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THE NEW SPEC STYLE
by David Trottier

There has been a lot of talk lately about the new spec formatting style. Throughout the years there has been a movement toward “lean and clean” screenwriting: shorter screenplays, shorter paragraphs, shorter speeches, more white space and the omission of technical instructions. It should come as no surprise that this gradual evolution continues to refine spec style. Let's take a quick look at where things stand at this moment in time.

The Technical Stuff
Let's start with what's forbidden. Do not write CONTINUED at the top and bottom of each page unless your software won't let you disable it. Do not write “continuing” or “CONT’D” as a parenthetical when a character continues his dialogue after a paragraph of narrative description. Do not number your scenes.

Avoid camera directions: ANGLE ON, CLOSE ON, POV, PAN, DOLLY WITH, TRUCK, ANOTHER ANGLE, ZOOM, PULL BACK TO REVEAL, ZIP PAN, CRANE SHOT, ECU, WE SEE and so on. Avoid editing directions: CUT TO, DISSOLVE TO, IRIS, WIPE. Use a technical direction only when absolutely necessary to move the story forward. That might be two or three times in a screenplay. Direct the camera without using camera directions. “Tears fall from her eyes” has to be a close up; no special camera angles or camera directions are needed to convey that.

MORE
In the past, when dialogue continued from the bottom of one page to the top of the next, you typed MORE (in parenthesis) below the dialogue, and then typed “cont'd” (in parenthesis) next to the character's name at the top of the next page. You still do, but only when you absolutely have to. Ideally, your dialogue should be so lean that you don’t have to use MORE at all. Just move the entire dialogue block to the top of the next page or cheat a little on your bottom margin to get that last line in at the bottom of the page. (Warning: Do not cheat on your script margins and dialogue margins.)

Parentheticals
Use actor's instructions (parentheticals) sparingly; don't direct the actor in how to say his lines unless the subtext is unclear. You've also read that since executives only read dialogue or just a few pages, that you should include some action as a parenthetical to help improve the read.

There's truth in both statements. Let's be honest, executives are getting younger, often lack a creative background, and are asked to read more. The result is they read less. But readers (professional story analysts) read everything, after which they make their recommendation to the executive or producer. It's that recommendation that places your script in the running for a deal.

In view of that, continue to use parentheticals sparingly, but consider taking occasional opportunities to add a line of action (about three to six words) as a parenthetical if doing so adds movement to the scene or a greater sense of the character’s emotions. And don't be afraid to write brief description. Film is still a primarily visual medium.

How Lean is Lean?
Try to keep your screenplay within 110 pages (with 120 being the max). Paragraphs of narrative description should not exceed four lines. As a general rule, each paragraph should focus on an image, action or story beat. Thus, paragraphs will often be only a line or two in length. Include specific details, but only details that reveal character or move the story forward. You create atmosphere or mood by the descriptive words you choose.

In your narrative description, CAPS should only be used for a character's first appearance and technical directions (which should be rare). If you wish, you may CAP sounds, the words on signs, and the words after a SUPER (superimposition). Do not CAP props or other important words. Avoid the use of CAPS because it makes a script more difficult to read. Do not name specific pieces of music unless you own the rights to them or they are in the public domain.

Dialogue
Dialogue lines should not exceed 3.5 inches in width. Ideally, dialogue should consist of one or two lines, maybe three. (Yes, there are exceptions to everything.)

Author's Intrusion
Generally, you should stay out of the script. Shane Black made “author's intrusion” hip. Here's just one example from page 91 of The Last Boy Scout: “Remember Jimmy's friend HENRY, who we met briefly near the opening of the film? Of course you do, you're a highly paid reader or development executive.” Shane Black can get away with that; you and I can't. But having a personal writing style can add a lot to the read. I loved reading Romancing The Stone. The first line begins, “A size 16-EE boot kicks through the door ... ” I came away thinking that Diane Thomas had a lot of fun writing that story. I had a lot of fun reading it.

