Stage 32 Screenwriting Class: How to Better Approach and Sign With a Literary Manager to Advance Your Screenwriting Career - With a Query and Writing Sample Workshop
Reviews Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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Megan Soli I am extremely grateful that this course remained available on demand, and it was worth every penny. I only wish I would have been more active here to have participated live. I actually revised my bio before Audrey assigned it. Thank You -
D A Stenard I took this class, because the thought of reaching out to someone I don't know make my stomach go into hyperdrive. I was one of the lucky ones in our class, because Audrey was able to review my logline and sample query letter and I got great great feedback on it. And the notes she gave us about trying to ask 5 people we know if they have any managers they would introduce us to helped me hit a goldmine. Firstly, I asked a person who plays tennis at my boss's house and I am the person who usually helps him book the court. I asked him for a favor in return. Right away, he told me he knows at least 5 managers who he will call and see if they are up for getting my ptich. JACKPOT! There's my homework assignment right there, basically! But I didn't stop. Before I heard from this person, I went on IMDBPro and read up on a manager who I didn't know from Adam. It turns out one of her clients is a director I worked with THIRTY YEARS AGO. So I took a chance and an hour ago, I crafted my letter with that connection in the body of the query and now I am just waiting to see if I get a hit. THANK YOU AUDREY, for giving me the ideas and the courage to follow through. Please take this class if you have any qualms about cold-querying. This really helped me.. GOING FORWARD!!
Other education that may be of interest to you:
How to Adapt a True Story as a Film or Series
What do the singer Elvis Presley, the con-artist Anna Delvey and the phycisist Albert Einstein have in common? Their true life stories have recently been adapted into major feature films and TV series. True story adaptations find success largely because the writers and creators understand where to find the story within these real lives to adapt. They efficiently honed in on an angle that pulled the audience in while developing emotional arcs that kept viewers invested. Writing is a craft, no doubt, and one that must be managed differently when pen hits paper and for adaptations. It takes work and a deep understanding of your story as well as the medium you’re adapting it for, but it’s something you can achieve for your own true life passion project, especially with the proper understanding and guidance. Kate Sharp is a producer and literary manager at Bellevue Productions. Prior to joining Bellevue, Kate was the VP of Development and Production at Occupant Entertainment, producing short-form content for Showtime, MTV, Verizon, Facebook, and U2, and was an Executive Producer on the Hulu original, Emmy-nominated TV series BEHIND THE MASK. Her film credits include PEEP WORLD, BETTER LIVING THROUGH CHEMISTRY, MADAME BOVARY and THE HALLOW. Kate is currently producing THE BURNING SEASON with Naomi Watts and STRANGER THINGS’ Sophia Lillis attached to star. Kate has worked with countless writers on adapting their true story projects of all types and knows what it takes to turn a true story into a script that producers, reps, studios and execs will be interested in. Kate will delve into the craft of adapting a true story to a film or series, and how to put words to the page to make this happen. She will define the three types of true story or biopic adaptations so you can determine which option is best for you and give you the tools to decide if your story should unfold as a feature or limited series so you can determine which option is best for you. She will also walk you through best practices for researching, finding your own angle to the story, and how to write your script so it feels authentic while still possessing emotional arcs and narrative liberties to ensure your script is marketable and successful in the market. Through Kate’s rundown, you will walk away with confidence and write an adapted script that gets the attention it deserves. Praise for Kate's Previous Stage 32 Webinar "Kate Sharp was incredible. She's a great instructor, and also looks like a very special person to have as a manager, who loves what she does and would be a great partner for a writer! Thank you for sharing her gifts with us!" -Ricki L. "The information was straightforward and practical. I made loads of notes to go back over. Thanks!" -Gillian R. "BRAVO, KATE!!! She provided a wonderful presentation fueled by stellar "real world" facts and scenarios" -Bill B.
The Executive Hour with Tripper Clancy
This week Jason welcomes screenwriter Tripper Clancy, who wrote the summer's smash comedy hit, Stuber for 20th Century Fox! Tripper went on to write comedies and dramas of all shapes and sizes for Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Amazon, Netflix, MGM, Fox Animation, Paramount Animation, and Hasbro. He recently adapted the New York Times’ bestselling novel, The Art of Fielding, and writes on Season One of "I Am Not OK With This", a half-hour show for Netflix and is currently developing a series with Quibi. During the webcast, Tripper talks about finding an agent, selling and developing Stuber, being in the writers' room of a Netflix series, and the best advice he ever received!
