Class descriptionsLearn from Hollywood Professionals how to hone and pitch your idea, and then meet one on one with the companies who can turn your ideas into television shows and movies. Master Screenwriting Workshopwith Syd Field
Admission: Ticket required The Art of Visual Story Telling
This course is an in-depth exploration needed to prepare your screenplay for the "pitch experience." Through lectures and discussions of the screenwriter's craft, this interactive course focuses on the elements of cinematic story telling, illustrating the necessity for dramatic structure, the importance of the inciting incident, the nature of conflict, and different ways to set up your story and character, as preparation for the "pitching session." Clips from films like: Juno, Mr & Mrs Smith, The Departed, Little Miss Sunshine, the Bucket List and more, illustrating the principles of visual story telling.
Story Mastery Workshopwith Michael Hauge
Admission: Ticket required Hollywood script and story consultant Michael Hauge, best-selling author of Writing Screenplays That Sell and Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds: The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read, presents his unique approach to creating compelling screenplays and novels. Topics covered will include:
If you want to elevate writing and storytelling to the highest possible level, this event is a must. Power Screenwriting Workshopwith Pilar Alessandra
Admission: Ticket required In this half-day intensive, Pilar takes writers from premise through polish using the ten-minute screenwriting tools she teaches in her On the Page classes. In this class you’ll learn up to ten different writing techniques that will develop your idea, organize your story points and hone your pages. Taking this class could be the most valuable workshop you ever take, as the tips you learn here will take your craft to a higher level that competes with the pro's. If you want to be a working, professional screenwriter in Hollywood, you must take this class. ON THE PAGE provides ongoing classes, workshops and private consultations for screenwriters and television writers at all levels. Using humor and plain language, script consultant PILAR ALESSANDRA takes a "dig into pages" approach, inspiring students to write or rewrite their stories to a professional level. Pilar's consultations are specific, hands-on and respectful of the writer's vision. Her classes offer practical exercises to crack your story wide open and erase writers block. No vague buzzwords or judgmental ideas about what a movie "should" be - just industry-savvy, practical advice - to help you write your best script. The Business Side of Show: One-Sheets that Work!with Babz Bitela & Debe Scott
Admission: Free class Help sell your script by learning the secets of the two biggest tools in the biz - a great script, and a dynamite onesheet. Agents want to LOVE your work, but they must have marketable scripts that leap off the page and grip the reader by the wallet. A powerful onesheet can really clinch the deal. Learn the business, and how these tools of the trade can take you from an amateur to a pro. The Power of the Dark Side: Great Villains & Dangerous Situationswith Pamela Jaye Smith
Admission: Free class Your protagonist is only as good as the antagonist. And we know that everybody loves a really good bad guy: Mephistopheles, Lilith, Darth, Freddie, Scarlett, Sauron, and Voldemort... Dramatic conflict requires opposition - especially in a pitch and in your synopsis. Explore evil, temptation, betrayal, and salvation; the 3 levels of Darkness; and psychology’s Shadow. Learn ways to match Protagonist with Antagonist (person and/or event) for writing dynamic, vivid stories and characters. Your First Film Jobwith Karen Kaufman Wilson
Admission: Free class Ask any industry professional about the key to their success, their answer is simple: it's "Who you know" and "Who you've worked for." In other words, your first job and how successful you are in the job is critical. But without industry contacts, who do you turn to for reel world information? First Film Job offers a thorough and complete course - full of valuable "inside information" on obtaining your first job in the film business. What's more, First Film Job will not only assist you in getting that first job, but teach you industry-tested strategies that will help you reach your long-term career goals. Stay ahead of your competition with First Film Job. Because in the film business, it's what the insiders know that counts. Pitch TV Like a Prowith Mark Simon
Admission: Free class You can have the best idea ever for a TV show, but unless you can pitch it, no one will ever see it. Mark will divulge some key pitch strategies that we, and many others, have used to sell TV shows.
