Sean Lawrence

Your Logline Template for Each Save the Cat!® Genre    Jose Silerio ,  July 1, 2016    4 min  read    8654 Our workshops are always a great place to “test the waters” of an idea to see if there really is a story lurking in the shadows awaiting to be told – and told in the best way possible. Part of what we do in the workshops is discover what truly  is  the “best way possible” to tell that story. While it can be a process to find what that is, one way to play around with your idea is figuring out what your story’s genre is. Oftentimes, writers in the workshop think their story is one particular genre, but when I propose another genre,  they suddenly see the story in a whole new light. And what makes this even more fun is that it allows the writers to see the possibilities of their story open up in ways they didn’t before. Well, to speed up that process, I’ve come up with a hybrid  template of a logli...

BEAT SHEETS   Breaking Bad Pilot Beat Sheet by Geoff Harris   Avatar Geoffrey Harris,   August 27, 2010  6 min     This is the first of a series of blogs by Geoff Harris on the STC! principles and TV writing. Before becoming a freelance writer/producer, Geoff was Vice President in charge of Story and Writer Development at NBC, where he worked for 12 years. He also has taught TV-writing intensive workshops for Native American and Latino writers, sponsored by ABC and NBC, as well as a Web Series writing class for MFA students at Cal State University, Los Angeles. Many of his workshop students have gone on to staff positions on TV shows, including Third Watch, Samantha Who? and Medium. “I hate tv!” That’s what a screenwriter friend shouted as he sat down across the table from me at a Studio City Starbucks the other day. Being a TV guy, I’m used to hearing condescending remarks from screenwriters. I expected him to lash out about how TV is mindless entertainme...

BEAT SHEETS ,  INSTITUTIONALIZED Free Solo  Beat Sheet    Naomi Beaty ,  June 5, 2020    10 min  read    472 Directors:  Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin Genre:  Institutionalized The Oscar®-winning Best Documentary Feature (2019),  Free Solo  is, like all good Institutionalized stories, about a conflict of values and a choice. In this case, our hero Alex believes in achievement above all else, and that requires focus and dedication—there’s no room for distraction. The “Company Man” in this story is Alex’s new love interest, Sanni. She represents the group’s values: love and human connection. The “sacrifice” that brings about the story’s ending? Read on to see… Opening Image:  A lone rock climber ascends what looks like an impossible cliff face. In V.O. we hear a talk show host announce, “Our next guest is a free-soloing phenomenon…” Set-Up:  She’s talking about Alex Hon...

Ten things screenwriters need to know when writing a book Lots of writers (especially in Los Angeles) write screenplays. Often, these screenwriters decide to try their hand at writing a book or a short story. Screenwriters tend to have a good understanding of how to write dialogue (especially if they are also an actor) and of story structure, but there are other areas where they often need improvement when comes to writing fiction. Here are ten things screenwriters need to know when deciding to write a book or a short story: 1. Change the POV in your Head Change the POV in your head from the camera’s angle to the POV through your character’s eyes. Not making this mental shift is the number one issue I see with screenwriters who transition from writing for the screen to writing books or short stories. 2. Stop Writing in 3rd Person Present Tense Get out of the habit of writing in 3rd person present tense. Learn how to write in the first p...

SXSW is the premier destination for global thought leaders working on new ideas to cultivate creativity and build a better future. From  March 13-22, 2020 , experience 10 days of collaboration, learning, networking, inspiration and beyond at the SXSW Conference & Festivals. A Film Badge gets you  primary access to all SXSW Film events  including Film Keynotes and Featured Sessions, world premieres, round tables, parties, and more. Over the course of nine days, the SXSW Film Festival hosts over  450 screenings ! Film registrants also have primary access to Convergence events, including the  Comedy Festival  and  10  unique conference tracks, as well as secondary access to most  Interactive  and  Music  events. Learn more below – remember badge prices go up on  September 27 . “I love SXSW because it’s one of the most well-programmed, smoothly organized, and enjoyable film festivals in the world.” – Alex Winte...

Hello Film Community, With our  Late Submission Deadline  coming up on  October 17 , we reached out to some of our SXSW alums who had films in our 2019 program and asked why they chose SXSW to showcase their films to the world, and — most importantly — their advice on first-time filmmaking and submitting to the festival. Read what   Dan Berk  and  Robert Olsen  (World Premiere,  Villains ) had to say along with Documentary Short Jury Winner  Mohammad Gorjestani   ( Exit 12 ) .  Both of their films are available to watch now!  More  News To ensure you are ready to submit, take a look at our  guides  for each submission category and check out our  Film FAQ  for commonly asked questions. Read  this SXSW memory  from filmmaker  Chelsea Hernandez , where she discusses her past work at the festival and her love of documentaries! Explore our  YouTube playlists , including ...