He has sold original pitches and written television pilots for NBC and Fox, worked on the writing staff of two primetime drama series, and written screenplays on assignment for Universal Pictures, HBO, TNT, and Playtone. He’s worked as a writer for such production companies as Imagine Entertainment, Original Film, director Doug Liman, Warren Littlefield, Jerry Bruckheimer Television, NBC Studios, ABC Studios, Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, and 20th Century Fox.
Erik also teaches for UCLA Extension’s Writers’ Program and National University’s MFA in Professional Screenwriting program. He has been called one of the “Top Ten Most Influential Screenwriting Bloggers” for his Flying Wrestler website, where many of the ideas in this book originated. Readers can find much more of his advice there, learn about his one-on-one coaching and consulting, and get his free “Ten Key Principles Successful Writers Understand” at FlyingWrestler.com/Key-Principles.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
INTRODUCTION
How I Arrived at This
1: FOCUS ON THE IDEA
The 60/30/10 Rule
The PROBLEM
How “High” Is Your Concept?
Nailing the Logline
2: PUNISHING
Degree of Difficulty
Great Stories Are Like Great Games
Adapting True Stories
Television and the “Web of Conflict”
“Punishing” Checklist
3: RELATABLE
The Role of the “Main Character”
Subjective Point of View
The Relatable Center
The Eight Types of Story Problems
Likability
What about Character Arc?
The Goal of the Opening Pages
Why We Care about Tony Soprano
“Relatable” Checklist
4: ORIGINAL
A Fresh Twist on the Familiar
There’s Another Project Just Like Mine!
Writer’s “Voice” and Dealing with Feedback
Why They Make Bad Movies
Doctors, Lawyers, and Cops
“Original” Checklist
5: BELIEVABLE
Never Confuse
How Is the World Different from Ours?
Going for “the Real”
God and the Devil Are in the Details
Forced to Coexist
“Believable” Checklist
6: LIFE-ALTERING
Internal Stakes Are Not Enough
Life-and-Death Stakes
Everything Else
Characters Dealing with Their Stuff
Unmet Needs and Wants
“Life-Altering” Checklist
7: ENTERTAINING
Helping the Audience Escape
Feelings We Like to Feel
Ingredients to Add to “Drama”
Rich, Sexy, and Glamorous
“Entertaining” Checklist
8: MEANINGFUL
What Is It REALLY About?
Sticking to the Audience’s Ribs
TV Characters Don’t Really Change
“Meaningful” Checklist
9: PUTTING “PROBLEM” TO WORK
Where Ideas Come From
Finding Story Ideas
Talent Is Overrated
About the Author