Lights, Camera, ACTION! Polish a scene with action

Hosted by The Write Now Challenge

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The Write Now Challenge

Webinar hosted by: The Write Now Challenge

Allen James Roughton is the Stage 32 Script Services Coordinator, a screenwriter, reader and development researcher who has consulted on over 100 projects, scripts, books, comics and films and conducted research on life stories, exposés, professions and locations for development at major production companies. Nick Assunto is part of the Stage 32 script services team and a repped screenwriter himself. He was previously a reader for the Austin Film Festival, a writer for the 2017 CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase, co-host of the Sunday show B.Y.O.T. at UCB, and dabbled in acting, having been featured on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, an eHarmony commercial directed by Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst (for real), and is infamously known as Tony, the annoying party member from the 'Four Friends' Elder Scrolls spots. Full Bio »

Webinar Summary

Whether it’s epic battles between giant robots, a street fight, or someone chasing after the love of their life at the airport, the vast majority of movies and television use at least a bit of action writing. So we are challenged you to write an original or polish a scene with action, and really focus on making those moments of movement pop!

What You'll Learn

We discussed writing action, the geography of a scene, setting up and paying off props, and much more as we broke down some of the best submissions received from our writers and discussed best practices on how to break through the sticking points associated with the challenge.

About Your Instructor

Allen James Roughton is the Stage 32 Script Services Coordinator, a screenwriter, reader and development researcher who has consulted on over 100 projects, scripts, books, comics and films and conducted research on life stories, exposés, professions and locations for development at major production companies.

Nick Assunto is part of the Stage 32 script services team and a repped screenwriter himself. He was previously a reader for the Austin Film Festival, a writer for the 2017 CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase, co-host of the Sunday show B.Y.O.T. at UCB, and dabbled in acting, having been featured on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, an eHarmony commercial directed by Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst (for real), and is infamously known as Tony, the annoying party member from the 'Four Friends' Elder Scrolls spots.

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Other education that may be of interest to you:

The Write Now Challenge: 4 Moments. 1 Story. 1 Page

In this challenge, members were asked to tell an entire story, in one page of script, using precisely four scenes. Far too many screenwriters waste pages. Good screenwriting is about making every single sentence count. There shouldn’t be any moment of a movie or television series which isn’t important on some level. The  scenes can have dialogue - or no dialogue - depending on what you choose. What is important is that it has a beginning, middle, and an end. When you are done watching the webcast, head on over to the Private Lounge and discuss your favorite submissions!

The Write Now Challenge: Isn't it Ironic?

It's like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife...well, actually it's more like the Write Now Challenge Webcast: Isn't it Ironic coming at you this afternoon at 4pm (Pacific)! In this challenge, members were asked to write a short scene (no more than 5 pages) using one of the examples of irony from the Breakdown Webcast: Dramatic Irony. As a reminder the examples for irony are below:  Dramatic Irony: A literary and theatrical device in which the reader or audience knows more about a situation, complication, or conflict than the characters they are following. Classical Irony: This term describes irony as it was used in ancient Greek comedy—to highlight situations in which one thing appears to be the case when, in fact, the opposite is true. Cosmic Irony: Cosmic irony highlights incongruities between the absolute, theoretical world and the mundane, grounded reality of everyday life. Socratic Irony: Socrates would feign ignorance of a subject and ask seemingly innocent—but actually leading—questions to draw out information he already knew. Socratic irony differs from verbal irony because it involves intentional deception. Verbal irony, on the other hand, does not connote insincerity or deception. Situational Irony: occurs when there is a difference between what is expected to happen and what actually happens. With situational irony, our discovery that our expectations haven’t been met are the same as the characters in the story. Verbal Irony: is when a character says something that is different from what he or she really means, or how he or she really feels. This is the only type of irony where a character creates the irony. 

Hook the Reader in Your First 5 Pages

Most Execs will toss a script if they aren't hooked in the first 5 pages. We challenged you to create or polish a teaser or opening sequence that builds a world, characters, and plot that leave us begging to read more!

The Write Now Challenge: The Gang's All Here

We're back in the Writers' Room for the Write Now Challenge Webcast: The Gang's All Here! In this challenge - using the Breakdown Webcast: Writing Ensembles members were asked to assemble their own ensemble for a story. They simply had to consider which type of ensemble group they would like to have (The "Fan Club" Ensemble (Harry Potter), The "Gang" Ensemble (Avengers, Ocean's 11), The "Vast" Ensemble ("Game of Thrones")) and then decide which narrative they would like to put them in (Tandem Narrative (Parenthood, Love, Actually), Multiple Protagonist Narrative aka "The Gang's All Here", or the Double Journey Narrative (The Departed)). Members came up with some fantastic ideas for ensemble stories! 

Write Now Challenge Webcast with Actor, Screenwriting Coach & Executive at Whitewater Films, Sarah J. Cornelius

Sarah Cornelius is an Actor, Screenwriting Coach, and Executive at Whitewater Films. She made her screen debut in the acclaimed short film LEAVE YOU IN ME. Her vulnerably raw work in the film garnered her Best Actress Award wins at the NYC PictureStart Film Festival and LA's Show Off Your Short Film Festival. She's guest starred on numerous television series and recently appeared in a supporting role in the Lifetime TV movie DESPERATE WIDOWS. On the producing side, Whitewater Films recently released their latest film, SMALL ENGINE REPAIR with Jon Bernthal, which was produced by Rick Rosenthal and developed by Sarah.

The Write Now Challenge: The Logline Review with Literary Manager Audrey Knox

A first ever for the Writers' Room! Audrey Knox will critique the logline submissions she finds the most intriguing. Audrey Knox is a TV literary manager at The Cartel - a management and production company. Audrey staffed her client on the series "UPSHAWS" for Netflix. She also co-represents the Showrunner behind Mindy Kaling's "THE SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS" on HBO Max.

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