WEDNESDAY'S SCRIPT TIP:

CREATE YOUR OWN CHARACTERS


Buy PULP FICTION DVDs

A while back on the message boards, someone asked if they could "short hand" a character by saying they were like Uma Thurman's character in PULP FICTION. Though Marcellus Wallace's wife was a cool character, she was a character in some other movie and some other script. It's a cheat. Instead of doing the work (figuring out who the character is) I'd be using someone else's work (Tarantino's). He created that character... in fact, Uma's character is based on a girl Tarantino used to go out with: Cat Knell, a development executive from CineTel Films. She hired Tarantino to write a movie called PAST MIDNIGHT with Rutger Hauer. Since I never dated Cat Knell, and don't really know her, it probably wouldn't be a good idea for me to base a character on her. I'd have no idea what I was writing about.

Plus - is this Tarantino's character or MY character? Screenwriting is CREATIVE writing, so all of the characters in my screenplay better be MY creations - not characters stolen from some other writer. There are enough soul-less Tarantino rip-offs out there already, why would I want to write another one. The JOB is to create my own characters - characters that are like no other characters in any other writer's script. They are ORIGINAL. Why would a producer want to buy a script with "used characters"? They want FRESH, NEW, NO MILEAGE characters. The reason why Uma Thurman's character is so interesting in the first place is because she was original. Creating a bad Xerox copy of that character isn't going to have the same effect at all. I need to create an ORIGINAL cool character, someone we haven't seen before.

Add to that - I'm not really sure what constitutes a character like Uma Thurman in PULP FICTION. Does that mean she's tall and thin? Has short black hair? Snorts cocaine? Is married to a gangster? Likes to dance? What am I getting at with that description?

Even if I just mean that she *looks* like Uma Thurman, I think that's a bad idea. I never imagine an actors in my roles. Why? Because if I'm imagining an ACTOR I'm not imagining the CHARACTER am I? I CREATE the character - they are THEMSELVES until casting comes along and effs it up. My characters don't sound like Uma Thurman or Cary Grant or Robert Mitchum or Adam Sandler, they speak in THEIR OWN voice - not my voice, not some actor's voice. They are CHARACTERS (ie: their own person). If I imagine Tom Hanks playing the role, I won't be writing the character's dialogue and reactions, I'll be writing Tom Hanks' dialogue and reactions. Where's the creativity in that? Is my character really Tom Hanks? I don't think so - my characters are the product of their own backgrounds and situations. I imagine the CHARACTERS that I've created as the characters - they have their own voice, reactions, thought process, etc. They are *themselves*.

Instead of thinking "What would Tom Hanks do?" I think "What would my character do?" - in real life, Tom Hanks would probably hide in his trailer.

But most important - I believe that a story is the exploration of a character. That's the purpose for the story. Is my script really exploring Tom Hanks' character? What the heck do I really know about him? Sure, we were born in the same hospital in the same month... but I lost track of him soon after that. I know the SURFACE of Tom Hanks, but not the motivations - goals, fears, demons, the stuff he beats himself up over, etc. So my character would be nothing more than surface - a cardboard cut out. That's bad writing. Good writing is going to dig into that character and find out what makes them tick - and the surface of the character is based on what's inside.

The character doesn't play the actor, the actor plays the character.

I never think about a specific actor when I'm creating a character, because then I'm chimping some actor's personality instead of creating a character who exists on their own. I want my character to seem like a living breathing person. So I start with the inside - what makes the character tick - then figure out how that's exposed through actions and personality traits.

My Script

For my silly half-man / half-alligator script, one of my favorite characters was a gal who has learned the fine art of getting other people to do things for you. I had so much fun finding ways for her to manipulate others... and getting pissed off when people don't do what she wants. Another characer in the same script had this great defeatest attitude - since everything was going to go wrong, might as well enjoy things while we can (secretly my theory of life - and this was the character most like me). Another interesting guy was the fellow who believes everyone is trying to scam him (because *he* is scamming everyone) and always has a smart ass remark... to keep people at a distance. Every character trait tells us something about the person inside. About the *character*. Actions, speech patterns, quirks - everything is *motivated*. All of the externals of a character are ways of showing what is gong on inside.

Once I figure out what makes the character tick and how they interface with everyone else in the world (people usually wear a "mask" to cover their true selves - they have an attitude they use for protection), I can put them in a scene with another character and just let 'em rip.

