Introduce Yourself to the Group

[Barbara Gilmore]

Hello everyone.

I’ve written two feature scripts and one TV Pilot. I’ve had some success in reaching the QFs of a handful of contests in 2012, 2021, and 2022.

I’ve taken a few of Hal and Cheryl’s classes before: I’ve learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed them. By taking this class I continue on my writing journey to become a better writer, more creative, and deliver my breakthrough script hopefully by the end of this year.

I’m Barbara Gilmore and when I’m not managing IT projects and programs I work as a background actor.

[Veleka Gray]

Hi, everyone, I’m Veleka Gray, now living in New Orleans, and have been studying with Hal since June, 2010. I’ve taken 99% of the classes offered. Not horror. Scared of that! I teach acting and started my coaching career in San Quentin Prison, teaching inmates in the re-entry program how to be successful on job interviews. I’ve written twelve scripts and most of them are contained since I learned how to do that during my fifteen years as a leading actress on six soaps on CBS and NBC. Soaps are the essence of contained drama and how you keep an audience engaged year after year so they will buy your…. well, soap! Looking forward to meeting you and learning new things about this style of writing. Hal always teaches me something new.

[LINDA Walton]

Hi everyone. My name is Linda and I live in London, UK. I’ve taken several of Hal’s classes and each time been inspired and informed so looking forward to this one too! As I’m 8 hours ahead of CA, I will likely pick up the class the following day and respond then.

I won an award for my first screenplay which encouraged me to take the classes and learn what I should be doing! Before that, I wrote musical theatre and had 2 shows on stage in the UK. It’s still an art form I love and will write another musical when I find the right partner (composer, as I don’t write music).

Like Veleka, I don’t write horror and a lot of contained movies seem to be horror so I’m curious to learn which other genres can work in this format. Drama? Comedy?!

Look forward to sharing our work together.

Linda x

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by  LINDA Walton.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by  LINDA Walton.

[Rebecca Colby]

Hello all,

Rebecca here. I’m also in the UK.

I’ve written a couple of short scripts, some TV episodes and part of a feature. It’s early days for me. While I do have one horror idea, it’s not a genre I like and would also rather write a contained film in any other genre going. My hope for the course is that I learn how to write a high concept, contained film for any genre other than horror. 😉

Looking forward to virtually meeting you all and growing as a group.

Best,

Rebecca

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by  Rebecca Colby.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by  Rebecca Colby.

[Josh Lee]

I’m Josh Lee. I’ve written 25 or so features… can’t really keep track of them all honestly. I have one currently optioned. This class came to me with seemingly impeccable timing as everyone seems to want a contained script. EVERYONE. So, naturally… here I am.

In grad school I studied with David Lynch and Neal Marshall Stevens my mentor. Good stuff.

[V. Taylor Small Small]

Hi Everyone,

Nice to meet you! My name is Veronica T. Small, but I go by V… because so many people call me just about every name that starts with a V, except Veronica, LOL.

So far, I’ve written five features and five shorts. One of my shorts have 20 wins so far in the festivals… yay!

Hopefully, I’ll learn how to make all my writing better and meet some great writers.

I love dogs and cats. I have my second YA book out now; you can take a look at it on the following website.

detectivemaggietheshihtzu.com

I look forward to working with you guys!

Everyone stay safe and positive.

[Robb Donaldson]

Hi all, I’m Robert (Robb) Donaldson in San Diego, CA. I’ve spent the last year writing memoir, have also done short story writing and completed one screenplay. I liked the description of this course. I’m up for the challenge of writing a compelling story within a contained environment. This is my first class with ScreenwritingU.

Happy writing!

Robb

[Karen Tolliver]

Hi everyone, my name is Karen Tolliver and I have written eight scripts: features, TV series, and Adaptation from a book to TV series.

I live in Los Angeles, CA and I’ve been in the entertainment industry over 25 years now first as an Actor and now as a Script Supervisor. I’m one of fifty Black Script Supervisor’s World Wide.

I’m hoping to write a Contained movie that is not a Horror too, I’m scared of those, even though I have watched them be created in production and none of it is real. Yea, still don’t like the horror genre Comedy is more my thing.

