Breaking Into Hollywood – Do I Really Need A Screenwriting Seminar?
Breaking Into Hollywood - Do I Really Need A Screenwriting Seminar?
I’m a producer who has enjoyed both sides of the writing seminar experience. As a writing fellow years ago, I attended many diverse seminars. Then, as a story analyst for a major production company, I developed my own system for understanding and applying story structure which I now teach in a seminar of my own. There are three things I explain to people who question or resist “learning how to write” through professional seminars.
First, writers often (mistakenly) interchange “story” and “structure.” These are two separate elements of the writing process. Story is the creative experience that only you can uniquely express from your vision. Structure is the foundation for that story, and the rules of structure have been accepted for thousands of years. The easiest way to grasp the distinction is to think of a dinner party. What you cook is entirely up to you (story). But you must serve your guests the appetizer first, then the entrée, then the dessert, in that order, and those dishes have to complement each other (structure). If not, no matter how great the food is, your guests are going to think you have no idea how to make dinner. And they won’t come back to dine with you again. Writing seminars tend to focus on teaching structure, NOT story, so that creative genius has a chance of being understood and enjoyed by buyers and audiences who innately expect a certain foundation to a script. And story instincts can be honed and expanded with professional guidance, as well.
Second, virtually all professions have rules for writing. Just as lawyers must learn proper structure and format for legal briefs and programmers do the same with software code, screenwriters must learn and apply rules of structure and format to screenplays. Most professions have training expectations, too. Just as no one is going to give you 0,000 to perform open heart surgery on a patient just because you’ve always dreamed of being a doctor, no one is going to give you 0,000 to write a script just because it’s your lifelong fantasy. Doctors, lawyers and other professionals get degrees and regularly attend seminars to maintain their chops and their edge, and so do writers. No matter how strongly emerging writers believe that Hollywood is a get-rich-quick-with-no-effort industry, in order to succeed, you will have to replace that belief with the simple acceptance of show business as a business.
There simply is no benefit to railing against the industry’s insistence that writers get some training before they attempt to get paid for their work. Any time you are asking someone to pay you, you must anticipate their establishing rules for that income. If you don’t want to have to learn the insider rules, the simplest solution is to write for free. But if you want to sell your work, just as in any other business, you have to respect the guidelines. The good news is that the rules of writing get far more flexible after a first sale!
Third, it’s common for people to mistrust writing teachers as unnecessary snake oil salespeople who are not personally successful themselves. Yes, the rules of story structure that Hollywood subscribes to are fairly standard. The laws of physics are standard, too, but not many people easily grasp and apply them! Training helps writers master the rules so they can craft solid scripts that can actually be sold. And just as you learned better from some teachers than others in high school, you will find in the variety of books and workshops at least one approach to structure that will help you effectively integrate it into your work.
Remember, selling a script is neither a requirement for nor a guarantee of being able to teach screenwriting. I’ve produced many writing panels and seminars, and many successful screenwriters lack the communications skills and the clarity of process to adequately guide another writer to a successful script. For my part, I teach from the point-of-view of the buyer instead because that was my background and because my personal business strategy is to always understand what the person who writes the check is looking for. Believe this - whatever an individual teacher’s approach, the ability to teach a subject well enough for students to grasp it is its own gift.
Finally, let me be a bit frank just to give you a glimpse into the perspective of your potential buyers. From the industry’s point-of-view, writing exactly what comes out of your head, spirit and heart, with no structure or training, is not screenwriting...it's “typing.” For a parallel, dancing around a living room on your toes is not professional ballet, and it does not warrant the expectation that you should be equally respected as trained ballet dancers in the world of classical dance. Next, I can think of few industries that offer as accessible an education in the basics as screenwriting’s swath of books and seminars. Please compare those demands on your time and wallet to what dentists, accountants, attorneys and other professionals must do before they can earn a professional paycheck. If attending a well-respected course for a few hundred bucks helps buyers have confidence in you, do whatever helps you crack those barriers to entry! Last, try very hard to name any industry where training destroys natural talent rather than enhances or develops it. Still a skeptic? Buy a couple of writing books and take some classes just to prove everyone wrong. What I know you will discover, instead, is that training can take what’s good and makes it great.
