Ioannis Skiotes

Personal Bio

An accomplished, Award-Winning Screenwriter with 64 scripts (4 for renown studio), 19 sales, 1 option. Writings include features, adaptations, shorts, plays, series, rokumentary, documentary, rewrites, ghostwriting, training seminars, infomercials. Critiqued over 1000 scripts for Hollywood Script Analysis in LA, CA, and was selected to the 1^st Annual Sundance Independent Producer’s Conference. When Legends Meet secured two distribution deals featuring Latin Grammy Winning El Gran Combo and Secreto of Tumba La Casa fame. Screenwriting Kept Simple available on Amazon, used to teach the craft online and as Adjunct Instructor for 2 years at Scottsdale and Paradise Valley Community Colleges. Accredited Advanced Graduate (Master’s Degree) of Donna Lee’s Hollywood Scriptwriting Institute in LA, CA, where he met his mentor, the late Allan Nicolette, owner of Hollywood Script Analysis.

Noteworthy projects: Joliet, True Crime Based Limited Series of how a Woman Reporter brought down The Outfit; One More Round, docu of a fighter whose father was in The Mob; Blue Rose, sex trafficking script drawing interest from A-list stars; If Loving You Is Wrong, remaking the megahit title song whose screenplay captured the eye of industry pros while its stage version had a highly successful exhibition; American Cutie, dramedy of a dysfunctional family called “a sexy, upbeat American Beauty” by Producers; The Last Sacrifice, first of an erotic/faith/horror trilogy that garnered a Screenwriter position for a renowned LA Studio where he penned four scripts; Write-For-Hire on the $4MM Beneath The Stairs that “saved the project” according to their Producer; Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, inspired by the famous Helnwein painting, won the 2012 Phoenix Comicon Best Fan Film Screenplay; one of three chosen for Screenplay Adaptation of Jack Goddard’s Best-Selling Novel The Survivor, a Disney-DreamWorks co-production.

TESTIMONIALS

INDUSTRY

“If Loving You script is too good not to get produced.  So well written it practically directs itself.”

Producer Terry Donnelly (12 Angry Men, The Exorcist, The French Connection, Midnight Cowboy)

“Best screenwriter and teacher in Arizona by far. Completely nailed the rewrite for us, saved the project. Gives sophisticated story analyses that only a gifted professional could devise!”

Producer Terry Donnelly (12 Angry Men, The Exorcist, The French Connection, Midnight Cowboy)

“The best writer I’ve encountered, except for Robert Towne.  I thought I was the hardest worker in Hollywood, but Yanni’s right up there with me. His work is meticulous. He’s a perfectionist.”  First AD Benjamin Rosenberg (Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Nine ½ Weeks, Mambo Kings, Black Rain, Prizzi’s Honor)

“Blue Rose shows the true underbelly of this horrific world that is so prevalent today. Something young people need to know about and not be seduced into. What I really like is the protagonist Anna, a strong, empowered young girl, very consistent with the current zeitgeist of female driven films. Making her a singer is refreshing and love the wrap-around of opening and closing with a powerful musical performance. Like that Anna and her mom have a good relationship and Anna isn’t a cliché of a girl from a broken home.”

Exec In Charge of Production Deborah Moore (50 films, many New Line Cinema)

“Thank you for sending your script. You are a good writer. The script is very well written.” Producer/Director Hilbert Hakim (Krews) AD (Batman Begins)

“You are an extremely talented scriptwriter.”  Producer Marc Bienstock, Mainline Releasing

“Very good script.  I’m going to recommend it for our higher-budget production level.”

Producer Steve Hadju, Impulse & Indigo Productions

He called my American Cutie script, “a sexy, upbeat American Beauty”, tried for $1M financing with mainstream limited theatrical release, something they never did prior. Thus, thought highly of the writing.

“A knowledgeable film producer and an excellent screenwriter. If you’re looking for a consulting producer, I recommend Yanni. If you’re looking for a screenwriter or someone to critique your screenplay before sending it off for financing, production, or to attract talent, I highly recommend Yanni.”

Producer Rory Christian, Media 528 Films

“Excellent script analysis. Pretty damn impressed! As usual, nothing gets by you!”

Screenwriter John Patus (Left Behind, Saul, Tribulation Force)

BOOK REVIEWS Screenwriting Kept Simple (Amazon & Kindle)

By Tony Y. on February 28, 2015

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

“A Must-Have resource that I carry with me everywhere I go. Got questions about format? Stuck in writers block? Not anymore! Ioannis spells out everything you need to know to keep you going and dodging speed-bumps all along the way!

By Leelee October 5, 2013

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

“Screenwriting Kept Simple is the best screenwriting book ever for aspiring writers like myself wanting to learn how to write a screenplay. I would highly recommend this screenwriting book to anyone wanting to learn the ins and the outs of the screenwriting business.”

Resume / CV