LAB: THE PACING LAB
A Two Hour Lab with Screenwriter Max Adams:
LAB SUBJECT: Pacing & Plot Momentum
LAB DATES: TBA
LAB TIME: 7 PM ET
LAB FEE: $75.00 ||
LAB LOCATION: The is an online Zoom lab
Schedule:
FIRST HOUR: 45 Minute Lecture & Presentation from Max Adams & 15 Minute Break
SECOND HOUR: Analysis, Discussion & Review of Pacing & Structure Example Models
*Optional Half Hour Q&A with Max Adams to Follow
AFTER REGISTRATION —
You will receive your Zoom dits in email the day prior to your zoom lab date. Please white list theafw.com email to make sure you receive your confirmation email and lab dits — and please try to register at least a day in advance. We do not want to be flinging email back and forth an hour before the lab starts and will not be accepting new registrations in the hour immediately preceding the lab and mid-presentation.
WE WILL BE COVERING:
- The Story Engine: Use it or lose it
- Plot focus
- Cause & effect
- Turning points
- Escalation
- Stakes
- Backstory — when it is your friend and when it isn’t
- The South Park model
- The Good News Bad News model
- Obstacles and how to use them
- Connect the dots writing [no no no!]
- Building narrative dramatic tension
- Building comedic tension
- Tension vs suspense & how to use it
- Setting up a successful story climax
- And more —
YOU WILL TAKE AWAY:
- An understanding of the core elements of narrative dramatic tension and how to build and maintain dramatic and comedic tension in an escalating second act that builds to a successful story climax.
related classes
This is a new lab. Send us email to be placed on the waiting list for the new Pacing Lab.
Pacing Lab Waiting List:
Ratings and Reviews
Gary Weskrna
A course worth of information presented in an eveving. A lot of usable information that you really need by your side as you navigate the heart of you story. If you ever ask yourself, " Why isn't my story working?", you need to take this lab!
One person found this helpful.
Hillary Wright
I appreciated the discussion about pacing and story structure. The 3 act structure always struck me as rigid and a bit hard to follow. It is nice to know that there are alternatives. Also, thanks for providing a space where I could discuss my work-in-progress.
One person found this helpful.
Maggie Mulloy
Thank you for this valuable and helpful lab. It taught me a new way to think about story structure and pacing with actionable tools geared to helping the story move forward in a compelling way.
One person found this helpful.
About Max Adams
MAX ADAMS is an author and award winning screenwriter. She has written for Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures, Tri-Star Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, Universal Pictures — and a couple others to remain unnamed because no one around here wants to get black listed.
Max is a former volunteer AFI Alumni reader and WGAw online mentor, former Nicholl reader and judge, has appeared as a speaker at, among other places, AMPAS, USC, and Film Arts Foundation, is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at University of Utah and a former lecturer & instructor at New York Film Academy, is the author of The Screenwriter’s Survival Guide AND The New Screenwriter’s Survival Guide, is the founder of two international online screenwriting workshops — and TheAFW — and has the dubious distinction of having been dubbed “Red Hot Adams” by Daily Variety for selling three pitches over a holiday weekend — which made her agents cry.
[In a good way.]
She answers now to both “Max” and “Red Hot” in crowds and dog parks.
Max has been writing, selling, mentoring, and teaching for two decades. Four or her workshoppers have won Nicholl Fellowships from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences. Many of her students and workshoppers have gone on to option, sell, publish, and produce work.
I highly recommend this lab! I finally feel like I understand structure and can proceed with my outline and my script and know that I’ve got it right!