Perfecting the Basics of Screenwriting
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Reviews Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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Diana Budur Very good basic intro course. -
Jessica Rose Loved Mary's teaching process! Will definitely take other classes if she offers them in the future.
Other education that may be of interest to you:
Adapting a Book Into a Film or Television Program
Learn directly from award winning non-fiction producer, Jim Young, who's produced 8 films based on books, including Lovelace (James Franco, Amanda Seyfriend), The Man Who Know Infinty (New York Times best Seller), The Catcher Was a Spy and Layover Some of the recent best feature films were based on books, including Hidden Figures, Lost City of Z, Unbroken, American Sniper, Inherent Vice, Wild, The Imitation Game, and The Theory of Everything. Some of the top recent television series based on books include Game of Thrones, True Detective, Pretty Little Liars, The Leftovers, Boardwalk Empire, Justified, True Blood, Dexter, the upcoming Fresh Off the Boat. As you can see, great books often make for great films and TV programs. The first step to beginning an adaptation is to find a book that lends itself to being turned into a film or television project. Discovering an adaptation-worthy subject can be as simple as stumbling across an interesting title at a bookstore or airport newsstand. Another way to find possibilities include reading the magazine Publisher’s Weekly, which profiles new books hitting the market each week along with short synopses. Many other magazines and newspapers give mentions of new titles each month as well. In this on-demand Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, Jim Young will go over how to adapt a book into a film or TV series! Jim will cover everything from acquiring the rights, to script development, to pre-production, to production, all the way to the finish line. Having produced films such as Lovelace (starring James Franco, Sharon Stone, and Amanda Seyfried) and The Man Who Knew Infinity (starring Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, Toby Jones, and Stephen Fry) and the upcoming The Catcher Was a Spy (directed by Ben Lewin and written by Robert Rodat) and Layover (written and to be directed by Toni Kalem) all based on books, Jim knows how to adapt a book into a film and TV series from start to finish. Jim Young is an independent producer and the president of Animus Films. He has produced over eight films, with upcoming productions including Cut Throat City, directed by RZA. Young is currently developing many other film and television projects with independent companies including Lynda Obst Productions, Ruby Films, Tollin Productions, Tribeca Productions, Underground Films, and Pressman Films.
9/12/18 Guest Judges Bradley Gallo & Nat Topping
CCO Bradley Gallo and Story Editor Nat Topping from Amasia Entertainment join our Panel as we listen and read your pitches live to help educate the Writers' Room screenwriters on what is and isn't working in their pitch.
Deconstructing Oscar-Winning Films: Spotlight, Network & All The President's Men
Over the past few decades as the media landscape has changed, so have methods for reporting and information gathering. Your Stage 32 Next Level educator, award-winning director, James Kicklighter, has personally learned this while directing his new documentary film, Digital Edition, profiling the digital tools changing media as we know it. In “Deconstructing Oscar-Winning Films: Spotlight, Network & All The President’s Men,” we will evaluate and deconstruct common methods deployed in these three groundbreaking films to tell stories about journalism and media. Through this process, we will identify the successful techniques from these masterpieces for directing and writing movies about the media we consume. While filmmaking isn’t typically thought about as “investigative,” to create a film about journalism and media, it requires extended research that goes beyond writing the fictional screenplay. We will evaluate the preparation process of interviewing industry professionals, utilizing research to inform the written narrative, and how to visually manifest the themes on screen. You will walk away learning techniques to help your directing, writing, acting and producing to help you improve your projects! As an added bonus - ***Get 3 FREE Oscar-Winning Scripts: Spotlight, All The President's Men & Network***
"Always Be Closing" How To Write a Killer Final 10-15 Pages
4 part class taught by WGA Award-nominated writer John Shepherd, Director of Development at Cross Creek Pictures. AVAILABLE ON DEMAND! The first 10 pages and the last 10 pages of a script are the most important. Making an executive walk away from a read of your script with a powerful impression is crucial to getting your script made. The last pages of a script come with their own web of problems (how to tie everything together, how to complete a character's arc, how to create a powerful final image, etc.). Sometimes a time crunched executive will read the first and last 10 pages of a script before deciding to read the whole thing. A writer has to make sure that they "stick the landing." Stage 32 Happy Writers is excited to bring you the previously-recorded 4 part class: “Always Be Closing” - How to Write a Killer Final 10 Pages taught by John Shepherd, Director of Development at Cross Creek Pictures (Black Swan, The Woman In Black, Ides of March). Learn how to make your last act resonate for your characters, your audience, yourself and the executive reading it. Purchasing gives you access to the previously-recorded live class.Although John is no longer reviewing the assignments, we still encourage all listeners to participate!
1/16/19 Victor Bui, Kristi Shuton & Adrienne C. Thomas - Disney | ABC
Victor Bui, Kristi Shuton & Adienne C. Thomas are on the Disney | ABC Creative Talent Development & Inclusion Team where they oversee the Writing and Directing Programs. We discuss what writing programs and fellowships, writer development, and how to create a personal brand/story, plus a live Q&A!
The Secret to Cracking Your Script's Second Act
Learn directly from Jason Mirch, a 10+ year film and TV producer and former Head of Feature and Television Development and Production at Image Nation Abu Dhabi (The Help, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Contagion and Flight)! When writing a screenplay, the area most writers struggle with is the dreaded Second Act. The Second Act is the heart of the narrative and where most screenplays crash and burn, leaving the screenwriters wondering where it all went wrong. When constructing your screenplay, it is essential to craft a tight Second Act that will power the narrative through to the climactic Third Act. What many writers don’t realize, is that the Second Act should actually be divided into 2 parts. In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, you will get an in depth look into how to successfully navigate the structure of the Second Act. You will learn techniques for crafting dialogue that moves the narrative forward, while exposing their characters’ flaws. You will learn how to carefully order their scenes in such a way that it creates a series of authentic and escalating obstacles for their characters to overcome. The webinar will identify and explain key plot points that typically exist in a well-written Second Act, and explain how you can use these as guidelines for their own projects. Jason will be citing specific examples from films in several different genres as well as providing you tools to apply to your own writing.
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