Tip 13. Find the Open Door…and Step Through It.

Recently, during the Q & A part of a producer panel, a writer in the audience asked an important question: "How can a new writer succeed when all you get are closed doors?" One of the producers on the panel gave her philosophy: "There are 1000 doors to Hollywood, and at any given time, 20

In this industry, you often hear about "lucky breaks."  Many of the most successful writers, producers, and actors credit part of their success to a few lucky moments. But let's be clear.  The vast majority of those people absolutely deserve their luck because they created it…and so will you. Having said that, there's the other

When I listen to the reasons producers turn down scripts, the word "cliche" often shows up.  But right after insisting they don't want cliches, the same producers will say they love "universal" stories. How can both be true? You could think of stories, characters, situations, and dialogue in these terms: Familiar Familiar, yet different Different,

Seven years ago, I was at Universal Studios interviewing producers for a group of screenwriters.  One of our guests cancelled and the organizer of the event (Gary Shusett) introduced me to two writers with the words, "They did the show 'Xena, Princess Warrior.'" Thirty seconds later, we began the interview, and with no preparation, I

Typically, when a production company or agency "passes" on your script (says "no"), they don't usually give feedback.  You simply get a, "Sorry, it's not for us" response.  That's the bad news. The rest of this philosophy tip is the good news. Apply Your Philosophy How you interpret a "pass" and what you do with

Want to know the easiest way to become a professional?  Kaizen.  It's the Japanese strategy of continuous improvement, and it can get you to the top of any field.  Here's the logic.  Improve by 1% a day, and next year, you'll be 365% better.  Continue to improve every day for another year, and you'll be

Many writers have expressed to me that they either don't understand the business side of Hollywood or feel like it is not their kind of business.  They want their movie made, but they've heard discouraging or frightening things about doing business with Hollywood. When most of what you see on the Net is either hype

In the business world, they say that there are two types of lawyers — deal makers and deal killers.  The deal makers work with you to find solutions to make contracts work.  The deal killers focus mainly on finding and capitalizing on problems. Screenwriters can fall into deal maker and deal killer categories, as well. 

Let me ask you an important question:  How many times a day do you disempower yourself? Why would I ask a negative question like that?  Because it can produce some serious positive results in your life.  Recognizing when you disempower yourself and choosing instead to empower yourself could change everything. Let's start with a few