You may be afraid to finish your script.
Once it's done, you're either a genius, or a talentless failure. Once you've finished
the script, it's out of your control - everyone who reads it will have some sort of opinion
about it. What if everyone hates it? What if you send it to a dozen agents and they all
suggest you go to trade school? What if you send it to producers and they just plain
hate it? What if your friends read it and have nothing good to say about it? What if your
mom reads it and kicks you out of the house and cuts you out of the will?
What if you get notes back on the script that are, well, right about all of the weak
points? What if you finish it and it sucks? Your fantasy of being a professional
screenwriter, winning an Oscar and dating Jennifer Garner will go up in smoke!
While you're still working on it, you're in control - the script has a great idea, you've
been writing great dialogue, your characters are fantastic... Of course, everything is
better when it lives in your imagination, in the cold light of reality things are ugly and
messy and have repercussions. You may have noticed that fairy tales end with the
Prince and Cinderella living happily ever after - they let us imagine the happy ending
rather than showing the marital spats. "Happily ever after" might look a lot like WHO'S
AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLFF if the fairy tale continued. The story in your mind will
always look better than all of those clumsy words on the page.
Once it's on the page, you're either a genius, or a talentless failure.
Except that's not true. You have to learn how to walk before you can run. You aren't
going to write something brilliant right out of the gate - CITIZEN KANE was Orson
Welles' first film as a director, but he only co-wrote it and had thousands of hours of
stage & radio direction with the Mercury Theater and lots of writing experience behind
him. Every Cinderella story you've ever heard has a backstory - Frank Darabont was
directing cable movies before SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and had written a bunch of
horror films (THE BLOB remake, one of the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET films, etc).
Before that he worked in the prop department on movies - but if you believe the press,
he came from nowhere to direct SHAWSHANK. Everybody comes from
somewhere.
I was talking to Jack Fisk a few years ago (he's Sissy Spacek's husband) about their early
careers. Most people think Sissy started out in Stephen King's CARRIE - but she was
the female lead in a 1972 movie called PRIME CUT. The couple met on BADLANDS,
and both worked as production designers/set decorators on PHANTOM OF THE
PARADISE (1974). Set decoration was kind of her day job between starring roles in
films. Part of the Cinderella story about actors is that they quit their day jobs after they
get their big break, but Kevin Bacon went back to work as a waiter after starring in
DINER and Kathleen Turner was waiting tables when BODY HEAT opened. Cinderella
stories remove all of the struggling in favor of a fast dissolve from nobody to big name
star. In the real world, things take time. When I was about 19 years old I snuck
backstage to talk to Jack Nicholson after he spoke at the San Francisco Film Festival.
His advice to me was just to stick with it - he told me it took him 15 years to become an
overnight success. His big break was EASY RIDER in 1969, his first major film role was
in CRY BABY KILLER in 1957 (he'd been acting for a few years before that). Want to
guess who got his acting start in 1955's FRANCIS (the talking mule) IN THE NAVY?
Clint Eastwood. How about 1952's FRANCIS (the talking mule) GOES TO WEST
POINT? Leonard Nimoy. Nimoy was also in the cheesy serial ZOMBIES FROM THE
STRATOSPHERE in 1952 - about 15 years before landing the role of Spock on STAR
TREK. There are no overnight success stories.
The point is - you don't start out brilliant, you just start. But if you don't start, you can
never become brilliant.
So don't worry about writing something good, just worry about the "writing
something" part. Keep writing until you get that part under control, then tackle the hard
stuff. Your first few scripts are going to be learning experiences not earning
experiences.
If your first script doesn't turn out, you can just shelve it and write another one.
My first few scripts sucked. But I learned from each one of them, got better with
practice, and eventually sold one. But even now I write scripts that don't quite come
together. They can't all be winners, you know. Give yourself permission to make
mistakes, to screw up. Who really cares if the script doesn't turn out? You'll learn, you'll
develop your talent, you'll keep going until one DOES turn out really good.
Every home run king is a strike out king, too.
Contained Thrillers like "Buried"? Serial Protagonists like "Place Beyond The Pines"? Multiple Connecting Stories like "Pulp Fiction"? Same Story Multiple Times like "Run, Lola, Run"?
HITCHCOCK DID IT FIRST!
This book focuses on 18 of Hitchcock's 52 films with wild cinema and story experiments which paved the way for modern films. Almost one hundred different experiments that you may think are recent cinema or story inventions... but some date back to Hitchcock's *silent* films! We'll examine these experiments and how they work. Great for film makers, screenwriters, film fans, producers and directors.
