Here are the latest Script Magazine newsletters and offers:
|
On ScriptMag.com
this week, we share advice on networking, rewriting, logline tips and more!
Check out our full list
of contributors and follow them on Twitter too.
Now get reading and get writing! Read More... |
Order of Operations isn't just for
mathematics. Ray Morton created one for script revision as well – a way of
prioritizing the elements of a screenplay from what he considers the most
important to the least important. Read More...
|
Many writers are paralyzed at the prospect
of pitching their stories, but Script’s editor, Jeanne Veillette Bowerman,
wants to push you past those fears with concrete tips on how to successfully
pitch agents at pitching events. Read More...
|
As the creator of the Hollywood Networking
Breakfast® and career strategist to folk inside and outside of Hollywood,
Sandra Lord offers some valuable face-time networking tips for success. Read More...
|
Ashley Scott Meyers talks with screenwriter
Rob Tobin about his latest film, Get
Married or Die, as well as his many years trying to break in, and
how he eventually found success. Read More...
|
At the conclusion of this course you will
have gone through the process of developing psychological backstories for
your protagonist and supporting characters. You will also have created an
environment in which your characters come to life as their personalities
either mesh with their environment or thrive in spite of it. Enroll Now...
See full list of self-paced online courses here. |
Our webinars include both access to the live
webinar where you may interact with the presenter and the recorded, on-demand
edition for your video library. You do not have to attend the live event to
get a recording of the presentation.
See full list of upcoming live online webinars here. |
Have you spoken out in your dialogue every
intention and emotion? Don’t rob the characters of chances to find emotion in
between the words. Paul Peditto examines some examples of dialogue subtext. Read More...
|
Continuing the dialogue of getting a
screenwriting mentor, Jeanne Veillette Bowerman shares how to get your
screenplay read without asking. Read More...
|
Angela Bourassa, founder of LA Screenwriter
and the Director of the LA Screenwriter Logline Competition, gives tips on
how not to write a logline.
Read More...
|
Get a single video
for $16.99 or subscribe for access to all the videos starting at only $16.33
per month! See all videos and subscribe
for All Access here.
Our growing library of over 175 video tutorials covers both the creative and business sides of screenwriting, offering instruction from top industry experts! Watch Previews of All Videos... |
Download invaluable free screenwriting
resources as our gift to you!
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating High Concept Ideas; How to Vet a Script Consultant; How to Find a Literary Agent; Creating Short Film Ideas; Proper Screenplay Format Tips; Creating Strong Protagonist; How to Navigate a Pitchfest; TV Pilot Kit; How to Write a Screenplay Webinar, and MORE! See Full List of Free Downloads... |
Jeanne Veillette
Bowerman
Jeanne is the Editor of Script and adapted the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Slavery by Another Name. Her screenplays were selected as Top 25 Tracking Board Launch Pad, CSExpo Finalist, Second Round Sundance Episodic Lab, and PAGE Awards TV Drama Finalist. Twitter @jeannevb. |
F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
|
|
A Special Offer from our Trusted Partner
|
|
F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
|
|
This week's screenwriting tip, veteran
screenwriter Jeremy Leven (The
Notebook) shows how to lay the groundwork for writing the reveal
without giving it away or making the audience feel they are being toyed with.
If you’re writing a TV pilot, don't miss the The Hidden Patterns of the New Hit TV Hour Pilot Stories in 2018 webinar by Peter Russell on May 24th! |
By Jeremy Levin
|
There is an apocryphal story, which,
considering those involved, is most likely less apocryphal than assumed,
about Jack Warner’s hiring Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond to write a
screenplay for him. He sets them up in an office down the hall from his, complete
with two sofas, two desks and two Royal typewriters, with enough paper and
carbons to retype Moby Dick triple-spaced.
