Testimonials

“I’ve taken many writing classes over the years but was absolutely blown away with how much I learned from Suzy in just one hour. She’s a natural born teacher. She understands the dramatic pacing of storytelling and offered excellent suggestions regarding the development of my story and made my script so much stronger. For once I got way more than money’s worth.”
Debra Ehrhardt
Playwright and Performer

“I wish I had known of her talents years ago! About four months ago I, and our key scriptwriter, started working with Suzy Bell-Russell to assist us with one of our scripts. Through Suzy’s coaching we found within ourselves an organic eruption of pathways to express our story into a screenplay that now has the eyes of movie making giants helping us to get this to the big screen.”
Randy Bellous, Los Angeles
Randy Bellous Productions, Film and Music Producer

“I found her work transformative and insightful. Suzy Bell-Russell is an amazing screenwriter, script coach and story analyst. Her insight is deep and intuitive.”
Richard Oshen, Los Angeles
Screenwriter

“I have been studying screenwriting since 2005 using workshops and books. None of the other workshops were nowhere near transparent and clear as Suzy Bell-Russell’s Zoom script workshops. Einstein once said if you can’t explain something in its simplest form, you really don’t understand it. If that is true, then Suzy has a master’s level understanding of screenwriting – because for the first time in sixteen years of self-study this stuff began to make sense.”
Jim Vinson, Georgia
Screenwriter

“Peter ghostwrote a script for me that I sold six months ago – a serial police procedural. He was with me the entire six month process – essentially not only guiding me to finish the TV pilot, but also teaching me how to structure and write it as we went along. (I’ve written and produced a movie, but am new to TV.) Peter got us to the finish line. He knows more about story that I’ll ever know. I want to remain anonymous for obvious reasons – but you should know that I have contracted with him to write another pilot in the same genre. Peter knows how to do this. He’s the best, and his enthusiasm takes me forward even when I’m running on empty.’
TV Producer

“Anyone can say a movie is ‘bad’ or ‘great’ but it is much more difficult to determine why a film succeeds or fails. Peter Russell gave me the tools to analyze every aspect of a screenplay in order to successfully identify the weaknesses and strengths. Of course, these lessons are tremendously useful for an aspiring story analyst. But everything here would be of immeasurable value to anyone passionate about screenwriting, film criticism or just understanding why movies work. If a screenplay is a body, Peter Russell is an anatomist. He will teach you how to dissect a story and figure out how all the parts work together. This is an utterly fascinating approach to understanding the mystery behind successful storytelling. You will be a better reader, writer, watcher and maker of films after taking Peter’s class!”
Katherine MacDonald
Writing / Directing Candidate, UCLA Film School

“Peter not only lays out all the different structures of each of the nine Hollywood genres in a way that let me quickly improve my script, he was entertaining, charming, funny as can be, and passionate as hell doing it. He’s a legend at UCLA and I now see why. When you are in a three hour class, you better have a genius entertainer showing you how it all works. Watching Peter is better than watching TV – he’s sugar to help the fantastically great but sometimes difficult medicine go down.”
Mark Thomas
Writer

“I applied for a special new media program that the USC School of Cinematic Arts is holding over the summer and is sponsored and co-produced by YouTube/Google. I had to submit a 2 minute video and write two essays to be considered by YouTube and USC staff. I knew the video I submitted was good, but I was really nervous about the essays since those are so subjective in what they could be looking for exactly. One essay was ‘Describe the most emotional moment in your life.’ So I basically took the BMOC model I learned in your class and I applied it directly to the essay from a first-person perspective, and even with a 600 word maximum, I was able to pull it off pretty nicely. So after the acceptance consideration process, the verdict was–I got accepted as 1 of the 10 in the nation for the USC program, and it starts this Wednesday! I really appreciate how great your writing class was for me, I still want to continue to take more classes from you once this program ends. I’ll be looking for the email for the next class when this program is complete.”
Bryan Robbins
Writer / Director

“Peter Russell’s approach to teaching Hollywood story structure crystalizes the fundamental script elements that can make a movie great. With a firm grasp of these elements in hand I am confident in my ability to identify, analyze and develop great scripts. He is a passionate, eloquent, entertaining teacher who makes every moment of class not only deeply informative – but great, great fun.”
Adrian Roup
Writer / Director of Photography

“I thought I knew story until I took Peter’s class. The simplicity with which he teaches allows for so much to be retained. It was the most valuable course I have ever taken – I mean that sincerely – and the knowledge he gave me I will carry with me throughout the rest of my career. Peter is my hero!
Gregg Moscot
Creative Executive, Eclectic Pictures

“There are only a very few times in one’s life when a ‘light bulb’ comes on — and a complete grasp of a subject is obtained. Peter Russell has the extraordinary knack for conveying the principles and elements behind Hollywood hit movies in a way that makes obvious, deep sense – and which gives you the perfect tools to deeply grasp what makes a story good or bad for a film or TV project. I feel extremely well versed and confident in my ability to both create and also critique and give notes to screenwriters after taking Peter’s class. I strongly recommend that anyone serious about making a mark in the film industry study his absolutely brilliant approach.”
Carron Allen
Creative Executive, CAA

“The best teacher I have ever had (not only at UCLA, but yes, even compared to France).”
Vincent Blin
French Filmmaker

“Guys, I thought you would be pleased to know (as my Obi Wan) that yours truly will have two feature comedies produced this winter, both with major Russian studios with A-list cast. I’m kicking some major ass over there! And I must give you credit for giving me tools for writing that one script in just three days and then rewriting in another three, setting a new record among local screenwriters. Thank you guys!”
Vladimir Nagorny
Screenwriter