#MondayGuest: Shane Stanley Author of What You Don't Learn in Film School @shanestanley

Multi-Emmy Award winning filmmaker Shane Stanley has worked in almost every capacity on and off the set starting with hit shows like “Entertainment Tonight” and “Seinfeld.”

Along with his father, Stanley produced “The Desperate Passage Series,” which was nominated for 33 individual Emmy Awards and won 13 statues. In this series, five of the seven specials went No.1 in Nielson Ratings, which included “A Time for Life” and “Gridiron Gang.”

Stanley has produced films starring Marlon Brando, Mira Sorvino, Thomas Hayden Church, Donald Sutherland, Marisa Tomei and Martin Sheen. He co-wrote two of the films and has worked closely with top Hollywood executives.

Stanley has taught workshops at many film schools and universities. He is the founder of Visual Arts Entertainment, a production company based in Los Angeles. He is still active in teaching, working with several schools, film students, and recent grads as a mentor and guide.

His latest book is What You Don’t Learn in Film School: A Complete Guide to Independent Filmmaking.

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What’s inside the mind of an author who writes a guidebook to filmmaking?

My mind is a tangled mess! For the past three decades I have made a life of writing scripted fiction while tap-dancing on the landmines that surround my business. Things seemed to calm a bit as I took my experiences and translated them into an easy-to-read, helpful handbook for aspiring artists but it’s been a finely tuned ballet of ordered chaos lately as I attempt to jump back into screenwriting. But truly, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

What is so great about being an author?

Two things. First, it’s the freedom to move forward when I am motivated or ready without feeling like there’s a ticking time bomb strapped under my chair. As a filmmaker, there are so many intricate parts that force things along and too often the creative process can be rushed and becomes greatly compromised. I never once felt that way when I was writing the book. Second and most important, is the satisfaction that comes from writing something that helps others get closer to achieving their goals. As an artist, you always want to touch the lives of others - and as an author, I have felt that satisfaction more than I have working in any other medium.

When do you hate it?

Considering I feel so blessed to do what I love, I could never imagine hating a single breath of it. It does get painful at times when you feel you’ve painted yourself into a corner or have gone down a rabbit hole that doesn’t bare any fruit and you just have to jam it into reverse and back up before starting down another trail. Eventually it works itself out but I prefer when I don’t have to go through that process.

What is a regular writing day like for you?

My writing is usually done from 11PM-6AM when the rest of the world is asleep and I can work without interruption. This habit started when I was running a production company back in the 90’s - and while I was overseeing the daily grind at the office - I was also responsible to kick out the screenplays we produced. I consider myself lucky to get 4 hrs of sleep a night and it’s a schedule that has become the norm for me and when I’m not on it, I actually feel displaced.

How do you handle negative reviews?

I just remind myself that art is nothing but opinion and you’re never going to please all the people all of the time. Being an author is new for me, so when bad reviews come my way as a filmmaker, I just adopt the old ‘sticks and stones’ approach and move on. Life’s too short to get hung up on negativity and you shouldn’t give anyone that kind of power over you. Never forget that YOU are really the only person those negative reviews will affect and that’s only if you let them.

How do you handle positive reviews?

Well, I like them better than negative ones but try not to let them get to my head. Sure, it feels good to have a critic’s endorsement and receive praise and sometimes it’s just what you needed to keep you going. But I also try to remember that pleasing one person doesn’t guarantee you’ll please the next and one great review can be snuffed out as quickly as it arrived by the negative one that might come next.

What is the usual response when you tell a new acquaintance that you’re an author?

“Really? Wow, I’ve always wanted to write!” Then usually they’ll continue by telling me their life story. I enjoy it actually, as I tend to be shy in social gatherings and it quickly takes the attention off of what they just asked me.

What do you do on those days you don’t feel like writing? Do you force it or take a break?

I have to take a break. Of course there are times you may have a deadline and walking away isn’t an option but I strongly encourage artists to step away from the canvas for a bit and get their head clear. My best breakthroughs come when I’m away from the work. I also believe you should always finish a work day knowing where you want to go next creatively, so the following session can start out productive and set the tone for a successful work day.

Any writing quirks?

Ha. Too many to list. I find when I am deep in a write, it consumes my entire being. I often speak out loud conversation my characters might have when I’m in a restaurant eating alone, taking a walk, or even when I’m stopped in my car at a red light. Thank God for cell phones as people usually think I’m engaged in a discussion when I’m alone in the car. I have freaked out some people, as I’m often oblivious to my surroundings or who’s listening in. When I sense their eyes upon me, I’ve been known to glance over and say something like, “Fear not, I didn’t escape from the looney bin, they let me out early for bad behavior.”

