Be Committed To Your Screenwriting/Film/Life Dream

"Life will only change when you become more committed to your dreams than to your comfort zone" -Filmtrepreneur Podcast with Alex Ferrari.

Dreams will not manifest out of thin air. Wanting to accomplish a dream without taking serious actions to move forward is basically living in a fantasy. We should never get rewarded for complaining about successful people. Positive people walking the walk deserve credit for investing their energy, effort and time into advancing their dreams. Instead of envying, we should practice respecting.

Envy is dangerous. If we resent what other people earn, we will believe we are entitled to get what we believe we deserve. Judging people for getting ahead can make us cynical. This is a major problem that resides deep down in our core. Jealously is such a negative emotion that creates so much hatred. Blaming other people for what we're not doing will turn us into negative people. Don't live your life having regrets. It is no one's fault that your dream sits on ice.

We must change the way we think to make progress. Allowing comfort to become a mainstay in our daily lives can sink everything. Placing comfort on a pedestal is a dream buster. Complacency is a confidence killer. The moment we fail, we will fall apart. Given this widespread problem, we have to shift our focus away from comfortability to boost our confidence.

Knowing our true identity can unlock everything. Why do we do what we do? Do we have passion? What makes us wake up in the morning? What do we want to accomplish in this life? What will we do to get there? Are we making progress? Is this dream a good fit for us?

Truth is, time is definitely not on our side. Time does not care to wait for us. The world will move ahead without us. If we empower our time, we can transform this life into something truly amazing.

Waking up every day with a purpose to make a true difference in this world can give us a competitive edge. Our heart must be into our dream. Passion and drive must remain constant. Maintaining discipline, determination, resilience, consistency, integrity, persistence and patience will move us closer to our dream life. Committing our time and energy to fuel our dream will put comfort to rest.

Happy screenwriting!

The End. Closure in Your Script

The end of anything good is never fun. Reaching the end of something bad can give us great relief. Sometimes we are not ready to leave our past just yet. We need extra time to heal our hearts and minds: Closure. If you are a screenwriter, “The End” represents a powerful moment to celebrate.

“The End” of many ends... Draft after draft... Sleepless nights.... Many creative thoughts... Lack of support... Criticism... Eventually, there is an end to your screenplay. Screenwriters ponder on that last moment to finish their screenplays. The ending is so important because it can leave an everlasting impression on viewers.

How will you end your masterpiece? What is a good movie ending? Cliffhanger? Happy ending? Sad ending? Bittersweet ending? Redemption ending? The ending is the resolution that ties your story together.

The Third Act should be impactful. Reward the audience. Make “The End” count. The Green Mile has a tearjerking ending. We remember emotional movies that touch our souls.

Spend extra time on the ending. Think of clever ways to close your script. However you choose to end your screenplay, just know “The End” can make or break your story.

The End.

Happy Screenwriting! 

I went to these top Film Schools, so I matter more?

Some film school graduates enjoy reliving their glory days. They believe their film degrees earned at prestigious universities give them the right to put people down. Meanwhile, these so-called filmmakers keep reminding people of their brilliance. They never stop short of insulting people just for the fact that they can. Superiority is a cancer. This condescending behavior is unacceptable.

If you experience negative encounters with film school graduates who have yet to accomplish success, just move past these miserable human beings. Truth is, miserable people are energy vampires. They need your attention, your focus, your life-force to exist. Without your good energy, they lose their power to create conflict. 

As aspiring filmmakers, do not accept negativity in your daily life. You have a choice to live life the way you see fit. Other people can hold you back. They can block your dream. Beware of people who want to ride your wave to success.

I rarely mention that I attended film school. I listen to all people. I never make myself out to be bigger. 

Some people will make you believe that they are the only support you have in your life. They assume. They control. They can acknowledge you one minute, but will break you down the next minute.   

Protect your dream. Remove people who give you daily pressure and stress. Once these people are gone, you will restore your freedom. Believe in yourself. 

Happy screenwriting! 

Humility is A Dying Breed: Social Media Is Ruining Screenwriting

Only a Film Degree--We must work to be screenwriters

We all know humble. We all know braggers. We all know action. We all know inaction...

Social media has casted a negative light on the writing world. On social media platforms, more people talk about the act of writing instead of waking every day to be proactive go-getters. In hindsight, writers once got work done; they completed scripts to option. Unfortunately, social media has turned screenwriting into a dream that is viewed as unreachable.

