Sean Lawrence

John Truby Ranks the 2015 Oscars  Spoiler alert:  this breakdown divulges key information about the plot of the film.  Oscar nominations are out, which makes this a good time to review and learn from the Best Films of 2014. John Truby crystallizes the essence of 17 top films from last year, and ranks them from best to worst. Films that earned Oscar nominations for either Picture or Writing, Original or Adapted, have an asterisk ( * ). We’ve also put links to official sites where you can download the screenplays for most of the films. * 1.  The Grand Budapest Hotel:  A story within a story within a story about the wonder of storytelling in a magical hotel that time forgot, until now.  Download the script . * 2.  The Imitation Game:  A conventional but beautifully executed script that goes in one door – cracking the Nazi code – and comes out another – a man tragically persecuted because he is gay. Classic storytelling in the screenplay form....

HBO Invites You and a Guest to a Sneak Preview of "Looking" Season 2! HBO is hosting a sneak preview of the second season of their hit show "Looking" at the Plaza! You are invited, but you better RSVP soon! Read on » Passes and MovieHopper Cards for the 2015 Atlanta Film Festival are available now. In addition to all-you-can-watch access to the Festival in March, every Pass and MovieHopper Card includes a 2015 ATLFF Membership, which is valid immediately and expires at the end of 2015. Benefits of Membership include: Opportunities to attend advance screenings of upcoming theatrical release films Free and discounted tickets to ATLFF screenings, classes, and other events throughout the year Admission for two to our annual Holiday Party ...and more! Click here to get your ATLFF 2015 Pass and Membership.

   http://podcasts.finaldraft.com/?utm_source=Final%20Draft&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=November-2014-Newsletter Tue, 11 November 2014 Sleepy Hollow Co-Creator Phillip Iscove on the Evolution of a Hit Show Phillip Iscove, creator of hit TV series Sleepy Hollow, talks about his early days at film school in Toronto, working as an assistant at powerhouse agency UTA for eight years, and how Sleepy Hollow was not just his first sale: it also saved him from being kicked out of the country. Along the way he discusses the prevalence of genre stories on television, the challenges of working on such a large budget show, and what he looks for when hiring staff writers. Direct download: 141110_PhillipIscove.m4a Category:screenwriting -- posted at: 4:32 PM Fri, 24 October 2014 ’St Vincent’ Writer/Director Ted Melfi talks about his new dramedy starring Bill Murray Ted Melfi talks about how, while working in a cafe to pay the bills and doing security at a ...

  Hello, Not many weekends offer an opportunity like this one and I want to make sure you know about it. I'd like to encourage you to make the most of these next few days by getting your work in front of a remarkable roster of  Hollywood's decision-makers. The Screenwriters World Conference-which begins today in Los Angeles-serves as your introduction to the people who can make things happen in your career. And there are plenty of built-in opportunities to network all weekend long, including the event's signature  Pitch Slam. Plus, when you register for the Pitch Slam, you're guaranteed inclusion in the Pitch Slam Logline Directory.  Your name, contact information, logline and details about your script will be sent to every agent and exec in attendance for review after the event. Not only is it your chance to preserve your pitch in the exact way you'd like it remembered, it's also a great reminder for those agents who heard something they liked, but perha...

Watch ATLFF Official Selections at home with Film Festival Collective With our new XFINITY On Demand channel, you can watch official selections from ATLFF and other festivals on your own television! Read on » Indiewire's 'Top Films of 2014 So Far' Includes Six ATLFF Selections Indiewire's survey of the best films released so far in 2014 includes six ATLFF films. That's 12% of the list that screened at this year's festival! Read on » Actor, activist, and ATLFF friend Ruby Dee passes away at 91 Cinema legend, Academy Award nominee, Grammy and Emmy winner Ruby Dee passed away at 91. She was known for her roles in RAISIN IN THE SUN, DO THE RIGHT THING and AMERICAN GANGSTER. In 2001, Atlanta Film Festival (known then as IMAGE Film & Video) inaugurated the Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis Awards. Dee helped to establish the awards in memory of her late husband and fellow actor, Ossie Davis, and the festival presented the awards for several years. R...

"Cyber-Seniors" returns to Atlanta for a full-week run at The Plaza As part of our Best of Fest, we are excited to bring ATLFF '14 hit documentary "Cyber-Seniors" back to Atlanta for a week long run at The Plaza Theatre, June 20th - 26th. Read on » ATLFF & XFINITY Partner To Create The Film Festival Collective VOD Program The Atlanta Film Festival and XFINITY announced today the creation of the Film Festival Collective, a program to showcase the best film festival programming in the Southeast and to foster the discovery of new filmmaking talent from around the world. The XFINITY On Demand program will feature short films and other quality content from a variety of film festivals across the Southeastern United States. Read on » Don't miss the Women with Knives - Handcrafted Film Tour this Friday! Experimental animators Kelly Gallagher, Lauren Cook and Charlotte Taylor are bringing their handcrafted films to MINT Gallery! Presented ...