What would you do if people around you didn’t take your writing seriously or see it as a hobby?

Write a manifesto that would really get their attention. I’m kidding, of course. Seriously, thank God I don’t have that to worry about that. Good or bad, I’ve only supported myself as an artist. Now that doesn’t mean I’m always been successful but it’s all I’ve known for 30-plus years and in turn, everyone in my circle knows its what I do in order to survive. 

Some authors seem to have a love-hate relationship to writing. Can you relate?

I certainly can. I am honestly not a fan of writing. I love having written but getting there can sometimes be very painful. My wife says I’m a masochist. Maybe I am. But I always go in with the end in mind and look forward to the journey in every creative project I set my hand to, no matter how grueling the process might be.

Do you think success, as an author must be linked to money?

Not at all. I’ll admit, I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor and although I like rich better, I have never equated success as an artist with money. My brother is a successful businessman and he’s always said, “if you want be an artist, go paint in the park on Saturdays”, but I find the greatest rewards come from when someone tells you what your work has meant to them or how it has touched their lives. You cannot put a price tag on that and honestly, some of my least commercially successful projects are the ones that people have been the most impacted by.

What has writing taught you?

Not to be too hard on yourself. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the written word. I think a lot of us try so hard to be wordsmiths and over think what we’re trying to say. I know when I started writing the book, I really wanted to sound like a wise old owl but my creativity was being stifled because the words were being forced and weren’t flowing through me like they should. Once I remembered who I was and abandoned being something I wasn’t, the book found its personality and practically wrote itself. I think that comes across in its tone and flavor.

Leave us with some words of wisdom.

A writer writes. One of the best lines from a movie I ever heard and never forgot. Writing is the one thing you can do that requires no money or anyone else’s permission or participation. All it takes is your imagination, desire - and nerve. Stick with it. You might swing and miss a hundred times but until you grip the bat and hit it with all your might, you will never know. Good luck, and I sincerely look forward to reading about YOUR work one day.

About the Book:

Title: WHAT YOU DON’T LEARN IN FILM SCHOOL: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING
Author: Shane Stanley
Publisher: Industry Insider, LLC.
Pages: 199
Genre: Nonfiction/Film

BOOK BLURB:

Multi Emmy-Award winning filmmaker Shane Stanley, a lifelong entertainment industry insider, has worked in every aspect of the film industry, covering a multitude of movies, television shows, and other projects. In his valuable new book, WHAT YOU DON’T LEARN IN FILM SCHOOL: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING, Stanley takes a candid look at the film business and offers ambitious young filmmakers important information on how to navigate every aspect of making movies, from initial pitch to distributing a finished product. The book “is written for anyone who hopes to have a career in the industry at any position, but (is) geared for (the) total filmmaker,” Stanley says.

Producer Neal H. Moritz (“Fast & Furious,” “S.W.A.T.,” “21 and 22 Jump Street”), says that WHAT YOU DON’T LEARN IN FILM SCHOOL “pulls no punches. It's one of the most insightful and accurate books ever written on the subject, a master class bridging the gap between school and real-life experience that will save you years of heartache. A must-read for anyone interested in pursuing a career in film.”

Jane Seymour, two-time Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner, actress, producer and founder of the Open Hearts Foundation, declares that Stanley’s “step-by-step guide is a must-read for anyone hoping to break into the world of independent cinema, along with many useful tips for those who desire to work within a studio or network system.”

Jeff Sagansky, former president of Sony Entertainment and CBS Entertainment, notes that “Shane Stanley takes you to a film school that only years of practical experience can teach. He covers both the business of independent filmmaking as well as the hard-earned secrets of a successful production. A must-read for anyone who wants to produce.”

A lifelong veteran of the film world, Stanley has directed and produced hundreds of film and television projects, including the 2006 No. 1 Box Office hit “Gridiron Gang,” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. His clearly-written guide to navigating the shoals of independent filmmaking comes from his hands-on experience, covering such topics as choosing what material to produce, raising independent capital, hiring a production crew and selecting the right cast.

WHAT YOU DON’T LEARN IN FILM SCHOOL is an essential book written by someone who clearly understands the independent film business from the inside.

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