Agents - How to Find, Keep & Fire Yourswith Michele Wallerstein
Admission: Free class An agent works very hard to guide a writer's career. We help them with their material, we set up important meetings for them, we see that their material is read by the right people, we negotiate their deals, we share information with them and we even listen to their personal problems. Is that enough? OK, we also show an interest in their spouses and children, we try not to hurt their feelings when their work is rejected, we are loyal and often very caring. We keep our eye on the ball and an ear to the ground. We know what's going on in the business and who's buying what. Is that enough? But...then we must let the writers go out into the world by themselves and we pray that they do not do themselves harm. This is the most daunting of our tasks. Learn the best ways for you to find an agent, how to be a "dream client," and when it's necessary to find a new one. Make the Most of your PitchFestwith Signe Olynyk, Lorene Lacey and Bob Schultz
Admission: Free class Want to make the most of your PitchFest? Then join the team behind the Great American PitchFest for insider tips on how to get the most pitches, meet the most people, and what you should and shouldn't do in your pitch meetings. The Great American PitchFest is the only pitchfest events run BY writers FOR writers, and organizers want your success as much as you do. With tips on pitching, meeting the execs, perfecting your logline, getting and keeping the attention of an agent, maintaining relationships with the people you meet, and dozens of other lessons, many past participants have said they felt this was the most valuable session they attended all weekend. If you can only pick one class to attend, you may want it to be this one. Learn how to fast-track your screenwriting career, and make the most of your PitchFest experience. Ask Karl ANYTHING (about Writing!)with Karl Iglesias
Admission: Free class Ten years ago, Karl set out to learn everything he could about becoming a successful screenwriter. What did produced writers with box office hits behind them know that set them apart from others? Was it just luck, or did they do things differently from other writers? Karl interviewed dozens of Hollywood's most notable writers, and turned these lessons into the wonderful book, 'The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters'. But that wasn't enough. Karl started to study their scripts. What meaty words did they use to punch up their scenes? How much detail was too much? How specific and precise should the words be in a screenplay? Karl rounded up these notes in the successful book, 'Writing For Emotional Impact'. Join Karl for a frank discussion about screenwriting, and your career. Learn how to take your advance your craft, and make your scripts the best they can be. Pitch in a Minutewith Pilar Alessandra
Admission: Free class If you could only take one class on pitching, this would be the one to take. Pitch quickly and avoid producer tune-out. This workshop uses a written template to help writers define the key elements of their screenplay, and by doing so, pitch their script in a brief, concise and entertaining manner that emphasizes the hook and eliminates "writer-babble." Taught by the talented, Pilar Alessandra, you will learn how to identify the key elements of your screenplay and get to the heart of your pitch. Using Pilar's legendary 'fill in the blank' template, you are guaranteed an effective and confident pitch so you can make your best pitch ever. This class is only being offered once, so be sure not to miss it. Million Dollar Screenwritingwith Chris Soth
Admission: Free class Chris Soth presents 'Million Dollar Screenwriting', which is an simple method of story design for writers. By learning the 'Mini-Movie Method', you will learn how to break every story into an effortless, step-by-step process, and unlock your future as a working screenwriter in Hollywood. Mastering this process makes beginners into experts, and experts into masters of the craft. The secret to successful, million dollar screenwriting has finally arrived: The Mini-Movie Method! The Top Ten Things that Readers HATEwith Julie Gray
Admission: Free class Writers fear industry readers but do they really know what readers are looking for? Learn the top ten things that turn readers off immediately - and how to do the opposite. Keeping a reader engaged, absorbed and focused on your script is crucial; readers are the gatekeepers of Hollywood but all too often writers make mistakes that stop a reader cold. Is the Big Idea of your draft immediately graspable? Is the execution professional and seamless? How do you know if your script is original? Learn how to get your script past an industry reader and much more. What Happens to your Screenplay or Book when it's Submitted to a Studiowith Rona Edwards and Monika Skerbelis
Admission: Free class This seminar is an overview of the world of feature film development. What happens when the screenplay leaves the writer’s hands and enters the studio system? Learn the secrets of what each player at the studios, production companies and agencies do in order to move a project up the ladder into the world of development and eventually, the greenlight. Participants get the inside scoop as they learn about the importance of loglines, coverage, weekend reads and gain the necessary inside information about the story departments at studios and production companies. They will learn how the agent and manager fit it into the process as well as the way the system works. Presented by authors & producers, Rona Edwards & Monika Skerbelis of ESE FILM WORKSHOPS ONLINE, a global online film school, this seminar provides a good foundation for students and is inspired by their highly successful online course, "Screenplay Development from the Inside Out," an intensive five week workshop as well as their critically acclaimed book, "I Liked It, Didn't Love It" (Screenplay Development From The Inside Out). Write it, Pitch it, Work it - Lessons from the Pros about Working in Televisionwith Ellen Sandler and Kathie Fong Yoneda
