Improvising Screenplays: Propel (and Shorten) Your Screenplay by Making Statements, Not Questions
In Improvising Screenplays, improvisational actor Brett Wean shares how the concepts of improvisation can be applied to the work — and play — of writing your script. There’s a longstanding rule — guideline, really — that improvisational actors use to help them create scenes together on stage: whenever they feel themselves...
Improvising Screenplays: Writer’s Block: What to Do When You’re Stuck in Your Script
Writer and theatrical improviser Brett Wean shares how the art of improv can help screenwriters overcome writer's block.
Improvising Screenplays: Writing Screenplays from the Height of Your Intelligence
In Improvising Screenplays, improvisational actor Brett Wean shares how the concepts of improvisation can be applied to the work — and play — of writing your script. On stage, in order to discourage audience members from yelling out stupid things like, “Boobs!” or “Farting,” improvisers often ask them for a one-word...
Improvising Screenplays: Creating Characters with the Wheel Exercise
In Improvising Screenplays, improvisational actor Brett Wean shares how the concepts of improvisation can be applied to the work — and play — of writing your script. Click to tweet this article to your friends and followers! They say you can judge a person by his or her friends. I’ll piggyback...
Improvising Screenplays: Getting Out of Your Head Exercise #1: Genre Switch!
In Improvising Screenplays, improvisational actor Brett Wean shares how the concepts of improvisation can be applied to the work — and play — of writing your script. As creative artists, we all get “in our heads” sometimes. Part of our job lies in cold, rational analysis of the raw material our...
Improvising Screenplays: Yes-And Part 2: Zig-Zagging Your Way to Screenwriting Mentorship and Beyond
In Improvising Screenplays, improvisational actor Brett Wean shares how the concepts of improvisation can be applied to the work — and play — of writing your script. So if you read the previous article in this column, you know that I talked about using the improv concept of “Yes-And” to fully...
Improvising Screenplays: Arming Your Characters with a Strong Point of View
In our Improvising Screenplays column, improvisational actor Brett Wean shares how the concepts of improvisation can be applied to the work — and play — of writing your script. You might think by virtue of the fact that I write a column called Improvising Screenplays, I don’t believe in outlining. That couldn’t...
Improvising Screenplays: How to Power Your Script Using the Concept of Want
In our new column, Improvising Screenplays, improvisational actor Brett Wean shares how the concepts of improvisation can be applied to the work — and play — of writing your script. I don’t remember exactly what year it was, or what street we were on: I hadn’t lived in New York City...
PrimeTime: Wanna Be A Writer? Get In the Game or Go Home. (Also: Comedy Writing Programs and Pilot Page Counts.)
Most people who "can't" move to L.A. ... or switch jobs ... or do the things necessary to break in ... simply don't want to. But make no mistake: THE CHOICE IS YOURS.