“I’LL HAVE WHAT SHE’S HAVING” – CHARACTER AND CONNECTION
Practical tips and techniques to create and pitch memorable characters that connect emotionally with audiences and will help sell your script!
An Upcoming Class by Hollis Rich and Carole Dean
Does your story/script connect to an audience and make them lean in, eager to find out what comes next?
Do you want to create characters that audiences emotionally connect to and root for to succeed?
Do you want to write entertaining and memorable dialogue that brings your characters to life by making the audience feel part of the conversation?
Do you want to pitch your project in a way that emotionally connects buyers to you and keeps them engaged before, during and after your actual “pitch”?
INTRO AND SOME BACKGROUND
AFTER MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN WRITERS ROOMS AND AS A SHOWRUNNER, I’VE FOUND OUT WHAT MATTERS MOST TO AUDIENCES: CHARACTER CHARACTER CHARACTER.
IF THEY LIKE OR CONNECT TO THE CHARACTER, THEY WILL FOLLOW THEM ANYWHERE AND ROOT FOR THEM.
WHEN TRYING TO SELL A SCRIPT FOR A FILM OR TELEVISION PILOT YOU WANT TO BREATH LIFE INTO THE WORDS ON THE PAGE – AND THAT HAPPENS THROUGH THE STRENGTH AND DEPTH OF YOUR CHARACTERS.
IF YOU’VE WRITTEN STRONG, MEMORABLE CHARACTERS THAT CONNECT TO READERS, DEVELOPMENT EXECS AT EVERY LEVEL WHO READ YOUR SCRIPT WILL GET IT. IT WILL HELP SELL YOUR SCRIPT AND ALSO ATTRACT THE BEST ACTORS WHO KNOW A GOOD PART WHEN THEY SEE IT – AND AUDIENCES WILL CONNECT AND WANT TO SEE MORE.
Instructors
Hollis Rich
Writer / Producer
Hollis Rich’s career as a television writer/producer spans both half-hour comedy and hour drama, including Doogie Howser, MD, Grace Under Fire, Picket Fences and Party of Five. Hollis co-created and co-executive-produced State of Grace, a half-hour dramedy featuring Mae Whitman, Alia Shawkat, and Frances McDormand as the off-screen narrator. The critically acclaimed series earned two Humanitas nominations and four Jewish Image Awards for its humorous, authentic depiction of two girls of different faiths growing up in the 1960’s South. Hollis attended UCLA’s Graduate Film School Writers Program and is currently developing two half-hour comedies that feature a disabled lead.
Carole Dean
Founder and President of From the Heart Productions
Carole Dean is the Founder and President of From the Heart Productions, a top-rated 501(c)3 non-profit that supports independent filmmakers by helping them raise funding for their projects. Over thirty years through From the Heart’s fiscal sponsorship program, she has assisted filmmakers in raising over $30 million for their films.
She created the Roy Dean Grant in 1992 and has awarded over $2,500,000 in grants to independent filmmakers, and helped to produce over 80 films through the grant.
Her creation of a business in 1970, Studio Film & Tape, that purchased leftover motion picture film from production then resold it at a discount, helped spark the independent film revolution by giving filmmakers affordable film stock.
In the 1980s, she produced 120 Health Styles Shows that were sold to Oasis Cable and 30 Filmmaker shows, now in the National Archives. She was Executive Producer for BAM 6.6, Women Behind the Camera, Step Away From the Stone, and American Chain Gang. More of Carole’s producing credits are available on IMDB.
Carole Dean is the author of The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts & The Art of Manifesting: Creating your Future. Click here to see Carole’s complete Curriculum Vitae.
About the Class
Coming Fall 2024
Dates and more details to be announced soon!
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5 Classes
Classes are 1.5 – 2 Hours Each
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Class 1
Creating Memorable Main Characters
Date TBA
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Class 2
Creating Memorable Supporting Characters
Date TBA
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Class 3
Creating Memorable Dialogue
Date TBA
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Class 4
Creating and Delivering a Powerful Pitch
Date TBA
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Class 5
Pitching Workshop
Date TBA
Testimonials
“Hollis Rich brings an insightful, experienced process to storytelling for the screen and is a practiced guide into the complex worlds of character building and original dialogue. Know that whether you aspire to write comedy, drama or anything in between, Hollis will share her wealth of experience with humor and honesty, and provide a well-defined pathway to the important skills necessary for film and television screenwriting.”
– Brenda Lilly
“Hollis was my instructor for several film and tv writing courses and I still use tools and craft from her courses everyday in my work. She taught me the basics of structure, story, and character, but what I really took away was a deeper appreciation and dedication to the craft itself. I’ve learned about emotional storytelling, truthful characters, and clarity of voice from her, and she’s guided me through many rough creative waters with confidence and care. Her passion for the work in all its challenges and beauty is something she shares generously and readily with her students. Being one of those students is one of my greatest fortunes on my path as a writer.”
– Frances Hebert
About the Classes
CLASS #1 – CREATING MEMORABLE MAIN CHARACTERS THAT EMOTIONALLY CONNECT AND DRIVE THE NARRATIVE FORWARD
Date TBA
In this class, we will take a closer look at your main characters, identify four essential elements necessary to develop deeper, more complex, believable main characters – INSIGHT, EXPERIENCE, PARADOX AND BEHAVIOR – and how to incorporate them into a feature, short or pilot script.
CLASS #2 – CREATING SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT WORK WITH THE MAIN CHARACTER(S) TO EMOTIONALLY CONNECT AND HELP DRIVE THE NARRATIVE FORWARD
Date TBA
Supporting characters play a unique and vital role, often emerging as some of the most memorable characters in a film or television series.
In this class, we will take a closer look at your supporting characters, identify four essential roles and functions they serve and explore how to develop deeper, more complex, believable supporting characters and how to incorporate them into a feature, short or pilot script.
CLASS #3 – CREATING MEMORABLE DIALOGUE BY MAKING THE AUDIENCE PART OF THE CONVERSATION
Date TBA
We’ve talked about how to create main and secondary characters that connect emotionally to audiences and drive your narrative forward. Now it’s time to talk about… how your characters talk. In this class, we will explore how to create memorable authentic dialogue that will bring your characters to life on and off the page and connect emotionally to your audience by making them part of the conversation.
CLASS #4 - THE PRODUCERS’ PITCH: CREATING AND DELIVERING A POWERFUL PITCH THAT EMOTIONALLY CONNECTS TO YOUR BUYER
Date TBA
We’ve talked about how to create main and secondary characters and dialogue that connect emotionally to audiences and make them part of the conversation. Now it’s time to face that cringe-inducing rite of passage and large dose of show biz reality called (insert scary soundtrack here) THE PITCH.
But, hey, no pressure —
In this class, we will take a closer look at the art and craft of pitching and identify four essential elements – HIGHLIGHTING YOUR MAIN CHARACTER’S JOURNEY, CREATING THE BRIEF BUT EMOTIONALLY DYNAMIC SYNOPSIS, NAVIGATING THE Q & Q LANDMINES and “READING THE ROOM” — along with other practical tips from the trenches designed to connect to your buyers and help them pitch your project up the chain to their boss, who will hopefully love it and buy it!
CLASS #5 - PITCHING WORKSHOP
Date TBA
Questions or Comments?
For More Information, Please email info@fromtheheartproductions.com.
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