FIND A GREAT IDEA!
*** YOUR IDEA MACHINE ***
Expanded version with more ways to find great ideas! Your screenplay is going to begin with an idea. There are good ideas and bad ideas and commercial ideas and personal ideas. But where do you find ideas in the first place? This handbook explores different methods for finding or generating ideas, and combining those ideas into concepts that sell. The Idea Bank, Fifteen Places To Find Ideas, Good Ideas And Bad Ideas, Ideas From Locations And Elements, Keeping Track Of Your Ideas, Idea Theft - What Can You Do? Weird Ways To Connect Ideas, Combing Ideas To Create Concepts, High Concepts - What Are They? Creating The Killer Concept, Substitution - Lion Tamers & Hitmen, Creating Blockbuster Concepts, Magnification And The Matrix, Conflict Within Concept, Concepts With Visual Conflict, Avoiding Episodic Concepts, much more! Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 175 pages!
Only $4.99 - Kindle Version
FIGURE OUT YOUR STORY!
*** OUTLINES & THE THEMATIC ***
Your story is like a road trip... but where are you going? What's the best route to get there? What are the best sights to see along the way? Just as you plan a vacation instead of just jump in the car and start driving, it's a good idea to plan your story. An artist does sketches before breaking out the oils, so why shouldn't a writer do the same? This Blue Book looks at various outlining methods used by professional screenwriters like Wesley Strick, Paul Schrader, John August, and others... as well as a guest chapter on novel outlines. Plus a whole section on the Thematic Method of generating scenes and characters and other elements that will be part of your outline. The three stages of writing are: Pre-writing, Writing, and Rewriting... this book looks at that first stage and how to use it to improve your screenplays and novels.
Only $4.99 - Kindle Version
GOT STRUCTURE?!
*** STRUCTURING YOUR STORY ***
William Goldman says the most important single element of any screenplay is structure. It’s the skeleton under the flesh and blood of your story. Without it, you have a spineless, formless, mess... a slug! How do you make sure your structure is strong enough to support your story? How do you prevent your story from becoming a slug? This Blue Book explores different types of popular structures from the basic three act structure to more obscure methods like leap-frogging. We also look at structure as a verb as well as a noun, and techniques for structuring your story for maximum emotional impact. Most of the other books just look at *structure* and ignore the art of *structuring* your story. Techniques to make your story a page turner... instead of a slug!
Only $4.99 - Kindle Version
STORY: WELL TOLD!
*** STORY: WELL TOLD ***
This book takes you step-by-step through the construction of a story... and how to tell a story well, why Story always starts with character... but ISN'T character, Breaking Your Story, Irony, Planting Information, Evolving Story, Leaving No Dramatic Stone Unturned, The Three Greek Unities, The Importance Of Stakes, The Thematic Method, and how to create personal stories with blockbuster potential. Ready to tell a story?
Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is over 85,000 words - 251 pages!
Only $4.99 - Kindle Version
HOW DO I DO THAT?
*** 101 SCREENWRITING ANSWERS ***
New to screenwriting? You probably have questions! How do I get an Agent? How do I write a phone conversation?
Do I need a Mentor? What’s does VO and OC and OS mean? What is proper screenplay format?
Should I use a pen name? Do I need to movie to Hollywood? What’s the difference between a
Producer and a Production Manager, and which should I sell my script to? How do I write a Text Message?
Should I Copyright or WGA register my script? Can I Direct or Star? How do I write an Improvised scene?
Overcoming Writer’s Block? How do I write a Sex Scene? And many many more! This book has the answers to
the 101 Most Asked Questions from new screenwriters! Plus a Glossary of terms so that you can sound like a pro!
Everything you need to know to begin writing your screenplay!
Only $4.99 - Kindle Version
NO KINDLE REQUIRED! Get the *free* app (any device, except your Mr. Coffee) on the order page on Amazon!
START STRONG!
*** HOOK 'EM IN TEN ***
Your story doesn't get a second chance to make a great first impression, and this book shows you a
bunch of techniques on how to do that. From the 12 Basic Ways To Begin Your Story, to the 3 Stars Of
Your First Scene (at least one must be present) to World Building, Title Crawls, Backstory, Starting
Late, Teasers and Pre Title Sequences, Establishing Theme & Motifs (using GODFATHER PART 2), Five Critical
Elements, Setting Up The Rest Of The Story (with GODFATHER), and much more! With hundreds of examples
ranging from Oscar winners to classic films like CASABLANCA to some of my produced films (because
I know exactly why I wrote the scripts that way). Biggest Blue Book yet!
Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is over 100,000 words - 312 pages!
Only $4.99 - Kindle Version
MOVIES ARE CHARACTERS!
*** CREATING STRONG PROTAGONISTS ***
Expanded version with more ways to create interesting protagonists! A step-by-step guide to creating "take charge" protagonists. Screenplays are about characters in conflict... characters in emotional turmoil... Strong three dimensional protagonists who can find solutions to their problems in 110 pages. But how do you create characters like this? How do you turn words into flesh and blood? Character issues, Knowing Who Is The Boss, Tapping into YOUR fears, The Naked Character, Pulp Friction, Man With A Plan, Character Arcs, Avoiding Cliche People, Deep Characterization, Problem Protagonists, 12 Ways To Create Likable Protagonists (even if they are criminals), Active vs. Reactive, The Third Dimension In Character, Relationships, Ensemble Scripts, and much, much more. Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is once again around 205 pages!
ONLY $4.99 - Kindle Version
I WRITE PICTURES!
*** VISUAL STORYTELLING *** - For Kindle! (exclusive)
Show Don't Tell - but *how* do you do that? Here are techniques to tell stories visually! Using Oscar Winning Films and Oscar Nominated Films as our primary examples: from the first Best Picture Winner "Sunrise" (1927) to the Oscar Nominated "The Artist" (which takes place in 1927) with stops along the way Pixar's "Up" and Best Original Screenplay Winner "Breaking Away" (a small indie style drama - told visually) as well as "Witness" and other Oscar Winners as examples... plus RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 200 pages!
ONLY $4.99 - Kindle Version
*** DESCRIPTION & VOICE ***
IS HALF OF YOUR STORY IN TROUBLE?
Most screenplays are about a 50/50 split between dialogue and description - which means your description is just as important as your dialogue. It just gets less press because the audience never sees it, the same reason why screenwriters get less press than movie stars. But your story will never get to the audience until readers and development executives read your script... so it is a very important factor. Until the movie is made the screenplay is the movie and must be just as exciting as the movie. So how do you make your screenplay exciting to read? Description is important in a novel as well, and the “audience” does read it... how do we write riveting description?
Only $4.99 Kindle version
PRO DIALOGUE TECHNIQUES!
*** DIALOGUE SECRETS ***
Expanded version with more ways to create interesting dialogue! How to remove bad dialogue (and what *is* bad dialogue), First Hand Dialogue, Awful Exposition, Realism, 50 Professional Dialogue Techniques you can use *today*, Subtext, Subtitles, Humor, Sizzling Banter, *Anti-Dialogue*, Speeches, and more. Tools you can use to make your dialogue sizzle! Special sections that use dialogue examples from movies as diverse as "Bringing Up Baby", "Psycho", "Double Indemnity", "Notorious", the Oscar nominated "You Can Count On Me", "His Girl Friday", and many more! Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 175 pages!
Only $4.99 - Kindle Version
NO KINDLE REQUIRED! Get the *free* app (any device, except your Mr. Coffee) on the order page on Amazon!
WHAT IS A SCENE?
*** SCENE SECRETS ***
What is a scene and how many you will need? The difference between scenes and sluglines. Put your scenes on trial for their lives! Using "Jaws" we'll look at beats within a scene. Scene DNA. Creating set pieces and high concept scenes. A famous director talks about creating memorable scenes. 12 ways to create new scenes. Creating unexpected scenes. Use dramatic tension to supercharge your scenes. Plants and payoffs in scenes. Plus transitions and buttons and the all important "flow"... and more! Over 65,000 words! Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is around 210 pages!
Only $4.99 - Kindle version
SUBPLOTS?
*** SUPPORTING CHARACTER SECRETS ***
Expanded version with more techniques to flesh out your Supporting Characters and make them individuals. Using the hit movie BRIDESMAIDS as well as other comedies like THE HANGOVER and TED and HIGH FIDELITY and
40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN and many other examples we look at ways to make your Supporting Characters come alive on the page.
Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is around 170 pages!
ONLY $4.99 - Kindle version
ACT TWO SOLUTIONS!
