FRIDAY'S SCRIPT TIP:

THE DA VINCI OMEN

Halloween is next month!

A couple of years ago I saw INFRERNO, which bombed... and for good reason. There may be a tip on why it failed in the near future, but until then let's look at DA VINCI CODE and that long forgotten OMEN remake...

A few summers ago, Hollywood seemed to have found religion. Not the serious PASSION OF THE CHRIST religion, but that religion you find in silly fun summer films filled with secret societies and weird Biblical passages they forgot to teach you in Sunday school and underground passages and codes and ancient devices and weird cults and albino monks that whip themselves and romance and mystery and suspense and thrills. Movies like THE DAVINCI CODE and the remake of THE OMEN - which have a great deal in common.... both seem to be lacking the fun stuff, and are completely lacking in mystery and suspense.

Whatever happened to competently crafted screenplays? How could two films filled with so much potential end up so lifeless and.... boring?

Since both were big summer tent pole films, the writers were probably just following orders... but who is giving these orders? And when do we get to kick them out of Hollywood?

THE OMEN seems to have been remake *only* to cash in on its release date. Though I'm pretty sure the studio hired a new writer to update the film, the amount of rewriting was so minimal that the credit on the film went to the writer of the original movie, David Seltzer. Makes you wonder why they didn't just re-release the original. But studios have this theory that today's audience doesn't want to watch their father's OMEN, they'd rather see a film with a hip, young cast and cutting edge MTV direction. The lesson they fail to learn from these remakes is what a miracle *any* good movie is - it takes the perfect mix of perfect script and perfect director and perfect cast. Many films manage one or two of these things, but when everything comes together you have classic.

Gus Van Sant proved how critical *casting* was in his shot-for-shot remake of PSYCHO. Frail, weak Anthony Perkins is sympathetic as Norman Bates, hulking brutish Vince Vaughn is threatening even when he's supposed to be sympathetic. Though casting this new version of THE OMEN young didn't screw up the story as much as I'd feared, is anyone in the world rushing out to see Liev Shreiber? He's not a movie star, doesn't have the sincere fatherly vibe that Gregory Peck brought to the role just by showing up, and... he doesn't have much of an onscreen personality. No charisma. Julia Styles is more of a star, but didn't really bring much to the role. Hard to forget Lee Remick's chain-smoking lush of a mother in the original. Supporting roles were well cast, with Mia Farrow as a *brilliant* bit of stunt casting. I only wish she had said, "I see he has his father's eyes" when she first meets Damien. The direction in the remake is flat and bland and often completely mis-steps. As screenwriters, we can't pick our directors and can't pick our casts...

But we can make sure the script *works* and make sure the mystery and suspense is on the page (for the cast and director to ignore). So let's focus on the story aspects of THE OMEN (2006).

BEEN THERE BEFORE

The main issue with the remake is that it's really slow going. A major reason for that is that the mystery has been removed from the screenplay *twice*. The first time the mystery was removed is because this is a remake. When I saw the original, I had no idea what was wrong with their kid. I knew it was a horror film, but didn't know the kid was Satan's son until the father discovered it. That was an "Oh my God!" moment. Seeing the remake (or even the original again) the mystery is removed - and that means the story needs some touch up work to take care of that...

But instead, they did the exact *opposite* of what they should have done. Instead of speeding up the beginning so we could get to the fun part where the kid is Satan's son faster, they actually *slowed down* the opening. They give us a lengthy "Damien grows up" montage. Why do we need the montage? We know that kids grow up! Get right to the birthday party hanging!

The second thing was adding a lengthy, clip-filled Vatican scene where they *tell us* that Satan's son is going to be born at the beginning of the film. There goes the mystery! This also adds to problem #1, lengthening the amount of dull stuff we get before the fun stuff can happen. The film should have opened with the birth, then cut to the birthday party. We could have filled in any character stuff we needed at the birthday party. Then I would have skipped the zoo and all of the minor strange things about the kid and gone straight to that crazy priest (Pete Postlewaite). Let's face it, we know the kid's evil! All of the time where the parents can't figure it out just makes them look stupid.

