This Season's Trend: Procedurals

Alex Epstein discusses this season's trend -- procedurals.

March 4th: UC Faculty Step Up Their Efforts to Defend Public Education

Two recent letters written by UC senate faculty show how professors are getting engaged in defending the importance of public education in t...

Attention USC Students

I'm speaking to Neely Swanson's class on Thursday night: if you're a student of Neely's and you have a specific question, pl...

What Shows Should Aspiring Writers Watch?

Professors (and agents) often encourage writers to watch as much television as possible.  But what if, like me, you don't have time (and...

A Response to Some Critics: Funding and Accountability

Chris Newfield has recently posted a response to my work on his blog “Remaking the University.” I appreciate this opportunity to dialogue ...

Epstein's Thoughts on Dialect

Wonderful advice.

Regarding Script Options

If your are submitting a script has been previously optioned but the option has lapsed, should you reveal this to the agent/manager/producer...

Why Tuition Goes Up and Quality Goes Down at American Universities

The New York Times has recently reported that a record number of Americans think that universities are now being run like business: “Most A...

FAQs Regarding Staffing Season

I've received a number of questions from new readers regarding staffing season. While some of this information is redundant to long-tim...

Low Budget Movies Part 2

Part 2 of Alex Epstein's post on low budget moviemaking

Oscar Nominated Screenplays Available for Download

How amazing is this? (Now there is absolutely no excuse for you to hand in a spec that is incorrectly formatted.)

State Senate is Considering an Audit of the UC System

On Wed, February 16th, Senator Leland Yee will present an official request for the state auditor to examine the finances of the University ...

Why Professionals Won't Read Your Unsolicited Spec

Again, I heart Alex Epstein .

Attention Lighting Designers

When my sister was considering a career in lighting design, a friend of mine in the industry recommended a list of schools for her to consid...

Low Budget Movies

I love Alex Epstein. When I'm too busy to write a post, he writes one for me. Read his thoughts on why low budget is not necessarily a...

The Gang that Can't Count Straight: Responding to UC's Responses

In response to my Huffington Post article, “How Universities Became Hedge Funds, ” Peter Taylor, CFO of the UC Budget called into question m...

Filmmaking for Teens

Great post by Alex Epstein.

How to Appeal to a Mass Audience

Thank you, Alex Epstein, for this link. Hart Hanson, creator of Bones , discusses how to appeal to a mass audience in his keynote speech at...

UCLA Hires Tainted Firm to Restructure

While campuses cut classes, raise fees, furlough employees, and lay off instructors, they have been hiring outside firms to help them restru...

My Disclaimer Regarding Giving Script Notes

I'm truly honored when writers ask me to read their scripts, and most often, I oblige.  That said, here is my disclaimer: When I read s...

“The Worst Year in a Decade for Female Writers and Showrunners.”

Here's an interesting conversation piece: Women Can’t Create and White Men Can’t Jump Neely Swanson I received several emails this past ...

Santa Barbara International Film Festival

50 Hollywood Screenwriters Share Their Stories

John August talks about the new book, Tales from the Script .

FREE SEMINAR with Pilar Alessandra: Screenplay Tips & Tricks

On the Page Screenwriting "Tips and Tricks" Thursday, February 18 7:30-9:00 PM   WRITERS ROOM L.A. 5372 West Pico Blvd. Los Angele...

On The Page Screenwriting Class in SAN FRANCISCO

On the Page Screenwriting Class Sunday, February 21 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (one hour lunch break) Clift San Francisco Hotel (Rita Room) 495 Gear...

Film And Television Events in LA: Film Independent's Director's Close-Up

More on FI's Director's Close-up from John August .

For Those of You Working in the Canadian Television Industry

Read Alex Epstein's posts on the multiplatform requirements of new Canadian TV series. Part 1 Part 2

The Process of Casting a Pilot

Ken Levine's post on the process of casting a pilot .  Happy Pilot Season!

Reading Yudof’s Playbook: An Inside Look at the Future of the UC

James Garland’s Saving Alma Mater: A Rescue Plan for America’s Public Universities is a great summation of everything that is currently wro...

2010 Network and Cable Pilot Pickups

Loglines and additional information available on futoncritic.com. ABC (Comedy)    AWKWARD SITUATIONS FOR MEN  FRESHMAN FUNNY IN FARSI HAPPY...

Assistant Salaries

How much do Hollywood assistants make? Like everything in Hollywood, it depends.  It depends on your prior experience; how many years you...

Nominees for the 82nd Academy Awards

From Deadline|Hollywood: Best motion picture of the year “Avatar” A Lightstorm Entertainment Production James Cameron and Jon Landau, Produc...

Race to the Bottom: A Critical Response to the UCLA Humanities Task Force

For the past nine months, an ad hoc task force has been meeting in order to rethink the structure of the humanities division at UCLA. All p...