Tales from the Script (2009)

War stories and life lessons from the industry's top writers.

Director:

Peter Hanson

Writers:

Peter Hanson, Paul Robert Herman,

Stars:

Allison Anders, Jane Anderson, Doug Atchison

Cast

Credited cast:
Allison Anders	...	Herself
Jane Anderson	...	Herself
Doug Atchison	...	Himself
John August	...	Himself
Shane Black	...	Himself
John D. Brancato	...	Himself
John Carpenter	...	Himself
Larry Cohen	...	Himself
Frank Darabont	...	Himself
Steven E. de Souza	...	Himself
Gerald Di Pego	...	Himself
Mark Fergus	...	Himself
Antwone Fisher	...	Himself
Naomi Foner	...	Herself
Joe Forte	...	Himself

Storyline

Shane Black ("Lethal Weapon"), John Carpenter ("Halloween"), Frank Darabont ("The Shawshank Redemption"), William Goldman ("The Princess Bride"), Paul Schrader ("Taxi Driver"), and dozens of other Hollywood screenwriters share hilarious anecdotes and penetrating insights in "Tales from the Script," the most comprehensive documentary ever made about screenwriting. By analyzing their triumphs and recalling their failures, the participants explain how successful writers develop the skills necessary for toughing out careers in one of the world's most competitive industries. They also reveal the untold stories behind some of the greatest screenplays ever written, describing their adventures with luminaries including Harrison Ford, Stanley Kubrick, Joel Silver, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg. The film was produced in tandem with the upcoming HarperCollins book of the same name.

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Plot Keywords:

writer | screenwriter | los angeles california | hollywood california | father son relationship

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Taglines:

Hollywood screenwriters finally get the last word.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 January 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pass! Screenwriters on Surviving Hollywood Rejection

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$1,938 (USA) (5 March 2010)

Gross:

$6,764 (USA) (19 March 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Grand River Films, Jade Tiger Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

Steven E. de Souza: [while saying the following, de Souza lifts one foot to show he's wearing a flat-soled shoe] The most important thing in a screenwriter's arsenal is this: Wear flats. You never want to be taller than whoever the producer is... and you are already. I'm just telling you right now; I don't have to do the statistics; I don't need a double-blind study. All the screenwriters are taller, in general, than all the producers.

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Connections

References Bruce Almighty (2003)

User Reviews

Excellent behind the scenes movie

After reading the book, Tales from the Script by Paul Herman and Peter Hanson, I watched the movie. It was very interesting and engaging. I particularly enjoyed the way they edited the interviews together to develop an overall understanding of screen writing and the film making process. Hearing the screenwriters discuss their journeys from page to screen was enlightening. I think Peter Hanson and Paul Herman did a great job of getting a diversity of screenwriters and putting together thoughtful interviews. Seeing the people who have written some of my favorite movies was interesting, and I ended up learning about some great movies I've never seen through reading the book and seeing the film. I would definitely recommend this movie and book to anyone who is interested in screen writing or just a general film geek.