Screenwriting is an art form. It is also a discipline that requires time, energy and effort. Truth is, finished scripts are appealing to producers. There is little demand for unfinished scripts because they can't be produced. What separates professional screenwriters from aspiring screenwriters: Discipline.

Think about these comparisons: I am working on my degree versus I earned my degree. Any person can be working on a degree; however, only a select few will actually satisfy all the requirements to complete their degree programs.

Screenwriting is made out to be difficult. The real truth is that anything in life can be difficult if we fear the next step. We can make waking up on time to reach work a major challenge. We can make exercising daily an insurmountable task. We can postpone talking to someone we like over the lack of confidence. Placing constraints on our screenwriting will create fear. A large number of people worry about criticism. They automatically assume that receiving criticism is a precursor to failure. Their dream is better shared in forums, on discussion boards, on social media and in real life conversations.

Braggers need to draw attention to themselves. They need this attention to feel worth. The problem with sharing our dreams without doing the work is that we can block access to production. We spend way too much time trying to impress people with our creative ideas. We may post images about what we are supposedly doing, even if we are not actually working hard perfecting our craft. We will ask other writers/people what they think about our ideas so they can praise us. Condescending, bitter and petty attitudes can rule our emotions. We need to prove people wrong all the time. We fake being successful to create that adrenaline rush, that pure excitement of what it's like to accomplish a dream. Nevertheless, we can get carried away with all the attention that our dreams bring us.

Humble writers make movie magic happen. They wake up motivated and inspired to write. They write at their most vulnerable moments. They revise their previous projects. They don't crave attention. They already know their value as human beings choosing to be writers. There is no internal motivation to trick people, unless these themes are injected into characters.

Know the difference between being humble and bragging. If you are working hard, you earned the right to talk about your success. On the flip side, talking about the dream and not taking action to make it happen will delay the inevitable. Don't waste time. Your screenwriting dream will only come true if you do.

Happy screenwriting!


   

Write Descriptive Visuals

What do you see? What will the viewer see? Write descriptive visuals that covey actions without dialogue.

Practice writing less to show more. Cinema is meant to explore visual storytelling. Get into the habit to set the mood in every new setting.

If you follow this approach, your screenwriting will lift off the pages.

Happy screenwriting! 

Write What You Already Know

It is no secret that writing about what you know will increase your excitement to create. Many people assume they have a story to tell, so they try to become that person who will convince writers their lives can make a fortune. When writers ask them to help with the writing process, they say they don't have time. What these people really want is to ride the wave of success without doing any work. Write what you know, not what others want you to do.

We don't have any time to waste. 

Reflect back to all the moments you could have completed screenplays. I'm sure there are many lost opportunities. The past is a common psychological tool that prevents us from living life with peace and happiness. Talking about screenwriting as if we are already working writers in Hollywood will make us appear as faking it until we make it. Don't be one of these people in real life. Writing about someone who is fake in public to protect their true identity in their private life is a good story. Sharing your personal experiences with these fake people, which I have had many in my past, will bring life to your screenwriting to create a compelling screenplay.

Just imagine every situation your dream has created in your life.

Write about the life you lived over the dream you want. Without your dream, you would be living a different life. Maybe this normal life will give you a less stressful lifestyle. However, you would never know what it's like to accomplish a dream. The trap of viewing success as easy instead of understanding the hardship it takes is something to consider in your future scripts.

What events happened along the way? Did you laugh? Get sad? Get angry? Did you lose love? There are so many events in your life that can make good storytelling. We don't have to write these events as is. We all know that true life stories are modified for creative impact.

Get creative with your life stories.

We don't have to write our screenplays as real life experiences. We should use our life as inspiration to create fictional character who maneuver through our life. Teach people important lessons that you learned about your life.

Instead of looking at negative outcomes, focus on what you learned to grow into a better human being.

Tell people about your life. What are you about? Who are you as a screenwriter? What type of stories do you like to tell? What is your message to the world? Write these stories. Share your creative energy. If you learn something new about yourself after writing a script, you did your job perfectly right. Make screenwriting a transformation process. Writing what you already know will light a flame that can help your creativity burn brighter.

Please share your screenwriting experiences in the comment section below. 

