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Friday, March 09, 2007 |
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A Screenwriting Blog-A-Thon! |
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A nice "event" by Mystery Man is coming up:
 I would like to announce (what may be) the world's first: SCREENWRITING BLOG-A-THON! THE TOPIC: Your Favorite Screenplay & Why WHEN: March 30 - April 2 Simply post on your blog (the weekend of March 30 - April 2) an article about your favorite screenplay & why you admire it so. (This must be a script that has been turned into a film.) I will publish on March 29 a blog-a-thon post (like this one), which I will continually update that weekend with links to ALL of the articles. After you post your article, email me or include in your article a link to my blog-a-thon post. I'll keep a watchful eye on the trackbacks and be sure to include everyone who participates.
To all of my TriggerStreet friends who don't have blogs - if you'd like to contribute, you are very welcome to do so by emailing me your article, and I will post it right here. By the way, if you're having trouble deciding, SimplyScripts has a wealth of free, available, online screenplays. Hope that helps. And finally, if you guys could announce this on your blogs so word gets out, I would greatly appreciate it. WOO HOO! I'm excited. -MM
Categories: [events_] [general_]Labels: events, general, Mystery Man
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Thursday, January 25, 2007 |
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50 Things About You? |
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Scott The Reader posted his "50 Things About Me", which was inspired by a post as Borderline Inappropriate. His are below. Hers are here.
Where are yours?
Mine are coming...
- E.
50 Things
Inspired by a post over at Borderline Inappropriate, here are 50 things about me --
50. I once almost ran over Ed Asner on the Warner Brothers lot.
49. I used to part my hair in the middle, but sometime in my 20s I was talked out of it.
48. My wife and I play board games almost every night.
47. I don’t like olives.
46. I used to cry while getting my hair cut. I’m not sure when this ended, but it went on for far too long.
45. I once had a mad crush on Winona Ryder, but I never stalked her.
44. I have been to hundreds of baseball games in my life, but never caught a ball, though I was with two people who did.
43. I don’t really enjoy “2001: A Space Odyssey”.
42. My first screenplay was about vampires on a college campus. It wasn’t very good. I later reworked it into a script about werewolves on a college campus. It was only slightly better.
41. I once scored a perfect 800 on the math section of the SATs, and I knew it when I did it. It's largely a wasted skill now, though.
40. I have ridden horses twice in my life. One was in Quebec, the other was in Las Vegas.
39. Cats, not dogs.
38. I never ate sushi until I moved out to Los Angeles. Now I eat it a lot.
37. Supposedly, when my brother was about 16, he made out with Mariah Carey, who lived only a few blocks away. She was a few years younger.
36. I only have one cup of coffee a day. But it’s a really huge cup.
35. My second semester of college, my GPA was 0.79. I made the dean’s list the next three semesters.
34. I have a lot of awards, but they were all for Mathletes. Again, wasted skill.
33. While working as a movie theater manager in Manhattan, I once checked Adrian Lyne’s ID. It was him.
32. Billy Crystal makes me laugh.
31. I met my wife on Valentine’s Day. I married her on Valentine’s Day one year later. I have very few anniversaries to remember.
30. I have absolutely no skill at music or art at all. And don't ask me to sing.
29. My first memory is running in the waves with my father, with my pants on. It felt like we were doing a forbidden thing.
28. My mother-in-law makes great tamales.
27. Little House On The Prairie molded my moral sensibility, for good or bad.
26. In high school, me and my friends used to go to the roller rink every Friday night. I was a geek full of yearning.
25. I believe that the movie “200 Cigarettes” is more amusing than most people give it credit for.
24. Despite not being a churchgoer, one summer I worked as a counselor at a YMCA sleepaway camp. The next summer I worked at a Jewish camp.
23. My parents had only a black-and-white TV for most of my youth.
22. When I lived in Manhattan, I shared an apartment with the guy who builds the Phillie Phanatic and other mascots. His workshop made up 90% of the apartment.
21. I have finally broken my addiction to “Desperate Housewives”.
20. In high school, me and a few friends took an embroidery class. We were the only guys in it. We played poker most of the time. I embroidered a slice of cherry pie onto a t-shirt.
