Script Magazine

 With details of courses and more, here are the latest Script Magazine newsletters:

Using Suspense to Boost a Story's Humor   In this article from 2018, Evan Smith explains how to use dramatic suspense to boost a story’s humor. Read More...   By: Evan Smith   What producer or exec ever said, “Jeez, this script’s too funny, can we fix that?” Okay, if you’re writing Handmaid’s Tale or a Lifetime movie, they might say that. But in comedy, when have you ever stopped hunting for additional ways to make a story funny? And who hasn’t finished typing a scene and looked back to realize, “Ugh. Lots of words, no jokes.”   You know you can’t start forcing ill-fitting jokes on characters or interrupt the plot to insert a string of one-liners, but a funny story needs to stay funny from beginning to end, right? So here’s an idea, just one of the many things you might try, but it’s something you might not normally think of: add suspense! Make the story bigger, scarier, add close calls, raise the stakes, get characters screaming and running, throw a dead body in there!   Okay, dead bodies don’t always fit. I’m exaggerating to make a point, which is—however subtle or crazy your story is, adding suspense can boost a story’s humor in a natural, organic fashion. Really? Here’s the deal.   THE DEAL Comedic stories need to develop in a compelling, logical fashion just as dramatic stories do; they’re not barely-structured standup routines or unrelated chapters in a David Sedaris book. (Not that we don’t love those books—Sedaris is a funny guy.) The good news is that dramatic tension (suspense) keeps viewers on the edges of their seats, so everything that happens in a suspenseful story, from plot twists to punchlines, gets a bigger reaction. Even a modest joke can seem funnier thanks to the much-needed release that it provides.   Read More...     Sadie Dean   Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film. Twitter @SadieKDean       Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States

 

Who is 'Jakob's Wife'?   'Jakob’s Wife' has been a journey of over half a decade. Thuc Nguyen speaks with director Travis Stevens about how the movie came about and what influenced the filmmakers along the way. Read More...   Ask the Coach: When Should I Give Up On a Script?   In this installment of "Ask the Coach" Jenna Avery answers a pre-submitted question about when to toss in the towel on a work in progress or when to push forward on said script. Read More...     Interview with Amazon's 'Them' Creator, Showrunner, EP and Writer Little Marvin   Script's Editor, Sadie Dean, speaks one-on-one with Little Marvin, the creator, showrunner, EP and writer behind 'Them' Amazon's new horror anthology limited series. They tap into the storytelling tactics he used to create suspense, collaboration on set, his screenwriting journey and more. Read More...       Women Prefer Anita Loos   Celebrating the Female Screenwriters Who Came Before Us, a history lesson with Dr. Rosanne Welch about trailblazer screenwriter Anita Loos. Read More...       Scriptreading Certificate Program   This Thursday!   This course will show you, step-by-step, how to write script coverage. We will cover key elements of screenwriting coverage, including writing a synopsis, analyzing a script, writing an evaluation, script formatting, and finding work as a reader. Whether you want to become a script reader, a story analyst, or just want to polish up your own script, a solid understanding of format and script structure will be essential. Writers put on a different hat after a script is written: revising a script is a different skill set than creating one. Learn More & Register!         Free Screenwriting Resources   If you’re looking for free screenwriting tips and advice to help kick-start your writing career, then you’ll love our vast selection of free downloads. From learning how to write a script the right way to how to beat writer’s block, you’ll find something that will help you increase your chances of success! Read More...   Sadie Dean   Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film. Twitter @SadieKDean     Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States

Screenwriter's Guidepost: How Much Does Screenplay Format Really Matter?     The first thing most of us learn when it comes to the actual writing of screenplays is that the format on the page is essential to our looking like a professional.   Unfortunately, our first instinct is often to fear format. We either become slaves to it or we rebel and abuse it with style over substance just to look different. Either way, it frustrates the writing process -- a hindrance to the prose on the page. Screenwriter Mario O. Moreno offers insight into how formatting shouldn't necessarily be feared and should be embraced to help enhance your screenplay. Read More...   By: Mario O. Moreno   Professional   At the dawn of talking pictures, Hollywood found itself needing dramatic storytellers that could write dialogue. They imported playwrights from the East Coast and those playwrights brought some of their stage play format with them.   In this same era, typists working for the major studios discovered a way to format the various elements (action, dialogue, setting, etc.) so that each page, on average, represented one minute of screen time.   This helped with production scheduling needs. It also allowed studios to gauge the length of a motion picture for exhibition purposes before the picture was even shot (hence the old 120 page rule, which evolved to 110, and is moving toward 108); the shorter the movie, the more times they can play it in one day and the more box office they can potentially rake.   While the rise of the spec market led to a shift from shooting scripts (production drafts) to less technical reading drafts, for the most part, these format principles have held up for close to a hundred years. Writers (and typists) have been trying to maximize screenplay format's potential the entire time. The goals have stayed the same: Keep the reader interested. Evoke the image of the picture in the reader's mind. Do it at a pace that resembles how it would play on screen. Be clear so that everyone from the actors to the set designer can have a springboard for inspiration on how to fill out the countless details. Read More...     Sadie Dean   Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film. Twitter @SadieKDean       Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States