What Can I Use?
Use the MONTAGE, the SERIES OF SHOTS, the INSERT, the INTERCUT (usually for phone conversations), the FLASHBACK and SUPERs. Use these for dramatic or comedic purposes (or for clarity or ease of reading), not to dress up the script. I have a copy of the original Basic Instinct spec script by Joe Eszterhas -- the one he sold for $3 million. There is not a single DISSOLVE, CUT TO, ANGLE ON, SERIES OF SHOTS or fancy technique in his entire 107-page script. Only scene headings (slug lines), description, and dialogue -- that’s it. His focus is on telling a story through clear, lean, unencumbered writing.

The Bottom Line
Keep in mind that your audience is the reader of your script (not moviegoers), and that he/she is weary of reading scripts. So don't encumber his read with technical directions and a lot of words written in CAPS. Just let the story flow like a river. That river will flow if you use visual, clear and concrete language that directs the eye without directing the camera, and touches the heart without dulling the senses.

Finally, don't get paranoid about formatting rules; the story is the thing. Reasonable people disagree on the small points of formatting. Readers don't care if you indent 10 spaces or 12 spaces for dialogue, just so long as it looks “about right,” has a clean appearance and (most importantly) reads well. Hopefully, your lean script will earn you a fat check.

Dave Trottier is the author of The Screenwriter's Bible -- now in its third edition -- which contains the latest on formatting, spec style, script marketing, writing guidelines, and more. In his capacity as screenwriter and script consultant, he has developed projects for, among others, the Walt Disney Company, Jim Henson Pictures, New Century and York Entertainment. For more information on Trottier, his books, formatting software and script-consulting services, visit his web site at http://www.keepwriting.com or call at 1 (800) 264-4900.

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Do You Write or Type
by David Kohner Zuckerman

When I was 21, I fancied a long-legged French beauty named Vanessa. Her father John Flynn was a director, which was a great bonus for me, since I not only aspired for Vanessa, but to one day become a screenwriter or producer.

	David Zuckerman

In part because Vanessa and I were dating, John thankfully hired me on as a production assistant for a film he was directing at the time called Best Seller, which, for those of you still reading, starred James Woods and Brian Dennehy.

As you can probably tell by now, John was a really cool guy. And aside from hiring me on his movie, he also took an interest in my short story and scriptwriting. “How’s it going with the writing?” John asked me one time when I came to visit Vanessa.

Of course, during the six months Vanessa and I were dating, there were times when my writing wasn’t going so well. This happened to be one of those instances. I explained to John I was having a problem with dialogue, and he responded with a question: “Do you write or type?” he asked.

I told John I always was a hunt-and-pecker, and he said, great, that in order to fix my dialogue problem, what I should do is grab a favorite book, and just start typing a dialogue heavy section of it word-for-word, until my creative block went away through osmosis. John, who read and wrote a lot himself and had quite a bit of experience dealing with screenwriters, said that this worked for him and was the best advise he had for anybody suffering from an ugly case of bad dialogue.

I thanked John for his advice and went on to hang out with Vanessa.

For a very long while, nearly every time I’d come to the house to visit Vanessa at night, John would ask me how my writing was going.

Now at this point in the story I suppose it’s fair to tell you that John was a drinker, which might explain why every time he’d ask me once again how my writing was going, before I could get a word out, he’d follow up quickly with his second favorite question: “Do you write or type?”

I must admit that I never followed John’s advice. I just think that it would be a little weird that when suffering from writer’s block I should grab a Faulkner off the shelf and just start copying it word-for-word. It wouldn’t be plagiarism but it would feel like it.

Nonetheless, anytime a writer tells me she is suffering from a case of bad dialogue, John’s question automatically enters my head as if I were hypnotized. I then laugh, and have to ignore the memory voice so as not to automatically repeat it.

A few weeks ago I tried to explain here how important good dialogue is for screenwriting, and wanted to share some ideas on how to get there.

To improve your dialogue, I do recommend reading authors who write good dialogue. If we’re talking fiction, I recommend John O’Hara, Jim Thompson, Ernest Hemingway and Francoise Sagan. Screenwriters whose dialogue I admire include Ron Shelton, Richard Linklater and Lisa Cholodenko.

