126. The Personal Story Problem

Alvaro Rodriguez is a writer, producer, and composer. He began his career by working as a composer on El Mariachi in 1992. He has since expanded into film and television writing and producing. He has written on From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Machete, Seis Manos, American Rust, Chicago Fire and Florida Man.Support the showFor more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.

Have you completed a feature film and people love the idea of it but when they read it, it doesn't resonate with them? That's probably because there's no story behind your story. Listen to find out what the issue is.Support the showFor more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.

Paul Chitlik is an award-winning screenwriter, producer, director, and internationally respected educator who has written for major studios and networks in both English and Spanish. He served as story editor for MGM/UA’s The New Twilight Zone and staff writer for Showtime’s Brothers, and has developed features for numerous production companies. He earned a Writers Guild of America nomination for The Twilight Zone, a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Los Beltrán, and a Genesis Award for a Showtime Family film.He wrote, produced, and directed the feature The Wedding Dress. A longtime UCLA instructor and clinical professor at Loyola Marymount University, Chitlik has taught screenwriting worldwide and is the author of the influential craft book Rewrite. In this podcast, we discuss Paul's latest book - The Screenwriting Sensei.Support the showFor more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.

Are you having a hard time adapting a real life experience to a screenplay. It's probably because of the personal story problem. Listen and see if fixing this can help you write a better screenplay.Support the showFor more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.

As a new year is upon us, it's time to think about what we want to accomplish this year as screenwriters. What are your screenwriting resolutions?Support the showFor more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.

A lot of screenwriters get confused when rewriting their screenplays. What constitutes an actual rewrite? Listen and find out. Support the showFor more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.

It's probably the most overlooked element in a scene. Understand the power of choosing the right location for your scene to take place. Support the showFor more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.

Diane Drake is a screenwriter who is best known for writing Only You (1994) and What Women Want (2000).She is also the author of the screenwriting book, Get Your Story Straight. Click the link to get it on Amazon.Diane will be a mentor at the Rocaberti Writers Retreat in Figueres, Spain, March 2026To find press and podcasts featuring Diane, click here.To read an extended interview with Diane, click here.Support the showFor more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.

Oftentimes, screenwriters miss writing half of their movie because they never ask the question and, as a result, they never answer it. Listen to find out if you're asking the right question.Support the showFor more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.

What are the layers of information that an audience receives when they are watching a scene? It's a lot more data than you think. Listen to learn more!Support the showFor more information on Lovinder Gill's best-selling book "Scriptcake Secrets" or his public speaking schedule, please check out www.lovinder.com.