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Romantically Hopeless - Animal Attraction

1/8/2019

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New Year, same Phil. Check out the newest episode of Romantically Hopeless, "Aminal Attraction"

​Kevin gives his friends cute animals to attract women. Except for Phil who gets a rat. 
#RomHopeless
Directed by David Wingert
 Starring David Pinion, Ray Carsillo, Shane Vargas, Mark Hill, Desiree Staples, Elizabeth Alton, Amanda James, Melanie Martin, and Marisa Dzinaters.
Music by Andrew Wingert. 

Director of Photography - Kyle Kull. Sound Engineer - Shawn Feehly
Special Thanks - Karina Oswald.
Producers - Jordan Imiola and David Wingert.
Edited by David Wingert

​Written by Jordan Imiola
Produced by ​@FunnyBuffalo Films and Better Management.
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Making Exposition Fun

10/25/2018

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by David Wingert

It’s the age-old problem every screenwriter has to face. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to slow down your script to explain something. There’s no avoiding it, the audience isn’t omniscient and if you avoid this step, you may run the risk of losing them. Exposition doesn’t have to be a burden or even a necessary evil. Here are nine ways to make exposition enjoyable and even memorable.


1. Show, Don’t Tell
The tried and true of all exposition. Movies are visual, so make the exposition something we can see. Slideshows, holograms, drawings, maps, miniatures, these have all been used to make meticulous details more fun and exciting.

2. Make it Dangerous
What if your life depended on just a few lines of exposition? If a forest fire was spotted near your home, wouldn’t you want to hear more information about it? “Dangerous Exposition” has basically become a brand name for the James Bond franchise. How many times has a villain taken the time to explain his plan to our captured hero? We heed his words, because the hero’s life may hang in the balance.

3. Make it a Mystery
Mystery movies basically have two storylines: the storyline we know—the one we’re seeing, and the one we’re trying to figure out. When did a murder take place? Who was there? How did it happen? This is all exposition, and it’s all the detective’s job to figure out. Leave the audience in the dark, shroud your information in mystery and they’ll be eager to listen.

4. Tell About the One Giving the Exposition
Who’s giving the information? How do they feel about it? Does it make them happy, sad, indifferent? How a character delivers exposition can say a lot about that person. Infinity War opens with one of Thanos’ loyal subjects spelling out for us who Thanos is and what he does, but he does it with such conviction and gusto that we learn almost as much about him as we do Thanos.  
5. Make it Someone’s Motivation
In the original Terminator, Kyle Reese gives a lot of exposition to Sarah Connor: who he is, what he’s doing here, where the danger is and what the future holds. However, we’re captivated by what he has to say because he came from the future to do so. If someone is making sacrifices to convey information, it tells us that whatever the information is it must be important. Otherwise, why risk telling us?

6. Make it a Secret
This isn’t to be confused with making it a “mystery.” Exposition that’s a mystery makes it a component of the “a” story—the protagonist needs to proactively figure it out. Information that’s a secret can come to us unexpectedly or even reluctantly. “What I’m about to tell you can’t leave this room.” Has anyone ever started a sentence, then stopped halfway only to say “No, I probably shouldn’t tell you this.” Doesn’t that make you want to hear it even more?

7. Keep a Brisk Pace
As is the case for most screenwriting, brevity is key. Trim dialogue and keep the characters moving—just because you have the audience’s attention now doesn’t mean you’ll keep it. Tell them what they need to know, and only what they need to know.

8. Interesting Scenarios
Throw some exposition in the middle of a chase scene. Break up a fight or a heated argument with some new information. Chances are good your audience will be retentive at such an exciting moment, and it also gives them a chance to breathe before the action picks up again. 

9. Interesting Information
Who says exposition needs to be boring? When we first learn about the “one ring,” Gandalf and Frodo are just sitting around talking about it. Nothing in the scene is exciting in its own right—they’re just sitting at a table smoking—but the exposition is so interesting that we don’t even notice. At the heart of every story should be an engaging premise—If your exposition needs work, this might be a place to start.

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MY 30 FAVORITE TV COMEDY episodes

