Two Emmy nominations for writing/story editing on STRANGE DAYS AT BLAKE.
HOLSEY HIGH for NBC/Discovery Channel. • BAFTA nomination for an episode ...
'My Story Can Beat Up Your Story!' & 'TotallyWrite' © Jeffrey Alan Schechter, 2007-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.
Some career HIGHLIGHTS • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • •
Got into the WGA with action films such as BLOODSPORT II, THE TOWER, and STREETKNIGHT. Optioned and rewrote LITTLE BIG FOOT for Working Title Films Rewrote THE AMAZING PANDA ADVENTURE for Warner Brothers Original writer for DENNIS THE MENACE STRIKES AGAIN. Script doctor on IT TAKES TWO. Sold spec screenplay STANLEY'S CUP to Walt Disney Pictures in a deal worth over a million dollars. Rewrote I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS for the Walt Disney Company Wrote the TV movie BRINK! for the Disney Channel. WGA nominee. Wrote BEETHOVEN'S 3RD for Universal Studios. Diversified into animation, live-action television, writing dozens of episodes for series such as THE FAMOUS JETT JACKSON, ANIMORPHS, MARTIN MYSTERY, TOTALLY SPIES, TEAM GALAXY, GET ED, FREEFONIX, DI-GATA DEFENDERS, HOT WHEELS BATTLE FORCE 5, and JANE AND THE DRAGON. Wrote two Care Bears CG movies. WGC Nominee for THE BIG WISH MOVIE Two Emmy nominations for writing/story editing on STRANGE DAYS AT BLAKE HOLSEY HIGH for NBC/Discovery Channel. BAFTA nomination for an episode of the series I wrote and directed. Diversified into drama with the Hallmark Channel TV movie OUT OF THE WOODS. Co-created several TV series including OVERRULED!, currently airing on the Disney Channel and STARZ. Gemini Award for producing. Co-wrote the hockey film BREAKAWAY Wrote the 4-hour miniseries EXPLODING SUN for Muse/Sonar Entertainment
THe Big Lie -- You will sell your spec Screenplay THe Big Truth -- You don’t need to in order to have a career
Stuff I’ve Gotten Paid to Write EPISODIC TELEVISION
FEATURES & TV MOVIES
Written -81 1/2 hours Story Edited -- 160 1/2 hours
7 5 4 4 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
Family Features Animated Features Action Features Comedy Features Sci-Fi Action Feature Family TV Movies Drama TV Movies Action TV Movie Comedy TV Movie Action/Fantasy Miniseries Western Miniseries Sci-Fi Miniseries Million Dollar Spec Screenplay
1 Zombie Western TV Movie
Fun Fact! If the WGA were its own country it would have an unemployment rate second only to the island nation of Nauru (Pop 9322, Unemployment 90%).
The Tough Writer’s Business PLan
Adapted and amplified from Chapter 10 of “My Story Can Beat Up Your Story!”
#1 - If you’re over 40, don’t do anything stupid
#2 - If you’re in your twenties with no obligations, move to los angeles
#3 - Network, Network, Network
.com
#4 - Treat the business like a business
#5 - Diversify, leaning heavily towards Television
#5 - Diversify, leaning heavily towards Television
#6 - Be The producer
Fan Fiction
Graphic Novels
Blog
New Funding Models
Self-Published
Self-PRODUCED
#7 - Write something UnPRODUCEABLE
#8 - Bring something to the PArty
Be Unique, Have a distinctive voice and/or outlook
#9 - Don’t go after Managers or Agents until you have at Least Two Great writing samples. Three is better. And you STILL need a recommendation.
#10 - Don’t go TO PITCH FESTS EXPECTING TO SELL ANYTHING.
#11 - there is only One script competition worth anything...
...and Even that may not be much (66 past winners, only 13 with contemporary credits. 2012 -- 9500 applicants, 5 winners) http://www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl/fellows/25thyearbook.html
#12 - tURN IN EVERYTHING YOU WRITE WITH TREMBLING HANDS
The MSCBUYS Challenge In the next year you must write AT LEAST one spec screenplay and... One 1 hour insane dramatic teleplay One 1/2 hour pilot script OR One 1/2 hour (animated) family script One 1 hour dramatic teleplay One 1/2 hour insane pilot script One 1/2 hour (animated) family script
OR
One 1 hour dramatic teleplay One 1/2 hour pilot script One 1/2 hour insane (animated) family pilot
The MSCBUYS Challenge Spec screenplay 1 hour drama writing sample 1/2 hour pilot sample 1/2 hour family writing sample
108 pages 60 pages 30 pages 30 pages -------228 pages
5 months 3 months 2 months 2 months -------12 months
Equals 2/3 page per for 1 year, or 1 page a day, 5 days a week (with a 1 month vacation)
The Tough Writer’s Business PLan 1. Do not wait for the phone to ring. Take action! Look for material. Partner up. 2. Accept the MSCBUYS Challenge. 3. Network! • Join the MSCBUYS group/page. Be active. • Join Moviebytes.com. Be active. • Join ScriptSales.com. Be...you know! 4. Commit to professional development. • At the very least, buy a few books. At the very, very least, buy mine. • Read blogs. JohnAugust.com is the best. • Subscribe to Variety or The Hollywood Reporter • Attend seminars, go to screenwriting events. • The MSCBUYS webinar series is unapologetically recommended. 5. Be smart on where you spend your money. Screenplay competitions...eh. Coverage or script notes...better. For low-priced script notes, I like The Writers Store. If you like and respond to my approach to structure and screenwriting, you can always check my availability. 6. Write something awesome. And then do it again.
Online at:
www.mscbuys.com
(c) 2013 Like The Wind Productions LLC. All Rights Reserved.
