Filmcourage

Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd Watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/4_9JCyWR39c?si=koo-r9gyfqH8MQ0R Tom O'Brien is a Los Angeles based writer/director. He teaches acting and writing at Scenestudyla.com. Tom’s first feature film, Fairhaven, Starred Chris Messina and Sarah Paulson and was a critics pick in the New York Times. Tom's second feature, Manhattan Romance, starring Katherine Waterston and Gaby Hoffmann was distributed by Netflix worldwide. Tom’s online series, OM City, that he created with his wife, Jessie Barr, was a New York Times Critic’s TV Pick. Tom is also a produced and published playwright and a former college hockey player. CONNECT WITH TOM O'BRIEN https://scenestudyla.com / scenestudyla / scenestudyla https://www.threads.net/@scenestudyla CLASSES WITH TOM O'BRIEN https://scenestud

Check out Film Courage's two books... STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd Erik Bork is a screenwriter best known for his work on the HBO miniseries BAND OF BROTHERS and FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON, for which he wrote multiple episodes, and won two Emmy and two Golden Globe Awards as part of the producing team. Erik has also sold series pitches (and written pilots) at NBC and FOX, worked on the writing staff for two primetime dramas, and written feature screenplays on assignment for companies like Universal, HBO, TNT, and Playtone. In 2025 he released his feature film directing debut with The Elephant in the Room, a “red-blue romcom” he also wrote. WATCH 'THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM' https://tubitv.com/movies/100046069/the-elephant-in-the-room MORE VIDEOS WITH ERIK BORK https://goo.gl/iEJi25 CONNECT WITH ERIK BORK https://www.flyingwrestler.com https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0096

Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS is currently 10% off! - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd Watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6W8fHBavM8 Jake Jalbert began his journey into producing and cinematography 14 years ago, shooting his first feature film, House Guest Massacre (2013), starring Alex Vincent from the Child's Play franchise (as Andy Barclay). Over the years, he's worked his way up by contributing to numerous films and TV shows, collaborating with actors such as Burt Reynolds, Amy Smart, Sean Astin, Michael Shannon, Alexander Ludwig, and Charles Melton. From 2020 to 2024, Jake served as Director of Photography on several films, beginning with Mind Games*, starring A-list talents Robert LaSardo, Jim Fitzpatrick, and Michael Paré, as well as *Soulmates*. Jake was later hired to shoot two studio films, *Megaboa and Shark Waters*, both of which had small theatrical releases thr

Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS is currently 10% off! - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd Watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKkd3BV1O7A Ramon "Swift" Sloan is the founder of Swift Motion Pictures; a movie director, producer and writer. The Milwaukee native started his career in entertainment as a book author and publisher. he released his first novel Motivation- Mastering the Game in 2010 His breakout novel is now depicted in the film series Circumstances - which was executive produced by the author himself under Swift Motion Pictures, a venture that derived from a passion for the arts through his schooling of Television & Video Production at Milwaukee Area Technical College. His work in television includes that of cameraman and floor director for Milwaukee Public Television (MPTV) programs : Black Nouveau and Cooking Raw. His entrepreneurial work both as an author and movie pro

Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd Watch the video version of this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuwLVimYIyk 0:00 - You Can Turn Your Life Around 13:56 - Artists Who Are 50 And Older... Make It Happen Now 25:13 - Why I Don't Put Expectations On My Film Career 43:15 - This Advice From David Lynch Helped Me Write My First Screenplay Christopher Matthew Spencer is a dynamic filmmaker with a diverse background, bringing a wealth of experience to the world of cinema. A U.S. Navy veteran and accomplished businessman, Spencer turned his focus to the entertainment industry, quickly making a mark as an actor, writer, and director. Trained at the prestigious Brian Cutler Actors Studio, he has secured roles in notable television series and commercials, while also contributing to voiceover and industrial projects. His film directorial debut, "The