Another way to solve this problem would be to use *audience superiority* to create suspense. Get that crazy priest in there right away, but make him *really crazy*. An obvious lunatic. He tells Thorn that his son is Satan's spawn, but he's so crazy acting that Thorn doesn't believe him. Now *we* know that the crazy priest is telling the truth, but Thorn and his wife completely disbelieve anything that lunatic says. Now *we* see all of the clues to Damien being evil, but the parents just think he's "acting out" or maybe has ADD or something. This would require that Damien be played *less evil*. That way we'd wonder a little if the crazy priest really was crazy. The audience would know Damien was evil, but understand why the parents wouldn't believe what the priest was saying. That gives us information the characters *don't* have (audience superiority) and would create suspense. When the kid did little evil things, we'd freak out while the parents accepted it. In some theaters, people would be yelling at the screen "That kid's evil!" the way they yell "Don't go back in that house, the killer's there!" in dumb slasher movies.

We need to find some way to counter the audience's knowledge of the previous film.

NOT ENOUGH JUICE

The other reason why the remake is slow is because there's just less suspense. This is the same problem that sinks DA VINCI CODE. When you make a thriller, you need to make sure it has thrills. The biggest difference between the original OMEN and the remake is the complete lack of suspense. The *best* scene in the remake is the slightly mishandled Razor Scooter On The Balcony scene. The cross-cutting builds suspense, even though the choice of shots is clumsy at best. But at least they tried...

The rest of the movie seems to avoid suspense. It's easy for writers to think that the director will come along and add all of that visual stuff, but if it ain't on the page it ain't on the stage. We need to make sure the suspense scenes are in the script, and *work* to create suspense on the page. I haven't read the remake version of the script, so for all I know the suspense is right there... and the director ignored it. That happens. But we're responsible for what is on the page, so the suspense needs to be there.

The new version spends more time on long leisurely overhead shots of cars driving on snowy country roads than it does on suspense scenes!

In the original version of the Priest's death, the storm comes from nowhere and *chases him* - as if the storm is out to get him. The storm isn't anywhere else except chasing him. The storm is the antagonist. Having the storm chase him creates suspense - he can get away if he runs fast enough... if he can get to *shelter* from the storm, he will survive. In an odd way, the storm is the *focus object* in the scene - like the fraying piece of rope in those Indiana-Jones-must-cross-the-rope-bridge-before-it-collapses scenes. Because the storm is *finite* he can outrun it... and that creates suspense.

In the remake, the storm is *everywhere* and not chasing him at all. Hence, no suspense at all. Just a dude running in the rain.

The remake spends more time showing them getting to the graveyard than on the dog attack at the graveyard. Sure they get caught on the fence trying to escape, but they really should have milked that and turned this into a major set-piece (as it was in the original). As writers, it's our job to figure out how we're going to make that scene exciting for a full five minutes (or whatever). If there's only one minute of suspense on the page, there's only going to be one minute of suspense on screen.

Suspense is *stretching time* to the breaking point. You want the audience to be holding their breath until it's over... and not be able to! We want the suspense to be unbearable... not something that's over in the blink of an eye.

Sure - there were a couple of shock moments that acually made me jump, but as Hitchcock pointed out, you can give the audinece a ten minute suspense scene but a shock is over in 10 seconds. So we have about half a *minute* of entertaining stuff in a very long movie.

Creating a fantastic suspense sequence is *our job*.

The car chase at the end was dull - you could never tell if the cars were gaining, if the hero was escaping, or what was happening. A large part of this is just poor direction - many shots showed the pursuing cars zooming down the road with no reference to the car they are chasing. Hard to tell if they are getting closer if they're the only cars we see. Though this may have been the fault of the director, if the *script* says "The police cars are only twenty feet behind him" you'd have to shoot it in a way that we could see it was only twenty feet.

