#scriptwriting tips

10 Characteristics That Make Any Character Sympathetic

Happy Birthday to NYU film professor Ken Dancyger, co-author Alternative Scriptwriting! 2013 VIDEO INTERVIEW

KEN DANCYGER podcast excerpt: “Television is looking to present a Western as Shakespeare (Deadwood) and a crime story such as Breaking Bad as tragedy as well as entertainment. Television is a new major center of creativity that appeals to the younger audience searching for new things.”

  Los Angeles CA: When writing screenplays, all aspiring screenwriters face a challenge in building their hero’s journey large enough to fill the big screen.  Authors who want to gain those skills necessary for mastering movie storytelling should attend Eric Edson’s classes on screenplay writing at the upcoming Story Expo. 

Accomplished screenwriter, professor and author of the best-selling book, The Story Solution: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take, Edson advises authors to focus on “Hero Goal Sequences” when writing a movie script. They help transition the story from one scene to the next, build audience support for the story’s hero, and link together all parts of the story. Referencing it as one of the best books on screenwriting, author Jessica Davis Stein says The Story Solution “may well be the best cure for writer’s block ever written.” 

Story Expo takes place from September 5-7, 2014 at the Westin LAX Hotel in Los Angeles, CA.  The Expo is billed as the world’s biggest convention for writers from all mediums including screenplay writers, TV writers, novelists, and filmmakers. Attendees will learn the craft of storytelling, determine which medium is best for their story, and learn how to package and pitch ideas and scripts. 

Edson is one of over 100 world-renowned speakers who will discuss all aspects of storytelling. His first class on Friday, September 5, from 3:45 to 5:15 p.m., covers “14 Character Types in All Screen Stories.” Understanding the fourteen character types available to a screenplay writer is crucial to writing powerful scripts. Edson breaks down all story characters into the 14 categories every screenwriter should know. 

His second class, on Saturday, September 6, from 3:45 to 5:15 p.m., covers “10 Plot Forms In All Great Movies.” Scriptwriting involves many choices, and figuring out the right plot form is key, says Edson. These important plot forms offer powerful story-creating tools. He presents all ten plot forms in detail, and reveals the story advantages and differences of each. 

Edson’s final class, on Sunday, September 7, from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m., covers “Building Great Stories – Hero Goal Sequences.” Mastering screen story structure is both a challenge and essential skill for screenplay writers.  Here the author details his powerful story-building concept of Hero Goal Sequences. 

“I’m really looking forward to the Expo,” commented Edson. “I enjoy sharing my knowledge about writing screenplays with aspiring screenwriters. Story Expo is the ultimate environment for those who want to concentrate on the art and craft of telling a story.” 

About The Story Solution:  The Story Solution, by accomplished screenwriter Eric Edson, is an in-depth handbook for authors who are writing a movie script. It reveals the 23 actions screenplay writers use to create dynamic, three dimensional heroes. Visit the website at http://www.thestorysolution.com/ to download a sample chapter of the book. “Like” the Facebook page to receive screenwriting tips and insider insights on writing screenplays.