Bio - Act Four Screenplays

Short Bio:

Daniel P. Calvisi is a Script Doctor, writing coach and the author of Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay and Story Maps: TV Drama: The Structure of the One-Hour Television Pilot. He is a former Story Analyst for major studios like Twentieth Century Fox, Miramax Films and New Line Cinema. He coaches writers, teaches webinars on writing for film and television and speaks at writing conferences. Many of his clients have worked with the top networks and studios in the industry, such as Netflix, HBO, Max, Hulu, Warner Brothers, Disney, Sony, ABC, Showtime, Apple TV+ and more. He has been endorsed by Script Magazine and featured on Indie Film Hustle, Film Courage and L.A. Screenwriter. He holds a degree in Film and Television from New York University. He lives in Los Angeles.

Longer Bio, from Dan…

I am a professional Story Analyst, Writing Coach, Screenwriter, Author and private Screenplay Consultant with over 20 years of experience working professionally on the craft and business of screenplays.

I live in Los Angeles, California, the movie and television capital of the world.

My employers have included Miramax Films, Dimension Films, Twentieth Century Fox, New Line Cinema and Clinica Estetico Films (former production company of Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme, The Silence of the Lambs). I have evaluated written submissions for executives who developed and/or executive produced the films Chicago, Limitless, Spy Kids, Scream 2 & 3, Chocolat, The Wedding Singer and many others.

I am the author of the best-selling screenwriting books Story Maps: How to Write a GREAT Screenplay, Story Maps: TV Drama: The Structure of the One-Hour Television Pilot, Story Maps: 12 Great Screenplays and Story Maps: The Films of Christopher Nolan.

I am a professional screenwriter. I have been hired by many clients to write, rewrite or polish screenplays. I really enjoy the challenge of using my creativity and technical acumen to help realize someone else’s overall vision for their film or TV pilot. Three of my recent Script Doctor assignments were on a thriller feature, a one-hour drama pilot and a horror short.

I have taught screenwriting and story analysis at the college level and I speak at writing conferences, book signings and regional writers’ groups meetings.

I have coached hundreds of private clients (writers, directors, actors, producers) to write their best screenplays and submit them to the industry with the best marketing strategy. I work with writers of all experience levels on all formats: concept, logline, story map, outline, treatment, pitch, short, pilot, feature, pitch deck, story bible, etc. I am just as comfortable helping a writer develop a new concept from scratch as I am giving notes on a completed draft. I enjoy coaching newbies as well as industry veterans, and I can proudly say that some of my clients have worked with the top networks and studios in the industry, such as Netflix, HBO, Max, Hulu, Warner Brothers, Disney, Sony, ABC, Showtime, Apple TV+ and more. For a list of some of my more well-known clients, see my Coaching page.