There are many ways to evolve as a screenwriter. When I was first starting out I got all kinds of advice from people, most of it very good.
- Read pilots. Lots of 'em.
- Watch what's on TV and in theaters.
- Take classes on writing.
But my favorite way to stay sharp as a writer for the screen is to work behind the scenes. Here's how I found a way to do it.
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Michael Laskin
Actor | Teacher | Coach |
An actor friend of mine invited me to her acting class and introduced me to her teacher,
Michael Laskin. He's been teaching in a forum he calls,
"The Michael Laskin Studio" since October of 2009. I'm a fan of his ideology on teaching which he outlines clearly in his
latest blog post.
I sit in on the class, get to know the actors, and write original scenes for them.
Sometimes I can bring in work from a pilot or feature I'm working on. Other times, I just get struck with an idea specific to a pair of actors and develop that into a scene just for them.
Because of the nature of the class, the scenes that work best are between two people and generally four to five pages, sometimes more. Actors are always hungry for scenes that allow them to stretch and shine. So, I have a lot of fun coming up with unique ideas for them and seeing how it plays out in the studio.
For me, the benefits are many. It gives me real time feedback about specific scenes. I can direct the actors if they aren't connected to the material in a powerful way just from the page. I can develop ideas in a laboratory-like setting without the cost and effort of staging a table read. I fellowship with a community of working actors, some of whom are quickly becoming big deals. No, really. And when something really hits, I have a kernel to develop into something more.
I've even gotten to develop a character for a comedienne who I strongly believe has a future. That's awesome.
I share this with you because it dawned on me, some of these scenes are really good, and this isn't the only acting classroom in the world.
Over the next few months I'll post scenes that actors everywhere can pull down and put up in classes. These are protected works and I ask that people respect the spirit of the offer.
What that means is, if you are planning to do a public performance of any of these scenes, prior written approval is required. You can reach me on Facebook, or Google Plus.
Okay. In a couple days I'll post the first. It is my hope that actors around the world find value in these scenes. That you find your voice, your spark, yourself, in these moments that have made some of us cry, many of us laugh, and me happy to be alive.
