8 Week Intensive TV Drama Pilot Writing Lab
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8 Week Intensive TV Drama Pilot Writing Lab
Learn directly from Morgan Long, TV Literary Department for a “Big Six” Agency This lab is designed for beginner and intermediate screenwriters looking to build a pilot from scratch or expand on an existing idea. With the TV market exploding right now, one of the most in demand formats is the 1-hour TV drama pilot. Many, if not all, managers and agents are looking for writers that can write in this space, and with more and more production companies heading into TV, knowing how to write a strong 1-hour TV drama pilot will give you a competitive advantage and help you find success as a TV writer! Due to popular demand, Stage 32 is thrilled to bring back our 8 Week Intensive TV Drama Pilot Writing Lab taught by Morgan Long, a TV development coordinator at a “Big Six” Agency! This hands-on intensive lab will guide you through picking a concept, creating engaging characters, structuring and outlining your pilot and writing the first draft! The main objective of this 8-week lab will be to have a first draft of your script. You will meet online with Morgan for 2 hours a week in a class setting, plus have phone consultations during some of the weeks when you don't have an online class. This will be accompanied by weekly homework assignments to guide you on your way to creating a marketable, unique pilot that will grab the industry's attention. Payment plans are available - please contact julie@stage32.com for more information. This Lab is Limited to 20 People. Please Note: Participating in this lab does not mean you are writing for or pitching to Morgan or her company. PRE-CLASS PREP - Read your syllabus and plan out your writing ideas. Begin to think about 1-2 ideas that might be a good idea for your drama pilot. Start to prepare for your pilot pitch.
Demystifying the Agency World
Learn directly from Morgan Long, a coordinator from one of the big six Hollywood agencies in the TV literary department! She'll give you specific insider knowledge of the agency system and what it takes to get their attention. There is a cloud of mystery surrounding one of the biggest and most fundamental components of the Hollywood industry – and that’s the agency. Whether you’re a writer, director, non-writing producer, actor – and the list goes on to cover even the most obscure type of talent imaginable– it’s pretty basic knowledge that representation is necessary to launch your career. In this jam-packed Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, Demystifying the Agency World, Morgan will take you inside the walls of a premier Hollywood agency to shed light on the inner workings of how deals get made, how agents think and ultimately, how you can take steps in your career towards securing the holy grail that is representation. You will leave the webinar knowing: The types of representation The different departments within an agency and how they work together and function independently. The types of jobs for TV clients Identify the players we sell to What sells in the marketplace? What is packaging? An agent's day-to-day What agents want in potential clients (the brutal, honest answer) Finding representation Moving forward without representation.
How to Master Query Letters & Cold Calls to Get Past the Gatekeepers (With Examples)
Wonderful class - simplified and helpful information that can be applied immediately for better results. The examples at the end are totally worth it. - Cate C. YOU WILL SEE EMAIL EXAMPLES AND HEAR MOCK COLD-CALLS SO YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU SHOULD APPROACH YOUR QUERIES! Talk to any executive and they'll tell you that they receive dozens if not hundreds of query letters a day. Because most of them don't have an attention grabbing subject line or little to no personalization, almost all end up in the trash. But, any executive will also tell you that if a subject line grabs them, or if the query letter shows the recipient that this was a personal, non-mass, attempt to get their attention, you have a very real shot of doing just that. The same holds true for cold calls. Having a solid, wise approach and knowing exactly what to say will give you the best chance of breaking the ice and securing the conversation you were hoping for. It's all about creating intrigue, interest, and value while approaching your subject from a place of selflessness and thoughtfulness. So, where do you even start and how do you even know if what you send will grab their attention? Wendy Kram has over 20 years of experience as an entertainment industry executive, consultant, and producer, developing and producing projects for Disney, Universal and Sony Studios, HBO, Showtime, Lifetime, NBC, ABC, CBS and USA Networks. Her credits include Mad Money with Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, and Katie Holmes, the award-winning miniseries Sally Hemings: An American Scandal for CBS with Sam Neil, and current projects she's producing with Anonymous Content (the company responsible for True Detective, Mr. Robot, The Revenant, and Spotlight). With longstanding industry relationships, Wendy understands buyer and creative talent needs, and has direct access to principals at the major studios, networks, streaming providers and agencies. Throughout her storied career Wendy has knocked down many doors and she will teach you exactly how you can do the same! Wendy will show you how query letters and cold calling can become powerful tools in your arsenal + she will go through actual examples of letters and do mock cold-calls for you. You will walk away feeling confident the next time you query or call for your project!
