July online screenwriting classes Dialogue Writing, Dynamic Writing, and How to Sell a Screenplay are right around the corner.
July classes begin July 9, 2019.
Class seating is limited. A writing sample is required for admission to AFW classes.
Please register early to reserve your seat in class.
The Full 2019 Course Roster is available :::here:::
MAX REVIEWS:
When a writer hires me to review material, it’s important to note, the writer is not paying for the read. I can read a script in an hour. Two hours if the script is too long.
(Too long means 150 pages. Um. Everybody hates you, 150 script pages people. Stop doing that.)
The point is, I’m not getting paid by the hour for the read. I’m getting paid for expertise responding to and analyzing the material. This is an important distinction.
If you just want to pay someone by the hour for the read, well, what’s minimum wage these days? About $12 per hour? Give the script to your mom and write her a check for $24. Done!
There is an open seat in the 5150 online international screenwriting workshop. To learn more about the workshop, hit:
At the AEB one year anniversary bash I was a guest speaker at (thank you for inviting me AEB I had a great time) there was a question and answer session after the talk and one question stands out to me.
A woman said she got advice to write a lot of scripts. To have a trunk of scripts. Like, three romantic comedies if she was interested in writing romantic comedies and three scripts for drama if she was interested in writing drama and three –
I’m pretty sure that was headed for three scripts in any genre she ever had an interest in writing at all and I stopped her and said —
No.
You need ONE script.
Max Adams will be a guest speaker at the Austin Entertainment Business (AEB) One Year Anniversary meet up on January 24th at the Speakeasy in Austin Texas.
For more info on dates, times, and how to RSVP to attend the AEB anniversary event, visit :::AEB:::
One of the most injurious words in reviews is “but.”
The characters are wonderful, but –
The story is gripping, but –
The visuals are cinematic, but –
See, here is what the word “but” does in any sentence: It negates any positive statement coming before it. For example:
The original screenwriter’s uniform blog post appears to be lost in the interwebs somewhere (how does this happen?) but it keeps coming up in conversation. (Also, according to fashion experts, white sneakers are back! Whoah. Did not see that coming.)
New class! The Writer’s Reel!
There are a lot of terms for that. “Lookbook.” “Mood Reel.” “Sizzle Reel.” They are mostly the same thing, for writers, (sort of, some move and some do not move, there’s a lot of crossover in that lately though). But, they all have the same intent, mostly –
One thing to keep mind plotting a story is that there is a difference between a primary story goal and tasks protagonists undertake to achieve the primary story goal. For example, looking at the film The Blues Brothers, (1980 starring Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, written by Dan Aykroyd and John Landis, directed by John Landis), the protagonist goal is to save the orphanage the two leads Jake and Elwood grew up in.
Primary Goal: Save the orphanage.
Major Dramatic Question: Can Jake and Elwood save the orphanage?
To save the orphanage —
