The Key to Great Screenwriting - why most people fail at screenwriting

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/ worddancer

[@Awiggins64]

I really feel like the academy should have an award category for best screenwriters coaching. The winner is you by a landslide 🏆

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

Aww... thanks:)

[@jeremysladek6623]

Without failure, you NEVER succeed. You go girl!😁🖒😎 I love ALL of your stuff. Thanks Teach!💖

[@drhirsch1]

This is really a great teacher of screenwriting. I'm a novelist trying to transition to screenwriting. A screenwriter hurt my feelings by saying I was a great novelist but a terrible screenwriter. I mean, did I want him to lie to me? I'm not giving up; she, the teacher mentioned above, is a tremendous help.

[@JasonFLV]

Again, another excellent tip on screenwriting! You’re communication skills are next to none IMO! Keep up the great work!

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

The next video coming up is going to look at viewer pages - we will talk about the question, "Do all scenes need conflict?"

[@xianthegaian4060]

@@raghavhope I can help with...

[@ZeeshanMirza1972]

@@raghavhope friend, I think through her 'zero to boss' u can have her expert feedback on your script.

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

No Zero to Boss isn't feedback on your script.. That's stricty formatting - I check that the formatting on a sample script comes out correctly, not original work.

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

There is a waiting list for services on my website: www.screenwritingclassesonline.com A few times a year I am available:)

[@evelynhaliga4513]

I dont know how to send my 10 pgs do i have to pay for the classes in order to send in the ten pages

[@CassandraDarling]

Thank you for sharing this information through your story! Really nailed it home and made me think of this fun fact: In Spanish, the words parable and parabola are the same word (parábola). A parabola (geometric term) is a curved lined that connects two points. It is not the shortest distance between 2 points, it covers and creates more space. A parable (story) does the same. The shortest distance (for an idea to take from my brain to yours) would be for me to just spit it out. (Don't forget about your audience.) But by telling a story around the point we're trying to communicate, we create more space for it to live and come to life in the mind of the audience. Add to list

[@foyevision]

Thanks! This was right on time because I have to act in my first play next week as a requirement for an acting class that I'm taking. I only took the class to become a better screenwriter and director and I'm way out of my comfort zone so this was good advice.

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

It's great to take acting classes!!

[@foyevision]

@@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144 Yeah it is very helpful!

[@joseafalvel]

you are so wise !! thank you so much for sharing with us these anecdotes, it remind me a little bit the movie "8 mile" I'm glad you're uploading videos again, I'm so excited to learn more

[@WavesWatcher1]

Thank you, Word Dancer. This has been a long discussion around my desk for the past few weeks. I had a very similar experience about two nights ago ... Speechless.

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

That's wild! Thanks:)

[@guidebydog]

Nice! Just realized your doing videos again. SAWEET! I'm watching for sure.

[@kevinreily2529]

Your videos are a massive help. Thanks. Just wondering if you still work on your own screenplays. Cheers.

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

Thanks! I do- One of my scripts is out to talent as we speak:)

[@darthzounds4889]

@@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144 Would it be possible for me to read your script/s?

[@DaymondRoman]

Another great piece of advice Word Dancer. Keep it coming!

[@DanaMLewis]

Thank you for...everything. You have fantastic humor, are an excellent instructor & storyteller and are inspirational.

[@heitorla]

Priceless. Thanks again.

[@Diaz55]

This is good advice I'll definitely keep that in mind. Usually when I write I do keep the audience in mind but very little I will concentrate more on that.

[@MikeWRogers]

Great to see you back!!!

[@trevorprime2274]

Good to have you back, for now...

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

LOL. I'm hoping to do a video a week for the next few weeks at least. We'll see how I do! It's a lot of work...

[@onionfield5306]

This is great info! Never thought about aiming at rhe audience. Thanks!

[@doughaley2455]

Thanks for another interesting and informative video

[@miaveranika30]

"Aim your heart at the one you want to connect with."

[@camilaferrari4128]

Love it!

[@laurametzger851]

You would be a great director!

[@gregoryjthomson3862]

Awesome!

[@WavesWatcher1]

"Aim your heart at the ones you want to connect with..." - invaluable life advice. Thank you Tom, & Word Dancer

[@jamesbatchler174]

Very useful Bombs! You're a bomb ;) ..and you're helping me to write a NUKE, no sequel. With respect thank you. 💣

[@nathanyacos3296]

Got it. Thanks for sharing. -NYacos

[@nathanyacos3296]

Well.. you see.. aw thanks! You're great!

[@sadiahluna]

Haha, love the adorable sleeping baby! Your videos are super informative and entertaining. Instant subscribe from a fellow screenwriter!

[@theguyyoudontfuckingknow294]

Handz down, realy good advice.

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

Thanks!

[@filmladyproduction]

You are your first audience and you cannot ignore those emotional points as you read your screenplay. What you feel is what your audience will feel. It's when you overthink it, over correcting is when you run into problems.

[@Ravencross06]

This is awesome!

[@patrickfranks2734]

Very informative.

[@haroldmiller1712]

you are my favorite.

[@miaveranika30]

This is very good. Thank you so muchh

[@gianthills]

As an actor you DO NOT think about the audience. You can't be in the moment if you're thinking about the audience.

[@jonathangriffin8060]

Your video is awesome! I totally agree with the message. Is this what the lead character in a movie does when he or she "breaks the fourth wall" in a movie? I wrote a romantic comedy titled "100 Dates" and the main character sometimes "breaks the fourth wall" and tells the audience about himself and the other characters in the movie he is going to interact with throughout the movie and sometimes he tells the story via "voiceover".