Admission: Free class So you wanna work in television? Episodics, sitcoms, cable movies of the week...but do you have what Hollywood is looking for? And once you have 'it', who do you give 'it' to, anyway? 'It' is a very big word in Hollywood. Learn what you need for 'it' all to be yours, and what you need to do to have a career as a television writer. Hit me with your Best Shot: Why Concept is Still King!with Blake Snyder Admission: Free class Making a fast decision about what movie to see is the challenge every moviegoer - and movie executive - must wrestle with. The winning movie idea is the one that grabs our attention, and tells a story so compelling we just have to see it! How can you the screenwriter use the skills usually associated with highly paid studio marketing gurus to get and keep our attention about your movie notion - and guarantee getting an audience inside the theater to see your dream project realized? Using examples from recent hit films in both the independent and major studio worlds, Blake Snyder, author of the popular Save the Cat! books, will show why your pitch is not only the key to selling your movie, it is also key to breaking out the story elements in your screenplay. Blake, who earned the reputation as one of Hollywood's most successful spec screenwriters" for his multiple million-dollar sales, will tell you how every screenwriter can learn to "hit them with your best shot" in a lively, hilarious, and insightful return to Pitchfest from his 2007 standing-room-only appearance. Creating Great Dialogue for Film & Televisionwith Pilar Alessandra
Admission: Free class Snappy. Crisp. Dynamic dialogue. Learn quick and effective writing techniques to revive bland exchanges, tune up character voices, create relationship tension, and bring life to the page. Create riveting scenes filled with subtext and dialogue that will dazzle the reader. This class is filled with writing tools and techniques to help you create the most memorable lines of dialogue and engaging screen patter, and make the words leap off the page. Inside Story: Writing from the Inside Outwith Dara Marks
Admission: Free class Inside Story is an innovative approach to screenwriting that illuminates the inner journey of the character, enabling writers to build an internal structure that forms the Transformational Arc. In the process of developing plot and character, we often lose track of what is important and significant to us. In this course Dara Marks will teach you how to utilizing the power of the Arc to consistently write screenplays that are more powerful, meaningful and marketable. Having a strong transformational arc in your script is what makes the difference between a good story and a great one. From Script to Screen - Launching your Screenwriting Careerwith Bill True
Admission: Free class You've done it! You've written a great script...now what? There are a million ways to paths to launching a screenwriting career - none of them clear or easy. Award-winning screenwriter Bill True helps you navigate through the confusing landscape of competitions, queries, conference, networking events, contacts, and meetings. He talks through steps you can take today to evolve from a "serious amateur" to a "screenwriting entrepreneur". Through sage advice and anecdotes from Bill's own journey from script to screen, you will see a clearer way to your first break and beyond. Your Next Big Ideawith Barri Evins
Admission: Free class Discover how to rework your pitch in minutes, taking it from ho-hum to home run. Participants' pitches will be transformed right before your eyes in a live demo. Determine before you begin to write if your script idea is one that can catapult you to the next level of your career. Learn simple litmus tests you can use to figure out what to write next. Walk away with tools you can rely on for the rest of your career. Uncover the mysteries from the other side of the desk - what executives won't tell you in the room. What really matters in a pitch and what simply shouldn't be said. Know the mistakes guaranteed to sink your pitch and the sure fire ways to slam dunk it. Legal Ease - A Legal Rights Workshop for Writerswith Mark Litwak
Admission: Free class Screenwriters need to protect themselves from the people they write about and producers they contract with. They also need to take care when collaborating with others. This seminar explains how writers can avoid legal problems by properly securing rights, obtaining releases and not infringing the rights of others. Related topics include registering your work, submission releases, and annotating and clearing your script. Topics include:
Studio vs Indie Smackdown!!!with TJ Lynch (A Plumm Summer) & Paul Guay (Liar, Liar)
Admission: Free class In TJ Lynch and Paul Guay's unmoderated, uncontrolled, free-for-all studio vs indie smackdown they will pose the essential question, 'What kind of screenwriter are you?' The studio system and indie film world are two distictly different animals. This presenation will help you decide which one you are most suited for so you can ensure you are pitching the right material to the right producer. Grabbing the Reader in the First Ten Pageswith Michael Hauge
Admission: Free class The opening of your screenplay is your single most powerful weapon for acquiring an agent or securing a deal. Most Hollywood executives won’t read past page 10 if they’re not immediately involved in your story, but will forgive an abundance of weaknesses later in the script if you grab them from the moment they begin. Using examples from a number of recent successful films, Michael Hauge will show you how to transform your opening scenes into emotionally gripping sequences that will seduce your audience, set the tone of your screenplay, establish empathy with your hero, lay the groundwork for character growth and theme, and force the reader to turn the page. The Inner Movie Method - Finding your Story & your Pitchwith Viki King
