I write screenplays and teach screen story courses on occasion at the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba.
In the past, I directed a few short films, including Spoony B, which is distributed by the Winnipeg Film Group.
I’ve written for Electric Monk Media, Ronin Films, and produced with my own company, Martian Embassy Media.
If you want to talk about a screenwriting project, please contact me.
My Advice for New Screenwriters
I’ve worked on film sets in various capacities as well, including as an assistant director, camera operator, and production assistant.
I’m often asked about the best way to break into the film industry, as a writer or otherwise. In a broad and general sense, you need to get on set. Do anything you can do to get on set. Spend as much time as you can on set.
Volunteer to get on set. Ask to visit sets just to look around. Offer to write an article for your local or school newspaper about the movie filming nearby and get on set. No set is too big or too small. You can learn from any set.
This is equally important for writers, even though writers do not necessarily spend much time on set. But you need to understand how the set works. You need to understand how movies are made.
But above all, you need to write. You should always be writing. How a writer breaks in is by writing scripts.
When you are a writer, you are also a producer. You are the producer of every film you wrote until you sell it to another producer.
Remember that, because nobody in the film industry respects a writer, but they respect a writer-producer.
You should have a writing schedule. When you are not being paid to write something, you write your own thing.
Here are my recommendations for screenwriting books.
Here is an explanation of what screenwriting software I use.