NOBODY THOUGHT OF THAT

The oddest thing about the OMEN remake is that they don't *explore* the characters. Aside from Julia Styles counseling, no one seems to wonder if it's okay to kill a 5 year old kid? Or what to do about a kid who is just plain evil? This would have been a great entry point to the story - we live in a world where kids *aren't* cute anymore. There are spoiled brats. There are kids with anger disorders. There are kids with ADD. Half the kids on the playground are on some sort of medication! This film could have explored that. And had the parents questioning if they are responsible for the kid's evil. Whether it's genetic or environment, that evil stuff came from somewhere. If you *are* responsible for your evil kid, is it fair to the kid to drive those seven daggers into him? I mean, isn't it your fault as much as his? What is the movie *about*? What is the theme it is exploring? Seems to be exploring nothing - which makes it disposable... and the audience sensed that and disposed of it! Movies are about *people* and *tough moral or ethical decisions* and *exploring larger issues* which stick with the audience long after the house lights have come up. When is it right to kill a kid? That seems to be ignored by the film!

The same lack of thought seemed to go into THE DA VINCI CODE. Though the film pretends to be about the idea that Jesus got married and popped a kid or two, the script never really explores the idea of how that would change the world. We know that the Vatican wants it kept secret, but the other side doesn't seem to want the information to get out, too. This makes for a muddled and boring story because both sides seem to agree - so there's no conflict (except one that's manufactured). Again we have a thriller without thrills and a mystery without mystery... and a complete lack of suspense and character and theme. No story except the surface - nothing going on underneath!

I have to admit to being the only one on Earth who didn't read the book. I had read Brown's ANGELS & DEMONS because I was up for that adaptation job a few years ago, and had no desire to ever read anything else by Brown. But I suspect the script is faithful to every letter of the novel - I mean, why else would you write such a boring script?

NO PULSE - HE'S DEAD, JIM!

Pacing is the heartbeat of your screenplay. That heartbeat is the *regular* occurance of "juicy scenes" - Those exciting scenes that we paid our $10 to see. In a comedy we want to laugh, so you need a big comedy scene about every ten pages or so. In a horror movie you want to be scared, so you need a horror scene about every ten pages or so - a regular heartbeat. The suspense scenes are the juice that keeps a thriller interesting and exciting, and it's our job to create those scenes, but DA VINCI CODE seems to go out of its way to *avoid* suspense!

It seems like *hours* between suspense scenes - there are only a handful in the entire film. And the ones we get are DULL! Between these scenes we get lots of really boring exposition and some historical flashbacks that are just s entertaining as my high school history class... snooze! All the characters do is stand around and explain things that we don't even understand after the explainations. This stuff just kills the story...

Once we get over the impossibility of a dying man running all over the Louvre writing complicated coded messages in his own blood, we have our heroes Tom Hanks and Audrey Toutou trapped in the museum with the police trying to find them. How do they escape? I don't know, they never showed it. Were there any close calls where the police almost caught them? I don't know, they didn't show it. Instead, they showed the police searching a garbage truck... while Hanks and Toutou escaped off screen.

In fact, almost all of the suspense in this film is off screen. I haven't been this angered by a script since... okay, it was only a few weeks before that the big impossible mission in M:i:III happened completely off screen. Without the suspense scenes on screen, this script is dead on arrival. No heart beat! If you wonder why some films are slow and others are over before you know it (leaving you wanting more) it's all about the pacing - the frequency of those juuicy genre scenes.

DA VINCI CODE claims to have a mystery, but it's all pretty obvious from the get-go and whenever we get one of the puzzles we are not allowed to solve it. The information isn't shared with the audience at all, so we are unable to *participate* in the solution. We just watch, bored, as Hanks solves it (or someone solves it for him - he tends to be the most passive protagonist and possible the dumbest character ever put on screen).

Another suspense-avoidance scene is when the police are chasing the plane into the hanger. The plane barely gets into the hanger before the police cars show up... and when the police search the plane both Hanks and Toutou have *vanished*! After the police have left we get this novelistic flashback to show how they escaped. Problem is - by then the *threat* of the police is over, so there is no suspense or excitement in showing that scene then. The suspense and excitement comes in the actual escape - which was off camera (again).