 

The Structure of 'WandaVision'   Whether it’s the dialogue you want to learn more about, or the structure, or aesthetic, 'WandaVision' will be worthy of study by writers for a long time. Bryan Young examines the storytelling techniques used in the nine-part Disney+ series. Read More...   Writer Sings the Blues   Writer doldrums are usually transient and can serve as story fodder if you know how to manage them. Terri Coduri Viani shares inspirational tips from her writing tribe on how to overcome your writer blues. Read More...     TRUE INDIE: Breaking in Remotely - Interview with Ashley Hall, writer of 'The Cure'   There's never been a better time to break into screenwriting remotely! Rebecca Norris interviews screenwriter Ashley Hall, who's combining both modern technology and wisdom from working on 'Psych' and 'Castle' to help her break into screenwriting from her native Virginia. Read More...       INDIE SPOTLIGHT: Interview with 'Tulsa' writer and co-director Scott Pryor   Scott Pryor, the star, writer and co-director behind 'Tulsa' shares insight behind his journey and love for storytelling, the connection between being creative both in the courtroom and in film, the learning curve behind marketing and distribution as an independent filmmaker and provides very practical advice for those seeking filmmaking as their calling. Read More...       Ten Weeks to Your Feature Film   This Thursday!   The world of the feature film is booming and you are gushing with ideas. This workshop will give you the tools to get the ideas out of your head and into a completed screenplay by introducing you to the methods that professional screenwriters use to write under deadlines.   Learn More & Register!         Free Screenwriting Resources   If you’re looking for free screenwriting tips and advice to help kick-start your writing career, then you’ll love our vast selection of free downloads. From learning how to write a script the right way to how to beat writer’s block, you’ll find something that will help you increase your chances of success! Read More...   Sadie Dean   Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film. Twitter @SadieKDean     Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States

 

