Theory and Technique of Playwriting by John Howard Lawson

John Howard Lawson. Theory and Teaching of Playwriting. New York: Hill and Wang, 1960.

This book is of interest to both playwrights and screenwriters. Originally published in 1936, it established many of the ideas adapted by early screenwriters and screenwriting text authors.

Lawson believes that drama has undergone changes. It arose from tales with significant meanings to stories where authors presented their ideas of critiques of characters, ethical decisions, or emotional problems. While plays are often written with a profit margin in mind, the stories must be something that audiences will pay to view and appreciate. Audiences will likely expect to see something with action building to a climax.

Theories of drama can be traced to ancient theaters in Athens, China, India, and Japan. European and American theories of drama have emerged and evolved from those theories.

Sartre presented existentialist ideas examining the ironies that life is both absurd and tragic. This has been explained by several writers attempting to find a purpose in life in an existential environment.

Social criticism is the aim of some writers. Some have explored the absurdities of life. Some have explored the torments of life.

Some actors have interpreted their roles according to the Stanislavsky method where they explore the psychological and sexual emotions of their characters. On the other hand, some actors have deliberately rejected this method of expressive acting.

Aristotle believed tragic plays need to be present one day or less in time in the course of the entire play. He believed audiences would wonder about details if more than one day is presented.

Drama emerges from probably scenes. Actions are derived from reversals of fortune. A sudden event, revolution, or peripeteia, changes lives of characters and sends their lives towards new directions. The directions of the characters’ lives are also changed by “anagnoris”, or recognition scenes, which is the unexpected association with friends or enemies.

Aristotle believed that actions are more important than characters. This is the basis of technical playwriting theory. Thus, truth is defined by a series of actions and is not simply defined. In plays, the actions must be dramatic rather than general.

Aristotle viewed character as the sum of numerous qualities that make character difficult to evaluate. Later theories believed character was worth exploring and that drama can emerge from a conflict of will. Character, though, must be established in how one reacts to events.

Aristotle’s “Poetics” states the writers must evaluate action, what characters think, and create revelations in how they respond. The actions are the plot. There must be unity to the plot’s contents.

In Aristotle’s ideas, characters must find consequences when they violate taboo. Later theories explored how societal pressures could create tragic stories.

Aristotle’s writings were republished in 1498. The Renaissance period was not directly aware of Aristotle’s beliefs. Horace wrote his ideans in “Ars Poetica”. He believed in maintaining the proper manners of the day. He insisted decorum should be maintained. The presentation of anything lacking decorum reduced the possibilities for actions that Aristotle believed were essential. The rules of decorum were challenged by vulgar comedies that appeared as satires in the 15th century and then by Gresset, who wrote a play depicting a murder (an event lacking decorum then) in 1740. Voltaire further challenged this with “visions” of nudity on stage.

Machiavelli wrote plays that promoted his ideas of morality, ambition, and conformity. While Machiavelli wrote about manipulative politicians, he also believed the goal of a unified state was the important goal. Ibsen and other 19th century writers noted that ethical lapses in political systems were creating societal disorders. Shakespeare noted how society was disrupted
by disturbances within the ruling elite.

Laape de Vega in 1609 stated there was no set theory of dramatic playwriting. Shakespeare is presented as writing without any sense of an established technique. The knowledge of psychology and sociology was very limited then compared to a few centuries later. Plays then did not then reflect issues of psychological drama or societal challenges. The Renaissance era saw adherence to mostly static laws, and plays reflected this stability.

Plague, disease, and a large London fire during the times of King Charles II helped create several societal tensions. Plays, whose audiences were upper class attendees, reflected growing class cynicism.

John Dryden in 1668 noted that plays should avoid recreating previous knowledge and present a new genius of ideas. This was the first historical analysis found in playwriting criticism.

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing in 1767 to 1769 argues that drama must be socially relevant and should explore the psychology of characters. Revolutionary ideals in politics and society in France and America were reflected in writings. Authors became concerned with issues of idealism and materialism. John Locke’s ideas of government representing people and of labor rights should determine property rights were repeated by American revolutionaries and French materialists that led to the French revolution.

Social realism emerged in 18th century plays that examined middle class realities. Plays focused more on relations between people than relations with the rulings class, as were common before.

