If you have a story with a script or a premise without a story, I can bring your idea to life. I have a strong process that quickly gets your concept into a pipeline that Hollywood expects. From a story outline that organizes the script into four acts, to a detailed beat-by-beat scene outline to a final script, your idea is only four to six months away. A single session with a professional screenwriter can cost you $10,000 for two days of analysis. The same investment can buy you an entire month of screenplay development that is ready for professional agencies and studios to consider. I have the connections you need and the background to ensure that whatever we create will be ready for the industry.
All Genres Welcome
Regardless of when and where your story takes place, I can help you get your story finished without cliches that will get your script rejected instantly. I am also backed up by several professionals to ensure that we’re on the right track the entire time. I have solid experience writing science fiction, romantic comedies, horror, mystery as well as present-day and period pieces.
Industry Expectations Met
Some individuals understand the industry quite well. Others need help understanding what the insiders already know. I have spent the better part of the last 20 years understanding exactly what industry professionals want from writers. As you know the movie industry has been struggling for decades to find great scripts. The chances that you have the story they want have never been greater. Working together, I will be brutally honest with you about our odds. Together, we can make your story one of these viable options.
My Process
I have refined my process expressly with collaboration in mind. I use a series of documents to keep the process moving forward at maximum speed. The process is fun and extremely efficient. Here is the breakdown:
Scene Outline
Your story will be organized into four acts. If you’re familiar with the three-act format, then you should know that the four-act format is identical in length, but the second act is split into two acts keeping each act 30 minutes long totaling 120 pages. I have found that splitting the traditional act two into two acts makes it easier for all parties to understand.
Each act of the four-act system is broken down into an average of 12 to 15 scenes. These are captured in the form of bullets that are easy to understand for everyone involved. This high-level approach captures the core action of every scene. It allows us to determine whether or not a scene is valuable enough to remain in the script or if it needs to be re-engineered or erased for a better alternative.
Once complete, you will see your vision come to life. You will see the impact of your original premise and story breathe life.
Scene Breakdown
The scene breakdown is a beat-by-beat analysis of the scene outline. For each bullet in our outline, we break down every moment into beats to reveal the dimension and impact of every scene. We keep track of what circumstances enter a scene and what turn takes place to give the scene its value.
Once complete, the scene breakdown will run between 12 to 20 pages depending on the complexity of the script. One of the more complex areas where agents and professional script readers look for is the beat polarities. This is a delicate process that ensures that a scene isn’t filler or what is more traditionally referred to as an exhibition. This is an area where new writers struggle or fail to address together. I am a professional beat designer when it comes to polarity. I will ensure that the simplest scene develops the most powerful meaning to the overall story.
Script Draft One / Initial Script
Once we have the scene breakdown complete, we have all the pieces to begin writing the actual script. This process usually takes approximately two months. In rare cases where research is a crucial part of the script’s accuracy, this can be three months.
As the client and collaborator, you will receive dailies of the script as they occur or as often as you desire. Some clients like to have weekly updates instead of daily updates. The choice is yours.
Script Draft Two / Dialog & Action Refinements
Once the script exists in its initial form and we’ve had a chance to make any major changes, we enter the phase of refinement. This phase includes an all-encompassing set of improvements that slim down the overall writing and begins to give the characters a very special dialect and character. For instance, if a character speaks with an accent that is important to the character’s overall style, this is the phase where we start to lock down these unique elements. One of the common mistakes is to attempt this phase in initial writing before the logistical “from to” phases have been determined or before the value of a scene has been finalized. By delaying this phase into its own stage, we avoid stylistic phases that can lead to writer’s block.