SCREENWRITING PROGRAM: Cheryl Beadling - 'Top Dog, Whisperer'

"I'm in a rut. I'm a college student majoring in cinema. I've found myself studying and analyzing film more than trying to write them. I mean don't get me wrong, I've found a new passion and fervor for film analysis, but I miss the satisfaction of writing Fade Out. I'm hoping that this will get me jump started into writing again." I think that CHERYL BEADLING's reasons for joining the screenwriting program were things that a lot of writers -of all levels- can relate to, which is why I was so interested in working with her.

Cheryl was the least communicative of all the writers. Her instinct was to go it alone. Whether this was the right decision, it's hard to know. When it got to Friday, two days before the deadline, she hit a brick wall and couldn't find clarity on her idea. This led her to switch paths and write a completely different story. Which story was she meant to tell? I guess we'll never know. I sense that Cheryl wasn't looking for collaboration, but just for somebody to give her a deadline. Either way, a script got written, and that is why we are here!

You hit a dead end towards the end of that week. How did it feel, can you describe it for us?

I hit a brick wall on Friday, and I hit it hard. Honestly, it sucked. I had a bit of an inkling that I would get stuck on my story, but I really hoped that it wouldn't happen. I found myself sitting at my local Panera Bread struggling to get pages out. I ultimately didn't know what my character's goal was, and what his end game was. Although I got most of the story down, there was nothing it led up to. I was writing for an ending where I didn't know what was going to happen. I think I hoped that as I wrote, the ending would come to me, but it didn't.

After your dead end; inspiration struck; what happened? 

The inspiration for the second story ultimately came from my friends. Some friends and I meet up once a week for a writers group to workshop our ideas for scripts or pages of our scripts. It's a great way to get other people's feedback and ideas, and truly helped me this time around. At first I asked them to help me come up with a way to murder the main character's dog, but that jumped to the dog was already dead, to the dog was murdered by the main character's girlfriend, to this ghost dog solves crimes, to this man is now a dog whisperer. (Sometimes I don't understand how our conversations get to the points they do.) 

Did the energy of this idea feel different to your original concept? Can you describe the difference?

After brainstorming with the group I felt inspired to write the dog whisperer story. They ultimately helped me narrow it down to the idea that if Cesar Milan had a little brother, who was also a dog whisperer, what would Thanksgiving dinner be like at their house? I felt like I was in a rut with the first story, but this one fueled me to continue writing. I marinated on it for a day, and came up with an outline Saturday, then wrote all Sunday. I had been sitting on the other story for a while, and I think the main reason why I hadn't attempted to write it yet was because it was hard trying to determine what the character's goal was. It was an interesting premise and a funny concept, but that didn't translate to being an actual story. 

In terms of brainstorming with your with friends --- what did you do and how did it help?

I came to them looking for inspiration on how to kill off the dog, but they pulled me in another direction, which I think was good for me. I lost that fire to write, and brainstorming with them helped to push me through the next couple of days. I wrote down all of their suggestions and then focused on the dog whisperer. They helped me come up with ideas for the plot turns and gags. I then thought about it all for a night and came up with the outline of the story. The outline for this story came a lot quicker than the previous. 

Did you enjoy being part of the KITFR screenwriting program? What did you get from it?

I greatly enjoyed being a part of the KITFR screenwriting program, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to participate. This was the first complete script that I have written in a while and I feel a new inspiration to start writing again. Because of the deadline, I had to force myself to finish the story, which is something I seemed to have lacked previously. I would start scripts, but ultimately would fall short in finishing them. This week made me push and produce something. Now, I plan to give myself personal deadlines for writing. I try to write each day, but I need to have a specific date in order to help push for my goal of a finished script.

You can read Cheryl's screenplay 'Top Dog, Whisperer' by clicking HERE. 

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SCREENWRITING PROGRAM: Kim Nunley - 'Tuesday Sunrise'

KIM NUNLEY is a screenwriter living in Oakland, California. She is an accomplished writer whose material has been in heaps of screenwriting festivals and she won the 'Outstanding Nor Cal Comedy Short' at the 2012 Sacramento International Film Festival.