9/17/2018

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 by Jordan Imiola

With the new Fall TV Season upon us, it's time to get excited for our favorite shows to come back. Most shows have good seasons and not-so-good seasons, but every now and again, I will watch a TV episode that is so good and so funny that it stays in my memory even years after seeing it. This is not only a list of shows that I love (and I've wirtten specs for 6 of them), but these are my absolute favorite episodes. 
#30 30 Rock - “Leap Day”  S. 6 Ep. 9 (2012) Written by Luke Del Tredici
"Real life is for March." Only 30 Rock could take a day nobody really cares about and make it sound like the best holiday ever! Jim Carrey guest stars as we learn about the legend of Leap Day Williams. The mythical figure who turns children’s tears into candy
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#29 Married - "Pilot"  S. 1 Ep. 1 (2014) Written by Andrew Gurland
The pilot is so relatable to couples (at least at some point of their relationship.) The show stayed solid for most of the first season, but then derailed from the Bowman family. It became more L.A. centric and when characters start talking about "the valley," I just want to scream at the TV "Only 2% of your viewers know what you're talking about!" The show became less relatable and more L.A. That's my theory on why it only lasted 2 seasons. Fantastic Pilot ​nonetheless.
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#28 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - “Kimmy Goes Outside” S. 1 Ep. 1 (2015) By Tina Fey and Robert Carlock
Kimmy leaves her cult for New York City and experiences the real world. The pilot was so good, but then the series became less grounded and got too silly, but another show that started off amaizng.
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#27 Friends - "The One with Phoebe's Wedding" S. 10 Ep. 12 (2004) By Robert Carlock & Dana Klein Borkow
Lisa Kudrow marrying Paul Rudd is my favorite Friends episode. Deal with it. After Phoebe fires Monica as her wedding planner, all chaos ensues and a blizzard makes everything go wrong for Phoebe's wedding. In the end, everyone works together and Mike and Phoebe get married in the snow outside Central Perk in a romantic Friends fashion. With only six episodes left in the series, they still got it right.
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​#26 New Girl - “Bob & Carol & Nick & Schmidt”  S. 5 Ep. 5 (2016) Written by Rob Rosell
Guest starring Bill Burr and directed by Jake Johnson, this episode showed that New Girl didn't need Jess  (Zooey Deschanel was on maternity leave) which is crazy unbelievable. This episode was that funny. This almost felt like a Friends episode (when Phoebe’s brother asks her to have his baby), but then it went in a totally new and hilarious direction.  The entire cast killed it in terms of comedy.
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#25 The Goldbergs - “Who Are You Going to Telephone?”  S. 1 Ep. 6 (2013) Written by Chris Bishop
For anyone who’s had a mother who cares too much, you can relate to Barry in this epiosde.  The B-storyline with Adam and Pops is also pretty uplifting when Pops wants to go trick-or-treating with his grandson, but Adam is getting too old.
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#24 Everybody Loves Raymond - "The Family Bed"  S. 2 Ep. 18 (1998) Written by Steve Skrovan
Everybody Loves Raymond is my Grandma's favorite show. My Grandma usually has good taste in TV except for the news. This episode just fills the heart and is a golden nugget in the amazing series. Raymond's daughter, Alley can't fall asleep in her own bed and everyone in the Barone family tries to fix this problem.
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#23 Dharma & Greg – “Old Yeller” S. 1 Ep 14 (1998) Written by Don Foster, Bill Prady, & Eric Zicklin
Before Chuck Lorre had The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, and ruled the comedy cicrut of CBS, he had Dharma & Greg on ABC. A show about a hippe flower child and an uptight lawyer who meet one day and marry each other that same day. The series is about how they stick to it. In this episode, Dharma buys a bus without Greg’s guidance and gives people free bus rides around San Francisco.
#22 The Drew Carey Show  - "The High Road to China" S. 4 Ep. 9 (1998) Written by Katherine Green
Mimi pulls her biggest prank ever by having Drew kidnapped and he's keft abandoned on the Great Wall of China. ​He wakes up with nothing and must find his way back to America.  It's all Drew and it's all comedy gold. Classic DCS. I wish Drew Carey became a late-night talk host when this show ended. Think he'd kill at that job like he did in this episode.
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#21 Growing Pains - “Ben’s Movie” S. 5 Ep. 25 (1990) Written by Shelly Landau
Ben makes a short film about a one-eyed alligator he flushed down the toilet who comes back for revenge. His movie was a school project, but also an excuse to film a bunch of girls in bikinis. The dialogue was a bit raunchy, ridiculous, but super funny for ABC.
#20 WKRP in Cincinnati "Pilot Part 1" S. 1 Ep. 1 (1978) Written by Hugh Wilson
1 name, "Dr. Johnny Fever!" This series was groundbreaking and the pilot set it up exceptionally. This episode follows the rule of comic opposites at it's best. The pilot is the day WKRP changed from "elevator music' to ROCK N' ROLL. The show only lasted 4 seasons and it took chances for a network comedy.
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#19 Seinfeld - "The Yada Yada"  S. 8 Eo. 19 (1997) Written by Peter Mehlman & Jill Franklyn
When I was in 4th grade, everybody watched Senifeld. NBC MUST SEE TV was MUST SEE TV back then. I specifically remember watching this on a Thursday night. The next day, Friday, all my teachers were saying yada yada yada this and yada yada yada that to everything they taught us.
#18 SMILF- "Run Bridgette Run or Forty-Eight Burnt Cupcakes & Graveyard Rum"  S. 1 Ep. 5 (2017) By Zach Strauss
Sometimes shows break their own rules too soon. For example, Riverdale hasn't been the same since that freaking musical episode in season 2. SMILF on the other hand, broke the show's rules in episode 5 and it surprisingly worked out. There's 4 chapters in this episode and it's not like any other episode in the series. It's "Father's Day For Mother's" according to Rosie O'Donel and it is one fun Father's Day to watch. Larry loses his Panda and Bridgette is on a mission in every chapter to find this panda.
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#17 Becker - "Barter Sauce" S. 4 Ep. 13 (2002) Written by ​Michael Markowitz
Growing up, CBS had a killer Monday night of comedy. Before the days of DVR, hits like "King of Queens" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" ruled Monday nights. But my absolute favorite was the last show of their 2 hour block, "Becker." It was Ted Danson being super unlikable and you loved him. Becker agrees to give free medical care to his friends in exchange for free food, magazines, and home maintenance. And It backfires on Becker and all his friends.
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#16 The Honeymooners - "The Man from Space"  S. 1 Ep. 14 (1955) Written by A.J. Russel & Herbert Finn
Classic comedy and an essential Honeymooners episode that premired on New Year's Eve 1955. Ralph and Norton get into a fight after Ralph wants to win a costume contest. It feels joyous to watch the comedy back then. If you want to study how TV comedy all started, this is a wonderful example.
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​#15 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - “Josh and I Go to Los Angeles” S. 1 Ep 13 (2015) Written by Aline Brosh McKenna
Rebecca Bunch finally gets what she wants from Josh Chan and it’s a moment that would change the course of the show forever. The fake boyfriend story-line was genius! Apparently nobody in West Covina has ever heard of the movie "Chinatown." Also, Rebecca faces her rival in the amazing Jewish American Princess Rap Battle.​