Happy screenwriting!

Writing is The Best Practice to Get Better: Overcome Writer's Block

Struggling to work on your screenplay(s)? Lack of motivation to write? There are many screenwriters who experience writer's block. Procrastination is a common problem in the writing world. Don't panic just yet. Don't fear the next word. Everything will work out nicely. Stay true to yourself to trust the writing process.

Why do we experience uncomfortable challenges to do screenwriting? Simple answer: Too many distractions. If we want to delve deeper into writer's block, we can point to confidence, fear and psychological setbacks. We are human beings. We must work to survive this life. We have a past. 

Never allow your mind to control your actions. If you do this, you will reflect back to the past to block yourself. You will self-doubt. You will not believe in yourself. You will find reasons to be unhappy. You will forget about the people who matter most. You will repeat bad habits. Our mind can be our worst enemy--it can stop us from achieving what we believe is possible. 

Writing is the best practice to get better. I didn't learn to write in college. During these educational moments, I did write a lot. However, daily responsibilities would distract me. I continued to push through these barriers, writing more and more to share my passion. I didn't learn to write better without choosing to write daily. Good or bad material, I wrote all of this to remain active. Truth is, we can become our worst critic. Don't judge your screenwriting during the writing process, just flush out all your creative ideas like a fast moving stream.    

My professional writing jobs prepared me to live my future screenwriting career. As a clinical content writer, I took some important lessons my program manager shared with me. He taught me an important lesson about deadlines. I never learned my lesson until I lost this great writing job over procrastination. The program manager made an example out of me. His solution after my big failure: I should be honest to review the project by spending a day on this process to determine how much time is required to complete it. Our word has a lot of weight. If we lack integrity, we will not gain and/or maintain trust. 

While writing academic content, I noticed the value of deadlines. To be truthfully honest, I made my fair share of deadline mistakes. As a result of these challenging moments, I experienced many financial setbacks. I lived a difficult life. For the most part, I needed these failures to help me become self-aware. I now take personal responsibility for my past actions. Nobody is to blame for me postponing my screenwriting goals. I am responsible. I know what I need to do to succeed.   

Admitting that we have problems can save us time. Blaming everyone for our dreams not coming true will delay us. Living with our problems will not advance our dreams. Being brave to confront our problems to resolve them show we want more in this life. Writer's block is like a friend zone. We have to be honest with what we want at the beginning. Our mind can block our passion. Our mind can reject the love we want to experience over unresolved issues. We must realize that we deserve success. 

Writing daily is the key to unlock your screenwriting dream. It is that simple. Breathe screenwriting daily: It is your oxygen to remain alive in a competitive space. Fear blocks most dreams. 

Don't fear the competition. Don't fear success. Don't fear criticism. Don't fear losing your privacy. Don't fear failure. Don't fear writing a bad script. Don't fear that you can actually become someone influential. All of this fear is unwanted pressure and stress; it does not belong in our daily life. We can only control our own actions. Everything above us is out of our hands. 

Lose the need for perfection. Nothing is perfect; everything is flawed. Understand that we can get better at screenwriting by giving extra effort. People who fight back after criticism lack confidence in their dream. Take serious actions to set a schedule. Set goals. Accomplish them. Stephen King writes 6 pages a day. He is consistent to deliver. He does not make his fans wait for his next great story. 

Writing is best done every day. Writer's block happens over distractions that block our mind. There are kinks, tangles and total blocks that restrict creative impulses from flowing in our brain. Unblock everything that is bothering you to realize your greatest potential as a screenwriter. 

Don't think about the next word. Keep writing no matter what, even if it feels totally uncomfortable. If we follow this writing system, we will find the words that we need to write a compelling screenplay. Let writer's block go. 

Happy screenwriting! 

Look at smaller writing markets in movies to get foot into door

Many viewers enjoy laughing at sci-fi movies shown on SyFy. No disrespect to the SYFY channel, but these types of movies are really silly and quite lame. On the contrary, SYFY is actually a rich market for writers to get their feet wet. Screenwriters who are willing to step outside their comfortable box can launch their film careers by writing low budget spec scripts. Furthermore, paid writing jobs translate into writing experience that will pad IMDb credits.

Look into smaller writing markets to blossom your writing career. You gotta start somewhere. Why not consider low budget science fiction movies? Never think you are too good to take this route. Traveling down the SYFY path is a unique option that can reward writers with lucrative opportunities.