Just for fun, compare DA VINCI CODE to some old people on the run film like NORTH BY NORTHWEST or THE 39 STEPS. Count the suspense set pieces in NORTH BY NORTHWEST and see how they *milk* the suspense in the Cornfield Scene - even before the crop duster attack! Notice how Lehman creates suspense situations, like when Grant is hiding in the CLOSED upper berth while the police question Eva Marie Saint. Will those cops *ever* leave? There's a cool bit of "situational suspense" in 39 STEPS where Robert Donat (wanted by the police) is handcuffed to his pretty prisoner (a politician's daughter) and he has to check into a hotel for the night.... without the desk clerk noticing the handcuffs, without his prisoner ratting him out, without the desk clerk thinking that he might be the man who is wanted by the police. Those handcuffs make a great "focus object" - will the desk clerk see them? This is a film filled with chases and scenes where the protagonist has to hide while dozens of policemen search for him... And even a scene where they check into a hotel is filled with suspense! Compare that to the never-ending suspense-avoiding running time of DA VINCI CODE. Where are the thrills? They didn't get this stuff right in ANGELS & DEMONS... nor did they get it right in INFERNO! INFERNO has a scene where a woman with severe fear of heights must walk on a narrow roof beam three or four storeys up... and they manage to make it *dull*!

Our job is to create the suspense - to make the our scripts have a "regular heartbeat" of big juicy suspense scenes. Our job is to create the mystery and invent those cool plot twists that pull the viewer into the story and keep surprising them... amking the film unpredicatable and fresh. Our job is to make sure our scripts are JUICY. Somehow, both DA VINCI CODE and THE OMEN remake have forgotten how to do that. Don't *you* forget!

Make sure your thriller is overflowing with genuine thrills.

BRAND NEW!

How Do I do That?

101 SCREENWRITING ANSWERS Blue Book!

New to screenwriting? You probably have questions! How do I get an Agent? How do I write a phone conversation? Do I need a Mentor? What’s does VO and OC and OS mean? What is proper screenplay format? Should I use a pen name? Do I need to movie to Hollywood? What’s the difference between a Producer and a Production Manager, and which should I sell my script to? How do I write a Text Message? Should I Copyright or WGA register my script? Can I Direct or Star? How do I write an Improvised scene? Overcoming Writer’s Block? How do I write a Sex Scene? And many many more! This book has the answers to the 101 Most Asked Questions from new screenwriters! Everything you need to know to begin writing your screenplay!

All of the answers you need to know, from a working professional screenwriter with 20 produced films and a new movie made for a major streaming service in 2023! 

Only $4.99

NEW!!!

Can You Make It bigger?

BLOCKBUSTERS (and BEACH READS) Blue Book!

Writing something EPIC?

Over 500 Pages, ONLY : $4.99!

Thinking about writing a big Disaster Movie? An Historical Epic? An Epic Adventure Film? Or maybe you like Gladiator Movies? This book looks at writing Blockbusters and those Big Fat Beach Read novels - anything epic! Usng movies like JAWS, POSEIDON ADVENTURE, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, THE GUNS OF NAVARONE, and those MARVEL and FAST & FURIOUS flicks as examples. What *is* a Blockbuster? 107 years of Blockbuster history! Blockbuster Characters. Blockbuster Story Types! Why modern Blockbusters are soap operas! Social Issues in Blcokbusters? Big Emotions! Keeping All Of Those Characters Distinctive! How to avoid the Big problems found in Big Movies and books! More! If you are writing a Big Event Movie or a Big Fat Novel, there are tips and techniques to help you!

Only $4.99

NEW!!

All About Endings!

GRAND FINALES Blue Book!

The Perfect Ending For Your Story!

The First Ten Pages Of Your Screenplay Are Critical,
But What About The Last 10 Pages?

Creating the perfect ending to your story! This 100,000 word book shows you how to end your story with a bang, rather than a whimper. Everything from Resolution Order to Act Three Tools to Happy or Sad Endings? to How The Beginning Of Your Story Has Clues To The Ending (in case you were having trouble figuring out how the story should end) to Falling Action to How To Avoid Bad Endings to Writing The Perfect Twist Ending to Setting Up Sequels & Series to Emotional Resolutions to How To Write Post Credit Sequences to Avoiding Deus Ex Machinas, to 20 Different Types Of Ends (and how to write them) and much more! Everything about endings for your screenplay or novel!