19. I like playing golf, but I’m really not very good at it. Ditto pool.
18. There was one point, not too long ago, when I had read everything that Stephen King had ever written.
17. I once broke my hand punching a bully in the face. He never flinched.
16. The first two albums I ever owned were Queen’s “A Night At The Opera” and Gary Wright’s “Dream Weaver”.
15. The original “House on Haunted Hill” is the only movie that gave my nightmares as a kid.
14. In Atlantic City, I once bet $100 on a hand of blackjack, and was dealt an ace and a jack.
13. I wrote a puppet show, which was performed in Manhattan.
12. Hot foods make my nose run.
11. “King of the Hill” is one of my favorite movies. No, not the cartoon.
10. In high school, I wore corduroy pants every day. I have no explanation for this. I haven’t worn corduroy pants since.
9. When I’m tired, I will occasionally cry during movies.
8. I once took a 3 1/2 day bus trip across the U.S., from Long Island to Seattle. My seatmates included at least one ex-con.
7. I don’t really like roller coasters, but a good flume is cool.
6. I know several people who have sold scripts for big bucks. Neither have writing skills I don’t possess.
5. I am not sure I’ve ever done anything that could be considered truly crazy. Though it might be time.
4. At age 14, I thought “1941” was the best movie ever. I grew out of it.
3. One of my ancestors might have invented saccharine.
2. I have had facial hair ever since I could.
1. I wish I could cook better.Labels: Alligators in a Helicopter, Borderline Inappropriate, chat, general, scribosphere
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Wednesday, January 24, 2007 |
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Try Something New: Make A Plan. |
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Posting from Mead Kerr via Danny Stack's website on, "Why haven't I made it yet?"
Great reading.
Enjoy.
- E.
WHY HAVEN'T I MADE IT YET?
There it is. That question.
Of course everyone will have their own particular response and I don't profess to have all the answers...but I do have a few theories and a personal mantra.
"If you keep on doing what you're doing, you'll keep on getting what you're getting."
This is best illustrated by an encounter I had recently. An aspiring screenwriter, let's call him WRITER X approached me seeking advice for the year ahead. He was fed up and complained how no one is willing to give new talent a chance. "It's a closed shop...they should give more support to new writers...I've been sending stuff out for years and getting nowhere..." etc, etc. When I mentioned a couple of new opportunities for TV drama writers he stated he was only interested in writing for film. My reply? “In that case the brutal truth is you’ve almost no chance of becoming a full time professional screenwriter.”
This was just one example of how so many aspiring writers make it impossible to achieve the success they dream of. The British film Industry is tiny, poorly funded and with very few PAID opportunities for writers. Ask a cross section of professional drama writers and producers and they will confirm that the numbers of people making a good, full time living from working ONLY in film is minute. By ignoring TV our doleful friend WRITER X was massively reducing the opportunities available to him. TV is where the money is in the UK.
Of course you have every right to ignore TV and specialise in film…..as long as you are happy to dress like a student for the rest of your life and only ever dine out at the local “£5 eat all you can Chinese buffet.” Or you can also learn how get a job in TV drama.
Most UK screenwriters including myself write for both but earn the vast majority of their income from TV drama. You can make a very good living by following this strategy. Go and check out the credits of most established British or American screenwriters and you’ll find they either started out in TV or still do a mix of both.
But of course many of you will know all this stuff already and you will have been attacking both markets with a highly organised strategy. I hope you have, because there's plenty of competition out there.
Last year roughly 20,000 people graduated from Media and Screenwriting courses. That’s another 20,000 aspiring screenwriters chasing the same opportunities as you. Add the English literature graduates, journalists, copywriters, starving novelists and weekend writers all trying their hand at screenwriting and you start to see just what you are up against. Oh, I forgot to mention the army of highly experienced and established professional screenwriters who already have agents and lots of connections.
Statisticians would tell you the odds against you getting your break and becoming a professional screenwriter are massively stacked against you. So, is it nigh on impossible? Should you give up?
Well the truth is that the numbers only tell you part of the story.
The following isn't bragging...I'm just trying to illustrate a point. When I decided to become a professional screenwriter I had no training, no connections with the industry and I was living in Scotland with no desire to move to London. Two years later I had an agent at ICM, was a paid, full time professional writer of film and TV scripts and my first TV episode was watched by 7 million viewers.
To be honest the next couple of years was weird. I couldn't understand why people kept telling me that I was incredibly lucky and how tough it was to get a break. I'd simply done it by planning a CAREER STRATEGY for myself and making sure I took advantage of every opportunity available. Once I started meeting other professional writers I discovered that almost all of them had done the same thing.