19th century plays presented explorations on romanticism, especially in the earlier days which evolved towards more explorations or realism in the later decades. Romanticism represented traditional values of romantic language societies. The German middle class grew quicker than it did in other European countries and its romantic writings were critical of French classical writings. Goethe believed the soul needed to unite with divine will and thus evil could not fill a soul.

Georg Hegel believed logic emerged through disturbances in the equilibrium until a new equilibrium was reached. This is the dialectic method. Tragic conflicts could create dramatic actions leading to examinations of the will of characters. Hegel believed there was a universal will. Schopenhauer believed there was an ultimate idea. Hegel argued a rational existence could be reached. Schopenhauer argued that people are not committed to rationality. Hegel believed it could take much conflict before equilibrium is reached.

Subjective dramatic criticism gained notice in the 19th century. Issues of technique were explored as well as commentary on issues, such as debates on free will.

Victor Hugo believed romanticism and realism could be molded together.

Karl Marx rejected that there is a permanent dialectic. He argued that people and their relationships create their awareness, which is constantly changing. Social conditions are strong factors in creating public wills. Marx and Engels argued there are causes in society, but not spirituality, that affect public souls.

Honore de Balzac criticized moral decay and corruption that destabilized society. Emile Zola was influenced by Balzac. Zola wrote on social issues in the belief that justice could be reached by perfecting human behavior.

Gustav Freytag wrote an idealistic view of drama in “Technique of the Drama” in 1963. Freytag believed plays released emotions within the audience that improved their perceptions.

Ferdinand Brunetiere saw drama existing in people’s attempts to control their environment.

Ibsen examined middle class conflicts, social pressures, how environment shapes people, and how finding one’s inner self can produce solutions.

The perceptions of a playwright affects the creativity of the work product.

Early 20th century playwrights often wrote how social instability led to psychological difficulties.

George Bernard Shaw struggled with an unsuccessful search to rationally explain social philosophy.

Constantin Stanislavski believed the inner psychology and past experiences drove characters, each with their own idealism. A character’s expressionism are portrayed not just by statements but by behavior and something lighting and/or scenery.

Eugene O’Neill wrote now hostile fates made characters angry and that their anger and useless fights lead to their fate of destruction. Eugene O’Neill believed the techniques of plays were characters subjected to fate or whim but not to their will, that psychic motivations drive characters’ actions, that actions illustrate characters, that conflict is diffuse, and that actions are repetitious.

Dramatic structure should involve conflicts in relationships. Dramatic construction involves a series of conflicts, crises, and suspense. Conflict must create crisis.

Dramatic actions disrupts the equilibrium. The climax is the greatest disequilibrium that is reached. Actions must be dramatic and must involved meaning and purpose in the conscious activity. Physical actions and dialogue compose dramatic action.

A play should have a probable and necessary theme, where actions and the theme are united.

The climax changes the equilibrium and unifies the story. The unity includes the beginning that builds to the climax with a unity of theme and action. To build to a climax, a writer must find crises and create scenes that show actions to the climax that also present the scheme of life, also called the social necessity, that limits routes to reaching the climax. An author cannot go outside the social necessity without eliminating the reality of the climax.

There must be continuity of scenes. Continuity includes dramatic exposition, which extends from plot actions, causes leading to solutions, increasing dramatic actions, conflicts leading to the climax, increasing emotions accompanying the progression of actions, a proper rhythm and tempo, should exist with building tension, scenes should link over shared interests, the tempo should grow as the story intensifies, incidents should have value relative to root actions, new forces should be introduced only with preparation for their effects, and emotional tension should buld to the moment of explosion.

The author notes the use of “cut and flash” scene transitions that move from a height of interest to a lower level of interest. This allows people to think and realize the heights in the scenes.

The audience needs to receive required disinformation to follow a play as soon as possible. The audience must know who, where, and what time the characters are and how they relate to each other. A story should begin with conflicts, the situation must be dramatic, disturbances must be presented and felt but not described, and they must increase the purpose and needs of the character.

Exposition can be broken into subordinate actions which each build to their own climaxes.

There must be a progression of increasing action that has greater complexity to the rest of the story.

A play consists of one part exposition, five parts increasing action, an obligatory part, and the climax. The exposition may consist of two or more action cycles. The second part of increasing actions is a climax that will tie the exposition to the increased actions and the obligatory scene.

Surprise is useful, but only if it moves the story forward.

