by Trevor Mayes | Nov 4, 2026 | Formatting, Grammar, Industry Advice, Modern Craft, Proofreading, Punctuation, Script Notes, Writing |
What brands you as an amateur on page one? I’m often asked how I can tell I’m reading an amateur writer’s script by the end of page one. Sometimes I get a pretty good idea before anyone even says a word. Take a line like “We see two diamonds in an open till.” Try it...
by Trevor Mayes | Sep 21, 2026 | Events, Industry Advice, Writing |
Big-Screen Storytellers. Small-Screen Viewing. Pajamas Encouraged. A screenwriting conference featuring some of the people behind your favorite movies and TV shows? Sounds great. Getting dressed, booking a flight, and making small talk before your coffee kicks in?...
by Trevor Mayes | Dec 10, 2024 | Concept, Industry Advice, Loglines |
High Concept? As we approach the end of another year, screenwriters everywhere start doing what we do best: dreaming up the next big script that’ll make Hollywood sit up and take notice. And if there’s one magical phrase that gets development...
by Trevor Mayes | Aug 18, 2023 | Industry Advice, My Experiences |
No Pay, No Gain At my first Pitch Fest many years ago, one particularly helpful production company rep, who sensed I was new to the game, gave me this advice: “Never work for free.” As I was processing what he was saying, he reiterated: “No,...
by Trevor Mayes | Feb 22, 2021 | Behind the Scenes, Concept, Industry Advice |
Last year, I posted an article asking, “What’s more important: script idea or execution?” My answer was that the script idea is more important. But for those of you who have been following my blog for years know, I’m not interested in any...
by Trevor Mayes | Mar 3, 2020 | Industry Advice, Industry Terms, Loglines |
First things first If you’re not sure what a logline is or why it’s important, I recommend you read this logline primer. Here’s the key takeaway: A logline is a sentence (or in rare instances — two sentences) that captures the essence of your screenplay in the most...
