If you know me, you know I rarely have a good word to say about screenwriting gurus. In fact, in the eight years I’ve been screenwriting, I’ve made many an enemy of these self proclaimed experts. I don’t actually hate them. I know some very respected consultants working for the big studios and my fellow […]
Continue readingPrewrite; Finally, Screenwriting Software That Puts Story First.
As someone who’s becoming somewhat seen as an opinion leader within the break-in screenwriting world, I get approached by people all the time asking me to judge their competition entries, read their books, and try out their software. I almost always say no because their business operation is often predatory and against the interests of […]
Continue reading3 Alternatives to Final Draft Every Screenwriter Should Have On Their Radar
Yes, we all know the rehearsed phrase by now, “Final Draft is the industry standard!”, an axiom it seems many screenwriters feel obliged to screech at anyone who dares ask what the best piece of software is to turn our day-dreaming into a full fleshed out, Hollywood ready, screenplay. However, as artists always looking to […]
Continue readingBeware Screenwriting Quicksand
Something I see every day that really pains me are screenwriters walking into the equivalent of career quicksand. I see this happening on various stages of writer’s journeys and sometimes they aren’t so much aimlessly wandering into trouble as gleefully diving right in to thunderous applause. Sometimes they are pushed. Here’s what I think screenwriters […]
Continue readingAdventures in Film Producing (as a Screenwriter) — Part 1
So, around six months ago, following the production of Break Even, a feature film I wrote on assignment staring Tasya Teles, James Callis, and Steve Guttenberg, I moved onto attaching myself to my second feature film project. As the lead producer negotiated signing on, they laid out their baggage which, to my surprise, included me, the […]
Continue readingA Plan to Succeed in Screenwriting in 2020
You know what made the A-Team great, besides the inherent dysfunction of their dynamic which provided a lot of humorous conflict to entertain us? It was that Hannibal always had a plan and, the second he lit up a cigar and took a few puffs with that trademark grin, we knew they were going to […]
Continue reading10 Harsh Truths You Need To Hear About Screenwriting
It’s twenty-twenty and time for some tough-talk. You know I’m slowly building a screenwriting career and I want to send the elevator back down as much as I can. There’s a LOT of misinformation out there, more than ever right now, and I feel the need to lay down ten truths every screenwriter trying to break […]
Continue readingDear Writers, It’s Okay To Feel Futile
As we head into the holiday season, we find ourselves stirred up by bright lights, jingling melodies, and copious quantities of sugar with the onus on being as merry as possible, content with life, and excited for the future. The reality is that life is hard and these mandatory festivities can really draw contrast with […]
Continue readingMy Secret Formula for Breaking-In as a Screenwriter
You see it every day on the forums, how do I break in? What’s the Goldilocks porridge of scripts that will guarantee success? How do I create that magic bullet? Who do I need to talk to to make it all happen? What’s Hollywood looking for? DEAR GOD, PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THIS CRAZY TOWN […]
Continue readingUnderstanding Your Value as a Creative: You Need to Know This
If you are an artist trying to break into the creative arts industry, you are probably more than aware that a portfolio is essential to being taken seriously and shows what you have to offer the marketplace. However, what I’m seeing over and over again are amateurs who are failing to see what is probably […]
Continue reading