Yes, readers have asked for the Kindle version so here it is:
Su-City Pictures East, LLC
Screenplay & Film Consulting By Susan Kouguell
Page 28 of 34
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!
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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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Breaking into the Biz –
Now that you’ve got that diploma, what do you do with it to make those screenwriting dreams a reality?
You are about to don your cap and gown and receive your hard-earned diploma. A bright and exciting future awaits you. It’s time to step outside of the college/university bubble in which you have been protected and venture out into the business world, otherwise known as the film industry. Are you ready?
Tips for recent film and screenwriting graduates or those interested in breaking into the film biz…
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Debra Eckerling interviews Susan Kouguell
READ INTERVIEW:
http://writeononline.com/2012/04/03/author-qa-susan-kouguell-savvy-characters-sell-screenplays/
SAVVY CHARACTERS SELL SCREENPLAYS!
“With her engaging, insightful Savvy Characters Sell Screenplays! Susan Kouguell provides a valuable contribution to the ever-burgeoning world of screenwriting education. Avoiding highfalutin academic jargon, in clear, cogent language Kouguell illuminates the central principles that drive successful dramatic narratives. Most notably, she integrates story and character in a way that expands and enhances writers’ ability to tackle the daunting challenge that confronts all writers of worthy screenplays.”
Professor Richard Walter, UCLA Screenwriting Chairman
“Savvy Characters Sell Screenplays! is chock full of useful examples and exercises to help beginning and seasoned screenwriters deepen their characters. But don’t let the title fool you: the book will also help you improve your screenplay structure as well as guide your thinking process as you decide which genre best suits your story. I can’t recommend it highly enough.”
Barry Brodsky, Director, Emerson College Screenwriting Certificate Program
“Savvy Characters Sell Screenplays! is definitely a welcome and useful addition to the screenwriting repertoire!”
John Bernstein, Associate Professor, Film, Boston University College of Communication
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