It's 2010, we're into a new year. A new year means new goals. Setting goals is a good way to keep on track and to ward off procrastination. Plus, it can be rewarding at the end of the year to see that all your hard work paid off, even if your goal was to complete one screenplay.
I returned from Sundance a couple of weeks ago and it was a very good experience. I came back with a lot of enthusiasm and motivation to get more scripts sold.
Also, I have received my first IMDB credit for the short film I worked on last October. It's a small credit but it's a credit that starts the ball rolling. Also, the director and the producer has requested that I be the Script Supervisor on the next film as well that will begin production in the bay area in the next month or so. I thought that was a great honor considering it was the first time I had acted in that role. So, credit #2 is already in the works. And if my sold project goes into production this year...fingers crossed...I will have another credit or two.
If you get anything from this post it would be to set goals, even small measurable attainable goals for 2010, continue to write and perfect your craft, have patience (much is required in this industry) and never give up. Persistence does pay off, eventually.
Write on!
Natasha
www.NatashaFX.com
Link to my credit on IMDB... Yeah!!!
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3785577/
Monday, February 08, 2010
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Writing gigs listed on the ISA website
Hope you are enjoying the holiday season. Wishing everyone success in 2010.
Speaking of success, you may get that big opportunity from the ISA website. That's the International Screenwriters Association. There is a link on the website where writing assignments and scripts wanted are listed. Check it out. www.isa.org. You never know what may come of it.
Best wishes now and throughout the new year.
Natasha
Speaking of success, you may get that big opportunity from the ISA website. That's the International Screenwriters Association. There is a link on the website where writing assignments and scripts wanted are listed. Check it out. www.isa.org. You never know what may come of it.
Best wishes now and throughout the new year.
Natasha
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Do you have a onesheet for your screenplay?
Do you have a onesheet for your screenplay? A onesheet is not required but is becoming the most used marketing tool for screenwriters especially when pitching the idea. You should always leave behind something to remind the producer or studio exec about your concept. Why not a onesheet. Think of it as the movie poster for your screenplay.
Below is an article I found that really tells you how to put one together. I found it interesting because I was normally leaving behind just a standard synopsis. I think the onesheet will make the idea come alive. I'm certainly going to give it a shot for my own projects. Instead of sending the word doc type of synopsis, I'm going to send producers my newly created onesheet and see what happens.
Write on!
******************************************************************************
Onesheet Wonders
by Debé Scott & Signe Olynyk
One item you will want to consider bringing to the pitchfest is a document called a 'onesheet'. This single (or double-sided) document is a great marketing tool that condenses your concept onto a single page in a visual way. It enables the agents, managers, and producers that you meet with, to be instantly reminded of your pitch by having a quick glance at your onesheet. Many of these executives see upwards of 30-40 people at a single pitchfest, and you want your story to be remembered. Combined with a great pitch and a brilliant script, a onesheet can be the difference that sells your project, or lands you a new agent.
Onesheets are a common 'sell tool' in the industry, and can be compared as the 'poster for your script - in miniature'. They are used for all genres and formats (film and television) including feature films, television series, reality shows, children's programming, game shows, and just about anything else you can expect to see on the screen, tv, or web.
They do not have to be expensive, but they must be professional and void of typos. You will also want to be careful about overloading the page and presenting too much information - less is always more when it comes to onesheets.
Remember, when you pitch, you are asking the executives at the PitchFest to option your work, represent you as your manager or agent, or to hire you for writing assignments and internships. You must put your best foot forward, and a great onesheet can be a big step towards your success as a professional screenwriter.
Your one-sheet should include:
* Contact information. Be sure to include your name, title, address, phone number, email address and website. If your document is double-sided, be sure to put this information on both sides so your executive can find it easily.
* A great title
* Logline, Genre, and where possible a Tagline or Teaser.
* Brief synopsis of the project - aim for about 25 words.
* Visuals such as photos, or have images in mind to convey to a graphics artist. The visuals should communicate the tone, theme, setting, and premise of your concept in a single image if possible. Remember, a picture paints a thousand words.
Layout of your one-sheet
My first 'onesheet on a budget' consisted of cutting out pieces of colored construction paper into various shapes, gluing cutout text boxes and photographs into them, and then making color photocopies of the compilation. Today, there are many user-friendly and easily accessible software programs such as Microsoft Word or Publisher, OpenOffice, or Scribus to help make your job easier. If you are more computer savvy, you may want to consider other desktop publishing software programs such as Photoshop, CorelDraw, etc. You may also want to consider hiring a graphics artist to help you achieve the look you want.
The costs for onesheets vary, but you can usually hire a graphics artist for around $60 an hour, and it can take anywhere from half an hour to an average of an hour and a half with revisions to complete a simple onesheet. I've found that most onesheets cost me around $75 to complete on average, including about ten color copies on cardstock.
Color attracts attention, so be sure to use white paper, a strong font for the main text, and make sure the design doesn't swallow the text. You also want to make sure it is not too 'busy' and that the most important information 'pops' from the page.
Onesheets also come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. You may want to consider making yours into postcards, or 'half page' sizes so that you can get better value for your money. This means that when you print your 8.5 x 11 page, you are actually getting two onesheets per page instead of one. Simply design a half page onesheet, duplicate it on the bottom half, print out, cut in half, and voila! - you have two onesheets.
You may also want to be creative about the shape of your onesheet, and not stick to the typical 8 1/2 x 11 page or postcard size. Think about your project and see if there is a design that would lend itself to the theme. For example, a writer I know once pitched a tv series for a cooking show, and had round onesheets created that showed a pizza on the one side, and a bowl of pasta on the other. This onesheet didn't cost the writer a lot (partly because she cut the rounds out herself after they were printed), but she could also have considered using the confines of the typical 'square' shape of a postcard or 8 1/2 x 11 page. For example, if she had printed a square menu board on the one side, and perhaps a square baking tray of cookies or lasagna tray on the other, she may have saved herself some money and time. Either way works. Just use those creative juices and see what ideas you can come up with that best suit your budget and the overall concept.
Another thing to consider is making your onesheet double-sided. You can make one or both sides color, or one side color and the other side in black and white to control printing costs. Either way, it is worth considering because you are handing the executives a document that will have two sides. If one side is blank, you have potentially wasted an opportunity to 'wow' them even more. Using both sides can also help to 'spread out' the information so that one side isn't too 'busy' with details and visuals. Always repeat your contact information on both sides so that the executive does not have to search for it. Make everything easy for them whenever possible. Most onesheets are printed on a cardstock or photo quality cardstock.
At the pitchfest (or in any studio pitch meeting), when you speak with an producer or agent, casually hand them your onesheet as you begin your pitch. The onesheet is a great ice-breaker, but make sure you don't read directly from it. Use it as a tool, to get your project noticed; so as to remind the person with whom you met. Remember, they are going to see dozens of people, and having a onesheet will help you to stand out from the rest.
Now a word of advice about when to give the onesheet to the person you are pitching, because there are differing opinions on when to hand it out. Some people recommend giving the onesheet AFTER the pitch meeting - because the onesheet has the potential to distract them from fully listening to your pitch. Nothing is worse than trying to pitch someone who is preoccupied 'reading' your onesheet when you know you only have a few moments of facetime to pitch them your project. But your verbal pitch should also be so engaging that it would be nearly impossible for them not to give you their full attention. Easier said than done?
My advice is to REVEAL the onesheet in the first 30 seconds of your pitch, by gesturing with it, and either having it in your hand or lap while you pitch. Or place it on the table in front of you, but rest a hand on it until you are ready for them to review.
Also, never force a script, onesheet, marketing tool, or any other item on an executive. They are often so bogged down with scripts and material that the last thing they want to cart around is more paperwork. I will often have all my onesheets in a plastic sheet cover, and will keep that in my hand or lap until I've conveyed the main concept of my script. At that time I will hand them a sheet, and tell them they can keep it if they like, or send one to them if they prefer. This serves two purposes. One, there is a visual identification. They've seen it and when another is sent with the requested script (always include a onesheet with the requested script if possible), there is an automatic 'I've seen this before, oh yeah, now I remember' reaction when they see it the second time. And two, if they do not take a onesheet, then it will save you a little bit of money because onesheets can be expensive to print, etc., and you will still get an opportunity to wow them with it when you send it to them later.
One last note about onesheets. On Monday morning when the execs return to work and their producer bosses ask how the pitchfest went, they will often show the various onesheets and scripts that they collected at the event. Having a onesheet is an easy 'cheat sheet' for the exec to describe your project, and allows them to recall you, your project, and whether it is a project they want to pursue further. It is the movie poster for your script. It is visual, and communicates the idea in seconds. I also helps them to re-pitch it to their supervisors. Whatever you can do to help make their jobs easier is definitely in your best interest.
That being said, a onesheet is always optional. It is not a requirement to have one. It is just a sales tool that can help to communicate your concept in a visual way. And as great as a onesheet can be, it will never replace a great story or a brilliant pitch. The most important things you can do is have a great concept, a well crafted script, and a decent pitch. A onesheet is just icing on the proverbial writer's cake.
Below is an article I found that really tells you how to put one together. I found it interesting because I was normally leaving behind just a standard synopsis. I think the onesheet will make the idea come alive. I'm certainly going to give it a shot for my own projects. Instead of sending the word doc type of synopsis, I'm going to send producers my newly created onesheet and see what happens.
Write on!