Francisque Sarcey developed the exploration of the obligatory scene. The obligatory scene is where uncertainty allows the audience to then appreciate the climax.

Freytag’s theory of drama states there are five parts of a play, 1.) the introduction, 2.) the rising action, 3.) the climax, 4.) the falling or return, which is just as important as the rising action, and 5.) the catastrophe. The climax is the important unifying middle toward which, and then away from, actions builds and then increases.

Characters must relate to others and their environment. There can not be a character that stands alone. A character must progress through the story.

Dialogue must compress and expand upon action. Dialogue should be poetic.

The audience must fell united to a play. As the author concludes, “A living theatre is a theatre of the people.”

101 Things I Learned in Film School by Neil Landau

Neil Landau with Matthew Frederick.101 Things I Learned in Film School. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2010.

The author Neil Landau attended UCLA Film School. He finds films work best when they begin with their central theme. Scenes should show the film’s essentials and not bother with unnecessary preliminaries. Film needs to present stories visually.

Pre-production is the period up to the start of the shooting. Production is the period of shooting to when principal photography is over. Post-production is the editing of scene and adding music, dialogue, and effects and begins during production.

The toilets are located in the “honeywagon trailer”.

Abby Singer is the second to last day of filming. Martini is the final day of filming.

Cameras should optimize presenting the action to the audience. The audience should not feel disengaged from what they are viewing. At the same time, some action should be kept from the audience to make them curious about when will be coming.

A moving discovery shot, such as showing a section of a room and then moving to the characters, makes an audience feel as if they’re spying on the character. A fixed discovering shot makes an audience feel like they’re eavesdropping.

A certain future is shown by a character, who is in focus, moving into a blurry background.

A blurry character in a focused background is seeking focus in the character’s life.

Low angle camera shots present a character as powerful. A high angle camera shot diminishes the character. A tilted, or Dutch, angle shot indicates something is amiss about the character. An over the shoulder shot makes a character appear vulnerable. A jitter or hand held shot makes a character appear overwhelmed.

One should consider ways to present bits of the backstory while presenting the narrative.

A protagonist is more interesting when flawed.

An antagonist fears the truth and seeks to create a false truth.

Act 1 presents a problem. Act 2 complicates the dilemma. Act 3 presents the problem’s solution. A film should present high stakes yet realistic goas for the protagonist, and the crisis must be threatening.

A story presents emotional events.

A theme should touch the universal human condition.

Entrances should include something making them memorable.

A Wide Shot, aka Master Shot, or Establishing Shot, presents the broad visual of a scene. The Full, or Long Shot, shows a character’s entire body and is usually for entrances, exits, and when walking. A Medium Shot, showing a character from the waist to head, is usually for dialogue. The Medium Close Up, showing a character from the chest or shoulders to head, is usually for intimate dialogue. A Close-Up, showing a character from the neck up, shows intimate facial reactions. An Extreme Close Up, usually of the eyes and nose, usually shows the subtext of emotion.

A protagonist must be active and not passive.

Props can help show characteristics of characters.

A person can process 20 images per second.

Audiences prefer when a character’s stakes use emotion, revelations are exciting, a dilemma and conflict increases, and then are kept in suspense. Each scene presents some new information. There must be conflict in every scene.

Fantasy movies should set rules early and clearly. Audiences feel cheated when new rules resolve a story.

Animation allows for expansive presentation.

A setting should be a character.

All characters are corrupt in film noir.

A character should not overly converse as if speaking for an audience to understand the message. Instead, there should be normal conversation between characters.

Dialogue should be natural.

Characters should have their own voices.

“Mise en scene” is the entirety of characters, shots, shadowing, color, depth, sets, type of film used, etc.

Multiple copies of important props should be made in case of damage. One should make certain child and animal actors are prepared.

Using a hand held Steadicam can save time and money over using a dolly track.

Film when natural light prevents requiring the costs of artificial light.

A second unit can film establishing shots, cutaways, and inserts.

Actors can be worn out through too many master shots.

“Clear the eye line” means to remove distractions an actor may see while filming a scene.

Using a variety of shots allows actors to offer subtle changes and present more choices while editing.

One should plan for the unexpected when filming.

Actors usually face each other when conversing. Filming thus follows a 180 degree rule.

An actor’s eyes usually appear best when in the top third of view. A horizon is usually best presented in the bottom third of view.