Karen, Typing "FADE OUT" is just the beginning of your script's journey in the Industry. 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.  Next up are Development Notes, which is an extensive report with detailed information on concept, structure, pacing, dialogue and more. It also includes feedback and recommendations for improving the script and making it more marketable.  Now available through Writer's Digest Shop, ScriptXpert offers the best coverage and notes in the industry with experienced and industry-savvy readers. You only get one chance at a first impression, let our readers help you find success.    LEARN MORE >>   Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States     5 Reasons Screenplay Story Structure is Important   Writers often debate about whether to outline or not to outline. Whether you write a story or a screenplay, it's always advisable to work out the plot ahead of time so you can discover the best way of telling it to not only appease the reader, but also to engage your audience. Read More...   When it comes to learning how to tell a story or learning how to write a screenplay, you need structure. Structure is not screenplay format or story mapping. Story writing and the story writing tips for both stories and screenplays that follow have nothing to do with script writing format, screenwriting format, or how to format a screenplay. Writing stories based on story structure is really the first step in writing a story that a reader and eventual audience will pay money to read and attend.   What is story structure? Structure is arranging your story's elements into a specific chronological order to elicit the perfect emotional response from the reader. If you're writing a screenplay, the same thing goes, but of course, you'll eventually want to see your screenplay evolve into a movie and so again, screenplay structure is arranging your screenplay's story elements into a specific chronological order so that you elicit the perfect emotional response from your audience. Story structure also refers to a way in which your characters, events, reactions and outcomes of a story are organized in order to create a solid plot. Read More...     Sadie Dean   Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film. Twitter @SadieKDean       Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States     MEET THE READER: "Why I Hate - Really Hate - Writing Synopses"   When covering a screenplay for a studio or a production company, the analyst’s brief is to read the script, write a synopsis, and then pen an assessment. Ray Morton shares four main elements a synopsis must present and why it pays off to put in the work to make your screenplay structurally sound to avoid a PASS from a reader. Read More...   From Page to Screen—'A Wrinkle in Time'   Joy Cheriel Brown compares the adaption of the Disney film 'A Wrinkle in Time' to its source children's novel, exploring which liberties the screenwriters took and left behind in adapting the novel to screen. Read More...     INTERVIEW: ‘Boss Level’ writer/director Joe Carnahan   'Boss Level' writer/director Joe Carnahan shares his filmmaking journey with Script's Editor, Sadie Dean. Plus, what a writer should focus on when writing action films, his excitement for making movies, why it pays off to put in the time and work hard on your craft, and he sprinkles in some wisdom for writers on writing. Read More...       Mastering the Conventions of Horror Writing   Still time to enroll!   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. Learn More...         Free Screenwriting Resources   If you’re looking for free screenwriting tips and advice to help kick-start your writing career, then you’ll love our vast selection of free downloads. From learning how to write a script the right way to how to beat writer’s block, you’ll find something that will help you increase your chances of success! Read More...   Sadie Dean   Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film. Twitter @SadieKDean     Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States     The Writers Store Is Back Online!   Launched in 1982 as a privately owned storefront focused on building customized computer systems for screenwriters, The Writers Store remain Industry visionaries and creative-friendly to this day. We've been able to stay writer-centric while still growing to be a respected worldwide authority on screenwriting and filmmaking tools.    Among the first companies devoted to writing and filmmaking to have an Internet presence, WritersStore.com, was created with the idea that an online store would allow anyone in the world the same access to tools used by successful Hollywood writers.   As you move forward with your creative pursuits, The Writers Store will be there with you every step of the way, just as we have for nearly four decades. You can count on our continued innovation and first-rate service and support.     Visit The Writers Store today to learn about the craft and business of screenwriting, TV writing, filmmaking and more!   Visit The Writers Store     Sadie Dean   Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film. Twitter @SadieKDean       Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States   In the Writer's Corner: Social Media Etiquette   Typically the Twitter Screenwriting Community is a positive place where screenwriters network and support one another. But if you're new to the community, it can be a little intimidating to navigate the social norms - Nanea Taylor shares her social networking etiquette tips. Read More...   INTERVIEW: Malcolm Spellman, Head Writer for 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier'   Malcolm Spellman shares his journey on how he found his footing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), stepping out of his comfort zone as a storyteller and what the Marvel Studios creative system has taught him while crafting 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' for TV. Read More...       INDIE SPOTLIGHT: Interview with ‘Shoplifters of the World’ writer/director Stephen Kijak   Script’s Editor, Sadie Dean, interviews ‘Shoplifters of the World’ writer/director Stephen Kijak. The two discuss how his documentary filmmaking background informed his narrative storytelling, using songs for character development, and what his writing process looks like. Read More...     INTERVIEW: 'The Last of Us' Writer Neil Druckmann   With his ever-evolving body of work, it’s safe to say that Neil Druckmann has graduated from storyteller to auteur. Neil speaks with Sonya Alexander and shares insight on world building for video games, how 'The Last of Us' strikes a personal chord and what types of stories he's inspired to write. Read More...       