******************************************************************************
Onesheet Wonders
by Debé Scott & Signe Olynyk
One item you will want to consider bringing to the pitchfest is a document called a 'onesheet'. This single (or double-sided) document is a great marketing tool that condenses your concept onto a single page in a visual way. It enables the agents, managers, and producers that you meet with, to be instantly reminded of your pitch by having a quick glance at your onesheet. Many of these executives see upwards of 30-40 people at a single pitchfest, and you want your story to be remembered. Combined with a great pitch and a brilliant script, a onesheet can be the difference that sells your project, or lands you a new agent.
Onesheets are a common 'sell tool' in the industry, and can be compared as the 'poster for your script - in miniature'. They are used for all genres and formats (film and television) including feature films, television series, reality shows, children's programming, game shows, and just about anything else you can expect to see on the screen, tv, or web.
They do not have to be expensive, but they must be professional and void of typos. You will also want to be careful about overloading the page and presenting too much information - less is always more when it comes to onesheets.
Remember, when you pitch, you are asking the executives at the PitchFest to option your work, represent you as your manager or agent, or to hire you for writing assignments and internships. You must put your best foot forward, and a great onesheet can be a big step towards your success as a professional screenwriter.
Your one-sheet should include:
* Contact information. Be sure to include your name, title, address, phone number, email address and website. If your document is double-sided, be sure to put this information on both sides so your executive can find it easily.
* A great title
* Logline, Genre, and where possible a Tagline or Teaser.
* Brief synopsis of the project - aim for about 25 words.
* Visuals such as photos, or have images in mind to convey to a graphics artist. The visuals should communicate the tone, theme, setting, and premise of your concept in a single image if possible. Remember, a picture paints a thousand words.
Layout of your one-sheet
My first 'onesheet on a budget' consisted of cutting out pieces of colored construction paper into various shapes, gluing cutout text boxes and photographs into them, and then making color photocopies of the compilation. Today, there are many user-friendly and easily accessible software programs such as Microsoft Word or Publisher, OpenOffice, or Scribus to help make your job easier. If you are more computer savvy, you may want to consider other desktop publishing software programs such as Photoshop, CorelDraw, etc. You may also want to consider hiring a graphics artist to help you achieve the look you want.
The costs for onesheets vary, but you can usually hire a graphics artist for around $60 an hour, and it can take anywhere from half an hour to an average of an hour and a half with revisions to complete a simple onesheet. I've found that most onesheets cost me around $75 to complete on average, including about ten color copies on cardstock.
Color attracts attention, so be sure to use white paper, a strong font for the main text, and make sure the design doesn't swallow the text. You also want to make sure it is not too 'busy' and that the most important information 'pops' from the page.
Onesheets also come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. You may want to consider making yours into postcards, or 'half page' sizes so that you can get better value for your money. This means that when you print your 8.5 x 11 page, you are actually getting two onesheets per page instead of one. Simply design a half page onesheet, duplicate it on the bottom half, print out, cut in half, and voila! - you have two onesheets.
You may also want to be creative about the shape of your onesheet, and not stick to the typical 8 1/2 x 11 page or postcard size. Think about your project and see if there is a design that would lend itself to the theme. For example, a writer I know once pitched a tv series for a cooking show, and had round onesheets created that showed a pizza on the one side, and a bowl of pasta on the other. This onesheet didn't cost the writer a lot (partly because she cut the rounds out herself after they were printed), but she could also have considered using the confines of the typical 'square' shape of a postcard or 8 1/2 x 11 page. For example, if she had printed a square menu board on the one side, and perhaps a square baking tray of cookies or lasagna tray on the other, she may have saved herself some money and time. Either way works. Just use those creative juices and see what ideas you can come up with that best suit your budget and the overall concept.
Another thing to consider is making your onesheet double-sided. You can make one or both sides color, or one side color and the other side in black and white to control printing costs. Either way, it is worth considering because you are handing the executives a document that will have two sides. If one side is blank, you have potentially wasted an opportunity to 'wow' them even more. Using both sides can also help to 'spread out' the information so that one side isn't too 'busy' with details and visuals. Always repeat your contact information on both sides so that the executive does not have to search for it. Make everything easy for them whenever possible. Most onesheets are printed on a cardstock or photo quality cardstock.
At the pitchfest (or in any studio pitch meeting), when you speak with an producer or agent, casually hand them your onesheet as you begin your pitch. The onesheet is a great ice-breaker, but make sure you don't read directly from it. Use it as a tool, to get your project noticed; so as to remind the person with whom you met. Remember, they are going to see dozens of people, and having a onesheet will help you to stand out from the rest.
Now a word of advice about when to give the onesheet to the person you are pitching, because there are differing opinions on when to hand it out. Some people recommend giving the onesheet AFTER the pitch meeting - because the onesheet has the potential to distract them from fully listening to your pitch. Nothing is worse than trying to pitch someone who is preoccupied 'reading' your onesheet when you know you only have a few moments of facetime to pitch them your project. But your verbal pitch should also be so engaging that it would be nearly impossible for them not to give you their full attention. Easier said than done?
My advice is to REVEAL the onesheet in the first 30 seconds of your pitch, by gesturing with it, and either having it in your hand or lap while you pitch. Or place it on the table in front of you, but rest a hand on it until you are ready for them to review.
Also, never force a script, onesheet, marketing tool, or any other item on an executive. They are often so bogged down with scripts and material that the last thing they want to cart around is more paperwork. I will often have all my onesheets in a plastic sheet cover, and will keep that in my hand or lap until I've conveyed the main concept of my script. At that time I will hand them a sheet, and tell them they can keep it if they like, or send one to them if they prefer. This serves two purposes. One, there is a visual identification. They've seen it and when another is sent with the requested script (always include a onesheet with the requested script if possible), there is an automatic 'I've seen this before, oh yeah, now I remember' reaction when they see it the second time. And two, if they do not take a onesheet, then it will save you a little bit of money because onesheets can be expensive to print, etc., and you will still get an opportunity to wow them with it when you send it to them later.
One last note about onesheets. On Monday morning when the execs return to work and their producer bosses ask how the pitchfest went, they will often show the various onesheets and scripts that they collected at the event. Having a onesheet is an easy 'cheat sheet' for the exec to describe your project, and allows them to recall you, your project, and whether it is a project they want to pursue further. It is the movie poster for your script. It is visual, and communicates the idea in seconds. I also helps them to re-pitch it to their supervisors. Whatever you can do to help make their jobs easier is definitely in your best interest.
That being said, a onesheet is always optional. It is not a requirement to have one. It is just a sales tool that can help to communicate your concept in a visual way. And as great as a onesheet can be, it will never replace a great story or a brilliant pitch. The most important things you can do is have a great concept, a well crafted script, and a decent pitch. A onesheet is just icing on the proverbial writer's cake.
Bay area dubbed the "new" hollywood!
Just found out that there's a new organization formed about 6 months ago in the bay area called the Northern California Screenwriters. The Bay area is deemed the "new" Hollywood! Woohoo!! Screenwriting expo and pitch fest coming March 2010 in Napa Valley. I hope I'm in the country so that I can attend! Go to http://www.norcalscreenwriters.com/ for more info.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Being a Script Supervisor
I'm so excited to be the script supervisor on my very first short film. It's actually a short written by one of my fellow screenwriting buddies who is on his way to being the next Million Dollar Screenwriter! The shoot is this weekend so next week I'll post more about my experience of being on an actual film set. I imagine it will be fun yet a lot of hard work and two long days of shooting; however, I'm looking forward to the experience. I've actually operated a camera before when I was a part of the Television ministry at my church...back in the day when I had more time...but this is the first time that I'll actually be behind the scenes watching a screenplay go from page to film. So exciting!!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Scriptapalooza Calling all TV Writers
Scriptapalooza Television Writing Competition CALL FOR ENTRIES
Hey all you TV writers, this is your chance to change the way you watch TV! Scriptapalooza TV has seen major success in their 10 years...2 writers won Emmys, numerous writers have gotten agents, managers and meetings. The four categories include existing 1 hour shows like True Blood and Merlin.Existing half hour sitcoms like The Office and Two and a Half Men.Original pilots and reality shows. (for reality shows we would like a 1-5 page synopsis only)
Supported by the Writers Guild of America west and the Writers Guild of Canada. www.scriptapaloozaTV.com 323.654.5809 officeinfo@scriptapalooza.com
FINAL DEADLINE October 15th
Hey all you TV writers, this is your chance to change the way you watch TV! Scriptapalooza TV has seen major success in their 10 years...2 writers won Emmys, numerous writers have gotten agents, managers and meetings. The four categories include existing 1 hour shows like True Blood and Merlin.Existing half hour sitcoms like The Office and Two and a Half Men.Original pilots and reality shows. (for reality shows we would like a 1-5 page synopsis only)
Supported by the Writers Guild of America west and the Writers Guild of Canada. www.scriptapaloozaTV.com 323.654.5809 officeinfo@scriptapalooza.com
FINAL DEADLINE October 15th
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Profiling Up and Coming Writer-Director - Julian Breece
I worked with Julian on one of my scripts a couple of years ago when he had just finished graduate school and was in the producer's program. I'm happy to see that Julian is well on the road to success. Way to GOOOOOO, Julian. Perhaps we can work on another project again one day in the near future.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
JULIAN BREECE
Writer-Director
Writer-Director JULIAN BREECE is a graduate of Harvard University (AB '03) and USC's Graduate School or Cinema-Television (MFA '05). His debut short, THE YOUNG & EVIL, received grants from Panavision, The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation and the Frameline Completion Fund. The short has screened at major festivals around the world and is an Official Selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
Breece's first feature screenplay BALL won a Slamdance Feature Screenplay Award and went on to become a 2007 Finalist for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. Currently, Breece is the creator, executive producer and director of BUPPIES, the first web drama to present an African-American cast. Featured as one of IndieWIRE's "Ten Exciting New Voices in Black Cinema," Breece will direct his first feature film, HEARTLAND, in Fall 2009.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
JULIAN BREECE
Writer-Director
Writer-Director JULIAN BREECE is a graduate of Harvard University (AB '03) and USC's Graduate School or Cinema-Television (MFA '05). His debut short, THE YOUNG & EVIL, received grants from Panavision, The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation and the Frameline Completion Fund. The short has screened at major festivals around the world and is an Official Selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
Breece's first feature screenplay BALL won a Slamdance Feature Screenplay Award and went on to become a 2007 Finalist for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. Currently, Breece is the creator, executive producer and director of BUPPIES, the first web drama to present an African-American cast. Featured as one of IndieWIRE's "Ten Exciting New Voices in Black Cinema," Breece will direct his first feature film, HEARTLAND, in Fall 2009.