Only$4.99

BRAND NEW

All About LOGLINES, TREATMENTS, and PITCHING!

LOGLINES, TREATMENTS, and PITCHING! Blue Book!

Distilling Your Screenplay!

Loglines, Treatments, Pitching, Look Books, Pitch Decks, One Pagers, Rip-O-Matics?

You have written a brilliant 110 page screenplay, but how do you get anyone to read it? You need to distill it down into some form of verbal moonshine or story rocket fuel that will ignite that bored development executive or manager or agent and get them to request your screenplay. But how do you shrink those 110 pages into a 25 word logline or a 2 minute elevator pitch or a one page synopsis or a short paragraph? This 100,000 word book shows you how! Everything you need to know! From common logline mistakes (and how to solve them) to how your pitch can reveal story problems to the 4 types of pitches!

272 pages - ONLY $4.99!

NEW: WRITE IT: FILM IT!

Making Your Own Movie?
Writing An Indie Film?
Writing A Low Budget Genre Script To Sell?
Writing A Made For TV Holiday Movie?

You will be writing for BUDGET. On a standard spec screenplay, you don’t have to think about budget, but these types of screenplays writing with budget in mind is critical!

If you are making your own movie, budget, is even more important - and you need to think about budget *before* you write your screenplay... or you will end up with a script that you can’t afford to make (or is a struggle to make). Everyone is making their own films these days, and even if you have done it before there are lots of great techniques in this book to get more money on screen - for less money! You can make a film that looks like it cost millions for pocket change.

344 pages - SALE:: $7.99!

NEW!

THE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE MOVIES

NEW: Updates On Films 7 & 8 Casting!

All Six Movies analyzed! All of the mission tapes, all of the “that’s impossible!” set pieces and stunts, the cons and capers - and how these scenes work, the twists and double crosses, the tension and suspense (and how to generate it), the concept of each film as a stand alone with a different director calling the shots (broken in the sixth film), the gadgets, the masks, the stories, the co-stars and team members (one team member has been in every film), the stunts Tom Cruise actually did (and the ones he didn’t), and so much more! Over 120,000 words of fun info!

THE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE MOVIES - 347 pages - Only $3.99 !

NO KINDLE REQUIRED! Get the *free* app (any device, except your Mr. Coffee) on the order page on Amazon!

BRAND NEW!

*** THE BOURNE MOVIES

All five "Bourne" movies (including "Legacy" and it's potential sequels) - what are the techniques used to keep the characters and scenes exciting and involving? Reinventing the thriller genre... or following the "formula"? Five films - each with an interesting experiment! A detailed analysis of each of the films, the way these thrillers work... as well as a complete list of box office and critical statistics for each film. This book is great for writers, directors, and just fans of the series.

268 pages - Only $3.99

Over 240 pages!

*** THE TERMINATOR MOVIES *** - For Kindle!

He's back! The release of "Terminator: Dark Fate" is set to begin a new trilogy in the Terminator story... 35 years after the first film was released. What draws us to these films about a cybernetic organism from the future sent back in time? Why is there a new proposed trilogy every few years? This book looks at all five Terminator movies from a story standpoint - what makes them work (or not)? What are the techniques used to keep the characters and scenes exciting and involving? How about those secret story details you may not have noticed? Containing a detailed analysis of each of the five films so far, this book delves into the way these stories work... as well as a complete list of box office and critical statistics for each film. This book is great for writers, directors, and just fans of the series.

ONLY $3.99 - and no postage!

Tips FAQ

My New Script Secrets Newsletter!

NEW BOOKS!

BRAND NEW

OUTLINES & THE THEMATIC!

OUTLINES & THE THEMATIC Blue Book.

ARE YOUR SCENES IN THE RIGHT ORDER?
AND ARE THEY THE RIGHT SCENES?

Your story is like a road trip... but where are you going? What's the best route to get there? What are the best sights to see along the way? Just as you plan a vacation instead of just jump in the car and start driving, it's a good idea to plan your story. An artist does sketches before breaking out the oils, so why shouldn't a writer do the same? This Blue Book looks at various outlining methods used by professional screenwriters like Wesley Strick, Paul Schrader, John August, and others... as well as a guest chapter on novel outlines. Plus a whole section on the Thematic Method of generating scenes and characters and other elements that will be part of your outline. The three stages of writing are: Pre-writing, Writing, and Rewriting... this book looks at that first stage and how to use it to improve your screenplays and novels.

