The main purpose of most novels is to entertain the audience. They take their readers or viewers out of their day-to-day life and throw them into a new and more exotic or uncertain environment. Whether it is science fiction plunging the reader into a distant future world, a boy who discovers that he is a wizard, or the adventures of a police detective solving a gruesome murder, the main focal point of the novel is your main character. They are the foundation of any successful novel. Indeed, i...

Stand-Ins are an unsung part of a production crew. If you’ve ever been on set, they are usually seen and not heard, but they are an integral part of assisting the camera department (and other crew such as grips, electric, props, etc.) in prepping, blocking, and lighting a scene. They are also there to give actors a break between takes so they can change costumes, go to makeup, rehearse, or just rest. For an actor, stand-in roles are one of the best ways to learn about on-camera work and the r...

We all have characters we love. The ones that stay with us, that inspired us when we were children, made us laugh as adults, and share memories with family as we watched It is a truly rewarding experience when animation artists breathe life into their characters by creating movement as though they’re real humans. But how does this happen? How can you make your characters alive in animation? Here are 11 tips to successfully create characters that feel as grounded and realistic as they are "...

Near the beginning of my writing career, I attended a writing group in college. A friend encouraged me to go with them when I mentioned I like to write. Keep in mind, I was still very much in the “writing is a hobby stage” at this point while they seemed to want to make a career of it. I went, then continued going, and eventually ran the club myself (as equals with a few people I still talk to daily). We did more than work to make a community, we did our best to make sure everyone got the bes...

I’m a retired accountant. I started writing a novel 35 years ago but couldn't get an agent to read it. So, I thought if I wrote the script it would get me representation for the novel. I bought the Syd Field book on screenwriting and jumped in. I thought the script was terrific and sent it to producers (this was when they accepted unsolicited material). One producer’s assistant replied that it read more like a made-for-tv movie and was not interested. So, I rewrote draft after draft. I came up...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! I've got my coffee in hand and your weekly dose of content coming in hot - grab your coffee of choice and let's dive right in. First up, The Hollywood Reporter hosts a roundtable featuring top TV actresses to discuss the craft and their current projects. This particular video features actors Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building), Amy Schumer (Life & Beth), Molly Shannon (I Love that for You), Quinta Brunson (Abbot Elementary), Tracee Ellis Ross (Blackish), a...

When it comes to building a voiceover business, there are so many different tools out in the world (and on the Internet). But you really only need about five of them to get started. Everyone everywhere has an opinion on what you need to begin your career as a Voice Actor and how much money you need to spend to be considered a professional in this industry, but I’ve come to learn that most of that information is outdated and not helpful. So here’s my list of the five essential tools you need...

Can’t Find The Time? You Got To Make The Time! You have it all down. You have the story, the plot points, and you may have even started the script. But you just can’t find the time to finish it. Like many of us, life just gets in the way…whether it’s work, family, or friends. What do you do when you can’t find the time to finish your screenplay? Well, here’s the good news: everyone gets a fresh batch of 24 hours to use every day. With a little planning and a lot of discipline, you can steadi...

Through 14 years of working in the entertainment industry, I’ve learned that there will be many ups and downs in a dream pursuit. There will be obstacles, and good days, and opportunities, and rejections. The High Achiever (a.k.a. you!), needs a game plan through it all. The High Achiever needs to handle all of these moments intentionally and carefully, in a way that effectively keeps them on the path to success. That’s why I developed the 10 Pillars of the High Achiever. Here are the 10 pillars...