Summary
Learn how you can write an Oscar caliber screenplay based on a true story from the two time Academy Award winning writer of GREEN BOOK!
PLUS! Get a copy of the script for GREEN BOOK!
You’ve heard the phrase “write what you know.” Well, it might just win you an Oscar.
For writer/actor Nick Vallelonga, his screenplay for the 2018 film GREEN BOOK is much more than a creative expression. It is a testament to his father, Tony Lip Vallelonga, whose life Nick based the screenplay on. And it led to Nick winning the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
Nick wrote the film to highlight his father’s relationship and friendship with African-American pianist Don Shirley as they encountered staggering racism in segregation-era America. The film became a huge hit and went on to receive wide critical and audience acclaim (winning both Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture at the Academy Awards).
In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will learn directly from Nick Vallelonga about his writing process and production journey on GREEN BOOK and how he was able to take a true life story about his father and turn it into an award-winning film. While writing what you know often leads to creating compelling and nuanced stories, it is not easy to discern which elements of the true story should be part of the script. Nick will walk you through how he effectively chose particular elements of his father’s story to create a compelling Hollywood movie and give you the tools you need to create your engaging screenplay based off real world events. Through a case study of the script of GREEN BOOK, Nick will teach you how to break down a scene and create interesting dialogue for your characters so your audience is always emotionally involved in the story.
In addition to writing GREEN BOOK, Nick has worked on dozens of films and television series for major studios, networks, and streamers including Universal, NBC, Fox, Lionsgate, and more. Nick is an avid educator and is excited to share his wealth of knowledge with the Stage 32 community. Don’t miss this chance to learn from and engage with a TWO TIME ACADEMY-AWARD WINNING WRITER in this exclusive Stage 32 webinar!
PLUS! Nick will provide you with a copy of the script for the GREEN BOOK to keep!
Praise For Nick's Webinar:
"Nick was very inspirational, especially to someone like myself, who is writing a screenplay based on a true story. I loved hearing more about the real life characters of GREEN BOOK, which is one of my favorite movies. His script breakdown and discussion of his process helps me see why it was so successful." -Martha C.
"I grew up in New York City so I'm a little biased but I think Nick V is the real deal. The webinar felt like I was a guest in his home as he gets to chatting about his work and his life over some delicious lasagna. It great to hear the true story behind the true story, especially when he admits that he doesn't really follow the rules or process we are have all learned. Five stars." -Jim M.
What You'll Learn
- How To Identify A Compelling Story
- What makes a story interesting to audiences?
- How to condense real life into a feature film structure
- How to best bring real life characters to the page...and the screen
- Working with actors portraying true characters
- Green Book - A Case Study
- Structuring a true story into 3 acts
- Pacing a feature film to keep audiences interested
- Creating characters through action and dialogue
- Writing dialogue that creates nuanced characters
- Developing character relationships in 3 acts
- Scene Study
- Nick will workshop 2 scenes from GREEN BOOK
- Nick's intention when writing the scenes and how they went from page to the screen
- A Life In The Industry
- Career longevity
- Assembling your team who champions your work
- How to plan for career success as a writer
- The ups and downs of Hollywood
- Q&A With Nick
Who Should Attend
All levels of filmmakers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to developing their skills by deconstructing Emmy-winning writing.
All levels of showrunners (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to developing their skills by deconstructing Emmy-winning writing.
All levels of writers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to developing their skills by deconstructing Emmy-winning writing.
Producers looking to developing their skills by deconstructing Emmy-winning writing.
Actors looking to developing their skills by deconstructing Emmy-winning writing.
Executive
NICK VALLELONGA is best known for winning two Academy Awards and two Golden Globes for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture for GREEN BOOK, the true story about Nick's father, Tony Lip, which starred Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali and Linda Cardellini. GREEN BOOK was released by Universal and Steven Spielberg's Dreamworks, and has earned over $350 Million Worldwide. Nick has many projects in various states of development, including writing the scripts for the next films he will Produce and Direct, THAT'S AMORE!, a romantic comedy musical starring John Travolta, REUNION, based on the best selling Christian novel by Dan Walsh about Vietnam Veterans, and WESTIES, a true crime drama about the Irish Mob in Hell's Kitchen in the 1970's. Nick also has written, along with George Gallo, GAMBINO about the life of the famous gangster, which Nick will produce with Jules Nasso with Gallo directing. Nick and George Gallo have also written and will produce THE BIG HOUSE, an old school buddy-comedy, with Gallo directing. Other recent credits include the international feature film, SONGS OF SOLOMON, about the Armenian genocide, which Nick produced with Asko Akopyan and Director Arman Nshanian, and Directing and Producing UNORGANIZED CRIME, a TV pilot written and starring Chazz Palminteri. Some of Nick's recent acting work includes MONSTROUS, starring Christina Ricci, THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK, David Chase's prequel film to THE SOPRANOS, and THE BIRTHDAY CAKE, starring Ewan McGregor, Val Kilmer, William Fichtner and Lorraine Bracco.
Credits
