Savvy Screenwriting: What Film Executives Really Look for in a Script that Sells

Savvy Screenwriting: What Film Executives Really Look for in a Script that Sells will demystify how the film industry really works by navigating this seemingly daunting maze with hands-on advice that is geared to empower you. Learn what movie executives’ demand in a winning screenplay and gain firsthand insight into what story analysts look for when reading a script and specifics as to what will prompt them to reject or consider a project for production.

This workshop will cover key elements of screenwriting, including analysis of structure, plot, characters, dialogue and genre through the eyes of a film executive. Learn how to grab a reader’s attention and avoid the common pitfalls most screenwriters encounter. Whether you are working on your first screenplay or you’ve got several under your belt, this workshop will help you hone your craft as you gain a better understanding of the business of screenwriting.

Susan Kouguell, award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker, teaches screenwriting at Purchase College SUNY, and presents international seminars. She is the author of Savvy Characters Sell Screenplays! and The Savvy Screenwriter. Kouguell is chairperson of Su-City Pictures East, LLC, a consulting company founded in 1991 whose clients include writers, filmmakers, and executives worldwide. A former story analyst (Viacom, Paramount, Miramax, and Dustin Hoffman’s Punch Productions) and acquisitions consultant (Warner Bros. and Republic Pictures), Kouguell wrote a dozen feature assignments for independent companies. Her short films won international prizes, are in the Museum of Modern Art’s collection and archives, and were selected for the Whitney Museum’s Biennial.

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