Moral Premise Screenplay Workshop

Top 20 Secrets of Successful Movies and Stories

MADONNA UNIVERSITY (Livonia/Detroit, MI)

Saturday, April 2, 2011 - 9 AM to 5 PM

presented by

Stanley D. Williams, Ph.D.

William Goodman was wrong: Somebody Knows Something. Come learn what every successful filmmaker knows and yet why the movies of some of the best players in Hollywood bomb. The secrets have nothing to do with star power or money. In fact, anyone can do this. But you must first know how. This workshop will SHOW you. Read what others have said.


 

 

For detailed workshop information and registration

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What You Will Learn
At the heart of all successful stories is a True Moral Premise. That sounds soft and abstract. But we will make it clear and practical to you. Thus, in this workshop you will learn:
    1.    The 3 story elements needed in every successful hook
    2.    The 4 requirements of a high-concept log line
    3.    The 1 conflict your story can't do without
    4.    The 2 inter-dependent essences that all stories require
    5.    The 1 keystone upon which all stories are based
    6.    Why the hero must be imperfect
    7.    What the hero must always be doing
    8.    What the audience must always see
    9.    What the protagonist must realize before the goal is reached
    10.    Why the biggest obstacle for the hero is not physical
    11.    The 1 moment for each character that changes their world
    12.    The 1 four-part rule that must consistently be applied
    13.    Why speeches are sometimes necessary
    14.    The 2 choices the antagonist must make
    15.    The 4 choices the protagonist must make
    16.    How to design a scene-to-scene emotional roller coaster
    17.    The 3 major and 14 minor ways audiences identify with your characters.
    18.    How chase scenes can mean something
    19.    The 6 most popular ways to structure a story
    20.    The A-lister's Story Diamond tool for plotting
    21.    Why some A-lister movies fail
    22.    Why some Academy Best Pictures fail
    23.    Why structure never fails
    24.    Why stories need to fit structure and not the other way around.

For a full description, outline, and sample slides of the workshop

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WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Narrative writers, producers, and directors of all story genres and media will find this session beneficial, if not foundational. Fans of motion pictures may also want to attend. If you're a writer this session will give you a practical understanding of the moral premise that will speed along and improve the quality of your story's structure. In many ways the moral premise is a powerful muse; when used correctly it will inspire and focus your efforts, and powerfully connect you with your audience. Say "Good-bye" to writer's block. As a fan you'll have a greater appreciation of movies, plays, and novels when you understand and see how writers and directors use the moral premise as the center and motive force of their tales.

WHAT TO EXPECT?
The seminar lectures will be illustrated by both computer graphics and motion clips from popular films. Dr. Williams will, for the most part, follow the structure of the book. The presentation is continually being updated with new insights thanks to the generous contribution of past session participants, bloggers, story consulting sessions, and, of course, new films. The outline on the DETAIL page, therefore, may be slightly different from one presentation to the next.