But weeks go by, and Warner can’t help but notice that each time he passes
their office, there is no clack-clackclack of the Royal portable coming from
within. Finally, unable to take it any longer, Warner bursts into the office
and finds Wilder stretched out on one sofa, Diamond across the room on the
other, puffing on cigars, conversing congenially. “What the hell is going on
here?” Warner asks, using words somewhat more colorful, one suspects. “We’re
writing a movie,” Wilder responds calmly. “The rest is typing.”
As a screenwriter, this is the essential tale. Figuring out a compelling story, developing engaging characters from which the story emerges and determining the plot points and act breaks, the right tone and where the tension, humor and emotion is to be found is the primary (and most difficult) work. Read More... |
Jeanne Veillette
Bowerman
Jeanne is the Editor of Script and adapted the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Slavery by Another Name. Her screenplays were selected as Top 25 Tracking Board Launch Pad, CSExpo Finalist, Second Round Sundance Episodic Lab, and PAGE Awards TV Drama Finalist. Twitter @jeannevb. |
F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
|
|
This week's screenwriting tip is an
invitation to the Big Apple to join me and award-winning screenwriter Jacob
Krueger at the Writer’s Digest Conference this August in NYC. I promise, you
will not regret the trip! I have always been a fan of the WDC and would love
to see you there!
Don't miss the upcoming webinars, including one that is live today! As long as you sign up in advance, a recording will be emailed to you.
|
By Jeanne Veillette
Bowerman
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
A Special Offer from our Trusted Partner
|
Submit
a Screenplay | Submit
a TV Pilot
Now in its 16th year,
the Script Pipeline Screenwriting Competition seeks talented writers and
exceptional screenplays to connect with production companies, agencies, and
managers. As one of the longest-running screenwriting contests, Script
Pipeline continues to cultivate relationships with the industry's top
executives, focused specifically on finding writers representation,
supporting diverse voices, championing marketable, unique storytelling, and
pushing more original projects into production.
The 11th Script
Pipeline TV Writing Competition is searching for extraordinary television
writers and fresh, compelling pilots for exposure to production companies,
agencies, and managers. Launched in 2008 as a response to the growing demand
for new episodic content, the competition has established its role as a go-to
outlet for emerging writers looking to get staffed on shows or develop their
TV material.
The company's
distinctive long-term facilitation process helps contest alumni find elite
representation and gain crucial introductions to Hollywood, with $6 million
in screenplays and pilots sold by competition finalists and
"Recommend" writers since 2010 alone. Last year, close to 8,000
screenplays were entered in the Screenwriting and TV Writing Competitions,
making Script Pipeline one of the leading companies reviewing unproduced
material. Notable success stories can be found on the contest pages.
Finalists for both
competitions receive immediate circulation to Script Pipeline partners, in
addition to the following:
- $50,000 to
winners
- Personal introductions to managers, producers, agents, directors, and others searching for new writers - Development assistance with Script Pipeline execs - Additional script reviews for potential circulation - Long-term circulation for all finalists (and select semifinalists), tailored to each individual project - Exclusive invitations to private writer/industry events hosted by Pipeline Media Group
- Henry Dunham's
The Incident at Sparrow Creek Lumber wrapped production in
April 2018 with an ensemble cast featuring James Badge Dale (Rubicon),
Brian Geraghty (The Hurt Locker), Happy Anderson (Mindhunter),
Robert Armayo (Game of Thrones), and Gene Jones (The Hateful
Eight). Dunham is making his feature directorial debut. The project,
originally titled Militia, won the 2015 Script Pipeline
Screenwriting Competition, and Henry was connected with representation less
than a month after contest results were announced, signing with Pipeline
industry partner Madhouse Entertainment.
- The
action-comedy Stuber, written by Script Pipeline Screenwriting
Contest winner Tripper Clancy, attached Dave Bautista (Guardians
of the Galaxy), Kumail Nanjiani (The Big
Sick), and Iko Uwais (The Raid)
. 20th Century Fox picked up the script, based on a pitch developed by
Tripper and manager Jake Wagner (Good Fear), in April 2016.
