Whomever declared not to judge a book by its cover clearly wasn’t a screenwriter. The Hollywood script reader passes more judgment than Judge Judy. In a split second, your hard work could be flung in the corner waste can.
Before your screenplay will ever be in a director’s hands, it needs to get past that script reader. When a script looks professional, the reader has confidence you’re not a newbie screenwriter and keeps turning the page. Poor formatting distracts the reader and immediately takes them out of your story. Trust me when I tell you that the script reader holds the keys to the Hollywood gates.
First, the reader checks the page length. With the benchmark of one page being one minute of screen time, your feature shouldn’t exceed 110 to 120 pages. Anything over that gets an immediate red mark. And if the first few pages are sloppy, down to the bottom of the slush pile it goes … or right into the trash. Read More
As a former comedy agent at UTA and WME, Priyanka Mattoo represented numerous big-name writers and performers before leaving to start a TV production company with Jack Black. Now she writes and directs, but she still encounters a tidal wave of comedy hopefuls looking for the advice, information, and pep talks that only a former agent can provide. In show business, they say that it’s all about who you know. Well, you’re in luck because now you know Priyanka!
If the old adage is true, that a picture is worth a thousand words, what value should we place on the words that help make the picture? In screenplay development, a writer is tasked with painting a portrait around both the narrative of the overall scene, as well as the emotional and situational state of the character or characters. And while a director can work with a director of photography to ensure the visuals are aesthetically and viscerally pleasing, it’s the writer who must give the charge that ignites how a scene, a story and the overall screenplay evolves. Read 
Every scriptwriter has had this feeling and it isn’t a good one. Writer’s block can be inconvenient and hard to get over, but it isn’t impossible. Here are a few tips that will help you overcome writer’s block and get back to writing your film’s script. Read 
Whether you’re completely new to writing screenplays or you’re an experienced screenwriter looking to add a new skill, Screenwriters University has courses for you. Our award-winning instructors will guide you through the entire screenwriting process from Fade In to Fade Out, while also sharing insider info on navigating Hollywood. Read 
How do you perfect the art of writing a mind-blowing twist ending for your screenplay? In movies, the ending is everything. You can have compelling opening hooks at the beginning of your cinematic tale. You can throw in a plot twist here and there in the second act. But if you don’t leave the script reader or audience satisfied, shocked, or thrilled at the end, the whole experience is a disappointment. After certain movies, we often hear people say, “The movie was great, but the ending kind of sucked.” Or worse yet, “That ending came out of nowhere.” The lasting impression can make or break the read for the script reader or the cinematic experience for the audience. And if you’re writing that coveted twist ending that people crave, you have to master how to deliver on that revelation properly. Here are five reasons why your twist ending may not have worked in your latest draft. Read 
The spec market is alive and well and with new players like Netflix and Amazon as well as other studios, the appetite for content is at an all-time high right now. We’re excited to bring in screenwriter Matt Duffett who has capitalized on these opportunities to teach you what makes a stand out spec. Read 
Every year, just a handful of films make it to the top and win that golden statue. But all nominated films are worthwhile; all have something to teach screenwriters aspiring to the Academy Awards. Without further ado… the envelope, please… here are lessons from some of this year’s Oscar-nominated movies.
As religious lore has it, God took 6 days to build his world…you have about 10 pages. But make no mistake – you are the God of your script’s world. You add, destroy, create, inspire, manipulate. And the decisions you make as you build your world will inform and affect everything and everyone that comes after and help ensure your story’s…evolution.
The Late Entry Deadline for 
A storyboard is one method of planning ahead. By visualizing your shots with a storyboard, you can see how your shots fit together before you’ve shot a single foot of film or frame of video, which will prevent you from wasting both time and footage. A good storyboard allows you to show your crew what you have in mind, and saves you from trying to convey what you want with wordy explanations and frustrated hand gestures. When you show your Director of Photography (DP) and camera person your boards, they will immediately know what type of shot you need and how to frame the subjects. Read 
I am, by nature, a planner. Calendar, task lists, goal sheets, schedules, productivity journals and life planners are all my friends, so I love taking a little time come January, both privately and with my coaching clients, to look back and learn from the year that passed, then take everything I’ve learned and utilize it in order to effectively plan for the year ahead. In my experience, planning is a dynamic, ever-evolving practice; every year you plan a bit differently based on the successes, failures, challenges and potential pivots from the year that has passed. Read 
Everybody talks about character, but who really writes a great one? Most books on character offer dreary ‘formulas’ where you select character attributes, but this is arbitrary and dull – ‘archetype’ characters feel stale and cliched. So how do you do create great characters?
If you win, we will introduce you to agents, managers producers and studio executives, and you will receive $1,000 each (up to four recipients), plus an all-expenses paid trip to Los Angeles later this year for meetings and mentorship.
Scribblers, Screamers, and other Wordslingers 