The Art of Dialogue: How to Nail Your Character's Voice
“As a collaborator with Brian and a guest in his class, I am hugely impressed with his screenwriting knowledge. I heartily recommend him and his course.” - Jason Alexander (Seinfeld, Pretty Woman, Listen Up) Filmed entertainment is visual, and though everyone loves a catchy line, it’s really an exceptional dialogue exchange framed by a character’s choice of action that we remember. Dialogue is one of the clearest ways of exploring your character’s agenda, frame of mind, and emotional state. The best dialogue is able to do even more - and succinctly, sometimes in just a few lines. It lets us know something about the overall theme of your script, as well as unresolved areas ripe for conflict between your protagonist and the other characters: friend, frenemy, and foe… In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, screenwriter/producer/director Brian Herskowitz will walk you through what professional dialogue looks and sounds like. He will guide you through understanding the link between your character and dialogue, how to develop a strong character voice, the art of subtext and making sure you have the right amount of dialogue to move your story forward. Brian is a veteran film and television writer and producer who has worked on over 2 dozen films and television shows (HBO, FOX, CBS, NBC, UNIVERSAL and more) and he's bringing his experience across all the formats to the Stage 32 community! PLUS! To help you with your own writing exercises you will receive: Character Voice handout Strong Dialogue Voice Handout Brainstorm Dialogue Handout Tranformative Dialogue Handout Good Will Hunting Call Back Script The Fabelmans Script The Empire Strikes Back Script The Banshees Of Inisherin Script You do not want to miss out on this chance to learn how to write effective dialogue! Testimonials for Brian's Teaching and Stage 32 Education “As a collaborator with Brian and a guest in his class, I am hugely impressed with his screenwriting knowledge. I heartily recommend him and his course.” - Jason Alexander (Seinfeld, Pretty Woman, Listen Up) "I have a master's degree and a doctorate, Brian is by far the most caring and best teacher I have ever had." - Alan J. "The course was everything I needed and then some. An excellent course." - Katie R. "Mr. Herskowitz is very knowledgeable, patient, and superb at discerning problems and helping us solve them." - Sandra O. "A solid course in which I felt I had learned a LOT by the time it was over." - Peter L.
An Oscar-Nominated Writer Teaches You The Hero's Journey
A NEW EXCLUSIVE WEBINAR Learn about the Hero's Journey and how your screenplays can use this imperative tool from the Academy Award nominated writer of TOY STORY, CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, GOODBYE LOVER and more... Plus! A Hero's Journey Worksheet and Exclusive Script Downloads For You! STAR WARS, THE MATRIX, HARRY POTTER, TOY STORY... countless successful films use "The Hero's Journey," a storytelling archetype promoted by author and professor Joseph Campbell. You've likely heard or maybe even read about it, but Stage 32 is here to walk you threw what it takes to apply this essential archetype to your own writing! In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, Oscar-nominated screenwriter Alec Sokolow will take you through the Hero's Journey so that you fully understand how to use it to elevate your scripts. Alec is a master of the Hero's Journey having applied it throughout his career to his blockbuster films, including TOY STORY, CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, EVAN ALMIGHTY, and many more. He's also produced feature documentaries, directed animation shorts, and written children's books, successfully applying Joseph Campbell's mythical structure with his work netting over $2 billion in worldwide receipts. The Hero's Journey is bigger than Luke Skywalker, and following this archetype isn't about following a cookie-cutter story. It's about understanding dreams we all share and heightened realities. It leads to star-making roles that actors are dying to play. It's about raising the stakes and challenging your protagonist to change on multiple levels by pushing them beyond their limits. To truly understand the nature of your writing, it is vital to understand the heroic journey you are constructing for your protagonist and go on your own journey as you craft your script. In the process, you'll have a deeper understanding of how to write these journeys, be able to elevate your writing to something that grabs producers and talent, and prove that you're ready for a career in writing big-screen stories. Where else can you learn about this imperative story structure directly from a successful screenwriter who applies it to their work every day? Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn from Alec Sokolow and start your own Hero's Journey. PRAISE FOR ALEC'S WORK AND STAGE 32 EDUCATION: “Alec Sokolow is one of the world’s great storytellers, screenwriters, and teachers and that’s a wonderful combination for anyone to learn from.” -- An Award-Winning Producer "Wonderful insights. Made lots of notes. Thank you." "Alec is the best! What a world of knowledge!" "Great session with Alec. Thanks for the insights and wisdom from your storytelling experience. Oh, and for the films!"
