Sherwood Oaks College Archives

Gary Shusett
photo: candidcoverage

So many deaths in 2013! I saw the obits for Gary Shusett while I was in New York last month helping my dad with the arrangements following the death of my aunt.

I certainly didn’t want to not remark on Gary. He was such an original of the type that you still occasionally find in Hollywood, a link between those golden filmmaking years of the 60s and 70s and today (I know it’s weird to call the 60s and 70s golden years, but it’s all relative, right).

Gary died on August 9, the day after my aunt Joan, of cancer at 72, according the obit in the Times.

I took a couple of seminars from Gary’s organization, Sherwood Oaks College, over the years, mostly having to do with access to producers and agents, always hoping for that prime bit of perfect information that gets you a foot in the door.
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Gary was remarkable in his success at getting the major folks to appear at his seminars, a constant amazement that they actually would show up. I also found him to be genuine and honest – at times brutally so, about the role of writers in Hollywood and what were the best strategies for success (which may or may not dovetail with anyone’s personal ambitions).

I also did an internship with his company on script coverage, which was good training as well as just good for a writer to know how scripts and short stories (we read a lot of science fiction) are evaluated by readers.

He will be missed. I don’t know who will fill that void, but I certainly hope it’s someone. Another great loss from the writing/mentor world, who joins beloved teacher Linda Palmer in that Big Writers’ Room upstairs.

I had an opportunity last week to work for Sherwood Oaks College in timing story and script pitches writers were giving to agents, managers and producers.

Seth Jaret, of Content Engine and Jaret Entertainment, was one of the Hollywood insiders students pitched to. He also produces how-to “Drive and Talk” videos for his site as well as posts commentary about many aspects of the business.

What a great idea – how to use that drive time in the car – please don’t text, instead, talking and driving is safer as long as you don’t have to fiddle with the smartphone cam much! And productive, as you saw if you watched the video above.

I like how Seth edits the piece about secrets to entertainment industry success. I like the repetition of the three ideas and the joke about using the word “fucking” but bleeping it out. The way he presents the information is also classic: tell is what you’re going to tell us, tell us the info, then tell us what you just told us.

Even for people like me, with our challenged attention spans – and isn’t that everybody these days? – I really got what he said.

And, like he says, these three “Fs” are crucial. Probably not only in Hollywood, but certainly there. They are:

Follow through — if you promise somebody something, like sending off a treatment or script, do it. Don’t promise to do it if you can’t do it. It’s simple but people violate this all the time.

Follow Up — this one really struck a chord with me. Writers, well, most writers, I think, are introverted. They feel that if you’ve requested something they’ve written and then they’ve taken the time to actually send it off, that should be all that’s required. Continue reading →

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Tag Archives: Sherwood Oaks College

The Writer’s Friend: Gary Shusett, RIP

Following the “3Fs” to Entertainment Industry Success – Seth Jaret