Bulletproof Screenwriting Episode 49:
Today on the show we have Hollywood screenwriter, director, producer, podcaster and novelist John August. He is known for writing the hit Hollywood films Go, Charlie’s Angels, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, Big Fish, Charlie, and the Chocolate Factory and Frankenweenie, the Disney live-action adaptation of Aladdin and the novel Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire. Here are some of the trailers of his work.
He hosts the popular screenwriting podcast Scriptnotes with Craig Mazin, maintains an eponymous screenwriting blog and develops screenwriter-targeted software called Highland 2.5 through his company, Quote-Unquote Apps.
Enjoy my conversation with John August.
In this episode of “Just Click Submit,” the ISA’s Scott Markus speaks with Stephen Zimmer, the creator of Louisville’s Imaginarium Convention, a festival celebrating writers and all things pop culture.
The Imaginarium Convention made its debut in 2014 with a central focus on providing creative writers and other creative talents educational, networking, professional, and mentoring opportunities. In 2019, The Writer Magazine named the Imaginarium Convention the best writing conference in Kentucky and the 2nd best writing conference in the Southeast USA.
The Imaginarium Convention welcomes all genres and levels of experience, maintaining an inclusive, welcoming environment that brings together the vibrant atmosphere of a convention with the content-rich nature of a major writers conference. Three days filled with over 130 panels and workshops provide creative individuals an abundance to choose from to develop skill-sets to further their professional and artistic journeys.
In supporting creative writing in all forms, The Imaginarium Convention embraces Game Development and Film/TV production, including programming content in each of these areas, a weekend-long gaming room, and an independent film festival with juried awards.
More recently, The Imaginarium Convention has begun to develop the Imaginarium Initiative, to help facilitate support and educational opportunities for communities in need. Our first target area for this program will be the Eastern Kentucky region.
A positive event that provides a wide range of support and beneficial elements to a diverse array of attendees, Imaginarium is dedicated to continue growing and expanding what we can offer to those pursuing a creative path.
Episode 288
In this episode of the SYS Podcast I talk with screenwriter Aaron Harvey about his career and how he got his new film, Into The Ashes, into production. Like many aspiring screenwriters, Aaron grew up far from Hollywood and without any industry connections. In the interview he goes through his journey moving to LA and building a career for himself.
Episode 287
This week on the podcast I talk with writer/director/actor Christopher Bradley about his new indie drama, The Trigger, which he shot in Arizona. We talk through his process making this film as well as his career and what brought him to this point.
Episode 286
This week on the SYS Podcast episode I talk with Writer/Director Jérôme Cohen-Olivar about his early days growing up in Morocco and how that lead him to a career writing and directing, including his latest horror feature film, The 16th Episode.
Episode 285
This week on the podcast I talk with producer Steve Longi about his process for finding, developing, and producing films. Specifically we talk about Hacksaw Ridge (Mel Gibson) and how that project came together after many years.
Is Artificial Intelligence Putting Screenwriters Out of Work? with Andrew Kortschak
Today on the show we have filmmaker Andrew Kortschak. In today’s digital age, where ‘releasing’ a film involves putting it on Vimeo, new filmmakers often struggle to rise above the noise and break into the exclusive industry.
Andrew has a unique approach to this problem and in fact joined forces with a Silicon Valley venture capitalist to build End Cue like a tech startup: via a bi-coastal incubator model where directors cut their teeth and build their portfolios doing commercial work. On such alum of this approach is Jon Watts – Andrew co-produced his NBR award-winning film Cop Carbefore he’d go on to direct Spiderman: Homecoming.
To further address the pain-points of young producers, End Cue even sprouted groundbreaking Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to save time during the scriptwriting process. This was a fascinating conversation. Enjoy my talk with Andrew Kortschak.
Today on the show we have screenwriters David and Diamond and David Weissman. Their credits include studios movies like Family Man, Evolution, Old Dogs and When in Rome. We discuss their adventures in the screenwriting trade, working with studios and their new book Bulletproof: Writing Scripts that Don’t Get Shot Down.
