Anyone can tell a story. We do it everyday. "You won't believe what happened to me at work." The problem comes in telling a great story. If you want to become a master storyteller you have to have a deep and precise understanding of subject, and the ability to translate your understanding into a story. John Tuby can teach you how.
Jeff Bollow is a producer/director, author, film festival organizer and public speaker. He has been in the film industry since age 12, starting as an actor before doing nearly every job in production (including experience in development, post-production and distribution).Through his production company, Jeff has reviewed over 15,000 project submissions, and has edited, assessed or mentored over 350 projects.
“Meditative Writing truly is “assisted self-discovery.” For the same reason writers should take acting classes, Meditative Writing helps you get down into your body, to work a scene or character from the inside out. The practice has applications even beyond writing, into directing, pitching, and just being in the world. This class and subsequent practice has been extremely helpful to me in my work.”
– Christine Boylan, Writer, “Leverage,” “Castle,” “Once Upon A Time”
Who Will Benefit From Meditative Writing?
Whether you are brand new to writing, or a seasoned writer looking to inject energy back into your writing, meditative writing will change your writing life forever.
Designed for writers of all types, including screenwriters, playwrights, poets, novelists, and writers of any other genre, here are just a few of the many benefits of this approach
Want a career in ten years? Flashback, nonlinear, ensemble and multi-plot structures are now mainstream in film and TV. You'll need them.
In this revolutionary course, award-winning writer Linda Aronson cracks the code of complex films like Pulp Fiction, 21 Grams and Memento, showing they aren't aberrations or 'devices' but structures in themselves, falling into six families. She explains that they work by multiplying, fracturing and reconstituting the one-hero chronological model according to patterns, patterns so predictable that writers can use them as templates for film, new generation TV series, games and cross media. Eureka!
Ever been told that flashbacks are lazy? The sign of a bad writer? TV has been using multiple stories, multiple protagonists and interweaving for ever, while flashback and ensemble films are so mainstream they routinely figure in the Oscars. Yet still we’re told that one hero on a chronological journey is the only game in town.
Unconvinced, British scriptwriter Linda Aronson watched and rewatched nonlinear and ensemble films to find out why some worked and others didn’t - and she cracked the code.
In this truly revolutionary course, she shows that these films are not aberrations and or 'devices', but structures in themselves, falling into six families. She explains how nonlinear and ensemble films multiply, fracture and reconstitute the one-hero chronological structure according to patterns so predictable that writers can use them as templates - for film, new generation TV series, games and cross media. Eureka! Suddenly, these previously inexplicable structures are doable, even for new writers. Suddenly, and amazingly, writers have a dazzling new range of storytelling options at their fingertips.
Out of her extensive practical TV experience, Linda also explains ways you might use fractured narrative
- to reinvent overworked film genres,
- to introduce suspense into predictable plotlines
- to reinvigorate long running TV serials;
- as a structural shape for an entire TV series (so that, for example, you could create a TV series using a Pulp Fiction style structure)
She discusses hybrid films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which combines one flashback story with one ensemble story, since hybrids in these forms are developing all the time.
And since none of these films are easy, she also explains what can go wrong and how to prevent it.
Ensemble and nonlinear writing are now everywhere and their use will increase. The one hero chronological journey model is no longer enough. This genuinely revolutionary course will show you the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of techniques everyone will have to master. So start now.
Linda Aronson BIO
Described by Linda Seger as ‘one of the most important voices in screenwriting’, British writer/ script consultant Linda Aronson teaches widely on the international screenwriting ‘guru circuit’ and is regarded by many as the world expert on nonlinear scriptwriting. She has credits for feature film, TV drama series, serials, mini-series, children’s TV, drama documentary, stage plays, four novels and short stories. She has often been employed to create TV drama series’ and has judged the Emmys. More recently, she has started advising on cross-media and is currently writing experimental immersive VR screenplays as well as mainstream scripts. Her screenwriting books The 21st Century Screenplay (translated into Polish and Czech) and Screenwriting Updated are required reading at many film schools internationally, including NYU and Berkeley. Teaching includes NYU, Columbia, Berkeley, American Film Institute, The Great American Pitchfest and many film schools and professional bodies elsewhere, including NFTS, London Screenwriters’ Festival, Swedish Film Institute, Swedish TV and BBC TV
For more information about Linda Aronson see Linda Aronson www.lindaaronson.com
Is there a mathematical element to comedy writing? For most of us creative types, we would hope there isn’t simply because it may bring back nightmarish flashbacks of high school trigonometry or something, but in this interview with stand-up comedian and comedy writer, Ian Edwards, Ian discusses the specifics of how a joke is constructed, but equally so, how important it is to just “feel it”. There is an emotional connection to writing that most writers naturally understand, and it’s important to stay connected to that gut feeling, but Ian reminds us how important hard work and a constant dedication to the craft is equally essential.