Okay, of course you need talent but the following are also just a few of the other things that everyone agrees you also need -
a) FOCUS. Focus your efforts where they will be most effective and likely to reap the greatest reward - most writers are chasing the same few widely advertised opportunities in the UK. They are unaware of how to access Europe, Canada and the USA.
b) INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE. Establish contacts and links with full time
professionals in the industry, in order to understand how the film and TV industry REALLY works and what type of projects producers and broadcasters are seeking.
c) PITCH DOCS. Understanding what documents you need to sell your ideas and how to write them well is essential. - Overworked execs want to read a brilliant one page doc before they will even consider your treatment or script.
d) A GOOD AGENT. This is HUGELY important now. A free handout How To Get An Agent is available on request CONTACT info@meadkerr.com
e) A CAREER STRATEGY. In order to get your break you need to have planned EVERY aspect of how you are going to get there. By failing to make a financial plan for how are you going to make the transition from your present job to a full time writing career you are sabotaging any chance of success.
I absolutely believe and know you can achieve your goal of becoming a professional screenwriter, it's what I've done and lots of others I know have done the same. However, it will only happen IF you are willing to do what it takes.
Remember: "If you keep on doing what you're doing, you'll keep on getting what you're getting."Labels: Danny Stack, general, screenwriting, scribosphere
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Wednesday, January 17, 2007 |
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BlueCat Interview! |
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Interview with the founder of BlueCat - Gordy Hoffman
A lot of writers, like you, enter competitions all the time. There are plenty of them, I don't know how many, but a huge amount. Some better than others.
If a competition provides you with something really valuable when you win, that's great. By valuable I mean like a good shot at getting your script produced. Or a lot of money, enough for you to produce it yourself.
Some competitions even give you feedback without winning. Your script can be awful and loose hard, but still get notes on how to improve it. That's not bad, considering it's almost a win-win situation.
One of these competitions is BlueCat. BlueCat began 1998 and is very successful by now. It has a grand prize of $10 000, actually the most of all similar competitions so far. Also, the four finalists get $1500 each, which still is a nice amount of money considering you didn't win.
But enough talking, let's let the man himself, Gordy Hoffman, tell us about it and then some more:
1. What are you looking for in a screenplay?
A compelling story. What makes a story compelling is how deeply personal the writer invests in the work. If you don’t care, we won’t. If you open yourself, we will feel safe and sit down.
2. Is there any particular genre that does better than others, from what you’ve seen so far?
Not our contest. Our 2005 winner was a comedy that made me laugh out loud more than once and our 2006 winner was a drama that I bawled over all the way through. Basically, refer to answer #1.
3. What do you think makes the difference between a good movie and a bad movie?
The lack of audience identification with the experiences of people on screen.
4. What fatal mistakes can a writer do in his/hers script?
Settle for the first idea or choice that comes to their head, whether it’s a line of dialogue or the last scene of the screenplay.
5. How did you get started on writing?
It was a writing assignment in 2nd grade. A very short story. I remember it to this day, the feeling of creative writing.
6. What do you love most about filmmaking. Writing, directing, producing…?
I love collaborating with other people, working with brilliant actors, meeting the audience. It’s so much fun.
7. Why did you start BlueCat and was it hard getting it “out there”?
I guess I thought it would be fun to start a screenplay contest. Little did I know! But eventually I figured out how to handle the circus, and people have discovered us.
8. You think competitions are a good way to get inside the industry walls, and if yes, are all as good?
Some are better than others, and they definitely help with the struggle for attention from Hollywood. I know we have. Our 2005 Winner has recently wrapped production and stars Seann William Scott.
9. Will you consider having your brother sign to act in the winning script as the grand prize sometime?
The day will come, I’m sure! But he’s a bit busy right now.
10. Any projects coming up soon?
The thing I’m writing at 5:30 in the morning.
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Big thanks to Gordy!
//Scribosphere
Categories: [general_] [ideas_] [industry_] [market_]Labels: general, ideas, industry, interview, market, scribosphere
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Tuesday, January 16, 2007 |
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Monday, January 15, 2007 |
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Saturday, January 13, 2007 |
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Monday, January 08, 2007 |
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Sunday, January 07, 2007 |
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$1000 Spielberg - Park Your Ego At The Door |
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Make a No Budget Film - Park Your Ego At The DoorPOSTED BY CLIVE DAVIES OVER AT $1000 Spielberg.