[Bevo Beaven]

Hello Cheryl, Barbara, Veleka, Linda, Rebecca, Josh, “V”, Robb and Karen. I’m Bevo Beaven, and wow what a great group of experienced writers and entertainment industry pros we have. I have written 2 feature scripts and one 22-minute teleplay. A briefcase full of 30 years’ worth of story ideas on napkins and other scraps lives in my basement. So compared to most all of you I am a beginner at this. Hope to get the skill set to write a contained screenplay pretty quickly – because they are definitely in high demand (join InkTip and look at the script requests that come out weekly – 95% of their producer requests are for completed feature scripts with no more than one or two locations and no more than 2-5 characters). I live in Colorado, play bass for fun, have a terrific wife and two kids (26 and 19) and a wonderful Great Pyrenees named Buddy who likes to hold hands. (It’s wonderful when he comes over and puts his big paw on your hand.)

Good luck to everyone with the class.

Bevo

[Heather Esancy]

Hi Everyone!

My name is Heather Esancy, I was born and raised in Massachusetts. I have lived my 45 years within the same forty mile radius. I have beautiful scars and shuddering stories to tell about it.

At age 39, I received my degree in Creative Writing/Screenwriting from SNHU. Why I started so late is another part to my story. Prior to taking ANY classes, I sent myself on a plane to Burbank, CA to attend the Great American Pitch Fest. I was fueled by divorce, armed with determination and carried a One Sheet that was a rookie disaster! I had no idea what I was doing, but it was AMAZING. I enrolled in the SNHU writing program shortly after that.

The only scripts I have written were mostly for class and I never felt they were complete. I did write a suspense short and a few treatments that I submitted to contests. Sadly, it has been years since I have sat back down with my scripts because of my career and family priorities. I pursued a life-changing job – which is a funny thing to say coming from a career Executive Assistant.

I hope this class will rejuvinate my writing juices and finally shake out all of the characters in my head. I am truly excited to be here and learn amongst all of you. What an exciting group!

Heather

[Renee Miller]

Hi everyone. I’m Renee. I’ve written four scripts and had one of them optioned last year. This is my 6th class with ScreenwritingU and always look forward to learning a new process for scriptwriting. I’m hoping to learn the formula for writing contained movies as I am currently brainstorming a high concept that would be set in one location.

[Edwin Ondatje]

Hi Everyone,

I’m an aspiring Screenwriter hoping to add a few valuable skillsets, with the ultimate objective of selling my first feature before the end of 2022. My past work experience was in Banking: Commercial & Mortgage and Real Estate. A friend and I worked on a training video for Bank of America together in 1985. She ended up taking that really bad video and began her producing career with Lifetime. Thirty-plus years later she and I reconnected. She was ending her producing career when we had breakfast. She inspired me to get back on that path and go for it… So here I am. I’ve put together a concentrated Entertainment Curriculum consisting of dozens of online classes through Lynda.com, LinkedIn Learning, numerous books on Filmmaking, Screenwriting, and everything within Pre Production, Production, and Post Production. I believe in fundamentals and hope to emulate leaders like Stephen J. Cannell, Tyler Perry, and Aaron Spelling. The industry has been going through titanic changes in it’s topography… I see opportunity! I’m looking forward to this class.

[Simone Yehuda]

Hi everyone,

My name is Simone Yehuda. I have written 5 screenplays. I hope to learn how to rewrite a sci-fi

script as a contained screenplay. Before I became a screenwriter, I was a published poet and multi-produced playwright, as well as a flutist with a New York Symphony and a member of a NYC modern dance company called Mass. Transit.

[Edwin Ondatje]

Sorry Everyone,

I’ve completed three scripts; 1 Short, 1 Feature, 1 Limited Series Pilot. None published. I have nine more in outline form. Always open to learning new writing methods through this class. The goal is to hone my skills as a screenwriter, with the ultimate goal of eventually producing my own work once I figure out financing.

Ed Ondatje

[Devone Jones]

Hey everyone

My name is Devone Jones. I’ve written 8 scripts so far. I’m looking to learn as much as I can from ScreenwritingU. I’m the youngest of four in my family. I’m a huge wrestling fan. I had the honor of meeting several wrestlers including Dan Gable, Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar. My favorite style of film is film noir.

