Saturday Hot Links

Screenwriting Master Class tip of the week: Big things brewing on the SMC front. Yes, that could refer to Santa Monica College. And I’m sure there are plenty nice things going on there. But no, by SMC, I’m referring to Screenwriting Master Class, the unique online writing education resource founded by Tom Benedek and myself which is now beginning our 5th year of operations!

[Cue dancing elephants and Ukranian marching oboe and bouzouki band!]

Three things I wish to bring to your attention today. Actually four things. You. Yes, in the back. Your pants are unzipped. That’s right, cow’s trying to come out of the barn so zip zip zip!

Where were we? Three things. Three really gigantic, important things that put the ‘thing’ in ‘things’. First my upcoming 1-week class Pixar and the Craft of Storytelling. What’s so great about this course? It’s Pixar! It’s Craft! It’s Storytelling! All wrapped into one bohonkus bag of brilliance. Or if you prefer, gilded glockenspiel of goodness. In this online offering, we peel back the layers of the mysterious creative process of those fine folks in Animationville, California to discern key narrative dynamics — or as we professionals like to say cool-ass story stuff — then explore how you can use them/it to Pixarify your own writing. I only teach this class one time per year and in 2015, the stars and moons have aligned, determining the start date to be January 19th. Holy crap! That’s like a week away! This course is not just like a jolt of creative caffeine, it is a jolt of creative caffeine. Sign up for it now! Where? Here! Go on. I’m waiting.

[Summons up Frank Stallone method acting stare]

Second thing. Did you know I have created, written, produced and brought to life 8 Craft Classes? Interestingly enough, they are all about the craft of screenwriting. Clever how I planned that, eh? My Craft classes are like Lays potato chips. Once you have one, ya’ gotta have more! Me being the saintly soul that I am [waves M.Div. degree from Yale University in front of your face], I received a message from On High: “Get thee hither to yon virtual space and combineth all eight knowledge grottos into a package. Call it… The Craft Package [angelic chorus sings “Boo-yah”]. Thou art commanded to offer all eight learning thingees at half price! Moreover not only shalt thou givest to the massess immediate access to all eight pedagogical poombahs, thou wilt automatically engrave their names on the roster of each one week course. Let it be written! Let it be done!” [Blinding flash of light destroys a nearby shrubbery, leaving behind This Holy Hyperlink Of Enrollment].

Finally, what are you doing Thursday, March 12 through Sunday, March 15? Don’t know? I do. You gonna be chilling with me and 10 righteous writers at the next session of the Quest Writing Workshop. And guess what? I’m gonna be able to do a kind of a callback here ‘coz the session is in… Santa Monica! Not at Santa Monica College, which would have been a perfect callback, but at The Writers Junction. May not be a college, but you can be sure to upgrade you knowledge — [clever boy!] — about all things screenwriting. And here’s the thing. The Quest Writing Workshop is not only an immersive, intensive and interspectaculasive four day experience, there is a follow-up 16 week online program where you take the story we workshopped over the weekend, finish prepping it, then pound out the first draft. Plus you get a set of Ginsu knives [as if], a Popeil Pocket Fisherman [false advertising], and every single one of these cutest puppies in the world [soooo not true]. If you’re interested — and you should be — email me and I’ll tell you how you can save 10% if you enroll before the Trolls of Jasgar alight on their annual trek to the Great Northern Plains of Jellylambusco!

Now more Peter Sellers!

Hope to see you in an SMC class soon!

Sign up for more like this.