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#14 Roseanne - "Brain-Dead Poet's Society"  S. 2 Ep. 10 (1989) Written by Joss Whedon. 
An amazing mother-and-daughter story written by Joss Whedon. Yes, that Joss Whedon! The entire story revolves around a poem that Darlene doesn't want to write, but Roseanne makes her to write it anyway. Then Darlene gets picked to read the poem at a school recital, but she refuses. They spend so much time talking about the poem and when they finally have Darlene read it, it's so worth the wait.
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#13 Parks and Recreation - "April and Andy's Fancy Party" S. 3 Ep. 9 (2011) Written by Katie Dippold
April and Andy invite all their friends and relatives to their fancy party which is really a potluck. Then they tell everyone at the party that this is a surprise wedding. Leslie freaks out in Leslie fashion, but in the end, the couple gets married and it's one of the happiest marriages on television.
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#12 The Office - “Diversity Day” S. 1. Ep 2 (2005) Written by B.J. Novak
Let's face it, some TV shows just don't have good pilots. The American version of The Office is one of them. The 2nd episode is sooooo much funnier than the pilot. This episode has Michael fully developed and the jokes hit hard. Michael tries to teach racial tolerance and diversity. It's inappropriate, hilarious, and  feels like the first true epiosde of the of The Office.
#11 Aytypical - "A Nice Neutral Smell" S. 1 Ep. 4 (2017) Written by Annabel Oakes
I loved this show from the first episode! But this episode is the best so far. Paige shows some major romantic interest in Sam and when he finds out, he makes a list of pros and cons to see if she makes good girlfriend material. Paige discovers the list at a family dinner and confronts him in front of everyone.
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#10 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - "Pilot"  S. 1 E. 1 (2017) Written by Amy Sherman-Palladino
​The best thing about Amazon Prime before this show was fast shipping. Now, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is the best thing about Amazon Prime. Period. This pilot has everything. Drama, jokes, tragedy, humor, Lenny Bruce. I've watched it twice, went to the WGA library to read the script, and then watched it twice again. I can't stop loving this pilot. My favorite pilot ever.
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#9 Sanford and Son - “Superflyer”  S. 3. Ep 8 (1973) Written by Charles T. Williams and Ilunga Adell
The running gags, timing, and writing of Sanford and Son are impeccable. In Superflyer, Fred's uncle dies and Fred doesn't care or even remember his uncle until he finds out that his uncle left him $5,000. Only one problem, Fred and Lamont have to go to St. Louis to get the money and Fred has never taken a plane before. The Fear of Fred's Flying leads to comedy perfection. The "Are You Jackie?" running gag slays me every time.
#8 It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia - “Reynolds vs. Reynolds: The Cereal Defense”  S. 8 Ep. 10 *(2012) Written by Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, and Rob McElhenney
Dennis eats cereal when driving and gets into a car accident. Frank is the other car and he’s pretty much blind. The gang holds a court case in Paddy’s Pub to see whose fault it is. This episode starts off simple and takes a trip to Always Sunny Crazytown! It builds up to the gang fighting creationism vs. evolution. And Mac proves that Science Is a Liar Sometimes.
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#7 Shameless - "Home Sweet Homeless Shelter"  S. 7 Ep. 3 (2016) Written by Krista Vernoff
Every storyline for every character in this episode is major and true to their character core. Carl gets an STD scare when his girlfriend's father barges in the house wanting to kill him for giving his daughter chlamydia. Frank tries to replace his family with homeless people even renaming them. Kevin, Veronica and Svetlana start a topless maid service. My favorite moment is the end when Fiona turns a new leaf. She calls Lip "a little shit" and gives her family ultimatums if they want to live in the house, A badass moment from Fiona that changes the character forever.
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#6 Sanford and Son - “The Copper Caper”  S. 1 Ep 4 (1972) Written by Aaron Ruben
My favorite classic TV show and this episode is a laugh riot. Nobody delivered a joke like Redd Foxx.. I loved every move he made. In this episode,. Lamont tries to prove he’s cool when they buy copper from a white dude. Fred proves he’s a "big dummy" when they find out the copper is stolen. It’s also the first time we meet Officer Swanny and Officer Smitty. The funniest police officers in TV history.
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#5 The Office - “The Injury” (S. 2. Ep 13) 2006 Written by Mindy Kaling
Written by Mindy Kaling from one of the best seasons of any TV show ever. Michael injures his foot on a George Foreman grill and Dwight gets a concussion trying to help him. The cold open and sets this episode on a hilarious course that never stops being funny.
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#4 Broad City - “Pu$$y Weed” (S. 1 Ep. 2) Written by Abbi Jacobson & Ilana Glazer
The pilot of Broad City is good, but the second episode nailed the tone and direction of what Broad City would become. It’s also the first time we meet Lincoln (Hannibal Buress), and we get classic BC quotes like “Bed Bath & Beyond coupons never expire!” and “I am not a mom!” Need to know what this episode is about, look at the title.
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#3 I Love Lucy - “Job Switching” (S. 2 Ep 1) Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyne Pugh, & Bob Carrol Jr.
It may be the golden age of TV again, but Lucy was the Queen of the Original Golden Age. In the season 2 premiere, Lucy and Ethel think it’s easy to work in the real world. Ricky and Fred think it’s easy doing housework. Both parties learn not take their each other for granted. Who doesn’t remember the chocolate factory scene? “Speed it up, Otto!”
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#2 Parks and Recreation- “Harvest Festival”  S. 3 Ep 7. (2011) Written by Dan Goor
Season 3 of Parks and Recreation is spectacualr and is when Parks and Rec became Parks and Rec. Seson 1 is okay. Season 2 is good, but this season was gold. The first six episodes of season 3 was aviyt building up to the Harvest Festival. And it was even better than expected. This episode has the introduction of everyone's favorite minuture hourse, Lil’ Sebastian before Tom loses him and blames it on Jerry. The curse and the curse being lifted.April tells Andy for the first time, “I love you.” Andy replies, “Awesome sauce.”
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#1 The Simpsons - “Lisa on Ice”  S. 6 Ep. 8 (1994) Written by Mike Scully
Since I was a kid, this is has been the best half-hour of coemdy I’ve seen on television. Lisa and Bart play on rival hockey teams after Lisa proves she's a way better goalie than Milhouse. Not sure who to root for, Homer makes them compete for his fatherly love. It's a Lisa episode with a flawless blend of story, family togetherness, killer comedy, and heartfelt bliss. As a child, the "Kill Bart" double entendre blew my mind as to how jokes could work on different levels. This episode is perfect. My favorite episode of anything ever.
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Honorable mentions:
Boy Meets Wolrd - "The Fugitives"
Broad City - "Florida"
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - :The Young and the Restless"
​GLOW - "
Every Potato Has a Receipt"
The Office - "The Dundees"/"Casino Night"
Roseanne - "A Better Pill to Swallow"/"Inherit The Wind"
The Simpsons - "Lisa's First Word"
That 70's Show - "The Career Day"/"Kitty's Birthday (That's Today?!)"
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Anticipating Audience Reactions

