Advice

I’ve been a freelance writer for about eight years now. I got my start with a series of historical novels – Agent of Rome – first published in 2011. I was teaching at the time but determined to make writing my career, even when the cheques from the publishers began to dry up! It was quite difficult to begin with but I’ve stuck at it and it’s gradually got easier over time. I work with a wide variety of clients, mainly from the States, usually writing novels, screenplays and content for computer...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? I have some content here for you that is sure to get the creative juices flowing, so grab your coffee and let's dive in.  First up, Cinecom.net has a great way for you to stay creative between gigs - shooting a library epic B-roll. In this video, they give you 10 simple steps to shoot really extraordinary B-roll footage of literally anything you have lying around your house. Cinematic footage of a coffee cup is sure to come...

Artificial intelligence is radically changing the world and it will RADICALLY change screenwriting. Elon Musk predicts that over half the cars sold in 2030 will be autonomous. This requires artificial intelligence capable of observing and reacting like a driver does today— only better. Musk says that by 2040 cars with steering wheels will be like people riding horses today. It will be for those who enjoy something historical. As a screenwriter, you need to realize your world is being transfo...

From the devastating loss of a loved one, to job loss and medical issues in the time of Coronavirus, I have personally dealt with trauma and loss from many angles. Despite all that, people around me always compliment me on my sunny attitude and ability to get up when I’m knocked down. I want to help you use your struggles as a means of unleashing your creative power not only as a way of healing yourself, but as fuel for your creative career.     Take Time to Process the Grief My partne...

First of all, they don’t come from other people’s movies! IN THE BEGINNING Let’s start at the top. Back when most of the really enduring film scores were written, directors were expected to have cross-training in a wide range of entertainment disciplines. Moreover, composers were expected to be masters of music theory. Today, the tight focus of a film school education on the tools we need to get working has eroded the vocabulary and habits that come with a classical performance education. W...

We’ve all heard the myth about the starving artist. This is the myth that artists need to suffer for their art if they want respect as an artist. This crazy myth has been around for over 150 years and unfortunately many artists today still believe it. The myth started in 19th century Paris with a group of artists who lived passionately for their art, but also lived in poverty. The artists were nicknamed “the water drinkers” because they couldn’t afford to drink wine. Writer Henry Murger wrote...

Podcasts are a unique way to communicate with a desired group of listeners in an episodic format. Podcasts are designed to appeal to a niche audience; therefore you have the opportunity to zero in on exactly who you want to talk to and what your topics should be. You’re straight-up targeting people. You never know… Your thoughts and opinions could very well resonate with a horde of like-minded folks and maybe even sway some of those that have different opinions than what you chat about on your...

I’ve been a member of Stage 32 since 2014. I have taken full advantage of pitching opportunities, webinars, contests and networking with other members since then. I have a Theater Arts degree from Northwestern University. Not surprisingly, I spent my post college years doing theatre, including stage managing at the Groundlings Theater and New Regency Productions in LA. I moved to Denver in the late 90s. There I met a guy who would become one of my dearest friends and writing partner, Scott Gib...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! What did you create this week? What projects are you excited about? No matter what creative pursuits you are working on right now, I've got some content this week that is sure to stir up some creativity and ideas. Grab your coffee and let's get started.  First up, the folks over at Film Riot have put together a quick video to help you start writing your screenplay. We all shudder in the face of the black page, but this video has some great tips on how to leap over...

We can all agree that it’s nigh impossible for a finished film to be even 90% close to the original screenplay. Budget and logistic constraints can be very limiting for the filmmaker and often the creative vision changes according to the ebbs and flow of the production. Locations are changed, dialogues are added, and sometimes even characters are edited out. As a result, when the filmmaker has finished post and is busy procuring deliverable material required by film festivals or the distributo...