Diane Drake

Instructor Biography:

Screenwriter, W.G.A. member whose credits include What Women Want starring Mel Gibson and Only You, directed by Norman Jewison, with Robert Downey, Jr. and Marisa Tomei. Ms. Drake was Vice President of Creative Affairs for Academy Award-winning director-producer Sydney Pollack’s Mirage Productions.

Instructor Statement:

Having worked both as a development executive and as a writer, my goal is to address the three main elements screenwriters must juggle in their careers: a knowledge and development of craft; the demands and rigors of the business and marketplace; and perhaps most importantly, the spiritual component of being a writer. It all starts with your voice, something which is uniquely yours. You need to trust and nurture it, but also to train it. Ideally, that’s where this class comes in. I love Goethe’s advice, “Whatever you can do or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” I look forward to taking this creative journey with you, and hope to be able to provide some useful signposts and supportive guidance along the way. So that you can strive to, as I once heard Steve Martin advise those aspiring to get into the entertainment business, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”