Deconstructing the Script: Her

Hosted by Danny Manus

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Danny Manus

Webinar hosted by: Danny Manus

Script Consultant at No BullScript Consulting

Danny Manus is an in-demand script consultant and CEO of No BullScript Consulting (www.nobullscript.net), and was ranked in the Top 15 “Cream of the Crop” Script Consultants by Creative Screenwriting Magazine. He is the author of No BS for Screenwriters: Advice from the Executive Perspective and has taught seminars and workshops across the country at events and venues including Austin Film Festival, Great American Pitchfest, Screenwriting Expo, ShowBiz Expo, Santa Fe Screenwriting Conference, Willamette Writers Conference in Portland, Las Vegas Writers Conference, The Writers Store, Writers League of Texas in Austin, Vancouver Pitchmart, Scriptwriters Network, Sherwood Oaks College, etc., and to groups in LA, NY, Chicago, Dallas, Idaho, Iowa, Florida, etc. He’s appeared on the Film Courage radio show, Triggerstreet’s Script Reporter podcast and the On the Page podcast. Danny was the Director of Development for Clifford Werber Productions (A CINDERELLA STORY) where he sold the family adventure project “To Oz” to United Artists, and was instrumental in developing numerous projects including SYDNEY WHITE starring Amanda Bynes and the dark comedy JUST ADD WATER, starring Dylan Walsh, Jonah Hill, Justin Long, Melissa McCarthy and Danny DeVito. He continues to work with the company as a producer on several projects. Before launching No BullScript, Danny also worked as a script analyst for companies such as ScriptShark and Script Coach. Previously, Daniel was a Development Consultant for Eclectic Pictures (LOVELACE), which has a deal with Millennium Films, and the Director of Development for Sandstorm Films, run by writer/director J.S. Cardone, which had a first look deal at Sony Screen Gems and a development deal with Top Cow Comics. He was instrumental in developing a number of films for the company including THE COVENANT, 8MM2 and SNIPER 3. Danny also interned at Columbia Tri-Star in the Television Development department and at 20th Century Fox in Feature Casting. Danny has taken over 3000 pitches, written over 230 articles on screenwriting for numerous websites and publications including Business of Show Institute and Script Magazine, and has been a judge for the PAGE Awards four years running. He is currently working on his next book. Raised on Long Island, NY, in an amusingly dysfunctional household, Danny holds a B.S. degree in Television with a concentration in Screenwriting from Ithaca College. You can follow him on Twitter @Dannymanus. Full Bio »

Webinar Summary

Learn directly from Danny Manus, an in-demand script consultant and CEO of No BullScript Consulting. He will cover the 10 lessons you can learn from one of the best films of 2014.

Everyone wants to write that Academy Award-winning original screenplay, right?

The best ways to learn how to write great scripts of that caliber is to READ great scripts of that caliber, study those movies, and learn the lessons these projects can teach.

Nominated for 5 Oscars, one of the most acclaimed films of 2013 is HER, written and directed by Spike Jonze, who has already won the Golden Globe and WGA Award for Best Original Screenplay, and is a frontrunner for the Academy Award.

In this Webinar, we will go deeper into many different aspects of the film and I will break down the script and go through 10 lessons you can learn from one of the best, most original films of the year that will help you improve your own writing and scripts, no matter what genre you write.

Note: If you haven’t seen the movie already, there will be spoilers throughout the class.

What You'll Learn

  • How to Properly Create the World of your Screenplay
  • The Structure of HER
  • How HER Broke All the Rules While Still Playing by Them
  • The 15 Different Beats of a Compelling & Complete Love Story
  • Creating Strong Character Arcs…even when there’s no one on screen.
  • What Elevating Your Script Means & Ways to Do it
  • Creating & Tracking Strong Themes
  • Creating Memorable & Powerful Dialogue
  • Writing Mix-Genre Movies
  • Instilling Your Voice into your Story
  • Creating Roles Movie Stars Want to Play
  • Recorded, in-depth Q&A session with Danny

About Your Instructor

Danny Manus is an in-demand script consultant and CEO of No BullScript Consulting (www.nobullscript.net), and was ranked in the Top 15 “Cream of the Crop” Script Consultants by Creative Screenwriting Magazine. He is the author of No BS for Screenwriters: Advice from the Executive Perspective and has taught seminars and workshops across the country at events and venues including Austin Film Festival, Great American Pitchfest, Screenwriting Expo, ShowBiz Expo, Santa Fe Screenwriting Conference, Willamette Writers Conference in Portland, Las Vegas Writers Conference, The Writers Store, Writers League of Texas in Austin, Vancouver Pitchmart, Scriptwriters Network, Sherwood Oaks College, etc., and to groups in LA, NY, Chicago, Dallas, Idaho, Iowa, Florida, etc. He’s appeared on the Film Courage radio show, Triggerstreet’s Script Reporter podcast and the On the Page podcast.

