by David Lanning

Agents Hot Sheet
Ill Tell You No Lies
What to do when your manager blows you off, when to not pay an agent, and what not to say. by Jim Cirile

Belly of the Beast
Reader Q & A Session
Readers seek answers or advice on specific matters. by Michael Lent

Our Craft
The Causality Commandment
Following the overly rigid cause and effect decree may weaken your screenplay. by Jeff Newman

The Contest Beat
Your Screenwriting Career
How do you decide which contests are right for you? by Patricia B. Smith

The Final Scene
In the Cut by Jane Campion and Susanna Moore

Features
The New Face of Horror: Gory Days Are Here Again Were in the middle of a horror renaissance, and there couldnt be a more opportune time for writers to exhume their original horror specs. Ryan Turek tracks the genre from where its been to what studios and independents alike are unleashing on audiences today. By Ryan Turek

The Craft of Adaptation
Top adapters Anthony Minghella, Joseph Stefano, Ted Tally, Jim Uhls, and Robert B. Wiede talk to Jeff Goldsmith about their methods and philosophies for translating novels into screenplays. By Jeff Goldsmith

Brian Helgelands Visions of Darkness
With two Brian Helgeland films opening this fall, Steve Ryfle talks to the writer of Mystic River and writer/director of The Order about the art and craft of writing for others and for yourself. By Steve Ryfle

Five Approaches to the Character-Driven Screenplay
What kind of work goes into writing a character-driven screenplay? Do professional screenwriters think about character arc or let the characters take them where they want to go? Sofia Coppola, Tim McCanlies, Billy Ray, John Sayles, and Audrey Wells discuss how they face the challenges of creating credible characters and then translating them to the big screen. By Peter N. Chumo II

The Exorcist: A Conversation with William Peter Blatty
William Peter Blatty was known as a comedy writer before he embarked on the novel that would become the basis for one of the most popular and horrifying films of the 20th century. Blatty talks about the writing, production, and two-decade-later revisions that created this horror classic. by Bill Baer

Rough Cut: Jane Campion and Susanna Moore
Self-described womens writer Susanna Moore surprised fans and critics when she wrote the graphic sexual thriller In the Cut. She also surprised writer/director Jane Campion, who had never been interested in thrillers before. The two talk about adapting Moores book into Campions film. by David Konow