Sean Lawrence

How to Write a Screenplay: Introduction to Screenwriting Just like every car has four wheels and two axles, each screenplay has the same basic structural parts - the nuts and bolts - to make it work. However, there is a huge difference between a two passenger Smart Car and a ‘64 Cobra 289. Both will get you to your final destination, but the ride will be a completely different experience.  Screenwriting is like car building. It’s a trade. It uses a very specific format, follows a universal structure, and must meet audience expectations. To do otherwise, is suicide.  Imagine the automobile industry installing wheels on the roof of cars. Nobody wants to drive upside down. Screenwriting works the same way. There is a blueprint - structured through acts, sequences, and plot points - that almost every movie follows. This is the science of the screenplay, the dramaturgy, but science is only a part of cinematic story telling. Of course every great screenplay must have a so...

Every profession has its pitfalls. Doctors, for example, are always being asked for free medical advice, lawyers are asked for legal information, morticians are told how interesting a profession that must be and then people change the subject fast. And writers are asked where we get our ideas from.   In the beginning, I used to tell people the not very funny answers, the flip ones: 'From the Idea-of-the-Month Club,' I'd say, or 'From a little ideas shop in Bognor Regis,' 'From a dusty old book full of ideas in my basement,' or even 'From Pete Atkins.' (The last is slightly esoteric, and may need a little explanation. Pete Atkins is a screenwriter and novelist friend of mine, and we decided a while ago that when asked, I would say that I got them from him, and he'd say he got them from me. It seemed to make sense at the time.)   Then I got tired of the not very funny answers, and these days I tell people the truth:   'I make them up,...

ESTABLISH A CALM, CENTERED MIND. The television is blaring. Your loved one has no idea where the car keys are. Your neighbor is giving salsa lessons in his backyard. You live in a swirl of noise and confusion, so how are you supposed to be focused enough to cultivate a quiet place within you to write? Easy. Take out a rolled-up newspaper and whack your world on its hindquarters—not hard, but just enough to get everyone’s attention, including your own. Nonexistent boundaries, unfocused expectations and lack of routine are the writer’s downfall. You need to be your own pack leader. http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/get-published-sell-my-work/organize-your-story-ideas

John Truby Ranks the 2015 Oscars  Spoiler alert:  this breakdown divulges key information about the plot of the film.  Oscar nominations are out, which makes this a good time to review and learn from the Best Films of 2014. John Truby crystallizes the essence of 17 top films from last year, and ranks them from best to worst. Films that earned Oscar nominations for either Picture or Writing, Original or Adapted, have an asterisk ( * ). We’ve also put links to official sites where you can download the screenplays for most of the films. * 1.  The Grand Budapest Hotel:  A story within a story within a story about the wonder of storytelling in a magical hotel that time forgot, until now.  Download the script . * 2.  The Imitation Game:  A conventional but beautifully executed script that goes in one door – cracking the Nazi code – and comes out another – a man tragically persecuted because he is gay. Classic storytelling in the screenplay form....

HBO Invites You and a Guest to a Sneak Preview of "Looking" Season 2! HBO is hosting a sneak preview of the second season of their hit show "Looking" at the Plaza! You are invited, but you better RSVP soon! Read on » Passes and MovieHopper Cards for the 2015 Atlanta Film Festival are available now. In addition to all-you-can-watch access to the Festival in March, every Pass and MovieHopper Card includes a 2015 ATLFF Membership, which is valid immediately and expires at the end of 2015. Benefits of Membership include: Opportunities to attend advance screenings of upcoming theatrical release films Free and discounted tickets to ATLFF screenings, classes, and other events throughout the year Admission for two to our annual Holiday Party ...and more! Click here to get your ATLFF 2015 Pass and Membership.

   http://podcasts.finaldraft.com/?utm_source=Final%20Draft&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=November-2014-Newsletter Tue, 11 November 2014 Sleepy Hollow Co-Creator Phillip Iscove on the Evolution of a Hit Show Phillip Iscove, creator of hit TV series Sleepy Hollow, talks about his early days at film school in Toronto, working as an assistant at powerhouse agency UTA for eight years, and how Sleepy Hollow was not just his first sale: it also saved him from being kicked out of the country. Along the way he discusses the prevalence of genre stories on television, the challenges of working on such a large budget show, and what he looks for when hiring staff writers. Direct download: 141110_PhillipIscove.m4a Category:screenwriting -- posted at: 4:32 PM Fri, 24 October 2014 ’St Vincent’ Writer/Director Ted Melfi talks about his new dramedy starring Bill Murray Ted Melfi talks about how, while working in a cafe to pay the bills and doing security at a ...

  Hello, Not many weekends offer an opportunity like this one and I want to make sure you know about it. I'd like to encourage you to make the most of these next few days by getting your work in front of a remarkable roster of  Hollywood's decision-makers. The Screenwriters World Conference-which begins today in Los Angeles-serves as your introduction to the people who can make things happen in your career. And there are plenty of built-in opportunities to network all weekend long, including the event's signature  Pitch Slam. Plus, when you register for the Pitch Slam, you're guaranteed inclusion in the Pitch Slam Logline Directory.  Your name, contact information, logline and details about your script will be sent to every agent and exec in attendance for review after the event. Not only is it your chance to preserve your pitch in the exact way you'd like it remembered, it's also a great reminder for those agents who heard something they liked, but perha...