Here is my February ASK THE SCREENPLAY DOCTOR column…
Su-City Pictures East, LLC
Screenplay & Film Consulting By Susan Kouguell
Author: sucity (page 27 of 33)
My ASK THE SCREENPLAY DOCTOR column for January
This is PART 2 of my interviews about Film School. This month: J.D. Zeik – fellow SUNY Purchase alum, professor and screenwriter.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone!
SHOULD SCREENWRITERS GO TO FILM SCHOOL?
My interview with Professors Garland Waller (Boston University) and Richard Walter (UCLA)…
One question I repeatedly hear from aspiring screenwriters and filmmakers (as well as their family members, who contribute financially and emotionally to their loved one’s dreams) is this: Is it worth it to go to film school? The word “worth” should be interpreted subjectively and not just in dollars and cents — and the word “film” is the umbrella term that, in the context of this question, includes television.
In this month’s column, I ask two very prominent professors to discuss their respective film and television programs: Professor Richard Walter, Chairman of UCLA’s graduate program in screenwriting and Professor Garland Waller, Director of the Television Graduate Program in the College of Communication at Boston University.
To read more:
http://www.newenglandfilm.com/magazine/2012/12/screenplay
Yes, readers have asked for the Kindle version so here it is:
Screenwriting Advice from
Award-Winning Screenwriter and Professor Barry Brodsky
In October, I was a guest speaker for Professor Barry Brodsky’s Industry Night at Emerson College, to discuss the business of screenwriting. Professor Brodsky kindly took time out of his busy schedule to be interviewed for this month’s column.
Barry Brodsky teaches screenwriting at Emerson, Boston University and Lesley University, and serves as the Director of the Emerson College Screenwriting Certificate Program. He is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter; his short screenplay I Miss You (directed by Fethi Bendida) is premiering at the Algerian Film Festival next month.
To read more:
Since 1990 I have consulted on screenplays through my company Su-City Pictures East, LLC. Over 1,000 worldwide clients later, I still hear from (if not sometimes commiserate with) writers and filmmakers who are stymied, motivated, stuck, enthused, overwhelmed, underwhelmed, joyous and frustrated about their screenplays. I provide detailed feedback on their scripts and films, as well as encouragement mixed in with a dose of reality about the challenges many face in a film industry that is often fraught with rejection and false promises. For over two decades I have listened to their success stories and disappointments — their insecurities and their hopes to make their dreams come true — that finally, one day, their words will appear on the screen.
Some words of advice I offer to my clients and students that many tell me stayed with them over the years is this:
If you are not passionate about your screenplay, neither will be the film executive reading your screenplay.
Writing a screenplay demands commitment and passion for the material. Screenwriting is indeed challenging, but receiving feedback on your work, submitting your work to contests, producers, and so on, means baring your soul. And, over the years I have heard many stories of both triumph and frustration, and sometimes I must remind my clients that I am not their therapist but their Screenplay Doctor!
READ MORE:
My interview with Tariq Hager, co-director of the Prague Film School…
Prague Film School: An International Melting Pot for Filmmakers
Screenplay Doctor Susan Kouguell spent her summer at the Prague Film School. She interviews Co-Founder and Co-Director Tariq Hager about his school: a haven for passionate filmmakers of all shapes and sizes tucked away in a city that is as beautiful as the program is intense.
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Getting to Hollywood and Tracking Down Agents
Knocking on Hollywood’s door not only means also using the doorbell, it means knowing how to find the right representation and companies for your screenplay. And, without question, your screenplay must be the absolute best it can be before you submit it for consideration.
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Whether you’re writing a feature-length film or a short film, good dialogue will enhance your characters and bring life to your screenplay. Want to grab the attention of film executives? Write good dialogue!
Characters’ voices must be distinctive and not interchangeable with other characters. Readers must be able to identify who is speaking without needing to look at your character headings. Characters’ speech patterns, idiosyncratic phrases, staccato responses, and even their pauses, will enrich their dialogue and make each character identifiable. Keep in mind less is often more — the less said can prove more poignant.
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I am a huge proponent of writing short screenplays, particularly if your future goals are to direct and/or produce feature-length films. Writing short films gives writers the opportunity to hone in on their skills by conveying an attention-grabbing story in just a few minutes. A short film also offers the chance to actually get a film made, as its length, financial and logistical constraints are minimized.
I began my filmmaking career by writing and collaborating on six short films — and this experience was invaluable. On a creative level, it taught me how to hone in my writing skills by conveying a compelling narrative (even though these films were categorized as experimental narratives) in 20 minutes or less. I learned how to craft each word of dialogue (or text) for a viewing audience and not just for the page. Visual storytelling, music cues, genre, and more, were all vital elements that I grew more confident in with each film.
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