STORY RESCUE
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storyrescue.com
Professional, supportive and personalized help
​for your screenplay, TV pilot or play.

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Joe helped me develop and refine a feature screenplay that placed in most of the major competitions including top 10% at the Academy Nicholl Fellowship, finals at ScreenCraft, and semifinals at the PAGE Awards. Joe Gilford’s knowledge, mentorship, and expertise was integral to my development as a screenwriter and filmmaker.
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Mark Sposato, screenwriter & director

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​He's a conscientious, caring, skilled teacher for writers who want to discover their authentic voices, not simply write what's already been written.
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Alva Moore, ​screenwriter;
​Finalist StoryPros Award; Second-Round Austin Film Festival

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Joe Gilford checks all these boxes: delivers an honest opinion with humor to make the sting understandable and palatable; who has decades of experience in theatre, television, writing, and living as an artist.  I have worked with Joe on two major projects and will gladly work on more.
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Kevin Sockwell, screenwriter

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​Joe Gilford soothed my irritable and unreasoned script by spreading informative, friendly, and constructive advice to all areas. My script  still raves about Joe’s imaginative caress.
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David Ebeltoft, screenwriter & producer,  Here Alone,
Winner: Philadelphia Screenplay Festival 

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​After listening to Joe Gilford’s audiobook several times, I knew his calm, erudite, and friendly voice was the only one I wanted to hear when I was ready to hear it. He did not disappoint.
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Monica Montgomery, screenwriter

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Joe has an astute sense of story and structure. Whether it was on the characters or the plot, Joe was always able to shed new light on where I needed to focus my attention.
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Andre Degas, screenwriter,  director

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​Joe not only sees and praises the strengths of a script but has practical suggestions for fixing or eliminating the weaknesses. Joe knows what producers want, and he knows how to help you get better at what you love doing. 
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​Bill Tremblay, novelist, screenwriter 

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 Look no further then Story Rescue's Joe Gilford! Joe helped me to adapt my historical stage-play into an award winning screenplay! Now I've landed a lit agent and won Best New Screenplay award at the Toronto International Women Film Festival! Thanks, Joe!
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 Julie Daniels, playwright, screenwriter

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Joe Gilford is the real deal.  He is consistently insightful, big-picture reliable and detail smart.  He has made every story I sent him better. 
 
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Jay P. White, screenwriter, playwright, author

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YOUR FIRST 30 MINUTE PITCH SESSION IS FREE!
Make your story work before you write it!


SETUP YOUR FIRST FREE SESSION TODAY!

Make your story the best it can be!
Since 2005, Joe Gilford's Story Rescue has advised and consulted with all types of writers to develop their best work. If you're looking to build your confidence as a writer Story Rescue will help you find the key to writing a great story and guide you to becoming a better writer. 
​Rescue your story today!
​
Scroll down to learn more...

Why Does the Screenwriter Cross the Road?
Available in PRINT and AUDIO.
FREE when you sign up for your first consultation
“Why Does the Screenwriter Cross the Road? is both smart and smart ass. It takes an unusual long-range approach to screenwriting that is irresistible.”
— CHARLIE RUBIN, Writer: Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Seinfeld, In Living Color.
“"If you are writing, thinking about writing, or rewriting a script, buy this wonderful book. It will help you write your best movie" 
- JACQUELYN REINGOLD, Writer & showrunner: The Good Fight, In Treatment, Grace & Frankie. 
"The most complete and honest book about the process of screenwriting I’ve ever read. It will inspire you guide you, and galvanize you to write the screenplay you’ve always wanted to write.” 
- MICHAEL PRESSMAN, Emmy Award winning director & showrunner: Chicago Med,  Blue Bloods, Law & Order.

What makes a good story?

Good stories are effective because they make an emotional connection to an audience. Sometimes that audience is large, sometimes it’s small. But a story must appeal to somebody.  After decades of writing and teaching, I have come upon an approach that works for many writers. It has served me well as a screenwriting professor since 1999 with hundreds of students at NYU and other institutions.

YOU ALREADY KNOW!
You’ve been watching movies and TV all your life. So you already know many of the basic principles of dramatic writing. You also know what you enjoy and admire in your favorite films. Story Rescue helps apply your intuitive knowledge to the ages-old principles of dramatic writing. You already know that a story is a character who struggles with problems that lead to a significant change that they never understood before... RIGHT?

If this is how you experience stories, then read on. If you think writers just sit down and write a screenplay, then definitely read on. 

SCREENPLAYS AREN'T WRITTEN--THEY'RE BUILT
The deliberate, purposeful and thoughtful arrangement of a story is what makes a good script good. But even after over 100 years of movie development, you still need to write a script, otherwise our scripts would simply be storyboards. But dramatic writing is not like cabinetry. There is no universally correct method. But like cabinetry, the pieces must fit together to make the work strong. There are fundamental principles of craft that we can follow in order to create a dramatic story; a story that does what it needs to do—excite and engage the audience. This audience also includes actors, directors and producers.

ART v. COMMERCE
Believe it or not, your script can be artistic AND commercial. Somehow, a myth has developed that these two qualities are in opposition. Some of the most commercially successful scripts are also the most artistic. This runs the full spectrum from “Dumb & Dumber” to “Chinatown” to “Breaking the Waves” to “The Sopranos” and long running sitcoms like “Friends.”

WHO NEEDS STORY RESCUE?

If you've had previous training in any type of writing, including college level writing programs, professional writers workshops or had your work produced or presented(even non-professionally) then Story Rescue is right for you. If you've never written before or if you've never trained in a writing program or writers group, we recommend that you learn the basics first before working with Story Rescue. 

​Find out how Story Rescue can work for you! 
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  • Home
  • Services
  • About Joe
  • Resources
    • Actors Need a Good Ride
    • Why Now?
    • The Script Comes Last
    • Your Story Never Sleeps
    • Action Structure
    • Feedback You Can Use
  • Contact