Jim Burnstein, the John H. Mitchell Professor of Entertainment and Director of Screenwriting Program at the University of Michigan stopped by Ledger to talk about his career as a screenwriter. He's written such films as Renaissance Man, starring Danny DeVito and directed by Penny Marhsall, Mighty Ducks 3, a particular childhood favorite of mine, and more.
We discussed how he became a successful screenwriter without moving from Plymouth, MI to L.A. - and specifically he in the 80s and 90s - and what that process looked and felt like. He tells us the one thing you shouldn’t say as a writer and how one time he did in fact say that thing to beloved actor (and total comic book nerd; for real, look it up) Ed Asner; what turnaround is and feels like to an actor; and also, what it means to have people on your side, even if it’s ONE person.
The books he recommends for screenwriters are, in no particular order:
- William Goldman’s ADVENTURE IN THE SCREEN TRADE
- Linda Seger’s MAKING A GOOD SCRIPT GREAT
- David Howard and Edward Mabley’s THE TOOLS OF SCREENWRITING: A WRITER’S GUIDE TO THE CRAFT AND ELEMENTS OF A SCREENPLAY.
- Miranda J. Banks's THE WRITERS: A HISTORY OF AMERICAN SCREENWRITERS AND THEIR GUILD
- Lynda Obst's SLEEPLESS IN HOLLYWOOD
Thank you so much to Jim for stopping by!
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Please rate and review Ledger wherever you can - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc. - and tell people if you think they'd like it. Swing by austinRwilson.com to see my publishing credits, to contact me, or to read free fiction.
My website also has links to my newest story, Dynasty of Blood, a serialized story set in a fictional 1980s, but one that deals with the historically factual Satanic Panic and its connection to tabletop roleplaying games. Print copies of volumes 1-3 are now available both print-on-demand and print-at-home!
Links to all my work can be found here: https://linktr.ee/austinRwilson
You can also go to mossheartbooks.com to check out my independent bookshop and follow me on Instagram @mossheartbooks.
Thank you for listening!
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