AFF Comedy Tips
So I’ve been bustling around the 2013 Austin Film Festival, wishing I had either a clone or a Harry Potter-esque time turner so I could take in more of the conference. But I thought I’d take a moment...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Advice from Shane Black
Shane Black was full of tips and quips at his “Script-to Screen: KISS KISS BANG BANG” session at the Austin Film Festival today. He shared how his process for developing a film idea begins with...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Intriguing Characters
I enjoyed the conversation between Jenji Kohan (Weeds, Orange is the New Black) and Callie Khouri (Thelma & Louise, Nashville) on the “Heroine’s Journey” panel at the Austin Film Festival. Though...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Reading Between the Lines
I’ve been performing more frequently with some improv troupes, and the lessons I learn about story and writing are invaluable. The immediate feedback from audiences is so informative. It really helps...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Game of the Scene
In improv, the distilled premise that’s funny in a scene is known as the game. Writer and actor Brett Wean does a nice job in this Scriptmag article of explaining how the game and other improvisational...
View ArticleClik here to view.
First Acts
I’m working on the first act of a new feature-length comedy screenplay, and my screenwriter’s group is going to take a look at it in a few days. I want it to be sharp, so I’m reviewing the elements of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Spicing Things Up With Character Walk-ons
I had a brainstorm this past week, prompted by two comedy shows I watched. One was an improv show by some local comedians, and the other was the season two finale of Veep. I kept thinking about two...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Great actors know this. So should writers.
Do you ever have difficulty finding the voice for characters? Wondering what the back story is, what they would say or do next? It might help you as a writer to try and think like an actor. Great...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Smell of Things
On a recent vacation, my preschool-aged daughter protested (at length) the unfamiliar smell of her hotel pillow. Nothing like her pillow that we had left behind. Not at all what she had expected. A...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Show Me the Emotion
I was so psyched the other day to start viewing a new comedy series. The premise held great promise (Oooh, I like that – premise promise), and the accomplished actors were sure to carry the show....
View Article