New Issue Of Script Magazine

The New Issue Of Script is out, here's what's inside:

Australia
by Ray Morton
As Baz Luhrmann ruminated over what film would follow his lauded Moulin Rouge!, he found himself focusing on the idea of national identity. With fellow Australian screenwriter Stuart Beattie -- and some polishes from Oscar(R)-winner Ronald Harwood and historian-novelist Richard Flanagan -- Luhrmann crafted what he calls an “action/romance/comedy/sweeping-epic drama” around the history of his homeland.

Script to Screen: Doubt
by David S. Cohen
Playwright John Patrick Shanley turned his experience of living life without certainty into an award-winning play, Doubt, then battled his own doubts to adapt and direct it for the screen. Here, Doubt producer Scott Rudin and Shanley describe how the Pulitzer and Tony®-winning story commands each player equal credibility, and equal distrust.

Anatomy of a Scene: Defiance
by Bob Verini
Films about real-life resistance to Nazi terror expose the best and worst of the human condition. Edward Zwick (The Last Samurai) and Clayton Frohman (Under Fire) discuss their odyssey to bring the saga of the Bielski brothers to the screen, and explain how the needs of production designers, a movie star’s integrity, and the passage of 10 years transformed the film’s climactic sequence.

Writers on Writing: Revolutionary Road
by Justin Haythe
Every year, come awards season, it seems one bold tale of marital discord racks up nominations and racks the nerves of audiences. (Think: Little Children, The Squid and the Whale, Far From Heaven.) This year, in Justin Haythe’s adaptation of Revolutionary Road, the marriage exposed is that of Frank and April Wheeler, and the marital challenges they face cut as close to the bone as any previously explored onscreen.

Taking Note
by Mark Kratter
Taking notes can be a frustrating exercise. Understanding notes enough to implement them can lead to sleepless nights and indigestion. Enter producer-screenwriter Mark Kratter to help make sense of the crypticisms that are script notes.

ProdCo Spotlight: The Halcyon Company
by Joshua Stecker
He said he would be back. And he was, until he was elected governor of California. Then in 2006, The Halcyon Company picked up the Terminator franchise and is readying -- sans Arnold -- a brand-new trilogy with an audience-interactive mission.

Writers on Writing: Milk
by Dustin Lance Black
As California voters get ready to vote on Proposition 8, a biopic about one of the state’s gay-rights icons awaits release. Scribe Dustin Lance Black explains the personal journey of writing Milk.

In the Minority
by Jenna Milly
While women continually turn in scripts for smart character studies and big box-office comedies, they represent just 20% of working screenwriters. A look at women writers and their grosses in 2008.

Sex and Screenwriting
by Mystery Man
When two characters meet between the sheets, it can be for any number of reasons -- but the most effective reasons are: to drive the plot and raise the stakes, just as with fully clothed characters.

Market as You Write
by Debra L. Eckerling
As you’re hunched over your keyboard, a marketing strategy might be the last thing on your mind. Here, an agent, script consultant, producer, and development executive explain why it shouldn’t be.

New Media: Big Names Change the Online Game
by Robert Gustafson & Alec McNayr
The Internet has long been considered a level playing field -- the little guy could thrive and the big guy could take creative risks. Now that more big names are taking to the Web, will the little guy get squeezed out of the online game?

Independents: The Batman Effect
by William Martell
The summer of 2008 came and went, and Iron Man and The Dark Knight changed blockbusters forever by incorporating the edge and intelligence of indie films. In this issue, William Martell discusses why our superheroes are looking more human.

Good Examples: Artful Action Scenes
by Ray Morton
Action films must be tense, taut, and full of electric moments. But many films -- from intimate family dramas to broad slapstick comedies -- feature one or more action scenes. Follow these good examples, no matter what genre you’re writing.

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- Bill