We talked about Ian’s adventure rising through the comedy ranks, even going as far back as first telling jokes through a Burger King drive thru. Like all writers, Ian evolved his personal voice over years of practice, but what I loved was that he admitted that any writer’s voice naturally changes as he or she grows and changes. So while the industry at large says, “you have to find your voice”, Ian’s ultimate statement here is that we really just need to be in tune with ourselves and how we naturally change through the years. And after Ian worked his way through the New York comedy scene, he brought his voice to Los Angeles eventually writing for shows such as The Cartoon Network’s “The Boondocks”, Adult Swim’s, “Black Dynamite”, the CBS hit “Two Broke Girls” and most recently ABC’s “Black-ish”. Ian is more than just a funny guy – he’s a talented writer, a dedicated writer, and is on a positive trajectory toward stardom. We’re honored to have him on, and if you want to get more of Ian and his comedy, you can find him in multiple ways! He’s on Twitter @IanEdwardsComic, you can get his comedy album, “100% Half-Assed” at Conan O’Brien’s label, records.teamcoco.com, or if you’re a soccer fan, you can listen to Ian’s own podcast series called “Soccer Comics” at AllThingsComedy.com.
Thank you for listening to the ISA’s Curious About Screenwriting podcast. Please remember to share our interviews with your friends, rate us on iTunes, and if you would like to follow the interview’s host, Max Timm, you can find him on Twitter @iMaxTimm or Instagram @InstaMax9. Thanks again, and enjoy.
Do you need to be in Los Angeles to consider yourself a screenwriter? Do you need to be in Los Angeles to write a movie that launches your career? Do you need to have an agent or manager to place in screenwriting contest? I think you’re seeing what the trending answer here is – no. “DIY Filmmaking” is no longer a niche or novelty. “Do it yourself” is the key to that term! John Cassavetes made films for low money. So did Orson Wells, who made bad wine commercials to finance his low-budget Shakespeare adaptations. Robert Rodriguez literally wrote the book, and major directors like Spike Lee and Aronofsky got their starts on the cheap. Credit-card filmmaking has been around forever, the watchword being filmmaking. These early low-budget efforts were all shot on film-- which then brings us to what is new in the equation: TECHNOLOGY.
Hollywood. Home of the true 1%. Behind this gated community are the kidney-shaped pools and impeccable hedge rows. The million-dollar mansions and Lamborghini excess. The Country Club of which you are most definitely not a member. You cannot apply to this club. The gatekeepers know you are not of their cloth. They can smell you. You are the Unwashed. They can smell your wanting, your desperation to join them on the inside. They have set up impenetrable motes and ramparts to stop you. How will you scale these walls?
The Curious About Screenwriting podcasts have recently been focusing a lot on the changing trends of the industry – there are big changes currently occurring in Hollywood. So much is shifting – not only from the big screen to the small screen, but technology is allowing writers to create their own material for little to no money. There is a paradigm shift happening right now, and Paul Peditto, long time script consultant and adjunct professor at Columbia College Chicago talks with our co-host, Laurie Lamson, and dives into how the industry is changing and how writers can take advantage of it. So grab your pen and paper, be ready to take notes and be inspired. You do have power, and you can control your writing career. The ISA is here to help.
Share our podcasts, rate us on iTunes, and enjoy the show. Thanks for listening.
SYS Podcast Episode #83: Screenwriter / Producer Alan Trezza Talks About His New Film Burying The Ex
Screenwriter and producer Alan Trezza talks about how he got his new film, Burying The Ex, produced. He talks us through the process of writing the screenplay, getting rejected, and ultimately producing the film himself. It’s a great lesson in screenwriting persistence.
SYS Podcast Episode #82: Erik Bork (Band of Brothers) Talks About His Career As Screenwriter And Producer
In this episode of the podcast I talk with writer and producer Erik Bork. He talks us through his entire career, starting out as a temp worker and eventually winning an Emmy Award on the hit HBO show Band of Brothers.
