THE ULTIMATE SCREENWRITER SNEAK PEEK

Speaker: Rob Osborn

(00:00) [Music]

(00:11) [On-screen text] NO ONE WANTS TO READ YOUR SCRIPT...

(00:30) [On-screen text] FINALLY, A SCREENWRITING MASTERCLASS THAT ACTUALLY GUARANTEES YOUR SCRIPT HITS A PRODUCER'S DESK

(00:35) I'm Ron Osborn. I’m a screenwriter.

(00:39) [On-screen text] DEFINE THE NEED, CREATE THE OBSTACLE

(00:43) I want you to make a pact with the reader that they are holding the most compelling, original script they've ever seen—one they’d be sketched out to put down because they might miss the ride of a lifetime. Look, no one wants to read your script. Don't take it personal; no one wants to read mine either. I have to force them to.

(00:46) [On-screen text] CONFLICT is the engine of the story... without it, you've got zero narrative...

(00:52) You should be able to vibe check a person just by how they make a tuna sandwich. Hollywood is a town run by fear—fear of losing your gig or backing a total flop. That’s why it’s way easier for someone to say "nah" than "bet".

(00:52) [On-screen text] "Imagination is more fire than knowledge." - Albert Einstein

(01:04) You can strip all legendary storytelling down to six words: Define the need, create the obstacle. Your protagonist doesn't have to be a nice guy, as long as they’re undeniable. Conflict is everything. Imagination beats raw knowledge every time.

(01:04) The two most powerful words for any creator are "what if". You aren't just hunting for a story; you’re looking for the springboard. The start, the act breaks, the midpoint, the finale, the theme. I never start the grind without knowing all of that.

(01:13) [On-screen text] TWELVE LESSONS. SCRIPT READING AND CINEMA BINGE ASSIGNMENTS. REAL WRITING GRIND!

(01:20) [On-screen text] "The rule is 5-10 pages... but the truth is, you’ve gotta please way more than just readers. For the movers and shakers who can greenlight your hustle, don’t bore them to death in the first 10 pages. If someone’s reading 10 scripts in a weekend, those first 10 pages might be all they see. Ergo, make those first 10 pages straight fire so they can't stop."

(01:32) This is huge. If someone’s cranking through scripts all weekend, your first 10 pages are your only shot. Hone them until they're perfect so they keep reading.

(01:43) When I finally clocked what theme was and how to use it, it was an absolute epiphany—like discovering the secret to structure. You need to find a theme; it’s the compass that points you true north. The theme is what your movie is actually about on an emotional level.

(01:56) [On-screen text] "You know what makes a movie hit? Moments. Give the audience half a dozen banger moments they can’t forget, and they’ll leave the theatre stoked."

(02:05) Moments are everything. Give them six moments to remember. Image size is how you control the viewer's emotions.

(02:09) [On-screen text] "Drama is just life with the mid parts cut out." - Alfred Hitchcock

(02:11) Drama is life without the boring bits.

(02:12) [On-screen text] THIS ISN’T JUST CRAFT; IT’S THE BUSINESS HUSTLE. CRAFT + BUSINESS + GUARANTEED PLUG

(02:18) Dialogue is the hardest thing to teach and the hardest to learn. It’s all built on how you define your character.

(02:30) [On-screen text] LITERAL TEXT (02:33) [On-screen text] SUBTEXT

(02:34) Every killer scene works on two levels: the literal text and the subtext. Don't be scared of the silence or awkward beats. Silence can hit harder than any line you write.

(02:49) Don't fumble the bag by stopping your story just to dump a bunch of info. Try looking at it from a different POV as an experiment and see what happens.

(02:57) [On-screen text] 2) SERIOUS SUBJECTS AS COMEDY

(03:00) Comedy is a tough grind. The more serious the topic, the more potential for comedy. Don't just try to write "funny lines"—write straight lines for a character who is naturally hilarious. All writing is rewriting. Don't be scared to suck at first—fear will just paralyze you. You have to know the rules so you can break them properly. You’ve got to do better than the mid stuff you see on screen. Now you know everything I do.

(03:27) [On-screen text]

TWELVE LESSONS. WATCH. READ. WRITE. GET THE PLUG. THE ONLY MASTERCLASS THAT PUTS YOUR SCRIPT IN FRONT OF A POWERFUL PRODUCER WHO CAN ACTUALLY MAKE IT (SEE TERMS). THE ULTIMATE SCREENWRITER WITH ROB OSBORN

(03:36) [End of transcription]