TucsonStage Blog: SCREENWRITING CLASS WITH HOWARD ALLEN

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

SCREENWRITING CLASS WITH HOWARD ALLEN

From: Howard Allen [mailto:hadoc@cox.net]
Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2017 11:09 AM
Subject: Howard's SCREENWRITING CLASS AT STORY LAND

SCREENWRITING CLASS WITH HOWARD ALLEN

OCTOBER 21, 2017 1:00- 3:00 P.M.

8 WEEKS

Storytelling For Plays And Screenplays at Story Land

Weeks

1. Introductions and what Actors and Directors know about Text AND Subtext

Storyteller Analysis and Format handouts to use.

2. Story Structure Structure from the Inside

Good Storytellers—and that includes prose, play and screenplay writers—have a vocabulary to talk about structure. PLUS first 6 minutes of Shakespeare In Love on page and onscreen and Ray Bradbury advice

3. Secret Weapon of Both but Really All Stories, Especially Comedies & Thrillers

Using the story subtext structure of Mrs. Doubtfire, The Fugitive, The Big Sick and others.

4. Explaining is EVIL: Dialogue can work in Wonderful Ways.

We start to discuss your shared 10 page work samples. How to really help fellow writers.

5. Wallace & Gromit Teach Screenwriting

Learn the basics from the Oscar-winning team of Nick Park and Bob Baker at Aardmore Animations who created the wonderful short film A Close Shave.

6. What is a Story Premise that works

Bring a Premise for a story you have written or will write.

7. How your Premise and Log Line works on Classmates and The World

Writers work their Premises to explore what we have learned about Story Structure for all kinds of Dramatic Storytelling.

8. You Tell Me What You Want to Discuss plus Fun Exercises in Character and Genre

More discussion of your Premises but focus on Character and Genre and 21st Century Storytelling.

Howard Allen (thedoc@scriptdoctor.com) has worked for years as a professional actor, playwright, director, screenwriter and literary manager/dramaturg -- as well as a reporter, reviewer and editor in his journalistic career. Because of his skills at ScriptDoctor.com(Rated No. 1 "Cream of the Crop" in a national Survey of Analysts/ Consultants by Creative Screenwriting magazine) and his CoyoteMoon Films (.com), a new production company, his latest work aims to honor and aid the storyteller. Two short films have been produced, Se Habla Espanol and The 3 O'Clock, a comedy by well-known Phoenix playwright Michael Grady. Also look in IMDb for his acting in films Red 71 and The Decoyand as Script Consultant on films The Good Boy and the recent Lions Gate release, The Graves. He continues to do Screenwriting Workshops including 2 for IFP Phoenix. One former student just got $1million on screenplay for his graphic novel, Day Men, to Universal Studios. He has a new screenplay with Kinga Gaspers, Madam Nijinsky, in development in L.A., a new play with Royce Sparks, The Harpie, just released to the marketplace, and with Royce, the brand new Institute For Collaborative Storytelling launched 2015.

As a member of Actor's Equity and the Screen Actor's Guild, he performed in LORT B theatres and in movies directed by Michael Landon and others. He won awards for editing, reporting and for reviewing film and theatre at the Tucson Weekly. He won a scholarship to attend the Critics Institute at the prestigious O'Neill Theatre Conference. He has benefited from workshops with August Wilson, Eric Overmyer, Horton Foote, Edit Villareal and others. With an MFA in Playwriting and Screenwriting from the University of Arizona, he has taught college level courses and workshops in Writing for Film and Television, Film Acting, Art Of Cinema, Theatre History -- as well as Humanities. Credits: co-writer on screenplays "Renaissance," top 10% at Heart of Austin Film Festival and "Line In the Sand" was optioned; His theatre events: directing "I Hate Hamlet," Pinter's "The Birthday Party," London hit "Humble Boy," plus "Mesmeric Mozart," "and "A Beautiful Deception" for Chamber Music PLUS with Robert Picardo and Armin Shimerman.