SYS Podcast Episode #81: David Garrett Talks About The Importance Of Relationships To A Screenwriter And How To Make Those Relationships
Screenwriter (and lawyer) David Garrett talks through exactly how he sold several of his scripts without the benefit of an agent or manager. He also talks in depth about relationship building and how important relationships are to a screenwriter at every level.
SellingYourScreenplay.com Podcast Episode #80: Writer Director Antonia Bogdanovich Talks About Her New Film Phantom Halo
Writer and Director Antonia Bogdanovich talks about her new film, Phantom Halo. She talks through her early career as an actress, journalist, theater director, and filmmaker and the process of how she got this film produced.
Have you heard of Sharknado? What about Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus? Maybe you watch Z Nation on the SyFy Channel. I’m assuming you’ve heard of these shows, but most may not know the brain trust behind them. The Asylum is a Burbank-based production company that specializes in what they call “mockbusters” – stories that play off of big blockbuster movies that then play to a niche audience. Recently The Asylum has grown into more than just a niche audience-only company. Having been around for 17 years and produced over 300 films in that time (an incredible statistic, by the way), The Asylum is well on its way as a major player in this ever changing industry.
Micho Rutare is the development director and executive at The Asylum, and we had him on to discuss more than just the cult craze that Sharknado was and still is. He talked about the importance of character even within their mockbuster films, and even though there is a specific audience to which they tailor their product, the same story-specific ideals and elements play a big role in their project development. The advice Micho gives us writers and burgeoning filmmakers is hopefully enough to inspire you to keep moving forward with your creative endeavors – it certainly inspired me. With the ways this industry is constantly changing, there are so many opportunities for new writers and filmmakers, and the ISA hopes it can be a part of your ongoing process of creative evolution.
Hosted by the ISA’s Director of Community Outreach, Max Timm, the ISA delivers this podcast series to you for free. Our only wish is for you to go to iTunes, review and rate the podcast series, and share this invaluable content with your friends. You can follow Max on Twitter @iMaxTimm, or find him on Instagram @InstaMax9. Thanks for listening.
What generates real comedy? Is there a secret recipe to making people laugh? Maybe it isn’t really a secret, but veteran TV producer, Victor Hsu, believes comedy is derived from honesty, emotional truth, and getting to the heart of a character’s reaction within relatable situations. Victor has produced some of the most memorable shows on TV, from first jumping in on MacGyver, to his work on the cult favorite, Freaks and Geeks, and winning a Primetime Emmy for Arrested Development, he continues to deliver not just quality entertainment, but memorable hits with the Billy Crystal and Josh Gad series, The Comedians (which I’m still sad was cancelled), to the Amazon series and critical success, Transparent.
I asked him what draws him to a show or project, or in other words, what gets him to say yes to something? His response was rather simple, but all of us writers out there, incredibly important: he said the script is the first thing he sees, and just about every decision is derived from that script and the writer’s ability to tell a great story with memorable characters. This is an empowering interview with one of the best in the business, so I truly hope all of you writers out there are taking note. This industry does not have an impenetrable wall around it. You can break in, and you can find success. Just be persistent, don’t worry about having a plan B, and put your nose to that proverbial grindstone and get to work.
This interview is hosted by the ISA’s Director of Community Outreach, Max Timm. Max is the author of the fantasy novel, The WishKeeper, and he heads the ISA’s development program, supporting our members in a direct and meaningful way.
And don’t forget to rate this interview on iTunes, and feel free to share it with your friends. The ISA is dedicated to supporting writers in every way possible, and these free podcasts are just one way to inspire the next generation of A-listers. Enjoy.
David Silverman is an Executive Producer/Screenwriter/Psychotherapist. He has done extensive research on motivation and how it works. From a therapist's point of view, David has picked the 12 best motivational tools that can and will help a screenwriter finish his/her script. Take part in this informative, inspiring, and helpful teleconference in order to keep your writing flow, and finish what you started, or -even better - finish something you haven't started yet.
David Silverman is known for his work on South Park, Newhart, Dilbert, and The Wild Thornberry's Movie.
Whether you loved or hated Me, Earl and the Dying Girl-- whether you were part of the crowd that was ready to stand up and cheer at the Sundance premiere (after which the film was immediately snagged up after a fierce bidding war) or whether you're one of the more skeptical audience members who have accused the film of being cliché in its depiction of Earl and of its self aware film references-- one thing that you have to admit about Me, Earl and the Dying Girl is that the movie is deeply emotionally moving, both in its humor and its sadness.
