ADVANCED SCREENWRITING APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED!

ATTN: Screenwriters,

If you missed your chance to apply to our Advanced Screenwriting Courses coming up in the spring, the deadline has been extended to 5 P.M. MONDAY MARCH 12TH!

Please take a look at the following website and read the official guidelines on how to apply:

http://www2.uclaextension.edu/writers/detail.php?sID=advSubGuide

COURSES AVAILABLE:

"Screenwriting on the Write Side of the Brain: Advanced Workshop" with Bonnie MacBird

"Advanced Feature Film Writing Workshop" with Tom Lazarus

"Writing the 1-Hour Drama Pilot: Advanced Workshop" with Joel Thompson

"Writing the Half-Hour Comedy Pilot: Advanced Workshop" with Phil Kellard

ALSO, PLEASE DON'T FORGET! The deadline for this year's FEATURE FILM AND TELEVISION WRITING COMPETITION has been extended to 5 P.M., THIS THURSDAY, MARCH 8TH!

Be sure to get your scripts in for a chance at winning an insane amount of exposure! In case you don't know what I'm talking about, see my previous blog post here: http://uclaextensionwritersprogram.blogspot.com/2011/09/let-writers-program-work-for-you.html


For official rules and application procedures, click here: http://www2.uclaextension.edu/writers/detail.php?sID=competition

Best of luck everyone!


Original Post: http://uclaextensionwritersprogram.blogspot.com/2012/03/advanced-screenwriting-application.html

Oscar Flashback: CHINATOWN

In light of the upcoming Academy Awards this Sunday, I'd like to present an Oscar Flashback Moment from 1974, when Robert Towne won Best Original Screenplay for his script "Chinatown". 

I recently had to read this script for my current class with Bonnie MacBird. Bonnie, being the thorough instructor that she is, also provided some web links to provide her students with some insight into the film. I feel like I should have known this already, or maybe I learned it in film school and forgot, but apparently the infamous ending of Chinatown was altered by the director, Roman Polanski, to be the macabre beast of a finale it is in the final cut.

http://bernardschopen.tripod.com/chinatown.html

I have no idea if this film would have ever been considered a classic if it weren't for that unconventional ending. The script was finely written, but would it have earned Towne so many awards and the career that followed if it wasn't changed? I'm sure this writer and director fought like dogs over this, but it just goes to show that sometimes, screenwriters might not know what's best.

I also found it interesting, upon researching Robert Towne, that he apparently attended acting class with Jack Nicholson and wrote the script with him in mind for Jake Gittes. For some good anecdotes by Towne, you can check out the following article:

http://www.hollywoodlitsales.com/cf/journal/dspJournal.cfm?intID=2940

In other news, while everyone's attention might be on the Academy Awards site and their Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, I'd like to take a moment and remind all of our students out there that the deadline for UCLA Extension's own Feature Film and Television Writing Competition is coming up! Be sure to submit your screenplay, TV spec or TV pilot by MARCH 1ST! This competition is limited to our students only and is a sure fire way for budding writers to gain exposure. Click on the website below for details:

http://www2.uclaextension.edu/writers/detail.php?sID=competition

Have a good week everyone and I hope to be receiving your scripts in the mail!


Original post: http://uclaextensionwritersprogram.blogspot.com/2012/02/oscar-flashback-chinatown.html

Writing for Video Games

Amidst all the film awards coverage and Sundance news I've been reading, I came across one film title that stood out from the pack: a film that played at Sundance called INDIE GAME: The Movie.

It's a documentary that chronicles the struggles of several independent video game creators as they work to bring their vision to life. I believe it was picked up to be a TV series, but don't quote me on that. Anyway, after watching the trailer, it was apparent to me that video game makers are just like any other artists, or writers. If they're not crafting the "narrative" of large scale, cinematic games like Resident Evil, they're still creating worlds, characters, obstacles and objectives. They feel just as close to their work, like it's their baby, and take criticism in various ways just like anyone else. And these days, with mobile games on the rise, independent game makers have an even greater shot of becoming the next MINE CRAFT millionaire. Take a look for yourself and watch the trailer at the link below:

http://www.indiegamethemovie.com/

Whether this movie could stack up to my all time favorite video game documentary, King of Kong, we'll have to wait and see, but it looked interesting nonetheless.

