How to Write a Compelling, Commercially Viable Thriller

Nearly every executive that has come in to hear pitches through Stage 32 is looking for thriller features. It's one of the few genres that can translate internationally. Having a solid, unique thriller in your portfolio is something any manager or agent will appreciate. Thrillers like Gone Girl, Taken, The Boy Next Door and Non-Stop have profited more than quadrupled what their respective shooting budgets were.

But writing thrillers comes with its own challenges. A writer has to make sure the characterization is strong throughout the story without letting the action sequences overshadow it. But those action sequences must be thrilling enough to fuel the story forward and the pacing must be thriving and building in every scene.

Stage 32 Happy Writers is excited to bring you our exclusive 3-week online intensive class How to Write a Compelling, Commercially Viable Thriller taught by the creative executive of Mandalay Pictures, Patrick Raymond! In this hands-on course, you will learn what it takes to write a compelling, fast-paced thriller and how to successfully pitch it to production companies. With interactive lectures and weekly homework assignments directly geared towards strengthening your pages, this class will help you craft your writing into a thriller that will stand out.

The objective of this course is:

• To learn the rules of writing a page-turner thriller with a unique hook.
• To prepare you on how to pitch your completed thriller.
• To elevate your writing and story to a more marketable level.

You will leave the course knowing:

• Tropes used in thrillers to avoid and tropes to embrace.
• How to commit to tone from page 1.
• How to option a book or article to establish an IP.
• The difference between the subgenres of a thriller (including blockbusters, psychological, erotic and art-house).
• How to prepare your pitch document for your completed thriller.

About Your Teacher Patrick Raymond, Creative Executive at Mandalay Pictures

Patrick started his career working as an assistant at Gersh, where he was able to learn the business from the ground up as well as make solid connection in the town. He worked primarily in the production department but gained lots of exposure to the literary world, working with writers and story. He utilized his experience and passion as leverage in a transition to work as a producer’s assistant. LD Entertainment became his home the next three years, where he was eventually promoted to a creative executive, working with writers and helping build scripts and acquire ideas for new projects. After three years, he had the opportunity to work for Tate Taylor on a James Brown biopic entitled, Get On Up. He learned a lot about assembling large studio films. He has transitioned back into more of a creative executive position at Mandalay Pictures, where he gets to go back to my passion: cultivate amazing stories and working with great writers.

Class Schedule ( 6/20, 6/27, 711)

Week #1 (6/20):

This is an all inclusive look into the world of thrillers. This will offer you a behind-the-scenes look on what executives look for when reading thrillers and some common mistakes writers make that disrupt the reading process. This class will also cover:

• Concepts that sell and concepts that don’t.
• Market trends (i.e. female driven thrillers, the state of erotic thrillers after movies like The Boy Next Door).
• Tips on making sure your first 10-15 pages pop and hook the executive.
• Stereotypical tropes/cliches writers use to set up their characters that turn off an executive.
• Tips on creating and layering your antagonist.
• How to make sure your protagonist is relatable and engaging.
• How to create a stand out catalyst and a sharp break into act two.

Week #2 (6/27):

This week will focus entirely on the engine of your story. This week will cover outlining and writing act 2 and act 3. Topics that this will cover include:

• How to write a thrilling action sequence.
• Description to dialogue ratio.
• Making sure you are incorporating set pieces that complement your sub-genre (i.e. what specific set pieces would you include in your second act if you are writing an erotic thriller).
• Tips on how to outline your heightened set pieces to make sure the emotional crescendo of your story is always escalating smoothly.
• How to make sure your characterization is strong throughout act two and three while keeping the tension hight.
• Overall tips on how to outline your script.

Week #3 (7/11):

This week will cover tips on how to end your script with a lasting final image and what happens after your first draft is completed. This week will include:

• Some of the most common elements that are rewritten after getting picked up by a production company.
• How to avoid development hell.
• Tips on how to pitch your thriller. Typical elements that can be found in a pitch package.
• How to decipher which companies are looking for what.