Story Concepts That Sell
The foundation of any movie is the screenplay. The foundation of any screenplay is the concept. Therefore it stands to reason which story concept you develop and write as a spec script is a critical choice. And that is precisely why I created the upcoming webinar Story Concepts That Sell: To understand how movie industry insiders think, provide you with proven methods to generate story concepts, and develop analytical skills to help you zero in on the strongest ones for you to write.
Consider this quote:
“Most aspiring screenwriters simply don’t spend enough time choosing their concept. It’s by far the most common mistake I see in spec scripts. The writer has lost the race right from the gate. Months — sometimes years — are lost trying to elevate a film idea that by its nature probably had no hope of ever becoming a movie.”
– Terry Rossio (Aladdin, The Mask of Zorro, Shrek, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl)
I’ve been approached many times to do webinars. I chose this topic for my first one precisely because it is so important. I’ve spent thousands of hours generating story concepts and studying ways to engender that process, so I have a lot of content on the subject.
My webinar Story Concepts That Sell is scheduled for Wednesday, March 27 at 2PM Pacific / 5PM Eastern.
NOTE: You do not have to attend the live session. A recorded version with all accompanying material will be available to users for up to 1 year from the date of the event.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
- A take on ‘high concept’ that actually helps your creative process
- The singular importance of a ‘story conceit’
- How to think in terms of genres, cross genres, and sub-genres
- Hollywood’s golden rule of ‘similar, but different’
- Keys to brainstorming story concepts
- Why recycling is more than just an eco-friendly lifestyle
- Gender-bending and genre-bending
- A commonsense approach on how to write loglines
- The two most powerful words in the story concept process
- Why you need to take into account the international market
- Many more tips on coming up with story concepts that can sell
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
- Writers who want to write commercial movies
- Writers who want to land representation with a manager and/or agent
- Writers who need to understand the mindset of a Hollywood buyer
- Writers who have never grasped how important story concepts are
- Writers who struggle with writing loglines
- Writers who want to learn how to approach the craft like a professional
- Writers whose dream is to sell an original spec script
- Writers who want to maximize their chances at breaking into Hollywood
- Writers who are serious about succeeding as a screenwriter
HOW DOES THE WEBINAR WORK?
The webinar is broadcast over the Internet with the live audio being delivered through your computer speakers or over your telephone. The presentation is displayed directly from the Presenter’s computer onto your computer screen.
The Q&A is managed through a chat-style submission system with questions being answered by the Presenter for the entire class to hear. In the event some questions are not answered during the live session, an e-mail with all questions and answers will be sent to all webinar attendees.
Each registration comes with access to the archived version of the program and the materials for one year. You do not have to attend the live event to get a recording of the presentation.
In addition, every participant may submit one logline for my personal review and analysis.
Another quote to consider:
“Ideas cost NOTHING and require ZERO risk. And yet, oddly, the LEAST amount of time’s usually spent in the idea stage before a small fortune is dumped on a whimsy that’s still half-baked… Ideas cost nothing yet have the potential to yield inexplicably long careers and happy lives.”
– Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Zak and Miri Make a Porno)
Yes, ideas and story concepts are that important. Shouldn’t you learn everything you can to give yourself an edge in relation to this critical screenwriting skill set?
Join me for my webinar Story Concepts That Sell — 90 minutes that could transform your creative process. And with The Quest Initiative coming up in May, this could be a great way to surface some choice loglines.
Go here to learn more and sign up. Date: Wednesday, March 27 at 2PM Pacific / 5PM Eastern.
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