Film Courage: How do fears within a character raise the stakes?
Jen Grisanti, Speaker/Story/Career Consultant, Author: Fears are everything, fears are also something that we all have. When you look at what is the character’s dream versus what is their biggest fear? When we look at the biggest fear, we’re looking at the consequence in the idea of how the internal stakes are affecting the character and how they make choice. There are many writers that don’t set up the fear. When you fail to set up the fear, you fail to set up the internal and/or external stakes at a level where the audience identifies. Again, fear is something very universal in all of us. I always say to writers What is the worst thing that can happen if the goal is not achieved? and that goes into fear.
Film Courage: Can we explore incorporating the past, present and future into story?
Jen: The past is the earlier wound and when you’re looking at the past it can be an event like in the show The Split when you have the inciting incident be a father who returns after a 30-year absence then you are in immediate recognition of the void in the familial members because of this choice. The past in that situation is defined by an event versus the past you can also identify by someone who’s just emotionally absent. You can have a…(Watch the video interview on Youtube here).
BIO:
International speaker Jen Grisanti is an acclaimed Story/Career Consultant at Jen Grisanti Inc., a 13-year Writing Instructor for Writers on the Verge at NBC, and a former 12-year studio executive, including VP of Current Programming at CBS/Paramount. Jen is the author of three books, Story Line: Finding Gold in Your Life Story, TV Writing Tool Kit: How To Write a Script That Sells, Change Your Story, Change Your Life: A Path To Your Success.
Grisanti started her career in 1992 as an assistant to Aaron Spelling. He served as her mentor for 12 years. She quickly climbed the ranks and eventually ran Current Programs at Spelling Television Inc., covering all Spelling’s shows, including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, and Charmed. In 2004, Grisanti was promoted to Vice President of Current Programs at CBS/Paramount, where she covered numerous shows, including Medium, Numbers, NCIS, 4400, and Girlfriends.
In January 2008, Grisanti launched Jen Grisanti Inc., a highly successful consulting firm dedicated to helping talented writers break into the industry. Drawing on her experience as a studio executive, where she gave daily notes to executive producers/showrunners, Grisanti guides writers to shape their material, write from their emotional truth, hone their pitches, and focus their careers. Since launching the consulting firm, Grisanti has worked with over 1000 writers specializing in television and features. Due to her expertise and mentorship, one hundred and six pilots have sold, including ten that went to series, and one hundred fifty-two writers have staffed.
BUY THE BOOK – STORY LINE: Finding Gold In Your Life Story
BUY THE BOOK – CHANGE YOUR STORY, CHANGE YOUR LIFE: A Path to Success
BUY THE BOOK – TV WRITING TOOL KIT – 2nd Edition: How To Write A Script That Sells
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