Danny was the Director of Development for Clifford Werber Productions (A CINDERELLA STORY) where he sold the family adventure project “To Oz” to United Artists, and was instrumental in developing numerous projects including SYDNEY WHITE starring Amanda Bynes and the dark comedy JUST ADD WATER, starring Dylan Walsh, Jonah Hill, Justin Long, Melissa McCarthy and Danny DeVito. He continues to work with the company as a producer on several projects. Before launching No BullScript, Danny also worked as a script analyst for companies such as ScriptShark and Script Coach.

Previously, Daniel was a Development Consultant for Eclectic Pictures (LOVELACE), which has a deal with Millennium Films, and the Director of Development for Sandstorm Films, run by writer/director J.S. Cardone, which had a first look deal at Sony Screen Gems and a development deal with Top Cow Comics. He was instrumental in developing a number of films for the company including THE COVENANT, 8MM2 and SNIPER 3. Danny also interned at Columbia Tri-Star in the Television Development department and at 20th Century Fox in Feature Casting.

Danny has taken over 3000 pitches, written over 230 articles on screenwriting for numerous websites and publications including Business of Show Institute and Script Magazine, and has been a judge for the PAGE Awards four years running. He is currently working on his next book. Raised on Long Island, NY, in an amusingly dysfunctional household, Danny holds a B.S. degree in Television with a concentration in Screenwriting from Ithaca College. You can follow him on Twitter @Dannymanus.

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Testimonials

"The presentation today by Danny Manus was excellent and very valuable!!! Glad to see this info will continue to be available and all the rest that you do is fantastic for all of us working on all levels." - Stevanne Auerbach

"I’ve been to a lot of script doctors with a lot of scripts and by far, Danny Manus is the best! He has a real command of the requirements of the craft and the needs of a script, regardless of genre, without injecting sophomoric, antiquated or clichéd opinions. You can’t go wrong with him!" - Kevin Grevioux, Screenwriter of I, Frankenstein and Underworld

"Danny was an invaluable asset and collaborator in both the production and creative elements of the films we produced. His knowledge was critical to the development of our scripts and his original ideas and approaches were a major factor in our development and decision making process. I have only the greatest respect for his talents, which is why I continue you to work with him on my own material." - J.S. Cardone, Screenwriter/Director (Prom Night, The Covenant, Stepfather, The Forsaken, etc)

"Danny’s got some of the best story instincts around and the enviable ability to enhance every script he works on. As an exec, he knows the business, the players and the marketplace and is able to bring this knowledge to his work as a script consultant. We’ve worked on many projects together and he’s still the person I ask for story and casting input." - Clifford Werber, Producer (Cinderella Story, Sydney White, Just Add Water)

"Danny’s worked with studios and independents and knows how to handle writers at every level. He loves discovering and working with new writers and making their material shine as best it can… He cuts through the crap and at the end of the day, any writer or producer would be lucky to have him in their corner." - Scott Einbinder, Producer, (Killer Joe, Bad Country, The Covenant, Sniper 2 & 3)

"My comedy spec was a perennial quarter finalist screenplay until it landed with Danny Manus. Over several drafts and pages of notes, he managed to turn it into a true contender. His knowledge of the craft, experience in the industry, and attention to details can ready any screenplay for today’s market. I’m proud to say that my script is now making its rounds through Hollywood’s elite!" - Richard Dane Scott, Screenwriter (My Dog the Champion, My BFF)

"Wow, GREAT notes! Absolutely everything you say makes sense. This is literally my first draft and normally I wouldn’t let anyone see anything at this early stage, but I know there’s potential, and coming to you was the smartest thing I could have done – a huge help. THANK YOU!!!" - Margaret Riseley, Optioned Screenwriter of "Kissing Dynamite" and ScreenwritingU 2013 Most Recommend Writers

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Reviews Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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