For Kids of All Ages: Writing The Family Script That Will Sell
Every writer knows that writing is hard but writing for children can be incredibly hard. This live webinar will cover the necessary ingredients to create a family-friendly narrative screenplay structure that is both compelling and appropriate.
Every writer knows that writing is hard but writing for children can be incredibly hard. Writing the family movie is no different. Before even starting your script, you must answer several hard questions upfront: What subject matter is appropriate for a specific age group? How do I avoid talking down to my main audience? And most importantly, how do I keep the kiddies engaged without alienating or boring the heck out of their parents? The family genre can be a tall order but if done successfully, can lead to huge box-office success and a writing career in one of the most lucrative and in-demand genres in Tinseltown.
The family genre is the bread and butter of the movie industry. Whether the next Disney animation, holiday movie extravaganza, or serious drama that engages the entire family in a meaningful journey of discovery and imagination – the family genre is in more demand than ever by studios and independent production houses alike. But to write a successful family movie, a screenwriter must devote serious time to research in order to accurately portray the characters, events, and details that will make a family audience sit down together and want to watch over and over.
This live webinar will cover the necessary ingredients to create a family-friendly narrative screenplay structure that is both compelling and appropriate. Tips for finding a dramatic hook to a family story will be highlighted with real-life examples, including examples of what not to do. This webinar will demystify the process of writing within the limitations of the family genre to a screenwriter’s advantage. Also covered will be strategies for getting your script out to Hollywood once it’s ready and staying attached once your script is sold.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
- Tips on how to build an outline for a family movie franchise.
- How to write a compelling storyline for children of all ages.
- How to identify your main characters from a children’s point of view.
- How to create heroes and villains that resonate with family viewers.
- How to write your first script with the sequel script in mind.
- How to know if your story is best suited for animation, live-action, or both.
- How to write dialogue that is appropriate for children of a specific age.
- How to market your family-friendly screenplay and stay attached after it’s sold.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
- Screenwriters who are interested in writing a compelling family-friendly story.
- Writers who want to adapt a beloved children’s book or story into a script.
- Screenwriters who want to fictionalize their own childhood story for the screen.
- Writers who want to take their screenwriting skills to the next level.
- Children’s Book authors who want to adapt their own material for the screen.
- Screenwriters who want to break into the lucrative family genre.
- Writers who want to write authentic scenes and dialogue that rings true for the entire family.
Learn from an expert instructor!
Jon James Miller is an award-winning screenwriter, novelist, and short story writer. His debut novel, Looking For Garbo a noir thriller was published by Amphorae Publishing Group and is a 2019 INDIES Book Award Finalist and 2019 MiPA Book Awards Finalist. Jon is represented by Jill Marr at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. Follow Jon on his website, Twitter, Facebook and read his blog.
Course runs Jan 27th 2022 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm PST
Jon James Miller won Grand Prize of the 2008 AAA Screenplay Contest sponsored by Creative Screenwriting Magazine, the 2009 Golden Brad for Drama and was a finalist in the 2011 Austin Writers Conference and has adapted that script into a novel, Looking for Garbo. Jon co-wrote Adapting Sideways: How To Turn Your Screenplay Into A Publishable Novel (Komenar Publishing), which chronicled the process of adapting his screenplay to a novel. He is represented by Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. Follow Jon on Twitter @JonJimMiller.