Another idea I have for writers who are having difficulty with dialogue is to practice just plain old listening. By the way, I find that this discipline also works well in personal relationships. I didn’t know this, however, back when I dated Vanessa, as she moved back to France soon after our relationship to follow in her Dad’s footsteps and pursue her own movie dreams.

I also think it’s a great idea to read your own dialogue out loud to yourself and/or to a trusted friend to see how it feels. Sometimes words seem to flow well on the page, but for one reason or another, fail when read aloud.

Of course, you are also free to try old John’s suggestion, whether or not you write or type.

David Kohner Zuckerman is a writer and producer who is also the president of ScriptCoach, a screenwriting consulting company that assists and supports writers. David has served as a producer on the films Catalina Trust, Chump Change (Miramax) and Lifetime’s recent Caught in The Act. His latest production, Strictly Sexual will be shooting this May. David now offers a 25% discount for his coaching services to all subscribers of the scr(i)pt magazine newsletter. You can find out more about David and ScriptCoach by visiting www.scriptcoach.com. David welcomes any comments or questions you might have about this column or anything else related to filmmaking. You can e-mail him at david@scriptcoach.com.

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Who's Buying What: Recent Hollywood Script Sales

Superstition
Horror
A scientifically conducted seance draws a deadly ghost that can shift reality to account for its existence. (03/30/2005) [Novel], [Spec]
Studio: Paramount
Production Company: Radar Pictures, Platinum Dunes
Producers: Ted Field, Joe Rosenberg, Mike Weber, Michael Bay, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller
Writer: David Ambrose, Neal Marshall Stevens
Agency: International Creative Management (LA)
Representatives: Jon Huddle
Comments: Neal Marshall Stevens wrote this as a spec based on the novel by David Ambrose.

Turistas
Thriller
Backpacking across Brazil, six college students get stranded in the jungles and imprisoned by a military group. (03/30/2005) [Script]
Production Company: 2929 Entertainment, Stone Village Productions
Producers: Todd Wagner, Mark Cuban, Scott Steindorff, Scott LaStaiti
Writer: Michael Ross
Agency: Endeavor
Stars: Josh Duhamel
Comments: John Stockwell will direct.

Head Case
Comedy
The relationship between a highly ranked tennis player and his sports psychologist. (03/30/2005)
Studio: New Line
Production Company: Punch Productions
Producers: Dustin Hoffman
Writer: Jim Burnstein, Garrett Schiff, David Wiger
Agency: International Creative Management (LA), Management 360
Representatives: Jon Huddle, Doug Johnson
Stars: Dustin Hoffman
Update: 3/30/2005: Jim Burnstein and Garrett Schiff will rewrite the script by David Wiger.
 
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Enter now to win a free Dr. Format Proper Formatting Technique class from Writers University, a $129 value!

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About the class: Let Dave Trottier (Dr. Format himself) show you the necessary techniques and currently accepted standards that will set your script apart from the heap. Not only will he teach you the rules, he will show you when and how to break them. By applying Dave’s formatting techniques, you will write more compelling description and sharper dialogue. That’s because formatting is not just a box to dump your story into, it is part of the story itself -- it’s a writing tool that will enhance your story and help you create a reader-friendly screenplay. The course includes five lessons (in four weeks) and several exercises to sharpen your skills. In addition, Dave will provide a complete critique of your three-page writing sample as well as evaluate your homework. And you can ask him questions.

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Join in the conversation!

"DocuDrama Formatting"
Posted by Chad Sekerchak (Guest)

I'm wondering if anyone has some suggestions on scene formatting versus montage usage within my script. For dramatic scenes I follow normal formatting. But for many scenes that are documentary in style, I'm wondering if I should format them differently. These scenes will not be acted out by actors. They will be scenes of real historical footage or newspaper clippings. I switch between the two types of styles throughout the script so I'd like to get a feel for the format before writing the first draft. For example, here is part of the opening sequence in two formats. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Message URL: http://www.scriptmag.com/dcforum/DCForumID13/102.html

CENTURY CITY SCRIPT COMPETITION
The 2nd Annual Century City Screenplay Competition is now accepting entries. Submission deadline is March 31st. The fest’s top 30 scripts are submitted to producers, agents and managers with winning writers invited to an awards party to meet VIPs. All submissions receive at least two reads from industry pros and feedback is e-mailed back to all scripts submitted. For more info, log on to http://www.CenturyCityFilmFestival.com/index.html.