Actually the most important commodity a no budget film maker needs is goodwill. Basically there are only two kinds of movies: movies made with cash and movies made with goodwill. There is a direction relationship between goodwill and money. The less goodwill you have the more money you need to make your film. It goes without saying that a $1000 film maker needs almost infinite amounts of goodwill. I happen to believe that even a film with a budget needs stupendous amounts of goodwill — if you read enough about various film productions, both Hollywood and indie films, you soon realize some films seem blessed with good fortune — the people who work on the project enthuse about the experience, the film becomes a labour of love. On other projects, not even the massive budget can protect the film from the all round bad vibes. For a micro-budget film maker it really helps to understand the things that increase goodwill and the things that piss goodwill away. In truth it’s very simple — the more ego there is connected to a project, the less goodwill there is. The biggest killer of any film is EGO: aloof, assuming, audacious, autocratic, biggety, bossy, bragging, cavalier, cheeky, cocky, cold shoulder, conceited, contemptuous, cool, disdainful, domineering, ego trip, egotistic, haughty, high-handed, imperious, insolent, know-it-all, lordly, overbearing, peremptory, pompous, presumptuous, pretentious, proud, puffed up, scornful, self-important, smarty, smug, sniffy, snippy, snooty, snotty, stuck up, supercilious, superior, swaggering, uppity, vain Ego ruins projects from day one — the first thing it kills is the script. As screenwriters we often carry around the idea that the film is our baby, after all we wrote it. But in order for the script to develop it has to challenged, developed, changed, rewritten. The only way that happens, is when the screenwriter lets go of their ego and allows input from outside. Allowing others into the creative process is the key to creating goodwill. It doesn’t mean running the project by committee, it just means being open to other people’s ideas. This attitude of creative inclusivity is what turns OK projects into great ones, because instead of trying to impose our single ego onto a film, it becomes about collecting the best ideas of everyone involved. Some of the best ideas in my films have come from casual comments from crew members and other collaborators. I remember a time on a night shoot when the boom guy noticed the ways the shadows fell during a fight sequence, he felt comfortable in mentioning it and we picked up the shot. It turned out to be one of the best shots in the film — much stronger than the way we had it story boarded. This attitude to film making, which includes everyone in the creative process, really pays off most when working with actors. If you give actors the opportunity to do work where they feel they are giving of their best, you get exceptional performances. The job of the producer/director in this kind of project is to be able to facilitate this creative process. Like I said before, making film by committee doesn’t work, mainly because it becomes a clash of egos, each trying to take control of the project. A good producer/director therefore listens, keeps an open mind but ultimately decides which direction the project moves in. This isn’t about imposing your ideas, but about inspiring the cast and crew with your choices. Ultimately goodwill is created via inspiration: affect, animate, arouse, carry, cause, commove, elate, embolden, endue, enkindle, enliven, exalt, excite, exhilarate, fire up, galvanize, get, give impetus, hearten, imbue, impress, infect, inflame, influence, inform, infuse, inspirit, instill, invigorate, juice, motivate, occasion, produce, provoke, quicken, reassure, set aglow, set up, spark, spur, start off, stimulate, stir, strike, sway, touch, trigger, urge, work up So, bottom line is this — if you want to make a successful no budget movie, ditch your ego at the door and inspire the people around you to join you in the process of creating a great movie. //Clive Davies
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Categories: [industry_] [action_] [general_]Labels: $1000 Spielberg, action, general, industry
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Wednesday, January 03, 2007 |
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Write Here, Write Now - Writerly Insanity |
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Writerly Insanity
POSTED BY LUCY VEE OVER AT Write Here, Write Now.
Rules, rules, rules. Do this - don't do that. How dull. If any other Scribes out there in www.land were like me as a teen, then just the very mention of such things will have you running for the black lippy and Death Metal, RATM-style (at least in your mind if not reality).
And anyway, it's a lottery, right? You know there are things you can and can't do and if you do them, maybe it'll stop you getting noticed but hell, who's gonna notice you anyway when there's a ton of wannabes ahead of you and three times as many behind?? You haven't slept in days to get this draft finished, your day job is suffering, your kids are hiding somewhere under three loads of dirty washing that hasn't been done since last week and your spouse is on strike as you haven't had a decent conversation with him or her for approximately fourteen weeks. Add to that the fact that Readers are overworked and underpaid and Producers are probably not real, just figments of some joker's imagination like the tooth fairy or Anne Widdecombe and there you have it: writerly insanity.
