Question: How do you create a  villain who will elevate your story? Without something or someone to fight against, your hero is just a nice guy going about his day.  One of the keys to creating compelling and interesting protagonists – is creating compelling and interesting antagonists. And to create great bad guys, I believe [...]

Question: How do I get my material seen?  As a producer, script consultant and former VP of development for production companies based at Sony, Universal, and Disney, one of the most frequently asked questions I hear from screenwriters is “How do I get my material seen?!!” In response to this and other commonly asked questions, I wrote [...]

Question: How can I make my small town story ‘big’ enough for Hollywood producers to want it? “Your story is too small!” How many times have you gotten this note? How many times has a consultant said that you had a good concept or the script was well written but the story was just too [...]

Question: What are the biggest mistakes you think writers make? If you’re going to fail as a writer, then you might as well get it over with now.  Then you can focus on your day job and watch television all night.  The following 3 keys are guaranteed to unlock the door to instant failure and [...]

Question: What are the best practices for successful networking? I hate networking. That’s right, I said it. I hate it. I always have. Perhaps this is TMI, but I don’t enjoy being in strange, new social situations unless I’m in charge. If I’m speaking, teaching, being pitched to, or in a room full of people [...]

Question: Why should I get professional feedback? Honesty or flattery?  Tell me what you want baby, what you really, really want. We all want, need, crave validation.  But when it comes to script coverage or a professional consult, expect some criticism.  Be eager for it.  In fact, be grateful.  That’s where you’ll learn. The fastest [...]

Question: Is it necessary to write with a ‘formula’ to craft a great script? I was extremely fortunate to launch my career by having Ridley Scott hire me to write a screenplay and fly me to London to work with him on developing the story. The first night we went to dinner, one of his [...]

Question: What are the industry standard do’s and don’ts of screenwriting? As a producer, script consultant, and former VP Development for production companies at Sony, Universal and Disney — I have read thousands of scripts over the years and have had to make the distinction between those that exhibit a high quality of writing and [...]

Question: What’s the quickest way to be a successful screenwriter? As a producer and former VP of Development for production companies based at Sony, Universal and Disney, I have had the privilege of working with award-winning writers, directors and actors.  Through my experiences, I have found that there are neither shortcuts nor substitutes for having [...]