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David Freeman
David Freeman's "Beyond Structure" Screenwriting Workshop
Personal Details
Name: David Freeman
Last visit: Nov 30, 2006
Phone: (310) 394-0361
Contact: Send message
Web site: Click here
Interests
When I was young, in Michigan, I did a lot of sailing, both recreationally and competitively. Sailing became, for me, a metaphor for life -- you propel your boat trough an aesthetic, harmonious relationship with wind and water. If you replace “wind and water” with “those around you,” you can see why sailing, for me, represents and ideal toward which I strive, even if I don’t always succeed.
Books
David has written two books:
The ”Treatment Pack” (available through The Writers Store), a collection of about 10 different treatments in all genres (including one for a television series). It gives you prototypes of what how a well-written treatment should read. There’s also an extensive introductory section that walks you through the differences between treatments for series television, movies-of-the-week and features, and answers such questions as: What’s the main focus of a treatment? How do you write differently for different genres of stories? When do you leave a treatment behind after a pitch, and when don’t you? What font should you use? What spacing should you use? Etc.
David's lavishly illustrated “Creating Emoting in Games” is the book that rocked the videogame world by offering 300 specific to give emotional breadth and depth to interactive storytelling. Many of the techniques in this book -- perhaps 70% -- also have direct application to screenwriting and fiction. And every single technique in the book comes with an example of how to apply it, so that you'll have total command of them all.
This is the book that even your closest friends will steal off your desk and then give you innocent smiles, denying they did it. It's useless to simply relpace them with new friends; the same thing will happen again.
About Me
L.A. WORKSHOP: MARCH 24-25, 2006
N.Y. WORKSHOP: MARCH 31-APRIL 1, 2006
www.BeyondStructure.com
(310) 394-0361
Screenwriter/producer David S. Freeman teaches “Beyond Structure” (www.BeyondStructure.com) L.A.’s most popular screenwriting workshop –– also offered in N.Y. and London.
David has written or developed scripts and ideas that have been bought or optioned by Columbia Pictures, Paramount, MGM, Castle Rock, Allied Stars (based at Sony), Buena Vista Television, Atlas Entertainment and many other companies.
David is also a “Script Consultant’s Script Consultant.” Because he’s above all else a writer, he brings an inside perspective to enriching scripts. Feel free to contact him at the phone number or email address above.
David also works in the cutting-edge field of videogames, having pioneered new ways of making interactive storytelling emotionally engaging. 300 of these techniques are presented in his ground-breaking book, “Creating Emotion in Games.” His writing consultancy, The Freeman Group, has worked on scores of games, including some quite famous ones. All the info can be found at www.freemangames.com
Goal
When I was young and a Boy Scout, my troop did a lot of camping. Besides instilling in me a love of nature, my Scout Master used to always say, “Leave the campground in better shape than you found it.”
The world is our campground. As artists, we can uplift the world with the beauty we create, and with our insights, humor, and the new realities we create.
My goal is quite simple: to create as much art as I can, and to help as many writers as I can. The 200 techniques in "Beyond Structure" are designed to rapidly enhance a writer's artistry, so that each writer can most richly communicate his or her personal vision.
I also want writers to live well; the techniques also vastly increase the writers likelihood that he or she can make a good living off his or her art -- which is just another way of saying that if the writer is successful, that means a lot of people out there are enjoying and benfiting from that writer's creations.
Let's all put the imprint of our uniquess on the blazing trail we leae behind us. I've always believed that each writer has something important to offer, and nothing, over the years, has ever convinced me otherwise.
Professional Experience
Teacher
David Freeman's "Beyond Structure" Screenwriting Workshop
January 1994 - Present
L.A. Workshop: March 24-25, 2007
N.Y. Workshop: March 31-April 1, 2007
www.beyondstructure.com
(310) 394-0361
David Freeman’s "Beyond Structure" (www.beyondstructure.com) has grown to be the largest screenwriting workshop in L.A. (where it's offered biannually). It's also offered annually in N.Y. and London. David is a rare breed -- a screenwriting teacher who actually makes the vast majority of his income from writing, not from teaching.
David's unique workshop is distinguished in three ways: (1) David skips all theory and instead offers over 200 proven techniques to give uniqueness and emotional layers to characters, dialogue, plots, and scenes; (2) As mentioned above, the focus isn't on structure (which is covered by so many other courses and books) but on all those other critical areas of screenwriting which must be artful and captivating, beginning with the very first page of your script; and (3) "Beyond Structure" truly is a workshop, not just a seminar, in that David peppers the two days with short writing exercises to ensure you’ll master all the techniques they're learning.
The techniques offered in the workshop are just as valuable for fiction writers and playwrights as they are for screenwriters.
David’s past students include many published novelists, and the writers, directors, producers, and key creative executives behind Good Will Hunting –– the Austin Powers films –– Minority Report –– Meet the Fockers –– Runaway Bride –– The Wedding Singer –– The Fugitive –– Total Recall –– Law & Order –– Buffy the Vampire Slayer –– The Simpsons –– Rush Hour 1 & 2 –– American History X –– Pleasantville –– Roswell –– Everybody Loves Raymond –– E.R. –– Sling Blade –– The X-Files –– Thirteen Days –– Frequency –– Angels in the Outfield –– Star Trek: Voyager / Deep Space Nine –– 12 Monkeys –– Married With Children –– Saturday Night Live –– King of the Hill –– and many other films and TV shows.
“Beyond Structure” is also known for the David’s warmth and off-beat humor, which keeps makes the workshop fun, and, along with all the film clips he shows, keeps the pace upbeat and enjoyable.
There's no better way to get a taste for David's unique technique-based approach to writing than to go to the website (www.beyondstructure.com) and read some of the many articles David has posted there. You'll learn some incredible techniques that you can start applying immediately to enrich your characters and stories.
As David says, “In sharing all these techniques, I’m actually creating my own competition as a writer. But since the world is uplifted by art, I feel it's important to share what I know. The greater good is served by each screenwriter succeeding both artistically and professionally. My greatest joy in life is knowing that I’ve been able to help the careers of so many.”
Feel free to contact David at (310) 394-0361 or freeman@dfreeman.com
By the way, David also does script consulting. Give him a ring or send an email if you have an inquiry.
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