Break into Screenwriting: successful script marketing tips, tools and resources from a popular script coach

Break into Screenwriting Interviews... KateWright

Since 1995, Kate Wright has been a screenwriting professor at UCLA (Insider's Tip: The #1 school for screenwriting in America!). Hundreds of successful writers have taken her two most popular courses: Writing the Million Dollar Screenplay and Script Doctoring: Rewriting for Production.

Previously, Kate enjoyed a decade of experience as a film and television executive at Interscope Communications where she worked with some of the finest writers in the industry developing stories for long-form television and producing them. Kate had the extraordinary good fortune to work with the legendary Tennessee Williams; and she collaborated (as producer) with Pulitzer Prize winning actor-writer Jason Miller to win Interscope's first Emmy!

Breakingin.net: Kate, as an executive at Interscope Communications, how often did you read and consider material from writers you didn't know? Under what circumstances would you read unsolicited material or work from first-time or unproduced writers?

Kate Wright: Many times, and the best connection, by far, is through an established producer, executive, or friend who has credibility and/or a distinguished track record within the industry. I would also read anything submitted through an agent, however, if the material is submitted through someone I have worked with, it goes to the top of the pile. And if it is submitted by a director I have worked with, it goes home with me that night!

Breakingin.net: When reading scripts from aspiring or unproduced writers (or even hearing their story pitches in person) what contributed to your confidence that the writer could deliver a shootable screenplay or teleplay?

Kate Wright: Four elements:

A great story.
A fascinating character with an interesting moral dilemma.
The ability to tell the story in a dramatic format with strong emphasis on structure
The capacity of the writer to explore the complexities of the human heart and its unconscious desires.

Breakingin.net: In your UCLA classes and as a private script coach, you read hundreds (thousands?) of treatments and screenplays. What common script mistakes do aspiring screenwriters make that they can (and should) correct themselves?

Kate Wright: Interestingly, aspiring writers make the same mistakes as established writers, however, it is much easier to identity the mistakes made by aspiring writers because they don't know how to conceal them --- yet!

Here are a few:

1) Movies are star-driven.

You must have a movie star in order to make a movie. Even lower budget movies require a "star" to gain distribution. So the most important element is to create a story that features ONE MAJOR CHARACTER who appears in almost every scene and transforms (internally) throughout the story.

2. The idea isn't big enough for the big screen.

When we put down $9 at the box office, we want to be transported to a new world, go somewhere we have never been before, see things we cannot imagine in our own lives. As writers, we must spend plenty of time thinking about this, and don't waste time on ideas that are best executed as a political essay, a Letter to the Editor, a short story, a play, a novel, a TV movie, or an episode of a TV series.

3. Not enough COMPLICATION.

The idea is pretty good, but there is not enough COMPLICATION to the story. Without opposition, antagonism, and obstacles, the story goes nowhere, and won't hold a reader's interest past the page of 25.

4. The most interesting character is killed off.

This may sound strange, but quite a few writers create an interesting character in the first 31 pages, and then kill him/her off on page 32. This is a problem because the reader/audience will follow the most interesting character, that is, the character with the most conflict, but if you kill him/her off, the reader/audience will be furious and not want to "switch horses mid-stream," and put your script down.

5. It is essential to work out a story that challenges the main character towards the climax.

Before beginning the screenplay, you must understand what the story is about, how to create complication, how to build towards the climax, who the main character confronts at the climax, how the climax reflects the opening situation/ inciting incident, but by now, at the end of the story, the main character has a new insight as to what he/she has overcome, and appreciation as to what LIFE IS ABOUT. This is what I mean by Life Values: ideals and feelings that reflect our basic moral values that are imbedded into the human condition.

Breakingin.net: Established screenwriters have a community of industry peers they depend upon for feedback as they pursue their projects: agents, producers, directors, studio readers, writer pals and personal script coaches.

At what stage of the writing process would an aspiring screenwriter most benefit from professional feedback from a writing professor or script coach? Should they rely on one or solicit second opinions?

Kate Wright: Good question. In the early stages of developing a screenplay, it's best to work with an experienced coach who can literally stop you from making errors that land you in a dead end. Remember, all coaches have been there, done that, and their value is their multitude of experiences, either with their own work, or with other writers.

Also, don't be embarrassed that your work is not perfect! Most people have trouble thinking through the story and defining what the story is about. It is crucial to spend your time wisely rather than launching into the screenwriting phase and ending up with something nobody will read.

Breakingin.net: Do some specific script problems or storytelling challenges particularly benefit from the professional feedback of a script coach or writing professor?

Kate Wright: All genres can be helped by a script coach or writing professor; however, the more complex the subject matter (historical epic, psychological thriller, character drama) the greater the challenge, and therefore, the greater reward from working with a script coach or writing professor.

Creating the story is job one, but other areas which benefit from coaching are: tone, point-of-view, theme, spine, anything that is complex in execution.

Breakingin.net: Any suggestions how unproduced screenwriters can somehow test the idea for their next screenplay to determine if it really is a movie? Are some script ideas doomed from the start - no matter how well-written they are? In short, how can aspiring screenwriters avoid wasting their time on anemic or inappropriate stories and themes?

Kate Wright: Some script ideas are doomed from the start, especially those that do not transport us into a new world, or those that are better handled on NYPD or LAW AND ORDER or FRASIER.

The best way to test them is to write one-page summaries of each one and run them by someone who is experienced, such as a coach. The next best way is to run them by somebody who goes to the movies at least once a week, who is likely to go to the genre you are writing.

A word about ideas that seem familiar: sometimes they can be resuscitated by creating a fascinating moral conflict or dilemma, but for the most part, it's your job to take us on a journey, to fly on the magic carpet, or to take us to the moon!

Breakingin.net: For those readers not in the Los Angeles area, do you provide long-distance script coaching? How does distance script-coaching work? And how do writers get in touch with you if they want more details?

Kate Wright: Of course. I work by tutorial. In the early stages, I work in story, which requires some telephone conversations to see that the writer is off to a good start. Then, we would move to step outline which lays out the basic structure and sequences. And once the story and step outline are in place, we usually work in segments of about 10 pages at a time.

Rewriting is another matter, sometimes more difficult, because it requires a certain humility to be able to unravel your screenplay and put it back together again. It also involves a dose of perfectionism and perseverance to stay with a project until it speaks universally to the hearts and minds of all who read it!

Rates and guidelines available upon request. Contact: katywrite@aol.com

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