Profiling Screenwriter: Diane Thomas
Although Diane's life ended far too soon, hopefully, the way that she broke into the industry will be an encouragement.
Write on and never give up.
Natasha
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Diane Thomas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Diane Thomas (January 7, 1946–October 21, 1985) was a screenwriter. She was working as a waitress while writing scripts and then had the opportunity to pitch the script for Romancing the Stone to customer Michael Douglas who then bought, produced, and starred in the film with Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito.
Diane Thomas died in a car accident in October 1985;[1] this was only about six weeks before the sequel to Romancing the Stone, The Jewel of the Nile was released. Ms. Thomas was busy writing for the movie Always for Steven Spielberg and was not available to write Jewel of the Nile.
In the Special Edition of Romancing the Stone DVD, Michael Douglas stated in an interview that he had purchased a Porsche for Thomas as a present for her work with him on Romancing and help with scenes on Jewel of the Nile. Thomas was a passenger in the Porsche, while her companion driving it caused the accident, killing her instantly. The accident, according to Michael Douglas, occurred on the Pacific Coast Highway. The companion was identified as male and was driving while intoxicated.
Following her death, UCLA created the prestigious Diane Thomas Screenwriting Awards in her honor. Original judges included Steven Spielberg, Michael Douglas, James Brooks and Kathleen Kennedy.
Write on and never give up.
Natasha
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Diane Thomas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Diane Thomas (January 7, 1946–October 21, 1985) was a screenwriter. She was working as a waitress while writing scripts and then had the opportunity to pitch the script for Romancing the Stone to customer Michael Douglas who then bought, produced, and starred in the film with Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito.
Diane Thomas died in a car accident in October 1985;[1] this was only about six weeks before the sequel to Romancing the Stone, The Jewel of the Nile was released. Ms. Thomas was busy writing for the movie Always for Steven Spielberg and was not available to write Jewel of the Nile.
In the Special Edition of Romancing the Stone DVD, Michael Douglas stated in an interview that he had purchased a Porsche for Thomas as a present for her work with him on Romancing and help with scenes on Jewel of the Nile. Thomas was a passenger in the Porsche, while her companion driving it caused the accident, killing her instantly. The accident, according to Michael Douglas, occurred on the Pacific Coast Highway. The companion was identified as male and was driving while intoxicated.
Following her death, UCLA created the prestigious Diane Thomas Screenwriting Awards in her honor. Original judges included Steven Spielberg, Michael Douglas, James Brooks and Kathleen Kennedy.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Wanna write for TV?
FYI. Scriptapalooza is having their 11th annual TV competition. 4 catergories: scirpts based on 1 hour existing TV shows, existing 1/2 hour sitcoms, original pilots and reality shows (1-5pg synopsis only). Go to www.scriptapaloozatv.com for details and interviews with last year's winners. Deadline 10/15/09. Entry fee $40. I'm thinking about entering something, perhaps a reality or original TV pilot. Pass it along to anyone you know who wants to write for TV. May be worth a shot.
Write on!
Natasha
www.NatashaFX.com
Write on!
Natasha
www.NatashaFX.com
Friday, June 26, 2009
Dreams on Spec
I found this article and found it very inspirational and is more evidence that perserverance pays off...eventually. Here's to never giving up!
Write on!
Natasha
PS. Check out my revamped website if you haven't already. Thanks.
www.NatashaFX.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dreams on Spec
By Daniel Snyder
I was sitting in a well-furnished office on the 20th Century Fox lot, asking James L. Brooks (“Terms of Endearment,” “As Good as It Gets,” “Broadcast News”) about the art and craft of screenwriting.
“I never knew anybody,” he was saying, “who ever got a Writers Guild card who didn’t have a hard time when somebody said, ‘What do you do for a living?’ saying, ‘I’m a writer.’ Your voice always catches on ‘a writer,’” Brooks said. “From the earliest stages, it’s what your secret thought was that you wanted to be and what of course you knew was impossible to be.”
Brooks was one of a dozen luminaries I talked with for the screenwriting documentary, DREAMS ON SPEC. The film follows three aspiring writers as they try to turn their spec scripts into movies – and intercuts wisdom from a “Greek Chorus” of superstar scribes including Brooks, Nora Ephron, Gary Ross, and Carrie Fisher.
I repeatedly saw the love of writing that Brooks was talking about as I followed those three struggling writers for the better part of a year. None of them had a Writers’ Guild card – or an agent – but it was undeniable that they had desire.
I watched David give up his nights and weekends to write and re-write his scripts. I watched Deborah share a cheap apartment in a not-so-great part of town so she could afford to try to get her romantic comedy script into production. And I watched Joe sacrifice valuable time with his wife and autistic daughter to write what he thought could be the great American screenplay.
These screenwriters – just like James L. Brooks and tens of thousands of others across the country – weren’t writing just for money or fame. They had a story to tell – and they’d do just about anything to turn it into a movie.
This Quixotic quest is what first inspired me to take a documentary look at the agony and the ecstasy of screenwriting. Living in the Los Angeles area, I had known scores of friends, acquaintances, and co-workers who’d written screenplays and would pitch them to anyone who would listen.
In fact, I learned first-hand about the screenwriter’s travails when I was a teenager, working alongside aspiring writer/directors Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary at the famed Video Archives video store in the Los Angeles suburb of Manhattan Beach. This was years before they became famous.
From Quentin and Roger, I first saw the passion people have for their screenplays – and how much work it requires to get them made into films. Quentin, for example, doggedly pitched his screenplays for “True Romance,” “Natural Born Killers,” and “Reservoir Dogs“ for four years before he hit pay dirt.
In DREAMS ON SPEC, I set out to look at why so many people around the country spend so much time writing screenplays – and why some writers succeed while so many others fail. The big-name writers I quizzed on this subject had some insightful answers to this last question.
PAUL GUAY (“Liar Liar” and “The Little Rascals”): “The thing that separates more successful writers from less successful writers, the most important thing, is the perseverance. There are a lot of people who are lucky. There are a lot of people who are born with connections or have the kind of personality to easily make some. But if you don’t have that, you have to keep pushing, you have to keep generating ideas, you have to not take rejection personally, because almost everything you come up with will be rejected, and even the scripts that eventually sell will probably be turned down by a number of people first. So you’re constantly hearing ‘No.’ And in the face of that, you have to you have to persevere.”
ED SOLOMON (“Men in Black” and “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure”): “The best formula I ever heard about writing, I think was attributed to Oliver Stone, and I think it was something like ‘Ass plus chair.’ That was it. Sit there and do the work. The problem is, so many writers think ‘This screenplay, this one screenplay is gonna be the thing which, you know, gets me out of my day job, or which finally gets me enough money where I can, you know, pay back my loans and – or it’s gonna, you know, it’s gonna sum up my entire world view.’ … Whatever they put, this weight on these – these very delicate, fragile little things which are these stories trying to – trying to grow and become alive and – all that pressure does nothing but, you know, really hurt your chances of actually creating something like that.
GARY ROSS (“Big,” “Dave,” and “Seabiscuit”): Success is sort of an elusive word. Were you satisfied? Do other people see the movie and are they satisfied? Does it evoke something strong and powerful? Not everybody – and this is not about consensus. This is about were you able to communicate something specifically to somebody and move them? You’re not always gonna be able to do that, and some people are not gonna like your stuff, and other people are gonna like your stuff, and that’s okay. The real issue is, you know, there’s a great line in J.D. Salinger when he talks about writing, he says, “The ultimate question is not ‘Were you successful or weren’t you successful?’ and ‘How much money did you make? How much money did you make?’ The real question at the end of your days when you’re judged as a writer is, ‘Were all your stars out? Were all of your stars out? Did you live up to your potential? Did you say everything you had to say? Whatever was in you, did you let it out? Did you censor yourself? Did you have the guts to realize those things?’” And if so, you know, I think in a lot of ways that is the definition of success.”
One of my last interviews was with Nora Ephron, the writer of “Sleepless in Seattle,” “You’ve Got Mail,” and “Bewitched.” Thinking about those many writers who do not enjoy success, I asked Ephron how long a writer should try before giving up.