8/30/2018

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by David Wingert

Have you ever known the plot of a movie before you even saw it? Has there ever been a pop-out scare that you saw coming from a mile away? Filmmaking is an eternal struggle to always stay one step ahead of the audience—Get too far ahead and they’re confused, fall behind and you’ve got a boring, predictable movie. Here are seven practices that can help you stay ahead of your audience.

1. Be A Skeptic
If you have even the slightest doubt about a scene, a page or a line of dialogue, chances are high the audience will notice. Everything you put on the page will be magnified on the screen, and it’s better to ask questions now so your viewer won’t be asking them in the theater.

2. Give Everything a purpose
This includes people, places and things. If Indiana Jones is afraid of snakes, give him a snake pit to explore. If a paleontologist hates kids, throw a couple little brats at him. If you have an exploding pen, use it! We tend to see “purpose” in the broader sense of a hero’s journey, but even Batman’s gadgets are setup to have some kind of conclusion in their own right.   

3. Red Herringz
Take advantage of stereotypes to trick the audience. Don’t use this too often, though, otherwise everything becomes a trick and nothing will seem genuine.

4. No Evil Deed Goes Unpunished
Give evil its comeuppance. Viewers demand justice, this is why Disney villains have a tendency to always fall off of cliffs. It even happens on smaller scales. Justice doesn’t always have to mean death, and it’s not always waiting just for the villain. The entire second half of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is built on this principle. Getting what you deserve can be as small as an inconvenience or a humiliation.

5. Give Action Consequences
It seems like this should be obvious, but people seem to overlook it all the time. Run through your script, and every time a character does something ask yourself: “Would it change anything if this never happened?” Or maybe the repercussions aren’t proportional to what the character does. Don’t be afraid to punish your protagonists for the decisions they make.

6. Know Your Genre
Keep your tone consistent. Different genres will warrant different expectations. If someone plants a bomb in a comedy, that will create expectations that are different from a drama. Genre can also dictate what the audience will allow you to get away with. Remember in “Airplane!” when the frantic passenger is slapped over and over again by a line of people waiting to slap her? Can you imagine any other genre that would allow that to happen?