Kim's reason for applying was also one of the key reasons I started this program. Writing is hard work, and it's lonely. Here's what Kim wrote when she applied, "The honest reason I’d love to be chosen to participate in your one-week screenwriting program is that I am DYING for feedback and mentorship. I am a dedicated writer who starts every day with my writing work. However, I sit alone everyday in my office and put in my work without really getting the feedback necessary to know if what I’m creating is of any quality. I am constantly striving to get better and would love to get your help."

When a writer can help another writer, even in a simple way, it's a great thing - and something we should all strive to do more of. Read below to find out about Kim's experience on the KITFR Screenwriting Program.

I enjoyed working with you. You were happy to go away and do your thing and to check in with me when you'd completed drafts. How was it for you?

The process was perfect. I like the challenge of figuring out most things myself. Working to find solutions on my own has been one of the reasons I’ve developed into a better writer over the years. So, whenever I struggled throughout the week, instead of immediately turning to you for guidance, I kept tinkering away on my own. Knowing I had you there in case I did need someone’s assistance was comforting, and it was extremely helpful to have you there expecting to hear about my progress and to provide notes as I was finishing up the script.

 
Did having the one week deadline help you?

 
Every year I challenge myself to have a new feature script ready for Nicholl Fellowships because it’s that submission deadline that forces me to hunker down and finish a project. So, in response to your question, having the one week deadline absolutely helped. There was no getting around that I was going to have a short script completed by the end of the week. Excuses weren’t an option. No way was I going to let you or your readers down when we had agreed on a set deadline.

 
You're an experienced writer, you've been doing this a while --- how was this week different? Did you learn anything about yourself as a writer?

 
No matter the number of years I’ve been writing, it’s always a challenge to start and finish a new project. Though it’s never a calming situation to be in, I typically do thrive in a tight deadline situation. I don’t work under these conditions all the time, so this week definitely required that I remain focused and disciplined. Going through this week-long screenwriting program and successfully completing the script helped build my confidence of being able to produce under pressure.

 
How was my input for you, was it helpful?

 
Sometimes after spending hours and hours alone, drowned in the work of one particular story, I start to lose the ability of being objective. Your feedback and assistance was very helpful because it pointed out both areas that I was somewhat already concerned with, and other areas that I hadn’t realized needed work. Plus, it was awesome to receive positive notes on what you did like and what did work for you, so I knew where I was on the right track.

 
What I said to most of the writers at one point or another, was that they should simplify things -- have one idea and go with it. That's definitely something you were doing here with your writing. You had one solid concept, and the jokes and characters grew out of that. Did that structure come easily or did you need to work at it? 

 
As simple as my story concept is, I did have to put in a good amount of work on the structure. There isn’t much complexity to the story, but it took some effort to keep it moving. I always try to be aware of the pacing of the stories I write. I knew in this one that I wanted it to ease in slowly as we’re introduced to Dennis, our protagonist, and then pick up in pacing as he starts to have fun and get a little crazy. I wanted the tempo of the script to coincide with the energy of Dennis’ journey.

 
What are your plans with this script? 

Nothing is set just yet. As of now, I’m just happy to have another completed short under my belt. If anyone’s interested in producing it, please let me know!

You can read Kim's short screenplay HERE. 

Follow her on Twitter, @KimNunley and check out her website. 

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Off We Went

We went running and rolling and riding through the British countryside in search of life, cause we knew it was out there in the land where phone receptions died and the animals roamed so alive.

We stumbled past roadblocks -the inner ones- which cried at us to stay home and do what grown ups do, but we grabbed a ride to the mountainside as the rains came down and the grass got greener and the woods smelled sweeter.

And some grumpy voice from within us kept pushing us home -- things to schedule, reports to check, thoughts to share. Yet something kept us moving on and out further up the road to anywhere, something that came from a deeper place than what we'd been feeling.

It was out there. The magical mystery IT. The thing. The place that's simultaneously out there in the wild and also here in our hearts. But you have to go all the way there, to get all the way inside here. Far away, free and in the world where the quietness speaks so loud.

We got away from immediate answers and quick solutions and listened to what the world said. It told us, "walk the British Isles and feel the history in each footstep". We understood and bolted for the nearest field and the nearest path and the furthest hillside. 

We felt the souls of old Kings and the spirit of everyone we'd ever known. We breathed in the fresh air and promised to keep walking until we found all the answers.