[Peter]

Hi everyone,

My Name is Peter Ferguson and I’m located in a small community just east of Toronto, Canada. This is my first class with Hal but I have been listening to the Friday short sessions for the past year. I have learned a lot from the knowledge Hal has freely shared and the concept of writing a contained screenplay is just what I need during these new times to move my goals forward.

I have spent most of my life as a College educator and now that I have finished my professional career in that field, I am now able to engage my passion for film-making, story-telling and screenplay writing to work and finish my first script.

I have been writing in many other venues for years and have an established support group for writing locally, some of whom have award winning screenplays.

Something unique about me about me is that I gave my wife a second engagement ring before we actually married since she sold the first one! We have been together now for 17 years and are happier than the first day we met.

Cheers all and much success in your endeavors!

[Stacy Martin]

1. Stacy Martin

2. I have not yet written a script. Just ideas and outlines

3. I want to learn more about how the industry works and how to navigate getting a script from idea to producer. I also want to always be improving as a writer and story teller.

4. I am a full time portrait artist and a farmer. I raise a lot of my own food, train and ride horses and train English Shepherd herding dogs.

[Allen Burch]

Hello everyone. I’m Allen

I’ve near-completed a couple of screenplays and have a couple of TV series ideas. Life gets in the way from time to time as I’m active in assisting at-risk kids after the loss of my wife to the dreaded cancer. After watching over an eleven year old boy who was contemplating suicide for five years and then taking in his little sister to keep her out of that corrosive environment, I’m trying to get back to creating and completing some of my writing.

[Wendell Yacur]

Greetings and Salutations!

My full name is Wendell Jay Yacur. It’s a mouthful, so I go by Jay.

My day job is that of an IT Project Manager, but I caught the writing bug a while back. I graduated from the UCLA Screenwriting Certification Program about 10 years ago and have written eight features. Most of them are Science Fiction. My latest one, which is pretty much contained, made it to the second round of the 2021 Austin Film Festival.

Through this class, I hope to hone my craft with an eye on what’s happening in the industry. I want to improve my most recent script and sell it by the end of 2022 so I can depart the fascinating world of IT and become a full-time writer.

Something strange about me? There are so many things 🙂 While in high school, I took first place in the California State Talent Competition playing the accordion.

. Name?

2. How many scripts you’ve written?

3. What you hope to get out of the class?

4. Something unique, special, strange or unusual about you?

[Jon Steinhorst]

Hey Y’all.. my name is Jon Steinhorst. I live and work professionally as a producer/director/AD/PM in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The market here survives mostly on indie films and a lot of commercial production (which sometimes grinds away my creative soul as a guy with two art degrees and roots as a painter/graphic designer… I’ve been fortunate for the variety of work I do get, and for better or worse, on the producer/AD/PM side, a lot of that has to do with Covid restrictions since the pandemic started. Last August as the delta variant picked up steam here, I actually authored a 15-page, network-approved covid protocols policy as the Line Producer for a new History channel “re-enactment” show called, “I Was There,” (which has it’s network debut next week!), and I can tell you firsthand, secondhand, and with too many hands that Covid production is a beast.

That said, I did not get into filmmaking to crunch numbers or manage logistics and schedules and be a de facto HR department and having had taken the Profound Screenplay class at the very start of the pandemic I jumped on board here to -hopefully- use the structure of the class as a motivator to help flesh out one or several contained ideas. I have always loved the concept of containment in films, which contrary to the many that are less enthused with horror, may have started for me with films like Carpenter’s The Thing and Alien.

I hope the class re-sparks my engine for writing and my mission to ‘prove myself right’ that I’m meant to be a creative. I have written many short scripts and a couple features and self produced many projects for myself and others, first in chicago where I rec’d my MFA as a writer/director and now in Minneapolis. I’m currently juggling two projects as a freelance producer and only hope I’ll be able to manage my time to make it here enough to capitalize on the opportunity. I love that we can attend when able.

Maybe there was something unusual or interesting in the above? If not, here’s an 8-minute short film I finished last week for the Science Museum of MN that might be worth a watch: https://new.smm.org/truant Cheers!