The problem with using some existing actor - even a dead actor like Bogart or Mitchum or Lorre, is that you're using only mannerisms and externals, rather than *character*. You end up with a big bag of quirks, but may have no idea who the *person* underneath them really is. If you actually create a character - know what their motivations, needs, desires, secrets and fears are - you can create the mannerisms that give us an insight to who this person really is. You're creating a character from the inside out - and the character *has* an inside. The purpose of all of the external stuff is to *show us* the internal and emotional stuff. It's not just a big ol' bag of quirks - it's a window into the character.

Buy Bourne DVDs

Characters are tied to story. You can't just thrust one character into another story. *Every* character is an integral part of that story. You want a recent example of how character and story are related? Let's take a look at Joan Allen and Brian Cox's characters in THE BOURNE SUPREMACY. These aren't the lead characters, they're antagonists (and not even that Russian dude who is trying to kill Bourne). Both are CIA Agents, but each is completely different. Allen is a digger - she'll do anything to uncover the truth behind the Treadstone operations (even if it puts her career in peril). Cox wants to cover everything up - bury the past (and Treadstone) and get on with CIA business. These are two very different approaches to the same job... and they are also the two choices facing Jason Bourne. These two supporting characters are there to support the story - and are different aspects of the big decision Bourne must make in the story. See - he and Marie were hiding out in India, he was covering up his past life as a Treadstone assassin. Trying to get on with his life by burying his past. When the two CIA Agents are killed and the Treadstone files stolen, Bourne can either hide (from his past) or dig (into his past) and discover some more frightening truths about who he was... maybe even who he is. So Allen and Cox *personalities* are part of the story itself, and part of the exploration of Bourne's character. The characters were created to service the story - they are part of the story.

In my vampire flick NIGHT HUNTER the protagonist is shy, quiet, keeps to himself and keeps to the shadows. Why? Because he's been betrayed by everyone he knows and doesn't WANT to interact with anyone else. He doesn't TRUST anyone else. He believes that no matter how kind someone may be to him - there's a price. He's gonna get screwed. He has completely lost his faith in mankind - and *that's* what the story is about! This guy is going to be FORCED to find his faith in mankind again - FORCED to trust others - FORCED to care about others - FORCED to step out of the shadows and interact with society again. All of the king fu fightin' and vampire bitin' is there as a means to explore his unique character. To put this guy in a place where he must deal with his demons.

Night Hunter, Cinemax World Premiere

If I'd imagined Tom Hanks in this role - there would be no movie. If I'd imagined Johnny Depp in this role, I might have the externals but I wouldn't have the CHARACTER and that's what the whole story is about - exploring this unique character.

Which is why I never describe the exterior of a character - that's casting. It's also a good way to *think* you've created the character when all you've really created is an empty suit of clothes. The CHARACTER of the character is what's important - not what he looks like. They'll hire an actor to portray that character based on your script - and the actor they hire may not look anything like the character as you may have envisioned them. Do you really think I imagined World Kick Boxing Champion Don "The Dragon" Wilson when I wrote NIGHT HUNTER? He's half Japanese and has a Southern accent. Actually, I never imagined any actor - I imagined the CHARACTER. If they'd cast Johnny Depp or Vince Vaughn or Selma Hayak that would still fit the character. It's what's INSIDE that's important - not what they look like (casting decides that).

Write YOUR OWN STORIES with YOUR OWN CHARACTERS. Characters that exist to tell your story (not someone else's story). You don't know if they'll cast Uma Thurman or Tom Hanks or someone else - you don't know what the character looks like, only how they act. The *character* of the character. So create your own individual characters that exist to tell the story *you* created. It's creative writing, so be creative.

More on this in the Protagonist Blue Book!



COMING SOON!!!

Want to look like an expert?

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RESEARCH & WORLD BUILDING Blue Book!

Want to look like an expert?

Does this gun fire 6 shots or only 5? In all of the excitement of writing your action scene, you might not have done the research... and your hero could be out of ammo! Whether you are writing a novel or screenplay, you can save your hero, and your story, by doing a little research first! This book looks at Why you should research, Whether you should research First or Later, PLUS the importance of World Building in Science Fiction, Fantasy... and the worlds you explore in every other genre. Movies like JOHN WICK and THE GODFATHER take place in their own unique worlds... and writers must create them! YOU are the technical advisor on your Screenplay or Novel.

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.

No matter what you are writing, this book will help you find the facts... or make them up in a convincing way! End of March/Early April


NEW!!!

Can You Make It bigger?

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BLOCKBUSTERS (and BEACH READS) Blue Book!

