Write a GREAT SCRIPT in a supportive group environment from the comfort of your home with guidance from a PROFESSIONAL SCRIPT DOCTOR. 8 WEEKS of firm DEADLINES and FEEDBACK on each week’s assignment from myself and your peers, using the simple yet powerful Story Maps method used by 95% of commercial movies.
The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn was one of my favorite books I read on the job for Miramax Films back in the heyday of literary development and now it’s in production as a major feature film starring Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro (from Rogue Pictures and Universal Pictures). It’s been a long road for […]
Million Dollar Baby (2004; Screenplay by Paul Haggis, based on stories by F.X. Toole; Directed by Clint Eastwood) Million Dollar Baby is an incredibly focused story. Screenwriter Paul Haggis achieves what I call “story cohesion” by making sure that every element logically flows from strong main dramatic elements while generating conflict. The first level of […]
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Congratulations and further good luck to my clients Joe Puterbaugh and Ron Cecchini and fellow The Writers’ Building member Stephen Hoover on making the semi- finals of the Silver Screenwriting Competition, the Top 20 which represents the top 2.5% out of more than 1,000 entries. Silver is quickly becoming one of the premier screenwriting contests […]
Detailed analysis of The Dark Knight screenplay by Professional movie studio Script Doctor Daniel Calvisi includes a FREE download of the full Story Map outline for the movie. Learn how to build a screenplay around your THEME.
You know who your story is about and what it’s about and why you’re telling the story…but HOW are you going to tell it? Think about the general way that you’re going to tell the story before you start to lay out the scene list. What’s your way into this story? E.T. was crafted to […]
Working, professional Reader Carson Reeves runs a site named “Script Shadow” — if you haven’t checked it out, you should do so now. Script Shadow consistently publishes detailed reviews of spec scripts that have recently sold in Hollywood. Carson reads and reviews the Black List finalists (in which most of the top scoring scripts have […]
A screenwriter is hired for a negotiated fee to write or rewrite a script within a certain timeframe. The writer is guaranteed of payment if he/she fulfills the terms of the contract (and the employer honors the contract). A work-for-hire generally consists of steps in which the writer receives a payment for each portion of […]
An Unsolicited Submission is a screenplay submission that is not coming from a professional source (an agent, lawyer, or manager). Many production companies and studios refuse to read unsolicited submissions, but they all keep a Submission Release Form on hand for when they get tempted by a new writer with a fantastic logline. Keep in […]
The plot of a screenplay written out in prose form, generally in one to two pages. The story, specifically the action of the story; beginning, middle, and end; very clearly written and meticulously proofread. The treatment should be very spare and straightforward — it should not contain extraneous emotional or cerebral content nor long excerpts […]
Three Act Structure (a.k.a standard structure) is the classical, proven form of storytelling in film. Form, not formula. It does not dictate your story choices, only where you might place the major plot points. This structure is based on Aristotle’s three act dramatic structure: beginning, middle, and end. Also known as Three Act Restorative Structure, […]
A waiver provided by a production company and signed by an un-repped writer who is making an unsolicited submission (see Unsolicited Submission). Protects the production company in the event they produce a film featuring a similar story as the writer’s screenplay and it produces a paper trail for the writer as a record of the […]
Also known as a “Reader.” The person who reads a written submission (usually a screenplay or a novel) for a producer or executive and writes up an evaluation report called coverage. Since producers and executives can’t possibly read every submission that comes through the door, they employ story analysts to sift through most of it, […]
A spec script is a screenplay written to be sold on the open market, as opposed to one commissioned by a studio or production company (see Work-for-Hire). No guarantee of payment. The greater risk of a spec script can pay off in a bigger sale. The only way for a new screenwriter to break in […]
The final draft of a screenplay before going into production. Has been given the final okay by the Director, the Producers and Executives and contains scene numbers and possibly camera cues and other visual references. As a spec screenwriter, you should not be concerned with shooting scripts or formatting your script to look like one. […]
All screenplays and written material should be registered with the Writer’s Guild of America West or East before submitting to anyone or any professional entity. Your work (anything written may be registered) will be sealed in an envelope (or digitally archived) and date stamped. For non-members, this service currently costs $20 in L.A. (five years […]
The submission draft. A screenplay written to be submitted to a production company. Should read well and flow; should not contain scene numbers or visual directions. A Reader’s script should feature a dynamic opening, short scenes, fast pacing and never exceed 120 pages in length (see Shooting Script). I suggest you keep it under 110 […]
I always suggest opening with a compliment — the “kill ’em with kindness” approach — that way you don’t just sound like you want something from them but you’re here to contribute something to their obviously stellar output. Plus, everyone likes a little ego stroke, especially in Hollywood. Open the letter by congratulating them on […]
A short letter to a professional company, via email, mail or fax, making them aware of you and your screenplay and “pitching” the story to them in the hopes they’ll request it. Three to five short paragraphs and one page maximum — must be very clear and meticulously proofread. Must include your logline: one sentence, […]