The team of Diamond and Weissman have been writing movies and mentoring filmmakers for decades. In this practical guide, they take the aspiring writer by the hand and guide them through the logistics and tools of writing an attention-grabbing, audience-pleasing screenplay. Readers will learn the interests and needs of managers, agents, producers, executives, financiers, directors, and actors. Diamond and Weissman attribute their phenomenal success to a career-long focus on the motives and priorities of film sponsors and benefactors.
Whether it’s a theatrical release or a streaming movie, a major, big-budget tent pole or an intimate, character-driven indie drama, Diamond and Weissman apply their time-tested approach. This fresh way of thinking will resonate with writers, industry professionals, and cinephiles excited to peek under the hood at what makes their favorite films tick.
Bulletproof: Writing Scripts that Don’t Get Shot Down is the rare screenwriting instructional penned by authors with both massive credits and decades of business experience.
Enjoy my conversation with David Diamond and David Weissman.
Why do we have favorite characters from movies and TV? What makes them our favorite? What makes them memorable? On this episode of Wine Wednesday, sponsored by John Truby and Steele Wines, Felicity and Max share their favorite characters and what makes them...favorite. Join in. Grab a glass of vino. And have a little fun with Facebook Live and the ISA.
A huge thanks to our sponsors, The Story Farm and Steele Wines. If you're looking to develop multiple projects over a short period of time, we recommend inquiring with Max on his consulting and development service, The Story Farm. He and continues to help so many writers reach their maximum storytelling potential. Go to www.TheStoryFarm.org to learn more or email him: max@thestoryfarm.org
Remember, Felicity Wren and Max Timm always have open Q&A during every Facebook Live broadcast, so you should tune in when they broadcast their next live chat. Even though most broadcasts focus on a particular subject, every writer is welcome to ask anything they like at any time. Felicity and Max will do their best to give you a straight and honest answer.
This is a podcast recording of the ISA's Facebook Live broadcast of Wine Wednesdays. Please note that some promotions offered during the live broadcast are no longer available. We can, however, assist you if you wish to find out more information regarding ISA events, contests, or consulting offers. Just reach out to info@networkisa.org and we will be happy to help.
You can reach out to Max regarding any type of query: max@networkisa.org If you have particular interest in working with him on a one-on-one coaching and development basis, email him at max@thestoryfarm.org. His Story Farm development and coaching service is quickly becoming the best in the business! Felicity can also be reached at Felicity@networkisa.org. She, too, can work with you one-on-one, so don't hesitate to inquire. We can't wait to support you.
Subjects and themes for the broadcasts change from week to week, so stay tuned on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm Los Angeles time. For a specific schedule and set of announcements, "Like" the ISA Facebook page and keep up to date.
BPS 047: What Makes a Great Screenplay with Stephen Follows
What Makes a Great Screenplay with Stephen Follows
What if someone could read over 12,000 scripts that were read by professional script readers, who gave the scripts an overall score as well as scores for specific factors including plot, dialogue, characterization, theme, and voice. Then looked for connections and correlations to discover what professional script readers think a good screenplay looks like. Well, today on the show I have that man, Stephen Follows.
It’s a monster of a report — 65 pages to be exact — that examines data from over 12,000 screenplays – mostly written by amateurs, but some of them written by professionals and major Hollywood actors. Using rigorous data analysis methodologies, Stephen and his team found some fascinating correlations.
Click here to read the report: Judging Screenplays By Their Coverage Report
What They Found
Here’s just a taste of this amazing report. Later sections go into more detail and more topics, but below are nine tips screenwriters should take on board to help improve their chances of impressing script readers.
Know thy genre. Your priorities should rest on the particular nature of your chosen genre. For example, Family films place the highest premium on catharsis, while for Action films it’s plot.
Some stories work better than others. The vast majority of scripts can be summarized using just six basic emotional plot arcs – and some perform better than others.
