Jessie Bernard: Actor, producer and screenwriter in Los Angeles, California.

I use writerduet. Is it the best? who knows? But its not the software that gets you a deal! As long you find it user friendly and has the features you like then write.

These Zombie posts never die.

I suggest you use writer duet.

Thanks Andres - still working on the overall concept - hoping I can find a place for it as a series or perhaps a feature - appreciate the encouragement :)

"Back to the Future"

Hi, my husband's name is Ren. Ah, if we could go back 20 years I'll do it all over again. Great feeling and stern acting. I'd sit back to see some more. If you need costume or design I have 4 credits and also in actiong. I come with many real accents from German, French, South African. Always wanted to play a "mean" role. I could relate to your story having written a book about looking back into an toddler to teenager abyss of war and abuse. But aside that your trailer is great and we live in North Burnaby :-) a stone throw from studios. The projects I acted in and for were the ten best shorts in 2013 and best trailer in 2016 and best new Canadian Director in 2017 both at TIFF. Wishing you luck and connection!

Try and find out if there are talent agencies in your area. Invite agents to see your shows, showcases, and film premieres. Make sure you do your research on the agency to see if they are accepting new clients and if they will take your head shot and resume through mail or email. If you can, try and set up a meeting and come prepared with a few monologues that show your range (one is not enough) but also fit your look and style. As for how you know that it is time for an agent, take some professional classes and make sure you get feedback from the teacher. When you and your teacher(s) feel you are ready to present your work professionally that is when you are ready.

None...I got signed because they liked my look and thought it was extremely marketable.

Hey I been really looking for you please inbox me

I believe that any career can be great for characters in a TV sitcom. As every human can relate to authentic life and characters.

Maybe your character's looking for that great job but doesn't have one yet.

How about a college's sports information director? His or her interaction with administrators, coaches and athletes in various sports, print and broadcast media, alumni, etc., provide possibilities for plenty of good (and funny) stories.

DIY. As above you will not enough to pay one, unless you have a connection to one, and they agree to a token payment. Good luck!

As a casting director, I'll maybe accept to work in change of film percentage points, if the script is interesting of course.

The simple answer is probably not (at least not a pro).

My grandfather-in-law wrote a novel in longhand and had it typed up by his wife later. I respect it... and I'll write the first act or so in longhand so I can "let the juices flow" as it were... but after awhile I just get onto Highland or WriterDuet and bust it out.

I'm back in the habit of always writing a full first draft by hand. Typing it out gives me (as Ana said) access to the evil "Backspace" button, and I wind up writing the first four pages over and over again. I go through phases when it comes to what I write with/on - sometimes it's gotta be a yellow legal pad, other times a spiral notebook or a journal...whatever feels right for the project I'm working on.

My handwritten manuscripts end up half college ruled half legal pad. I prefer zebra pens with the metal casing.. mine is a Zebra F-701. I have some Copic liners I have as backup just in case, but I'll settle for any old black pen eventually tbh. Felt tip pens are always a joyous welcome.

Jodie: in the words of Villain-We-Love Frank Booth from Blue Velvet, "Let's FLASHBACK! I'll FLASHBACK anything that MOVES!" I think he said that, or something like that. Heh-heh. And yes...Robin Harris was a great one. It's hard to believe he was only 36 when he passed away in 1990. Crikey....1990.....time sure does fly.

Jesse, I'm a little late for the discussion, but I have to agree with the majority of what everyone else has said. If the flashback works and moves the story along, then, by all means, don't change the page count. If you're questioning yourself, then maybe you already see that the flashback isn't moving the story forward and needs to be cut down. Sometimes we tend to keep writing out scenes because we think it makes them better, when in actuality, they need to be trimmed and to the point.

You gotta be REAAAAAL careful with flashbacks as a new writer... simply because the proper use of flashbacks is one of those "learn to walk before you run" type of devices. An executive will typically see a flashback in a new writer's script and, before he's even read it, go "oh no..." It's because, unfortunately, MOST new writers overdo it. MOST new writers lean on them and other devices far too much. They take the tools that the masters have used and think they know how to use them when, honestly, they don't. THAT SAID... if you do it right, it can be a powerful weapon. It can hit you right in the gut with the feels. But tread lightly.

Thank You!

I've just been helping my mentor out by making action notes for fight/action choreography on an AMC Network TV show script and got the chance to read everything from outline to shooting script- This is a 1 hour action/drama show and to give you some ideas, the writer's draft was 44 pages , the Network draft was 43 pages and the final Shooting script is down to 42. This episode has a few fight scenes, and each show has at least one big showcase fight, so it's not going to have as many pages as a drama like Breaking Bad.