Only $4.99!

ALSO NEW!

DESCRIPTION & VOICE Blue Book!

DESCRIPTION & VOICE Blue Book.

IS HALF OF YOUR STORY IN TROUBLE?

Most screenplays are about a 50/50 split between dialogue and description - which means your description is just as important as your dialogue. It just gets less press because the audience never sees it, the same reason why screenwriters get less press than movie stars. But your story will never get to the audience until readers and development executives read your script... so it is a very important factor. Until the movie is made the screenplay is the movie and must be just as exciting as the movie. So how do you make your screenplay exciting to read? Description is important in a novel as well, and the “audience” does read it... how do we write riveting description?

Only $4.99!

NEW AND HOT!

*** STRUCTURING YOUR STORY *** - For Kindle!

William Goldman says the most important single element of any screenplay is structure. It’s the skeleton under the flesh and blood of your story. Without it, you have a spineless, formless, mess... a slug! How do you make sure your structure is strong enough to support your story? How do you prevent your story from becoming a slug? This Blue Book explores different types of popular structures from the basic three act structure to more obscure methods like leap-frogging. We also look at structure as a verb as well as a noun, and techniques for structuring your story for maximum emotional impact. Most of the other books just look at *structure* and ignore the art of *structuring* your story. Techniques to make your story a page turner... instead of a slug!

Only $4.99 - and no postage!

LEARN SUSPENSE FROM THE MASTER!

*** HITCHCOCK: MASTERING SUSPENSE *** - For Kindle!

Alfred Hitchcock, who directed 52 movies, was known as the *Master Of Suspense*; but what exactly is suspense and how can *we* master it? How does suspense work? How can *we* create “Hitchcockian” suspense scenes in our screenplays, novels, stories and films?

This book uses seventeen of Hitchcock’s films to show the difference between suspense and surprise, how to use “focus objects” to create suspense, the 20 iconic suspense scenes and situations, how plot twists work, using secrets for suspense, how to use Dread (the cousin of suspense) in horror stories, and dozens of other amazing storytelling lessons. From classics like “Strangers On A Train” and “The Birds” and “Vertigo” and “To Catch A Thief” to older films from the British period like “The 39 Steps” and “The Man Who Knew Too Much” to his hits from the silent era like “The Lodger” (about Jack The Ripper), we’ll look at all of the techniques to create suspense!

Only $5.99

AUDIO CLASS!

NOIR & MYSTERY80 minute MP3 packed with information on writing Film Noir and Mystery scripts. Using examples from CHINATOWN to OUT OF THE PAST to DOUBLE INDEMNITY you'll learn how to create stories in this dark, twisted genre. How to plant clues, red herrings, suspects, victims, spider women, fallen heroes, the funhouse mirror world of noir supporting characters... and the origins of Film Noir in literature Noir dialogue and how noir endings are different than any other genre. All of the critical elements necessary to write in this critically popular genre.
The Noir & Mystery Class is only $15 (plus $5 S&H). First 20 on Limited Black Disk!

RECESSION SALE! $5 OFF!

IDEAS AND CREATIVITY - 80 minute MP3 packed with information. Tools to find ideas that are both personal *and* commercial. Hollywood wants scripts with High Concept stories... but not stupid scripts. Developing *intelligent* high concept ideas. How to turn your personal story into a blockbuster - or find your personal story in a high concept idea. Brainstorming and being creative. Ideas and Creativity is $10.00 (plus $5 S&H)

WRITING INDIES - Writing an Indie film? This class covers everything you need to know - from Central Locations to Confined Cameos. Using examples from SWINGERS, THE COOLER, STATION AGENT and others, this 80 minute MP3 is packed with information. How Indoe films challenge the audience (while mainstream films reassure the audience). Structures, using BOYS DON'T CRY, RUN LOLA RUN, HILARY & JACKIE, and others as example. Writing for a budget, writing for non-actors, getting the most production value out of your budget. Writing Indies is $10.00 (plus $5 S&H)

WRITING HORROR - The essentials of a horror screenplay - what do ROSEMARY'S BABY, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, THE EXORCIST, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE OTHERS and OPEN WATER have in common? This class will tell you! All of the critical elements necessary to write a script that scares the pants off the audience. Writing Horror is $10.00 (plus $5 S&H).

