On Scriptnotes 541, Craig and I discussed which of the classic D&D attributes (Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Constitution, Dexterity and Charisma) were most important for an aspiring film and TV writer. We ranked intelligence first, while acknowledging that charisma was important for the social aspects of the job. We felt wisdom was gained through experience — […]
Film Industry
Is a class in script coverage worth it?
Ethan in Northridge writes: Recently I was searching online on how to write script coverage and become a script reader as I felt I didn’t have a full understanding of those topics. In my search I found a website offering a free class that would “share the details of what it takes to become a […]
Why I changed my mind on end credits
This week, the WGA announced an upcoming referendum on a proposal to create an “Additional Literary Material” end credit for feature films. I was part of the committee that drafted the proposal, and took the lead in writing up the exhaustive explainer and FAQ. ((I beg you, please read the explainer. We really tried to […]
Getting a visa as a writer
Many foreign-born writers work on American films and TV shows. Give them a cocktail and they will tell you horror stories of how hard/frustrating/nerve-wracking it was to get their visas allowing them to work legally in the US. In preparation for an upcoming Scriptnotes conversation, we reached out to several to get their tips for […]