For the past few months I’ve been volunteering with The Scriptwriter’s Network, an association that educates and raises awareness of the realities of the entertainment business. In my time volunteering I‘ve watched them give aspiring writer’s opportunities with industry professionals; including screenwriters, executive producers, directors and more. Through a variation of discussions, industry professionals have offered advice on breaking in, making connections, relocating to L.A., and other FAQ
A perk of volunteering for the Screenwriter’s Network is that I get to sit in on their seminars and absorb the golden nuggets of wisdom the weekly guest speakers have to offer. Every speaker has a distinctive style and approach to their lectures, and this week I found Corey Mandell’s seminar nothing short of invigorating. In case you’re unfamiliar with Corey and his work, he’s an award-winning playwright and screenwriter who has written projects for Ridley Scott, Wolfgang Petersen, Harrison Ford, John Travolta, Julia Roberts, Warner Brothers, Universal, 20th Century Fox, Fox 2000, Fox Family, Working Title, Paramount, Live Planet, Beacon Films, Touchstone, Trilogy, Radiant, Kopelson Entertainment and Walt Disney Pictures. Can you tell that was straight off his website? Nobody does a copy & paste job like I can.
Corey’s vibe was similar to a development executive I once knew, with was a straight to the point and no bullshit kind of attitude. If you know me, than you know that’s the kind of guy I want to be around. The purpose of his seminar was to educate and enlighten aspiring writers on the likelihood of breaking into the industry and the common mistakes writers make. Since I’m in a cluster-fuck of a situation with my many but unfinished pilots, I’ve taken on Corey’s words to help shape my stories into something that are worth telling. I need these pilots to not just be singularly great, but I need to decide why each individual series is worth making. A spec pilot has to work as an episode, but it also has to be plausible, even brilliant, as a template for a whole show. And one thing that makes a show brilliant is if it’s got a big macro reason to exist — if it’s got a point to make.
I’m aware of the juncture I’m in as an emerging writer, and I’m conscious to the fact I need a distinctive and inimitable voice. Jane Espenson, she of Buffy fame and currently TV writer for Once Upon A Time, said that regardless of subject or place in time or space, great writers share one trait-they are true to their personalities, spirits, and characters. So unfortunately while I might think I have an “authentic” voice, I could really just have an inflated ego. What I thought was original and complex may in reality be flat and completely cliché. I guess I just need time to follow Corey’s advice so I discover a prose that is unique, expressive, and profoundly authentic.
bryanmora 