Storytelling script review and advising sessions w/ Jim Shooter

Have an idea you want to bring to life?  A story you want to tell?  A work in progress? A draft script or story that you want to make as good as it can be?

We are now booking storytelling script review and advising sessions for this summer with renowned storyteller, Jim Shooter!

Jim has been writing professionally since the age of 13.  He’s one of the greats. And now he’s bringing his creative, game-changing storytelling skills to SJS.

Apply for a script advising session with Jim Shooter by filling out this form.

Spots are limited!

A script advising session can help you:

➢   Get unstuck

➢   Dramatize scenes

➢   Build suspense

➢   Convey emotion

➢   Improve story structure

➢   Tell your story well!

➢   And, finally get your great ideas out there!

They are suitable for any kind of script or story:

●      Treatments, Plots

●      Screenplays, Teleplays

●      Theatrical works

●      Documentaries, Docudramas

●      Comics, Graphic novels

●      Novels, Children’s books

●      Advertising Scripts

●      Or just ideas in development

It’s all storytelling.

Here’s how a script advising session works:

We are offering a limited amount of 45-minute script advising sessions with Jim Shooter. You send your script or story in advance for him to review, then bring your ideas and questions to the call. You can discuss your idea with Jim and pick his brain. Jim will send you away with some guidance and a fresh perspective.

If you want or need more help, we offer several options so be sure to ask.

What is a Story?  Jim explains this way:

A story is a complete journey.

It doesn’t have to be a physical journey.  Could be mental, developmental, emotional, whatever.

A character or characters start somewhere—a place, a condition, a state of mind, all of the above, whatever.

They are motivated by something—an event, new information, an occasion, a problem, an opportunity, whatever…

…which compels their ‘journey’…

…during which they face challenges and conflicts…

…which eventually build to a climax—a crisis point, where the challenges and conflicts must be settled some way or another…

…bringing about a resolution, an end to the journey, which means that the character or characters are now in a different place, condition, state of mind, or whatever, than they were at the beginning.  Something is different.  Could be they made a friend.  Or lost one.  Or learned something.  Or lived happily ever after.  Or died.  Whatever.

That’s a story.

If those things are not in it, it’s not a story.  It might be a vignette, it might be a scene, it might be a basket of Lego blocks that could, theoretically, be used to build something, but it’s not a story.

That’s just the foundation.  Of course, there are many more elements:

Ø  Supporting cast

Ø  Sub-plots

Ø  Twists and reverses

Ø  Drama, humor, romance,

Ø  Visual interest and much more.

Many things to consider:

Ø  Point of view

Ø  Pacing.

Ø  Dialogue

Ø  Characterization

Ø  Story mechanics, Literary devices

Ø  Continued stories, and much more

Then, there are the things nobody ever talks about:

Ø  Creating.  How to form an idea.  That’s seldom discussed, as though ideas just happen.

Ø  “Suspension of disbelief,” but that’s a misleading term.  “Buy-in” is closer.  Nobody actually believes in Roger Rabbit or Toon Town, but if what is going on makes sense in its context, is apprehensible, and is engaging you can do anything.  Lewis Carroll proved that.

Ø  No rules, no formulas, no limits.  You can do anything if you know how and make it work.

Whatever phase your script or idea is in, let us help you get it done and done well this summer!

Apply for a script advising session with Jim Shooter by filling out this form.