7. Watch Movies
This can basically sum up all you’ll ever need to know. We’ve all grown up with the same movies and the same tropes. Some have aged better than others, but the only way to know is by seeing them for yourself. Watch older movies too: What still holds up? What’s become cliché? Just like movies change, audiences change as well, and it’s important to keep your finger on the pulse.   
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Lessons Learned from Shonda RhImes Master Class

7/19/2018

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by Jordan Imiola

Shonda Rhimes is a creative genius and a huge inspiration to many of us writers growing in the industry. My ultimate goal in ten years is be the Shonda Rhimes of TV Comedy. Showrunning and being the creator of several hit TV shows including many cult classics. That's the dream. So I took her Master Class to learn from the best and it's so worth the money. I recommend it to anyone who can afford it. but if you want to glance, here's some of the best advice I learned from her. 

- Write shows you want to watch
- When pitching, make sure to paint a picture, but not too specific a picture.
- Make your pitch is market-friendly.
- Get a group together to pitch together.
- Try to step into drama knowing what your ending is going to be. 
- For brainstorming 5 acts, divide the paper into 5 sections.
- Use themes to shape your episodes
- Treat the creative process like a muscle (Muscles have muscle memory). Work that muscle every day.
- Find the ritual that helps you write.
- Write to a schedule and Deadline.
- Don't allow for your own excuses
- Say all your dialogue out loud.
- In a pilot, create a character who guides the audience into this new world.
- Think what the Worst Case Scenario is for your character and do that.
- Pilots - The Opening and Ending Scenes are Key.
- Don't write cliches. If you've seen it before then it's cliche.
- Make things as interesting as possible.
- If you think in Act Breaks, it allows you to think something BIG.
- Build it in character.
- Make sure your characters talk like they know each other.
- Characters hold onto secrets.
- Don't fill your scripts with too much stage direction. Let the actors do more.
- Trust your gut.
- Your last moment should be surprising, but organic.
- Keep the dialogue sparse as possible. 
- Make sure each scene resonates.
- Say the script out loud and feel it. 
- Cut things that don't forward plot.
- It's important not to tell anyone about the script. You will then get true feedback.
- A note often means whatever you did isn't clear. Make sure they understand it.
- Know everyone is trying to make your writing better.
- Know when your script is cooked.
- Any staff writers that seem entitled, get rid of them.
- You want to have a great attitude. 
- Build a network of your peers.
- Walk a very professional line.
- Your pitches should center around your characters.
- TV writing is a race against time.
- Choose actors that spark something in your imagination. 
- Delegate and empower the people you work with.
- Stop reading emails except for once a day at the same time.
- Give time to yourself. (the work will always be there)
- You can't call yourself a writer unless you write every day. 
- A Work/Life Balance does not exist.
- Enjoy your accomplishments.  Celebrate your accomplishments. 
- Own your swagger. It's not bragging if you can back it up. 
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Movies That End With a “B” Story

6/23/2018

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by David Wingert

Starting a movie is easy, ending a movie is hard, and finding out how to get there is even harder. If you’re ever having trouble along the way, consider taking a step back and looking at your “b” plots. More movies end with a “b” story than you might think. Let’s look at a few famous examples, and see how they managed to pull this off.
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1. Lesser characters affected by the “a” story
​Let’s start with a fun example. One of the best moments in Back to the Future is all the unexpected changes Marty made to his own future: His siblings are now successful, he has a sweet new car and Biff Tannen himself has become a household maid. These are all side effects of Marty’s “a” plot, but established as “b” stories from the beginning. It’s not unusual for the “a” plot to effect side stories, Lord of the Rings ends with at least five of them. The stronger the “a” plot, the greater it’s affect will be on the rest of the story.  ​

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2. End on a gag.
​Sometimes the “b” plot doesn’t even need to be significant. The 2003 version of
Freaky Friday ends with two side characters—the little brother and the grandfather—in an argument that’s similar to movie’s inciting incident. It doesn’t amount to anything, it doesn’t change the main story arc, but it’s a fun teaser that leaves the audience with a fun laugh before the credits roll. This is a popular way to end comedies.

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3. ​Setup for a sequel  (The “Marvel” b story)
​Sometimes the “b” story we end on isn’t even the conclusion, sometimes it’s only there to carry us into the next movie.  At the end of 
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Gollum vows to kill Frodo and Sam…and then the movie ends. Revenge is a common motivation for these “b” plots: A minor character emerges from the rubble where the antagonist was destroyed, vowing to fulfill what the villain began. However, revenge isn’t always the motivator. A lot of the early Marvel movies ended on the same “b” plot: Nick Fury assembling a team of Earth’s mightiest heroes.

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4. Something the protagonist wanted to accomplish, but couldn't because of the "a" Story.
These can almost be considered a “victory lap” for our hero. They accomplished their goals, they have everything they need, but there’s one more thing that needs to be done. In
Hot Rod, this “one thing” was to beat his stepdad in a fight. After Rod pays for his stepdad’s heart surgery (the “a” plot) all that’s left is to beat him in a fight. This “b” plot is a little ridiculous, but after everything they had to go through to get there, it’s like having your cake and eating it too. Remember those bullies who made fun of our scrawny protagonist way back on page five? Now that he’s bulked up, got the girl and saved the day, let's go back and pay those bullies a visit.

