A rich archive of tips, techniques and inspiration to help screenwriters, filmmakers and other creative souls achieve their dreams.
In the second excerpt from my recent masterclass series RESET REVOLUTION, we explore the role luck plays in achieving your goals and how to make yourself lucky. You'll also learn why (when setting goals) you must dare to follow your true heart's desires. To join the exclusive FB group, The Shoot From the Heart Society and watch the rest of this training (for FREE), click here --> https://www.facebook.com/groups/239946376921960...
Whew, what a year it's been! If you're ready to hit the reset button and prepare for the best year of your life in 2021, this is the episode you need. In it, I share why our usual method of goal setting doesn't work - and how to set goals we actually achieve. If you'd like to watch the rest of this training (it's free and available into January), please join the Shoot From the Heart Society Facebook group. You'll find them there as well as more free trainings --> https://www.facebook.com/grou...
A good query letter could change your career overnight (and your life!). A bad one wastes your time and the time of the person you send it to. What makes a good one? How do you make sure that each time you hit SEND you are maximizing your chance of success? Listen in to find out (clue: connection is EVERYTHING!). For more info, go to www.dianebell.com . To join the Shoot From the Heart Society on Facebook for free masterclasses: https://www.facebook.com/groups/239946376921960 See you there!!...
Are you finding it hard to focus on your creative work right now? If you are, you're not alone. Between the election madness, Brexit, and the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, it can be hard to show up for your work. In this episode, I share some ideas on how to focus in the middle of all the craziness. For more info, go to www.dianebell.com .
This question comes up for every aspiring screenwriter and filmmaker: do I have to move to LA or NYC? Here's my take on the answer (and it's not a simple YES or NO). For more info, go to www.dianebell.com
Sometimes things don't go to plan. You don't write the pages you said you would, you hesitate about calling possible investors. It's easy to beat yourself up about it, to feel shame and guilt. But in this episode I explore why being kind to yourself is one of THE keys to a long and happy career (and life). What does being kind to yourself really mine? Dive in and find out. For more info: www.dianebell.com Instagram: @dianebell
I'm planning to write a new screenplay by the end of the year, and I wrote a list of the 5 things that I think might stop me. In this episode, I share what they are, and identify the #1 thing that can stop any of us (you included!). If you want to write a screenplay by the end of the year, please join me for the End of Year Screenwriting Challenge www.dianebell.com/challenge Let's do this!
Many screenwriters ask this question as they contemplate writing a new script. Is this idea good enough? In this episode I dig into what we are really asking, and why it might be the wrong question. Along the way, expect thoughts on what makes a movie good, the key to a compelling script, when you should stick with an idea, and when you should jump ship. For more info, please go to: www.dianebell.com
The statistics are what they are: most scripts won't sell, most movies won't get made (and even of those that do, most won't ever get seen). You are not looking for conventional results in this industry - you are looking for miracles! But how to miracles happen? Do you have to be special to achieve them? In this episode I share the real secret to miraculous results. Get ready to start allowing them to happen to you. For more info, please go to www.dianebell.com...
Not having money is the #1 reason most people give for not making their movie. But it doesn't have to be that way. In this episode, I share with you how to find investors, why people invest in movies and how to get to YES for the cash. You'll also get practical knowledge of what you need to do before you approach investors and what you will offer them. Prepare for your mind to be blown as you realize - EVEN now, in the middle of a pandemic: YOU CAN RAISE MONEY FOR YOUR MOVIE. To join my free tra...
Often people talk about how the movie industry is really all about money. I don't agree with that - indie films in particular are fueled by something else all together. In this heartfelt session, I share what I think is THE magic ingredient that is the reason some scripts sell (and most don't), why some movies get made, and why some movies stand out. You'll learn a new way to think of your own work and you'll get inspired to do your best work ever. Are you ready?! PS To join my free training on ...
You've got a script and you want to make a movie. But where to start? In this session, I'll share with you the first three things you MUST do to create a solid foundation for your film's success. You'll learn about the importance of a doable script (and what that really means), why your script shouldn't be over 100 pages, and who you need to hire first. Get ready for thirty minutes of film fuel magic! And if you're ready to watch my FREE train The 5 Keys to Filmmaking Success, go to www.dianebel...