Watch the video version of this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1-hI4btEVs Our new book... STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 0:00 - It's Not Impossible To Sell A Screenplay, Here's How It Happens 11:45 - 3 Things Most People Don't Realize About Frankenstein 22:40 - Why Cliché Is A Great Story Tool For Writers 35:05 - I Have Limited Time To Write So Here's How I Get It Done 48:06 - 3 Tips For Developing A Story World 57:16 - Advice To Directors On Getting Their First Movie Made 1:10:06 - People Get Mad About Remakes But Here's What They Don't Know 1:20:57 - Easiest Way To Get Represented By An Agent Or Manager 1:35:16 - Beginners Guide To Joining A Book Club Bomani J. Story was born in Riverside, California and raised in Redlands, California. Growing up, Bomani always had a love of reading literature and watching films. He even spent time writing his own short stories as a child. Upon graduation of high school, Bomani cut his teeth on

Watch the video version of this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxCQfyWK0Ds Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd 0:00 - Meditate And Create 13:19 - How AI Might Affect Writers 21:59 - First 3 Steps To Writing A Screenplay 32:47 - How Story Structure Can Limit Creativity 43:34 - I've Been Teaching Screenwriting For 25 Years... Here Are The Most Common Mistakes 58:36 - There Is No Such Thing As An Antagonist 1:13:57 - I've Spent Years Writing A Screenplay... And Now No One Wants To Read It BUY THE BOOK - THE THREE WELLS OF SCREENWRITING: Discover Your Deep Sources Of Inspiration - https://amzn.to/34kbPaP Matthew Kalil is a writer, director, script editor, author and speaker. He has written and co-written over 40 produced episodes of TV and has received various grants, development funding and awards. Matthew’s productions have been screen

Watch the video version of this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRqJDu_wTTY Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd 0:00 - I Knew This Idea Could Be A Movie As Soon As I Heard It 17:26 - What The Last 5 Years Of Screenwriting Has Taught Me 31:30 - I Was Really Bad At Story Structure... Here's What Changed 41:04 - Why I Don't Fear Failure Anymore (And You Don’t Have To Either) 51:34 - Filmmaking In Your 20's Vs 30's 1:01:42 - I Wasn't Sure If I Could Write A Novel... Here's Why I Did It 1:17:23 - How I Self-Published My First Book On Amazon KDP 1:26:37 - Movies Will Never Go Away Armed with a diverse creative palette and a passion for character-centric storytelling, Writer/Director Adam Davis has created numerous short and feature film projects. Credit highlights include the feature Broken Ceiling (nominated for Best Feature at the 2016 Pas

Watch the video version of this podcast here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrrBWgI8cec Our new book... STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 0:00 - Being Critical Of A Movie Too Soon 7:37 - Proven Strategies To Help Writers Generate Story Ideas 19:32 - Film School Professor Comments On Whether Students Should Use AI 28:44 - Truth About Writing A Great Scene 41:25 - What Does Conflict In Every Scene REALLY Mean? 55:59 - Why You're Never Too Young To Write A Movie 1:14:53 - 5 Tips For Making A Short Film Eric Conner has taught hundreds of aspiring storytellers at the New York Film Academy (LA), the Writer’s Store, the Animation Guild and Starcoach – China. At NYFA, he’s interviewed dozens of entertainment professionals including Django Unchained producer Reginald Hudlin and John Wick director Chad Stahelski and wrote/hosted the podcast The Backlot. He recently produced the feature length documentary Other Voices (Aswat Acherim), avail

Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS is currently 10% off! - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd Watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QETocuz3028 0:00 - I Thought You Had To Be Crazy To Be A Filmmaker 13:04 - I’ve Submitted 10 Times To The Nicholl Fellowships, Here’s How I Won 35:01 - The Writing Process I Use To Discover What A Screenplay Is Really About 45:14 - One Truth No One Can Teach You About Screenwriting 1:05:47 - How To Trick Your Brain Into Writing Better Characters 1:21:38 - 3 Rules For Writing A Great Scene 1:33:43 - How To Find The Right Actor 1:39:11 - How To Film A Movie In The Mountains 1:50:38 - Everyone Who Wants To Be A Filmmaker Should Also Have A Practical Industry Job 2:05:18 - What I Wish I Knew About Making Money As A Filmmaker Maybe it was growing up in Arkansas as a Canadian, or the summers in rural Ireland with his grandparents, but Daniel has always been dra