*** ACT TWO SECRETS ***
Expanded version with more techniques to help you through the desert of Act Two! Subjects Include: What Is Act Two? Inside Moves, The 2 Ps: Purpose & Pacing, The 4Ds: Dilemma, Denial, Drama and Decision, Momentum, the Two Act Twos, Subplot Prisms, Deadlines, Drive, Levels Of Conflict, Escalation, When Act Two Begins and When Act Two Ends, Scene Order, Bite Sized Pieces, Common Act Two Issues, Plot Devices For Act Two, and dozens of others. Over 67,000 words (that’s well over 200 pages) of tools and techniques to get you through the desert of Act Two alive!
Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is well over 200 pages!
ONLY $4.99 - Kindle version
Can You Make It bigger?
***BLOCKBUSTERS (and BEACH READS) ***
Thinking about writing a big Disaster Movie? An Historical Epic? An Epic Adventure Film? Or maybe you like Gladiator Movies? This book looks at writing Blockbusters and those Big Fat Beach Read novels - anything epic! Usng movies like JAWS, POSEIDON ADVENTURE, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, THE GUNS OF NAVARONE, and those MARVEL and FAST & FURIOUS flicks as examples. What *is* a Blockbuster? 107 years of Blockbuster history! Blockbuster Characters. Blockbuster Story Types! Why modern Blockbusters are soap operas! Social Issues in Blcokbusters? Big Emotions! Keeping All Of Those Characters Distinctive! How to avoid the Big problems found in Big Movies and books! More! If you are writing a Big Event Movie or a Big Fat Novel, there are tips and techniques to help you!
ONLY $4.99 - Kindle Version
NO KINDLE REQUIRED! Get the *free* app (any device, except your Mr. Coffee) on the order page on Amazon!
All About Rewrites!
*** REWRITES Blue Book! ***
When You Finish Your Screenplay Or Novel...
The Rewrites Begin!
The end is just the beginning! You’ve finished your story, but now the rewriting begins! This 405 page book
shows you how to rewrite your screenplay or novel to perfection. Everything from Character Consistency to
Shoeboxing to How To Give And Receive Notes to 15 Solutions If Your Script’s Too Long! and 15 Solutions
If Your Script’s Too Short! to Finding The Cause Of A Story Problem to Good Notes Vs. Bad Notes to Finding
Beta Readers to Avoiding Predictability to Learning To Be Objective About Your Work to Script Killer Notes and
Notes From Idiots to Production Rewrites and What The Page Colors Mean? and a Complete Rewrite Checklist!
The complete book on Rewriting Your Story!
Only $4.99 - Kindle Version
Want To Look Like An Expert?
*** RESEARCH & WORLD BUILDING BUILDING! ***
Using movie examples like TOP GUN, HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, BLUE CRUSH, ADVENTURE LAND, several of my produced films,
JOHN WICK, the novels of Donald E. Westlake and Thomas B. Dewey, SPY KIDS, the LORD OF THE RINGS movies, SOYLENT GREEN
(which takes place in the far off future of 2022), and many others we will look at researching stories and creating worlds.
The 8 Types Of Research, the 10 Types Of Information To Look For, 12 Important Elements Of World Building. Plus chapters on How
To Rob A Bank and Commit Murder And Get Away With It for those of you interested in crime fiction, and Researching The Future
for those writing science fiction, and Levels Of Reality if you are writing about a version of the real world.
Only $4.99 - Kindle Version
All About LOGLINES, TREATMENTS, and PITCHING!
*** LOGLINES, TREATMENTS, and PITCHING! ***
You have written a brilliant 110 page screenplay, but how do you get anyone to read it? You need to distill
it down into some form of verbal moonshine or story rocket fuel that will ignite that bored development executive
or manager or agent and get them to request your screenplay. But how do you shrink those 110 pages into a 25
word logline or a 2 minute elevator pitch or a one page synopsis or a short paragraph? This 100,000 word book
shows you how! Everything you need to know! From common logline mistakes (and how to solve them) to how
your pitch can reveal story problems to the 4 types of pitches!
ONLY $4.99! - Kindle version.
READY TO BREAK IN?
*** BREAKING IN BLUE BOOK ***
Should really be called the BUSINESS BLUE BOOK because it covers almost everything you will need to
know for your screenwriting career: from thinking like a producer and learning to speak their language,
to query letters and finding a manager or agent, to making connections (at home and in Hollywood) and
networking, to the different kinds of meetings you are will have at Studios, to the difference between
a producer and a studio, to landing an assignment at that meeting and what is required of you when you
are working under contract, to contracts and options and lawyers and... when to run from a deal!
Information you can use *now* to move your career forward! It's all here in the Biggest Blue Book yet!
Only $4.99 - Kindle version.