It’s not easy to move an audience emotionally, especially when they come to a movie called Me, Earl and the Dying Girl. It’s not easy to actually move them to a point of personal exposure with a film like this, because of the protective wall that the audience is naturally going to put up between themselves and the film.
So I want to talk today about how you get an audience to take down their walls.
In lesser hands, Me, Earl and the Dying Girl is a Lifetime movie. In lesser hands, it's just another movie in a long line of melodramatic tearjerkers: the kind of movie that makes you cry but doesn't really change your life. The kind of movie that makes you cry in a safe way.
Me, Earl and the Dying Girl does not make you cry in a safe way. And the reason for this is that it sucks you into seeing the world through the character's eyes, forcing you to lower your guard and expose your own vulnerability.
The film has actually taken a lot of criticism for this. It's been argued that Rachel (the dying girl from the title) exists for no other reason than to force the main character, Greg, to change. It's been argued that Greg is a total narcissist who is so completely unaware of anybody other than himself in the world.
But I completely disagree. For me, what is wonderful about this movie and what is successful about this movie is exactly the way it pulls you into Greg’s perspective, as narcissistic and self-involved, and downright teenage as it might be.
How does the movie accomplish this? The answer is multifaceted and may surprise you. The most obvious way it does this is by lying to you...
TV is where the work is. This is at least what we hear time and time again, but we’re reminded of it once more with this in-depth and incredibly educational interview with the co-creator of the hit Hulu series, East Los High, Carlos Portugal. Carlos has a long and diverse career within the world of TV – first working at PBS and creating documentaries, to day time TV, and eventually writing on Tyler Perry’s House of Pain and Meet The Browns. Even when he wrote, directed, and produced his first feature, it was picked up by Lifetime and was turned into a movie of the week. He loves TV, but even more so he loves how it can deliver strong messages to diverse audiences.
Get inspired by a lifelong TV writer, producer and creator. Carlos Portugal is the epitome of positivity, perseverance, and professionalism, and we're confident you will learn a little something from this interview
Also, we highly suggest checking out East Los High on Hulu! The third season launched on July 15. A big congrats to Carlos on all of his success, and the ISA is grateful for his time.
In this interview, our Curious About Screenwriting Co-Host, Laurie Lamson, interviews the prolific writer/producer Christine Conradt. Christine is best known for Betrayed at 17 (2011), A Nanny's Revenge (2012) and Summer's Moon (2009). With nearly 50 produced writing credits, Christine received her Bachelor’s degree in Screenwriting from the esteemed USC's School of Cinematic Arts and then worked briefly in development before launching herself as a writer. Intent on elevating the crime thrillers she was becoming known for, Christine went back to grad school to receive a Masters degree in Criminal Justice from Boston University where she focused on cybercrime and juvenile delinquency. THE BRIDE HE BOUGHT ONLINE is her directorial debut, premiering on Lifetime July 18, 2015. Laurie delves into Christine’s career, process, and what it’s like being a female horror writer.
Our wonderful co-host, Laurie, has been hosting live teleconferences with the ISA for a long time. She’s an industry veteran and honored to share her passion for screenwriting with you through our Curious About Screenwriting podcasts. Laurie is the editor of the series of industry books titled, Now Write! Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror, the co-editor of Now Write! Screenwriting and Now Write! Mysteries, published by Tarcher/Penguin. You can learn more and connect with Laurie at nowwrite.net. Enjoy the interview.
When we asked Pixar if Meg LeFauve, the writer on Inside Out, was able to join us on our podcast, we were thrilled how willing and able the Pixar PR team was – we couldn’t have been happier to have Meg on, and her interview is a perfect example of the level of quality, intelligence, and passion that stems from the animation studio. Meg isn’t a regular part of the Pixar creative team – she was actually brought on through an assignment to work on Inside out, and she talks about the process as first being an outsider and what it was like working alongside Pete Docter and his incredible team.
There is so much covered in this interview, including inside scoops on various aspects of Inside Out that didn’t end up on screen, the extensive creative process it went through, but also Meg’s journey as an executive at Jodie Foster’s company for a decade and how she then parlayed that experience into a writing career. She offers an inspiring interview, talks about her upcoming mega project, Captain Marvel, and with so many valuable nuggets of writing advice, we can only hope that every writer listening has a pen and paper handy. If you haven’t seen Pixar’s Inside Out yet, it’s an absolute must. Enjoy the interview and thanks for listening.