- Off the
Menu, written by Script Pipeline Screenwriting Competition finalist Jen
Goldson, released in February 2018. Industry partner Jay
Silverman (Girl on the Edge), who directed the romcom,
picked up the project in 2015. Silverman and producer Bethany Cerrona
met Goldson at the annual Script Pipeline writer/industry event in Los
Angeles.
- Writers Burke
Scurfield and Adam Lederer signed with manager Drew Shenfield at
Mosaic in 2018. Their comedy pilot, Big Boy, was circulated
by Script Pipeline to Mosaic execs after the script’s top 10 placement in the
2017 TV Writing Competition.
Submit
a Screenplay | Submit
a TV Pilot
*FILMMAKERS: visit Film
Pipeline and submit a produced short or unproduced script. Launched
in January 2018, it's a new platform to connect up-and-coming directors with
agents and managers, as well as help get short films made. Learn more here.
|
F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
|
|
On ScriptMag.com
this week, I wanted to revisit a classic article on The Social Network. Seems
fitting, given the Facebook fiasco in the news lately. We also have great
tips on writing query letters, the history of inclusion riders and more!
Check out our full list
of contributors and follow them on Twitter too.
Now get reading and get writing! Read More... |
Advertisement
|
||
20th Annual
Scriptapalooza Screenplay & Shorts Competition
There are hundreds of other competitions with no track record, no connections and giving the illusion that they are connected to the industry. Submit to a competition that has a proven track record for 20 years! Over 91 producers reading all the entries and $50,000 in prizes. Deadline April 30 www.scriptapalooza.com |
Aaron Sorkin finds Rashômon at the heart of
the world’s biggest Internet success story with his film The Social Network Read More...
|
Barri Evins’ secret to solving the query
letter conundrum: one sure-fire tool that can flip the script, ratchet up the
heat, and turn the odds into your favor. Read More...
|
Christopher Schiller sheds light on the
history of the inclusion rider and how to avoid potential pitfalls that may
arise when implementing one.
Read More...
|
Not all writers can afford to spend their
whole day in front of the computer, typing out their next great script. Learn
effective time management techniques on how to plan ahead and make writing a
fixed part of your life.
Read More...
|
This genre is truly a writer’s medium: If
you can present a new version of an old concept and scare us on the page,
your script can sell. Plus, there is always room for innovation and
creativity within the field. That’s why horror is a natural choice for many a
screenwriter. Enroll Now...
See full list of self-paced online courses here. |
Our webinars include both access to the live
webinar where you may interact with the presenter and the recorded, on-demand
edition for your video library. You do not have to attend the live event to
get a recording of the presentation.
See full list of upcoming live online webinars here. |
Ashley Scott Meyers talks with screenwriter
and script consultant, Steve Deering about his recently optioned screenplay.
Steve also offers up some great tips to help screenwriters avoid some of the
most common problems he sees as a consultant. Read More...
|
Jeff VanderMeer, the NYT bestselling author
behind Annihilation, Borne, Wonderbook and more, will present the closing
keynote at the Writer's Digest Annual Conference. Read More...
|
Small, concrete details are usually the
difference between a story that works and a story that fails, between a good
piece of fiction writing and a great piece of fiction writing. Read More...
|
Between contests and my usual work load, I
have been reading a lot of spec scripts lately. In doing so, I noticed a
number of things coming up over and over again that motivated me to formulate
a little list of things that you probably shouldn’t do when writing a spec. Read More...
|
Get a single video
for $16.99 or subscribe for access to all the videos starting at only $16.33
per month! See all videos and subscribe
for All Access here.
Our growing library of over 175 video tutorials covers both the creative and business sides of screenwriting, offering instruction from top industry experts! Watch Previews of All Videos... |
Script Angel's Hayley McKenzie asks what is
a unique writing voice and how do you find yours? Read More...
|
Every writer suffers writer's block at some
point. Hayley McKenzie offers her top tips to overcome writer’s block, boost
your creativity and generate more original story ideas. Read More...
|
Download invaluable free screenwriting
resources as our gift to you!