Happy screenselling.
DMA is a former film story analyst who is now the executive producer of a new media and reality TV production company in Los Angeles. Learn how to sell a screenplay from DMA's industry guide "The 1-3-5 Story Structure Made Simple System: The Nine Essential Elements of a Sellable Screenplay."
For DMA's national speaking schedule and more insider resources for breaking into Hollywood, please visit Planet DMA. It is our goal to mentor you through your career in the entertainment industry!
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Cameron Diaz Acne ? Does She Really Suffer From Acne?
Cameron Diaz Acne ? Does She Really Suffer From Acne?
Cameron Diaz is a well celebrated Hollywood actress and everyone knows how beautiful she is. But recently there has been a lot of gossip about her problem of pimples. We know that celebrities use a lot of make up and other products to clear their face before appearing on TV and magazine covers. But is Cameron Diaz really conscious about her acne problem?
Cameron Diaz acne problem is not new. She has been suffering from this frustrating dilemma since high school. Not only pimples, her face has also been covered by pockmarks and acne scars. But do we ever notice it on television screen?
This information is kind of relieving to all those acne sufferers out there. Despite being attacked by regular acne breakouts this actress is still making her way through the tough roads of film industry. So, the next time you get depressed because of your acne problem, Cameron Diaz acne will help you be positive about it.
It has been advertised profusely that Cameron Diaz acne got cleared by using a certain acne control pill which is very popular so to speak. It could be possible but the thing is she actually managed to clear acne by her own efforts. She has stopped smoking, which in my opinion must have contributed greatly to her acne problem.
Whether it is hormonal or stress related, acne is definitely a truly frustrating problem. If you are also one of the acne sufferers, my advice to you is start eating a healthy diet, avoid too many cosmetic products, drink lots of water and apply home-made remedies to your skin to freshen it up.
You may also want to try a new acne clearing product – the Zeno acne clearing device. To be honest, this device was originally manufactured for models and actors because they can easily afford it and they are also looking for quick methods to clear away pimples all the time. Indeed, Zeno is the fastest acne treatment known to date and I think everybody who is suffering from acne should give it a try.
I manage my online acne platform at http://www.myzenoacnetreatment.com which provides information about the revolutionary product Zeno Acne Clearing Device. This device clears away pimples in a matter of hours. Please visit my website for information on how it works and how it is more effective than other acne treatments.
How much is a celebrity like Paris Hilton worth? What do we really know about Paris?
How much is a celebrity like Paris Hilton worth? What do we really know about Paris?
If you are not an individual who has been living under a rock then you won't need any intro for the Hollywood babe Paris Hilton, who is famous for being a "femme fatale" rather than a self made star with charismatic artistic talents. Though she used to be a role model before stepping into fame, most people didn’t even know her face until her seedy sex video released . It seemed like she is just another little monster with a lots of money to live up the twisted and reckless life as she wanted.
There exist two kinds of people when it comes down to a matter of star exposure. In case of a talentless artist like Paris Hilton, it seemed that the exact cause of her celebrity was the fact she was the Hilton heiress but released that sex recording. The other way people obtain celebrity exposure is by simply being talented and becoming famous. The query arises - how much cash is Paris actually worth, how much has the sex tape earned her, and how much of her cash was made by her (and not simply her families money)? The amount of money Paris and where she made it might in fact suprise some people.
When it comes down to big business and money the name of Hilton family always gets attached. Before getting the answer to the question how much Paris Hilton worth you must go through the wealth she is going to inherit from Hilton household i.e. her grandfather and her parents as well. Barron Hilton, who is worth more than .3 billion was intending to give the money to his grandchild. As stated by Paris Hilton herself, a will worth 0 million was written for the family and obviously her parents contribution is going to add up to the total family money too.
