Screenwriting Tip:
Every story is a version of
“be careful what you wish for”

At the beginning of a screenplay, usually within the first 10 pages, the protagonist is introduced, and we find out what the protagonist wants. Later, the protagonist will get exactly what she wanted. It may not be the thing she wanted the most, but she will get something she wanted in those first 10 pages. Then, pretty soon after that, the protagonist’s life will begin to resemble the old maxim “be careful what you wish for.”

In The Wizard of Oz Dorothy wishes she could go somewhere over the rainbow because she thinks that there she’d escape her problems. Does she get her wish? Yes -– but it turns out to be a scary place, and instead of taking away her problems, it compounds them.

In Tootsie Michael Dorsey, the out-of-work actor played by Dustin Hoffman, desperately wants an acting job. Does he get his wish? Yes -– but the acting job is that of a female character on a soap opera, so he has to disguise himself as a woman all the time. Eventually this creates so many problems in his life that he risks his entire acting career to get out of his contract.

In Juno, the title character wishes she knew if she was pregnant. Does she get her wish? Yes -– and the answer is yup, she’s preggers. The rest of the movie is about her dealing with the consequences of this knowledge.

In some films “be careful what you wish for” is more apparent than in others. Often it requires some verbal dexterity to create just the right wording of the wish so that it’s the one that is fulfilled. But deep down, it’s always there.

Summer Workshops & Consultations!

Summer workshops start the week of May 27th, but be sure to register ASAP for the best selection and to ensure your choice is not filled or cancelled. Plus, if you register by May 1, you can save $15 to $25 off of regular tuition!

One exciting change to our schedule: in addition to our regular Tuesday night workshop, we are once again offering a Saturday afternoon class.

Here’s our summer workshop info:

SCREENWRITING FUNDAMENTALS
Learn in 5 weeks everything you must know to write a screenplay. Choose:
– TUESDAY group (7-9:30 pm, May 28-June 25) -OR-
– SATURDAY group (1:30-4 pm, June 1-29)
See syllabus
Tuition: $225
Pay by May 1: $210

MASTER CLASS
Write a feature-length script or script outline in 10 weeks. Choose:
– TUESDAY group (7-9:30 pm, May 28-July 30) -OR-
– SATURDAY group (1:30-4 pm, June 1-Aug 3)
See syllabus
Tuition: $395
Pay by May 1: $370
(Master Class Alumni: take another $50 off)

PRIVATE SCRIPT CONSULTATION & INSTRUCTION
See info on our website.
1½ hour private instruction & story consultation: $75
Package of 5 90-minute consultations: $370

FLAT RATE SCRIPT CONSULTATION
Your script read, marked-up & analysized, & then reviewed with you in a 90 minute consultation.
See more on our website.
$300

TO REGISTER
Just hit “Reply” and e-mail us with which consultation or workshop (Fundamentals or Master Class) you are interested in and, for workshops, which section (Tuesday or Saturday), and we’ll email back to get you enrolled right away!

News & Etcetera

Program alumna Kat Candler wrote the recently completed feature film Love Me, and you can watch it via
video-on-demand on Amazon — how cool is that?!

Alumnus Dave Pantano is currently shooting a feature he wrote, Building Birdhouses. You can see production stills at the film’s Facebook page.

You can check out some great writing tips in this recap of a panel on screenwriting hosted by UT’s Women In Cinema. The panel featured The Screenplay Workshop’s Founding Director Jill Chamberlain, screenwriter Owen Egerton, writer/director Michelle Mower, and AFF Competition Director Matt Dy.

Alumna Dana Cowden‘s script Ghose Dance is a Finalist in the Hill Country Film Festival. Congrats, Dana!

The Screenplay Workshop is now on Twitter as ScreenplayDoc. Become a follower! Follow @ScreenplayDoc.

Have you “liked” The Screenplay Workshop’s Facebook page yet? You can by clicking here.

Alumni: be sure to email us about your news – news@thescreenplayworkshop.org.