by Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent In a Screenwriting Galaxy Far, Far, Away, the Writers Guild Foundation (https://www.wgfoundation.org) once held “Words Into Pictures,” a series of conferences that brightened the years 1997, 1999, and 2002, with debates about everything from character development to story-craft. Around about 1999, David Koepp (writer of Jurassic Park, The Panic Room and more) and Stand By Me’s Rob Reiner got into it over VFX vs Storytelling. &...

 My previous article on Transformers appears to have been on target when I said Big Toys Means Big Box Office now its time for the merchandizing to kick in.  http://tinyurl.com/nub9eq With over $340 million in domestic U.S. theatrical receipts Transformers has ignited a feeding frenzy in the stores for toys. A front page article in today's Los Angeles Times fills in the details. Mattel looks like it will have a fabulous year and G.I. Joe is coming up next.Just click on one of these links belo...

I thought this was a particularly good interview with Michael Bay and since Transformers premiered at the LA Film Festival, I wanted to include this interview in this blog.  Robin Rowe, a Los Angeles screenwriter and facilitator of weekly filmmaker events, asks Bay practical questions that I think a lot of filmmakers will appreciate.  Enjoy!  (Contact information for Robin is at the bottom of this email.) Michael Bay Interview: Transformersby Robin Rowe [More articles] Read Robin's Sci-...

Since Transformers premiered at the LA Film Festival, I am including this review here.  Personally, I love this movie.  I have a short video from the Transformers premiere and block party posted on this site.  Check it out if you haven't seen it!Transformers Review* * * * (Guest review by Robin Rowe, Movie Editor)STARRING: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Jon Voight, Bernie Mac, Tyrese Gibson, Rachael Taylor, Amaury Nolasco, Kevin Dunn, Ronnie Sperling2007, 144 Minutes, Directed by:...

WOW!  The Transformers preimere and block party last night at the LA Film Festival was OFF THE HOOK!  What an event.  The movie premiered in 5 theatres.  It was a little chaotic down there but with a "life-sized" Bubblebee guarding the "red" (it was blue) carpet, it was allll good!  This was my second time seeing this movie and I have to tell you, I loved it the second time just as much as I loved it the first time!  The crowd reaction is priceless.  People cheer and c...