Screenwriting

We give FREE feedback on scripts every Tuesday on my YouTube channel if you want us to take a look at the first 10 pages.

https://www.stage32.com/media/3500252380887264882?ref=search&autoplay=1

Great attitude Justin. Its important to take the positive and get other perspectives on your work.

Travis, you're absolutely correct about the nine-act structure...today's Hallmark/Lifetime/etc. made-for-TV movies roll that way. (I've read where some TVers use a seven-act structure.)

When I first attempted to break in (1980), TV-movies used a six-act structure...at least, that's how Constance Nash and Virginia Oakey put it on Page 68 of their 1978 manual, "The Television Writer's Handbook."

I liked the structure and decided to stick with it...and after I joined Stage 32 in January 2019, I learned about Michael Hauge's plot system (and decided to adopt that, too).

It's tempting to skip character profiles...the only reason I do the profiles is I find it fun to see just how these characters would interact with (or against) each other.

On top of that, I admire writers who can come up with that first draft in one fell swoop (or more) and can go back and do multiple drafts. It's great to be able to fly by the seat of your pants that way.

I know...the perfectionist in me says: "Jim...make EFFING sure you've got all your ducks in a row before you shoot!"

Still...

Well, I've rambled on enough...thanks for the feedback (and the post itself)!

We have the same process Travis Seppala lol

Someone once said - I think Linda Seger or another expert on screenwriting - that rewriting is the ability to showcase your story even more.

Re-writes are tough. But sometimes if you give yourself some space from your project and re-visit it with fresh eyes, some things will stand out to you that you mat want to change or it may help make sense of some notes you've been given.

Ewan, exactly.

It doesn't make sense to work on something by forcing yourself onto it. Everything has to flow naturally. Also, being motivated helps. lol

Anthony, that's great news!

Thanks for the heads-up...and here's to more and more success!

Congratulations on the selections and win, Anthony McBride aka award-winning screenwriter!

I think that any anthology could be an example to follow.

Fellow Travelers traces a relationship from the 1950's to the 1980's jumping between timelines throughout the episodes of the miniseries. It's also brilliantly written. (warning: very explicit sexual content).

I've only seen one season of Yellowjackets and it's quite violent, but it was incredibly successful at telling the story of its characters across two (and sometimes more) timelines simultaneously.

In the 70’s TV generation drama was popular Eg The Forsythe Saga, Roots. Star Trek continuous since 60’s.

House of the Dragon S1 moved forward in the timeline after a few episodes. I thought it was good. It pushed the story along. I'm a casual fan of the genre, but it kept my interest.

Both are good (IMO) - I tend to favor Shore as my final check prior to rewriting for final (nearly?) draft. Screencraft? I have to admit some amateurish coverage has happened; though mostly decent.

Thanks Matthew Kelcourse. Any analyst numbers you have found to be good? You can select a specific analyst from the drop down menu on Coverfly.

Brad Cooper you might want to contact them and ask for a recommendation for the genre/audience you are targeting. For example: I'm exclusively action/sci-fi/adventure and I would prefer someone who favors comedy/rom-com to not be one offering me feedback. They are extremely helpful - a delight to work with. Cheers.

The possibilities for ideas are endless.

Haha Maurice. You remember my logline from the logline section. Sadly there was never a script. How I came up with it, I probably got from the title Analyze This to Analyze Fish, then the rest was easy. I must say it didn't come out of nowhere. I did a lot of "Analyze" "This" and "That".

Feading all the info of the old (2016) logline into ChattGPT it came up with:

"In 'Analyze Fish,' a greedy Dolphin Shrink initially agrees to manipulate a depressed Loan Shark into committing suicide for a million clams offered by the Great White Padrino, but has second thoughts when he develops an unexpected friendship with his patient, leading to a heartwarming journey of self-discovery and redemption amidst the perilous waters of their underwater world."

The Hunt:

After witnessing the brutal murder of his family during a camping trip, lonely teenage boy Malachi discovers a mysterious black stone that transports him to an imaginary world. There, he gains the ability to transform into an S-Ranking Hunter, determined to track down and confront the killers responsible for his family's demise, all while grappling with his newfound powers and the specter of his past.

What two movies is "The Hunt" a mix of, Derrick Vernon?

I'm happy to look at it for you!! Let me know where I can find it online, or feel free to e-mail it to me at my work e-mail address at sillysideproductions@gmail.com

Internals/non-filmables can help you paint a picture/write juicy action lines sometimes, Dustin Archibald, which could attract producers, directors, actors, etc. to your script. I suggest using them sparingly though.

Niki Galiano Thanks! It can be found at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r9-C3Grq3chG5tZUKu-_mqfVU1bqFYOS/view?u...

Maurice Vaughan Thanks for the advice! I'll make sure to revise the script with that in mind.

You're welcome, Dustin Archibald. I used to avoid writing internals/non-filmables in my scripts, and my action lines were plain/boring. I kept getting notes that I needed to make my action lines more exciting/attractive, and using internals/non-filmables helped.

Great to officially meet you, Jason Mirch! I've heard nothing but wonderful things since I came on board last year! Welcome back!

Welcome back, Jason. Cool to see your talents here!

Hi Jason Mirch great to meet you! I'm a writer who is starting out. My background is more theatre however I decided I wanted to explore film and tv. I'm currently working on a pilot script for a tv series that centres around domestic abuse against men. It's been an interesting process so far and I'm hoping that this next draft will be good enough for me to send it for coverage... that's the plan anyway!

Nice to meet you, Jason! I'm a new screenwriter and still looking to establish myself. I've written a couple pilot scripts, and I'm hoping to find potential collaborations or opportunities on this site to gain some real experience.

Hi Jason Mirch It's great to see you back. I just landed a new manager and wanted to know what's the best way to encourage a healthy relationship with them.

What Vorlage do you suggest is best to use for an adaptation? I mean, for us with limited experience. Twice I have used world famous plays. Both plays were so old that they were no longer copyright protected. Great for us who create no-budget films.

First "the beggars opera", which resulted in a 26 minutes short film.

Then "the inspector general", which resulted in a 102 minutes long film.

In both cases I rewrote completely, so my films are in the present time.

I also have ideas for adapting two comics (Flash Gordon respectively The Phantom), but copyright is a problem.

Hi, Göran Johansson. Post your question on the AMA page so Shannon can see it: www.stage32.com/lounge/vip/Ask-Me-Anything-AMA-Friday-5-10-to-Saturday-5...

Oops, I didn't notice that it was in the writer's room. About signing up for one free month, I think I wait with that until I understand better how Stage32 works.

For the same reasons a Junkie needs a fix.

I hire angry gang bangers and nuns.

I keep a wall chart marking the number of pages I write every week. The weeks that are blank I sometimes feel guilty about.

I make comic books and enjoy selling my work to new customers.

The passion for finding words in touching sentences. Keeping the flow coming from your heart and soul. Plus what touches you deeply. Feeling your characters when they wake you in the night. This incredible sense of creating worlds maybe someone can join one day.