The Networking Dance How do you get to know people? You’ve heard it before: this business is all about who you know. And assuming you weren’t born into show business, how do you get to know people? This is a question that comes up a lot. In particular, from screenwriters. Let’s face it, most of…
The Info You Didn’t Know You Needed Film festival consultant, filmmaker, author, and curator Jon Fitzgerald from Cause Pictures is probably best known as the co-founder of a little festival called Slamdance. In addition to writing books and producing movies, he is also partner with filmmaker and crowdfunding guru Justin Giddings (whom we have used…
You’re writing the wrong scripts (and it’s not your fault.) You know that trainwreck feeling when you’re trying to pitch your script and you sound like… everyone else? “It’s a thriller about a detective with a dark past.” “It’s a comedy about some really funny stuff.” “It’s a drama about family secrets.” And… they ghost…
Deep Dives Into All Your Screenwriting Questions Whenever we drop one of these posts, it feels like there’s so much more to say. However, the blog form naturally limits the amount of space we have–it’s not a book, after all. So we decided to join the 21st century and get serious about our YouTube channel….
Let’s Talk About Marketability Whenever we drop a video about Marketability (the latest one is right here,) a few people take us to task for reinforcing Hollywood’s appallingly limited tastes or for ignoring the successes of films and shows that may contradict our advice. Fair enough. So while it’s early days still, and only a few managers…
Writer Snatched Up by Alibi LA We saw some exceptional scripts this year as part of Coverage Ink’s Get Repped Now. But amazing writing talent isn’t everything. You also have to deliver the goods in a marketable genre. That is key. And so we had a sense that Erik Leifson’s PROWL, about two 25-year-old female medical…
You’ve worked hard. You did everything you were supposed to do. Yet, you keep running into brick walls. How do you keep your sanity? You’ve taken the classes. Learned your craft. You’ve scored considers and third-party validation. Moreover, you’re diligent about networking and you’re on the ball when it comes to marketing your scripts. (If you have any…
You’ve done the rewrites. Addressed the notes. You’ve proofread and even ran a grammar check. Think you’re ready to rock? Well… maybe! How many times has this happened to you? You finish your first draft, still glowing from the thrill of creation. Of course you want to share it with everyone! And then a few…
You’ve heard it many times: great dialogue will set you apart; whereas pedestrian dialogue will get you a pass. So, without further ado, here are five dialogue hacks. Employ liberally. How to Write Dialogue that Sells Great dialogue pulls readers in and keeps them hooked. It’s more than words: it’s rhythm and emotion shaped into…
Often we’ll get emails from writers wondering about the marketability of their project. Let’s face it, we all think our projects are marketable because we are passionate about them. If we weren’t, we wouldn’t have put months of blood, sweat, and tears into a story. So when somebody asks us about their high-budget period piece,…
