"Those who love science fiction can't get enough of it. Whole industries have been based on science fiction stories. Languages have been created. Worlds have been built.
There's no doubt if you love this genre, you can have a career if you can capture the hearts and minds of a science fiction fan audience.
This week, we'll talk about some of the rules of science fiction, including some J.J. Abrams Star Trek clips, among others. We'll also show you the fantastic tool of sequencing too.
Sequencing is the art of telling mini-stories within the larger story. It can change the way you write.
As always we'll also have a log line and concept quickie workshop session too with Cecilia Russell who can show you how to take a nothing idea and work it into magic."
MORE ABOUT PETER RUSSELL
Peter Russell is a master story teacher and script doctor who has helped shape film story for Brian Grazier and Ron Howard at IMAGINE "Einstein Project", Alex Schwartz and Cary Granat at WALDEN FILMS "Chronicles of Narnia", Sunta Izzicupo at CBS Television Movies of the Week, as well as PARTICIPANT MEDIA, "Ocean Warrior", VIACOM, and many others.
In 2005, Peter discovered a true passion when he began teaching film and television story at UCLA's Entertainment Division of the Extension School.
Peter's energy, entertaining style and true passion for his subject won him UCLA's Teacher of the Year in 2009.
In 2009, Peter created HOW MOVIES WORK a film school that now teaches film classes all over the world, as well as in classrooms in Venice and Beverly Hills, California. Recently HMW has begun to offer movie classes online as well, at howmovieswork.com. Screenwriters who have graduated from HMW include Vladimir Nagorney and Hal Oszan, both of whom credit HMW for helping them sell screenplays to major producers here in LA and to international studios in 2012.
Peter's book HOW MOVIES WORK, is coming out in 2013 on Focal Press.
In Peter's earlier career as a script reader he read over 5,000 scripts for the studios and developed a set of tools based on the patterns that he saw in the very best of these stories. Peter's seminars have become legendary because he teaches using these original tools -- and believes that the best way to teach them is to show how the greatest contemporary moviemakers use them. Peter's classes use many clips from recent hit movies to illustrate his points. The proof, he believes, is in the pudding -- and showing students how the patterns he's discovered actually work in movies like
DJANGO UNCHAINED and INCEPTION, in SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK and ONCE, are the best way to drive home his lessons.
In fact, there is nothing Peter loves more than showing aspiring movie story makers just how hit movies work. It's his true passion. In his classes, people tell always tell him "I finally get it!" His students take the same class two or three or four times. His lectures get read, and re-read, viewed and re-viewed, time after time. Because they work. Because the patterns he shows his students help them make original stories.
There's no higher compliment Peter could receive than that. He loves his work!
And making his students love their own work, and up their own storytelling game, is his ultimate pleasure.
November 24
Good. An introduction, including a number of useful techniques and structure basics, for how to write a science fiction feature. Peter Russell left us with enough information to get started on our own epic, including helping a few attendees iron out some issues with their own scripts. Naturally, Peter is offering other writing classes and workshops for sale. Some people do not like that speakers also offer professional services for pay, but I honestly cannot see how they could not charge for their services. I will most likely buy their complete SCi-FI writing course as a download for $30. More than reasonable. I would have liked to have spent more time visiting with other attendees. Most started leaving immediately; perhaps a brief networking segment might be added to future meetings to help members learn more about each other.
November 17
I have known Peter for years and recently hired him and Cecilia to consult on our latest script. They are the real deal.
1 · November 17
I am seeing this event listed twice, at 11 am, and then again at 12:30. Once for California Film Industry meetup, and once for Hollywood Filmmaking and Screenings meetup. Is the event actually repeated for the two groups, or will they be at the same time? Thanks.
November 14
Thank you for noticing the two different times. I appreciate it. We have corrected the problem.
November 15
Refunds are not offered for this Meetup.
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I love their approach to screenwriting. Peter and Cesi once again did a great job. I have taken their classes and would stronger recommend that you take Peter's class on all the genres if you can (or at least take the full class on your specific genre). Once you are writing that is where Cesi's work kicks in. She builds on what Peter teaches to help you get moving. She also asks the right questions to keep you on track and to help you improve your script in ways you never considered.