The Contest of Contest Winners
Deadline August 1, 2005 - Entry Fee: $50. There are dozens of screenwriting competitions, but which screenplay from among the winners of all of these quality competitions is the best of the best? The Contest of Contest Winners™ hopes to answer that question and demonstrate that your screenplay has stood apart against the toughest kind of competition. A priceless marketing tool for your screenplay! In The Contest of Contest Winners, after the first round of judging, all scripts will receive MULTIPLE evaluations from fellow writers and experts. Unlike other contests, one person having a bad day won't ruin your shot at the brass ring. This checks and balances system of having two or more reads costs us more, but it promises fairness and a better chance the best work will win. In addition to the $1,000 First place cash award, ScriptDoctor.com, an award-winning script consulting consortium will go all-out to publicize the winner and their top 10 finalists as a key element of the prize in this "ultimate" contest. All entrants will receive a valuable gift certificate for PowerStructure. The winner shall receive: A cash prize of $1,000.00, story notes (valued at over $400.00), a personal referral from a partner at ScriptDoctor.com who has worked for many years as a senior story analyst at DreamWorks SKG and continues there in a freelance capacity, and a copy of FrameForge 3D storyboard software. Finalists will receive a gift certificate from The Writers Store and software from Final Draft.

The Austin Film Festival has added a new award to our Screenplay Competition.
We have the Adult/Family category containing all genres from Drama, Western, Horror, Thriller, Sci-Fi, Historical, etc.
We also have the Comedy category including slapstick, romantic, black comedy, etc.
($40 entry fee each submission)
Winner (one per category) receives: $5,000 cash; hotel and airfare reimbursement up to $500 each -- excluding frequent flyer miles; Bronze AFF Typewriter award.
NEW Burnt Orange Award: Your script must already be entered in the Adult/Family or Comedy category to be eligible for this award. The AFF and Burnt Orange Productions are looking for the best script to be FILMED here in Central Texas -- not necessarily set in Texas. Lots of movies are made here every year -- Miss Congeniality, The Faculty, The Rookie, Home Fries, etc. The Burnt Orange Award winner will still be eligible to win the Adult/Family or Comedy Award.
Burnt Orange Winner receives: $2,500 cash; hotel and airfare reimbursement up to $500 each -- excluding frequent flyer miles; Bronze AFF Typewriter award; and OPPORTUNITY to have your script produced by Burnt Orange Productions.
(there is an additional $20 fee for submissions)
Postmarked deadline for Screenplay Competition is May 16, 2005. Please e-mail the screenplay competition director at dawn@austinfilmfestival.com with any questions.

IFP SUBMISSION TIME!
IFP/Los Angeles is now accepting submissions for its annual Screenwriters Lab that takes place in Los Angeles this June and July. Submissions must be postmarked by April 11 to be eligible. Sponsored by the Writers Guild of America, the Screenwriters Lab is an intensive and highly selective seven–week program for screenwriters in which participants work with experts to develop their feature projects. A maximum of 10 writers are accepted each year. Past instructors include pros such as Jeff Stockwell (The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys), Barbara Turner Pollock, (The Company) and Lee David Zlotoff (The Spitfire Grill). Among the guest lecturers this year are Allison Anders, Jose Rivera, Don Roos, Audrey Wells and Mike White. For an application and more information, log on to http://www.ifp.org, or call Wendy Wegner at (310) 432-1275.