It's easy to become completely caught up in the actual act of writing. You sit and stare at the screen, sure "that" elusive idea or solution to fix your draft will pop into your brain, but newsflash: you're far more likely to actually burst a blood vessel than get any writing done.
Someone very wise once said to me: "It's better to go sideways than uphill sometimes, it takes less effort and may just take you somewhere more interesting." (I have a feeling it may have been one of the Care Bears or some similar 80's cartoon, but that's by-the-by).
Every draft can be a nightmare, so take some time out. You'll become more popular with your family and friends for one: this immediately alleviates one stress - guilt. Also, on a purely selfish level, the more people you're around, the more likely it is you'll fix your problem. Becoming introverted is enemy number one as far as the spec screenwriter is concerned. Screenwriting is about communication, ergo you have to communicate with others - about anything - to get your brain gears to work. It stands to reason.
If you'd like to read some more tips, follow this link.
//Lucy Vee
Categories: [ideas_] [action_] [general_]Labels: action, general, ideas, Write Here Write Now
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Thursday, December 28, 2006 |
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Monday, December 25, 2006 |
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Artful Writer - The Zaz Comedy Glossary |
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The Zaz Comedy GlossaryPOSTED BY CRAIG MAZIN OVER AT The Artful Writer.
Over at Kung Fu Monkey, John Rogers has a cool post about the jargon TV writers use. It’s worth checking out, especially if you’re an experienced TV hand who can help contribute to his list. That inspired me to share a similar “glossary of terms” developed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker. I do a lot of work with David these days, and I can vouch for the usefulness of the list. Finding a shorthand (especially in comedy) is a very important part of the self-critical process. Sometimes it seems like we spend all day trying to explain to each other why we’re wrong. A list of established terms helps codify those reasons and legitimize the critique. The following list (copyright David Zucker, reprinted here with permission) is intended for feature comedy writing. Any of you drama guys have something like this?
To see the interesting fun list of terms, follow this link.
//Craig Mazin
Scribosphere: Finally, we can at least act and talk like pros.
Categories: [industry_] [general_]
Labels: Artful Writer, general, industry
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Kung Fu Monkey - Writing: Jargon Preservation |
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Writing: Jargon PreservationPOSTED BY JOHN ROGERS OVER AT Kung Fu Monkey.
Had an interesting moment talking to Alex Epstein the other day. We were discussing a script moment, I used a term, and he'd never heard of it. I realized that a.) if you don't apprentice in one of the big writing rooms in LA, you've probably never heard any of these terms, and b.) the older writers who taught we staff newbies these tools are -- especially with the nuclear winter of the half-hour -- not around as much. A valuable sub-cultural tool is fast disappearing. Most movie writers have no experience of this whatsoever.
Not that you need to know these things to be a writer. But it just seems a pity to me that this great oral tradition is dying. One of my favorite moments happened during my first week at Cosby.
Saul Turtletaub (father of director Jon) and Bernie Orenstein had sort of taken me under their wing -- having a stand-up around, rather than a film-school grad, reminded them of the old days of writing. During a run-through, Saul turned to Bernie and asked "Didn't we use that joke on That Girl?"
Beat. "You were on That Girl?"
We then did the math, and realized that Saul and Bernie had started their first writing job together one week before my birth. I was, literally, their career.
Thirty-odd years of solving every script problem -- and more importantly, every practical shooting script problem -- imaginable. Couple that with a ... hmm ... chaotic shooting process, and it was boot camp. One of the best things to come out of staffing was learning that for many, many situations, there was a shorthand to help codify and communicate a problem in the script that was often tantalizingly just out of reach, just at the edge of your writer's "something's ... off" radar.
So, put these in your toolbox. I'll be collecting more as we go. All origins recorded as they were explained to me.
"a Bono": a place in the script that, no matter what joke you put there, it fails.
Sonny Bono once opened a restaraunt up near the studios, called, of course, "Bono's". It failed, quickly. That's unremarkable. But then, every restaraunt that opened on that corner after Bono's also failed. Something like a DOZEN of them, and all flaming out spectacularly in six months. That corner was cursed, and so the script term "a Bono" was born. It's hard to really explain a Bono to you unless you've seen one, but they're real.