But the real twist in the play occurred when Barron Hilton announced that he would like to donate 97% of his estate for charity associations which will reduce the money supposed to inherit by Paris Hilton was going to inherit to a mere sum of -3 million US dollars. Well it’s quite obvious that would have come as a shock to Paris and with her lifestyle that meagre lump of cash wouldn't have lasted her too long.
So after hearing the truth about what Paris Hilton is actually going to get from her family the amount may disappoint you. But that doesn’t really answer the question how much she worth. Well, she is smart enough to use her name and fame to continue the business successfully. Her clothing lines, perfumes, designer dogs and tons of other products are bring an approximate amount of million US dollars to her every year according to the rumors spread online. It also includes the money she gets from her guest appearance in TV shows and singing events. With that level of cash coming in yearly, estimates for her individual wealth are between 0 and 0 million dollars. Even Paris Hilton haters must admit that Paris must have a certain amount of business savvy to create a small business empire from her own name successfully as brand. With such a financial empire built from her celebrity, we really have to reconsider the common perception of Paris as an space cadet and start thinking of her as an astute business woman who manipulates the media to make money.
Howard Zinn is a freelance writer who writes about celebrities and current affairs, read more Paris Hilton news items: Paris Hilton Blog
How much is a celebrity like Paris Hilton worth? What do we really know about Paris?
How much is a celebrity like Paris Hilton worth? What do we really know about Paris?
If you are not an individual who has been living under a rock then you won't need any intro for the Hollywood babe Paris Hilton, who is famous for being a "femme fatale" rather than a self made star with charismatic artistic talents. Though she used to be a role model before stepping into fame, most people didn’t even know her face until her seedy sex video released . It seemed like she is just another little monster with a lots of money to live up the twisted and reckless life as she wanted.
There exist two kinds of people when it comes down to a matter of star exposure. In case of a talentless artist like Paris Hilton, it seemed that the exact cause of her celebrity was the fact she was the Hilton heiress but released that sex recording. The other way people obtain celebrity exposure is by simply being talented and becoming famous. The query arises - how much cash is Paris actually worth, how much has the sex tape earned her, and how much of her cash was made by her (and not simply her families money)? The amount of money Paris and where she made it might in fact suprise some people.
When it comes down to big business and money the name of Hilton family always gets attached. Before getting the answer to the question how much Paris Hilton worth you must go through the wealth she is going to inherit from Hilton household i.e. her grandfather and her parents as well. Barron Hilton, who is worth more than .3 billion was intending to give the money to his grandchild. As stated by Paris Hilton herself, a will worth 0 million was written for the family and obviously her parents contribution is going to add up to the total family money too.
But the real twist in the play occurred when Barron Hilton announced that he would like to donate 97% of his estate for charity associations which will reduce the money supposed to inherit by Paris Hilton was going to inherit to a mere sum of -3 million US dollars. Well it’s quite obvious that would have come as a shock to Paris and with her lifestyle that meagre lump of cash wouldn't have lasted her too long.
So after hearing the truth about what Paris Hilton is actually going to get from her family the amount may disappoint you. But that doesn’t really answer the question how much she worth. Well, she is smart enough to use her name and fame to continue the business successfully. Her clothing lines, perfumes, designer dogs and tons of other products are bring an approximate amount of million US dollars to her every year according to the rumors spread online. It also includes the money she gets from her guest appearance in TV shows and singing events. With that level of cash coming in yearly, estimates for her individual wealth are between 0 and 0 million dollars. Even Paris Hilton haters must admit that Paris must have a certain amount of business savvy to create a small business empire from her own name successfully as brand. With such a financial empire built from her celebrity, we really have to reconsider the common perception of Paris as an space cadet and start thinking of her as an astute business woman who manipulates the media to make money.
Howard Zinn is a freelance writer who writes about celebrities and current affairs, read more Paris Hilton news items: Paris Hilton Blog