Master a genre to become known as that sci-fi writer. Better yet, flex your creative muscles writing short films and small movies to show big film studios what you are capable of doing with your writing abilities. Don't focus on selling a million dollar screenplay to attract attention to your self-worth.

Do your best to hone your craft. If you give all your effort, the sky's the limit. Think smaller to grow bigger.

And remember, write the raw pages to flush out your creativity.

Be specialized in a genre to get Hollywood work

Being that specialized screenwriter is better than being a screenwriter who has written a script for every genre. Jumping around genre-to-genre is unimpressive. Instead of being known as that horror, thriller, comedy and/or science fiction, which your manager can market you as that screenwriter to land you paid jobs, you will fall into the "spread yourself way too thin" category to lose good opportunities.

Becoming specialized in a particular genre or sub-genre can give you a creative edge. Whenever movie studios need a screenwriter for comedy movies, and you are great at writing these type of movies, your manager can pitch your specialized skill to attract these paid assignments.

Keep in mind: Movie studios do need writers to revise other writer's screenplays to make these stories work better. If you are that writer, you may be considered to revise a completed comedy, thriller, horror and/or science fiction screenplay.

Losing focus doing your main passion can happen, especially if you concentrate on being good at everything. Labeling yourself a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none can delay your screenwriting goals. Truth is, we should view screenwriting as a goal. Never allow the fear of living your dream to hold you back.

Discipline yourself to be specialized as a genre writer. Visit FilmSite.org to view a list of genres and sub-genres. Watch my Vlog on spreading yourself too thin to find out more information about spreading yourself too thin. Please like and subscribe to Positive Life.

And remember, write the raw pages to flush out your creativity. Happy writing!

Focus on yourself to grow your screenwriting career

Screenwriting is all about you. You represent the one person who can make a screenplay really good. 

Focus on yourself. Grow as a writer. Find your writing voice. Notice your value. Don't be desperate. Don't chase unless this is happening in your script. 

Be confident to write and pitch. Know your characters, plot and theme. Compare your script to past projects.

If we focus on all aspects of filmmaking, we will be better equipped to navigate through the film industry. Focusing on helping others to get what you want can take away valuable time from your dream. 

Guiding people to find success is a good thing; however, there are some people with immoral intentions to take advantage. When their dream becomes more important than yours, you will delay your success. 

Don't lose time and energy on the wrong people. Protect your dream. Nobody will love your dream as much as you love it.  

Prepare yourself to be more than just a screenwriter. Screenwriters should think like producers. 

Remember to write the raw pages to flush out your creativity. 

Tame The Ego and Don’t be prideful: Screenwriting Advice

Screenwing takes talent, passion, hard work, connections and luck. If aspiring screenwriters believe they don’t need to do the work, they will eventually fail. Never allow your ego and pride to get in the way. Relaxing after doing great work is a sign that we are getting too comfortable.

An effective way to tame your ego: Set deadlines. Compare screenwriting to your day job! Employees who sit around thinking they are the best will be put on the chopping block. Productivity involves taking the steps to remain efficient.

Putting our pride to the side can humble us. Refusing to do what it takes to get ahead is a sign of low passion. Essentially, these screenwriters become opportunists who seek fame, fortune and attention. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be famous. Earn your Hollywood stripes. Be self-inspired and self-motivated to write at all times. Don’t wait to get into the zone.

Stay confident, persistent and patient. Screenwriting is a career that can offer future screenwriters unlimited opportunities. Always be willing to learn. Read books. Read scripts. Listen to podcasts. Write, write, write. Revise, revise, revise. Structure, structure, structure.

What you want is much closer than you think. Reducing time talking about your dream will give you a better chance to succeed as a Hollywood screenwriter. If you desire writing awards, then do the work. Remember that scripts must be written.

Lose your ego. Get rid of fears. Stay consistent. No excuses. No self-doubts. Be confident in your abilities. Waiting is being passive. Remain proactive in your pursuit to write compelling movies!

And remember, write the raw pages to flush out your creativity... Happy writing! 

Less is More: Screenwriting Tips

Image rights belong to owner

Writing less to express more is always the better option. Screenwriting is a visual art that relies on pictures to tell a story. Some aspiring screenwriters lose focus on the importance of writing strong action. Instead, they would rather flex their screenwriting muscle creating witty dialogue. Rule of thumb: Less is more--focus on a good balance of action and dialogue.  