How to Prepare For and Nail a General Meeting (In Person and Online)
Whether you’re leading the creative charge as a screenwriter, in the trenches a director or cinematographer, behind the scenes as a crew member, or in front of the camera as an actor being great at what you do is only part of your job. We at Stage 32 preach that 50% of your job is excelling at your craft, the other 50% is networking and understanding how the industry works. It's simply undeniable, those who commit to treating their networking and relationship building as their job and keep on top of what's happening in the industry land more meetings with decision makers who can make an impact on their career. But the goal is not just to get into the room, it's to stay in the room. And that means you need to know how to be good in the room. And with more and more meetings going virtual and online, you must know how to prepare and have the skills ready for those situations as well. General meetings are the first line of offense and defense for decision makers. As you know, most people in this industry - whether working in film, television or digital - want to find creatives and professionals they can go to war with time and time again. Their tribe. To become part of someone's tribe (and eventually form one of your own), you have to know how to nail the general meeting. It is crucial that you understand how to prepare. You must know who you're meeting with, what to wear, proper etiquette, the story of your project, the story of your personal brand (such an overlooked art), and know your pitch inside and out. Ultimately, you want to turn this general meeting into something much greater or assure that you're receiving a callback meeting. Their are many tried and true tricks for getting this done and we're going to bring them to you. Jeff Portnoy of Bellevue Management is one of the most revered managers working in the industry today. Jeff was recently named been named by Variety as one of Hollywood’s New Leaders in Management. Prior to joining Bellevue, Jeff worked at Creative Artists Agency, The Gotham Group, Resolution Talent Agency and Heretic Literary Management. Along the way he has sold and set up projects to New Line Cinema, Lionsgate, FOX, Screen Gems, Warner Bros. and more. Jeff has been on both sides of the table for hundreds of general meetings and has learned exactly what makes a meeting successful and where many go south – and he’s here to share the do's and don'ts with you, the Stage 32 community Jeff will teach you how to assure that you perform in your general meeting in a manner that makes you memorable. He will discuss everything from attire to how to carry yourself to how to make eye contact. He'll teach you how to prepare your pitch and convey it with the right amount of passion, charisma and energy. He’ll give you important guidelines on how and when you should talk in the conversation and help you understand if you’re talking too much or sending the wrong message. You’ll learn how to get notes from the other side of the table and how you should receive and respond to them. You will know the best way to pitch “you” and your brand so you stand out from other people taking general meetings with the same party. Jeff will teach you how to do research on the people and the company you are meeting with and how to use that information to your advantage (and not be creepy about it!) He will make you understand why the assistant and support staff can ultimately be your best ally. Finally, Jeff will go over the various types of meetings you’ll encounter in your career – from studios, production companies, managers, agents and networks and explain the differences so you’ll be fully prepared. "A wealth of information. Gave me a lot of things to think about - especially with the tips on reading the room. Your description of how to pitch myself and my story were game-changers. Off to practice now." - Sonia H. "What fabulous advice, Jeff, thank you!" - Greg M. "Yep, now I know why I haven't been securing a second meeting. I have seen the light and the err of my ways." - Veronica G "The dress code discussion was very helpful, I never knew what I should wear and now I do!" - John S.
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