Screenwriting : Introduction by Robert Beaujean

How's it going, Robert Beaujean? I started writing short stories because of the movie "Harriet the Spy." I started screenwriting in high school though. I remember finding a copy of the "Office Space" script online (during computer class) and I thought scripts looked like a cool way of writing, so I tried it. What inspired you?

One day I fell and hit my head. Haven't been right since.

Greetings, Robert. I love to write. I have to write. I'm writing even if no one else reads. That said, I often see visualize my scenes as if I'm watching a movie, so why not try screenplays? I'm still focused more on books, but always got something I'm looking to try in film.

I just happen to see a how to write a screenplay at a bookstore so I thought I'd give it a try.

Hi Maurice I wish I'd started writing screenplays in high school. In my seventies now, I only started 3 years ago, although I've been playing around with poetry, short stories, fiction and stageplays on and off for years. Currently writing a miniseries based on a true crime, and I'm finding that just a touch easier than creating from scratch!

The great thing about screenwriting Colleen, age has nothing to do with it. Audiences want to watch entertaining work and when there laughing or crying in their seats they have no idea if a twenty year old or a seventy year old wrote the story, nor do they care, so let the writing begin, there is a place for you.

Simply put Robert, the world is too funny to not laugh at or to screwed up to not write about.

I wrote novels and poems before I started to write a screenplay. I wanted to try something new :)

Thanks Tim. I hadn't thought about it like that before - a nice new perspective! We have something in common Bintou!

Maurice Vaughan that's awesome, man! Just like you, I started in high school. During the pandemic, I was binging a lot of Netflix and I remember watching Gabriel Iglesias' show and thinking, "I know I could write something way better than this" so I just started writing one day, really enjoyed it, and here I am 3 years later still trying to write something way better

What inspired me to be in this industry? Storytelling. Creating things from the ground up.

In a nutshell, first got the acting bug in high school; always LOVED movies; was inspired by certain movies (i.e., "Ghost," "Wall Street," "All the President's Men," "Dances With Wolves," etc.) to become a filmmaker...

Colleen Henry I agree with Tim about age. Was it easy or difficult to secure the rights for the miniseries?

Cool, Robert Beaujean. Gabriel Iglesias is a funny guy. :D

Here's a webinar about Comedy TV writing I think you'll like (www.stage32.com/webinars/Netflix-%20-Stage-32-Present-Genre-Comedy-with-...). Stage 32 has a lot of other TV writing webinars too.

Robert, I got hooked on screenwriting due to reading a paperback copy of the "American Graffiti" screenplay...and in 1979, I took a class in writing scripts in college (as an elective).

For the next 15 years, I went hard at it...until things happened in my life.

Finding a copy of Final Draft 6 on an inherited Power Mac (in 2016) got me back into screenwriting...and after rewriting my 1980-1994 scripts and creating new ones (and finding platforms like Stage 32), I'm more fired up than before.

I'm not about to take my foot off the accelerator this time...and I hope you keep your own foot on the gas pedal, too, Robert! Glad you're here!

I started journaling my dreams a few years ago. Last year I noticed some could be like watching a movie.

Arrogance, Ego and Talent. Perhaps not in that order or even an accurate assessment.

Hi Maurice Everything is in the public domain. I am using transcripts of the actual trial as well as newspaper reports. The papers were full of this crime in 1960.l

That's great, Colleen Henry. How far are you on your miniseries?

That reminds me. I need to check the public domain for ideas. Thanks for the reminder!

Hi Maurice I've completed an outline as well as a pitch deck. Had great feedback for the pitch deck from a Stage 32 assessor. His main suggestion was to bring more humanity to it., which I have been working on. I have also written about half of the first draft, so still a long way to go after commencing the whole project about 18 months ago.