It was clearly a difficult question for her to answer. Ephron started out haltingly, but finally responded, “I wouldn’t go near that question with a ten-foot pole because you never know if someone who hangs in there isn’t gonna turn out to be fantastic. It’s just a question of can you feed yourself in the meantime?”
When Ephron finished her answer, I thought back to a writer I used to know when I worked at Video Archives. Jeff Maguire was a frequent customer, one of the nicest guys in the world, and always struggling to pay the bills that he, his wife, and his young son racked up every month.
Maguire had helped write the Sylvester Stallone film “Victory” in the early 1980s but for most of the next decade, he had little luck in the screenwriting trade. He was so desperate for work at one point that he turned to writing dialogue that dolls said when kids pulled their chord!
Finally, in 1992, he decided he’d had enough and was about to move his family back to the East Coast and start life anew. As Maguire was finishing his last spec script, he received a shut-off notice from the power company due to unpaid – and, at that point, unpayable – bills.
Then almost over night, his life changed. That last spec script was called “In the Line of Fire” and Clint Eastwood liked it so much that he wanted to star in it. Maguire was nominated for an Academy Award – and as many as a half dozen of his old spec scripts (which no one had wanted just a few days before) sold, bringing him millions of dollars.
So Ephron is clearly right – some writers will eventually succeed beyond their wildest dreams if they can just figure out how to feed themselves in the meantime.
I ran across these very same issues as I made DREAMS ON SPEC. The further I followed my three aspiring writers, the more I realized that I was struggling to overcome many of the same hurdles – of creativity, inspiration, and solitude – that my subjects were encountering.
It’s not easy making a film about the world inhabited by screenwriters – it’s not exactly an action-filled extravaganza! But it is enormously rewarding – both for me and, I hope, for the audience.
In the end, I believe I captured these three writers’ journeys – and I hope I’ve succeeded in portraying the artist’s struggle in modern society. It’s not an easy struggle – because not only do you have to keep working and pushing and striving, but you also have to stay focused on your vision and your goals.
“Dave,” “Big,” and “Seabiscuit” writer Gary Ross perfectly summed things up in the last interview I did for DREAMS ON SPEC. When I asked him how screenwriters should define success, Ross offered an answer that is true for everyone who has a dream on spec.
“I think that it’s easy to give it away – give the definition of success away, empower other people in determining whether you have talent. The Catch-22 is that the more you do that, the less you’ll be able to write. That’s the hard part – writing is all about the preservation of your own voice. So if you give that voice away by guessing what you think or you think or you think as you go, you’ll have less to say and then [your inner voice] will go away entirely.”
Write on!
Natasha
PS. Check out my revamped website if you haven't already. Thanks.
www.NatashaFX.com
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Dreams on Spec
By Daniel Snyder
I was sitting in a well-furnished office on the 20th Century Fox lot, asking James L. Brooks (“Terms of Endearment,” “As Good as It Gets,” “Broadcast News”) about the art and craft of screenwriting.
“I never knew anybody,” he was saying, “who ever got a Writers Guild card who didn’t have a hard time when somebody said, ‘What do you do for a living?’ saying, ‘I’m a writer.’ Your voice always catches on ‘a writer,’” Brooks said. “From the earliest stages, it’s what your secret thought was that you wanted to be and what of course you knew was impossible to be.”
Brooks was one of a dozen luminaries I talked with for the screenwriting documentary, DREAMS ON SPEC. The film follows three aspiring writers as they try to turn their spec scripts into movies – and intercuts wisdom from a “Greek Chorus” of superstar scribes including Brooks, Nora Ephron, Gary Ross, and Carrie Fisher.
I repeatedly saw the love of writing that Brooks was talking about as I followed those three struggling writers for the better part of a year. None of them had a Writers’ Guild card – or an agent – but it was undeniable that they had desire.
I watched David give up his nights and weekends to write and re-write his scripts. I watched Deborah share a cheap apartment in a not-so-great part of town so she could afford to try to get her romantic comedy script into production. And I watched Joe sacrifice valuable time with his wife and autistic daughter to write what he thought could be the great American screenplay.
These screenwriters – just like James L. Brooks and tens of thousands of others across the country – weren’t writing just for money or fame. They had a story to tell – and they’d do just about anything to turn it into a movie.
This Quixotic quest is what first inspired me to take a documentary look at the agony and the ecstasy of screenwriting. Living in the Los Angeles area, I had known scores of friends, acquaintances, and co-workers who’d written screenplays and would pitch them to anyone who would listen.
In fact, I learned first-hand about the screenwriter’s travails when I was a teenager, working alongside aspiring writer/directors Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary at the famed Video Archives video store in the Los Angeles suburb of Manhattan Beach. This was years before they became famous.
From Quentin and Roger, I first saw the passion people have for their screenplays – and how much work it requires to get them made into films. Quentin, for example, doggedly pitched his screenplays for “True Romance,” “Natural Born Killers,” and “Reservoir Dogs“ for four years before he hit pay dirt.
In DREAMS ON SPEC, I set out to look at why so many people around the country spend so much time writing screenplays – and why some writers succeed while so many others fail. The big-name writers I quizzed on this subject had some insightful answers to this last question.
PAUL GUAY (“Liar Liar” and “The Little Rascals”): “The thing that separates more successful writers from less successful writers, the most important thing, is the perseverance. There are a lot of people who are lucky. There are a lot of people who are born with connections or have the kind of personality to easily make some. But if you don’t have that, you have to keep pushing, you have to keep generating ideas, you have to not take rejection personally, because almost everything you come up with will be rejected, and even the scripts that eventually sell will probably be turned down by a number of people first. So you’re constantly hearing ‘No.’ And in the face of that, you have to you have to persevere.”
ED SOLOMON (“Men in Black” and “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure”): “The best formula I ever heard about writing, I think was attributed to Oliver Stone, and I think it was something like ‘Ass plus chair.’ That was it. Sit there and do the work. The problem is, so many writers think ‘This screenplay, this one screenplay is gonna be the thing which, you know, gets me out of my day job, or which finally gets me enough money where I can, you know, pay back my loans and – or it’s gonna, you know, it’s gonna sum up my entire world view.’ … Whatever they put, this weight on these – these very delicate, fragile little things which are these stories trying to – trying to grow and become alive and – all that pressure does nothing but, you know, really hurt your chances of actually creating something like that.
GARY ROSS (“Big,” “Dave,” and “Seabiscuit”): Success is sort of an elusive word. Were you satisfied? Do other people see the movie and are they satisfied? Does it evoke something strong and powerful? Not everybody – and this is not about consensus. This is about were you able to communicate something specifically to somebody and move them? You’re not always gonna be able to do that, and some people are not gonna like your stuff, and other people are gonna like your stuff, and that’s okay. The real issue is, you know, there’s a great line in J.D. Salinger when he talks about writing, he says, “The ultimate question is not ‘Were you successful or weren’t you successful?’ and ‘How much money did you make? How much money did you make?’ The real question at the end of your days when you’re judged as a writer is, ‘Were all your stars out? Were all of your stars out? Did you live up to your potential? Did you say everything you had to say? Whatever was in you, did you let it out? Did you censor yourself? Did you have the guts to realize those things?’” And if so, you know, I think in a lot of ways that is the definition of success.”
One of my last interviews was with Nora Ephron, the writer of “Sleepless in Seattle,” “You’ve Got Mail,” and “Bewitched.” Thinking about those many writers who do not enjoy success, I asked Ephron how long a writer should try before giving up.
It was clearly a difficult question for her to answer. Ephron started out haltingly, but finally responded, “I wouldn’t go near that question with a ten-foot pole because you never know if someone who hangs in there isn’t gonna turn out to be fantastic. It’s just a question of can you feed yourself in the meantime?”
When Ephron finished her answer, I thought back to a writer I used to know when I worked at Video Archives. Jeff Maguire was a frequent customer, one of the nicest guys in the world, and always struggling to pay the bills that he, his wife, and his young son racked up every month.
Maguire had helped write the Sylvester Stallone film “Victory” in the early 1980s but for most of the next decade, he had little luck in the screenwriting trade. He was so desperate for work at one point that he turned to writing dialogue that dolls said when kids pulled their chord!
Finally, in 1992, he decided he’d had enough and was about to move his family back to the East Coast and start life anew. As Maguire was finishing his last spec script, he received a shut-off notice from the power company due to unpaid – and, at that point, unpayable – bills.
Then almost over night, his life changed. That last spec script was called “In the Line of Fire” and Clint Eastwood liked it so much that he wanted to star in it. Maguire was nominated for an Academy Award – and as many as a half dozen of his old spec scripts (which no one had wanted just a few days before) sold, bringing him millions of dollars.
So Ephron is clearly right – some writers will eventually succeed beyond their wildest dreams if they can just figure out how to feed themselves in the meantime.
I ran across these very same issues as I made DREAMS ON SPEC. The further I followed my three aspiring writers, the more I realized that I was struggling to overcome many of the same hurdles – of creativity, inspiration, and solitude – that my subjects were encountering.
It’s not easy making a film about the world inhabited by screenwriters – it’s not exactly an action-filled extravaganza! But it is enormously rewarding – both for me and, I hope, for the audience.
In the end, I believe I captured these three writers’ journeys – and I hope I’ve succeeded in portraying the artist’s struggle in modern society. It’s not an easy struggle – because not only do you have to keep working and pushing and striving, but you also have to stay focused on your vision and your goals.
“Dave,” “Big,” and “Seabiscuit” writer Gary Ross perfectly summed things up in the last interview I did for DREAMS ON SPEC. When I asked him how screenwriters should define success, Ross offered an answer that is true for everyone who has a dream on spec.
