Writers from all types of backgrounds gathered in Monarch Hall to hear from the chairman of the UCLA Film, Television and Digital Media Writing Program. Richard Walter showed up to Valley College and shared his most valuable knowledge in the film and television screenwriting field.
Walter has been the a professor and chairman of the UCLA Film School for more than 30 years. Recently, Walter published his new book "The Art, Craft, and Business of Film and Television Writing," an updated version of his 1998 version of the book.
Students who attended the event had the chance to ask questions and hear about his UCLA program. Walter also talked about several principles, which included money, truth, sex and violence, which are all key points for a successful script.
"Some of the major mistakes new writers make is that they want to write their own personal story and the truth is that no one wants to hear about that," said Walter. "So if you want to be treated like a professional, you have to treat yourself like a professional."
Other topics discussed included writer's interest, audience appeal and popular trends in Hollywood. Each of these topics tied in to what movies are making money at the box office, which is what writers need to keep in mind when pitching a script.
"Everybody who is well established in the movie business once was completely unknown. It's not all about connections," said Walter. "It really is democratic, it all depends about how great of a script you're writing."
Working with some of the major Hollywood blockbuster film productions, students were fortunate enough to hear some of Walter's experiences that inspired writers to push themselves into becoming great screen writers.
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