Cut The Eyeball: The Ultimate Short Book on Writing Short Screenplays

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In 1998, I was on a panel with five filmmakers who had made $10,000 films. We were there to inspire filmmakers, but we did the opposite... we were cautionary tales, because our films had not done anything for our careers. Two years later, one of these six filmmakers got distribution for his film, "Following." The director's name was Christopher Nolan, who most recently made a $200 million movie. Nolan had the foresight to make his film when there were no apparent rewards. This true story illustrates that great storytellers always find a way -- and with short films, this way will only grow, since we are living in an era of short mediums. In this new book, I will free your imagination to write a short screenplay with the full impact of your creativity. I will share basic techniques I have cultivated from 25 years in the film industry and watching the masters closely. From David Lynch to the Duplass Brothers, from George Lucas to Woody Allen, from Mayan Deren to Lena Dunham, I will share secrets that have not been discussed in any other book or website. Whereas screenwriting books presume everyone needs the same advice, I do the opposite. Provide strategies that tailors to your unique personality. - There are 7 types of film creators. Are you a Visionary like Jane Campion? A Comic Genius like Woody Allen? A Self-Muse like Lena Dunham? - One of 6 genres fits every short film ever made. Do you want to make a Weird Movie like David Lynch? A Mock like Neil Blomkamp? A Spoof like Trey Parker and Matt Stone? - And then there's the Why. Are you writing a short for film school like Steven Spielberg? Or the YouTube New Wave like Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson? Or because you want your short to grow into a feature, like Wes Anderson? In this really short, simple book, I also share basic story tools like The Secret Mystery and The Forbidden Love that will amplify your short script into its highest form. Whether you want to write short script for a career or hobby, my aim is to let your creativity soar with this new book.