Writing too much dialogue steals the visual thunder...

Unless we plan to become Quentin Tarantino in the flesh, over-writing dialogue is a trap. Don't get caught up in writing more dialogue to explain what you can do in less words. Nothing is more bothersome in screenwriting than writing scripts driven by just pure dialogue. Be known for your own writing voice. Don't follow James Cameron and Quentin Tarantino because they do something. Be clever creating strong dialogue that stays on track with the main character and plot.

What producers and script readers do not want to see is camera direction. If you write a shooting script, you will not get the praise you expect. It's a big "no-no" to include camera directions. Just tell the story.

Writing strong visuals in the shortest amount of lines is impressive. It is a skill that takes a lot of practice and discipline. If you're already an established screenwriter, you already realize the value of this craft. On the flip side, there are many Hollywood scripts that feature very detailed and descriptive action.

The entire first page can be filled with action, without even a single word of dialogue to introduce characters and the plot. If you can write a strong first page with detailed actions, take this approach to see where your story goes. Master visual writing to build the foundation for your First Act.

A good exercise is to write a short 5-page film with only visuals. No dialogue. Tell this story as you see it, as you imagine it shaping in your mind. Structure this 5-page short film. Hit all the plot points. As a third party, what do you see. If you wanna get creative, build a story with mind-flash, flashbacks and flash forwards.

Go further into the world you want to create.

Things to consider: 

• Be creative. 
• Have discipline. 
• Do the work. 
• Don't expect anything.
• Attract attention with your screenwriting. 
• Develop a writing voice that sets you apart from the rest.
• Everyone has an idea for a good script.
• There are far less people willing to carve out a passionate script.

As my mentor reminds me: Talk is cheap.

Please share your experience with the visual writing exercise.

And remember, writing the raw pages matter to flush out your creativity. Let's live this screenwriting dream together! Happy writing!

Spreading Yourself Too Thin

Are you spreading yourself too thin? Taking on more projects than you can handle? Struggling to say no to clients? Spreading yourself too thin is part of the reason you may experience problems with completing scripts. Your time is extremely important. Cutting into this time can block screenwriting.

Sure, you want to help people. While you help people, your script projects are put on hold. This valuable time is shifted to writing content you may view as survival money. Meanwhile, your future screenwriting dream is waiting another day, another month, another year. This vicious cycle of spreading yourself too thin steals your dream.

If you're serious about becoming a great screenwriter, please value your time. Don't spread yourself so thin that you lack any energy to write scripts. The bigger picture is that you want to become that amazing screenwriter. If you already screen-write in Hollywood, then you know time is of the essence.

Review all your projects to see how much time you have available to outside projects. If writing is your survival gig, then you need a good schedule to keep on track. It is easy to fall behind and jeopardize your reputation as a professional writer. It is not okay to postpone paid projects, or tell a movie studio they must wait on revisions. Don't throw away your future being too nice.

Spreading yourself too thin is doing projects that don't advance your dream. In a way, you may be sabotaging your future wasting your time. You may struggle with saying no to clients, friends, family, and co-workers. If you can't complete projects on time, please say no.

Don't play around with time management because it will defeat you. You will lose valuable writing projects from these missed deadlines. You can suffer financially once your projects dry up.

Screenwriting is likely a side gig since you rely on writing and/or a primary job to survive. Just know that pages won't fill up without you writing them out.

Build a strong foundation. Structure your time so you can screen-write. Juggle paid writing projects, enough of them that keep money flowing in and give you ample time to devote to screenwriting.

Don't make the "spreading too thin" mistake. Doing too much of what you don't love instead of what you really love will cheat your dream. Your dream will eventually move on to a better suitor. 

Respect your time. Your screenwriting depends on you typing those vibrant stories, those original stories, those great movies with the potential to inspire people. Become that screenwriter today!

Happy Screenwriting!

On Flashbacks

"Do not take us to the past until we care about what's happening in the future" - David Trottier's The Screenwriter's Bible

Flashbacks are prone to overexposure. Instead of dragging out secrets, some screenwriters rely on flashbacks to serve up truths without holding back any material. Screenwriters may use flashbacks early, maybe too early, to explain missing pieces of their story. However, we know little about these characters to invest our emotions into their journey. Exposition is key, but give the audience time to find an emotional connection. 

