john truby

[Video]: John Truby on Successful Writing

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‘It’s also important that writers read a lot of scripts. Because it’s only through reading a lot of scripts that you get a sense of the pacing that a professional script has…’ A rich, full-length interview with acclaimed screenwriting teacher John Truby on the state of Hollywood, the market forces of filmmaking, and the keys … Read more

[Video]: How Screenwriters Make A Living

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Screenwriting teacher John Truby talks bluntly about pitch slams, and how the film industry has changed in the last five years. Development funding, he cautions, is now rarely extended. Pitches alone aren’t the recipe for success. John instead argues that writers should focus on the simple rule: put it on the page. If you liked … Read more

When the script and story gurus speak

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Most ‘gurus’ each have their own area of expertise and angle of attack, they each follow their own agenda. And with every new light shed on the craft, different people may see that light. Don’t they ever contradict each other? And if they do, which truth do YOU choose? Screenwriting is a dynamic craft. What … Read more

To McKee or not to McKee

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A friend asked me if I would be offended should he spend $600 to go see McKee in Melbourne. Years ago I happened to be in LA in the first days of release of the first edition of STORY (McKee’s bestselling book). I purchased two copies: one for myself and one for my best friend … Read more

Conscious vs. Unconscious Desire

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Question: When McKee talks about the conscious desire being a contradiction of the unconscious desire, would you relate this to the mid act 2 reversal / change in approach? Or would this be true from the very start of the story, script or life of the protagonist? Answer: Let’s start with quoting exactly what it … Read more