2005 Santa Barbara Script Competition
The Santa Barbara Script Competition's mission is to identify quality material which we will option for a cash prize, put into development and, should the material measure up, move into production by our production company, Santa Barbara Film Partners.
http://www.santabarbarascript.com
Entry fee: $40.00
Prize structure
Grand Prize - $2,000 Option
First Prize - $750
All winners will also receive screenwriting-related books, materials and or software.
Special cash award for regional writer to be awarded to a South Coast resident. (Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo counties in California)
Deadlines:
June 30 - Close of regular submissions.
July 31 - Late deadline; submissions accepted with $50.00 payment.
Schedule of Announcements:
Announcement of five finalists - September 30
Announcement of winners - October 30
Staged Reading: December 5
Contact: Geoff@santabarbarascript.com

The Find the Funny Screenwriting Competition has announced their 2004 finalists:
Bachelor of The Year by Ruth Campbell
Big Pimpin' by Darryl Smith and Greg Gutman
Big Turkey by Bruce Griffiths and Simon Dodd
The Christopher Walken Society by George Melrod
Dead Man Running by Terence Loose
Death Be Not Stupid by Glen Merzer
The Funky Chicken by Stephen Michael Stauning
Hot Pink by Josh Shultz & Mike Aisen
I'm With Cupid by Laurel DiGangi
Mrs. Suarez by Beth Danesco
Natural Selection by Wenonah Wilms
The Scenic Route by Camille LaGuire
Spontaneous by Joe Wilson
Westford Academy vs. Dr. Apocalypso by Scott D. Kline
RUNNERS UP:
The Banana Hunter by Ellwyn Kauffman
I Love Lucidity by Doug Molitor
Molly Bit The Big One by Tom Ortiz
The Platinum Shark by Thomas Johnson
Prince Test by Rachel W. Opensky
Contest info:
http://www.moviebytes.com/ContestDetail.cfm?contestnumber=791

Final Draft’s 6th Annual Big Break! International Screenwriting Contest Increases Prize Value to $15,000
Winner to Receive $15,000 in Cash and Prizes Plus Meetings with Industry Professionals
Our 6th annual Big Break! International Screenplay Contest has added more valuable prizes! Microsoft Corporation has just become our 2005 Premier Sponsor and is donating a Tablet PC, loaded with software, to the top three finalists. The winner is also awarded $10,000 cash, plus meetings with industry professionals. The top 10 finalists will receive a copy of Final Draft scriptwriting software, a Microsoft software package, a screenwriting course from Gotham Writers’ Workshop, one-year subscriptions to Fade In and scr(i)pt magazines and a gift certificate from The Writers Store.
Big Break! is an annual, global screenwriting competition designed to promote emerging creative talent. Many of the previous years’ winning scripts have been produced or optioned. Entries will be accepted until June 15. For more information about the Big Break! Contest, visit http://www.bigbreakcontest.com.

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Tahoe/Reno International Film Festival (T-RIFF) presents a five-day exploration of discovery through soul stirring and spirited independent film contributions that opens the hearts and minds of movie-lovers. With our eyes on the success of the nouveau talent, we have made a personable and intimate networking marketplace in our hospitality center for meetings and socializing. In addition to screening a rare and diverse spectrum of films, T-RIFF hosts Workshops, Tributes, Parties, a Gala and a Short Script Competition, PAGES TO PICTURES. The winning screenplay will be produced into a film and screened during the festival.
FESTIVAL LOCATION: Films Screened in theaters and an outdoor natural Amphitheater, Sand Harbor, overlooking beautiful Lake Tahoe; Nevada’s most prestigious and magical outdoor venue. T-RIFF is headquartered in Incline Village, Nevada, a picturesque evergreen filled community located on the panoramic North Shore of Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America. Our region is a mecca for sailing, fishing, mountain biking, hiking, golf, winter sports and an ample night life including casino gaming. The scenic drive around the lake is considered by many, the most magnificent in America, a filmmakers dream. Our community is teeming with culturally-creative and environmentally savvy residents, all of which promises to make your vacation interesting and thought-provoking.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF T-RIFF: Our offices are headquartered in a $6.7 million facility (your hospitality center) funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation. T-RIFF is one of 11 non-profit organizations chosen to be housed in this model collaborative project for the world, the first of its kind in the nation. Operating since 1999, we have produced approximately 150 educational events in the literary and multimedia arts. T-RIFF holds ongoing screenings, screenwriting courses, filmmaking classes, TV Production workshops, owns and operates Lake Tahoe Public TV.
For More Information: http://www.t-riff.org and e-mail tahoefilmfest@aol.com

