Finding the best screenwriters’ workshop

Enrolling in screenwriters’ workshop was one of the first things I did when I set foot in New York. You can’t really blame me; almost everyone in the seventies was struck with the showbiz fever. Some were not brave enough to pursue it, but I was. Hence, the workshop experience.

During that time, the most popular screenwriters’ workshop in the vicinity was Sherwood Oaks Experimental College. It was situated in Hollywood Boulevard. At this time, the American Film institute was not yet formed.

If you wanted to have the best training in making tight movies, then Sherwood oaks it was then. One of their classic courses in the school was the screenwriters’ workshop organized by Syd Field himself.

The workshop I attended was the foundation for my writing for Hollywood later on in my life. If you are familiar with showbiz terms, then you would understand what ‘developmental hell’ means. It happened for my first three scripts. Producers grabbed hold of my scripts, gave me development money, made some high promises, and then gave some more developmental money. In the end, my scripts never saw the light of day. Of course, my scripts were even lucky to make it to the developmental hell stage. A lot never even get there, and very few ever get out of the hell stage.

However, you should know that there are still writers out there who make nice living writing scripts that, while they do not see the light of day, end up in another Hollywood script situation called the turnaround. The turnaround screenplays end up dead in the water. There are writers that earn their keep writing dead screenplay after dead screenplay.

If you are dogged and rugged, and have ample talent to back you up, then do whatever is possible to sharpen your skills. Learn from the Hollywood masters, and you will grow very quickly indeed. Here’s how:

A very good place to search for the best screenwriters workshop near you is to consult the local newspaper, especially if you leave near a city or in one.

If you do not live near a city, then you might need to consult some business trade paper websites. Some good examples are Variety Film Threat and Filmmaker. Using these paper sites and film online magazines, you can get directions to resource pages of the best screenwriters’ workshop near you.

If, in a stork of lock, you happen to know someone who is affiliated with Hollywood, never hesitate to ask them for recommendations. In fact, this could build your friends network, and can boost the life of your business.

If, however, you have no one in the show biz angle, then the websites and blogs mentioned earlier would be great places to start within you hunt for the right screenwriters’ workshop.

For a good workshop, it is recommended that you attend any by Syd Field. He also has a book, titled “Screenwriting: The foundation of screenwriting” Now you have in your hands some of the most kept secrets in screenwriters workshop.