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5. The protagonist finds a need/fullfilment in someone else's "b" story
Grab some Kleenexes for this one. Remember
Up? That ended on a “b” story. Russell wanted to earn his “assisting the elderly” badge, and in doing so he also helped Carl accomplish the “a” plot by reaching Paradise Falls. However, Russell unexpectedly encounters one final obstacle: he doesn’t have a father to help him receive the badge. Well guess what? Carl and his wife could never conceive. This gives Carl one final opportunity to do the things he and his wife could never do, thus fulfilling his “a” plot in a way he never expected.      

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6. A romance  b story
​Admit it, we all love a good romance “b” story. Even the most masculine men tear up a bit when Leia loses Han Solo to the carbonite chambers. Love stories have a satisfying completeness to them, which is why so many movies end on a romantic note even if the movie isn’t necessarily “romantic.” We don’t cut the film after King Kong falls to his death; first we need to see the sailor come to Fay Wray’s rescue. After Rocky goes the distance with Apollo Creed, he doesn’t feel complete until he finds Adrian in the crowd. In a lot of these cases, the romantic “b” story ends up being what the protagonists subconsciously wanted all along.   

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7. Echoes the themes of the “a” story
​This can be a very powerful way of ending your story. At the end of The Princess Bride
, we don’t close on Westley and Princess Buttercup riding into the sunset. Instead we watch as the grandfather, book in hand, closes the door to his grandson’s bedroom. When his grandson asks him if he’ll read the story again, he replies “As you wish.” This not only resolves their jaded relationship—which was a “b” story from the very beginning—but it helps to strengthen the theme of true love by reiterating the very phrase Westley would say to Buttercup. “B” stories should often reflect the struggles of the “a” plot to some extent. In Home Alone, Old Man Marley shared family issues just as Kevin did. That’s why we don’t end the movie on Kevin’s resolution, but rather the old man’s. We get to see the same themes from Kevin’s life play out to a deeper extent.
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Killing Characters: 6 Ways To Get Away With Killing Off Your Protagonist

5/12/2018

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by David Wingert
 
Are you having trouble deciding how to end your script? Have you considered killing your protagonist? There are more ways to make this work than you might think. Some of the greatest movies ever made end with the main character’s death. Here are just a few examples of how those movies work.
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1. Die For a Greater Cause 
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What’s more noble than dying for what you believe in? We see this often in sweeping epics, where the protagonist is just a small cog in a movement or revolution bigger than themselves. Freedom, life, justice, these are all ideas that people die for. We’ve seen it in Braveheart, Spartacus, Children of Men, V for Vendetta and Gran Torino just to name a few. ​

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3. The Main Character is Also The Villain 
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Was anyone sad when Jack Nicholson died at the end of The Shining? Movies like this are a reminder that main characters don’t always have to be good people, they don’t even have to be likeable. When a movie pairs us up with a sociopath for a protagonist, there are several agreements it makes with us, the viewer: 1) The protagonist will be the main source of his/her own conflict, and 2) That conflict will be resolved either when they change their ways or they die. When that happens, we know that’s what we signed up for. This type of story was always meant to serve as a cautionary tale, not a triumph. 
2. The Horror Movie Teaser 
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Tell me if you’ve seen this before: The monster’s dead, our hero lives, all is right with the world…but wait! The monster survived the fire! It creeps up behind our unsuspecting hero, strikes to kill and we cut to credits on a blood splatter. Horror is one of the few genres where we actually expect a body count, and when this isn’t delivered we’re somewhat disappointed. Because of this, our protagonist is usually deemed less important than the monster itself—if it ever comes down to just the two of them, you can pretty safely bet which one will live to sell sequel tickets.
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4. The Story is Carried On By Loved Ones 
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This is a rare occurrence, but its effect is undoubtedly shocking. Psycho is the most famous example of this practice. Marion dies within the first half of the film, and her sister Lila is left to find out what happened. A more recent example is Ryan Gosling’s character in The Place Beyond the Pines—I guess now’s a time to say “spoilers.” After Gosling’s death, the story follows the life of the cop who shot him. This eventually comes full circle when the cop comes face-to-face with Gosling’s son years later, having to face the consequences of his actions. 
5. Tragedy 
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Romeo and Juliet, does that need any further explanation? Sometimes our characters are simply doomed from the start, and these stories carry a certain weight to them. This may often shed light on real world injustices, or unfairness. You think it was fair that the villain gets away in Chinatown, or that Ofelia is killed in Pan’s Labyrinth? But it can happen, because it does happen. Innocent people die, villains get what they want, and tragedies allow an audience to realize these things can happen.   
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6. Killed in the Beginning 
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This one’s almost cheating, but there are times when a protagonist is killed off in the first five minutes, then the rest of the movie is a flashback of his/her life. This tactic can be common in biopics like Ghandi and Lawrence of Arabia. It’s attention-grabbing, but it also greatly emphasizes the significance of this character’s story. Whatever they did, it was significant enough to get them killed—and that’s only the start of the story!