On a similar note, if anyone out there is interested in the creative writing side of game-making (as opposed to the code writing side) check out the course we're offering in the upcoming 4-day WRITERS STUDIO, called "Storytellers Wanted: Writing Video Games Now"

https://www.uclaextension.edu/r/Course.aspx?reg=W8629

Contact me if you have any questions about this course, and if you'll be at the Writers Studio in a couple weeks, chances are you'll see me there! Hope everyone's enjoying their winter classes so far... 'Til next time...


Original Post: http://uclaextensionwritersprogram.blogspot.com/2012/01/writing-for-video-games.html

My Interview with Joel Thompson

Happy Monday Writers!

For any of you aspiring TV scribes out there, I recently had the chance to interview television writer and instructor Joel Thompson about his impressive list of recent credits and how he got his start. Check out the Writers' Program homepage this week to see the full article!

www.uclaextension.edu/writers

You can also hear more of what Joel has to say in his upcoming Writers Studio course on the One-Hour Drama. Click on the link below for more info, or contact a screenwriting adviser at 310-825-9415.

https://www.uclaextension.edu/r/Course.aspx?reg=W8628


Original post: http://uclaextensionwritersprogram.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-interview-with-joel-thompson.html

Starting the Year Off "Write"

Baddum-kssshhhhh....

Okay cheesy puns aside, Happy New Year and welcome back fellow writers! What better way to start off the year than with some award season coverage? In screenwriting news, the WGA just unveiled their nominations for best scripts of 2011. You can read more here:

http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=4786

And if you're like me, you haven't enrolled in any classes yet, but are wondering which one to take in order to get the ball rolling in 2012. Personally, I have my eye on Bonnie MacBird's "Screenwriting on the Write Side of the Brain". I've heard nothing but good things about this course from our students. For more info visit the link below:

https://www.uclaextension.edu/r/Course.aspx?reg=W9439

Also, just an insider's tip: Bonnie is tentatively slated to instruct the second installment of this course in the Spring Quarter, so don't miss your chance to take first in sequence now! 

As always, if you'd like info about courses available, please contact a Writers' Program adviser at 310-825-9415.

Best of luck with your writing this year!


Original Post: http://uclaextensionwritersprogram.blogspot.com/2012/01/starting-year-off-write.html

The 2011 Hollywood Blacklist

Contrary to the title, this is not a list of communists forever banned from working Hollywood... quite the opposite, in fact.

For those who may not know: The Blacklist is a list of the year's best unproduced screenplays. Last year, Writers' Program student and former Screenplay Competition Winner Terrence Michael made the list with his script "The Girl With Something Extra". He is now repped by an agent, a manager, and his script currently in development.

To see this year's list, please follow the link below:

http://www.deadline.com/2011/12/the-black-list-2011-screenplay-roster/


And since this will be my last blog post of the year... MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! May your days be merry and bright (with ideas & creative productivity). :-)



Original Post: http://uclaextensionwritersprogram.blogspot.com/2011/12/2011-hollywood-blacklist.html

ADVANCED COURSE APPLICATION DEADLINE - EXTENDED!

In case you didn't get your submission ready in time, the application deadline for all Winter Quarter 2012 advanced-level courses has been extended to 5 p.m. MONDAY, DECEMBER 12th!

Please visit the following link for a list of the courses being offered and instructions on how to apply:

http://www2.uclaextension.edu/writers/detail.php?sID=advSubGuide

As always, contact your friendly neighborhood Writers' Program advisors with any questions: (310) 825-9415