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

That can still work as long as it's entertaining and not redundant:)

[@brianover_reviews]

I've taken acting classes over the years from some awesome teachers... and one thing I can tell you is that to acknowledge the audience too directly can come across as phony and unconvincing. You want to make yourself emotionally available to the audience, yes, but playing too directly to the audience can be to invite disaster. The audience will feel it as "showboating" or overacting. And this applies to writing as well. The readers can tell if you're too obviously writing for effect, and that will turn them off. Sorry. What they want instead is emotional truth. But you are right about one thing. All small talk and inconsequential dialog that just reviews what already happened should be cut.

[@filmladyproduction]

Laughin at her sassy sista voice mixed in her teaching ..loll thanks for sharing.. I can relate to this video, I just realized writers are Directors but not necessarily vice versa. So, my Writing Pitch low scores, 'I aint scurred" loll

[@mblessing1009]

THANKS for all the information you provide!! Could you give some information about adapting a novel or a book into a screen play? Thanks!! Mark

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

I'll put it on the list.

[@jonathanstewart351]

Don't tell 'em, SHOW 'em!

[@elsoul8043]

@11:02 it's called a nuggie Lol😆

[@elgonzo5]

“Remember that time is the lowest form of entertainment” -Tony Soprano (season 5, I think maybe 6)

[@tylerjohnson1368]

There is a good book called Directing Actors by Judith Weston

[@darmor85]

I love you....🙄

[@ZeeshanMirza1972]

You continue speaking great! Query: after watching good 80/90 minutes, if audience came to know this all was a dream, and/or a writer was telling a story, does it hurt audience?

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

The "it was all a dream" is a bit of a cliché -- it's been done many times. You'd have to give it a fresh twist.

[@ZeeshanMirza1972]

@@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144 thanks :). And if it ends like protagonist completes his Storyboarding? Still cliche?

[@krishna45brp]

In a scene or a single location how much time or page is better for screen writting

[@guidebydog]

Spot on! Stick with the video and you'll get it. It's the #shizznit! #SnoopDoggyDogg #ThaDoggFather #respect

[@rsacchi100]

Great tip. Definitely something to think about when writing a screenplay. It's "nuggies", at least it use to be. That brings up the question. What if you were writing a scene where a character is going to tap another character on the head with the knuckle of a middle finger. How, or should, it be described? Should a nickname for the action be used?

[@melissanandanwar]

I love your passion in your videos. Passion cannot be taught...LOL :-) If I am writing my screen play with an opening line of the location set on another planet, can I be very descriptive?

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

Maybe - just give us enough that the reader can follow it. You aren't writing this for the set decorator. There can later be meetings to go over sketches of the world if it goes into production. Keep the description as brief as possible, but establish your world. And there are better ways to introduce things - some description can just be scenery, but having the lead more actively interact with the world would help. Let's say the world is populated by two-headed frogs. Instead of simply listing that in the description, have the character interact with one of the frogs -- maybe feed each head something different... or get bitten twice!

[@melissanandanwar]

@@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144 - Thanks for your awesome advice!!!! :-) :-)

[@frenstcht]

Does your greeting example actually work for you?

[@newhistory2625]

I am the first to view your video

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

Congrats!

[@newhistory2625]

So happy to receive your greetings. Thank you so much. I am also Bollywood movie writer from India

[@thornmollenhoff8698]

Thanks for the video. It is called a nuggie when you rub your fist on top of someone's head.

[@VideoMenu]

10:28 I don't want to cause alarm, but you may have ghosts. :(

[@heitorla]

I hope Tom forgives you about leaking his wisdom bombs. Kkkkk. I liked them. Has he ever written any book on acting or directing? By the way, you should start thinking of yours on screenwriting. I think you are ready.

[@LLMAXG]

Where did the goat go!!

[@arnoldroyal9758]

Did you make any movie or written any screenplay

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

Read my bio on my about page

[@arnoldroyal9758]

Sure!

[@offic1al]

10:34 I literally just saw an example of this in "Brooklyn's Finest" between Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes. You're right... I thought it was a great scene. kzbin.info/www/bejne/naSrdIFvYtWepbM

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

OMG that's hilarious!!!! I've never seen that! And SO much better than a supper happy scene of talking about the past to show a history and bond. Thanks for showing that to us!

[@jonathanfraser9970]

I love your brain but your lighting/art direction needs to improve. Food for thought as an admirer

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

I'm still working out my new set up:) And my art direction is just my office.

[@JLDReactions]

The information is very useful so I don't understand why you need cinema level photography for an informational KZbin video.

[@gianthills]

You need great ideas. Grammar and dialogue and format and character amount to nothing if your foundational ideas are not interesting.

[@Angelfish-wr1pp]

Maybe the audience was bored because you came on last

[@alenabayti5622]

Hellwood stealing screenplay plots never send them

[@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144]

Yes, keep your scripts in your closet and never let anyone see them:) They will somehow make themselves in the closet - magic elves will make the movie.

[@ZeeshanMirza1972]

@@worddancer-howtowriteascre9144 :). Would love if you could sometime talk about this issue, real issue. And being my mentor, I really await to hearing from you soon on this :)

[@alenabayti5622]

I beg to differ

[@VideoMenu]

I took a screenwriting class in college many years ago. The prof said if you send your script someplace and you see they've released your movie later that year without you, they didn't steal it. No one makes movies that fast. edit: Well maybe the poorly done knockoff industry does. But that's not what this is about.