Click here for more information on CLASS MP3s!

THE BOOK THAT STARTED IT ALL!

*** THE SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING *** - For Kindle!

*** THE SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING *** - For Nook!

Why pay $510 for a used version of the 240 page 2000 version that used to retail for $21.95? (check it out!) when you can get the NEW EXPANDED VERSION - over 500 pages - for just $9.99? New chapters, New examples, New techniques!

"SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING is the best book on the practical nuts-and-bolts mechanics of writing a screenplay I've ever read." - Ted Elliott, co-writer of MASK OF ZORRO, SHREK, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN and the sequels (with Terry Rossio). (ie; 4 of the top 20 Box Office Hits Of ALL TIME.)

Only $9.99 - and no postage!

READY TO BREAK IN?

NEW!

*** BREAKING IN BLUE BOOK *** - For Kindle!

Should really be called the BUSINESS BLUE BOOK because it covers almost everything you will need to know for your screenwriting career: from thinking like a producer and learning to speak their language, to query letters and finding a manager or agent, to making connections (at home and in Hollywood) and networking, to the different kinds of meetings you are will have at Studios, to the difference between a producer and a studio, to landing an assignment at that meeting and what is required of you when you are working under contract, to contracts and options and lawyers and... when to run from a deal! Information you can use *now* to move your career forward! It's all here in the Biggest Blue Book yet!

Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is over 400 pages!

$4.99 - and no postage!

NO KINDLE REQUIRED! Get the *free* app (any device, except your Mr. Coffee) on the order page on Amazon!

STORY: WELL TOLD!

*** STORY: WELL TOLD *** - For Kindle!

This book takes you step-by-step through the construction of a story... and how to tell a story well, why Story always starts with character... but ISN'T character, Breaking Your Story, Irony, Planting Information, Evolving Story, Leaving No Dramatic Stone Unturned, The Three Greek Unities, The Importance Of Stakes, The Thematic Method, and how to create personal stories with blockbuster potential. Ready to tell a story? Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is over 85,000 words - 251 pages!

Only $4.99 - and no postage!

MOVIES ARE CHARACTERS!

*** CREATING STRONG PROTAGONISTS *** - For Kindle!

*** CREATING STRONG PROTAGONISTS *** - For Nook!

Expanded version with more ways to create interesting protagonists! A step-by-step guide to creating "take charge" protagonists. Screenplays are about characters in conflict... characters in emotional turmoil... Strong three dimensional protagonists who can find solutions to their problems in 110 pages. But how do you create characters like this? How do you turn words into flesh and blood? Character issues, Knowing Who Is The Boss, Tapping into YOUR fears, The Naked Character, Pulp Friction, Man With A Plan, Character Arcs, Avoiding Cliche People, Deep Characterization, Problem Protagonists, 12 Ways To Create Likable Protagonists (even if they are criminals), Active vs. Reactive, The Third Dimension In Character, Relationships, Ensemble Scripts, and much, much more. Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is once again around 205 pages!

ONLY $4.99 - and no postage!

ACT TWO SOLUTIONS!

*** ACT TWO SECRETS *** - For Kindle!

Expanded version with more techniques to help you through the desert of Act Two! Subjects Include: What Is Act Two? Inside Moves, The 2 Ps: Purpose & Pacing, The 4Ds: Dilemma, Denial, Drama and Decision, Momentum, the Two Act Twos, Subplot Prisms, Deadlines, Drive, Levels Of Conflict, Escalation, When Act Two Begins and When Act Two Ends, Scene Order, Bite Sized Pieces, Common Act Two Issues, Plot Devices For Act Two, and dozens of others. Over 67,000 words (that’s well over 200 pages) of tools and techniques to get you through the desert of Act Two alive! Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is well over 200 pages!

