Get ready for a festive episode with Charles Shyer, a writer, producer, and director. Charles challenges the status quo, arguing that Christmas movies don't have to be tied to the holiday season. Instead, they can stand on their own merits. He offers a breath of fresh air in the world of holiday cinema. Charles will share tips on injecting new life into your stories, steering clear of those overused 'Meet-Cute' scenes, and even how to make a Christmas movie that's a timeless classic.   Chapters 0:00:00 Introduction to the Christmas movie Screenwriter podcast 0:00:14 Introducing the Christmas movie screenwriter podcast with Caryn McCann 0:01:36 Charles Shyer talks about his background and career 0:02:18 Discussing the process of writing Christmas movie scripts 0:03:07 Charles Shyer's journey into writing Christmas movies 0:04:54 Charles Shyer's unique perspective on successful Christmas movie screenplays 0:06:12 Creating memorable characters in Christmas movies 0:08:15 Charles Shyer's view on breaking away from the formula 0:10:01 The challenge of finding fresh approaches in the genre 0:11:14 Breaking the Mold: Christmas Movies without Christmas 0:13:18 Networking in the Genre: Conferences, Competitions, and Online Platforms 0:13:31 The Importance of Being Noticed as a Writer 0:15:17 Hands-On Approach to Producing 0:15:30 Experience and Opinions: A Balancing Act 0:17:13 Ideal Shooting Days and Containment for Christmas Movies   The Christmas Movie Screenwriter Podcast – Episode 03 Charles Shyer, Writer – Producer - Director Show Notes HOST: Caryn McCann Website: https://christmasmoviescreenwriter.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristmasMovieScreenwriter X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MerryScriptmas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caryn-mccann-5718058/   GUEST: Charles Shyer: Writer – Producer – Director IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0796124/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1