[Kelly Joseph]

My name is Kelly and I have written about 5 scripts. I am hoping to learn to write the contained screenplay and continue to grow as a writer.

[Joanna Kagal]

Hi everyone,

I’m Joanna Kagal.

I’m new to this industry and willing to learn. When I’m not taking Hal’s courses, I’m teaching full time.

I hope to elevate my writing as I’m interesting in writing T.V dramas and contained scripts.

I’ve learned a lot from Hal in the past.

[Lee Tidball]

Hello All!

My name is Lee Tidball, and I’ve been writing for a long time and written about a dozen scripts (or more), had several options and shopping agreements, etc.

I hope I can learn this skill so that eventually I’ll be able to use the lessons to write my own contained story. I’ll probably have a lot more success in actually getting a script optioned, sold, and made than I’m having now with bigger budget stuff that lots of Hollywood people really love, but..too expensive.

I’m working as we speak on my 4th book adaptation, this one is a paid assignment from an author who wants his book turned into a screenplay. Thus I won’t be in these forums much for this class, but will find the info invaluable when the time comes.

Very much looking forward to it.

[Jason Nave]

Hey Everyone,<div>

My name is Jason Nave. I have written about a dozen features, a handful of pilots, maybe a dozen shorts. I’ve completed the ScreenwritingU Pro Series and MSC programs, as well as several other courses.

I live in the Los Angeles area (moved from San Antonio, TX almost 7 years ago) and I’m also a filmmaker who has produced a number of shorts. I now plan to complete my first feature soon and this means working to a budget. So I’m looking to maximize my efforts by picking up some tips on building a solid contained script.

Something interesting… I’m an engineer and program manager and have worked in the areas of robots & automation and aerospace. I worked on components that ended up on the James Webb Space Telescope.

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[Don Ammon]

Hello. My name is Don Ammon, and I’m a screenwriter from Pittsburgh.

I have written ten features and a ten-episode TV series. My first feature, Summerlings, won Steeltown Indie and is pre-production. Two other features made the semi-finals in Diverse Voice and Screencraft Comedy.

I started at ScreeneitingU in 2017 and have taken Proseries 66, Horror class, Creating Dynamic Characters class, Binge-Worthy TV Bootcamp and Fearless Writers.

I hope to write an awesome contained screenplay and successfully market and sell it.

When not writing with two toy poodles on my lap, I grow orchids and care for my elderly parents.

[Julie Umbreit]

My name is Julie Bliss Umbreit and I’m looking forward to being “Contained” with y’all.

I’ve written approximately eight scripts, some in better shape than others. I started my writing career as a journalist for the Seattle Times. I’ve been optioned and have won three first place awards in contests and placed in the top ten in in five others.

During this class I plan to get back to the discipline of writing daily, and renewing ScreenwritingU friendships.

I met my husband when we were college students working at Glacier National Park. As a bellman and waitress, we had a sweet summer romance, but didn’t reconnect until nearly 40 years later.

[Sean Benson]

Hey, everyone!

I’m Sean.

Q: How many scripts you’ve written?

A: I’ve written 4 scripts, pre-2015, I’m looking forward to writing again.

Q: What you hope to get out of the class?

A: Mostly guidance and confidence that I’m heading in the right direction with the next screenplay I write, then actually get it produced.

Q: Something unique, special, strange or unusual about you?

A: Fluent in ASL and would like to sprinkle that in the next story. Unusual… When I can’t make a decision, I use my favorite color, purple as the deciding factor.

I wish everyone success!!

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by  Sean Benson.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by  Sean Benson.

[Russell Phillips]

Hafa adai and Konnichiwa!

That’s how you say “hello” in Guam and in Japan. I’m Russ Phillips, and those are the places our family has lived in the last two years. My wife has a job in education working in US military base schools. This has given me an unique opportunity to focus on writing as never before. It’s late in the game to get started, but there’s no sense in whining about Hollywood ageism or decks being stacked against me. They’re stacked against everyone, so best to just focus on producing dynamite material that makes people look past your wrinkles and take notice.

Over the years, I’ve written more than a dozen spec scripts. None produced to date. Very little by way of marketing myself. Several of them have created some connections. One indie producer has remained committed to a project I wrote for over a decade now, but just hasn’t had all the tumblers fall into place at the same time to pull it off. Bless his heart.

