Summary
In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, host Joe Russo will take writers behind the scenes of 2 horror films and 1 horror pilot. This webinar will be an honest, unapologetic look at the successes and struggles during the development process for each case study so you can you learn what to mimic and what to avoid for your own project.
You Will Leave the Webinar With:
- An understanding of how each film and TV project came to be.
- An understanding of the different strategies used to package each project and how they were introduced to decision makers.
- A comprehensive look into the notes process so you can learn what went right and, more importantly, what went wrong.
- Clear advice on how to apply these lessons to your own script or project.
Learn directly from Joe Russo, producer who has helped steer writers' projects through the development process to land on The Young and Hungry List, Hit List and The Black List and sell to the Major Studios and Networks. Joe’s extensive production background includes working on productions for FOX, SyFy, A/E, Lionsgate Films and Universal Studios!
What You'll Learn
- An in-depth development analysis of the horror genre through three case studies - two films and one series.
- Finding The Project.
- How the projects were identified.
- What separated them from the pack?
- Initial Strategy.
- What was needed from the writer to get the ball rolling?
- The Notes Process.
- Understanding what was asked of them and analyzing what was delivered.
- Packaging.
- The ups and downs of packaging.
- How it impacts the screenplay (or rewrites!).
- Hollywood Politics.
- How they impacted the end results and the screenplays.
- Finding The Project.
- Recorded, in-depth Q&A with Joe!
Who Should Attend
- Screenwriters with horror scripts looking to get a better understanding of the development process.
- Writer/directors who want guidance and advice for developing their projects.
- Producers looking to increase their knowledge on the writing development process and how it affects the project.
- Screenwriters looking to better understand the writing development process in general.
- Screenwriters looking to perfect their horror scripts or branch into the horror genre.
- Authors who want to learn how to write a horror screenplay or adapt their current novel into a screenplay.
- Filmmakers interested in learning more about the development process.
Executive
Award-Winning writer/director/producer Joe Russo began his career in production working on commercials, web-series, television and feature films for companies like Nike, FOX, SyFy, A/E, Lionsgate and Universal Studios.
In 2010, Joe joined Level 1 Entertainment where he worked for five years with CEO and Hollywood producer, Bill Todman, Jr. (X-MEN, WILD WILD WEST) working his way up to Director of Development, where he was charged with managing a slate of feature films and television programs, working hand-in-hand with major motion picture studios and television networks such as Fox, MGM, Showtime, SyFy, History and Amazon.
From 2015 to 2017, Joe served as a Development Consultant for Christina Aguilera and Matthew Rutler’s MX Productions, advising the company on their feature film division and their first-look television deal with Lionsgate Entertainment.
Joe has frequently been recognized for his work with writers, developing many acclaimed screenplays over the last several years — including his own — which have been selected by film and television executives for the Young & Hungry List, The Blood List, The Hit List and The Black List - Hollywood’s most prestigious list of the best unproduced screenplays.
Joe most recently produced the upcoming horror feature NIGHTMARE CINEMA starring Mickey Rourke directed by genre legends Joe Dante, David Slade, Mick Garris and more.
He also directed the 2017 Valentine’s Day short, BE MINE, for Eli Roth and Jason Blum’s Crypt TV and the acclaimed short MIDNIGHT CLEAR which launched on Entertainment Weekly. He also produces the Blumhouse series POST MORTEM, featuring in-depth filmmaker-to-filmmaker interviews with genre legends like John Carpenter, Rob Zombie, Bryan Fuller, John Landis, Mike Flanagan and many more.
Joe is repped by The Gersh Agency, Hollander Entertainment and Morris Yorn.