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Jason Mirch is Stage 32's Director of Script Services and host of the Writers' Room. Outside of this role, he is a feature film, television, branded entertainment, and digital content producer and executive with over 15 years experience. Most recently, he produced a 3D animated feature film starring Jacob Tremblay, Christopher Lloyd, Mel Brooks, and Carol Kane. Full Bio »
Many times in writing our projects do not have a strong enough inciting incident to effectively kick off the narrative. During this webcast we will look at moments everything changed for our protagonists and they were launched on their journey. Every event that happens subsequently will be traced back to this one monumental event. We will examine the inciting incidents of films as well as television shows and explain how they changed the world in an irreversible way. Examples include films such as Monsters Inc., Saving Private Ryan, "The Sopranos," "Breaking Bad," and more!
The Breakdown
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Meet a Producer on the Emmy-winning show Black-Ish in the Writers Room as she breaks down a script from this hit show exclusively for Writers' Room members. Find out what made this one of ABC's longest-running shows, garnering 25 Emmy nominations. Learn how to write rich characters for your script from someone who was in one of the best writers' rooms in the industry, and be able to ask her questions on how you can elevate your writing.
Can you use long dialogue blocks effectively? Sure you can! We'll break down the rousing sales rally in THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, the chilling call in TAKEN, the desperate video message in "Breaking Bad", and the moving speech from HIDDEN FIGURES.
Love is in the air in the Writers' Room! We are kicking off a brand new month this week with the Breakdown Webcast: Writing Romantic Comedies! Jason was speaking with a Senior Vice President of Development at an A-List production company who said, "Every studio executive is asking me for Rom Coms!" If you look at recent trends, it is clear they are on a come back. We will break down the beats of a Romantic Comedy so that you as a writer approach writing without falling into the trap of tired cliches. We will also explore how to take the storytelling conventions and turn them on their head. We will examine films and series including When Harry Met Sally, 500 Days of Summer, The Apartment, Knocked Up, What Women Want and more to find out what makes these projects work and how we can apply those same principles to our writing!
We're back in the Writers' Room for the Breakdown Webcast: Writing Character Introductions. This Breakdown topic comes from several writers who want to discuss the best ways to introduce characters within their feature and television scripts. So, we'll breaking down the scripts and clips from some of the most notable films and series to see how characters are introduced on the page - and on screen. We will also discuss tips on how you can introduce characters in a way that makes a great first impression - no matter if they are your protagonist, antagonists, or simply the goofy sidekick.
We're back in the Writers' Room for the first Breakdown Webcast of 2021! At some point we have heard a note that “your story feels flat" or "your second act is weak" or "this won’t sustain for 100 minutes." If that is the case, there is a good chance that you have an underdeveloped (or perhaps no) B-Stories or Subplots. That is why we will be breaking down story structure to find out exactly what B-Stories and a Subplots are, and how we can incorporate them into our writing. Using clips from INCEPTION, BACK TO THE FUTURE, and DIE HARD, we'll examine how the B-Stories and Subplots of these narratives help drive the second act and create a more impactful story. After the webcast, make sure to head on over to the Private Lounge to discuss your thoughts on the best B-Stories and Subplots.
During this hour-long webcast, Jason explores the uses of this technique to drive plot, reveal character and deliver exposition using some of our favorite films and television series including "Fleabag", Deadpool, Spaceballs, "House of Cards", Fight Club, The Big Short and more to find out how these projects break the fourth wall without throwing us out of the narrative. We discuss the how screenwriters weave this storytelling device into scripts and Jason gives you specific types of wall breaks to consider when writing as well as tips on how to write them!