Watch the video version of this podcast here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OyRBa9lcUk Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS is currently 10% off! - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd 0:00 - Story Of A Real Life Puppeteer 9:41 - 7 Lessons Learned From Making A 17 Million View Video 20:47 - How A Short Viral Video Became A Full Length Documentary 36:03 - The Best Movies Are The Ones You Make From The Heart 48:54 - 3 Questions Every Character Must Answer For Every Scene 1:02:09 - Number One Tip For Directing Actors 1:10:42 - If You Submit To 100 Film Festivals... What Can You Expect? Paola Baldion is an award-winning actress, director, and producer of Colombian and European heritage. Born in Paris and raised in Italy and Colombia, Paola is a multilingual Latina artist fluent in Spanish, English, Italian, and French. She began performing at age four in her parents' marionette theater and later trained under renowned masters Edg

Watch the video version of this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myvXGFZLi2o Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd 0:00 - David Zucker (Naked Gun, Airplane!) On How He Broke Into The Comedy Business 12:42 - Why 99% Of Comedy Movies Today Aren't Funny 25:37 - Biggest Difference Between A Bad Spoof Comedy And A Great One 34:30 - If The Audience Doesn't Laugh Out Loud, It's Not Funny Enough 42:53 - First Rule Of Comedy That Filmmakers Need To Know 56:52 - First Steps To Writing A Comedy Movie 1:05:51 - How To Get The Audience To Care About The Characters In A Comedy 1:13:41 - How A Director Builds A Scene MASTERCRASH: A Crash Course In Spoof Comedy https://mastercrash.com BUY THE BOOK - Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane! https://amzn.to/3FULs2N Born on October 16, 1947 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, director/writer/produ

Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd Watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohBFnHNf33Q 0:00 - Wise People Realize There Is No Such Thing As One True Passion 12:19 - Why It Can Be A Struggle To Find Your Purpose 25:00 - How To Know You Are On The Right Path In Life 38:41 - Why Artists Strive To Be Perfect 47:09 - The Only Thing That Matters When You Are Writing A Story 1:00:10 - Why You're Not Making Progress As A Writer... And What To Do About It 1:17:34 - 5 Stages Of Writing A Book 1:34:22 - How To Know You Have A Book Idea Worth Writing 1:48:59 - I've Written 30 Books... Here's Advice On Selling Them 2:01:33 - How Will Your Art Outlive You? 2:43:02 - If You Want To Write A Great Story This Is What You Should Know 2:55:10 - Writing Meaningless Themes? You're Doing It Wrong John Vorhaus is best known

Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd Want to watch the video version of this podcast? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrmKkDlprnI 0:00 - The Truth About Finding Work In The Movie Business 13:29 - How The Dinosaurs In Jurassic Park Were Created 24:29 - How Telling The Truth... Led To A 20 Year Job With Steven Spielberg 35:07 - Day I Realized That CGI Was Taking Over Hollywood 49:32 - How Filmmaking Is Better Today Than It Was 30 Years Ago 1:02:47 - 12 Principles Of Animation (According To Disney) 1:31:59 - Best Movies To Watch To Learn The Craft Of Filmmaking 1:38:00 - Big Reason Why Many People Quit The Movie Business 1:46:28 - Best Way To Teach Students Filmmaking With over 40 years in the film industry, Craig Caton-Largent is a legendary visual effects artist and the current Chair of 3D Animation & VFX at New York Film Academy (NYFA) Los Angeles. He

Watch the video version of this podcast here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y31Q8xZWL58 Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS is currently 10% off! - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd 0:00 - Last Shift Vs Malum: Director Sets The Record Straight 13:36 - I Finished My Movie... And A Few Days Later The Worst Possible Thing Happened 22:42 - It's A Mistake To Not Write A Treatment 37:21 - Two Cheat Codes I Use To Finish A Screenplay 47:34 - How To Write Set Pieces 55:26 - What Writers Get Wrong With Worldbuilding 1:05:17 - Why The Best Horror Movies Have Female Protagonists 1:15:19 - 99% Of Filmmakers Make This Mistake With Their First Movie 1:24:52 - What Beginning Filmmakers Should Know About Financing 1:37:27 - If I Was Starting Out As A Filmmaker Today, This Is What I'd Do 1:50:53 - I've Made Movies For 20 Years. Here's What's Happening Now 2:02:22 - Top 5 Movies To Watch On Halloween Anthony DiBlasi graduated film school