To learn more hilarious terms, follow this link.
//John Rogers
Categories: [television_] [industry_] [general_]Labels: general, industry, Kung Fu Monkey, television
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Saturday, December 23, 2006 |
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Write Here, Write Now - My Xmas Reader List |
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My Xmas Reader ListPOSTED BY LUCY VEE OVER AT Write Here, Write Now.
...A satirical gift from me, to you. Following in the footsteps of Dear Writer, here's my look at the "other side" - the different types of Reader and how they can interact with you, the writer. How many have you come across?!
1. First, The Vitriolic Reader. Also known as the "You Suck!", "I'm better than my job but stuck in a rut", "I don't get paid enough for this" and "If I read another 'body swap' script in the style of BIG or FREAKY FRIDAY I will go insane" Reader. Haven't we ALL come across one of these?? 'Nuff sed.
2. The "I've decided what your script is about even though it's not" Reader. Yes, our screenplays might SEEM to be a rip off of something else, but is it so mad to think it might be a homage, or an influence? And who says it HAS to play out the way you say it does? This Reader type often indulges in a spot of number 3, too.
3. The "Teaching your grandmother to suck eggs" Reader. Yes, I've heard of structure before, believe it or not. Yes, the many different types. And what's that? Characterisation? What a novel idea. Any chance you may not have seen what I was doing with the story here? No? Okay, it's obviously me...
4. "The I'm right and you're wrong" Reader. Yes, I must read Joseph Campbell. And Syd Field. And Linda Seger. And everybody in the world who's even written a jot about screenwriting before I'm allowed to argue with you. Sir! (Or Madam - I'm always up for Equal Opps here.)
5. The Format Nazi. What, I had TWO bits of dialogue directly under each other by the same character? There were blank elements?? I even made the margins of Final Draft longer than they were supposed to be to get more in??? OH MY GOD! A thousand hail Marys and self flagellation until next Tuesday!
6. "The Why Haven't You...?" Reader. Primarily short for "Why haven't you set this up?" (when you have), though can also take into account "Why haven't you done this or that with this character, this arena, this whatever." In essence: why haven't you written a better script!!!
7. "The Politically Correct" Reader. A rightRoyal pain in the arse, this reader will want you to cut absolutely every swear word ("But it's a horror/gangster/thriller!"), every sex scene (WTF??) and every moment where people don't act as if they're straight out of Care Bears: The Movie.
8. The Encouraging Reader. This one is a real wolf in sheep's clothing, since they'll encourage you knowing you haven't a hope in hell of ever getting off the ground. For shame!
9. The "You Cannot Be Serious!" Reader. This state of mind describes the Readers who try as hard as they can to find the merit of various pieces, eventually have to pass on them, only to watch, agog, as their respective agent or producer bosses option said scripts anyway. They usually become number 1.
And my personal fave:
10. The "Follow The Rules Or Die Like The Dog You Are" Reader. They open scripts, shut them again. Not enough white on the page. Too much/little dialogue. Page count's over...Whatever. Phew. Hard day at the office.
Have I missed any?! Let us know your reading horror stories...
//Lucy Vee
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Categories: [general_] [industry_]Labels: general, industry, Write Here Write Now
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Wednesday, December 20, 2006 |
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Scriptwriting & Reading in the UK - Note to Producer |
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Note to ProducerPOSTED BY DANNY STACK OVER AT Scriptwriting & Script Reading in the UK.
Back in September, I spoke about the ‘note to reader’ where a script reader’s attention on the script at hand would suddenly be distracted by a line directly aimed at him: “keep an open mind reader, this is unconventional but it works”. This has the opposite effect on readers. Instead of them focusing on your script with an open mind, they’re thinking ‘what a load of presumptuous rubbish’ as they go through page after page.
Writers aren’t the only offenders. No, sir. Producers have a lazy knack of stamping their enthusiastic opinion on their intro letter to the script before you’ve even had a chance to pick it up. This is understandable. The producer has to believe in the project, and wants to pitch it well, and to be fair, the note only appears on the cover letter, not on the script itself.
However, the passionate assertions need to be chosen wisely. Far too often the producer’s opinion of the script will read like false quotes on a movie poster: “One of the most exciting and original scripts I’ve ever read”. “An amazing story, powerful and emotional”. “This has Oscar written all over it.” “We have approached a number of high profile actors for the lead role”. So, just like writers and producers who shouldn’t slip in a discreet ‘note to reader’, here’s a small bit of advice for you: don’t be outlandish in your opinion of the script.