“I think that it’s easy to give it away – give the definition of success away, empower other people in determining whether you have talent. The Catch-22 is that the more you do that, the less you’ll be able to write. That’s the hard part – writing is all about the preservation of your own voice. So if you give that voice away by guessing what you think or you think or you think as you go, you’ll have less to say and then [your inner voice] will go away entirely.”
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Why High Concept?
Chris Soth has written a very good article about how to come up with high concept ideas. It's simple and straight to the point and I think will get your creative juices flowing in new directions. By the way, Chris puts on a great one-day seminar if anyone is curious.
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Getting High: How and Why to Write High Concept Screenplays. And How to Make Sure They Don't SUCK.
By Chris Soth
June 11, 2009
Summer is here, the season of the blockbuster, and like so many summers before it, the “blockbuster” fare will be mainly driven by two things:
- Sequels.
- High Concept Fare.
- And Sequels to High Concept Fare.
Ok, that’s three things. But I wanted to point out that there’s a significant overlap between the two AND that the High Concept rules the summer, Hollywood’s biggest money-making season.
High Concept: What IS it?
Simply put, a High Concept movie is one … driven by … its concept. The concept — or idea of the movie predominates almost every other element in it — is the reason the movie got made, and probably the reason you’re going to see it, right?
Yes, it may have a movie star or two, it may have delightful product tie-ins, but the reason you came to see it, want to see it, need to see it, is …
… that idea.
It’s so cool. You have to see that movie. Maybe you’ve always wondered what a movie on this premise would be like, maybe you’d never think of it in a million years, but the moment you heard, you realized “Yes! Wow! Why hasn’t that movie been made? It’d be so cool to see that! In fact, I never knew till now, but I’ve GOT to see that!”
It was the concept — the idea of the movie that brought you to the theater.
So …
Why Write High Concept?
As a novice screenwriter, chances are your concept, the central idea of your screenplay, is your best chance to get it read. It’s unlikely you have a major movie star attached to your screenplay, or Steven Spielberg wants to direct, or that you’ve brought $100 million in financing to the table along with a fat deal for European distribution and a deal for Burger King to distribute toys based on your main character with their happy meals … but kudos if you have.
If you are like most of us, however …
… tapping into the above “that’s so COOL” feeling is your best chance to get read, getting read is your best chance to get represented, and getting represented is your best chance to get your screenplay optioned, sold, developed, shot, and distributed. Being ready with that “one-line”/”elevator pitch” opens the door.
So, am I saying, "Throw away all your personal stories that you love, and write only High Concept Hollywood crap?" Am I telling you to “sell out”?
No, I am not. Let me ask you:
Have you ever liked a High Concept movie? Were you one of the millions who flocked to Iron Man last summer? Did you like it? Did you like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Independence Day, Men in Black, or Spiderman? Back to the Future, Roger Rabbit, Liar Liar, Transformers? The list goes on and on …
If you had written any of these movies, do you think you’d be proud of the accomplishment? Could you sell out and take pride in your work? To me, they seem mutually exclusive.
So, would it be selling out to write a movie you actually love? The key: Find an idea where the High Concept and what you love as a writer overlap. And write something that could be one of your favorite movies one day.
And how do we come up with the High Concept idea?
Short answer: Look to the supernatural. That is, pick something that doesn’t actually occur in the real world because it would go against the laws of physics or nature. Look at the examples above: There aren’t really space aliens as far we know, teenagers don’t gain spider powers in our own world, we can’t time travel, robots are not using our planet as the final battleground in their eons long war, and cartoon rabbits stay pretty much to themselves. But in the movies …
… we get to see those things!
And that alone is often worth the price of admission. There’s no real Jurassic Park, but if we could go and see dinosaurs, we’d sure want to … and till they manage to clone them for us.
Another thing? Movies depicting the supernatural will have to use…Special Effects! Because you just can’t shoot that stuff, it doesn’t really happen. And we love seeing special effects! Especially since they got good. Blockbusters are made on them.
While not ALL High Concept is supernatural, MOST supernatural is High Concept. So that’s a pretty good place to start.
And … how do you make sure that your new High Concept idea isn’t selling out?
THE TRICK:
Make the supernatural phenomenon, whatever it is … a metaphor for a human condition or weakness. You can do it. Think about it: Peter Parker is coming into his own as an adolescent, as all of us do, but is lagging a little behind on his maturity, so he must learn: “with great power comes great responsibility”. Iron Man has a weak heart and so covers his weakness in armor, as his alter ego protects himself with superficial relations with the opposite sex. The hero of Liar, Liar depends on dishonesty to make his living, but it’s leaked into his personal relationships and needs correcting.
So. Come up with a concept that is a “must-see.” If it’s not readily apparent, start turning your mind to the supernatural … magic, charms, superpowers, time travel, werewolves and vampires, abominable snowmen, aliens, and Loch Ness Monsters. Then connect them via metaphor to something inexorably human and emotional.
Chris Soth, creator of the Mini-Movie Method, has had many years of success as a Hollywood screenwriter. He has had his work produced by major studios, holds an MFA in screenwriting, and is the author of Sold! How I Set Up Three Pitches in Hollywood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Getting High: How and Why to Write High Concept Screenplays. And How to Make Sure They Don't SUCK.
By Chris Soth
June 11, 2009
Summer is here, the season of the blockbuster, and like so many summers before it, the “blockbuster” fare will be mainly driven by two things:
- Sequels.
- High Concept Fare.
- And Sequels to High Concept Fare.
Ok, that’s three things. But I wanted to point out that there’s a significant overlap between the two AND that the High Concept rules the summer, Hollywood’s biggest money-making season.
High Concept: What IS it?
Simply put, a High Concept movie is one … driven by … its concept. The concept — or idea of the movie predominates almost every other element in it — is the reason the movie got made, and probably the reason you’re going to see it, right?
Yes, it may have a movie star or two, it may have delightful product tie-ins, but the reason you came to see it, want to see it, need to see it, is …
… that idea.
It’s so cool. You have to see that movie. Maybe you’ve always wondered what a movie on this premise would be like, maybe you’d never think of it in a million years, but the moment you heard, you realized “Yes! Wow! Why hasn’t that movie been made? It’d be so cool to see that! In fact, I never knew till now, but I’ve GOT to see that!”
It was the concept — the idea of the movie that brought you to the theater.
So …
Why Write High Concept?
As a novice screenwriter, chances are your concept, the central idea of your screenplay, is your best chance to get it read. It’s unlikely you have a major movie star attached to your screenplay, or Steven Spielberg wants to direct, or that you’ve brought $100 million in financing to the table along with a fat deal for European distribution and a deal for Burger King to distribute toys based on your main character with their happy meals … but kudos if you have.
If you are like most of us, however …
… tapping into the above “that’s so COOL” feeling is your best chance to get read, getting read is your best chance to get represented, and getting represented is your best chance to get your screenplay optioned, sold, developed, shot, and distributed. Being ready with that “one-line”/”elevator pitch” opens the door.
So, am I saying, "Throw away all your personal stories that you love, and write only High Concept Hollywood crap?" Am I telling you to “sell out”?
No, I am not. Let me ask you:
Have you ever liked a High Concept movie? Were you one of the millions who flocked to Iron Man last summer? Did you like it? Did you like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Independence Day, Men in Black, or Spiderman? Back to the Future, Roger Rabbit, Liar Liar, Transformers? The list goes on and on …
If you had written any of these movies, do you think you’d be proud of the accomplishment? Could you sell out and take pride in your work? To me, they seem mutually exclusive.
So, would it be selling out to write a movie you actually love? The key: Find an idea where the High Concept and what you love as a writer overlap. And write something that could be one of your favorite movies one day.
And how do we come up with the High Concept idea?
Short answer: Look to the supernatural. That is, pick something that doesn’t actually occur in the real world because it would go against the laws of physics or nature. Look at the examples above: There aren’t really space aliens as far we know, teenagers don’t gain spider powers in our own world, we can’t time travel, robots are not using our planet as the final battleground in their eons long war, and cartoon rabbits stay pretty much to themselves. But in the movies …
… we get to see those things!
And that alone is often worth the price of admission. There’s no real Jurassic Park, but if we could go and see dinosaurs, we’d sure want to … and till they manage to clone them for us.
Another thing? Movies depicting the supernatural will have to use…Special Effects! Because you just can’t shoot that stuff, it doesn’t really happen. And we love seeing special effects! Especially since they got good. Blockbusters are made on them.
While not ALL High Concept is supernatural, MOST supernatural is High Concept. So that’s a pretty good place to start.
And … how do you make sure that your new High Concept idea isn’t selling out?
THE TRICK:
Make the supernatural phenomenon, whatever it is … a metaphor for a human condition or weakness. You can do it. Think about it: Peter Parker is coming into his own as an adolescent, as all of us do, but is lagging a little behind on his maturity, so he must learn: “with great power comes great responsibility”. Iron Man has a weak heart and so covers his weakness in armor, as his alter ego protects himself with superficial relations with the opposite sex. The hero of Liar, Liar depends on dishonesty to make his living, but it’s leaked into his personal relationships and needs correcting.
So. Come up with a concept that is a “must-see.” If it’s not readily apparent, start turning your mind to the supernatural … magic, charms, superpowers, time travel, werewolves and vampires, abominable snowmen, aliens, and Loch Ness Monsters. Then connect them via metaphor to something inexorably human and emotional.