Writing something EPIC?

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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!

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IT'S NEW!!

All About Rewrites!

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REWRITES Blue Book!

Rewriting In Waves?

When You Finish Your Screenplay Or Novel...
The Rewrites Begin!

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HITCHCOCK FOR WRITERS!


LEARN SUSPENSE FROM THE MASTER!

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Alfred Hitchcock, who directed 52 movies, was known as the *Master Of Suspense*; but what exactly is suspense and how can *we* master it? How does suspense work? How can *we* create “Hitchcockian” suspense scenes in our screenplays, novels, stories and films?

This book uses seventeen of Hitchcock’s films to show the difference between suspense and surprise, how to use “focus objects” to create suspense, the 20 iconic suspense scenes and situations, how plot twists work, using secrets for suspense, how to use Dread (the cousin of suspense) in horror stories, and dozens of other amazing storytelling lessons. From classics like “Strangers On A Train” and “The Birds” and “Vertigo” and “To Catch A Thief” to older films from the British period like “The 39 Steps” and “The Man Who Knew Too Much” to his hits from the silent era like “The Lodger” (about Jack The Ripper), we’ll look at all of the techniques to create suspense!

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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.

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MAKES A GREAT GIFT!

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My New Script Secrets Newsletter!


STORY IN ACTION SERIES!

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THE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE MOVIES

NEW: Updates On Films 7 & 8 Casting!

All Six Movies analyzed! All of the mission tapes, all of the “that’s impossible!” set pieces and stunts, the cons and capers - and how these scenes work, the twists and double crosses, the tension and suspense (and how to generate it), the concept of each film as a stand alone with a different director calling the shots (broken in the sixth film), the gadgets, the masks, the stories, the co-stars and team members (one team member has been in every film), the stunts Tom Cruise actually did (and the ones he didn’t), and so much more! Over 120,000 words of fun info!

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BRAND NEW!

*** THE BOURNE MOVIES

NEW: Updates on TREADSTONE TV show!

All five "Bourne" movies (including "Legacy" and it's potential sequels) - what are the techniques used to keep the characters and scenes exciting and involving? Reinventing the thriller genre... or following the "formula"? Five films - each with an interesting experiment! A detailed analysis of each of the films, the way these thrillers work... as well as a complete list of box office and critical statistics for each film. This book is great for writers, directors, and just fans of the series.

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Over 240 pages!

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He's back! The release of "Terminator: Dark Fate" is set to begin a new trilogy in the Terminator story... 35 years after the first film was released. What draws us to these films about a cybernetic organism from the future sent back in time? Why is there a new proposed trilogy every few years? This book looks at all five Terminator movies from a story standpoint - what makes them work (or not)? What are the techniques used to keep the characters and scenes exciting and involving? How about those secret story details you may not have noticed? Containing a detailed analysis of each of the five films so far, this book delves into the way these stories work... as well as a complete list of box office and critical statistics for each film. This book is great for writers, directors, and just fans of the series.

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Screenwriting books have been around as long as films have. This series reprints vintage screenwriting books with a new introduction and history, plus new articles which look at how these lessons from almost 100 years ago apply to today’s screenplays. Anita Loos book is filled with information which still applies. In addition to the full text of the original book, you get the full screenplay to Miss Loos' hit THE LOVE EXPERT, plus several new articles on the time period and women in Hollywood.

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THE BLUE BOOKS!

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FIND A GREAT IDEA!

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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!

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FIGURE OUT YOUR STORY!

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OUTLINES & THE THEMATIC Blue Book.

ARE YOUR SCENES IN THE RIGHT ORDER?
AND ARE THEY THE RIGHT SCENES?

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.

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GOT STRUCTURE?!

*** STRUCTURING YOUR STORY *** - For Kindle!


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!

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STORY: WELL TOLD!

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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!

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START STRONG!

*** HOOK 'EM IN TEN *** - For Kindle!


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!

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NO KINDLE REQUIRED! Get the *free* app (any device, except your Mr. Coffee) on the order page on Amazon!


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MOVIES ARE CHARACTERS!

*** CREATING STRONG PROTAGONISTS *** - For Kindle!

*** CREATING STRONG PROTAGONISTS *** - For Nook!

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!

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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!

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DESCRIPTION & VOICE Blue Book!

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DESCRIPTION & VOICE Blue Book.

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?

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PRO DIALOGUE TECHNIQUES!

*** DIALOGUE SECRETS *** - For Kindle!

***

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!

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WHAT IS A SCENE?

