Events and WorkshopsSherwood Oaks College lets anyone learn from top Hollywood professionals face to face, often at movie studios. Take a look at the Testimonials page. Do I look bemused? That could be because I've just come back from an event where I heard yet another writer tell me about money they've wasted entering contests that Hollywood doesn't care about, or they tried pitching without knowing how to do it effectively. Or they haven't written a commercial script, which would have a story that's easy to tell in person. There are no short-cuts. You have to learn the craft, and I only recommend people and events who can provide that to you, from idea to sale. (If you want something easy, click the link under my picture on the left.) You should attend a pitch event only if you have a script that will impress people. Often, beginners who read articles like this... The Hollywood Reporter, May 14, 2004 Fox overwhelmed by 'Under' pitch 20th Century Fox has plunked down high-six against low-seven figures for "Under," a pitch by writers Brandon Camp and Mike Thompson. John Davis is producing through his Davis Entertainment shingle. "Under" is described as being in the vein of the supernatural thriller "What Lies Beneath" but set against a backdrop of a hospital. It follows a female first-year resident who starts hearing and seeing odd occurrences at the hospital and comes to believe that the place is haunted. The story was based on an idea by Wyck Godfrey at Davis' company. Senior vp production Robbie Brenner is overseeing for Hutch Parker's division. (Borys Kit and Liza Foreman) ... don't realize that pitches are almost always bought from established writers or executives. Often enough, beginners have to sell completed works that are great, not just good. Once you're established, it's easier to pitch, believe me. At the end of March 2007 I had the distinct pleasure of appearing with a lot of amazing speakers at an event at Pepperdine University. It should become an annual event thanks to the genius of Elliot McGucken. Click on the link and see what I mean. I've spoken at the Screenwriting Expos since 2002, each time improving on my seminar "The Shaping Force of Your Career." One writer from Canada told me that all the other seminars she attended had given her drips and drops, while my talk was a flood. If you want to get an idea about some advice you won't find anywhere else, that weaves together Aristotle's "Poetics," the mythic story structure of Joseph Campbell, the works of Shakespeare, the Elliott Wave of stock market fame, and a unique discovery or two of my own, download the article below. You may want me to ask me questions about it, because I learn more all the time. Another place I've enjoyed speaking is Larry Brody's annual "Brodystock" event in Las Vegas. Check out everything Larry has to offer - he knows his stuff. He also has ongoing contests that might result in your landing an agent, and he offers classes that can make a difference in your writing. That's me speaking at a San Diego Film Festival panel about "10 Stupid Things Filmmakers Do to Mess Up Their Movies." From left: Chris Gore, writer/director Pete "Project Greenlight" Jones, Skip Press, director Jude Pauline Eberhard, writer/producer Bo Zenga. If you're interested in my doing a workshop for your festival or writers' group, just send me an email and let's discuss it. Send your phone number if you want to talk about it. Using some of the work I've been doing with other writers using my "Shaping Force" and some aspects of the Elliott Wave, as well as new discoveries about story, I've worked out a workshop for writers who want to take their writing to a new level. That's for any kind of writing - articles, short stories, novels, non-fiction plays or screenplays. Get in touch if you want details - as Chris Vogler of "The Writer's Journey" fame told me after hearing me at Pepperdine in March of 2007: "You blew my mind, man!" |
Whenever I'm impressed by pitches they usually come from people who are confident in their craft and know storytelling. For example, at one Sherwood Oaks College event in L.A. I spoke on a panel about how to pitch that was held at the L.A. Film School on Sunset Blvd. near the Cinerama Dome movie theater. Every single pitch I heard was a commercial movie, and most of them came from students in the L.A. Film School's one-year program. I had almost as much luck after speaking on another Sherwood Oaks pitching event panel on May 22, 2004. Still, you need to know how to sell, because Hollywood studios are thinking about that the minute they entertain buying and/ My free Yahoo! discussion group includes writers of all kinds from all over the globe. Students from my classes, an Oscar winner, an award-winning playwright, a former comedy club owner, contest winners, pro screenwriters, and several published authors. You name 'em, we got 'em. If you want to join, click on the button on the "News" page. |
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