Advice

We all know how incredibly hard it is to get a screenplay produced. We have all heard talk about all the great scripts out there that never got made. And that might be true. But why is it true? If you have a professionally crafted screenplay, one with obvious commercial potential, which has never been produced, the real problem might be that someone got discouraged and dropped the ball. After your work is of a professional quality, perseverance is the key to success. It doesn't really make sense to ever be discouraged or deflected by criticism, rejection or a slammed...

Our reader Singh from Toronto, asks: My dialogue sounds flat and indistinguishable between characters. How can I work on writing more engaging dialogue? David Freeman responds: Dialogue has long been a problem for writers. The problem is that dialogue needs to serve a variety of functions: (1) make the characters sound different from one another, (2) capture the rhythms and sound of spoken speech, (3) employ "subtext" so that what the characters are saying isn't always what they mean, and (4) reveal all sorts of things about the characters and sometimes their time and place. When you talk about "indistinguishable...

One of the best phone calls a writer can receive is when someone calls and wants to option his or her screenplay!For many writers, this can seem like a dream come true because it validates the months they have toiled away on their laptop, losing all sense of night and day, even neglecting friends and family. For others, this can be a scary moment filled with unanswered questions, especially if it is their first time in this situation.Here is what every writer should know about the ins and outs of Option Agreements and how to make the most out of...

On behalf of Crescendo Entertainment Group I attend a number of screenwriting conferences and events throughout the year. In doing this, I am able to get out there and meet screenwriters and hopefully impart a bit of advice to the many who are looking to hear from us, who work within the studio system. At these conferences a recurring question writers ask me is "how do I go about getting representation by an agent and/or a manager?" Representation by someone who passionately believes in the writer, someone who provides access to production companies and the studios and, hopefully, gets the...

Writing is a craft, and undoubtedly it's the most complicated craft in the world. That's why I put so much emphasis on specific, practical techniques. Big esoteric words and inspirational slogans may sound good, but they don't get the story on the page. Blockbusters Are Story Summer is the time for big blockbuster movies. What most people don't realize is that blockbusters don't come from stars or special effects. They come from story. Smash hit movies use a number of unique story techniques that audiences love. Many of them have been around for hundreds, even thousands, of years. You just...