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating High Concept Ideas; How to Vet a Script Consultant; How to Find a Literary Agent; Creating Short Film Ideas; Proper Screenplay Format Tips; Creating Strong Protagonist; How to Navigate a Pitchfest; TV Pilot Kit; How to Write a Screenplay Webinar, and MORE! See Full List of Free Downloads... |
Jeanne Veillette
Bowerman
Jeanne is the Editor of Script and adapted the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Slavery by Another Name. Her screenplays were selected as Top 25 Tracking Board Launch Pad, CSExpo Finalist, Second Round Sundance Episodic Lab, and PAGE Awards TV Drama Finalist. Twitter @jeannevb. |
F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
|
|
Writing films are flights of fancy with no
limitations. Producing require lots of logistics. It may seem dichotomous,
but Christopher Schiller explains how budget and story can both be served.
If you’re curious about podcasting, don’t miss Podcasting 101: Creating Your First Podcast by Manny Fonseca on April 26th! If you can’t make the live event, a recording will be emailed to you. |
By Chris Schiller
|
Writers write character. But characters with
nothing to do are boring, and movies so written seldom get made. It’s all
about story. Serve the story and you are off to the races. Or are you? Time
and again writers come against the conundrum of a potential producer loving
the story you tell, it’s just that there is no way they can raise the budget
that would be needed to tell it. “Love the Jurassic Park story ideas, but,
does it have to be dinosaurs? I hear they’re very expensive.”
This article pits the demands of telling a good, compelling story against the business demands of making the film producible within budgetary and time constraints. Writing films are flights of fancy with no limitations. Producing films are practical things with lots of logistics. It may seem dichotomous, but the two disparate viewpoints can be reconciled. Read More... |
Jeanne Veillette
Bowerman
Jeanne is the Editor of Script and adapted the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Slavery by Another Name. Her screenplays were selected as Top 25 Tracking Board Launch Pad, CSExpo Finalist, Second Round Sundance Episodic Lab, and PAGE Awards TV Drama Finalist. Twitter @jeannevb. |
F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
|
|
Now available at Writer's Digest Shop
|
Do you have a
finished screenplay? The next step is your Coverage; an analysis and rating
of your script by a professional reader who's been trained to spot exactly
what Agents, Managers, Producers and content buyers are looking for in a
screenplay. When you purchase a ScriptXpert
Coverage with Development Notes not only will you receive a top
notch Coverage, but you will gain extensive notes on your concept, structure,
pacing and more.
|
$349.00
|
*If you have any questions, please call us at
1-855-840-5124.
|
F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
|
|
Film critic, filmmaker, and radio host Mike
Sargent interviews award-winning writer Trey Ellis on his life-changing
experiences of making the Martin Luther King HBO documentary, King in the Wilderness.
Don't miss our upcoming webinars! |
By Mike Sargent
|
Trey Ellis is an American Book Award-winning
novelist, Peabody-winning and Emmy-nominated screenwriter, playwright and
Associate Professor of Screenwriting in the Graduate School of Film at
Columbia University. His works have been screened at the Museum of Modern Art
and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. His first play, Fly, was commissioned and
performed at The Lincoln Center Institute, continues to play around the
country, including the historic Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C., the
Pasadena Playhouse and the New Victory Theater on 42nd Street in New York
City.
I had the opportunity to speak with Trey about the powerful new documentary King In The Wilderness which focuses on the last three years of Martin Luther King’s life. Mike Sargent: As a writer and a storyteller, when did you first know you wanted to be a storyteller? Trey Ellis: I always wanted to. I knew from a very young age, I didn’t want to have a boss, so I just knew that I wanted to write, tell stories. Also, when I was a kid, I remember in the fourth or fifth grade, I had this image of a novelist living on a boat in Nantucket typing on a manual typewriter, beautiful wife with a bikini who would bring him a martini. I didn’t know what a martini was, but I just thought that’s what a writer did, and that sounded like a good way to live. Read More... |
Jeanne Veillette
Bowerman
Jeanne is the Editor of Script and adapted the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Slavery by Another Name. Her screenplays were selected as Top 25 Tracking Board Launch Pad, CSExpo Finalist, Second Round Sundance Episodic Lab, and PAGE Awards TV Drama Finalist. Twitter @jeannevb. |
F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
|
|
Save at WritersDigestShop.com
|
Writer's Digest
eBooks can help you learn how to get published, create your author platform,
develop your story and characters, and beat the dreaded writer's block. For
the first time ever you can download all of these great resources (over 180)
for only $4.99 each
for a limited time. No coupon needed, start stocking up today!
