Micki Grover, story analyst, sheds some light on the matter. In the world of synopses, one-pagers, beat sheets, outlines and drafts, treatments can get lost in the shuffle. Writers often forego the treatment process altogether – which is a huge mistake! Perhaps the most common reason for skipping the treatment stage is simply that not… [Read more…]
January 26, 2012
I’ve been privy to hiring numerous “script consultants” around L.A. of varying abilities and value for money. I tried Adam Levenberg’s services for the first time in an effort to unplug my creative plumbing. He’s been a creative executive for a while, working with various companies such as USA Films and other industry heavy hitters.… [Read more…]
January 23, 2012
The film and TV worlds differ greatly both in their creative scopes and the business models used to finance them. The key feature is that both use deficit funding to produce. Films rely on box office and ancillary markets (DVD, VOD etc) to generate profits, whereas TV relies on selling to networks and syndication. There… [Read more…]
January 20, 2012
If you’re looking to sell your story, script or sign with a major agency at any pitchfest, click away now. Pitchfests are educational and networking tools designed to help screenwriters improve their craft through workshops and seminars. You can learn about the machinations and vagaries of the entertainment industry by networking with other writers and… [Read more…]
January 17, 2012
The entertainment industry is a high risk, high capital investment. Nat Mundel from Voyage Media shares his insights on how the apparent throttling of the film industry. Gone are the days where writers just wrote and all the business aspects were handles by their agents and managers. Granted, agents and managers still ink the deals,… [Read more…]
January 14, 2012
More inspiration from producer/ career consultant Suzanne Lyons: 1) YOU WANT CURVES? TRY THE LEARNING CURVE! Back in the mid-80s I was one of the first women in TV to break the glass ceiling, and at 29 I was a VP. I’m not saying I wasn’t terrified, I was, but I wanted the challenge. What… [Read more…]
January 11, 2012
Here’s a history lesson from the Greek godfather of dramatic theory: MIMESIS – imitation, representation, re-enactment CATHARSIS – cleansing, purgation, purification, clarification PERIPETEIA – reversal, adventure ANAGNORISIS – recognition, identification HAMARTIA miscalculation , sin (tragic flaw) Drama contains six key elements. Comedy and tragedy both contain the same elements only organized in a difference way.… [Read more…]
January 8, 2012
Here are some pearls of screenwriting wisdom from Mike Kucink about story pacing. Scripts from newer writers tend to be slower reads. Have faith in your story. Not everything needs to be fully explained and repeated. The reader gets it. DENSITY Screenplays are about story beats and moments. They are an emotional and visual experience.… [Read more…]
January 5, 2012
In classic storytelling, the hero (protagonist) and villain (antagonist) are diametrically opposed in goals. The role of the villain is to thwart the hero, but the hero wins out in the end. The lines between the two characters are becoming increasingly blurred in contemporary cinema to reflect the increasing complexity of life. The hero isn’t… [Read more…]
January 2, 2012
There are many types of readers ranging from story analysts who evaluate the concept to script analysts who evaluate the structural components of the story. Studio readers must keep track of literary properties the studio already owns and also of incoming new projects; so there is plenty of reading and monitoring to be done. Typically… [Read more…]
Fellow screenwriters have been bugging me to do script consultations. Contact me for details via my twitter account @jgsarantinos
The next deadline for the Hollywood Outreach Program at The Scriptwriters Network is Saturday 15 September 2012. Visit www.scriptwritersnetwork.org for more details. Get studio quality coverage. Top scripts are recommended to agents, managers and production companies.
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January 30, 2012
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