How Comedy Works A special 3-hour event! Comedy writing is sometimes compared to songwriting: in music, every note is important; in comedy, every word, even every syllable can be critical. There are lots of classes about writing funny; this one is about what funny is – its mechanics, its principles. This talk has no direct instruction but rather takes a deep dive into the comedy principles which are, in fact, the basic principles of every art form: tension and resolution, pattern disruption, misdirection and surprise. Learn More & Register...         Free Screenwriting Resources   If you’re looking for free screenwriting tips and advice to help kick-start your writing career, then you’ll love our vast selection of free downloads. From learning how to write a script the right way to how to beat writer’s block, you’ll find something that will help you increase your chances of success! Read More...   Sadie Dean Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film.. Twitter @SadieKDean       Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States     Ten Points to Ponder When You Write   In this article from 2013, Ray Morton shares insight on why he thinks the success or failure of most scripts is determined in large part by decisions the authors make prior to the actual writing. To help you make the right decisions about the right issues, Ray provides ten questions to ask yourself before you begin writing. Read More...   By: Ray Morton   Alfred Hitchcock once said that 90% of the effectiveness of his films was determined in preproduction, based on the decisions he made in the scripting, storyboarding, design, and casting phases. I’m of a similar mind when it comes to screenwriting – I think that the success or failure of most scripts is determined in large part by decisions the authors make prior to the actual writing. To help you make the right decisions about the right issues, here are ten questions to ask yourself before you begin writing.     1. What is the story you want to tell? Many writers start writing their scripts with only a general idea of what they want to do (“I want to write about sharks!”) and so tend to flounder when composing their narratives. Before you can craft a successful script, you first need to turn your general idea into a specific premise (“I want to write about sharks” becomes “The lives and livelihoods of the residents of a summer beach resort are threatened when a giant great white shark makes the town’s beaches its feeding ground.”) and then work out the general narrative line (“In the first act, the shark kills a lone swimmer. The town’s police chief attempts to close the beaches in order to protect bathers, but the local government officials, worried about losing summer tourist money, talk him out of it. In the second act, the shark attacks again and again until it becomes obvious that something must be done to stop it. Joined by an ornery fisherman and an eager scientist, the police chief sails out to sea to hunt the shark. In the third act, the shark begins to hunt them.”). You don’t have to have every last detail worked out, of course, but if you know what your basic story is and where you are going with it from the get-go, then you will be able to write your script with focus, coherence, and momentum -- three things missing from far too many specs.   2. Who is the protagonist? Every dramatic story must have a protagonist – a character with a goal that he/she pursues throughout the script and who undergoes some sort of significant change at the end of the narrative. The actions that the protagonist takes in pursuit of his/her goal are the engine that drives all of the main events of the tale, so if you don’t have a clear protagonist, then you won’t have a clear story either. Despite this fact, many spec writers fail to determine who their protagonist is prior to writing. As a result, they fill their scripts with lots of characters as they go, but never focus on any one of them, so the piece ends up lacking both a center and drive. Read More...     Sadie Dean   Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film. Twitter @SadieKDean       Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States     INDIE SPOTLIGHT: Interview with 'Phobias' writer/director Maritte Lee Go   Script's Editor, Sadie Dean, interviews writer/director Maritte Lee Go, one of the five writer/directors behind the new horror anthology film 'Phobias.' The two discuss Maritte's approach to the anthology film, treating her writing like a day job and making it her goal to bring diverse and unrepresented voices to the forefront in her movies. Read More...   Zoe Lister-Jones' Cinematic Universe   Thuc Nguyen speaks with multi-hyphenate filmmaker Zoe Lister-Jones about her new film 'How It Ends' and writing with your 'Younger Self' in mind. Read More...     Breaking-In the Biz: How to Protect Your Intellectual Property   Jon James Miller shares advice on understanding the value of your own work and the importance of protecting your intellectual property while navigating breaking into Hollywood. Read More...       Ask the Coach: Not Three-Act Enough?   In this first installment of “Ask the Coach” Jenna Avery answers a pre-submitted question about three-act structure, how to look for a note beneath a note, and digging deeper into improving your next draft. Read More...     Sell Your Script Safely: How to Protect Your Intellectual Property This Thursday!   Hollywood is ravenous for content and the most desired source is pre-existing intellectual property, or IP. Many writers don’t realize the true value of securing IP until it’s too late. This live webinar will cover the process of how to secure and protect the underlying rights to your IP with strategies on how to stay attached to it once you’ve found a buyer.  Learn More & Register!         Free Screenwriting Resources   If you’re looking for free screenwriting tips and advice to help kick-start your writing career, then you’ll love our vast selection of free downloads. From learning how to write a script the right way to how to beat writer’s block, you’ll find something that will help you increase your chances of success! Read More...   Sadie Dean   Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film. Twitter @SadieKdean       Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States   IT DEPENDS: Is Your Story Idea Safe? - One Shared Idea, Three Unique Films   In this article from 2018, Christopher Schiller explores three very different films created from a shared idea to calm writers fears about the potential theft of an idea. Read More...   By: Christopher Schiller   “They stole my idea” was the topic of one of my very early columns here at Script, in fact it was THE first one. And it’s a theme I keep returning to time and time again, because it is a feeling writers have that their idea is their most precious thing and must be protected above all costs. That is the biggest fallacy a writer can believe in. Once you divest yourself of that falsehood, you’ll be on the path to a much more rewarding and fulfilling writing career.   