If you’re happy and you know it, redraft your script. Film is about conflict and drama and for almost all genres, the happier the scripts were, the worse they performed. The one notable exception was comedy, where the reverse is true.
Swearing is big and it is clever. There is a positive correlation between the level of swearing in a script and how well it scored, for all but the sweariest screenplays.
It’s not about length, it’s what you do with it. The exact length doesn’t matter too much, so long as your script is between 90 and 130 pages. Outside of those approximate boundaries scores drop precipitously.
Don’t rush your script for a competition. The closer to the deadline a script was finished, the worse it performed.
Use flashbacks responsibly. Scripts with more than fifteen flashbacks perform worse than those with few to no flashbacks.
VO is A-OK. Some in the industry believe that frequent use of voiceover is an indicator of a bad movie, however, we found no such correlation. We suggest that any complaints on the topic should be sent to editors, rather than writers.
Don’t worry if you’re underrepresented within your genre – it’s your superpower. Female writers outperform male writers in male-dominated genres (such as Action) and the reverse is true in female-dominated genres (such as Family).
Stephen Follows is an established data researcher in the film industry whose work has been featured in the New York Times, The Times, The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Daily Mail, The Mirror, The Evening Standard, Newsweek, The New Statesman, AV Club, and Indiewire.
He acted as an industry consultant and guest on the BBC Radio 4 series The Business of Film, which was topped the iTunes podcast chart, and has consulted for a wide variety of clients, including the Smithsonian in Washington.
I just love Stephen and his amazing ability to crunch numbers for the benefit of the filmmaking community. He’s truly doing God’s work. Get ready to go down the rabbit hole and see what makes a great screenplay.
IFH Episode 325: What Negative Filmmaking Story Are You Telling Yourself?
We all tell ourselves negative stories. I’m not good enough. I can’t write that. I can’t direct a feature film. These stories are killing us day in and day out. It took me 20+ years to finally change the story I was telling myself about being able to direct a feature film. When I finally changed that negative story I was able to make This is Meg, self-distributed it and even sold the film to Hulu and overseas.
Once you change the stories you tell yourself you will change your life. In this episode, I do a deep dive into the negative stories we tell ourselves as filmmakers, screenwriters, and creatives.
Buckle up. There are a TON of truth bombs in this episode!
IFH 323: Creating Emotional Storytelling in the Edit with Sven Pape
Creating Emotional Storytelling in the Edit with Sven Pape
Today on the show we Sven Pape. Sven is an A.C.E. Award-nominated editor who cut for James Cameron, Mark Weber, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and James Franco. We get into the weeds on editing, storytelling, the business of editing and much more. Oh, did I mention Sven worked with James Cameron for three years? We definitely go into that. Sven Pape’s YouTube Channel This Guys Edit is an awesome resource for filmmakers and editors alike.
You might have heard the saying:
‘Great editing is invisible.’ While that may be true I aim to shed a little light onto the craft. I’m not saying that I have achieved greatness or ever will. This channel is simply about helping you (and me) become more aware of the creative power of editing and to celebrate the “invisible performers in the editing room”.
Why do we do what we do? As writers, our primary objective is to instil some kind of emotion in the audience regardless of the medium. If you're writing a short film, that short story needs to be packed with a message from start to finish. If you're writing a TV series, little by little that show has to provide a source of entertainment over a long period of time. For a feature film, it's just as pressurized as a short film, only it's technically more difficult because you're relying on the audience to invest two hours (or more) of their time in what you created. Writing a novel? You're in for an even bigger set of responsibilities. At its most simple, storytelling is about evoking an emotional response within the people consuming what you created. How do you do that? Tune in to this episode of Wine Wednesday and listen in on what Felicity and Max think.