ONLY $4.99 - and no postage!

SUBPLOTS?

*** SUPPORTING CHARACTER SECRETS *** - For Kindle! (Exclusive)

Expanded version with more techniques to flesh out your Supporting Characters and make them individuals. Using the hit movie BRIDESMAIDS as well as other comedies like THE HANGOVER and TED and HIGH FIDELITY and 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN and many other examples we look at ways to make your Supporting Characters come alive on the page. Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is around 170 pages!

ONLY $4.99 - and no postage!

ADVICE FROM 1920!

*** VINTAGE #1: HOW TO WRITE PHOTOPLAYS *** - For Kindle!

***

Screenwriting books have been around as long as films have. This series reprints vintage screenwriting books with a new introduction and history, plus new articles which look at how these lessons from almost 100 years ago apply to today’s screenplays. Anita Loos book is filled with information which still applies. In addition to the full text of the original book, you get the full screenplay to Miss Loos' hit THE LOVE EXPERT, plus several new articles on the time period and women in Hollywood.

ONLY $2.99 - and no postage!

I WRITE PICTURES!

*** VISUAL STORYTELLING *** - For Kindle! (exclusive)

Show Don't Tell - but *how* do you do that? Here are techniques to tell stories visually! Using Oscar Winning Films and Oscar Nominated Films as our primary examples: from the first Best Picture Winner "Sunrise" (1927) to the Oscar Nominated "The Artist" (which takes place in 1927) with stops along the way Pixar's "Up" and Best Original Screenplay Winner "Breaking Away" (a small indie style drama - told visually) as well as "Witness" and other Oscar Winners as examples... plus RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 200 pages!

ONLY $4.99 - and no postage!

BEST SELLER!

*** YOUR IDEA MACHINE *** - For Kindle!

*** YOUR IDEA MACHINE *** - For Nook!

Expanded version with more ways to find great ideas! Your screenplay is going to begin with an idea. There are good ideas and bad ideas and commercial ideas and personal ideas. But where do you find ideas in the first place? This handbook explores different methods for finding or generating ideas, and combining those ideas into concepts that sell. The Idea Bank, Fifteen Places To Find Ideas, Good Ideas And Bad Ideas, Ideas From Locations And Elements, Keeping Track Of Your Ideas, Idea Theft - What Can You Do? Weird Ways To Connect Ideas, Combing Ideas To Create Concepts, High Concepts - What Are They? Creating The Killer Concept, Substitution - Lion Tamers & Hitmen, Creating Blockbuster Concepts, Magnification And The Matrix, Conflict Within Concept, Concepts With Visual Conflict, Avoiding Episodic Concepts, much more! Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 175 pages!

Only $4.99 - and no postage!

PRO DIALOGUE TECHNIQUES!

*** DIALOGUE SECRETS *** - For Kindle!

*** DIALOGUE SECRETS *** - For Nook!

Expanded version with more ways to create interesting dialogue! How to remove bad dialogue (and what *is* bad dialogue), First Hand Dialogue, Awful Exposition, Realism, 50 Professional Dialogue Techniques you can use *today*, Subtext, Subtitles, Humor, Sizzling Banter, *Anti-Dialogue*, Speeches, and more. Tools you can use to make your dialogue sizzle! Special sections that use dialogue examples from movies as diverse as "Bringing Up Baby", "Psycho", "Double Indemnity", "Notorious", the Oscar nominated "You Can Count On Me", "His Girl Friday", and many more! Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 175 pages!

Only $4.99 - and no postage!

FINAL DRAFT SOFTWARE

Use your creative energy to focus on the content; let Final Draft take care of the style. Final Draft is the number-one selling application specifically designed for writing movie scripts, television episodics and stage plays. Its ease-of-use and time-saving features have attracted writers for almost two decades positioning Final Draft as the Professional Screenwriters Choice. Final Draft power users include Academy, Emmy and BAFTA award winning writers like Oliver Stone, Tom Hanks, Alan Ball, J.J. Abrams, James Cameron and more. * * * Buy It!

copyright 2024 by William C. Martell