Jill Chamberlain
| Jill Chamberlain | |
|---|---|
 Still Bookpeople - cropped 2.jpg Jill Chamberlain at a book signing at BookPeople in Austin, TX in 2016. | |
| Born | |
| 🎓 Alma mater | Columbia University |
| 💼 Occupation | |
Jill Chamberlain is an American author, script consultant and screenwriting instructor. Her Nutshell Technique for screenplay story structure is the basis for her book The Nutshell Technique: Crack the Secret of Successful Screenwriting (2016). Chamberlain also founded the educational program The Screenplay Workshop, which utilizes both private consultation and group classes to teach the principles behind successful screenwriting.
Biography[edit]
Chamberlain earned a bachelor‘s degree in English from Columbia University, where she also studied in the graduate film program.
She serves on the adjunct faculty at Maryland Institute College of Art and University of Houston and has been a guest lecturer at Parsons School of Design, ScriptFest/the Great American Pitchfest[1], the University of Texas at Austin[2], The Writers Store[3], Writers' League of Texas[4], Austin School of Film, Austin Film Festival, Austin Film Society[5], Austin Screenwriters Group[6], The Writer’s Garret, and Reel Women.
Nutshell Technique method and book[edit]
Chamberlain analyzed the structure of hundreds of films to devise her approach to screenplay structure. The Nutshell Technique differs from the strictly linear approach shown in traditional three-act storytelling as established by Syd Field in his book Screenplay[7] and as popularized in various “beat sheet” methods by his acolytes. Instead, the Nutshell Technique focuses on critical intersections that need to occur between the chronological plot and the protagonist's evolving character arc. When screenwriters fail to find these intersections, Chamberlain discovered, they fail to tell a central story and instead end up with a series of unconnected events.[8]
Chamberlain was encouraged to write a book on her method after a representative from University of Texas Press took her screenwriting class and was impressed with how the Nutshell Technique differed from other books in the field.[9] In her book The Nutshell Technique: Crack the Secret of Successful Screenwriting, Chamberlain demonstrates the efficacy of her method visually with diagrams (“nutshell”) of some of the best loved films in history to help readers understand the story components that make up great movies.[10]
Industry insiders have praised Chamberlain for introducing a new way for screenwriters to structure a superior screenplay. Callum Greene, producer of Star Wars Episode 9, Crimson Peak, and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, said “Jill Chamberlain's Nutshell Technique is like the Rosetta Stone: it cracks the code behind why we love the movies that we love.”[11]
The book was named a Top 10 Book of 2016 by the Austin Chronicle[12] and was selected as a notable read by Austin Monthly magazine.[13] It is also included on the syllabus for courses at University of Notre Dame, University of Houston, and the screenwriting program at Columbia University.[14]
The Chinese-language edition of the book is scheduled for publication in 2018.
Workshops and consultations[edit]
Chamberlain began her educational series The Screenplay Workshop in 2006 and has worked with over 1,000 screenwriters around the globe. Many of her students and clients have optioned and sold screenplays, and some have seen their work made into award-winning feature films.
Through The Screenplay Workshop, Chamberlain offers a five-week fundamentals workshop, where students learn all the basics necessary to write a feature film screenplay, and a 10-week master class, where the goal is for participants to complete a feature screenplay.[15]
Chamberlain, her workshop, and her methods have been profiled in Creative Screenwriting magazine,[8] L.A. Screenwriter,[16] and the Austin Chronicle.[17]
Books[edit]
The Nutshell Technique: Crack the Secret of Successful Screenwriting (University of Texas Press, 2016)
References[edit]
- ↑ "The Nutshell Technique to Structure Successful Screenplays - ScriptFest". ScriptFest. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
- ↑ "Screenwriting Workshop with Jill Chamberlain". Women In Cinema, The University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ↑ "The Nutshell Technique: Screenwriting Workshop with Jill Chamberlain". The Writers Store. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
- ↑ "Essentials of Screenwriting with Jill Chamberlain". Writers' League of Texas. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
- ↑ "Screenplay Story Structure with Jill Chamberlain". Austin Film Society. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
- ↑ "Jill Chamberlain Workshop". Austin Screenwriters Group.
- ↑ "Screenplay (book) - Jill Chamberlain citation". Wikipedia. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Swinson, Brock (July 19, 2016). "The Nutshell Technique". Creative Screenwriting.
- ↑ "Writing On The Air". KOOP FM. May 5, 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
- ↑ "The Nutshell Technique: Crack The Secret of Successful Screenwriting". Google Books. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
- ↑ "The Nutshell Technique: Crack the Secret of Successful Screenwriting". University of Texas Press.
- ↑ Cape, Jessi (December 30, 2016). "Jessi Cape's Top Reads of 2016". Austin Chronicle.
- ↑ Kavhekar, Kimya (May 2, 2016). "Textual Healing". Austin Monthly. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
- ↑ "FILMW2420 Laboratory In Screenwriting syllabus". CourseWorks - Columbia University. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
- ↑ "Master Class syllabus". The Screenplay Workshop. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
- ↑ Bucher, John (November 9, 2016). "Examining the Nutshell Technique". L.A. Screenwriter. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ↑ Cape, Jessi (October 31, 2013). "Nutshell Your Screenplay for Success". Austin Chronicle.
External Links[edit]
Jill Chamberlain official website
The Screenplay Workshop with Jill Chamberlain
Jill Chamberlain in Creative Screenwriting magazine
Jill Chamberlain in L.A. Screenwriter
Jill Chamberlain workshop review in Austin Chronicle
Jill Chamberlain at Internet Movie Database
Book trailer for The Nutshell Technique: Crack The Secret of Successful Screenwriting
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