Admission: Free class Are you ready to pitch? Is your story ready to pitch? After this class, it will be. Viki King, author of 'How to Write A Movie in 21 Days - The Inner Movie Method' will address key stages and phases of who you are today in relationship to your pitch, and who you expect yourself to become. This inspirational session is designed specifically for the Great American PitchFest, and will help you to get the story in your heart onto the page, and help you to make your best pitch. Deepening your Script through Themewith Linda Seger and Pamela Jaye Smith
Admission: Free class How do you bring meaning to your story without becoming preachy? How do you help your audience connect with your story and characters? How do you communicate ideas cinematically? We'll look at how to understand your target audience, and embed ideas into your story that have meaning to them. Them's Fighting Words - Legal Savvy for Screenwriterswith Victoria Goldfarb
Admission: Free class Conflict resolution starts before there is even a conflict at all! Join Victoria Goldfarb of California Lawyer for the Arts and Arts Arbitration & Mediation Services to learn effective communications skills for dealing with Executives, agents, cowriters, and anyone else who can affect your career. Reality Televisionwith DMA (Donna Michelle Anderson)
Admission: Free class Many talented writers are excited about the possibilities of reality television but unaware of how the business model works, where storytelling fits in, and quite often, where the money fits in. It can be very expensive to try and sell a non-fiction show without understanding the rules of reality TV. This session is a frank, but fun, walk-through of how the non-fiction TV industry works to help writers enter the market well equiped to succeed. A Reel Life Screenwriter - Mark Fergus (Iron Man, Children of Men)interviewed by Barri Evins
Admission: Free class Join producer, Barri Evins in a candid interview with one of Hollywood's hottest screenwriting stars and Academy Award nominated, Mark Fergus (Iron Man, Children of Men). Learn what it took to get the script to screen, and about the challenges facing writers who work within the studio system today. Are things getting better for writers? Is it better to produce your film with an independent? Sell Your Story in 60 Secondswith Michael Hauge
Admission: Free class Whether at the Great American Pitch Fest, on the telephone, or at a networking event, screenwriters and filmmakers repeatedly face the challenge of having less than 60 seconds to convince the people in power to look at their work. During this acclaimed workshop, Hollywood script and story consultant Michael Hauge, best-selling author of Writing Screenplays That Sell and Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds: The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read, will show you how to get anyone to read your screenplay or view your film. Learn:
How to get your Screenplay out of the House & into the Film Worldwith Michele Wallerstein
Admission: Free class There are writers all over the world writing brilliant screenplays that end up collecting dust on the shelves. Screenplay & Novel Consultant Michele Wallerstein spent many years as a Literary Agent, and will share her knowledge about getting those projects to the right people in the right places at the right time. Navigate the business of your writing career with the advice of a true Hollywood insider, and learn when your script is ready, how to get it to those elusive power brokers, and how to make a career out of a sale. Advanced Screenwritingwith Linda Seger
Admission: Free class If you want to take your 'almost' there script from the coulda, woulda, shoulda stage, you can, will and should. Linda will show you how. What are the fine details that can elevate a good script into being the punchy, knock 'em out, can't stop reading it kinda script that gets noticed in today's market? Give yourself the edge, and do your script a favor by learning the intricate, seemingly complex elements that must be present in your screenwriting craft. Cheap Thrills - Writing & Directing Your First Filmwith Jason Tomaric
Admission: Free class Join low budget filmmaker, Jason Tomaric, as he shares his experience and wisdom in making ultra low budget films. By using Jason's tips and his 'on-time' and 'on-budget' directing approach to inform your writing, your scripts will become more attractive to producers and financiers in Hollywood and around the world. How to Read the Tradesinterviewed by Heather Hale
Admission: Free class Understanding the movie business is your first step to being IN the business. Everyone says, 'you have to read the trades!' But the first time you pick up a copy, it overwhelms you. The names! The numbers! The box office stats! Learn what it all means, and how you can find and better understand the key information that you really need to know. Hollywood by Phone - LIVE - with Special Guest, JC Spink (BenderSpink)with Chris Soth
Admission: Free class Join special guest, JC Spink, as he shares the reality of working for one of Hollywood's hottest and most successful production houses... What do the studios expect? What do the producers want? How do you handle rewrites, rejection, and the millions of other wonderful questions that you've always wanted to know but were too afraid to ask. Join this informal panel interview as it is broadcast live to hundreds of other listeners on the HOLLYWOOD BY PHONE telephone network, and in front of a live audience of your fellow screenwriting peers. Writing Groupswith Philip Eisner
Admission: Free class Nature abhors a vacuum. So do writers. A good group can get you through block, give you needed feedback before you send your script out into the wide world. Let's talk about how to start one, how to keep one going, and how to make one work for you. Creating Slam Dunk Scripts - How to Write it, Pitch it, Work it: High Concept Stylewith Richard Michaels Stefanik & Steve Kaire
Admission: Free class High concept movies mean big blockbuster bucks, and many screenwriters have found their one-way tickets to Hollywood with these million dollar premises. What the heck is High Concept? And what is it about these kinds of films that make them so popular with audiences? Join our team of industry experts who pitch, sell, study, and live by the high concept model. |