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The Secret to Writing Great Comedy Punchlines

For those who become great at writing comedy in screenplays, there's a special place in Hollywood. As the saying goes, "Funny is money." In this 3-part video, you'll learn the key to comedy and 10 formats for creating punchlines. You'll watch Hal write punchlines for a scene and listen as he does the process out loud.

StoryWant to double the quality of your scenes? Want to deliver depth, entertainment, and meaning in every scene? This one skill will accomplish that and more. Meaningful action gives "talking heads" scenes life by adding action that expresses the most important meaning of the scene.

In this four video set, you'll learn the process, see it applied to two scenes and watch Hal write the second scene in order to give you the thinking process behind this valuable skill.

Creating Great Character ProfilesThis 3 video series teaches and demonstrates how to create a great characters profile.

A character profile should be precise and effective. It should make it easy for you to write unique dialogue and actions for that character. In short, it should empower you to create the most compelling characters for your current script. Learn how to create profiles that get to the heart of your character.

Subtext Layers can intimidate even a seasoned writer. This is a simple four step process to add layers of deeper meaning to your script.

You'll see a scene transformed from a flat on-the-nose scene to a fascinating series of events.

StoryWhen producers say a story doesn't work, it can often be solved with a simple strategy that you can do in less than an hour. Most writers have never put their script through this simple test that will instantly show up flaws -- and help you solve the problems.

In Part 1 of this series, you'll learn an easy diagnostic tool that will help you check your structure and overall story. You'll see Hal analyze a story and create two alternative structures -- all in about 15 minutes. Once you learn this, your stories will work.

 

Allison Burnett
Writer - Resurrecting the Champ
Allison provides valuable insights into keeping an audience guessing, when to reveal secrets, writing scripts that sell, and why he has three movies opening in the next five months.

Dean Devlin, Producer
Listen to the Producer of Independence Day and The Patriot talk about what makes a script marketable, dealing with producers, and how to write for A-list actors like Mel Gibson.

Shana Stern, Writer
Shana Stern, the first female screenwriter to sell a pitch (and get paid to write it) before selling a script
If you have a scene you'd like rewritten, submit it. Once a month, I'll pick a scene and rewrite it on video, showing the entire process, including my thinking, brainstorming, and the skills I use. It is valuable to see how another writer would write the same scene.
Upcoming Features

For many years, Studio readers have held to one dialogue test -- "Cover the names and you should be able to tell which character said what."

If you can deliver unique dialogue for each character, you'll be perceived to be a very special writer. In this video, you'll learn a simple, but extremely effective method for making sure each of your characters has their own voice.

Think about some of the great lines -- "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse." "You had me at hello." It is very possible to write memorable lines just like these...if you know how.

In this video, you'll learn how to spot potential memorable moments and write the lines that have audiences say "I'll be back."

First impressions are important. But the first impressions of your character may be the thing that causes an A-list actor to sign onto your movie. In fact, your lead character's introduction should be an "A-list actor wanted" advertisement.

In this video, you'll learn the three components to a great character introduction. You'll learn five different places to look for the "right thing to say" about your character and how to set up a character so people are excited about meeting them. And you'll see me use the process to create high-quality character introductions.

Other Titles Coming Soon

  • A-List Actor Wanted! -- Introducing Characters Powerfully.
  • Building Meaningful Action into Your Scenes.
  • Designing Subtext into Your Characters.
  • Elevating the Main Conflict of Your Script.
  • How Scene Structure Changes Scenes.
  • Advanced Outline Work -- Editing to Increase Entertainment.
  • Advanced Outline Work -- Selecting the Best Scene Structures.
  • Writing a Powerful One Page for Marketing.
  • Anticipation -- Writing a "Page-turner."
  • The key to Writing Intriguing Dialogue.
  • Writing the Perfect Scene.
  • Writing Irresistible Query Letters.
  • and more.

 
 
 
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