Introduce Yourself to the Group

[Carlo Essagian]

Hi My name is Carlo Essagian ( Essay-gee-un)
I’ve written a few scripts features and written and produced festival winning shorts.
I look forward to insights that will help take scripts to a much higher marketable demand with tips on making them hit all the marks, keeping the humour well paced while compelling enough to be a page turner which any reader would love to see on screen (of any size screen).
I work mostly as an actor (film, tv, cartoon voices, and commercials) and have produced and directed several shorts. Surprisingly, I usually don’t ramble off my resume on first encounters 🙂

[Madeleine Vessel]

Hi, Everyone–

My name is Madeleine Vessel. I’ve written 3+ screenplays. All but one is a crime/mystery/thriller. I’m shopping one of them right now and have 5 script requests from producers so far. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I’ve never attempted to write a romantic comedy before, but I’m looking forward to taking the challenge. My main goal is to have fun and add to my tool box.

Something unique about me is this. I love crows. They are my favorite bird. Whenever I start a murder mystery, I consider crows, not that they are killers, but because a whole flock of them is called a “murder”. 😀

I look forward to working and learning with you all.

[Katie Andrews]

Hello everyone!
Great to be on this journey with you. My name is Katie and I’ve written more than a dozen scripts. In terms of this class, I hope to finally finish a draft of a romcom idea that I have been mulling for several years! Something unique about me is that I lived in Copenhagen Denmark for 4 years, and funnily enough, that is where my script that I’ll be writing in this class is set! Happy writing, all! 🙂

[Alison Benson]

Hi everyone,
I'm Alison, located in Sydney, Australia.
I've written 3 features, two pilots and an animation short that was produced as an animatic.
I love romcom movies as they make me feel good, something we need in today's upside down world.
I'd like to learn how the genre works, write a simple story with a clear and visible goal but a huge internal arc for the main character.
I met my hubby in the army – I was walking along a dirt track, he was on the back of a truck, I hadn’t showered properly for four days, he hit his head during night games, I bandaged him up, he shared a Mars Bar and an orange with me, I was in.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 2 weeks ago by  Alison Benson.

[Gayle Jackson]

Hello,
My name is Gayle and I’ve written many pilots and features over the last 25 years. I had some foot in the door opportunities as a staff writer, but fell through the cracks. I am having trouble with a Romantic Comedy I’ve been working on and hope this class will shake some of the cobwebs to help me get it moving again. Looking forward to reaching out to all of you.

[Bent Hanlen]

My name is Bent Hanlen ….. I’ve taken classes from screenwritingU since 2017 I think it is. The number of scripts written is three television scripts and 3 feature length scripts. What i want to get out of this class is to incorporate a romantic B story in one of my features. Who knows, i might write a full length rom com.
my joy is writing comedy. outside of scriptwriting i perform stand up.

[H.B. Faulkner]

Hello everyone,
I'm H. B. Faulkner. I've written a handful of scripts–well, maybe an armload. Features, shorts, TV pilots… I've never shopped them. For the past 7 years, I've written 2 novellas and 5 short stories (picture books) for children. I never planned to write children's books, but halfway into my first novella, I decided that's what it was. I'm illustrating 2 right now, which will be my first time really illustrating.

I've kept learning about all types of writing that interest me, and when I read that a RomCom course was coming, my heart leapt, so I decided it was time to return to screenwriting as well.

I look forward to interacting with you all.
–H. B.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 2 weeks ago by  H.B. Faulkner.
• This reply was modified 8 months, 2 weeks ago by  H.B. Faulkner. Reason: Took out my formal name
• This reply was modified 8 months, 2 weeks ago by  H.B. Faulkner.

[Ola Höglund]

Hi everyone,

1. Ola Höglund

2. Around hundred episodes in different Swedish tv series and three screenplays I hope to sell.

3. I hope to learn how to make my romcom story work.

4. Sweden’s biggest tennis nerd.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 2 weeks ago by  Ola Höglund.

[Timothy Hicks]

1. My name is Timothy, from Kentucky
2. I’ve written one science-fiction script, and started another handful.
3. I hope to learn how to create good, funny rom-com scripts with this course’s help!
4. I also write speculative fiction and used to drive my wife and daughter crazy when I told them dialogue or the ending of a movie we hadn’t seen before. 🙂

[Mary Buchanan]

Hello, I’m Mary Buchanan
I have written two scripts that I entered in two competitions. With the last critique, I was advised to write sweet romance
novels. I have published three sweet romance novels, and I launch my first cozy mystery in early September. Every time I enroll in one of Hal’s courses, I improve my writing skills. I love Hal’s teaching style.
After reading your introductions, I’m excited to be in the room with this fabulous talent. I know I will learn much from each of you. I’m an old woman, 75 years young. I began writing during COVID-19 three months after my husband died. Writing helped me survive the loss. I also have a sister in Hospice, and I’m sure I will miss deadlines sometimes, but for me, it’s about improving my next novel. My sister is my biggest fan and one who encourages me every day. I’m known as the Sweetest Seminole in the South. I live on the family farm about sixty miles from FSU and love college football and chocolate.

[William Peed]

Hello! My name is Mike, living in exile in a village in Stephen King Country. I’m a villager!

I’ve written several lousy scripts. I’m taking this class because I’d like to finish a decent one.

[Karen Tolliver]

Hi, my name is Karen Tolliver. I have written 7 scripts so far. I hope to have another script completed and my first RomCom done in this class. Something unique about me is I am 1 of 50 Black Script Supervisors World Wide in the Film and TV Industry.

[Lorraine Garnett]

Hi, I’m Lorraine Garnett
I’ve not written any scripts but I once wrote a treatment which an independent producer optioned and pitched. I was then sent to LA to collaborate with an a-list editor (turned newbie director) on developing it into a script.
Something unusual about me: When this happened, I had in me a well-guarded secret: I couldn’t read. Inexplicably, I could type but not read. And I was terrified I’d be found out. Needless to say, I was relieved when the project fell through.
What I hope to get from the class: I can read now and I’m here to actually be a writer.

[H.B. Faulkner]

Wow, Lorraine! That's courageous! Well, I believe in you then!

(BTW, last year, I couldn't read for 5 mos. More correctly, it took 10 min. to read a sentence. I couldn't even remember 6-digit codes to get in email. At 5 mos., I was able to almost read a whole paragraph, so I knew it was coming back. Maybe not the same reason as with you, but it was from trauma. So, I can identify a LITTLE. It was scary. Especially for a writer. Which is why I know I believe in you!)

• This reply was modified 8 months ago by  H.B. Faulkner.

[Christine Whitlock]

Hi! Christine J. Whitlock. I have written (11) spec feature scripts of various genre, (4) TV pilots and numerous short scripts. I look forward to learning more about romantic comedies. I had written, directed, and produced (3) indie horror-comedy feature films – SHARP TEETH, VAMPIRE DENTIST, and MARINA MONSTER – that Netflix sold the DVDs years ago through my first film distributor.

[Renee Johnson]

1. Renee Johnson
2. How many scripts you’ve written? several but…..
3. What you hope to get out of the class? I have a comedy that needs work. With the help of your AI class and some re-thinking I’m hoping to finally pull it off.
4. Something unique, special, strange or unusual about you? I really don’t think there’s anything special about me. I’m plainer than plain. So I do like flowers. I believe flowers in a room or growing in a pot or garden is everything. Even fake flowers where there’s now sun or water. They’re everything. anyway, that’s me. Nice to meet you all.
We look forward to working with you all!

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