IFP CONFERENCE!
IFP is gearing up for its 27th Annual IFP Market & Conference. The event will take place September 18-23 in New York City. If you seek movie financing, international/domestic sales, completion funding or production partners, this market is a great place to access industry execs face-to-face. The festival attracts hundreds of financiers, buyers, distributors, broadcasters, development execs, agents and festival VIPs. Comprised of more than 1,000 targeted pitch and business meetings, dozens of networking events, screenings and seminars, the conference offers a convenient opportunity for writers and other seekers to introduce new film and TV projects to the industry. IFP also sponsors various screenwriting contests associated with the conference. For more information log on to www.ifp.org, e-mail at marketreg@ifp.org or call IFP New York at (212) 465-8200.

LEARN TO WRITE A MILLION DOLLAR SELLING SCREENPLAY
Sat & Sun, June 4th & 5th
Learn from a master, studio-produced screenwriter Chris Soth in a private intensive, Million-Dollar Screenwriting Seminar Saturday and Sunday, June 4th and 5th from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. in the Director's Room, Holiday Inn, 2005 N. Highland, Hollywood (323-876-8600, hollywoodholidayinn@sunstonehotels.com).
Chris will introduce his revolutionary new Mini-Movie Method of story design, where a two-hour movie is structured as eight 15-minute films. Though they have been used since the beginning of filmic storytelling, Mini-Movies or “sequences” are an industry secret not taught in any other course, book or seminar -- even film schools don't cover them with the depth, scope and breadth that Millon-Dollar Screenwriting will. Once you learn these secrets, you'll never go back to the ordinary three-act structure again!
CHRIS SOTH, B.A. in Dramatic Literature, M.F.A. Screenwriting, sold his screenplay, Firestorm, to Fox Studios for $750,000 while still a student at USC Film School. He has since made more than a million dollars as a screenwriter and taught at USC and UCLA. And he believes anyone can do it -- Chris developed The Mini-Movie Method to teach the best and simplest techniques available in the most efficient and illuminating way to anyone who wants to write a screenplay. Unlike other screenwriting seminars, Million-Dollar Screenwriting is a practical, hands-on, step-by-step, method, taught by a professional screenwriter who is pitching, selling and working in the industry RIGHT NOW. Learn how smaller sequences can lead to bigger bucks in just one weekend.
Capacity is limited to 50 students and seats are still available through http://www.MillionDollarScreenwriting.com. For further information, please contact Mr. Soth through the web site or at chrissoth@aol.com.

THE SEVENTH ANNUAL SCREENWRITING CONFERENCE IN SANTA FE
Surrounded by the majestic beauty of the mountains, and close to historic downtown Santa Fe, the seventh annual Screenwriting Conference in Santa Fe (SCSFe) is going to be the best yet. Part of The Santa Fe Film Arts Institute, working with Governor Bill Richardson’s task force to make New Mexico a filmmaker’s mecca, SCSFe 2005 will once again bring writers together with the best screenwriting mentors as well as Hollywood producers and agents.
Academy classes at SCSFe 2005 will be offered by Jeff Arch (Sleepless in Seattle), Chris DeVore (The Elephant Man) and Danny Rubin (Groundhog Day). The Screenwriting Symposium focuses on the craft of screenwriting, and features returning favorites like Gerald DiPego (The Forgotten) and Daniel Pyne (The Manchurian Candidate), as well as new additions like Ross LaManna (Rush Hour), looking to help you make that great script even better.
The Hollywood Connection, formerly The Producers Seminar, offers the widest range of choices yet to get your script into the right hands. Some of the films produced by this year’s representatives and their companies include Kill Bill, Real Women Have Curves, The Last Castle, Agent Cody Banks and The Truman Show, as well as the award-winning HBO series The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Sex and The City.
Take a break poolside at The Radisson Santa Fe (SCSFe’s new home), be inspired by breathtaking scenery, network at some of Santa Fe’s best haunts and don’t forget the Actors’ Choice Awards screenwriting competition.
It's five days you can’t afford to miss -- SCSFe 2005, June 1-5 at the fabulous Radisson Santa Fe. Please visit the web site (www.scsfe.com) or call toll-free (866) 424-1501.