Leaving headroom above a character’s head gives an appearance of the actor sinking. More of the front of an actor’s head should be shown than the back of the head. Avoid shooing at natural cutoff lines that make the character appear amputated, such as at knees, ankles, neck, and waist.

Speaking characters need to be closer together than the usual two feet of distance that often exists in reality. This space creates a void on film.

Avoid shooting busy background. Lighting the foreground and blocking the background can reduce background visuals.

Good movies have showstoppers, or set pieces, or high points that audiences remember.

A central conflict should increase during a movie. The conflict will force the protagonist to both respond and to evolve from the experience.

Characters should have memorable names and indentifying characteristics.

A movie shows stories visually and implies things not shown.

A pivotal character is one who helps a protagonist solve the central dilemma. This usually occurs by having the protagonist reach a changed outlook and to move towards a catharsis.

Even an ensemble movie needs a central protagonist. That character usually is presented first.

Visual motifs should be relevant to the characters and the story.

A story could be presented elliptically.

A clean cutaway is an isolated scene that continues the continuity flow.

The protagonist should not be able to resolve a conflict by returning to where situations began. The protagonist must face an unknowing future. Often, the protagonist will have a deadline for resolving the dilemma.

During auditions, note how an actor responds to direction.

Actors should be doing some task important to the subtext during dialogue.

Subtext, such as a liar rapidly blinking eyes or with body language, can often express a character move than the dialogue.

A coincidence should not resolve a problem. It is more effective if it complicates the situation.

A character should question matters as an audience would question things.

Avoid overusing clichés and being predictable.

The character vested in a problem should be the one the resolves it.

A protagonist should find truth in the climax and should be better for learning that truth. A movie should end soon after a climax. The characters and the audience should feel a catharsis.

Teaching the Pig to Dance by Fred Thompson

Fred Thompson. Teaching the Pig to Dance: A Memoir of Growing Up and Second Chances. New York: Crown Forum, Random House, Inc., 2010,

The author was a Counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee, an actor on the TV show “Law & Order”, a U.S. Senator, and a Presidential candidate. Thompson writes he wanted to title this book “Why I’ve Had Such a Hard Time Keeping a Job”.

His failed Presidential run was the first time had had set out to do something and didn’t achieve it. He describes the result as “humbling”.

Thompson’s father advised him to never become an attorney or a politician. He did both. He did tell his mother “if it’s any consolation, I didn’t turn out to be much of a politician after all.”

The author was born in Helen Keller Hospital in Alabama, which was also the birthplace of Sen. Mitch McConnell. Thompson grew up in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. It was a two restaurant town where “whichever one you go to, you’ll wish you’d gone to the other.”

Thompson’s father was a Roosevelt Democrat truck driver. His father ran for Sheriff as a Republican. He lost.

Thomson was inspired in college by the writings of Barry Goldwater.

Thompson was an Assistant U. S. Attorney. Sen. Howard Baker met and was impressed with Thompson. In 1973, he hired Thompson to be Republican Counsel to the Watergate Committee.

Thompson was an attorney representing a woman in the Tennessee Pardons and Parole Board who had fought the Governor over pardons, was filed, sued, and won. Her story was made into a movie. Frank Capra asked Thompson to play himself in the movie. This led to roles in 20 other movies.

As an attorney, Thompson represented a company that fought a strike. He won the case because the workers had not unionized.

Thompson got a role in the movie “Fat Man and Little Boy” because the casting people thought he resembled the real life character Leslie Groves. Yet the part was later given to Paul Newman. Newman trumps looking realistic. Thompson did get another part in the movie.

Dick Wolf, the producer of the TV show “Law & Order” unexpectedly asked Thompson to portray a District Attorney. He accepted. During a routine medical check for the show, it was discovered he had cancer. Fortunately, it was a condition resolved with medicine.

From Movie City to Music City, USA by Randall Rutledge

Randall Rutledge. From Movie City to Music City, USA. Calhoun, Ga.: Magic Valley Publishers, 2008.

The author was fascinated by the movie business when, at age 6, he saw a movie being filmed in his home town. He moved to Hollywood in 1982 and broke in as a non-union background artist (i.e. “extra”). His first job was being an extra in “Scarface” at $35 per eight hour day. Overtine, though, often resulted in a $100 daily pay.

