Story. Screenplay. Sale.
Earlier this month, Seth Godin published a blog post that resonated with me. A piece so sharp and pertinent, I decided to translate it to screenwriting. (It was originally about Harper Lee) “[Screenwriting Genius X] is a legend and a genius. She’s also the exception that proves the rule, twice. Rule 1 – Screenplay Hope Rule 1: Your … Read more
I have worked in the film and television industry for thirty-five years now. And I find there is one really easy way to tell whether someone understands their own story or not. Can they write a logline for it? I am not saying that writing a logline gives you the ability to write great scripts, … Read more
Some claim the 70’s was the best decade for film. I agree. The decade of Jaws and Star Wars was also that of Chinatown, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and Alien. It was the time of the smart thrillers: political, conspiracy, spy thrillers. A director who mastered all three, was Alan J. Pakula. He … Read more
‘Everything that could go wrong was going wrong, I was sort of dead man walking in Hollywood, like, yeah that guy’s getting fired… and on the other hand, everything about the movie was great… the only decision I ever really made was to say ‘keep going.’ That our only hope of coming out alive was … Read more
How to create a great character. The holy grail for the beginning screenwriter. Yet, when you listen to the gurus, it sounds so simple. Once you have a few scripts under your belt, you will realise how difficult it can be. Great characters are essential to an engaging sellable story. This is true for the movies, and even more for TV. Now, the … Read more