I have never taken a ScreenwritingU course before, so I’m learning the format & expectations for the first time. I signed up for this course for two main reasons:

1. I concur with the marketing pitch that the Covid situation places a premium on “contained” stories right now and for the immediate future. On the other hand, I struggle to keep my stories from ballooning in scope. So I felt I could benefit from a perspective in that area. Certainly accept that my best chance for making a first splash is with something smaller.

2. The iron was hot for the deal offered. The price was right.

I’m starting out a bit behind the 8-ball. If I had taken a course through ScreenU before, I would have expected there to be as much “homework” as there apparently is. Not a complaint. The pitch fo the course sold me on it, even though the timing is poor given how busy I am. So I likely have to accept I’ll be taking this course to get the most out of it I can but not necessarily excelling at it. I’ll have to do my best to contribute to the Forums and respond to the coursework.

Believe me, I’m sensitive operating against a deadline when I’m on the hook for a paid assignment. I hate not being in a position to give it my best.

[Ron Johnson]

Hi everyone,

Ron Johnson here. I’ve taken the Pro Series, MSC, and the binge worthy class. In the past year with covid we’ve been forced to work overtime to keep up with the shipment of medical supplies and food, etc. I haven’t written anything at all in 2021, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been completely out of the loop. My binge worthy project has some legs and I’ve been working on background material for that show because I was lacking in high finance education. I’ve been taking notes, working on character development and potential scenes and episodes beyond my pilot. Looking forward to getting involved in learning again and hopefully have some ideas that will flesh out nicely.

I’ve produced a number of shorts and medium length projects, but the my recent study of wall street, I’m in position where I’m considering starting up my production company once again provided I hit my numbers. life is exciting.

[Gary Sheehan]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Gary Sheehan. I wrote five chapters of a historical novel that led to my first screenplay. That work evolved into the TV crime drama I am currently working, titled Impossible Dream. I was reluctant to attempt what seemed a claustrophobic format, but already am learning so much more than I could have anticipated.

My wife and I have three adult children, they challenge me beyond my capability and I write in part to make them believe I am sane.

I have five existing ideas, and a new one from this morning, to explore on this journey with all of you.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by  Gary Sheehan.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by  Gary Sheehan.

[Gary Sheehan]

I look forward to getting to know everyone

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by  Gary Sheehan.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by  Gary Sheehan.

[Deleted User]

Hi, I’m Karen Crider. What do I hope to get out of class? Hopefully, another dimension in learning and growing as a writer. Writing has been a lifelong companion sifting inside my life. It has done so for decades. I have written five to six scripts. I enjoy humor, fantasy, and drama. Nice to meet you…

[Jonathan Marballi]

1. Hi everyone, my name’s Jonathan Marballi and I’m a professional actor and new-ish screenwriter.

2. I’ve written and produced two short rom-com films, and have written thriller feature and a thriller-comedy pilot that both placed in a few contents. I’m now working on a couple of low-budget feature scripts as vehicles for my acting career.

3. I’m hoping to get some well-shaped feature ideas out of the class in addition to maybe one rough draft of a script.

4. I’m from the US but grew up abroad for most of my adolescence, primarily in East and Southeast Asia.

[Matthew Frendo]

Hi all!

My name is Matt and I’ve written 7+ scripts. I hope to learn how to strengthen my writing in a contained structure and learn how to flesh out these movies better. As far as something unique, I’m from Northern California but moved to Southern Cali some years back.

[Diana Ceres]

Hi, I’m Diana Ceres. I’ve written three features and two shorts. I want to learn to write contained scripts that sell! I prefer to be behind the camera but did star in a student film back when I lived in Santa Fe. It gave me a taste of what production and filming were like, and I’ve been interested in screenwriting ever since.

[Melinda Molenda]

Hello Everyone,

I’m Melinda Molenda, and I’ve written a feature film, and part of another feature film, six episodes of a TV series, one pilot, and around 10-12 shorts.

I hope to be able to write awesome movie scripts that are entertaining and make a difference in the world.

Something unique about me if that I’m a trapeze artist.