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Treating Location like Character

4/20/2018

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by David Wingert

In Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1979 film Stalker, three companions journey towards a mysterious land known as “The Zone,” a place which is described as a complicated system of traps operating independently from man’s control. “Safe spots become impassable. Now your path is easy, now it’s hopelessly involved. That’s the Zone. It may even seem capricious.” Capricious, arbitrary, impulsive, it would almost sound like they were describing a person; but in the realm of storytelling, can’t a location be treated that way? Here are five ways you can reinvent settings to behave like a character would. 
 
1.Make it dangerous
 The protagonist needs obstacles, and there’s no simpler way than by throwing them into a “burning, fiery, furnace.” Or at least that’s the way Mr. Dryden put it when describing the desert to T.E. Lawrence. Lawrence of Arabia is a perfect example of the immediate dangers locations have to offer. It isn’t rocket science, think of any specific way a location might try to kill you—sand traps, heat, warring factions—and keep those present and consistent while your protagonist voyages the terrain of your unique setting.
 
2.Make it the extension of a character
 If a character spends an entire movie in one location, wouldn’t their behavior influence their surroundings and vice versa? Think of George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life. His relationship with his hometown of Bedford Falls is an endless give-and-take. When we see George happy, so is Bedford Falls; and when George is in crisis, we learn just how different his town would be if he wasn’t there.
On the flip side, you can also make it an extension of the antagonist. Think back to Bedford Falls: When George is out of the picture, the town very blatantly names itself after the antagonist Mr. Potter—reflecting all his twisted morals and virtues on the landscape to a horrifying effect.
 
3.Make it the antagonist
 In other words: Man vs. Nature. Make your location the literal object your hero has to defeat (the meteorite in Armageddon), or to escape from (Castaway) or to even control (Jurassic Park).
 
4.Give it change/growth
 If human beings, animals and even inanimate objects like a brave little toaster can develop and evolve, why not locations too? Jumanji offers a somewhat unique approach to this idea, the place itself is just an entity trapped inside of a game. But once it’s disturbed it starts to grow, becoming more and more infectious while it’s tampered with.
 
5.Give a backstory, give an agenda
 Why are Indian Burial grounds always cursed? How come every haunted house tries to kill the people living inside, because in storytelling people love locations with a vendetta. Something terrible happened at this place— maybe it was sacred grounds that man defiled, perhaps a group of friends buried a secret there that they shouldn’t have. The concept often lends itself to supernatural causes, because it’s very implausible otherwise, but it’s undoubtedly alluring all the same.

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Cliché Movie Lines – Where Did They Come From?

3/23/2018

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by David Wingert 

Every cliché used to be original, every trope use to be something unique and fresh. “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” We scoff when we hear this now, but when was the time where lines like these captivated audiences? I took a look into cinema’s history to uncover some answers, and I quickly discovered two universal truths:

  1. Almost every memorable movie line first came from a book. And
  2. The rest came from Shakespeare. Seriously, the man has the market cornered.
 
But what about that small margin of other cases? To limit this search, I traced back sayings that were either invented purely through cinema, or first found their traction through the medium despite being phrases used before the 20th century. Let’s start with one that’s tried and true:
This town ain’t big enough for the two of us

Whether it’s a cowboy from the old west or Bugs Bunny giving Yosemite Sam the business, this quote is a cornerstone of the Western genre. And like the genre itself, this quote seems to have entirely originated from Western culture. The line first appeared in the 1929 film, Trampas The Virginian. Here it’s slightly altered to “This country ain’t big enough to hold the two of us.” It was later used in The Western Code (1932) and soon grew into an iconic phrase after that.
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​Save Yourself
This phrase could have easily been used in any number of real life circumstances, however it wasn’t until the 50’s that this line really came into it’s own in Hollywood cinema. War epics such as The Guns of Navarone (1961) and Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) helped to make this popular as well as foreign films like The Cranes are Flying (1957), Letter Never Sent (1959) and The Hidden Fortress (1958).

Cut to the Chase
This phrase became common on the big screen in an unusual way. It was first heard in J.P. McEvoy’s 1929 book, Hollywood Girl, and was originally used for script direction. If scripts weren’t cutting to the meat of the story quickly enough, this as well as “get to the point” were two common phrases often found in the earlier drafts. Apparently some screenwriters were seeing this note often enough that it eventually seeped into their dialogue.
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La-La Land
 This phrase dates back as early as 1925. Used mainly in print (newspapers and magazines), la-la land first became common to the public in the 1970s. Later, it was taken a step further in 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop, where the saying “la la la I am not listening” became somewhat of a cliché in Hollywood for awhile. 
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​Revenge is a dish best served cold
 
