7 Point Story Structure Found In Every Great Movie - Paul Chitlik

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In this Film Courage video interview, we ask Paul Chitlik to describe the seven points of story structure for a screenplay.

Paul Chitlik has written for all the major networks and studios in English and in Spanish. He was story editor for MGM/UA'S "The New Twilight Zone," and staff writer for Showtime's sitcom "Brothers." He has written features for Rysher Entertainment, NuImage, Promark, Mainline Releasing, and others. He has directed episodes and been coordinating producer for “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol” and “U.S. Customs Classified.” He wrote and produced “Alien Abduction,” the first network movie shot on digital video for UPN. He wrote, produced, and directed “Ringling Brothers Revealed” a special for The Travel Channel. (He had been a roustabout for Circus Vargas years earlier.) Most recently he wrote, produced and directed “The Wedding Dress,” for Amazon Prime. He received a Writers Guild of America award nomination for his work on "The Twilight Zone" and a GLAAD Media Award nomination for "Los Beltrán,” a Telemundo show. He won a Genesis Award for a Showtime Family movie. He has taught in the MFA programs of UCLA, the University of Barcelona’s film school ESCAC, Cuba’s film school EICTV, Chile’s film school UNIACC, The University of Zulia in Venezuela, The Panamerican University in Mexico City, The Story Academy of Sweden and as a clinical associate professor at Loyola Marymount University. Now writing full time again and living near his grandson in Chapel Hill, NC, with wife, Beth McCauley.

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#writing #screenwriting #writer

[filmcourage]

Thank you Nuni for supporting Film Courage and for sponsoring this video!

[hodijeno]

This is a terrific way to describe the writing process, Paul. You are not only a great guy, but an excellent teacher and writer as well. Congratulations.

[mudiagaoneil]

I'm thrilled to find someone like yourself who's so selfless in giving back. Thanks Paul.

[filmcourage]

How do you like the way Paul utilizes these story points into his writing process?

[Metralon]

Great tips in here, especially on writing a character's bio - 10:54 - physiology, sociology, psychology.

[Ruylopez]

I'd say those points are a fairly standard framework, and I can see how this could be applied retroactively to "every great movie", even if that wasn't necessarily how it was written. I think Truby's 7 steps are similar but the terminology sounds more focused on the character, rather than the plot, which makes them more organic, in my mind. Of course, all these paradigms require the writer to interpret these points in imaginative ways.

[chancelewis]

Yet another great video to learn from with no struggle. Thank you again @filmcourage

[BaintonTV]

Simple, succinct, workable, thank you and Paul for a nice refresher for writing; and, your question asking him how he applies these seven "tent poles" in his writing really provides a most practical way for any writer to move forward!

[sethflix]

THIS IS GOLD! I'm happily mining away at it! Thank you!

[ddiamondr]

Thank you so much for this, it has helped me in the editing process with my novel, The Golden Ass (the ‘ass’ is based on a former president (guess who). I was having difficulty with the final act of the novel, but this video made me realize what was missing. The way you phrased the points crystallized the structure. Thank you so so much!

[Popmafiasa]

Thank you for this advice I'm in South Africa making YouTube films you just taught me alot thank you ❤🔥🔥

[RodMartinJr]

Looks like I need to find my copy of Egri's book from college (LAVC). Very interesting.
😎♥✝🇺🇸💯

[roathripper]

How does this reconcile with John Truby's steps - he identifies 27 doesn't he??

[burtonfzz]

Monomyth stuff.
Campbell and “hero with thousand faces” is worth studying