Extras have to be on set by 5 am. He recommends bringing along something to do or read while facing hours of boredom.

Actors need 8”x10” black and white head shots. Agents who charge for a photographic portfolio are usually scam artists. In general, an agent more interested in obtaining money or sex from a client is probably a scam artist.

Check that an agent is franchised with the Screen Actors Guild and bonded by the City Clerk’s office. If you discover an agent is scamming you, report the agent to the Department of Consumer Affairs and Better Business Bureau. You can also sue the agent.

Central Casting is the largest legitimate casting agency. They have a (circa 2008) $20 one time photograph fee. Their number is 818-562-2755. Never accept a job and fail to appear without calling. That will end your castings forever. Non-uion registration occurs on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 am, exactly Non-union pay is $54 per eight hour day with time and a half overtime.

Background Talent charges $25 a month and finds work on TV commercials paying $85 to $125 per day.

From working as an extra, the author found work as a set manager of a movie and as an assistant casting director.

It is against the law for an agent to make you pay upfront. An agent receives 15% of a job the agent books for you.

The author recommends working on independent films over attending acting classes.

The author warns that acting is a cruel business, He quit his non-acting job to accept an acting job but didn’t find work afterwards for awhile. He was homeless for about a year.

There were 26,690 movie theaters or screens in the U.S., 12,886 in India, 4,579 in France, 4,070 in Germany, 3,100 in China, 2.500 in Spain, 2,224 in United Kingdom, 2,163 in Indonesia, about 2,000 in Israel, 1,500 in Mexico, 1,350 in Brazil, 1,317 in Australia, and 1,167 in Sweden.

A screenwriting agent should not charge to read and critique a script. This is an unethical business practice.

A producer seeks financing for a script. The Executive Director supervises the project, sometimes in cooperation with the Co-Producers and help from an Associate Producer. The Supervising Producer works for the Executive Director in overseeing the producers. A Segment Producer is in charge of a segment(s) or a project. A Coordinating Producer works coordinating with other producers to create specific goals. A Line Producer supervises the physical, non-creative part of a project.

Finding financing for a movie can be difficult. Be on the watch for scam artists. Do not violate Security and Exchange laws. Once a film is made it will still require a distribution deal to be seen by the public.

The minimum requirement to join the Producers Guild is to have, over the past three years, producer credits in two or more widely distributed movies, or on two TV movies, or 13 TV episodes on a series, or 26 non-series episodes, or two new media, such as DVD, Internet, game console, interactive TV, wireless, CD-Rom, etc. There is an initial $725 fee to join and $175 dues for every six months. The application fee is $35.

The author observes that everyone on a set treats the Director with the highest respect.

Directors Guild dues are $50 per quarter year plus 1 ½ % of gross earnings from directing, if annual earnings are from $10,000 to $300,000, as well as 1% of all residuals received/

Directors guide actors in acting, choose camera angles, and review the film.

The author warns against entering any screenwriting competition, or most any industry competition, that has an entry fee.

The Bedwetter by Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman. The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee. New York, Harper, 2010.

Silverman discussed her troubled youth as a bed wetter into her teen years, the resulting depression, and the 16 Xanax daily that led to her missing three months of school.

Silverman was inspired while in high school by seeing Wendy Liebman performing her standup comedy at Stiches Comedy Club. Silverman decided to try performing comedy at an open mike show. She states she wasn’t nervous and wonders if bedwetting had removed her fear of facing shame.

After Silverman’s freshman year in college, she quit to pursue standup comedy fulltime. At age 22, she was hired to be a writer and actor on “Saturday Night Live” (SNL).

The SNL writers were mostly a mixture of former writers “Harvard Lampoon”, Harvard University’s humor magazine, and standup comics.

SNL writers would present scripts to be read by the actors on Wednesday. The scripts would be rewritten on Thursdays. Rehearsals would begin on Thursday with continual revisions up to the live Saturday broadcasts.

Once in an SNL meeting, while playfully poking at Al Fraenken’s hair, she accidentally stabbed his scalp. She also had none of the sketches she wrote accepted for broadcast. She was not rehired for the next season.

Silverman refuses to overanalyze her comedy. She believes if one becomes too aware of what one is doing that some of one’s comedic edge is lost. She has been criticized for her humor on racial themes and jokes on celebrities. She hopes people will move forward and be less sensitive.

