Stop reading the “how to” screenwriting books. You don’t need more theoretical knowledge.

What you need is to learn how to write a screenplay that is truly unforgettable.

In this 12-week 1-1 writing mentorship program you will discover how to actually become a screenwriter through the process of writing an original and deeply authentic screenplay.

If you do the work you will leave with a completed first draft, as well as the tools and the confidence to take what you've learned and apply it to everything you write for the rest of your career as a screenwriter. 

How it works

You show up for our first session with whatever you've got. Premise for a movie. A logline. A first act. Whatever. We will meet once a week for 50 minutes. I will walk with you through the entire writing process, from ideation to finished first draft.

  • First things first. We need to make sure you're organized before sending you off to write. Over the course of these first four sessions we will nail down your theme, figure out who your protagonist is and establish your major plot points.

    THEME

    Everything begins with your theme. It's where the originality and authenticity will come from. In Week 1 we will discuss what your story is about and what you believe to be true about the subject matter. We will nail down a one-line, clear and concise theme. Your theme will be your Northstar. It will guide you through the entire writing process.

    CHARACTER

    Next we figure out who your protagonist is by filtering them through the prism of your theme. After Week 2 you will have a detailed description of your main character. You will know who they are, how they move through the world, where they come from and, most importantly, what needs to happen to your protagonist so we can send them on the journey that they need to go on.

    PLOT

    This is when the mechanics of storytelling and the importance of the three act structure will start to come into focus. During Weeks 3 and 4 we will break your story together, nailing down all the major plot points and establishing a document for you to work from. I’ve found that the best treatments contain little more than the foundation your story will be built upon. The more detail you have in your treatment, the less opportunity your story will have to surprise you as you write.

  • You're writing. You will need to make time to write 8-15 pages in between sessions each week. I have a hard and fast rule that applies to the writing of any first draft – you only look forward, never backward. So I will ask that you do not go back and reread your work. I will also not be reading your pages and giving you notes as we go. Now is not the time to critique your work. Our only concern is finishing the first draft.

  • When we meet for our last session you and I will have read your script. You will tell me how you are feeling about it. I will tell you how I am feeling about it. And together we will compile a notes doc that will serve as your road map to help guide you through the rewrite process as you sculpt the first draft into a polished script that you are proud of and excited for other people to read. 

    • A completed screenplay

    • A thorough notes document to bring your script from first draft to submission ready

    • The confidence to design your work day and protect it like it's the most important thing in the world, which it is

    • Tools for getting your mind into a state that is most conducive to writing so you can make the most of your workday

    • You will learn the importance of a sacred workspace and how to create one

    • A clear vision of the screenwriter you want to become

When I was younger and just getting started, everything I wrote felt flat.

It felt shallow, like it was missing something. It’s because I was writing what I thought people wanted to read. There was no me in my scripts. During this time I, not surprisingly, wasn’t making any money. I had no agent. No manager. Worst of all, I frequently found myself blocked and struggling to finish scripts.

It wasn’t until I learned how to tap into my own authenticity - the attributes, life experiences and belief systems that make me, me - and infuse it into my screenplays that things started to change.

I no longer had to wrack my brain trying to randomly figure out what should happen in Act II. The stories started to write themselves because they were being guided by wisdom that existed deep within me. All I had to do was access it. Finally, my work had a point of view. This is when I actually became a screenwriter. You can do this too. 

Meet your mentor

In my 15 years doing this, here's what I've learned. Anyone can become a wildly successful screenwriter – anyone who is willing to write fearlessly from the deepest parts of their being. If you haven't been doing this, your work might be good but it won't be memorable. You can read all the screenplay books. Attend the seminars. Get an MFA. But until you figure out how to use your authenticity - your own personal, inimitable magic - to infuse your work with something unforgettable, you always feel like you are falling short of your potential. And so will all of your readers.

I invite you to join me for 12 weeks to become the most powerful screenwriter you can be.