The fear of using the flashback approach is that we can lose the audience early on. As excitement builds in knowing everything, showing too much of everything and exposing everything in flashbacks, this technique of serving appetizers, drinks, dinner and dessert all at once may disconnect us from the main storyline. We need time to digest information, so going back and forth between flashbacks without at least building character development will cheat your story. 

As moviegoers, we are invested in the storyline. How do the protagonist and antagonist make us care? Of course, we final an emotional connection with the antagonist. Unless it is unsettling evil actions that disconnect us from the antagonist, then we want to know why they behave in this way.

Showing flashbacks can work, but executing them right can make a difference between writing a good script or over saturating this technique in a bad script. In the opening scene, we introduce the audience to conflict, such as an introduction to a research paper, and then put obstacles in front of the ultimate goal to block the protagonist. We want the protagonist to earn their stripes.

Going back to the past can reveal character strengths and/or weaknesses. Is this character up for the challenge? Do they possess the courage to confront the antagonist? Chase the dream? Defeat the empire? Get the girl? Win the game? Pass the test? Use a flashback sequence where this technique is appropriate to inform the audience. It can represent an effective device to move your story forward. 

Flashbacks are employed in horror movies to fill-in gaps. The first Saw movie executes this technique in the midpoint, as well as toward the film ending. We watch John (Jigsaw) struggle with cancer. If we understand the impact of cancer, we emphasize with his character. We also discover his hardship, his unwillingness to accept the selfishness of people refusing to appreciate their lives.

The screenwriter, Leigh Whannell, revealed this important information to prepare us. These flashbacks convey what decisions are necessary to survive life. It is in these experiences that we are drawn to the game of life, where the protagonists must make critical decisions to save or end a life, including their own. 

Given this plot technique, flashbacks are also executed to twist the plot--plot twists. A tightly concealed twist relies on revealing enough information to make all scenes go against the perceived storyline. What we assumed was happening is a whole different story. Dead Silence builds on this plot device, shifting the ending into flashback overdrive. We assume Mary Shaw is thus defeated; however, Leigh tricks us with another twist ending. Watch this horror movie to see how flashbacks explain the twist ending.

Want to use flashbacks in your screenplay? Go ahead and flash your flashbacks, but do this after you build character development. Why should we care about the protagonist? Humanize characters before diving into the flashback pool. Don't abuse flashbacks because your audience will lose connection with the present time. Once the conflict is revealed and protagonist is introduced, make those flashbacks count.

Happy Screenwriting!




   

How can I craft a character with Psychological Disorders?

Are you writing a screenplay that explores a character suffering from a psychological disorder/mental disorder?  You may want to know how to portray a character with a mental disorder accurately. Here is your chance to depict this character honestly to make your screenplay authentic.

Psychological disorders have been portrayed in many Hollywood movies. As Good As It Gets, Silver Lining's Playbook, Alice, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Secret Window, Mystic River, and Aviator are a few notable mainstream films that touched upon psychological disorders plaguing human beings.

If your character is living with an untreated mental disorder, show the signs and symptoms of this psychological condition in your script. How would a depressed person act? What would a bipolar person do without proper treatment? If a person has social anxiety, what will they do to avoid people in social places? Ask these questions to better understand the characters within your screenplay.

People suffering from psychological disorders are known to make excuses to avoid confronting their mental condition. Take for instance; people with social anxiety may ask another person to do things for them since they fear being in public places. On multiple occasions, social anxiety can/will block these people from living a normal life. This mental disorder inhibits these people to the point in which they use negativity and frustration as a way to cope with their debilitating condition. Given this information, draw connections between social anxiety and your character.

Have a character in your screenplay that has bipolar disorder? Incorporate signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder into this script, including action and/or lack of action to shed light on this mental disorder. Bipolar disorder is a mental condition associated with moments of depression and normality. People dealing with bipolar disorders are greeted with roller coaster emotions. One moment, these people are on a high note and the next they find their life is not worth living. Outsiders may view these people as sporadic because their emotions can change at the drop of a hat.

Ready to become that screenwriter with authentic material? Learn about character problems/conflict. Understand this character; live with them in your home. Mental disorders are challenging to their host, especially to the people surrounding them. It is extremely important to monitor the progress of people living with mental disorders.

