Worst Ways To Start A Story And Other Screenwriting Mistakes - Steve Douglas-Craig [FULL INTERVIEW]

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0:00 - Wake Up At 3am Or Don't Write
8:02 - Biggest Reason Why There Aren't Many Original Ideas
17:21 - If A Writer Makes This Mistake The Story Is Over
33:32 - Great Dialogue vs Bad Dialogue | Here's The Difference
46:05 - Don't Listen To People Who Say 'Save The Cat' Has Ruined The Movie Industry
55:51- Beginners Guide To Story Beats: How To Outline A Screenplay
1:07:31 - 7 Deadly Mistakes Screenwriters Make
1:18:50 - World Building Essentials For Screenwriters
1:29:32 - Hollywood Insider's Proven Method To Getting Your Screenplay Read
1:39:39 - Is It A Good Idea To Write As Much As You Possibly Can?
1:47:30 - 3 Worst Ways To Start A Story
1:56:50 - What Screenwriters Should Know About Packaging Their Scripts

After graduating from the AFI, Steve was recruited by Sony Pictures Entertainment to work as a Story Editor & Acquisitions Executive for the Worldwide Acquisitions team in Los Angeles where he received an induction into story & business development, feature film packaging, domestic & international distribution, theatrical marketing & product acquisition. He helped develop & shepherd film titles including Terminator: Salvation, The Book of Eli, Django Unchained, War Room, Don’t Breathe (Sequel current in post-production), the Insidious horror movie franchise, Manchester By The Sea, The Grudge (reboot), Searching, Arrival, Whiplash, The Call, Attack The Block & many others (including TV releases – The Tudors, House of Cards).

Steve's tenure at Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions was followed with a promotion to Senior Story Editor & Creative Executive at Screen Gems where he was involved in the development & release of theatrical titles like the recent releases of Monster Hunter & the adaptation of James Herbert’s novel – The Unholy. Before that he helped shepherd Black & Blue, The Intruder, Possession of Hannah Grace, Brightburn, & Slender Man. He was also heavily involved in developing content strategies that attracted financiers & talent to specific projects for the studio.

Steve is also a professional screenwriter having worked as a freelance staff writer for the hit CBS TV series Hawaii Five-O over a number of seasons & currently has a pilot & several feature films (including a creature feature) going out through his literary managers in Los Angeles.

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[filmcourage]

What is something you learned from this interview?

[seanpurdy]

I must say, all due respect to Mr. Douglas: Marketing isn't difficult for an original idea. Studios have been doing this since Alien, Halloween, etc. etc. for decades. Studios are just so blatantly lazy and creatively bankrupt that they are unwilling to market something that doesn't already have an established template.

Thankfully, social media exists. So we all have an outlet to market without their "assistance".

[bijanbayne]

You can't have great plot w/o character. Imagine the premise of "The Sting", if Robert Redford's character "Luther" is not so well drawn. Or Newman's or Shaw's? Imagine the plot of "The Godfather: Pt. II". Now subtract Michael from it

[dennyduane]

Let's tell everyone about all the Gatekeeping and how we do it.

[edwardsmith]

What I learned:
Writers dont have to wake up and go to a job.