A huge thanks to our sponsors, The Story Farm and Steele Wines. If you're looking to develop multiple projects over a short period of time, we recommend inquiring with Max on his consulting and development service, The Story Farm. He and continues to help so many writers reach their maximum storytelling potential. Go to www.TheStoryFarm.org to learn more or email him: max@thestoryfarm.org
Remember, Felicity Wren and Max Timm always have open Q&A during every Facebook Live broadcast, so you should tune in when they broadcast their next live chat. Even though most broadcasts focus on a particular subject, every writer is welcome to ask anything they like at any time. Felicity and Max will do their best to give you a straight and honest answer.
This is a podcast recording of the ISA's Facebook Live broadcast of Wine Wednesdays. Please note that some promotions offered during the live broadcast are no longer available. We can, however, assist you if you wish to find out more information regarding ISA events, contests, or consulting offers. Just reach out to info@networkisa.org and we will be happy to help.
You can reach out to Max regarding any type of query: max@networkisa.org If you have particular interest in working with him on a one-on-one coaching and development basis, email him at max@thestoryfarm.org. His Story Farm development and coaching service is quickly becoming the best in the business! Felicity can also be reached at Felicity@networkisa.org. She, too, can work with you one-on-one, so don't hesitate to inquire. We can't wait to support you.
Subjects and themes for the broadcasts change from week to week, so stay tuned on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm Los Angeles time. For a specific schedule and set of announcements, "Like" the ISA Facebook page and keep up to date.
Bulletproof Screenwriting Episode 46:
Today on the show we have million dollar screenwriter Diane Drake. Her produced original scripts include ONLY YOU, starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Marisa Tomei, and WHAT WOMEN WANT, starring Mel Gibson. Her original script for ONLY YOU sold for $1 million, and WHAT WOMEN WANT is the second highest grossing romantic comedy of all time (Box Office Mojo). In addition, both films have recently been remade in China featuring major Chinese stars. And WHAT WOMEN WANT has recently been remade by Paramount Pictures as WHAT MEN WANT, with Taraji Henson starring in the Mel Gibson role.
Diane, who is a member of the Writers Guild of America, recently authored her first book,Get Your Story Straight, a step-by-step guide to writing your screenplay. She has taught screenwriting through UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, and now offers story consulting, and her own guided online course via her website.
Diane has also been a speaker/instructor for The Austin Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, Rocaberti Writers Retreat in Dordogne, France, the American Film Market, Scriptwriters Network, Phoenix Screenwriters Association, Stowe Story Labs, Romance Writers of America, Oklahoma Writers Federation, University Club, Storyboard Development Group and the Writers Store, among others; and a judge for the Humanitas Prize, the Austin Film Festival and the UCLA Writers Program.
In this episode, we get into the nitty-gritty of being a screenwriter in Hollywood. Diane is very open about her experiences, the good and the terrible. If you want to be a working screenwriter in Hollywood then get ready to take notes.
Bulletproof Screenwriting Podcast - Episode 45:
I wish I had someone to tell me this early on my screenwriting journey. In this episode, I go over what happened to me when I was starting out, how my friends affected me and my ability to move forward in my career and what happened to me when I moved to Los Angeles over a decade ago. I discuss how the people around you affect you on a personal, professional and even spiritual level.
Episode 284
This week on the podcast I talk with Director Elle Callahan about her background working in the sound department and how that helped her get into a position to direct her first feature film, Head Count.
Episode 283
In this episode of the podcast I talk with writers Justin Kelly and Savannah Knoop about how they took Knoop's autobiographical book and turned it into a feature film, and then how they got that screenplay produced.
SYS Episode 282
This week on the SYS Podcast I talk with Irish writer/director Liam O Mochain. Liam has written/directed/produced numerous short films and he shot his latest feature like a short film, shooting several small stories and then weaving them together in post-production.
Today on the show we have the legendary Linda Segar. Linda was one of my first ever interviews back when I launched Indie Film Hustle and her episode is by far one of the most popular ever. Here’s some info on our lovely guest.
In 1981, Linda Seger created and defined the career of Script Consultant. She based her business on a method for analyzing scripts that she had developed for her doctoral dissertation project. Since then, she has consulted on over 2,000 scripts including over 50 produced feature films and over 35 produced television projects. Linda was the consultant for Peter Jackson’s breakthrough film, Brain Dead and for Roland Emmerich’s breakthrough film, Universal Soldier.