|
|
|
|
|
*Prices are as maked. Several exclusions do
apply. Sale ends 4/16/18.
|
F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
|
|
Now available at Writer's Digest Shop
|
The first stop,
after you submit to a production company or studio, is Coverage, an analysis
and rating of your script by a professional reader who's been trained to spot
exactly what Agents, Managers, Producers and content buyers are looking for
in a screenplay. ScriptXpert is a team of professionals will help you polish
your script and iron out all the wrinkles you didn't know you missed. They
know exactly what agents, managers, and producers are looking for in a solid
screenplay.
|
$149.00
|
*If you have any questions, please call us at
1-855-840-5124.
|
F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
|
|
Filmmaker, radio host and film critic Mike
Sargent interviews Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, screenwriters of A Quiet Place, opening in
theaters tomorrow.
Don't miss the upcoming webinar by Peter Russell on April 12th, Secrets Of The Hit Mini-Series (Or Anthology) Show. |
By Mike Sargent
|
Scott Beck and Bryan Woods are two
screenwriters you may not have heard of yet but surely will very soon. Scott
and Bryan first met as sixth-graders in their hometown of Bettendorf, Iowa.
After discovering a shared interest in cinema, the duo began making
stop-motion movies together with their Star Wars action figures. This
collaboration continued into high school, where they directed numerous shorts
and their first feature films.
As teenagers, Beck and Woods were shortlisted as two of the top 50 directors (out of 2,000 applicants) for Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's Project Greenlight series on Bravo. While still in college, Beck and Woods' work caught the eye of MTV Films, which offered the pair a feature film development deal. The duo went on to write and direct an original scripted pilot for MTV and executive producer David Gale (Election) and were later listed as "The Top 100 Writers on the Verge" by Tracking-Board.com. In 2001, Beck and Woods formed their production company banner Bluebox Films, under which they would write, direct and produce films, commercials, and television content. I caught up with the busy writing team in New York city at the junket for their latest film A Quiet Place for Paramount Pictures. Set for release on Friday, April 6, 2018, A Quiet Place stars (real-life husband and wife) Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, who also directed. Beck and Woods also serve as executive producers together with Michael Bay and his Platinum Dunes banner producing. The screenplay was named one of the ten best scripts of the year by The Tracking Board 2017 Hit List. A Quiet Place is billed as a horror film but it is more akin to a Twilight Zone episode (which we discuss during the interview) the premise is that Aliens landed and wiped out much of humanity and too late we discovered that though blind, they have a heightened sense of hearing and the only way to escape detection is to be very, very quiet. Those who have survived, have learned to live and communicate virtually without making a sound as the slightest decibel outburst will result in sudden vicious death. The main story centers around a family of four who live in silence during the aftermath of the Alien invasion. Paramount Pictures describes the film, "In the modern horror thriller A Quiet Place, a family of four must navigate their lives in silence after mysterious creatures that hunt by sound threaten their survival. If they hear you, they hunt you.” ... Read More... |
Jeanne Veillette
Bowerman
Jeanne is the Editor of Script and adapted the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Slavery by Another Name. Her screenplays were selected as Top 25 Tracking Board Launch Pad, CSExpo Finalist, Second Round Sundance Episodic Lab, and PAGE Awards TV Drama Finalist. Twitter @jeannevb. |
F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
|
|
On ScriptMag.com
this week, we explore the female characters of Charlie Kaufman’s films, give
tips on getting past a writing slump and more! Check out our full list
of contributors and follow them on Twitter too.