Along the lines of repeating things in as many ways as you can to drive home a point, this column is going to take a look at three recent films, ALL of them share the same, exact starting idea. And all of them result in completely different stories being told and worthwhile perspectives on the shared idea at their core.   The shared idea – a film about Orson Welles   The idea is definitely not original. “Let’s make a documentary film about Orson Welles,” probably occurs to a lot of filmmakers at various times in their careers. It’s good fodder for an interesting subject because the man was multifaceted as well as being terribly fascinating. The idea is a starting point, but you need a direction to head from there, a place to take the idea into an expression you can call your own as a filmmaker. Read More...     Sadie Dean   Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film. Twitter @SadieKDean       Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States     The Magical World of Bola Ogun   Meet Bola Ogun, a first-generation Nigerian American, a Dallas native who is on one hell of a ride through Hollywood. Since her arrival to Los Angeles in 2007, Ogun has managed to become a part of the wave pushing Hollywood to finally bring us more genres from underrepresented perspectives. Read More...   Celebrating the Female Screenwriters Who Came Before Us     Dr. Rosanne Welch welcomes readers to her new monthly column to commemorate female writers in media forms ranging from silent films to talkies to television to video games. Read More...     INTERVIEW: 'Adverse' writer/director Brian A. Metcalf   Thuc Nguyen interviews triple-threat 'Adverse' writer/director and actor Brian A. Metcalf. Brian and his team are making things happen and making diversity a priority in the film world. Read More...       Fresh Voices in Script Development   How can the intimacy of the live theatre experience sustain during the pandemic? The connection forged between audience and production is unique to each performance. Theatres are finding unique ways to develop plays within these strictures and unknowns.. Read More...       Start Your Own Script Reading Business   New from Script University and expert instructor Brian O'Malley! This course will show you how to launch a script reading business of your own, from building a website using a simple web platform to creating your online shop to the basics of marketing online using social media and writing blog articles. Learn More...         Free Screenwriting Resources   If you’re looking for free screenwriting tips and advice to help kick-start your writing career, then you’ll love our vast selection of free downloads. From learning how to write a script the right way to how to beat writer’s block, you’ll find something that will help you increase your chances of success! Read More...   Sadie Dean   Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film. Twitter @SadieKDean     Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States   Sci-Fi Circuit: The Purpose and Value of Science Fiction   In this article from 2013, Jenna Avery explores the important role sci-fi plays in our culture. Does sci-fi serve a purpose beyond that of entertainment or escapism? Why do we write, read, and love sci-fi? Read More...   By: Jenna Avery   Does sci-fi serve a purpose beyond that of entertainment or escapism? Why do we write, read, and love sci-fi?   Arthur Clarke (2001: A Space Odyssey) once said, "There's no real objection to escapism, in the right places... We all want to escape occasionally. But science fiction is often very far from escapism, in fact you might say that science fiction is escape into reality... It's a fiction which does concern itself with real issues: the origin of man; our future. In fact I can't think of any form of literature which is more concerned with real issues, reality."   Here are some thoughts on the important role sci-fi plays in our culture:   1. Sci-fi makes us think, wonder, and ask what if and why.   I recently watched the movie Contact with my 5-year-old son. The next day I was over the moon with delight at the myriad of questions he asked me. "Why didn't we see the aliens? Are they coming back? Is there going to be another movie where we get to see them? Why didn't anyone believe her except the people outside that big room?" I'm sure when he's older he'll have even more questions to ask about it, like, "Is that what it could really be like, to make first contact? Is it possible that other races are capable of such travel?" Read More...     Sadie Dean   Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film. Twitter @SadieKdean       Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States       MEET THE READER: The Dream Factory   The Hollywood studio system was a unique and miraculous thing – a peculiarly American creation that combined unparalleled artistry and craftsmanship with the principles of assembly line manufacturing. Does "The Dream Factory" still exist? Ray Morton gives a historical overview of the Hollywood studio system. Read More...   Opening Pages Hack: The 3-Page Prologue   The opening pages of a script are very important. We all know this. Busy industry readers will tend to put a script down if they’re not grabbed right away. Multiple Emmy-winning screenwriter Erik Bork (HBO's "Band of Brothers") offers a solution in grabbing your readers right away. Read More...       Business Of Film: What Is Distribution?     Filmmakers plan, write, enter contests, crowd-fund, shoot proof of concepts, generate business plans, design decks and pitch, to make a movie to sell to the public. Often, the major decision-makers between filmmakers and audiences are the distributors. Read More...       Sell Your Script Safely   Hollywood is ravenous for content and the most desired source is pre-existing intellectual property, or IP. Many writers don’t realize the true value of securing IP until it’s too late. This live webinar will cover the process of how to secure and protect the underlying rights to your IP with strategies on how to stay attached to it once you’ve found a buyer. Learn More...         Free Screenwriting Resources   If you’re looking for free screenwriting tips and advice to help kick-start your writing career, then you’ll love our vast selection of free downloads. From learning how to write a script the right way to how to beat writer’s block, you’ll find something that will help you increase your chances of success! Read More...   Sadie Dean   Sadie is the Editor of Script. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie’s work has been optioned and has had her work produced as well. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary film. Twitter @SadieKDean     Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States