As a screenwriter, you have a prime opportunity to inject realism into your screenplay. This is your shot to increase awareness on mental conditions. Become that screenwriter who infuses real life into screenplays, conveying actions and emotions involved with psychological disorders.

Books on mental disorders and research material highlight this subject matter. Read a copy of the DSM to research and study appropriate mental illnesses in their entirety. Understand the signs and symptoms of mental disorders so that you can show instead of tell the audience about the struggles people experience while coping with the effects of particular psychological conditions.

View the DSM manual at Barnes & Noble or at your local library. You can also purchase the 5th edition of the DSM below. Happy screenwriting!

An Article on How Creed Movie Lessons Can Teach Screenwriters

Ryan Coogler's Creed hit movie theaters on Thanksgiving Day. Michael B. Jordan teamed up with director Ryan Coogler a second time, the first pairing in Fruitvale Station.

In this Rocky spinoff, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is now retired from boxing. He owns a restaurant inspired by his boxing career. Michael B. Jordan's Adonis Creed moved to Philly, walked into Rocky's restaurant and introduced himself as Apollo Creed's son.

According to ScreenCraft, Creed teaches us valuable lessons that screenwriters can use to master their screenwriting craft. Check out the following article on Creed and screenwriting here.

Most Screenwriters quit

Great screenwriters are hard to find. However, there are seasoned screenwriters who give up after years of struggling to make ends meet. Screenwriters are getting smarter; they are now shifting to more lucrative alternatives such as becoming television writers to receive steady paychecks.

Catch 22 of television writing is that you must live in Los Angeles in the beginning. In the film world, screenwriting is no easy task to attain. Life will hold you back, dealing writers a blow to your confidence. Why do most screenwriters quit their dream?

Screenwriting is a craft, an art that requires some talent, good storytelling, and film connections. A good screenplay is only a part of the equation. Thousands of screenplays arrive on Hollywood studio floors yearly, but only a few hundred are optioned yearly and a small percentage of these scripts are made into movies. No options mean no pay. Can you afford to wait for an option?

Life gets in the way. We must survive. We have bills to pay. Our work schedules and low salary/hourly pay can block screenwriting success. Screenwriting requires day-job hours to finetune the plot, build character development and complete feature-length scripts in their entirety. Even after all that effort, revision-after-revision is necessary to make script adjustments. How can we concentrate on screenwriting if we can't pay our bills, eat a healthy meal, and maintain our health? That is a widespread challenge we must all deal with day-in, day-out.

Screenwriters quit for reasons beyond their control. It is not easy to succeed as a screenwriter. Our family, our friends, and strangers will tell us to stay away from this industry. They view screenwriting as an impossible dream, a Hollywood American Dream that will waste our future. We are judged on our writing inabilities before we can't share our writing portfolios.

Imagine completing a screenplay and selling this off to a studio to be developed. That is the dream you strive for as a screenwriter. Conflict and resolution lead every screenplay. Mostly all stories begin with some sort of conflict, and then we root for our protagonists to resolve these obstacles/challenges.

Money can make/break our screenwriting dream. If we make enough money, we get complacent. If we struggle to make a living, we procrastinate on screenwriting. It is common for screenwriters to lose focus, to postpone screenwriting until life gets better. The truth is that delaying screenwriting will push this dream to the brink of extinction. As screenwriters, you must keep writing and do this often enough that it becomes a routine part of your daily operations.

Most screenwriters quit chasing the dream to make a living. Student loans, rent, credit cards, food, children, and other challenges may block screenwriting. Furthermore, significant others and family members could criticize this screenwriting dream to the point in which screenwriters eventually abandon their quest to option a spec script. Financial instability is a dream crusher.

Screenwriters realize screenwriting is self-destructing their marriage/relationships. It takes two people to make a living. This person may grow apart from your screenwriting dream. When there are no results to report, these people lose interest in your illusion.

Patience and perseverance determine the fate of successful screenwriters. If you quit, you may miss out on a potential opportunity to write that prized script. Surround yourself with positive people, not toxic people who make negative comments to sabotage your future success.

