Essentials of Screenwriting - Complete Film Courage Interview with UCLA Professor Richard Walter 

I learn so much by listening to Walter and other Film Courage writers. And he's so wonderful to listen to. Great video.

I wouldn't mind being apart of his class. I love his lecturing. He has a way of keeping my attention no matter if I agree or disagree. I love his videos.

Well I was just surfing through screenwiting. And I was hooked with this video. Lots of wisdom for artists in many mediums. Wrote down several things: The real wisdom is knowing that you don't know (Socrates). You want excitement in your art, boredom in your life (Walter).

Excellent stuff and great insight into screenwriting and LA. Richard Walter is a beacon in the scriptwriting Valley of Death. But read between the lines: There's too many writers and far too many screenwriters. Either you've got what it takes or you don't. Know this going into the business. And, yeah, this series ought to be required for any student of writing.

One of my favorite lectures on film courage. ❤️ I watched it many times.

Gold Jerry Gold.

Richard spoke in Dallas many many years ago when I had no idea who he was. Wow, what a great speaker, motivator, and instructor. I wish I could take every writing class with him.

That's a great question. We aren't sure what his policy is regarding script reading. Perhaps you could find an answer by visiting his website?

"Writing is frustration not to mention humiliation"...this is Philip Roth!

For someone who isn't a writer I still find this fascinating.

love this guy ❤

Great stories. He gives lots of permission to try anything. Sound advice to allow yourself to be surprised by the characters. I am always surprised by my characters--what they say, who they become. Even characters that show up and take their place like I had nothing to do with it. Then the story develops beyond what I could have imagined.

Just found out his sister is Jessica Walter, she was the villainous Evelyn in "Play Misty For Me"

2:41 most important thing you'll ever hear in your lives.

wonderful advice.

Same experience happened to me when I learned the meaning of oxymoron from a movie I watched. The next day I went to school and told my 6th grade English teacher of the new word I learned but instead of seeing the expression of excitement and acknowledgment she looked at me like I said a bad word and said there's no such thing ....made me second guess myself until I went back home to double check then came up with the conclusion teachers don t know everything. This was around 1996

58:20 "George genuinely hated running the empire. It was like a trap." --Admiral Ackbar

Good insight.

I think the title of this video should be changed to: "A conversation with Screenwriter and UCLA Writing Professor Richard Walter"

wow! this is good

awesome :)

i wish such a prof would address writing a mini-series script[s]

Ive realized that anybody can come up with ideas but the problem is people cant execute them. And thats the biggest struggle is coming up with a great script i struggle with that

This is really great.. I've only watched about half so far.. but I'm curious if students ever feel like the don't want to divulge their script ideas. I mean, you're sitting at a table with 8 other very talented writers.. Yeah, naturally, you want to do well in the class yet who would want to reveal a brilliant idea / story line in that environment? This is why I love the age we are in right now.. I'm working on my first independent film and I'm writing for myself. The way I see it, I have 49 years of film watching experience. No, it's not a formal education but "it ain't nothing" either. Like he says.. story, story, story...a fertile imagination is key.

Same disdain for authority, so I'm struggling with the fact that I like him.

Whats the b/w silent Oscar winner film he mentions near the end?

This guy does love to talk.

I really admire Richard. So does he read or accept scripts from off campus writers? I'd love to send him a script someday.

i fucking love this guy. but he kind of looks like the doctor from nightmare before christmas.

I found the question about the big fish in little ponds very interesting.... lol. I was part of a group that went to NASA and we did not feel common. We were not put down because we were a dime a dozen. We were accepted because we made it. Made it how? We were not part of NASA as of yet, we were the cream that had the opportunity to be part of NASA. I think, the reality that actors/writers/etc have to learn in this industry is not a valid point. It may be reality, but it doesn't have to be that way. It shows the hard core character of Hollywood vs other industries. It is the nature of the business they are entering. I dont know if I would like that. NASA was a far better experience than what is described here.

Does Richard have an email address? Thank you.

Shhh, Christopher, don't tell everyone :)

I have a box full of screenplays that I have written! About 250 original scripts but the chances of any studio taking a chance on them or even getting an agent is very slim to none! It's a tough business! I've written scripts of all kinds of genres, from a Holocaust/WWII epic/Romantic Thriller about a young Jewish woman who falls in love with a Nazi officer, who is a glorified war hero in Germany and Austria, who eventually helps her and her family escape German-occupied Poland to America, A Fantasy-thriller/supernatural drama/ dark comedy/mystery-thriller about a young hotshot attorney living in Manhattan, NYC who is accidentally bumped in front of a moving subway train and is killed but is reincarnated as a black cat and now tries to stop a psychotic murderous rapist who is stalking a young woman that has taken him in, A Crime-drama/Mystery thriller about a young female DEA agent who goes undercover to take down a notorious Greek mob boss/drug-lord who crosses paths with a young female FBI agent hunting a highly-intelligent serial killer/domestic terrorist and the two of them discovers that their investigations are somehow connected, and even a drama-thriller about a young mother and her young daughter who run away from their rural Missouri home to get away from her abusive husband and end up in Texas where she meets an elderly black woman who own a farm near the mountains where she takes care of a group of strangers like a surly elderly marine corps/Vietnam veteran, a blind elderly black Jazz musician dying of cancer, a young man struggling with heroin addiction, a young black teenager who has runaway from his home in Chicago, a mentally-impaired young woman, and a few others. The young mother and her daughter's newfound home and family is threaten by a gang of thugs led by a loan shark/small-time gunrunner/ drug kingpin whom the drug addict owes a large sum of money to. I have tons of interesting ideas like these but no one will take a shot at them!

I have this film idea, it's a original. Where do I send the script and make some quick cash. I am not really interested in being famous. I just want to make a quick buck by selling this great film idea. If anyone is willing to offer £1,000. I will take it. I will give you the idea. You wont be disapointed. This film is different to anything anyone has seen.

Narcissism.

These guys are all so full of themselves and tell really awkward jokes. But they at least talk like they know what they're talking about and know how to speak well enough. Are all people in Hollywood on edge, having to list all of their accomplishments in every story they tell? I don't mind this guy. I have a very similar story to him on his first day on first grade but about 40 years later. Something's don't change I suppose.

I love this guy...But he DOES love to humble-brag a lot, as well as going on these tangents to the point where he forgets what was asked.....lol...

If someone made a film about a pretentious screenwriting professor who talks and talks about himself in a self-indulgent and quasi-profound way this person would get the part.