Chris Soth, creator of the Mini-Movie Method, has had many years of success as a Hollywood screenwriter. He has had his work produced by major studios, holds an MFA in screenwriting, and is the author of Sold! How I Set Up Three Pitches in Hollywood.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
And the project is SOLD!
Well, it finally happened. I finally sold a project, not just another option but an actual real life sale! Contract is signed and the wheels are in motion. The idea was originally pitched years ago and had been optioned previously but nothing really happened. There had been interest off and on over the years but finally last week, it sold. I feel a great sense of accomplishment. I'm hoping that this will be the domino that starts the chain reaction. So, I guess it's true that perseverance eventually pays off. What I've learned most from this experience is that we can't control when we sell. We can only control whether or not we give up.
Best wishes to you all and remember to hold on to your dreams and never ever give up.
Natasha
Best wishes to you all and remember to hold on to your dreams and never ever give up.
Natasha
Friday, April 17, 2009
Don't give up on your dreams!
The following is an excerpt from Coach Rachelle's daily wisdom:
Dreams Are Fragile
I know of nothing else that is as fragile as a dream. Dreams can shatter in an instant if we do not believe in and care for them. Dreams are the soul reaching out to manifest our true selves. Dreams challenge us to reach higher and be more than we are right now. Your dreams are the pathways to who you are meant to be. Unfortunately, our dreams frighten many of us. They seem too big, too difficult, or too unrealistic. We talk ourselves out of them before we can even begin to start creating them. The voice of doubt inside our heads begins defeating us before we can even begin to create the possibility.
Before we can create the dream, we must believe in our abilities and in ourselves. We must trust that we have what it takes to manifest our dreams. This takes courage, fortitude and, most of all, faith. When we allow our dreams to capture our passion, the world will open up to support us. We don't have to know how to create the dream. We simply must focus on what the dream is. The rest will reveal itself.
Coaching
Dreams are fragile and can be destroyed in a heartbeat. Your doubts, fears, and lack of trust can stop a dream before it even gets a chance to see the light of possibility. To create a dream you must first believe in yourself, trust that you have what it takes, and move forward on faith that you can do it. Faith is most important in creating a dream because, in the beginning, it may be very difficult to see how it will all work out. You must have the faith that if you put yourself 100% into your dream it will come true. Once you commit yourself to your dream, possibilities and miracles will begin to happen.
Coaching Question
Are you ready to create your dream?
Daily Coaching
Today, take your dream out, dust it off and take action! It is time to make your dream come true.
Quotes
"Nothing is as real as a dream. The world can change around you, but your dream will not. Responsibilities need not erase it. Duties need not obscure it. Because the dream is within you, no one can take it away." Tom Clancy
"Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal." Pamela Vaull Starr
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Eleanor Roosevelt
"There are 3 choices: You can either give up, give in, or give it your all!" Anonymous
Dreams Are Fragile
I know of nothing else that is as fragile as a dream. Dreams can shatter in an instant if we do not believe in and care for them. Dreams are the soul reaching out to manifest our true selves. Dreams challenge us to reach higher and be more than we are right now. Your dreams are the pathways to who you are meant to be. Unfortunately, our dreams frighten many of us. They seem too big, too difficult, or too unrealistic. We talk ourselves out of them before we can even begin to start creating them. The voice of doubt inside our heads begins defeating us before we can even begin to create the possibility.
Before we can create the dream, we must believe in our abilities and in ourselves. We must trust that we have what it takes to manifest our dreams. This takes courage, fortitude and, most of all, faith. When we allow our dreams to capture our passion, the world will open up to support us. We don't have to know how to create the dream. We simply must focus on what the dream is. The rest will reveal itself.
Coaching
Dreams are fragile and can be destroyed in a heartbeat. Your doubts, fears, and lack of trust can stop a dream before it even gets a chance to see the light of possibility. To create a dream you must first believe in yourself, trust that you have what it takes, and move forward on faith that you can do it. Faith is most important in creating a dream because, in the beginning, it may be very difficult to see how it will all work out. You must have the faith that if you put yourself 100% into your dream it will come true. Once you commit yourself to your dream, possibilities and miracles will begin to happen.
Coaching Question
Are you ready to create your dream?
Daily Coaching
Today, take your dream out, dust it off and take action! It is time to make your dream come true.
Quotes
"Nothing is as real as a dream. The world can change around you, but your dream will not. Responsibilities need not erase it. Duties need not obscure it. Because the dream is within you, no one can take it away." Tom Clancy
"Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal." Pamela Vaull Starr
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Eleanor Roosevelt
"There are 3 choices: You can either give up, give in, or give it your all!" Anonymous
Friday, February 06, 2009
10 Screenwriting Tips from Billy Wilder
Billy Wilder was one of the greatest writer/directors in film history, having co-written and directed such classics as Sunset Boulevard, Some Like it Hot, The Apartment, and Double Indemnity. What screenwriter wouldn’t want a little advice from him?
Here are some of Wilder's screenwriting tips: *
1. The audience is fickle.
2. Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.
3. Develop a clean line of action for your leading character.
4. Know where you’re going.
5. The more subtle and elegant you are in hiding your plot points, the better you are as a writer.
6. If you have a problem with the third act, the real problem is in the first act.
7. A tip from Lubitsch: Let the audience add up two plus two. They’ll love you forever.
8. In doing voice-overs, be careful not to describe what the audience already sees. Add to what they’re seeing.
9. The event that occurs at the second act curtain triggers the end of the movie.
10. The third act must build, build, build in tempo and action until the last event, and then—that’s it. Don’t hang around.
Here are some of Wilder's screenwriting tips: *
1. The audience is fickle.
2. Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.
3. Develop a clean line of action for your leading character.
4. Know where you’re going.
5. The more subtle and elegant you are in hiding your plot points, the better you are as a writer.
6. If you have a problem with the third act, the real problem is in the first act.
7. A tip from Lubitsch: Let the audience add up two plus two. They’ll love you forever.
8. In doing voice-overs, be careful not to describe what the audience already sees. Add to what they’re seeing.
9. The event that occurs at the second act curtain triggers the end of the movie.
10. The third act must build, build, build in tempo and action until the last event, and then—that’s it. Don’t hang around.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Top 10 Screenwriting Tips
Steve Kaire posted these screenwriting tips to an advertisement of his screenwritingseminarsbyphone site. I thought these were simple but much needing of reminding.
Screenwriting Tips
1. Scripts should be 90-100 pages, not 120.
2. Dialogue should be fresh & authentic. No cliches or chit-chat.
3. Have blocks of description & only snippets of dialogue.
4. To make your story original. your logline needs a hook which is a detail that makes your premise unique.
5. The order of pitching is: Title, Genre, then your Logline.
6. Pitch what your story is about, not what happens in the story.
7. By the end of your script, one of the main characters should change, also known as the character arc.
8. The best time to call & reach a Producer is 5-8 PM when his secretary has gone home.
9. High Concept scripts sell for more money than non-High Concept scripts.
10. Do not give a Free Option on your material. Accept at least a few thousand dollars as a show of good faith.
Write on!
Screenwriting Tips
1. Scripts should be 90-100 pages, not 120.
2. Dialogue should be fresh & authentic. No cliches or chit-chat.
3. Have blocks of description & only snippets of dialogue.
4. To make your story original. your logline needs a hook which is a detail that makes your premise unique.
5. The order of pitching is: Title, Genre, then your Logline.
6. Pitch what your story is about, not what happens in the story.
7. By the end of your script, one of the main characters should change, also known as the character arc.
8. The best time to call & reach a Producer is 5-8 PM when his secretary has gone home.
9. High Concept scripts sell for more money than non-High Concept scripts.
10. Do not give a Free Option on your material. Accept at least a few thousand dollars as a show of good faith.
Write on!
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Creating a Pitch Bible
The Pitch Bible: Just The Essentials
Jan Nagel lays out the essentials when putting together a show bible before you get to the big pitch.
In pitching animation, not only do you need the passion, have a thorough understanding about your property and know the broadcaster and their needs, you need to demonstrate what your story it about. Your pitch materials are your sales tools.
The Pitch Bible is a tool that helps convey your concept. It is a tool to help you present and is a leave-behind to trigger the decision maker’s memory.
There are no hard and fast rules about what form a pitch bible should take. At it’s very best, it should reflect the concept of the project, whether it is a television, feature or home entertainment project, to help the buyer visualize the story as you pitched it. The size, color, number of pages, how it is put together is up to you, the creator, to determine what best conveys your creation.
What are the basic elements and what should not be left out? This is the question that most creators ask. Sometimes we can get hung up in terminology and get lost in what is important. Let’s review a glossary of common pitching terms.
Glossary For The Pitch Bible
Character Descriptions:
Written descriptions of each character, what are their characteristics and how they interact with the other characters in the story.
Concept Art:
Drawings, illustrations or images of the characters and the environments of the story.
Episode Synopsis:
See “story springboards;” One-paragraph description of episodic plots that spring from the original concept; each episode’s synopsis should contain a beginning, middle and end.
Images:
See “concept art;” Drawing, illustrations of the characters and the environments of the story.
Key Art:
A drawing, illustration or image of the cast of characters in significant action poses in their environment that best visualizes the characterizations and story.
Log Line:
A one-sentence description of the story often similar to the one-line description in a television scheduling guide.
Pilot:
A fully produced episode to show as a sample of the animation and story.