Now get reading and get writing! Read More... |
Advertisement
|
|
Spalding’s affordable, top-tier
low-residency screenwriting MFA serves industry professionals, new
scriptwriters, and aspiring professors. Students with a produced script may
accelerate their studies. Alumni have sold features and TV episodes and won
national competitions. Faculty offer East and West Coast sensibilities.
Flexible scheduling, cross-genre study, optional travel abroad. Inquire
here.
|
Charlie Kaufman writes complicated, complex,
proactive female roles for all ages. Heather Hale offers a brief spectrum of
his female characters across his first six films. Read More...
|
Are you in a writing slump? Lynn Dickinson
teaches you how to Writer’s Limbo by setting writing goals that keep the bar
low! Read More...
|
Advertisement
|
||
20th Annual
Scriptapalooza Screenplay & Shorts Competition
There are hundreds of other competitions with no track record, no connections and giving the illusion that they are connected to the industry. Submit to a competition that has a proven track record for 20 years! Over 91 producers reading all the entries and $50,000 in prizes. Deadline April 16 www.scriptapalooza.com |
Paula Landry gives tips on creating a
one-pager, often called a "leave behind," allowing you to better
share your screenplay pitch with executives. Read More...
|
Ashley Scott Meyers talks with Kimble
Rendall about his latest action-adventure film, Guardians of the Tomb, starring Kelsey
Grammer. Read More...
|
A collaborative medium, documentary writing
requires research and an understanding of the audience’s expectations, and
how the writer can keep an open mind when challenged by the unforeseen,
including the exposing of surprising material and interview subjects’
unexpected responses. This course will examine and offer specific strategies
for writing and planning a documentary. Enroll Now...
See full list of self-paced online courses here. |
Our webinars include both access to the live
webinar where you may interact with the presenter and the recorded, on-demand
edition for your video library. You do not have to attend the live event to
get a recording of the presentation.
See full list of upcoming live online webinars here. |
When writing an action movie, you need
powerful action happening often... but how much juice is enough? William C.
Martell gives insights into finding a balance between story and the
"pow" of action. Read More...
|
Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One has earned
some harsh criticism. So how did it sell so well and earn so much attention,
despite the polarizing reviews? Read More...
|
The antagonist is arguably the most complex
and fascinating character. Script analyst, Kayley Loveridge, explains how to
create the perfect engaging and complex antagonist. Read More...
|
A story is only as strong as its
protagonist. If your protagonist is weak and passive, your readers won’t care
if s/he succeeds or fails. Knowing the definition of a protagonist is
critical to fully understanding how to create a strong main character that
will attract A-list actors. Begin on this page by exploring the definition
and essentials of having a strong protagonist. Read More...
|
Get a single video
for $16.99 or subscribe for access to all the videos starting at only $16.33
per month! See all videos and subscribe
for All Access here.
Our growing library of over 175 video tutorials covers both the creative and business sides of screenwriting, offering instruction from top industry experts! Watch Previews of All Videos... |
People assume working with a screenwriter
mentor makes your job as a writer is easier. Wrong! Jeanne Veillette Bowerman
sets the record straight
Read More...
|
Download invaluable free screenwriting
resources as our gift to you!
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating High Concept Ideas; How to Vet a Script Consultant; How to Find a Literary Agent; Creating Short Film Ideas; Proper Screenplay Format Tips; Creating Strong Protagonist; How to Navigate a Pitchfest; TV Pilot Kit; How to Write a Screenplay Webinar, and MORE! See Full List of Free Downloads... |
Jeanne Veillette
Bowerman
Jeanne is the Editor of Script and adapted the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Slavery by Another Name. Her screenplays were selected as Top 25 Tracking Board Launch Pad, CSExpo Finalist, Second Round Sundance Episodic Lab, and PAGE Awards TV Drama Finalist. Twitter @jeannevb. |
F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
|
No comments:
Post a Comment