3 Common Mistakes Beginning Screenwriters Make - Shannan E. Johnson

Shannan E. Johnson, a native of Houston, TX, is a former creative executive at The Syfy Channel turned CEO of the first black-owned script consultancy in the entertainment industry, The Professional Pen. The Professional Pen is a writer-centered service provider helping emerging and established creatives develop their stories for the screen.

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#writing #screenwriting #screenplay

[fionakida]

The amount of wisdom that was dropped in 3 mins 🙌🏾 ty!

[blainemarcano]

“A ‘no’ to your work is not a ‘no’ to you as a person.”
But it hurts!

[deanpapadopoulos]

She really is the best. Realistic advice that can be used in life. Her energy is so encouraging, motivating, and inspirational. She shares so much wisdom in a short time, and from my own experience, this is the result of an amazing amount of reading and an amazing amount of living. In other words, you don’t just become wise…becoming is a process. Just brilliant!! The interviewer too is special. Frankly speaking, if the interviewee doesn’t respect and like and sense genuine interest, they’re not giving away anything. It’s dialogue (requiring two people) that produces new knowledge. That’s what we’re watching here…and it is

[SDIBINGA]

Shes helped me a GREAT deal. Any success I have in the industry is partly because of her

[_wtf]

"There will always be someone critiquing your work..." but the 1st draft is entirely yours ➝ enjoy every fucking moment 😉

[jpch]

She's so realistic and practical with what she said!

[MrJamhamm]

There's something in the way she talks that naturally makes me listen. I honestly wish I spoke more like that.

[Andrea-nom]

This is a valuable interview. Thank you

[CNNBS]

This woman is SO talented and SO clear. Thank you Shannan and thanks Film Courage!

[eminosose]

I have to admit this channel has given me a lot of…. *courage* to continue my filmmaking passion/goals.

[southlondon]

Excellent guest. She communicates her points so perfectly.

[therunawayrascal]

wonderful insights and wisdom! some foundation level kine that artists especially can forget or need to learn. thank you, ma’ams

[OlgaKuznetsova]

It's the Dunning–Kruger effect: when someone is inexperienced, they don't know how much skills/knowledge they lack, so they think they are more competent than they are; but someone who is more experienced understands what they are lacking, so they are more reserved in talking about their abilities.

[BrianMillion]

Excellent interview. Great information and advice.

[aaronbazil]

Sometimes when you hear "No" when it comes to your creative work, but you feel different, you may be able to tell those "This person told me 'no' and this company told me 'No' but look at me now winning a grammy/oscar/whatever..." I always love those stories.

That's why I loved she didn't outright discourage any different ideas the interviewer had because I'm sure she knows if somebody ends up being right about that idea, she'd be forever be brought up when that person succeeds. If the person is somewhat petty lol

They tell our fav artists 'No' all the time in the beginning. Then a little while after they've succeeded, 'Yes' is all end up being sorrounded by. Yes men and women, etc

[lukeskywalkerlucasfilm]

Wow, what a smart, interesting person!!! Real feedback without ego. Plus Erika Baduh quote, what a cool woman 😉

[UserOfTheUnknown]

I sent a log line and synopsis to an agent. My idea didn't fit their list but she did encourage me to send my idea elsewhere.
That was 4 years ago.

[tyrannosaurusburke]

It would be an honor to have my script read by Shannan Johnson. She tells it like it is, but with an appropriate balance of compassion and context.

[diegooland]

She's good, thanks for the post.

[jackfriendu]

so many "harsh" but straight-up truths there, that are well worth knowing! i kinda wish there could be an Australian equivalent to this, because even though a fair few Hollywood films get made here, our local "independent" cinema scene is so reliant on government support, and "development hell" has a whole other set of imperatives...although a lot of what Shannan says still rings true, even for us folk who aren't living in the USA or trying to get that Hollywood contract.