Screenplay Analyst Andrew Zinnes coming to the East Bay Media Center

On November 20th 2010, Andrew Zinnes will be conducting a screenplay-writing workshop at the East Bay Media Center in the form of a one-day seminar entitled BEAT THE BLANK PAGE. Zinnes, originally from Allentown, PAis now located in,Los Angeles, where he works as a script analyst. He was overwhelmed with the large amount of bad writing out there (reading up to 6000 scripts), of writers who seemed lost and did not know what industry they were writing for, or how to write text that translated not only to screens, but also to audiences. Since 2000, Zinnes has worked for Morgan Creek Productions, Lionsgate and script analyst companies - Scriptshark, So You Wanna Sell a Script, The Script Department and his own company, Script Tonic. Amongst numerous other projects in production of film and television, Zinnes also lectures on occasion at various colleges in the US – including the prestigious NY Film Academy.

JLG: What brought you to doing what you do, namely advising screenwriters? Can you describe the process?

AZ: After reading far too many terrible scripts, my wife Genevieve Jolliffe and I decided to become a writing/directing team. We teach people about understanding what studios and producers want to read – which is always something well structured, contains memorable characters and above all, is marketable. In order to obtain a Hollywood position, scripts must be commercial, which means they are accessible. This is what makes money (and Hollywood movies are part of a business after all). An accessible script is one that must be fully geared towards its targeted audience. A family friendly movie must not offend and often include children or cute animals, a thriller should thrill, and so on. Furthermore, producers want to see scripts that will be able to incorporate star actors – they are looking for the best possible way to reach highest revenues on their (million dollar) investments.

The basic dynamic of the advisory process is really a step-by-step process of writing, critique and editing. Of course it depends on whom I’m consulting – if I’m consulting a producer about a script he/she has received, the process is very business-like and can be brutal. If I’m consulting a writer, it’s much more about positive reinforcements because writers are artists (if any one had told van Gogh to put a little less purple in his sunflower painting, he would have told them where to put his paint-brush!) It’s a fine line to walk when consulting writers – its important not to confuse your vision with theirs, and just to make it better within its own format. Many studios don’t realize this all too well, and you end up getting many films that look exactly the same – of course, this represents the eternal dilemma between commercialism and art.

Essentially, I give writers five points of advice in reference to their script; first and foremost is that there must be a very clear story that can be denoted through a 3-act structure. This the a basic manner of story telling that our western culture has adhered to as far back as the Greek Tragedies (maybe even earlier), which Shakespeare perfected, and we’ve come to understand as a complete and succinct story we can understand. Second of all, the story must include interesting characters and personalities we can recognize as part of our own surroundings or society. Third, interesting stories are about drama, tensions and obstacles, as well as the persons who are exploring these questions and trying to solve these problems that adhere to a common understanding of what it means to be human in society. Fourth, and in relation to the previous points, is that a story needs to tap into basic human emotions. A writer needs to know what makes a person afraid, happy, sad and so on. Fifth, it is imperative that the script has great dialogue. This means the writer must have an innate understanding of what natural dialogue sounds like. It does not, for example, include long sentences but generally rather very short ones, including many euphemisms and metaphors, which provide subtext. People very rarely say exactly what they think. This means that the writer must have a certain understanding of the human psychology.

JLG: What are some of your favorite fiction films past and present, which include this method?

AZ: Some of the best films in the industry. Jaws, The Shawshank Redemption, E.T., Star Wars, Karate Kid, The American President and The Social Network – they all adhere to these five points.

JLG: What would you suggest to young filmmakers who are stuck and really need inspiration?

AZ: I would tell them to go out onto the world and experience it, experience people. Hemingway, a great writer, was a world traveler who went out and lived to the fullest. This energy and knowledge of people really resonates through his words. Yet, even if you are unable to travel, writers can also simply go to any coffee shop and eavesdrop on people’s conversations – to become inspired by stories or to pick up on how human beings react to one another, how they converse, where they pause.

JLG: What happens when a student seems to be on to something totally different? What do you suggest to them – without actively leading the artists hand, potentially leading him/her away from their inherent goal?

AZ: Of course that is a possibility, but since the beginning of Western filmmaking, only one film maker has been able to do so with commercial success – and that is Stanley Kubrick in 2001 Space Odyssey. What I try to do is have them mould their unique idea, plot or characters into an accessible format. This way they can achieve their creative vision while doing so in a manner that is palatable to those that purchase screenplays.

JLG: What does film making mean to you – what is its purpose if any?

AZ: The purpose of all filmmaking is to entertain. By that I mean it must hold the audience’s attention for its entire duration. Movies are not meant or made to change the world, rather, they explore the human element and/or try to bring attention about certain issues to the attention of the audience. If films were too didactic they would begin to resemble propaganda, that’s why it’s important to stick to the story.

JLG: What advice would you give to young people just coming out of film school?

AZ: Rarely does one come out of film school and hit it big. Almost everyone has to work really hard and hone their craft in order to get somewhere. My advice is to keep writing if that's what you want to do. And don't just write screenplays. Write books, plays, poems, do journalism...whatever it takes to keep your skills sharp. If you want to be a TV writer, you are going to have to get a job as an assistant on a show and work your way up. If you want to be a film writer, you are going to have to enter your script's into screenplay contests in order to get noticed or find a really gifted filmmaker who will make your script. Then you can make a name for yourself.

Where: East Bay Media Center . 1939 Addison Street . Berkeley, CA 94704

             510-843-3699  www.eastbaymediacenter.com

When:  Saturday, November 20, 2010 . 11AM-5:00PM

Price:    $89., student and organization discounts available.

              To purchase go to www.script-tonic.com or call 310-941-2168.