Silverman did the movie “Sarah Silverman” Jesus Is Magic”. She and the writers then created a pilot for what became “The Sarah Silverman” TV series.

The conclusion of a writers strike required the show to reduce its budget by one third. They decided they would rather do 22 good shows they believed in than to rush to deliver more shows but with less quality.

Silverman is known for her Internet video “The Great Schlep” which encouraged young Jews to contact their relatives in Florida to vote for Obama for President in a state where the race was tight. Another Internet video “Sell the Vatican, Feed the World” received much discussion.

In 2009, Silverman was nominated for an Emmy Award for Comedy Series Lead Actress.

The Facts of Life by Lisa Whelchel

Lisa Whelchel. The Facts of Life And Other Lessons My Father Taught Me. Colorado Springs, Co.: Multnomah Books, 2001.

This autobiography describes a busy and public life that included much religious devotion. Whelchel was adopted and grew up in Texas. She realized God’s love at age 10.

The future TV star was a shy child. She was enrolled in a summer theater program. The teacher was impressed and recommended, and her parents agreed. That Whelchel should take professional acting instruction. Whelchel studied acting, dancing, mime, etc. for five years. She was very disappointed when she wasn’t picked for a school talent show. She decided to learn ventriloquism to develop her entertainment skills. The next year, as a 4th grader, her act won her public school’s talent show.

A Disney Studio audition happened locally without Whelchel knowing about it. Her teachers and directors wrote enough letters to Disney that they decided to audition her. They loved her and selected her to be a Mousketeer on the “New Mickey Mouse Club” TV show. She did 186 episodes. She also was in live performances at Disneyland. The TV show was canceled when she was 13. She did some movie roles and TV guest appearances. She was faced with a choice of accepted a role on an existing TV series, “Hello Larry” or a role on a new series, “The Facts of Life”. Her choice of “Facts of Life” gave her several years on TV whereas “Hello Larry” did not last as long.

Whelchel’s character Blair was to lose her virginity during sweeps week to boost ratings. Whelchel objected as sex before marriage was against her views and she felt her character was a role model. The producers yielded to her. A later episode involved another character losing her virginity. She asked not to appear on the episode and her request was granted.

The 5’3” inch Whelchel wore high heels so her character would appear taller.

Perfection is Not a Sitcom Mother by Janet Hubert

Janet Hubert. Perfection is Not a Sitcom Mom: From the Fresh Prince TV Mom. Breinigsville, Pa. (no publisher mentioned), 2009.

The author’s father left Chicago’s South Side and Hubert grew up on a three acres farm in Momence, Illinois. In school, since there was no girls track tea,, she tried out and won a spot on the men’s track team. At the relatively late age of 22, Hubert began a dancing career. Running track had developed her thighs and others thought she was too large muscled for ballet. She won an Alvin Alley scholarship. She then worked on Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ tour.

Hubert won the role of Vivian Bank on “Fresh Prince of Bel Air”. The star, Will Smith, wanted the show to focus more on him and wanted most of the cast dropped from the show. NBC refused to do this. Smith tried taking the show to CBS but he couldn’t get a better deal than what NBC offered.

The author states she argued with the show’s writers. She believed they did not understand Black culture and did not respect African American women. She wanted her character to be portrayed as a woman of strong character. She admits this harmed her reputation and career.

Will Smith sometimes remained in his dressing room and made all cast and crew wait while he insisted upon changes to the scripts. It is noted this did not ruin his career.

Hubert enjoyed working with Smith. There was much laughter on the set.

Hubert was signed to a six year contract when the series began. This tended to freeze salaries if the show was a minor hit. Contacts were only renegotiated if the show was a hit. At option time, she was offered to be in 10 of the 20 episodes which was a $100,000 reduction in pay. In addition, she was restricted to appearing on just two shows of any other TV series. She sought to negotiate. The network then decided o remove her from the show and recast her part. She tried calling Will Smith but he did not return her calls.

Hubert states Will Smith slandered her. NBC brought nine lawyers to meet with her. This saddened her as she had always spoken well of Smith. The experience cost her almost $100,000 in legal fees. It also led to her losing a lot of weight.

This was followed by further stress and financial hardships. She appeared in an episode of “Friends”. She found the cast had a family-like atmosphere and were very friendly.

The author recommends people planning on going into acting to have another career available as a fallback.