This week I share 5 foundations of good directing - you'll pick up tons of tips on what this job really is and how to excel at it, from devising a compelling creative vision that will guide your every decision to what good leadership on set looks like. This episode will fire you up and give you tons of food for thought whether you've never directed before or a seasoned pro. For more info on the Shoot From the Heart Academy, go to www.dianebell.com
So you know you want to direct but how do you get hired as a director? Quite simply: you hire yourself. For nearly every director in the world, that's how they started their career. In this episode, I explore what that means and how to do it. I'm also asked by a listener what good directing is - the answer might help you be one! For more info, go to www.dianebell.com
It's natural to want to know if what we're working on is good, if we're doing it right, if we're wasting our time or if we're really onto something. But what's really going on when we seek validation for work that isn't even finished? In this episode, I dig into why seeking validation is often the last thing we should be doing - and the power in validating ourselves. For more info, go to www.dianebell.com
Many of us would like to direct...but we think we don't have enough technical knowledge. Or that we would have to film school or work on a ton of other sets first. In this episode, I debunk 4 common myths about directing and share what the job is REALLY about. For more info, go to: www.dianebell.com
Everyone knows that writing is rewriting...but how do you effectively rewrite a screenplay? In this episode, I guide you through the steps I take after writing THE END on a first draft, from working the structure to finessing the dialogue. You'll learn a ton of techniques and tips to take your screenplay from rough to perfectly polished and ready to sell. For more info, go to www.dianebell.com .
Everyone experiences it - but how do we overcome it? Rejection can cause us to lose hope, get depressed and give up. But here's the deal: you can't avoid it so the sooner you learn how to process it, the better your journey as a creative person. In the episode, I share practical tips and techniques to help you overcome rejection and thrive. To get your FREE roadmap to writing a successful screenplay, go to: https://www.dianebell.com/the-roadmap-to-writing-a-standout-screenplay/ For more info, go...
Most screenwriters and filmmakers believe if they could just get the right representation, everything in their career would be golden. The truth is slightly different from that, and I share it here. Things we cover: what an agent or manager does and...
Writing my first screenplay was HARD. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Never mind the challenge of doing something I'd never done before and figuring it out as I went along - I also had the challenge of overcoming some epic levels of self...
We want to create great work - but we also want to stay safe. It's like wanting to swim, but not being willing to take your feet off the bottom. You won't swim until you risk drowning.In this episode, I take a dive into what you must do if you want to...
We all dream that if we do the work, one day someone will recognize our brilliance and give us tons of money for it and everything will be awesome. But the truth is, no one is going to bet on you if you won't bet on yourself first.In this raw episode,...
Some of you may know that just after I sold my first screenplay, I was hired by John McTiernan, the legendary director of movies like DIE HARD, PREDATOR, and THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER to rewrite a script with him.I spent many months on his remote ranch...
"I am certain this mindset strategy works, but HOW do I get myself to believe?" This is the question that I try to answer in this session, recorded live on Instagram. If you've ever felt that changing your beliefs could help you get more success, but...
In this episode, I share 5 ways to increase your income and allow more money into your life. These are unconventional, surprising techniques. They might blow your mind....but they work. Pick one to try or adopt them all, and you'll soon start seeing...
Most of us don't ever talk about money. Creative people are especially bad for this. We often think of artists who make money as "sell outs" and say things like "money isn't important to me, creativity is." We glorify the idea of the "starving...
Sometimes as creators, we downplay the effects of our choices ("I'm just making a little movie that no one will see") - but the truth is everything we create has an energetic effect in the world. We must be conscious of our power and use it wisely to...
Last week I shared 5 dangerous habits that will block your success, and so many of you wrote to me to say, "yes, I have that habit...but how do I change it?" In this episode you're going to learn a simple and practical approach to do just that. You...
We often hear about the habits of successful people...but we rarely talk about the habits that so many of us engage in that will kill our chances of success. In this episode, I take a dive into five of them that you might not be aware of. If you're...
Do you have five ideas for screenplays and don't know which one you should write? Perhaps you're trying to decide which project you should focus on for your next movie, and you're torn? In this episode, I take a deep dive into how to make sure you...
