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Author Archives: heidihornbacher
Reading Is Sexy
I was very proud to be a returning judge for this year’s Slamdance Screenplay Competition, one of several prestigious competitions I judge for. If you don’t know, Slamdance was set up in response to what filmmakers saw as the over-commercialization … Continue reading
Posted in Contests, PageCraft, Writing
Tagged Common Mistakes, Cut To, Feedback, Notes, Screenwriting, Slamdance, We See, Writing
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Common Script Mistakes: The Lucky 13
I recently guest lectured a class for Slamdance and Roadmap Writers on pitch polishing. We talked about common format mistakes I see as a contest reader, and looked at how story structure and character motivations feed into a log line … Continue reading
Posted in Common Mistakes, PageCraft, PageCraft Writing, Screenwriting, Writing
Tagged Camera Direction, Caps, Character Introductions, Common Mistakes, Cut To, Intercut, Montage, Mores Cont'd, OC, OS, PageCraft, Parentheticals, Scene Numbers, Screenwriting, Scripts, Slug Line, Title Page, Typos, VO, We See, Writing
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Common Script Mistakes: Parentheticals–Let’s Kill the Wrylies
As a contest judge and script coach, I see all kinds of poor formatting, strange style choices, and grammar errors galore. If I can help you to avoid some of these surprisingly common pitfalls, my judging job will be easier, … Continue reading
Posted in Common Mistakes, Screenwriting, Uncategorized, Writing
Tagged Common Mistakes, PageCraft, Parentheticals, Screenwriting, Scripts, Writing, Wrylies
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Stuck in your script? Have a breakdown – Tips from a script coach
We’ve all been there. You start off with an idea that you know has legs. There are captivating characters, fun twists, and maybe an original set piece (no one has driven a Lamborghini onto a helicopter yet!) or deep emotional … Continue reading
Posted in Contests, PageCraft, PageCraft Writing, Writing
Tagged Elementary, Feedback, PageCraft, Screenwriting, Scripts, Writing
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Quality Problems
Like most people who self-select as Angelinos, I moved here to make movies. I went to film school, I wrote a lot, produced a feature that didn’t get far, I made a lot of connections. And then I did other … Continue reading
Get It In Writing
We’ve all heard this and it’s a smart business practice we all know. But do we live by it? In the sometimes casual world of creativity it can be hard to see that line between friends playing in the creative … Continue reading
Script Notes
As a script contest reader, I see the whole gamut from utter crap to sparks of brilliance. There are some writers I want to grab by the collar and say “please, delete your copy of Final Draft and do the … Continue reading
Posted in Contests, PageCraft, PageCraft Writing, Writing
Tagged Feedback, Notes, PageCraft, Screenwriting, Writing
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In Production
For the first time in our short production company’s life, we’ve been working on larger projects that are under someone else’s auspices. It’s both thrilling and frustrating. We’ve shot some of the best footage we’ve ever done with incredible sets, … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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Music For The Masses
As a surly outcast teen, I hated everyone and everything that wasn’t “my music.” In those pre-Nirvana days before alternative went mainstream, we defined ourselves by our music taste. We self-selected into tribes based on favorite bands. A serious topic … Continue reading
Meanwhile, On Another Channel
Our fourth video in our year-end shoot marathon could not have been more different in every way; theme, setting, equipment, approach. Where our Rocket Scientist videos are structured and meticulously laid out (see my Reel tab), our shoots for Ted … Continue reading
