Key must have tools for first time directorial success
Over my career in The Biz, I have been blessed to be part of the production team for a number of really good film directors. I've watched, Ron Howard,…
Screenwriting
5 Essential Scriptwriting Suggestions
It’s trite to say that a great script is one that sells, but the hard truth is that there are thousands of interesting stories living their lives in u…
Screenwriting
So you want to be a screenwriter! 4 rules of the road.
In jest, somebody wrote “Alcohol because no great story ever started with someone eating a salad.” Many famous writers had an addiction to Madame Al…
DistributionBusiness
Distribution: What’s The Deal?
When it comes time to sign a distribution agreement, you’re going to want to take a close look at the fine print and get some knowledgeable advice abo…
Producing
Finding The Perfect Location For Your Film Production
Some movies are shot on location because production companies believe a real setting will give their movie an added layer of authenticity. Most, howev…
Take the fear out of writing...
Award-winning novelist R.L. Stine wrote jokes and funny stories for 20 years before he switched gears and became a horror-writing legend. Since then, the author of the
Whether you fully employ the full mythic structure, or just adapt it to whatever you’ve got floating around in your mind, The Writer’s Journey takes Joseph Campbells infamous Hero’s Journey and contex
Completing the casting process is a pivotal milestone in pre-production, and one that will shape the entire project. Just as good acting won’t save a bad script, bad performances will kill a great mov
Appeasing the Gatekeepers. There are many.
A wise man once asked, "If your script falls in the forest and nobody reads it, any chance you get the job?" You've spent months agonizing over plot, chara
When a major studio produces a movie, they’re footing the bill. They’ve got the financial resources to pay for everything from script development to the final edits, and are taking a very carefully ca
Every successful director has been asked at some point or another to share their wisdom with an new generation of eager hopefuls, and they all have their own take on how to get started in the business
Every year, there are over 200 major film festivals in North America, drawing thousands of fans who come to see the best in independent filmmaking. Most are open to international submissions, some cel
If one of the things you like best about going to the movies is that there are no ads to interrupt the drama, you’re only seeing half the picture. Movies are packed with advertising – but when it’s do
