Just before the Christmas break, I had Pilar Alessandra on and while I always aim to educate my listeners and make sure you walk away with solid and practical info, this interview was so full of tips and writing tools, that we could probably call this a class in and of itself. We talked about the screenwriting rules, what they are, and then how to properly break them. I’ve been working in the screenwriting world for about a decade and it’s amazing how often the same questions come up where screenwriting rules are concerned. Pilar covers so much in this hour long interview, so I hope you have a pen and paper handy. I know I say that just about every time, but this one will prove to be that much more valuable where practical lessons are concerned.
And it kind of speaks to who Pilar is. She’s a true teacher, not just because she’s been doing this for so long, but because of her passion for supporting and educating screenwriters. Just to give a little background on Pilar, she is the director of the writing program called On the Page®, and host of the popular On the Page Podcast that I highly recommend. Pilar started her career as the Senior Story Analyst at DreamWorks and, in 2001, opened the On the Page Writers’ Studio in Los Angeles. Her students and clients have written for The Walking Dead, Lost, House of Lies, Nip Tuck and Family Guy. I can’t recommend her enough, so if you would like to find out more, you can visit her website: www.onthepage.tv