How to Make Your Script Appeal to Producers During COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine have changed the film and television industry profoundly. Like it or not, we’re thinking about movies differently now, we’re making them differently, we’re selling them differently, and we’re watching them differently. Studios, buyers, and producers are keenly aware of this shift and are applying this to how they are choosing their next projects. As a writer, understanding how the industry is changing and what people are now looking for can make all the difference in being able to take the next steps in your career. With so many new obstacles and challenges now involved in making a film, producers have to weigh a lot more factors when choosing their next projects, including which movies will be safest to put together. Small details in scripts—scenes or moments that might have been no big deal to include as recently as a year ago—might now be all it takes for a producer or financier to reject. So how does production during COVID look like and how can you make your script work and come across as more attractive within these constraints? Let’s take a closer look. Multi Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and author Shane Stanley has worked in almost every capacity on and off the set with hit shows like ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT and SEINFELD and producing films like Sony Pictures’ GRIDIRON GANG a #1 box office hit starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. For three years, Shane was Vice President of Sheen/Michaels Entertainment where he produced several motion pictures starring Marlon Brando, Mira Sorvino, Thomas Hayden Church, Donald Sutherland, Marisa Tomei, Sean Penn, John Travolta, and Charlie and Martin Sheen. Shane continues to produce and direct independent films of all levels, including the action thriller BREAK EVEN and action comedy DOUBLE THREAT, currently in production. Shane recently released his book What You Don’t Learn In Film School, which covers filmmaking from concept to delivery and has already landed on required reading lists at several universities across the country. Shane continues to produce films during COVID and is well versed on what it takes to put a film together in this unique time. Shane will dive deep into how producers are operating in the time of COVID-19 and how you can make your script “COVID-friendly” and more attractive for producers to work on. He will begin by outlining how production has changed since COVID, including the biggest new hurdles, new guild requirements, and what’s keeping talent from signing on. He’ll explain what’s making movies more expensive to produce and what locations are now ideal or no longer easy to shoot in. He will next delve into what a COVID-friendly script looks like to a producer. He’ll talk about what kind of stories producers and buyers are seeking out, what red flags in your script will keep producers from signing on and how many characters are too many now. He will also discuss locations as well as the genres and themes that buyers are now gravitating towards. Shane will then discuss how to adjust your script to fit this new era, including deciding whether it’s worth adjusting or saving until things are safer and how to find compromise and middle ground when making changes. Finally, Shane will give you tips on how to get a producer on board during this time. This is a tricky time for everyone, but Shane will give you the lowdown to be smarter and more strategic in finding opportunities and success.
Planning The Best Festival Strategy For Your Film
Learn directly from Jon Reiss, a distribution and marketing specialist who's worked with Paramount Pictures, Screen Australia, Film Independent, and is the year-round distribution and marketing lab leader at the IFP Filmmaker Labs. There are thousands of film festivals around the world – and tens of thousands of filmmakers trying to get into them. So what to do with your film? Jon Reiss wrote Think Outside the Box Office and has advised hundreds of filmmakers on their festival and distribution strategy. In this webinar you will learn how to create a film festival strategy for your specific film, how to use festivals to benefit the release of your film, how to be smart once you have been accepted into a festival and make each festival work for your film and career. This webinar will cover the essentials that all filmmakers need to consider in order to create a festival strategy for your film.
How To Network As An “Out Of Towner"
Learn directly from Jessica Sitomer, International Entertainment Industry Speaker, Career Coach, and Author who has had her writing produced by an Emmy Award winner, produced TV herself and has coached thousands of professionals who work in the entertainment industry! In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, you will learn the cultural differences between the way Angelinos and New Yorkers go after work in comparison to the UK, Canada, Atlanta, New Orleans, etc. If you are uncomfortable asking for work, or have seen what you consider “aggressive” strategies, your host Jessica Sitomer is going to modify her typical networking strategies and techniques to appeal to you! Yes, you can be polite, and still get work! You will leave the webinar knowing: How to meet people who can hire you in a natural, authentic way. How to connect with people on social media without being annoying. How to get your “horn tooted” without you having to “toot your own horn”. Networking tips for genuine connections. How to stay in touch with a new connection without being a pest. How to feel more comfortable and confident in the work generating process. Your host Jessica Sitomer is a world traveled speaker and panel moderator who modifies her topics to fit the needs and the culture of the participants in each location. She has coached thousands of people worldwide, and is proud to see her clients’ names on almost every TV and film she sees. Simultaneously, Jessica works as a professional in the entertainment industry, on shows for ABC, Nickelodeon, Showtime, MTV, and had her writing produced by an Emmy Award winning producer. Brought back by popular demand, she is here exclusively for Stage 32 to pass on her knowledge and experience of working with thousands of people, just like you, to make your journey to find work a comfortable ride.
How To Craft Your Comedy Pilot: From Concept To Outline
You’ve done it! You’ve come up with the brilliant idea for the next juggernaut hit comedy. Now comes the hard part: Deliver a story with a fresh point of view and have every reader laughing on every page. It’s an overwhelming process but this Stage 32 exclusive class will walk you through, step-by-step, from concept to outline, with the guidance of a professional comedy writer. Many writers don’t invest in the world of their sitcoms. Through this class, you’ll learn to understand world-building in comedy, how to create memorable characters that fit in that world, and how the humor comes out of the premise of your show. You’ll examine successfully produced sitcoms, and examine different structures to find out which fits your script best. Walking you through how professionals craft and develop their own scripts is Michael Sokol, a screenwriter and producer whose pilot, TACO TUESDAY, was optioned by PopTV (SCHITT’S CREEK) and Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films. His other credits include CAKE for FXX, MANDY for SpectreVision, and executive producing the feature film POSTAL. Michael has also developed and produced content for VH1, Comedy Central, Funny or Die, Comcast, Adult Swim, and more. By investing in your sitcom pilot today, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your sitcom with a professional comedy writer, build relationships and network with other writers in your genre, and ensure that you have a great sitcom in your hands. Best of all, the process Mike guides you through is tangible, relatable, and repeatable, giving you a skill set that will last as long as your care Testimonials from Michael's previous Stage 32 Education: "While incredibly knowledgeable in comedy and writing and structure in general, [Michael] is never trying to impose his own sensibilities on new writers. Instead, he has an innate sense for how to allow that writer to bring out their own sensibilities, even if they've never written a single page before" - Madison H. "Michael is an incredible comedy teacher. Not because he’s hilarious and a really experienced writer, but because he’s such a good listener and mentor. He encouraged me to better understand my point of view and then up the ante on the funny based on that. And my work got so much better with every pass because of his methodology." - Loretta C.
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