The Triple Threat: Industry Vet, Teacher and Coach

Due to the recent economy woes and all the layoffs in Hollywood, you’ll probably spot more new script services founded by recently downsized development and agency employees. Yes, they’ve worked in the industry, but have they taught and coached writers to improve their work?

As I stressed in part one of this article, there’s no substitute for years of teaching and coaching writers. My time on the job in the industry was only half of my training — teaching and guiding hundreds of writers was the second half. I’ve learned so much from you writers and I’ve tried to use it to make me better at what I do.

Here’s an example. Years ago, a client stressed to me that I was being quite harsh. My “tough love” approach was leaning too heavily on the tough and not enough on the love! So I took that lesson to heart and from that day forward, decided to communicate more positive feedback into my notes. I now always begin with what I liked about a script, before I get into what needs work.

I’m still going to be direct, honest and yes, tough, because I can guarantee you the industry will be ten times tougher, but I also understand that an artist needs to first hear good things about their work for them to be receptive to any criticism. When I show my own work to friends and colleagues, I say “Tell me something nice first.  Tell me what you liked before you get into what you didn’t like.”

Key principles…

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One afternoon in April 1990, Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and drummer Chad Channing arrived at producer Butch Vig’s Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin… “They rolled up in a van,” says Vig, “and they probably hadn’t taken a bath or shower in three or four days.” The songs Nirvana began recording that day would eventually become Nevermind.

Source: Rolling Stone.

On January 3, 1991, five young musicians who called themselves “LunchHead” entered the same studio, used the same equipment as Nirvana, and paid Butch Vig the same fee. Read more