12 STEPS TO AN INDIE
A seminar called “How to Beat the Odds In Hollywood/12 Steps to an Independent Film,” is taking place April 22nd thru the 24th at the Wyndham Hotel at Franklin Plaza in Philadelphia. Among the topics covered will be directing, line producing and seeking distribution. Instructors include Jessica Russell (Zinkler Films); John Fasano, (When Darkness Falls/The Jessica LynchStory); Michaels Stefanik, (RMS Productions) and Entertainment Attorney John Cones. Seating is limited. Online subscribers of scr(i)pt magazine will receive 50% off the regular admission price of $149.00. For more info, please log on to www.vegasscript.com or call (719) 687-2167.

SPRING STORYTELLER SERIES
Mega-writers Nora and Delia Ephron, Darren Starr and Robert Towne are headlining the Writer’s Guild Foundations’s upcoming Spring Speaker Program. The Guild’s Storyteller series will be held at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills. Scribe Phil Rosenthal and his award-winning writing staff of Everybody Loves Raymond are also featured guests in this special four-part series. All programs start at 7:30pm. The series schedule is as follows.
Thursday, April 28th – Darren Star. Debuting with the hit youth dramas Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place, Star instantly managed to tap into America’s cultural zeitgeist. He continued on that plane with the HBO smash hit, Sex and the City. Other credits include, Grosse Pointe, The Street and Miss Match. Moderator: Robin Schiff (Sex and the City).Thursday, May 26 – Robert Towne. Academy Award® winner for the classic noir drama Chinatown. Other credits include The Last Detail, Shampoo, Mission: Impossible, Tequila Sunrise (which he also directed) and The Firm. Thursday, June 2 – Secrets of a #1 Sitcom: Inside the Writers’ Room with Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal and his award winning staff, including Tom Caltabiano, Leslie Caveny, Tucker Cawley, Mike Royce, Lew Schneider, Mike Scully, Aaron Shure, Steve Skrovan and Jeremy Stevens. Moderator: Charlie Hauck (Home Improvement). Tuesday, June 7 – Nora and Delia Ephron. The writing duo have collaborated on the hit screenplays for This is My Life, Michael, You’ve Got Mail, Hanging Up and the upcoming Bewitched. Nora Ephron has written or co-written Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally, and Sleepless in Seattle, receiving Academy Award® and Writers Guild Award nominations for each. A Special Package Price is available for purchasing all four programs: $80 – general admission; $65 – WGA members and academic faculty; $50 full-time students. Individual Tickets: $25 – general admission, $20– WGA members and full-time academic faculty, $15 – students with valid I.D. Individual and series tickets can be purchased by credit card by calling the Writers Guild Foundation at (323) 782-4692, or on the Foundation’s web site
at www.WGFoundation.org.
The Writers Guild Theater is located at 135 S. Doheny Dr., south of Wilshire Blvd.
in Beverly Hills. Produced by the Writers Guild Foundation, the monthly Writers on Writing series showcases a noteworthy motion picture or television writer or writers each month. Writers may talk about a recent work, their approach to the craft, career development, Hollywood experiences, work methods and tactics for survival in what is commonly considered a notoriously difficult industry. An audience Q & A follows each interview. The Writers Guild Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization established in 1966 to support and promote excellence in writing, to preserve the history of screenwriting as an art form, and to provide educational opportunities for professional writers and students alike.

