Tag Archives: Advice

[THREE CENTS] Responsibility to Your Audience

Posted on June 2, 2018 by [TEXTSMITH]

As writers, most of us work to create scripts with compelling stories, three-dimensional characters, and authentic-sounding dialogue.  But what else should be on our checklist? After all, screenplays – and the resulting movies, television, and web content – aren’t designed … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] The Ensemble: Divide and Conquer

Posted on April 30, 2018 by [TEXTSMITH]

Like the rest of the industrialized world, I caught a showing of Avengers: Infinity War over the weekend.  It was pretty great, actually.  More or less lived up to the impossible expectations. (No pressure, Solo). In addition to a sizable … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] A Recipe for Creativity

Posted on February 28, 2018 by [TEXTSMITH]

As writers, we’re all fueled by creativity.  We need it to fill in that foreboding blank page, to wow those executives in that pitch meeting, to finish the outline for that new idea, and so on and so on and … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] Rhonda Smiley: Novel Screenwriter

Posted on September 21, 2017 by [TEXTSMITH]

My frequent collaborator, Rhonda Smiley, has been a working screenwriter for years, both as a solo scribe and in partnerships. As one of the many little-known, but prolific, creatives in the business, she’s written dozen of hours of television, including shows like High … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] I.P. Or Do I?

Posted on July 31, 2017 by [TEXTSMITH]

What the hell is I.P., you may ask? Well, to start with, there’s no need for that kind of salty language.  There are kids all over the internet. Intellectual Property is the literal meaning behind it, but in essence, it’s … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] Two Heads

Posted on May 31, 2017 by [TEXTSMITH]

Collaboration.  Not an easy thing to accomplish effectively, but the entire entertainment business is built around the concept, so it’s better to embrace the notion than to fight it. Seriously, you can’t fight it.  I’ve tried. Sure, some other art … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] Great Minds

Posted on April 19, 2017 by [TEXTSMITH]

I was at a pitching event a few years back, and at one of the tables the pitch for my script was met with enthusiasm…  and then quickly followed by a caveat that made that positive experience turn dark, gray, … Continue reading →

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[THE MAKING OF] Sight & Sound Film and “Nightmare Mosaic”

Posted on February 28, 2017 by [TEXTSMITH]

Ah, film school.  I imagine it’s a lot different today than when I went through it.  For one – we shot and edited with actual film. Not quite chiseling on stone tablets, thankfully, but an entirely different experience than capturing on … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] I’ll Get Around To This

Posted on January 27, 2017 by [TEXTSMITH]

Let me open by saying I was initially hoping to have this ready to post last week. Well, I may not be on time, but at least I’m on theme. Procrastination.  It’s quite the beast, really.  It can easily eat … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] Do You Really Want to do This?

Posted on November 3, 2016 by [TEXTSMITH]

Everybody and their cousin has an idea for a movie or television show.  Some of them have a lot (of ideas, that is, not cousins). Well, sure they do, ideas are the easy part (a dime a dozen used to … Continue reading →

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