She was the script consultant on Pasttime and Picture Bride–both winners of the Audience Favorite Award at the Sundance Film Festival–as well as for the films The Long Walk Home, The Neverending Story II, Luther, Romero, and television movies and mini-series including The Bridge, the Danish-Swedish mini-series (now playing in the US).
Other clients include Ray Bradbury who said, “Linda’s technique is a light to see by,” William Kelley, Linda Lavin, and production companies, film studios, producers, directors, and writers from over 33 countries.
Having authored nine books on scriptwriting, including the best selling Making A Good Script Great, Linda is one of the most prolific writers in her field.
Here new book The Collaborative Art of Filmmaking: From Script to Screen explores what goes into the making of Hollywood’s greatest motion pictures. Join veteran script consultant Linda Seger as she examines contemporary and classic screenplays on their perilous journey from script to screen. This fully revised and updated edition includes interviews with over 80 well-known artists in their fields including writers, producers, directors, actors, editors, composers, and production designers.
Their discussions about the art and craft of filmmaking – including how and why they make their decisions – provides filmmaking and screenwriting students and professionals with the ultimate guide to creating the best possible “blueprint” for a film and to also fully understand the artistic and technical decisions being made by all those involved in the process.
On this episode, we have 17-year-old scriptwriter and filmmaker Jonathan Perry who directed a large budget short film titled SUBNIVEAN which will debut on Amazon Prime June 12, 2019, making Perry the youngest director on any streaming service. I know, it’s crazy.
After filming SUBNIVEAN in December of 2018, Perry and his team of producers wrote a nine-page appeal which was submitted to Amazon. Amazon accepted Perry’s appeal and formed a partnership with Perry. Perry’s partnership with Amazon includes the release of SUBNIVEAN on the Amazon Prime streaming platform, as well as coverage of select advertising costs. Additionally, Perry partnered with EDM band ODESZA for promotional sound mixing.
Once offered a large sum of money for his script titled SUBNIVEAN, Perry decided SUBNIVEAN may be his golden ticket into directing his first large budget feature film. Perry, still hard at work on SUBNIVEAN, doesn’t plan on taking any breaks after the Amazon release. Recently, Perry has signed with a Hollywood director and union members for his upcoming 2020 film with a starting budget of 1.5 million.
Director Jonathan Perry is from Sandusky, Ohio and began his early career in the film industry four years ago when he began writing scripts online for other filmmakers by selling the copyright to his work. Now, this is the part that blew me away, after writing nearly 40 scripts over the course of two years, Perry made a total of nearly $10,000. We go deep in how he did this and you will be surprised at his journey.
The film SUBNIVEAN introduces the viewer to two young brothers and their troubled relationship. Perry states in a film synopsis,
“After a vicious chase home from gathering firewood, an innocent boy unknowingly leads his brother to fall through an isolated pond. The boy has to accept and use his twisted hallucinations of hatred as his only hope to break the ice and save his brother in time or die trying.”
Need they say more than the title? The fine folks at Film Inquiry bring another episode of their podcast, all about one of the best directors of our time, Darren Aronofsky.
It's one of the top shows on Netflix, and if you haven't watched it...and you happen to like murder mysteries with serious emotion and serious laughs, dive in. It's worth every second. In this episode of Wine Wednesday, Max and Felicity discuss what they love about the show and why the show works (in their own humble opinion).
It's a question we all wonder; how can I get paid for what I do, and how much for what project and when and from whom? Yeah...it's a lot, and sadly it's all completely relative. Thankfully the WGA is there for writers to help regulate what writers should get paid, but not every writer is union, etc etc. Alongside how and when producers get paid, this is what Felicity and Max discuss on episode 64 of the ISA's Wine Wednesday broadcast. A huge thanks to our sponsors, YourScriptProduced.com and Steele Wines. Tune in and join one of the most informative broadcasts yet.
