by Ashley Scott Meyers In this episode of the podcast I talk with screenwriter Greg DePaul (Bride Wars & Saving Silverman) about the early days of his career and how he broke into the business. Greg has sold numerous pitches to studios, and we talk through that process a bit, too. You can listen to… Continue Reading →
Greg DePaul Does the Austin Film Festival
by Greg DePaul (@GregDePaul) I just returned from the Austin Film Festival (the best event for screenwriters in, well, anywhere) where I spoke on panels and chatted up screenwriters both veteran and aspiring. It was a script-tastic whirlwind! If you haven’t done the AFF, it’s totally worthwhile and puts you in great screenwriting company. You… Continue Reading →
3 Highlights from Greg DePaul’s New Comedy Writing Book, Bring the Funny
by Angela Bourassa Greg DePaul (@GregDePaul) isn’t what I’d call a traditional screenwriting teacher. In his new comedy screenwriting book, Bring the Funny, you won’t find detailed descriptions of how to format your script or an in-depth breakdown of proper three act structure. (For those, you can and should turn to Robert McKee’s Story and… Continue Reading →
The Big R: Facing Rejection as a Writer
by Greg DePaul (@GregDePaul) Remember Rocky Balboa, when Rocky gives that awesome, inspirational speech to his son? Winning isn’t about how hard you can hit, Rocky tells him. It’s about “how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” That’s a message we screenwriters need to hear. After all, we desperately hope to break… Continue Reading →
Why Playwrights Rule TV and Film
by Greg DePaul (@GregDePaul) If you want to make a living as a screenwriter, stop what you’re doing … and start writing plays! Sounds silly, huh? After all, why would you sidetrack your screenwriting career by writing for the stage when it pays, basically, nothing? And when most Americans go to a play about every…… Continue Reading →
3 Things TV Drama ‘This Is Us’ Does Differently
by Greg DePaul (@GregDePaul) If you’re channel-surfing on a Tuesday night and briefly land on This is Us [pilot script], you might think you’ve stumbled on an episode of Parenthood. After all, This Is Us also airs on NBC, also gives us a saccharine look at American family life, and also uses the adoption (more or… Continue Reading →
Five-and-a-Half Ways to Become A Great Screenwriter
by Greg DePaul (@GregDePaul) 1. Read Every Book on Screenwriting. I’m gonna win your respect by not even pushing you to buy my book, which is prominently featured below this article. But you really should read every book on screenwriting ever written. Books by writers who’ve sold scripts and had movies made (Me!) and books… Continue Reading →
So You Wanna Go to Film School…
by Greg DePaul (@GregDePaul) This fall thousands, or I dunno, maybe tens or even hundreds of thousands of aspiring filmmakers will go to film schools across America. Why do they do it? Because they think it’s the path to success in the entertainment industry. And, according to statistics I’ve painstakingly compiled, two of them will… Continue Reading →
Why You Should Join a Writers Group
by Greg DePaul (@GregDePaul) Before you pay some script consultant (including me) a bunch of money to read your latest spec script and give you notes… and before you take that sexy new writing class at the school of professional studies of your choice (Write an Oscar-winning Screenplay in 8 days!)… and before you buy… Continue Reading →
5 Things Screenwriters Should Stop Worrying About
by Greg DePaul (@GregDePaul) Screenwriting is hard work. To break in, you’ve got to be super-talented, keep your butt in the seat for longer than the competition, and be seriously lucky. Only when all three elements converge do you stand more than a tiny chance of battling past the gatekeepers and entering Hollywood’s magical dominion… Continue Reading →