Script brings you behind the scenes to get to know our family of contributors on a more personal level. Meet Mario O. Moreno, author of our column Screenwriter’s Guidepost. Mario O. Moreno talking jive at the Screenwriter’s World Conference Mario is a Story Specialist for The Writers Store by day, and a screenwriter by night. Since earning a bachelor’s…
Q: How can I give myself the best chance to win the Industry Insider Contest? It boils down to this: Finish the rough draft ASAP. Then rewrite more than anyone else. Q: How do you finish your rough draft ASAP when the contest announces the finalists and you’ve barely finished responding to all the congratulations posts on Facebook when…
Question: Which screenplay should I write next? Easy, right? Pick the most marketable idea you’ve got, brew a tub of coffee, open a blank Final Draft file, and get tap-tap-tapping to FADE OUT. Maybe not. The coffee and Final Draft are fine, but what about “Marketable Script X”? From my experience, every time I’ve chased the golden…
Question: How can I protect my work from being stolen? I’m one of those writers whose work has been stolen. It’s a story for another blog, but one thing is for sure: The feeling of knowing your work was taken without credit or payment can make you feel sick and stupid. Bottom line (as if…
Question: What’s the difference between agents and managers for screenwriters and how the hell do I get one? First things first: is there a difference? In the current landscape, roles continue to evolve. The classic dynamic was one where an agent sent material to contacts, worked to get clients assignments, and negotiated deals (with a…
Question: Is structure theory ruining movies? Should I still use it? The value of structure theory has fueled almost as many conversations as the phrase “I’ve got an idea for a story.” Arguments in favor: “It helps keep the story on track.” “When it works, it’s invisible.” “It’s what Hollywood wants.” Arguments in opposition: “It leads to…
Let’s get this straight up front: it’s never really done. Not until it’s cast, shot, edited, mixed and released. And, as we saw with George Lucas and the original Star Wars trilogy, if you give a storyteller a chance to tinker with their story, even after all that, they will take it. Since no story is ever really…
Question: “How can I avoid weeping every time I get notes?” When I first arrived in L.A., my writing partner (at the time) and I had two sample scripts that an exec had “loved,” and a manager that the exec helped us find. I imagined our first real meeting with said manager would be ceaseless, unadulterated praise and maybe some minor trim notes.…