Speaker Series - Writer/Director JOHN LEE HANCOCK
Saturday, April 9, 2005 - Universal Studios
Scriptwriters Network welcomes Writer/Director John Lee Hancock as our guest speaker. Credits include: the Clint Eastwood-directed hits A Perfect World, starring Eastwood and Kevin Costner and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil; developed and produced the hit family film My Dog Skip, starring Kevin Bacon, Diane Lane and Frankie Muniz; directed the Disney hit The Rookie, starring Dennis Quaid, and The Alamo. Television credits include producing and writing for L.A. Doctors and Falcone.
Universal Studios, Building 3269, Rehearsal Hall B. Doors open 1:00 p.m.; speaker at 2:00. Refreshments served. Admission: Members FREE; non-members - $10 ($5 for members of Women in Film, WGA and IFP). YOU MUST RSVP NO LATER THAN THURSDAY, APRIL 7 IN ORDER TO ATTEND via hotline (323-848-9477) or our web site (info@scriptwritersnetwork.org). Please be sure to give your name and the name(s) of any guest(s) attending with you.

SEMINAR SERIES - Author/Screenwriter STEVEN BARNES
Saturday, April 16, 2005 - CBS/Radford Studios
On Saturday, April 16, we welcome author/screenwriter Steven Barnes as our Seminar Series speaker. He will encompass the Lifewriting approach to plot/character balance, exploring the inner, dynamic life of the writer and the integrity of the final book or screenplay - linking a writing seminar and an advanced approach to sanity in the creative life.
Mr. Barnes has published 19 science fiction and fantasy novels, which have garnered Nebula and Hugo nominations, and won the 2004 Endeavor Award (Lion's Blood). His television work has been nominated for the Cable Ace award, and he wrote the Emmy-winning "A Stitch in Time" episode of The Outer Limits. He has taught writing and the structure of creativity at UCLA and Seattle University, as well as lecturing at USC, Pepperdine University, MENSA, the Pasadena Jet Propulsion Lab, the Smithsonian Institute and the Clarion science fiction workshop.
CBS/Radford Studios, Annex 1, 4024 Radford Ave. in Studio City. Doors open at 1:00 p.m., speaker to begin at 2:00. Refreshments served. Admission: Members - FREE; non-members - $10 ($5 for members of Women in Film, WGA and IFP). YOU MUST RSVP BY NO LATER THAN THURSDAY, APRIL 14 IN ORDER TO ATTEND via hotline (323-848-9477) or our web site (info@scriptwritersnetwork.org). Please be sure to give your name and the name(s) of any guest(s) attending with you.

ACT ONE has now extended the application deadline for its four-week summer screenwriting program through April 8. The Act One: Writing for Hollywood program, which takes place in Hollywood July 8 through August 6, prepares writers for careers in mainstream film and television. The Writing for Hollywood faculty is made up of a volunteer corps of the industry's top writers and producers, including Dean Batali (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, That 70’s Show), Barbara Hall (Joan of Arcadia), David McFadzean (Home Improvement, What Women Want), and Ralph Winter (X-Men, Fantastic Four). The program is intensive, lasting four weeks, 30-40 hours per week, and covering: the craft of writing (story structure, genre, character, formatting, etc.); how Hollywood works (what writers need to know about “the industry”); ethical and spiritual issues writers must consider; plus screenings and discussions with some very special guest speakers. Visit http://www.actoneprogram.com for more information.

HOLLYWOOD BY THE BAY
"A poll of 33% of our Pitch Session participants indicated that they sent out an average of three scripts each session, that's three chances for a sale ... "
On Thursday April 28th Hollywood by the Bay presents the next Spec Script Marketplace Pitch Session of the year. Don't miss this opportunity to pitch your screenplay to leading Hollywood producers, agents, managers and entertainment lawyers seeking new material and writers for all genres. When: Thursday, April 28th, 6pm - 9 pm Where: The Olympic Collection, 11301 Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90064 Cost: Still just $119.00! Improve your chance of success at our Pitch Sessions by signing up for the Pitch Perfect Program. Led by Hollywood veterans Devorah Cutler Rubenstein and Ellen Sandler, the Pitch Perfect Program gives you an edge at pitch festivals and production meetings. Reserve your space today at http://www.hollywoodbythebay.com, or send a check or money order to Hollywood by the Bay, P.O. Box 733, Belmont, CA 94002, or call the office, M-F, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., ph: 877 801 9477. Hurry, we will sell out! For more information on Pitch Sessions click here http://www.hollywoodbythebay.com

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