Advice — expert series

Writing for Editing

Posted by Gael Chandler on

"The humbling truth is that the film is made in the editing room." -David Mamet introducing the nominations for editing during the 2002 Academy Awards ceremony Editors are often called the last re-writers of the show. Another way to put this is that the editor is the architect of the show. Our blueprint is the script (or outline on a nonfiction show). Our building materials are the footage: long shots, wide shots, medium shots, close ups, over-the shoulders, inserts, raking shots, reverses, master shots, and two-shots. From these we design the show with sound, dialogue, music, and the placement and...

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How to Sell a Screenplay with These 10, Must-Use Story Techniques

Posted by John Truby on

The key question that all screenwriters should ask themselves is: how do I write a script that Hollywood wants to buy? Most writers mistakenly think that success is all about connections and star power. Not so. The real trick to writing a script that will sell is to know and use Hollywood's central marketing strategy. And that can be summed up in one word: genres.Former Universal Pictures chairman Marc Shmuger recently said, "There's no doubt the star system is in transformation. Arguably the two biggest stars in the first half of 2009 were Kevin James (Paul Blart: Mall Cop) and...

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Conscious Media: Part 6

Posted by Pamela Jaye Smith on

Read the rest of the series: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5. A lot of people believe that "Art" just comes into being full blown and word perfect straight from the cosmos, the collective conscious or unconscious, spirit guides, ascended masters, muses, angels, or aliens. Would that it were so. But then think how many development execs, story editors, writing teachers, and consultants would be out of work. Now some of you may say, "But my story came straight from a flash of inspiration down into my computer. I barely thought about it, I just wrote...

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Money Matters: Don't Just Make Your Points, Define Them!

Posted by Jeremy Juuso on

Points? Points? What on earth are those things people keep promising me when I work on a film? A friend of mine said recently she ran into a name actor at Crate & Barrel. She's a bit new to producing and had actually been pursuing this actor through mutual friends (forget about the agent and manager - too blind to real opportunity). Well, lo and behold, she approached the actor, brought up her project, and the actor said he had heard about it. They talked some more and actually hit it off quite well. In fact, they hit it off...

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Understanding Your Own Fear for Fun and Profit

Posted by Devin Watson on

Horror is transgressive art. It seeks to show the darker side of human nature in all its ugliness. Using the medium of film, we explore themes that are considered off-limits to other genres. Our explorations of the dark underbelly of life can give the audience a cathartic experience as well as us, the writers. People pay money to get scared. From the haunted house tour to the horror movie, the experience of being scared is what we're in the business of selling. We can write some of the most gruesome, terrifying scenes and audience-goers will plop down their hard-earned money...

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