In that short time, using as few words as possible, a screenwriter would set the scene, bring these characters to life, introduce the main plot, hint at a subplot or two and designate the hero and villain. What in a novel would take paragraphs or even pages to describe is handled in a few lines. In a screenplay, it takes much more than words to tell a story. There's always that subtext. McKinney spent much of his career in advertising and marketing, but now works as a dealer at a casino to gather material for screenplays.
People there are dramatic, funny, very human.
Through the years as he worked 'day' jobs to support his family, McKinney always kept writing. Calling screenwriting a lonely craft, he continued churning out concepts and scripts always hoping to produce a selling movie or television series. For the past year, McKinney has worked with other area screenwriters he met at a class he taught last fall on screenwriting through Northwestern Michigan College's Extended Education program. Members of the Screenwriter's Group meet monthly to hone their craft, share their creative ideas and provide helpful critiques. It is very satisfying to work with other people, to help them, encourage them and share my experience with them.