CREATING A TV PILOT THAT SELLS: THREE IMPORTANT TOOLS will teach you the three tools of TV storytelling: Trigger, Dilemma and Pursuit, that will take you from ordinary to extraordinary with the writing of your pilots. By understanding how to link these tools, you will learn how to create a strong foundation for your story, have an active lead, and elevate the emotion to a whole new level. This class will guide you how to set up your pilots in a strong way that will lead you toward success.
In her class, CREATING A TV PILOT THAT SELLS: THREE IMPORTANT TOOLS, Jen Grisanti will teach you what she believes are the pillars that will take you from ordinary to extraordinary with the writing of your TV pilot.
Jen will walk you through three tools: Trigger, Dilemma and Pursuit, and she will guide you how to use these key elements to set up your pilot in a way that will lead you toward success.
Jen says, “These tools are the foundation that have led many of my clients to success. By mastering the set up of your story, you create the possibility of making a sale and staffing.”
Through understanding how to link these three elements, you will learn how set the foundation in your story, have an active lead and elevate the emotion to a whole new level.
Jen believes that in order to go from a non-working writer to a working writer, you have to write a pilot that hits it out of the ballpark. She will teach you the tools that will elevate your game and increase your opportunities.
TRIGGER – By creating a powerful trigger incident for your series, you will create a strong season arc and this will establish longevity for your concept.
A strong pilot trigger is what carries the first episode. Linking these two makes the difference between a good pilot and a great one. You need to clearly set up that the pilot trigger would not have happened unless the series trigger happened.
Jen will go over several pilots that have done this successfully.
DILEMMA – The trigger incident should push your central character into a dilemma. The choice that is made in this dilemma is what will define the external goal.
The dilemma should be strong enough that we understand that there is not an easy choice on either side of the dilemma. This is what will create empathy and a rooting factor for your central character.
We will also discuss the set up of the personal dilemma and how to link it to the professional pursuit. This will elevate the emotion in your story.
PURSUIT – The clear set up of the goal is the glue that will make your story hold together. By clearly setting up what your central character wants, you can link your obstacle, escalating obstacle, and “all is lost” moment back to the goal. This will help you to write stronger act breaks. It is when the goal is unclear that the story doesn’t work.
In every scene, we should have a clear sense of what your central character wants and why they want it. Through setting up a clear pursuit, it will help you to establish this.
Jen knows what it takes to sell a pilot. She has had thirty-two clients over the last seven years sell pilots. Five of them have gone to series. Jen has also helped to staff over 65 writers during this time on top primetime shows.
Jen was a studio executive for 12 years at CBS/Paramount and Spelling Television Aaron Spelling was her mentor. Jen has covered shows including; BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 (the original), MELROSE PLACE, SEVENTH HEAVEN, CHARMED, MEDIUM, NUMBERS, THE 4400, NCIS and GIRLFRIENDS.
For the past seven years, Jen has been a writing instructor for Writers on the Verge at NBC, a story/career consultant at Jen Grisanti Consultancy Inc., an author of three books – STORY LINE: FINDING GOLD IN YOUR LIFE STORY, CHANGE YOUR STORY, CHANGE YOUR LIFE: A PATH TO SUCCESS and TV WRITING TOOL KIT: HOW TO WRITE A SCRIPT THAT SELLS. Jen is also a blogger for The Huffington Post. In addition to Los Angeles, Jen has taught classes in New York, London, Australia and Israel.
There is tons of information out there about how to write a script. But when it comes to building and maintaining a screenwriting career, most writers get stumped. Do you submit to a few contests, and then go back to the writing, hoping you get lucky? Should you write in one genre or many? And once you have representation or industry interest, what can you expect and how do you manage relationships for best results?
While it's never easy, new writers with no previous Hollywood connections do break into the industry all the time. That's the good news. The bad news? It takes discipline, consistency, strategic effort and hard work to make it happen, then to keep up the momentum. If what they say is true, and it really does take 3 to 10 years to break into the space, what do you have to do to make sure that you work smart, produce consistently, create the right opportunities and then show up for them in the most effective way?
Screenwriting careers don’t happen by chance. Sure, there is always an element of luck or “in the right place, at the right time,” but without some strategic planning and ongoing concerted business building efforts, it isn’t likely that you will get there. Therefore, you can’t wait. You have to get active on behalf of your career. You must plot your success. And once you get representation or gain industry attention on the merit of a stand out script? That’s when the hard work begins and you have to deliver in every communication, in the room and on the page.