Our two new books are helping writers with their stories... STORY QUESTIONS is currently 10% off! - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd Watch the video version of this podcast here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eb_8emTGpKU?si=-L8yXkrMSoLZduvQ 0:00 - 1920s 2:58 - 1930s 5:49 - 1940s 7:21 - 1950s 9:14 - 1960s 12:07 - 1970s 15:17 - 1980s 17:10 - 1990s 20:27 - 2000s 22:33 - 2010s 23:50 - 2020s CONNECT WITH FILM COURAGE http://www.FilmCourage.com http://twitter.com/#!/FilmCourage https://www.facebook.com/filmcourage https://www.instagram.com/filmcourage http://filmcourage.tumblr.com http://pinterest.com/filmcourage SUBSCRIBE TO THE FILM COURAGE YOUTUBE CHANNEL http://bit.ly/18DPN37 PERSONALLY SPONSOR FILM COURAGE https://ko-fi.com/filmcourage SUPPORT FILM COURAGE BY BECOMING A MEMBER https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs8o1mdWAfefJkdBg632_tg/join SUPPORT FILM COURAGE BY BECOMING A PATRON https://www.patreon.com/filmcourage LISTEN TO THE FILM

Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS is currently 10% off! - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd Watch the video version of this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdzoTdQb84o Jadon Cal began his storytelling journey at a young age under veteran actor parents in Los Angeles, California. From training in a multitude of acting workshops and appearing in a few independent films growing up, he transitioned into the film industry right out of high-school. Having produced & directed multiple feature films, Jadon has continually molded his craft with a unique perspective and continues to study under various acting coaches around LA. His most notable credits and achievements include starring in "Robbie Ain't Right No More" which screened at Tribeca Film Festival and has garnered him a slew of awards at festivals around the country. He's also recently worked on larger scale productions with actors such as Joey King, Mira Sorvino, Lee M

Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS is currently 10% off! - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd Watch the video version of this podcast here: https://youtu.be/R7XCqBCVrjo?feature=shared 0:00 - 3 Ways To Publish A Book... What New Writers Should Know 12:28 - The Most Powerful Marketing Tool For Authors 25:29 - 5 Stages Of Editing A Book 39:19 - Finding The Magic In Your Writing 49:19 - What Writers Realize That Nobody Else Does 58:06 - Practical Advice To Authors On Selling Their First Book 1:07:12 - 5 Biggest Mistakes Authors Make When Releasing A Book 1:15:28 - This Is The Best Way For An Author To Identify Their Brand 1:27:34 - What Every Aspiring Author Should Know... Before Quitting Their Day Job 1:39:01 - How Does An Author Write A Book That The Market Wants? Desireé Duffy is the founder of Black Château, a marketing and public relations agency; Books That Make You, a Webby Award-winning multi-media brand that promotes books and au

Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd In this Film Courage podcast, we speak with husband and wife duo, Jason Gerber and Blue Gerber, a co-directing team working in films and commercials together and individually. Their first feature documentary is DAWN DUSK, available on multiple platforms (link below). DAWN DUSK features Chelli Look, an artist specializing in handbags, experiences overwhelming grief after the murder of her sister by her brother-in-law. In the years that follow, Chelli’s journey towards healing forces her to rediscover who she is as an artist, leading to an unexpected revelation that takes her in a new direction. They have directed commercials for brands such as Walgreens, 7UP, Scotch-Brite, Meiomi Wine, Chipotle, Intelligentsia, LOEWE and more. Their heart for storytelling can be seen in their work for The Boys & Girls Clubs, GE Girl

Our two new books... STORY QUESTIONS is currently 10% off! - https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9 and 17 Steps To Writing A Great Main Character - https://payhip.com/b/kCZGd Billy Van Zandt and his writing partner, the late Jane Milmore, are two of the most often produced playwrights in the world. Billy and Jane met at a high school acting competition in their home state of New Jersey. Together for 46 years, they wrote and starred in 25 plays together. Billy's solo play "The Property Known as Garland" starring his ex-wife Adrienne Barbeau broke box office records at Off-Broadway's Actors Playhouse. The plays have been produced in thousands of theaters worldwide, including two productions directed by Oscar winner Olympia Dukakis ("Billy and Jane are funny, outrageous, off-the chart writers/performers") and one by film legend Burt Reynolds. For television, these award-winning writers have produced over three hundred hours of television comedy, including "Newhart;" "Martin," which won them a People's Choice Award; "Th