Pitch Bible or Pitch Book:
A compilation of premise, story, characters, images in a form that can be presented during a pitch, as well as left behind with the prospect.
Premise:
A written foundation that explores the establishment, conflict and resolution of the story. The premise helps to support the story and the characters for the writer.
Script Treatment:
A treatment covers the full story, its basic ideas, and production issues in a condensed form, containing key scenes, locations, main characters and plot.
Story Springboards:
See “episode synopsis;” One-paragraph descriptions of episodes plots that spring from the original concept. Each episode’s synopsis should contain a beginning, middle and end.
Story Treatment:
A compelling narrative about the story in a page or two for television, longer for features; is used to sell the story.
Synopsis:
A one-paragraph overview of the story, plot and motivation of the characters.
Teaser:
Produced animation, either a sequence or animatic, which best illustrates the main characters, their actions and the premise.
Trailer:
A produced synopsis of the animated story, which helps to sell the concept.
Building A Pitch Bible
You as the creator will determine the look, feel and weight of your pitch, but there are a few essentials that you want to be sure to include in your pitch materials.
First and foremost, when developing your pitch package, make sure that it functions well in a presentation. Know where in the book you want key images of characters, environments and key art that you can use in presenting. Make sure that it is easy to follow in a book form, as well as usable in the sales pitch. Some creators like to bring in separate presentation boards of the art for the pitch only, with the pitch book as the leave-behind.
The pitch book is the document that is left with the interested party for their referral. It is your sales tool when you are not there. Keep it brief and to the point.
Be sure to have a log line, premise or synopsis included in the front of your pitch for easy reference. Include a story treatment, which gives a more in depth perspective of the concept.
Unlike any other pitch in entertainment, images in animation are the “heart” and soul of the story. The pitch book should reflect the artistic design of the project. Some creators use a visual theme throughout their pitch bibles to reinforce the concept. Visual consistency is a way to insure the property is remembered. Developing a logo for your project is an effective way of tying all the pieces together.
Main characters should be displayed in action poses and with attitudes. These are the actors you “hired” for the story. Images of the environment help to establish the story’s world. Great key art, in which the characters are in action, per their description, within the key environment, further support the concept.
Episodic synopses are essential for every television pitch. Episodes will show that the story and characters sustains in other situations and circumstances. Be sure that the episode synopses are short with a beginning, middle and end of the story.
But There’s More…
The above are the essentials that every pitch needs, but there are other things that can be added.
Some times a concept comes from an existing source, such as a book, toy or legend. Include a history of the story to give the decider a further understanding of the concept’s potential. Perhaps show the extended licensing and merchandising opportunities that this new version can bring. If you wish to add samples of these products to the pitch package, make sure they have your contact information added.
For some pitches (see AWN article: “Pitching Animation: Rules of the Game from the Pros That Play It”) it might be important to include an outline of the educational benefits of the concept and the resources that support the educational mission of the show.
Don’t forget to include the biographies of the creators. The decision makers like to know whom they are working with. In the case of some networks, they are interviewing the creator, as much as evaluating the concept, during a pitch.
Must Haves
Have your pitch book bound. Spiral, comb binding or three-ring, there are so many ways to have your pitch book assembled with covers. Doing this insures that your concept will be secure. No one likes loose pages, nor does it reflect well on you.
Select a method of duplication that allows for change without too much expense. Color copying or printing from a computer will give you the flexibility to adjust your presentation for the individual broadcaster or decision maker.
You need to protect you and your property. Your copyright is essential and should be printed on every page of a pitch book. If you have a trademark or a WGA (Writer’s Guild of America, go to www.wga.org to register your property) number, add these, too. Add a page number just to be safe, as well. Pitch books do get copied.
When adding your pilot, teaser or trailer DVD or videotape to the package, make sure that it has the same appearance as the pitch book and has your contact information. Some presentation folders have a holder for these media being included. You don’t want these to stray too far from the pitch book. On the opening and closing slates of the DVD or VHS, be sure to have your name, contact information and copyright, as well.
Contact information is essential. Have your name, phone number, email address, along with that of your representation, in the pitch book as well as on all other ancillary materials, such as your trailer, or any samples you will be leaving behind.
Payoff
The pitch and the pitch bible are limited only by your own imagination. The look and the feel are up to you. Just be sure to keep the essentials in the package and you will have a pitch bible that stands on its own.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Jan Nagel, the entertainment marketing diva, is a consultant involved in the business of animation and visual effects since 1991. She represents creative producers and productions companies worldwide, including j9 Productions and AGOGO Corp. Hong Kong, as well as being a frequent guest lecturer on the subject of the business of animation. She is also a founding member and current president of Women in Animation International.
Jan Nagel lays out the essentials when putting together a show bible before you get to the big pitch.
In pitching animation, not only do you need the passion, have a thorough understanding about your property and know the broadcaster and their needs, you need to demonstrate what your story it about. Your pitch materials are your sales tools.
The Pitch Bible is a tool that helps convey your concept. It is a tool to help you present and is a leave-behind to trigger the decision maker’s memory.
There are no hard and fast rules about what form a pitch bible should take. At it’s very best, it should reflect the concept of the project, whether it is a television, feature or home entertainment project, to help the buyer visualize the story as you pitched it. The size, color, number of pages, how it is put together is up to you, the creator, to determine what best conveys your creation.
What are the basic elements and what should not be left out? This is the question that most creators ask. Sometimes we can get hung up in terminology and get lost in what is important. Let’s review a glossary of common pitching terms.
Glossary For The Pitch Bible
Character Descriptions:
Written descriptions of each character, what are their characteristics and how they interact with the other characters in the story.
Concept Art:
Drawings, illustrations or images of the characters and the environments of the story.
Episode Synopsis:
See “story springboards;” One-paragraph description of episodic plots that spring from the original concept; each episode’s synopsis should contain a beginning, middle and end.
Images:
See “concept art;” Drawing, illustrations of the characters and the environments of the story.
Key Art:
A drawing, illustration or image of the cast of characters in significant action poses in their environment that best visualizes the characterizations and story.
Log Line:
A one-sentence description of the story often similar to the one-line description in a television scheduling guide.
Pilot:
A fully produced episode to show as a sample of the animation and story.
Pitch Bible or Pitch Book:
A compilation of premise, story, characters, images in a form that can be presented during a pitch, as well as left behind with the prospect.
Premise:
A written foundation that explores the establishment, conflict and resolution of the story. The premise helps to support the story and the characters for the writer.
Script Treatment:
A treatment covers the full story, its basic ideas, and production issues in a condensed form, containing key scenes, locations, main characters and plot.
Story Springboards:
See “episode synopsis;” One-paragraph descriptions of episodes plots that spring from the original concept. Each episode’s synopsis should contain a beginning, middle and end.
Story Treatment:
A compelling narrative about the story in a page or two for television, longer for features; is used to sell the story.
Synopsis:
A one-paragraph overview of the story, plot and motivation of the characters.
Teaser:
Produced animation, either a sequence or animatic, which best illustrates the main characters, their actions and the premise.
Trailer:
A produced synopsis of the animated story, which helps to sell the concept.
Building A Pitch Bible
You as the creator will determine the look, feel and weight of your pitch, but there are a few essentials that you want to be sure to include in your pitch materials.
First and foremost, when developing your pitch package, make sure that it functions well in a presentation. Know where in the book you want key images of characters, environments and key art that you can use in presenting. Make sure that it is easy to follow in a book form, as well as usable in the sales pitch. Some creators like to bring in separate presentation boards of the art for the pitch only, with the pitch book as the leave-behind.
The pitch book is the document that is left with the interested party for their referral. It is your sales tool when you are not there. Keep it brief and to the point.
Be sure to have a log line, premise or synopsis included in the front of your pitch for easy reference. Include a story treatment, which gives a more in depth perspective of the concept.
Unlike any other pitch in entertainment, images in animation are the “heart” and soul of the story. The pitch book should reflect the artistic design of the project. Some creators use a visual theme throughout their pitch bibles to reinforce the concept. Visual consistency is a way to insure the property is remembered. Developing a logo for your project is an effective way of tying all the pieces together.
Main characters should be displayed in action poses and with attitudes. These are the actors you “hired” for the story. Images of the environment help to establish the story’s world. Great key art, in which the characters are in action, per their description, within the key environment, further support the concept.
Episodic synopses are essential for every television pitch. Episodes will show that the story and characters sustains in other situations and circumstances. Be sure that the episode synopses are short with a beginning, middle and end of the story.
But There’s More…
The above are the essentials that every pitch needs, but there are other things that can be added.
Some times a concept comes from an existing source, such as a book, toy or legend. Include a history of the story to give the decider a further understanding of the concept’s potential. Perhaps show the extended licensing and merchandising opportunities that this new version can bring. If you wish to add samples of these products to the pitch package, make sure they have your contact information added.
For some pitches (see AWN article: “Pitching Animation: Rules of the Game from the Pros That Play It”) it might be important to include an outline of the educational benefits of the concept and the resources that support the educational mission of the show.
Don’t forget to include the biographies of the creators. The decision makers like to know whom they are working with. In the case of some networks, they are interviewing the creator, as much as evaluating the concept, during a pitch.
Must Haves
Have your pitch book bound. Spiral, comb binding or three-ring, there are so many ways to have your pitch book assembled with covers. Doing this insures that your concept will be secure. No one likes loose pages, nor does it reflect well on you.
Select a method of duplication that allows for change without too much expense. Color copying or printing from a computer will give you the flexibility to adjust your presentation for the individual broadcaster or decision maker.
