[Cash Anthony]

This process works for me because it allows me to organize my ideas instead of approaching them as a “pantser”, writing on intuition and impulse. Often that comes out fine, but this saves a lot of time in re-writes.

What I learned was a fun method to expand my creativity.

[Cash Anthony]

What I learned from this assignment: Reducing the number of actors and crew can be accomplished by using technology to better effect. Scenes with many extras can be suggested by using only a few. This can be done without sacrificing suspense.

Part 1

My five ideas can be pitched in one sentence, and all can be produced as contained movies; but two aren’t that unique. I have one that I like enough to work on.

Part 2

The movie I would adapt to a contained format is COPYCAT, about an agoraphobic criminal psychologist.

As they did it:

A. People – two main actors but 5 leads

B. Stunts – shootings, hangings

C. Extras – many extras

D. Wardrobe – modern casual and business

E. Hair and make-up – special make-up for murder victims

F. Kids and animals – none

G. Quarantine – A large number of actors and crew

COVID Guidelines version:

A. People – three main actors

B. Stunts – none

C. Extras – four

D. Wardrobe – modern casual

E. Hair and make-up – 1 scene with special make-up

F. Kids and animals – none

G. Quarantine – three actors, minimal crew

[Cash Anthony]

Hi Cheryl and all —

I’m Cash Anthony, a ‘recovering attorney’, and I live in Houston. I’ve written seven feature scripts, four shorts (three produced), 11 published short stories, two published reference books, and have had one feature optioned. My local writers group has trusted me to edit two anthologies, and I’m working on the third; and I was recently part of a group of 10 female screenwriters who adapted their scripts to short stories for an anthology I edited (The Stories of She), which became a best-seller upon release.

I would never have gotten this far without ScreenwritingU. Each class here improves my writing overall. One of the features placed in the Top Three at Table Read my Screenplay at Sundance and two more have been finalists in other competitions. The last mystery anthology made it into the top 100 best-sellers at Amazon.

Something unusual: I was one of the first people to run a networked computer BBS back in the day, The Greenwillow Garden, which was voted among the Top Ten in the U.S. I rode motorcycles and toured the U.S. as lead rider for over 30 years, and I’m a former backyard beekeeper.

Good to see old friends here — I hope to make new ones and write a terrific new script!