Join us for this free teleconference, in which we will break down strategies, answer burning questions, and devise effective next steps for your work. While there are no guarantees, there are strategic steps you can take from the early stages of your career through to maintaining and building on interest and successful relationships to make sure that your screenwriting career is given the best possible fighting chance.
Veteran TV writer and producer, John McNamara joined the ISA and its Curious About Screenwriting Network, and there is so much insight, TV history, lessons to be learned, and advice to be taken, it might be one of our favorite interviews to date. John has worked as a writer and producer on multiple shows since the 90’s, from Lois and Clark, to The Fugitive, Jericho, and now the popular Aquarius on NBC starring David Duchovny. He also has a feature coming out in November called Trumbo, about the blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo during the blacklist, Communist movement in Hollywood during the 40’s. With a ridiculous cast of Bryan Cranston, Helen Mirren, Elle Fanning, John Goodman, Diane Lane and Alan Tudyk, for a writer working in Hollywood, the movie is a can’t miss.
We talked a lot about John’s origins as a writer/producer, having first worked as a playwright in New York alongside Steven Sondheim, Arthur Lawrence, and so many other theatre icons. His stories are priceless, but his advice for young writers is even better. Definitely give this interview a listen, and check out Aquarius on NBC as soon as you’re able. It’s perfect binge-watching fare, and there will even be an NC-17 cut of the show released in September. Have fun with this one, and thanks for listening!
Writing can be agony. Staring at a blank computer screen can be one of the most difficult chores imaginable. In what other occupation can you work for eight hours and have nothing to show for it? It doesn't have to be that way. William M. Akers will show you how to corral your fear, amp up your self confidence and teach you techniques to get your creative juices flowing so you can defeat writers block - every time it rears its ugly head.
For 20+ years, William M. Akers has been writing for money, teaching screenwriting to college students, and critiquing clients' scripts. One thing he knows is that when sitting down to write, different people face different demons. And, sometimes, just sitting down is the most difficult step of all.
The hell that is getting the words out can begin, literally, with how you choose to put them on the page. Pen? Computer? Write in a coffee shop? Pencil? Dictation? Different pencil? Writing partner who talks while you write? Elves who work while you sleep? Whatever way you get the words on the page is probably right for you. Just because someone else has a different technique doesn't matter one bit.
At its most basic, writing is about self-confidence or, at least, the freedom to fail. Gaining assurance that your personal writing method is the best way for YOU to work is only the beginning. In this teleconference, Akers will discuss these death traps:
Choosing the wrong idea for you to write.
Picking the wrong main character (which happens more often than you think).
Self-censoring your work - too early.
Quit worrying you don't know the secret method, process, structure that will unlock writing's mysteries.
You will learn:
The Keith Richards writing technique - the greatest magic trick for creativity Akers has ever found.
How research can actually kill your story.
If you can't write a single word - 5 simple action steps that will improve your story and writing, and get you unblocked.
The amazing (and breathtakingly easy) Random Thoughts technique to painlessly generate new ideas to rejuvenate and improve scenes.
The "South Park" writing lesson. 16 little bitty words that will vastly improve your structure, forever.
What Akers learned from Jerry Seinfeld, a writer who really, really hates to write.
A writing exercise that will take you so far in 30 minutes that you may not ever be afraid to write again.
No matter how bad it gets, no matter what horrible place you've managed to put yourself, you will learn that there is no hole too deep to write you out of.
Screenplay contests are changing cinema. If you are an unknown, amateur writer, one who’s had a taste of success, or even the millionaire living in hills of Silver Lake, your entry to a screenplay competition stirs a monster. Gordy Hoffman founded the BlueCat Screenplay Competition in 1998 and remains its judge.
What Not To Do In a Screenplay is a seminar devoted to enhancing the careers of both beginning and intermediate screenwriters. The craft of screenwriting, and the little tricks of the trade are voluminous and numerous, but it can all be learned and if practiced with discipline and patience a writer's efforts can pay off. Getting the knowledge about what producers need is key and keeping your screenplay from being rejected out-of-hand is just as key.
Writer Alvaro Rodriguez (MACHETE) interviews Table Read My Screenplay's Grand Prize Winning Feature Category Winner Jeff York (THE SCOUNDRELS CLUB). They discuss Jeff's experience winning a respected contest, why he submitted to this contest and others, his experience at the Sundance Film Festival, incorporating Historical figures into his projects, what the response from producers has been since winning and more.