Where do you get your legitimacy?
If you had hundreds of people who wanted you to read their screenplay, what would it take for you to choose one over the others?
The Business
Writing with a partner.
Why do it, what to watch out for, and even a process that might work for you.
Do you really need to pick a genre?
Twenty-nine years as a professional screenwriter, and I have never once been asked to pick a genre.
When it is time to attach actors.
Movie-making is star-driven.
The “right” script vs the phenomenal script.
The only thing better than writing a phenomenal script is writing the "right" script. Unfortunately, you don't have any control over that.
When to write for free.
Yet, I have never found this blanket policy of "never write for free" realistic or even desirable. But there is a time and place.
Stop trying to sell your screenplay.
It’s not your job to sell your screenplay. That is for others. Your job is to give them something to sell.
Know what makes your screenplay unique.
The fastest route to selling a script and getting it made is to have a concept that gets people excited before they ever read the screenplay.
Strategies for the industry contraction.
I was back in Los Angeles for the first time in eight months. My first priority was to sit and talk with my agents.
This is what we discussed.
Five types of directors attached to your screenplay.
Not all directors are created equal.
While it's always great to hear kind things about our work, always know exactly how and why someone moves your project further toward production.
Know your goal before you start writing your screenplay.
It does not matter whether you start with the project or the goal itself. What's important is that they are in agreement.
How To Incorporate Screenplay Notes From Friends, Writers Groups, and Others.
This week is a different kind of development challenge. What to do with notes from friends, family, other writers, coverage, contests, and any other input you get from the various sources.