We were hooked on the wisdom of the outdoors and desperate for the key to life. We kept walking and talking, ever conscious of our desire for meaning. And that's when it stopped.

We felt down and dead, desperately wanting to know where the voices of the skies would lead us. We thought about it a little and discovered our sadness at not being able to extract absolutely everything. Eventually we realised we were getting ourselves down so we decided to just carry on and enjoy ourselves. 

We walked once more, in a direction somewhat resembling home and got all lost in muddy fields and thoughts of love and adventure.

The journey was perfect. We realised, the world HAD spoken after all. The wisdom was in the walking and dreaming. The action we'd taken was to get out there on foot, which was the goal as well as the gift. The world told us "Keep exploring and ignore the voices which think they have all the answers". 

We looked at each other and felt the sparkle of a road travelled and connection made. It got freezing but we felt the warmth of Britain's wisdom. 

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SCREENWRITING PROGRAM: Lesya Hearst - 'StreetMom'

LESYA HEARST lives in Ukraine, Eastern Europe. She works as a translator and proofreader - but her real passion, as was evident in her application letter, is writing. "The point is, I've got stories to tell. I feel that I can do it. I see myself as a screenwriter. But it's been a struggle. As a kid, I wanted to be a writer (and I've been writing a novel for a while), but my true aspiration is my words, my lines, my ideas, transformed into those magical moving pictures".

It was an interesting week. Did you enjoy it?

The week was challenging and it's already a good reason to enjoy it. And I did. Because I wrote my short screenplay and I learned quite a lot in the process. It was also exceptionally exciting to be a part of this program since, for the first time, I felt that I'm a part of the writing community in general. It was a fleeting moment but a precious one.

You were quite critical of yourself throughout the week; I got the sense that you are quite a perfectionist and you expect a lot from yourself. Did this week help you see more positives in your work? 

I expected more from myself as a writer but short scripts are daunting for me, that's why working, contemplating the ways to enhance the script and your advice to drop self-criticism helped me to accept my work as it is now. It made me realize that it's just the first script and I can do much better in the future.

You had a strong idea that you stuck with throughout the week -- what made you want to write this story? 

It's not an easy question to answer as I don't want to give away much for those who might want to read the script but I'm willing to tell about how it all was started. Sometimes my ideas begin with those themes that are important and inspire me, but this time it was not the case. Some of my potential stories, like this one, are born as a picture in my mind. It's like seeing a film image in your head and it's so enticing that you can't resist but grant that image a story. Thus, that visual scene that sprang up in my mind allowed me to tell a story that touched the ideas of solitude and human relationships.

In what ways did you find the screenwriting program helpful, was my input useful?

The program was tremendously helpful. Firstly, I wouldn't even have tried to write a short script without it. Secondly, the pieces of advice that you gave me were amazing. Getting feedback directly on my work is completely different from just reading your blog and it was a great experience. You also helped me to look at screenwriting from different points of view and I'm forever grateful for that.

Another significant thing that I realized was that I'm at odds with short screenplays and that's the reason for me to write more of them. Since I don't have such major problems with feature screenwriting, it was a revelation to me. Thus, it's important that now I know my weakest points to face them and improve.

This was your first script, right? Are you going to do more? 

It was my first script and I aspire to continue writing more than ever before. I'm blessed to have tons of ideas, so I hope to get all my courage, inspiration, and eagerness to develop, and make myself work hard.

Read Lesya's screenplay 'StreetMom' HERE.

You should also read her fantastic blog, and follow her on Twitter. 

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10 Tips on Giving Tips

1. Do it as a list rather than one run along sentence.

9. Do things in the right order.

3. Content wise you should, without doubt, be completely and utterly concise. Only say what is essential and not a word more. If you say too much, it's not as good. In fact it's quite bad. That's rule number 3.

4. Have one tip which is pure filler.

5. Don't use words or phrases that are solely used to attract people through google searches, that's as pointless as Megan Fox's nude tits sex naked body.

6. Speak with absolute authority and certainty.

7. I'm not sure about rule 6.

8. Look at websites that give tips about healthy living, I get a lot of inspiration from them.

9. Eat fresh fruit every day.

2. Be encouraging, simplistic and positive, otherwise the dumb idiots won't understand a thing.

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