It depends on a few things. Is the show going to be a half hour or full hour? What Network do you see the show fitting on? Is the show action or dialog heavy? If you're writing with a network in mind like NBC, CBS, CW, etc, the length and format are going to be different then if it's more of a HBO or Netflix type of show. I've done some hired work for show that's currently in pre-production (on the pilot). It's an hour drama, for a regular network. My script came in at 52 pages, but there's a lot of dialog in it. I'd say 42-55 pages for a basic network, and 60-75 if there isn't commercial breaks. At the end of your day, go with your gut. You can always come back and edit. I'd say it's better to be over than under. It's easier (at least for me) to cut things out, than to try and put things in.

I'll second Dan Maxxx's suggestion of the Children of Tendu podcast - it's literally a master class in TV writing for free. I'd also suggest reading pilot scripts for shows that you 1) enjoy, and/or 2) feel your show will be in the vein of. For example, one of my pilots lines up with the style and approach of the CW's slate, so I read every CW pilot I could find to understand how their shows break down. In the big picture, this matters most when it comes to your act breaks - CW shows run 6 acts, some other networks run 4-5, etc. Best of luck!

Spencer, my niece and nephew are in the film business in L.A. Though they make a good living, they still rent out a room to help pay expenses. They also say they sit in traffic for HOURS every day. Rent a hotel room or stay on a couch for 30 days in a city --- before you decide. I'm a native New Yorker ---- for me Manhattan is where miracles happen every day.

I would recommend a smaller market like Baltimore/ Washington DC. It's small ,but it's booming and their aren't a surplus of competitors. L.A will be super challenging ,but at the end of the day it's important to follow your heart. It will lead you where you need to be.

Mr. Ramsey, I admire your passion, however there is a potential in Texas for investors to invest in your projects with a good script, a couple of endorsement letters from name talent and a good business plan. Teaming up with the right people makes a big difference because this business has unethical people in it. Los Angeles and its surrounding areas is a good place to network and those dinners others are talking about, are necessary to build relationships.Last but not least, I would advise you to study every aspect of the business and do it in a work related way before you open a studio. There's lots of competition. I know, because two of my associates are struggling with their sound stages. All good things take work, diligence and focus. Keep that burning passion in a realistic way.

If the books weren't wildly successful, you may want to consider standalone. Have you thought of perhaps hiring a publicist for your books to maybe garner national interest for your series?

Jesse, I had a publisher, the company ended this past January 2016. The series was doing well, not NYT good, but it stayed in the top 100,000 on Amazon, which is the top 1-2% of the books listed. There are approx. 5 million ebooks for sale on Amazon. There was international interest since I had readers from Austrailia, UK, Canada, Russia, Japan, contacting me. Some asked me if I would ever consider seeking deals to put the series into a movie or TV series, i know, as well as you do, that it's not that simple. I was thinking if the big screen or TV series is not a viable option, maybe creating a web series. Has anyone done something of that nature and if so what were the outcomes?

People are right, writing an average script of a great book will kill your chances. I guess we don't have the universal truth but having a second chance to sell the same thing is supposed to be more difficult than having a first chance. I had a similar discussion with a friend of mine, where you have to chose between a lot of work when writing your script (time to write, time to think, ramping up the writing skills... etc.) as opposed to spending a little time packaging the things that you already have established with good success: your books. Showing that your books have a niche, on several markets, and show the overall tendencies of reviews is enough to draw attention. The good thing is that it shows the stronger side of your skills and it gives the producer a full idea of how the rest of the material could stir the franchise. Then again, it gives the producer freedom to decide what he wants you to write, if ever you're the person he chooses to write the script, since (most of the time?) producers want to get involved in the writing and the development. That is why final drafts are less and less accepted. Hope that helps.

Well a novice and a wannabe are two different things; I wish you could stay at a point and I would follow more consistently and relevantly. I believe I have hit every point necessary of being made, including the initial point of the post; "This Post Isn’t Meant for Filmmakers. It's Meant for Actors." I believe Marcelo prefaced his post as such to indicate it's intent. Obviously a filmmaker will be defensive of this point, they are the ones not paying. This post was intended to unite Actors with knowledge and a cause; one that I believe in fervently! And, of course you could judge how others' interpret your comments; but it would be better to judge your own comments. In fact it would be a good tool to learn how to pose future posts so that they are more likely to be accepted and your valuable opinion goes farther and is more lucrative to the community you are part of.

I've been in over 50 theatrical productions, and was paid for only three of them. While I'd love to get my SAG and AEA cards, two things hold me back: first, I need the day job to pay the mortgage; second, in my professional gigs, I moved tables and was an understudy, while as an amateur, I have played leading roles in great classic and contemporary shows. I got a late start in acting, so I don't have my 20's, 30's and 40's ahead of me to establish a reputation and network. I consider myself a competent and successful actor - I just don't get paid for it.

So true!