COVERAGE

by Michael Chasin   Hollywood is swimming—in screenplays. It’s reported that the Writer’s Guild of America registers 50,000 screenplays—a year. Plus there are screenplays—filed with the U.S. Copyright Office. Plus there are screenplays—not registered at all. So when added all together—there is an ocean of screenplays. And with each script at about one hundred pages…

NOT DOING-IT-ALL

by Michael Chasin   Before you realize your ultimate filmmaking dream of being a screenwriter or director or producer or DP—you will likely first—be a hyphenate: Writer-Director-Producer-Prop Master DP-Editor-Set Designer-Production Assistant Writer-Director-DP-Editor-Producer-Prop Master-Set Designer And possibly even—Actor This is because at the zero or micro budget level—where you will probably start—you will be compelled to…

PERFECT PAGES

by Michael Chasin      Screenwriting Mentor, IAFT/Miami   A screenplay can serve many purposes. It can be the entry into a screenwriting contest or festival—that launches a career. It can be the pages that the screenwriter sells—for hundreds of thousands of dollars. It can attract elements—such as actor or director—to green-light the project. It can attract…

REAL WRITING & REAL READERS

by Michael Chasin Screenwriting Mentor, IAFT/Miami   Real screenwriting—is re-writing—because it’s rarely perfect in the first draft. And even if seemingly perfect, the dedicated screenwriter will labor to make it—more perfect. Then, finally, after double-digit drafts—the screenplay is ready—not for submission—but to be read by someone else. Because after months of contemplating the story and…

IN SERVICE OF THE STORY

by Michael Chasin    Screenwriting Mentor, IAFT/Miami   One of the glories of the written word is its ability to span time and countless characters. One of luxuries of the written word is the ability it gives its readers to rest, reflect—and even re-read. Movies’ unrelenting forward motion—and two hour time frame—makes such reflection—impossible. Therefore, sweeping…

THE REALITY OF REALITY

by Michael Chasin Screenwriting Mentor, IAFT/Miami   Reality TV reigns—with almost every channel offering programming that follows real people in real situations. But how real is it—since participants are coached on how to behave in manufactured storylines? Regardless of its authenticity, reality TV succeeds because at its heart—it is classic narrative storytelling. Reality shows have…

STARTING & ENDING

by Michael Chasin      Screenwriting Mentor, IAFT/Miami   The year’s end serves as a bold reference point for measurement for our lives. Those measurements (figurative and literal) trigger New Year’s resolutions—acknowledgements  that we should—or need to—improve how we live our lives. Just as we strive to make our lives better, we have the same…

THE HERO OF CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

film review by Michael Chasin    Screenwriting Mentor, IAFT/Miami   Movies are about heroes. Heroes—give us reasons to care about them. Heroes—are placed in impossible situations. Heroes—display courage in defeating their more powerful opponents. Captain Phillips is about the 2009 hijacking of an American merchant ship by Somali pirates, with Phillips portrayed by Tom Hanks. Phillips…

JUST LIKE WALTER WHITE

by Michael Chasin     Screenwriting Mentor, IAFT/Miami   Stories are about heroes—so the first objective in storytelling is to get the audience to identify with the hero. Identification is the audience seeing themselves in the hero—and after they see how similar they are—they will care about the hero—and once they care—they will follow the hero. Anywhere….

BREAKING BACKSTORY

by Michael Chasin   Screenwriting Mentor, IAFT/Miami   The acclaimed series Breaking Bad serves as a great case study on the value and masterful use of backstory—events that occurred before the present story. Breaking Bad begins with high school chemistry teacher Walt White being diagnosed with terminal cancer.  He decides to use his chemistry skills…