Million Dollar Screenwriter

Learn the screenwriting secrets behind successful cinematic stories in the world of film & television script writing.

Last updated 2022-01-10 | 4.2

- By the end of this course
- you will be able to sculpt a full length feature film screenplay.

What you'll learn

By the end of this course

you will be able to sculpt a full length feature film screenplay.

* Requirements

* A spirited willingness to learn this wonderful craft to tell the story you were meant to tell. A laptop or pad-pen is just fine.

Description

Paul Castro the original writer of the Warner Bros. hit movie, AUGUST RUSH.He is a produced, award winning screenwriter and world-renowned screenwriting professor. Success leaves clues and so do masterfully crafted screenplays that sell for millions of dollars.

20 brisk segments.

Professional screenwriting techniques

Plot development for the big screen

Creating compelling characters to attract movie stars

Winning dialogue

Structure to serve as the blueprint for your movie

Scene construction to evoke suspense

Sequence writing to manage an ensemble cast

Good movie idea to writing a great feature film screenplay!

And so much more!

Entertainment industry professionals celebrate Paul Castro:

“A truly inspirational experience. I left Paul Castro’s class more prepared.Invaluable!” Rick Rapoza. Sold his script for $500,000.

“What clearly resonates with me is Paul’s love for and dedication to his students and to storytelling. He is a composed and practical artist and teacher, yet highly imaginative in his approach.”Michael Eisner, Former CEO of The Walt Disney Company.

“Paul Castro teaches screenwriting from the inside out.”Richard Walter, UCLA Screenwriting Chairperson.

"Paul Castro is exceptionally skilled at his craft."Bill Badalato TOP GUN, MEN OF HONOR.

“Paul is one of the best screenwriters I’ve known in my 50 plus years of movie making.”Oscar winner, Shirley Maclaine

“RUNNING WITH GOD… Spectacular writing!”Oscar nominated Terrence Howard, IRONMAN, AUGUST RUSH.

“Paul Castro teaches with elegant style." Sean Astin, LORD OF THE RINGS.

“I was taken with his understanding of cinematic writing.”Ross Greenburg, Producer MIRACLE.

“Clear and concise offering aspiring screenwriters the tools necessary to go from baby screenwriter to working professional. I am forever grateful.”Yule Caise, HEROES

“Paul is simply one of the best I’ve worked with.”

Don Ranvaud, CITY OF GOD

Who this course is for:

First time screenwriters and professionals will greatly benefit from this series.

Course content

6 sections • 26 lectures

Write the story you were meant to write. Let's get started! 4 lectures

Introduction Preview 06:33

Story Preview 04:36

Cinematic, dramatic, simple plot, complex characters, suspenseful!

This is the property and architectural home built before you start decorating. Feel wonderful about this as it is your story.

Logline Preview 04:17

Title, genre, and the pitch. Built in conflict is what drives story. Your logline is your first communication to the world and to yourself about your clear, concise, cinematic story that is a… movie.

Titles Preview 02:13

Like a parent naming a child, so shall you name your movie. Both are crucial to the life of the journey. This is the shop sign inviting all to enter. Feel great about your title or come up with a new one.

Creating characters and images to bring your movie to life! 3 lectures

Protagonist Preview 04:20

Movies are often given the green light and money because of story and movie stars. Your lead, your protagonist, needs a strong clear character that is both multidimensional and flawed. This will attract that star. Your protagonist is the key to a great story. Love your protagonist and the audience will too.

Antagonist Preview 03:45

That character in opposition to your protagonist is the antagonist. The antagonist should be stronger than your protagonist as to add a layer of anxiety, urgency, and intensity to your story. Also known as a “heavy,” this good vs. evil dynamic will drive the conflict organically. Give us a great heavy and you have a great movie.

Opening Images Preview 03:31

Tone, vibration, feeling, texture, and energy are established immediately with your opening images. This will certainly ground your audience in the world and the journey they are about to venture on. Close your eyes and breathe. What images do you see and feel for your movie?

Screenplay story structure is the blueprint on which we paint with words! 8 lectures

Inciting Incident Preview 02:21

Going from the ordinary world to the extraordinary world is the moment in your movie that alerts the audience to a special world soon to come. This is very important as it is the calm pond getting a rock thrown in and your inciting incident is the ripples.

Page 17 Preview 03:22

This is the point in your movie vital to your movie. Without this moment your movie does not exist. This is the moment that changes the entire trajectory of life as this movie has known thus far.

Page 30 Preview 02:53

The consequences of your page 17 are reflected on your page 30. Cause and effect, action-reaction, energy in motion has no turning back now. This is now full on cinematic, dramatic, story world.

Page 45 Preview 03:06

Breathe… This is the first false epiphany that gives your audience a breather and a false sense of security that all is well in paradise. This goal has a reasonable chance of being accomplished for your protagonist and his or her quest.

Page 60 Preview 04:56

This is the midpoint and tent pole of your movie as all is supported by this moment.It is when your lead character, the protagonist, goes from passive to active in his or her destiny as does your antagonist. The old self dies (metaphorically) and the new self is born.

Page 75 Preview 04:06

Inhale, inhale… exhale…Okay, this is the second false epiphany where your audience now is convinced that your protagonist will triumph. It is a false sense of security that will soon be shattered.

Page 90 Preview 07:19

Ouch! This is the big gloom. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong in all plausible areas of your protagonist’s life. This is the true dark before the dawn. The audience feels that your lead is farthest from their goal then they’ve ever been.

Third Act Finale Preview 04:25

If this where a symphonic concerto would have the crescendo to punctuate the piece in grand fashion. In all successful screenplays we hit our emotional highpoint and exit our movie! Yes, it is okay to leave the audience waiting for more.

The craft-secrets professional screenwriters utilize and now so will you! 3 lectures

Scene Construction Preview 04:26

All great scenes are sculpted and peppered with perpetual conflict and obstacles. Enter a scene late and exit a scene early to keep the audience curious and desperate to want to learn what happens next.

Character Arc Preview 04:16

This is really character ascension in the fact that your protagonist is progressing in their evolution toward their destiny. The best characters in movies change for better or worse.

Sequence Writing Preview 06:11

Group your character dynamics and story lines to make writing more manageable. To better manage multiple character dynamics you can simply outline the progression of just those scenes involving just those character groupings. Then once outlined, write just those scenes. Then when all is done, edit it all together with seamless transitions.

The difference between a screenplay that sells and one that doesn't! 3 lectures

Good News, Bad News, Timeframe, Timelock Preview 04:53

All movies come down to good news followed by bad news increasing with intensity and stakes as it progresses. Timeframe is the overall time period that your movie takes place over. Time lock is that time honored cinematic device that gives your movie a sense of urgency based on a deadline.

Petting the Dog Preview 02:48

This is a cinematic device that tells your audience who we care about in your movie and who we do not. Always have one or multiple petting the dog moments.

Conclusion Preview 04:22

Writers write, great writers re-write and create the stories that speak to their soul. Contribute to the world and the world will reciprocate. You can do this! We all look forward to your movie.