Of course, we have to be realistic. It makes sense to reevaluate our past to pave the future. If screenwriting is not working out, you may need to find a reliable job to make a living. This doesn't mean you have to give up on the fight to write movies. Screenplay writing takes discipline, passion and good time management. Possessing these traits could improve your shot at reaching the coveted screenwriting dream.

Please don't give up on screenwriting. We need inspiration to motivate people. There are too many unhappy people who need guidance to share their talents. Without your screenplays, we face an uncertain future filled with disappointment. A powerful movie can make a huge difference.

Most screenwriters quit after constant rejections. Remember, failure is a part of screenwriting. It is a mainstay of the film industry, where most film dreamers understand the dark journey that await them. Don't let this discourage you from completing a screenplay. Don't quit screenwriting! Keep writing!

2016 Horror Movies Coming Soon

Hollywood horror movies are losing their appeal. Jump scares, cheesy concepts and recurring themes injected in paranormal/supernatural movies make watching horror movies a yawn fest.

When did horror fans lose interest in horror films? The last time we enjoyed watching a horror movie is when The Conjuring dominated the opening weekend a few years ago. However, Hollywood ignored releasing horror movies on Friday the 13th three times last year. 

Third installment of Insidious and Paranormal Activity 5 each failed miserably to capture our attention. For the most part, horror movie remakes such as The Poltergeist, Evil Dead and Halloween gutted our interest, sending our attention span on a freefall dive into oblivion.  

Will 2016 reclaim the horror genre? The Forest is the first test. The Boy is another Annabelle-type movie awaiting release in 2016. Lastly, The Conjuring sequel is a guaranteed shoe-in to make a fortune in the movie box office. 

Check out the following movie website for upcoming horror movies awaiting 2016 release dates. 

http://moviepilot.com/posts/3707080

Oscar® Nominations for Writing - Adapted Screenplay and Writing - Original Screenplay

Writing - Adapted Screenplay

American Sniper
by Jason Hall

The Imitation Game
by Graham Moore

Inherent Vice
by Paul Thomas Anderson (for screen)

The Theory of Everything
by Anthony McCarten

Whiplash
by Damien Chazelle

Writing - Original Screenplay

Birdman (also known as The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo

Boyhood
by Richard Linklater

Foxcatcher
by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman

The Grand Budapest Hotel
by Wes Anderson: Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness (story)

Nightcrawler
by Dan Gilroy

Loss of the Original Idea?

The movie box office generated billions in ticket sales in 2014. Surprisingly, Guardians of the Galaxy, a movie based on a Marvel comic book, finished as the top earning movie of 2014. View a list of the top 2014 box office finishers and you'll notice the top movies are either sequels, remakes, and/or content based on previous material. Where are the original movies? Do movie fans have to wait until The Academy® reveals Oscar® nominations to discover original films?

Original ideas still thrive in Hollywood. The Oscars® will soon get us back into original mode. However, the original story is struggling to perform since the box office is dependent on moviegoers, who are spending their hard-earned money on comic book movies, remakes, sequels, movies based on books, movies based on true stories and other movies based on previous material. It appears that tossing money toward material with a built-in audience, rather than risk it all on original ideas, is a safe bet.  

Do you believe originality is going dormant for a few more years? Until a slew of original scripts arrive at the Hollywood doorstep and entice studios to invest into more great original ideas, don't expect originality to lead the box office. Inception is an exception to this original rule, so are many great classic 80's movies that moviegoers still enjoy watching today. Back to the Future is one of those major classics. E.T.: The Extraterrestrial, Top Gun, and Beverly Hills Cop were huge box office earners. 

Hollywood studios and independent production companies are making original films. Unfortunately, moviegoers dictate whether these movies earn money, lose money and/or flame out. A strong marketing campaign can take lukewarm hits and transform these into blockbusters. Good word-of-mouth builds hype and encourage movie fans to attending showings.

There are many steps involved in making Hollywood movies and independent films. The moviegoing public have a huge hand in whether original movies see light or are buried in the flop archives. Taking risks that translates into huge losses can sink a studio department like a battle ship. Cheaply made original movies can deliver great box office performances. Insidious and Saw are an example of this original paradigm, where the screenwriter and director tandem make good use of small shoestring budgets to deliver huge commercial hits. 

Trust us when we tell you that original scripts are sought after. Screenwriters who write original, thought-provoking scripts with commercial potential, can get optioned. Dust off those original scripts! Keep screenwriting!