Remember, Felicity Wren and Max Timm always have open Q&A during every Facebook Live broadcast, so you should tune in when they broadcast their next live chat. Even though most broadcasts focus on a particular subject, every writer is welcome to ask anything they like at any time. Felicity and Max will do their best to give you a straight and honest answer.
This is a podcast recording of the ISA's Facebook Live broadcast of Wine Wednesdays. Please note that some promotions offered during the live broadcast are no longer available. We can, however, assist you if you wish to find out more information regarding ISA events, contests, or consulting offers. Just reach out to info@networkisa.org and we will be happy to help.
You can reach out to Max regarding any type of query: max@networkisa.org If you have particular interest in working with him on a one-on-one coaching and development basis, email him at max@thestoryfarm.org. His Story Farm development and coaching service is quickly becoming the best in the business! Felicity can also be reached at Felicity@networkisa.org. She, too, can work with you one-on-one, so don't hesitate to inquire. We can't wait to support you.
Subjects and themes for the broadcasts change from week to week, so stay tuned on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm Los Angeles time. For a specific schedule and set of announcements, "Like" the ISA Facebook page and keep up to date.
Whether you loved or hated the series finale of Game of Thrones (or you're somewhere in the middle like Max and Felicity), this episode of Wine Wednesday should be a fun one. Feel free to agree, disagree, argue, or praise - it's the whole point of a dissection of a TV show. Max and Felicity don't quite get into the educational approach to screenwriting in this episode (though it's tough for Max not to go there), and instead they dive into their basic fandom and share thoughts and comments with the ISA's Facebook Live viewers. It's a fun one, and yes there are major spoilers if you haven't yet watched the end - so, you have been forewarned. Enjoy.
Remember, Felicity Wren and Max Timm always have open Q&A during every Facebook Live broadcast, so you should tune in when they broadcast their next live chat. Even though most broadcasts focus on a particular subject, every writer is welcome to ask anything they like at any time. Felicity and Max will do their best to give you a straight and honest answer.
This is a podcast recording of the ISA's Facebook Live broadcast of Wine Wednesdays. Please note that some promotions offered during the live broadcast are no longer available. We can, however, assist you if you wish to find out more information regarding ISA events, contests, or consulting offers. Just reach out to info@networkisa.org and we will be happy to help.
You can reach out to Max regarding any type of query: max@networkisa.org If you have particular interest in working with him on a one-on-one coaching and development basis, email him at max@thestoryfarm.org. His Story Farm development and coaching service is quickly becoming the best in the business! Felicity can also be reached at Felicity@networkisa.org. She, too, can work with you one-on-one, so don't hesitate to inquire. We can't wait to support you.
Subjects and themes for the broadcasts change from week to week, so stay tuned on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm Los Angeles time. For a specific schedule and set of announcements, "Like" the ISA Facebook page and keep up to date.
Got advice? Need some? In this conversation with the ISA's Dir of Education, Story Farm Consultant, and writer/producer, Max Timm, we offer up so many juicy pieces of advice and wisdom, the interview is a can't miss.
Randall Jahnson has delivered scripts for both large and small screens; in both studio and independent realms; in genres ranging from horror to historical. He’s worked with such diverse filmmaking talent as Steven Spielberg, Penelope Spheeris, Spike Lee, Alec Baldwin, Brad Pitt, and the late Jonathan Demme. Among his produced credits are the punk rock western Dudes, The Doors, The Mask of Zorro, Sunset Strip, the Norwegian indie, Dryads - Girls Don’t Cry, and episodes of the HBO cable series, Tales from the Crypt.
Dive in and get your learning on! If you'd like to learn more about Max and his consulting services, go to www.TheStoryFarm.org and find out how he can help and what you can do to up your game.
Episode 281
This week on the SYS Podcast Writer/Director Tony Germinario comes on the show to talk about his crime drama feature, The Price For Silence. We also talk through his writing process and how he was able to get the screenplay produced.