This quote dates back as early as 1846 in the French Novel Memoirs of Matilda: “And then revenge is very good eaten cold, as the vulgar say.” It first appeared in English-speaking films in 1949 with the film King Hearts and Coronets: “Revenge is a dish which people of taste prefer to eat cold.”
Research Sources:
“Bugs Bunny - Rides Again.” VeeHD, veehd.com/video/3154744_Bugs-Bunny-Rides-Again.
img.movietimes.com/unsafe/http://assets.movietimes.com/v1/movie_images/132515/pnFOEnr0T1oqdvfvLMRF03gS95l.jpg.
Martin, Gary. “The Meanings and Origins of English Phrases, Sayings and Proverbs in Everyday Use.” Phrasefinder, 16 May 2018, www.phrases.org.uk/.
McEVOY, J. P. “Hollywood Girl by J. P. McEVOY on Yesterday's Gallery and Babylon Revisited Rare Books.” Yesterday's Gallery and Babylon Revisited Rare Books, Grosset and Dunlap., www.yesterdaysgallery.com/pages/books/12709/j-p-mcevoy/hollywood-girl.
​“Pagina Iniziale · Isola Di Rodi.” Isola Di Rodi, rodi.it/. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/18/Kind_Hearts_and_Coronets.jpg.



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deadline Junkies - The Most Amazing stories you've never heard

2/27/2018

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iby Jordan Imiola

​There’s a best kept secret in Los Angeles. A place where stories come to life two nights every week. A place where screenwriters test out new awesome material. And a place where actors amaze an audience and improve their cold reading skills and comedic timing at the same time.

This place is Deadline Junkies It's a select group of 30 screenwriters and about 2 dozen marvelous actors and actresses who are regulars. Every week, 6 new stories are developed at 2 theaters. 3 scripts for each theater. The drama group meets on Monday nights in North Hollywood. Their stories will shock you, haunt you, and thrill you. The comedy group meets on Tuesdays and  their stories will make you laugh your ass off! They've been meeting in Sherman Oaks for the past 8 Years. And now another group for both genres is in the works for Wednesdays. Today, Deadline Junkies is undeniably L.A.s Best Screenwriters Group and Actors Community.

Deadline Junkies Comedy has been an institution for kick-ass jokes. There are stories I've seen in here that I will never forget. To name a few of my favorites over the years, “Abe Lincoln 2020” by Shannon Mier, “My Boyfriend is an Alien" by Joey Hargrove, and "The Meat Cleaver Massacre" by Ashley Scott Meyers. 

Deadline Junkies Drama is more recent and was started last year by multi-talented Michael Stagliano. This guy can act, write, and on top it all, he’s super nice. If Michael was in the NFL he would win the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. Michael has assembled incredibly gifted storytellers. Some of my favorite writers on Mondays include Dan Benamor, Rale Sidebottom, and Jorjeana Marie. The Drama in this room is what TNT wishes it could be all the time.

With 2 talented groups, Deadline Junkies is a powerhouse of remarkable storytelling and exceptional acting. TheTrue Deadline Junkies who constantly come up with new pages every 5 weeks and challenge themselves become most successful.  There were a couple rough seasons here and there over the years. When people repeated pages too much, it became way less fun. But those years and ex-writers are over! Today, Deadline Junkies is now the best it’s ever been!

For writers, the experience of a table read on stage by professional actors is priceless. The actors are truly incredible. Many times, when I'm not sure a joke will work, I'll test it out at DJs. Then I'll experience an actor such as Ray Carillo, Meagan Prahl, or David Pinion knock that joke out of the park! And they saved that joke's life. These actors make my writing stronger and my jokes funnier.

I’ve been part of the comedy group since 2010. I feel I keep learning every week from brainstorming notes and joke pitches and hearing from fellow writers. Some of the best jokes I’ve ever heard in my life have come from Comedy DJs. Some comedian all-stars include Phillip Mottaz, Cristy Murphy, Shannon Mier, Jeff Harms, Kelly Kurowski, and David Halle.

DJs has made me hone my craft. It has kept my creative mind sharp and made me constantly write. Writing is no longer a task, but a habit. The deadline of having 25 - 30 NEW pages every 5 weeks is thrilling. From that deadline, I've written over 10 feature screenplays, 5 TV pilots, countless web series episodes, and scripts I can't even remember.  Several of these scripts were then produced or sold. I also presented TV specs for "Broad City, "The Goldbergs" and ""Crazy Ex-Girlfriend."

Having a supportive group of screenwriters and actors is so amazing to have in this city. Anyone is welcome to audit. Deadline Junkies started with one man, Adam Strange in July 2009. Soon, Ashley Scott Meyers joined the group. Ashley is now in charge of the comedy group. You may recognize him from the Selling Your Screenplay podcast. ​Michael started the Drama branch in July 2017. And now it seems the success of Deadline Junkies screenwriters and actors is always ascending.

Deadline Junkies Drama
Mondays - 7 - 10
The Whitmore-Lindley Theater
11006 W Magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601

Deadline Junkies Comedy
Tuesday 7 - 10
 Open Stage West
14336 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

New! Deadline Junkies The 3rd. (Comedy and Drama) Starting 4/4
Wednesdays 7 - 10
The Sherry Theater 
11052 W Magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601
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Deadline Junkies Comedy Screenwriters and Actors - February 2018

​Follow DJs on Twitter @DeadlineJunkies 
Instagram @Deadline_Junkies

A spec of "The Goldbergs" read at Deadline Junkies in 2014
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