*** SCENE SECRETS *** - For Kindle!

***

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!

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SUBPLOTS?

*** SUPPORTING CHARACTER SECRETS *** - For Kindle! (Exclusive)


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!

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ACT TWO SOLUTIONS!

*** ACT TWO SECRETS *** - For Kindle!


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!

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All About Endings!

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GRAND FINALES Blue Book!

The Perfect Ending For Your Story!

The First Ten Pages Of Your Screenplay Are Critical,
But What About The Last 10 Pages?

Creating the perfect ending to your story! This 100,000 word book shows you how to end your story with a bang, rather than a whimper. Everything from Resolution Order to Act Three Tools to Happy or Sad Endings? to How The Beginning Of Your Story Has Clues To The Ending (in case you were having trouble figuring out how the story should end) to Falling Action to How To Avoid Bad Endings to Writing The Perfect Twist Ending to Setting Up Sequels & Series to Emotional Resolutions to How To Write Post Credit Sequences to Avoiding Deus Ex Machinas, to 20 Different Types Of Ends (and how to write them) and much more! Everything about endings for your screenplay or novel!

Only: $4.99


NO KINDLE REQUIRED! Get the *free* app (any device, except your Mr. Coffee) on the order page on Amazon!


All About LOGLINES, TREATMENTS, and PITCHING!

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LOGLINES, TREATMENTS, and PITCHING! Blue Book!

Distilling Your Screenplay!

Loglines, Treatments, Pitching, Look Books, Pitch Decks, One Pagers, Rip-O-Matics?

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!

272 Pages - ONLY $4.99!


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THE BUISINESS SIDE

*** BREAKING IN BLUE BOOK *** - For Kindle!


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!

Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is over 400 pages!

$4.99 - and no postage!




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FINAL DRAFT SOFTWARE

Use your creative energy to focus on the content; let Final Draft take care of the style. Final Draft is the number-one selling application specifically designed for writing movie scripts, television episodics and stage plays. Its ease-of-use and time-saving features have attracted writers for almost two decades positioning Final Draft as the Professional Screenwriters Choice. Final Draft power users include Academy, Emmy and BAFTA award winning writers like Oliver Stone, Tom Hanks, Alan Ball, J.J. Abrams, James Cameron and more. * * * Buy It!

copyright 2023 by William C. Martell


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SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING

bluebook IT'S BACK! SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING
Over 460 pages packed with tips and techniques. How to write a plot twist, the four kinds of suspense (and how to create it), reversals, ten ways to invent new action scenes, secrets and lies, creating the ultimate villain, five kinds of love interests, MORE! CLICK HERE!

CLASSES ON MP3

Class MP3s CLASSES ON MP3! Take a class on MP3! GUERRILLA MARKETING - NO AGENT? NO PROBLEM! and WRITING THRILLERS (2 MP3s). Full length classes on MP3. Now Available: IDEAS & CREATIVITY, WRITING HORROR, WRITING INDIE FILMS, more!
Take classes on MP3!

MY OTHER SITES

B MOVIE WORLD
Cult Films, Exploitation, Bikers & Women In Prison, Monster Movies.

FIRST STRIKE PRODUCTIONS
Producing my own scripts, investment possibilities, pipe dreams.

NAKED SCREENWRITING MP3s

Naked Class The NAKED SCREENWRITING CLASS ON MP3! The 2001 London Class on 8 MP3s! Recorded *live* the morning after the Raindance Film Festival wrapped. The two day class on 8CD worth, plus a workbook, plus a bonus CD.
The 2 Day Class on MP3!

ONLINE CLASSES
Furious Action Class
BILL'S CORNER

My nineteen produced films, interviews with me in magazines, several sample scripts, my available scripts list... And MORE!
...............................BILL'S CORNER


Available Scripts

E BOOKS PAGE

bluebook E BOOKS: New Blue Books and Novelettes!
I am expanding all of the Blue Books from around 44 pages of text to around 200 pages! Some are over 250 pages! See what is availabale and what is coming soon!Also, I've been writing Novelletes and there will soon be novels.
E BOOKS: BLUE BOOKS & NOVELLETES

BOOKLETS & PRODUCTS

bluebook FIRST STRIKE BLUE BOOKS
Each Blue Book is 48 pages and focuses on a different aspect of screenwriting. Dialogue. Visual Storytelling. Your First Ten Pages. Act 2 Booster. Protagonists. Great Endings.
Seventeen Blue Books now available!

THE SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING OUT OF PRINT!