In my script reading spree this month, I read two scripts that, according to the (separate) producers, were the most exciting and original scripts ever written. In reality, one script was well-written but only got a ‘consider’ for the writer (who turned out to be a graduate of some Disney programme, possibly the Nicholl). The other one made me laugh so much (unfortunately, it wasn’t a comedy), it still makes me titter when I think about it now because of its ridiculous premise and story line (written by a D-list actor).
To continue read what producers shouldn't do to readers, follow this link.
//Danny Stack
Categories: [industry_] [general_]Labels: Danny Stack, general, industry
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Monday, December 18, 2006 |
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Scriptwriting & Reading in the UK - Screenwriting Essentials |
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Screenwriting EssentialsPOSTED BY DANNY STACK OVER AT Scriptwriting & Script Reading in the UK.
I once overheard an Irish guy say that the essentials in life were “sugar and tay” (sugar and tea), which makes me chuckle every time I think of it, and I can no longer say ‘sugar and tea’ without reverting to the strong Irish accent/stereotype. The reason I’m telling you this is because James Newton, friend of the blog, got in touch to ask about “screenwriting essentials”.
First, “do you use any database software to track your scripts / contacts / letters / follow ups etc? Personally, I haven't been able to find anything out there that does this so I've ended up customising Microsoft Access. I'm just looking to see if there are any killer features I should/could incorporate into mine.”
Next, screenwriting essentials themselves: “we all know that you really only need a pen and paper but as you progress you find that these are never enough. If you are thinking about carving out a career in scriptwriting what would you deem to be the essentials that you couldn't live without?”
In response to the first query: I don’t know, or know of, a database software to track your scripts. It sounds good but I find my memory serves me well, as does the ‘Sent Items’ folder in Outlook, and my various files on Microsoft Word. And agents usually have a file of where everything’s been or has been sent out, so need need to worry there.
Unfortunately, I’m still stuck in the 20th century when it comes to the latest software and computer technology so while using Microsoft Access sounds inviting, maybe someone else could provide the right kind of pointers in the comments section below.
Now, onto the main event. Sharing your ‘Screenwriting Essentials’. This is a good idea. Here’s a list of James’s:
1. Final Draft.
2. Broadband Internet - for research and watching films online.
3. A never ending supply of Black and Red books for meetings etc.
4. A whiteboard for listing current projects and stages of development. A constant visual reminder away from the PC.
5. A spare printer toner at all times.
6. Subscriptions to Screen International, Sight and Sound, & industry blogs.
7. Visual Thesaurus.
8. A large pile of index cards and a board to stick them on.
9. A USB memory stick to backup scripts.
10. My new contacts database.
11. Time, procrastination and caffeine.
That’s a great list, and offers interesting practical suggestions for any screenwriter’s routine. I didn’t know of Visual Thesaurus before, and I always curse myself for not having that spare printer toner to hand when I need it.
My list is more basic:
1. A computer with broadband access, and a printer (backing up files a MUST).
2. Screenwriting books that you actually value for their inspiration and insight.
3. Ditto with your favourite screenwriting magazines.
4. Screenplays, printed out, to read for inspiration, entertainment or procrastination.
5. Final Draft
Er, that’s it. Everything else is dealt with as they crop up or whatever’s needed at the time. I don’t think Final Draft is necessary an “essential” but it has become extremely useful for the convenience it affords in immediately formatting scripts. The tools and features are good but I don’t really use them. While I would rather not do without my Final Draft, it’s not indispensable, and you can simply use the right font and margins in MS Word instead (and for a lot cheaper too!).
I have a corkboard to outline story, and a smaller whiteboard to remind me what projects are on the go, but again, I don’t consider it as an ‘essential’ as I vary the process from script to script. My office seems to be in a continuous state of disarray and momentum, so I don’t feel the need to be overly tidy or anal in my organisational habits.
But it’s good to get people’s takes on what screenwriting essentials are needed to either establish a good routine, or to get ahead with your career. Feel free to share your list, it’d be great to get a peek at what everyone does or does not do…
//Danny Stack
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Categories: [general_] [ideas_]Labels: Danny Stack, general, ideas
Posted by
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2:19 PM |
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Sunday, December 17, 2006 |
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