You need to protect you and your property. Your copyright is essential and should be printed on every page of a pitch book. If you have a trademark or a WGA (Writer’s Guild of America, go to www.wga.org to register your property) number, add these, too. Add a page number just to be safe, as well. Pitch books do get copied.
When adding your pilot, teaser or trailer DVD or videotape to the package, make sure that it has the same appearance as the pitch book and has your contact information. Some presentation folders have a holder for these media being included. You don’t want these to stray too far from the pitch book. On the opening and closing slates of the DVD or VHS, be sure to have your name, contact information and copyright, as well.
Contact information is essential. Have your name, phone number, email address, along with that of your representation, in the pitch book as well as on all other ancillary materials, such as your trailer, or any samples you will be leaving behind.
Payoff
The pitch and the pitch bible are limited only by your own imagination. The look and the feel are up to you. Just be sure to keep the essentials in the package and you will have a pitch bible that stands on its own.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Jan Nagel, the entertainment marketing diva, is a consultant involved in the business of animation and visual effects since 1991. She represents creative producers and productions companies worldwide, including j9 Productions and AGOGO Corp. Hong Kong, as well as being a frequent guest lecturer on the subject of the business of animation. She is also a founding member and current president of Women in Animation International.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Striking Writer Martini
Hey Everyone,
I found this on a screenwriting blog and thought it was cute. Think I may have to go home and make one for myself. I do have all the ingredients and plus, it's hump day. I'll let you know how it turned out.
Enjoy and happy holidays!
Natasha
High Time For 'The Striking Writer Martini'
The drink created by screenwriter Nian Aster was first offered at “The Backstage Bar” then “La Campanile,” “M Bar” and “Chan Dara,” with discounted rates and menus for Writers Guild members. "Cinespace” on Hollywood Boulevard is hosting a complementary evening Wednesday for striking writers with free beer, shots, and Striking Writer Martinis. Here’s the recipe:
The Striking Writer Martini
2 oz vodka "to fortify against the cold Strike Winter"
2 oz cranberry juice "as the writers are seeing red"
1 oz sweet and sour mix "they’re grateful for solidarity in this bitter struggle"
4 drops vanilla (or use vanilla vodka) "to symbolize the 4 cent raise they asked for"
"There’s no cherry in this drink, as writers aren’t getting a piece of the pie. Garnish with a half a redvine, as they hope to be back on the set soon."
I found this on a screenwriting blog and thought it was cute. Think I may have to go home and make one for myself. I do have all the ingredients and plus, it's hump day. I'll let you know how it turned out.
Enjoy and happy holidays!
Natasha
High Time For 'The Striking Writer Martini'
The drink created by screenwriter Nian Aster was first offered at “The Backstage Bar” then “La Campanile,” “M Bar” and “Chan Dara,” with discounted rates and menus for Writers Guild members. "Cinespace” on Hollywood Boulevard is hosting a complementary evening Wednesday for striking writers with free beer, shots, and Striking Writer Martinis. Here’s the recipe:
The Striking Writer Martini
2 oz vodka "to fortify against the cold Strike Winter"
2 oz cranberry juice "as the writers are seeing red"
1 oz sweet and sour mix "they’re grateful for solidarity in this bitter struggle"
4 drops vanilla (or use vanilla vodka) "to symbolize the 4 cent raise they asked for"
"There’s no cherry in this drink, as writers aren’t getting a piece of the pie. Garnish with a half a redvine, as they hope to be back on the set soon."
Thursday, February 09, 2006
About Articles in Creative Screenwriting
Hi MDS'ers,
I was reading my latest issue of Creative Screenwriting last night and there was an article about a woman who is finally getting recognition in Hollywood just when she decided to quit. I actually saw her at the EXPO last November...never thought I would be reading about her in a national magazine and I never knew her struggle to get to the top. It had been 10 years and 16 scripts but she finally got a break last year. I was like "Wow!" But I guess the important message is to never ever give up and it will happen. I'm hanging on to that but I hope it doesn't take me 10 years! Then again, I'm already 5 years into the game so what's another 5.
So, everyone, QUITTING IS NOT AN OPTION!
Oh, there was another article about the girl who was at the EXPO who
had won one of the Nicholls Fellowships. I posted some information
about her a few months ago. That article shows how dedication and
belief in self can see you through. There was one sentence that
said she ate Top Ramen and generic Mac and Cheese for two years in
order to sacrifice and write full time. I did the Top Ramen thing
for an entire semester in college so I know what that's like but I
think my Top Ramen days are over! But it did make me realize that I
am not writing as much as I should be and I know I have a pressing
job that helps me not to have to do the Top Ramen thing but I
shouldn't let that stop me. I should be writing every night after
work even if it's a page. I may post that article, too.
Bon weekend mes amis.
Write on!
Natasha
I was reading my latest issue of Creative Screenwriting last night and there was an article about a woman who is finally getting recognition in Hollywood just when she decided to quit. I actually saw her at the EXPO last November...never thought I would be reading about her in a national magazine and I never knew her struggle to get to the top. It had been 10 years and 16 scripts but she finally got a break last year. I was like "Wow!" But I guess the important message is to never ever give up and it will happen. I'm hanging on to that but I hope it doesn't take me 10 years! Then again, I'm already 5 years into the game so what's another 5.
So, everyone, QUITTING IS NOT AN OPTION!
Oh, there was another article about the girl who was at the EXPO who
had won one of the Nicholls Fellowships. I posted some information
about her a few months ago. That article shows how dedication and
belief in self can see you through. There was one sentence that
said she ate Top Ramen and generic Mac and Cheese for two years in
order to sacrifice and write full time. I did the Top Ramen thing
for an entire semester in college so I know what that's like but I
think my Top Ramen days are over! But it did make me realize that I
am not writing as much as I should be and I know I have a pressing
job that helps me not to have to do the Top Ramen thing but I
shouldn't let that stop me. I should be writing every night after
work even if it's a page. I may post that article, too.
Bon weekend mes amis.
Write on!
Natasha
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Recap of Lew Hunter's talk on Monday, January 30, 2006
Hi MDS'ers,
Meeting Lew Hunter, screenwriting guru and teacher, was so fantastic. I forgot my camera, as usual, so I didn’t get to take a picture with him or of him which is a bummer because I could have posted it. Oh well.
Anyhoo, there was a lot of stuff I didn’t know about Lew outside of him teaching in the MFA program at UCLA for a number of years and writing the book Screenwriting 434. I didn’t know that he worked directly with Walt Disney and was a studio executive at not only Disney but ABC and NBC from 1975-1986. Also, more than 20 of his former students have gone on to win Oscars. That’s phenomenal! He’s also a very nice and funny person. Very generous. He has a new edition for his book but I purchased the book like four years ago so I wanted to know if it was only a new cover or was there enough new information to justify paying $15. Yes, I asked this question. He has a new book coming out called Naked Screenwriting where he interviews all those Oscar winners. To my surprise, he told me that there was only about 10 pages of new material and to not buy it that he will email the updated pages if I would give him my information. Can you believe it? I’ve never had anyone offer to do that. So, of course, I gave him my business card and he gave me personal advice on breaking through. (See 1-5 below) Everyone wants to sell their book no matter what. He isn’t like that. I guess he’s made so much money he doesn’t need the book sales. He did mention that he wrote the book for people who aren’t able to take his classes or seminars, not to make a profit. He even stayed almost an hour after his talk to answer personal questions. I didn’t really learn anything new because I’ve been studying on my own, taking classes and seminars, reading every book out there for 5 years now. What I did get out of the two hour talk was the encouragement to keep on pressing on. People do make it but it’s not easy and only the persistent survive. I walked away with more determination than ever and belief that it is possible. I can make it and I can be an Oscar winner just like those 20 other people who were once unknown.
Lew’s private suggestions given to me:
Very simple and nothing I didn’t already know but coming from him was like confirmation that there is no other way. Success comes with persistence and hard work.
1. Be persistent, never give up.
2. Get the Hollywood creative directory and query agents and managers who have an asterisk by their names because those are the people open to accepting new clients.
3. Enter contests that are notable and have a good reputation to get exposure.
4. Be patient. If you stick with it, one day your time will come.
5. And always keep writing. Once you break in or get someone’s attention, they always ask, “What else do you have?”.
Oh, he was also not very fond of script consultants that charge hundreds of dollars to review your work especially if they don't have a well-established name in the industry. He also said to be careful of screenplay contests that charge an entrance fee of over $50 and only go with reputable ones since anyone can start a contest these days. That's actually a rule I incorporated for myself years ago. If a contest entry fee is over $40, I probably won't enter. Heck, the Nicholls contest is only like $20 for early bird entry and it's the most prestigious one out of them all since it's run by the Academy of Motion Pictures! Why would I want to pay $50 plus dollars on an unknown one that has no connections or prestige. However, to each his own and whatever works for you.
Write on!
Natasha
PS.
While waiting for the talk to start, I met some of the other people. One guy was looking for writers in the local area to work on a TV show. He has a pilot that has gotten some interest and his partner’s daughter is getting married to a studio executive in LA. So, I guess it is sort of who you know. Anyhoo, the guy’s going to pitch it to his daughter who will pitch it to her husband who will pitch it to his colleagues who hopefully will order the pilot and a few episodes. To make a long story short, he has the pilot and 12 episodes written but they need more writers to make up the writing staff incase it’s a go. He asked if I would be interested. Since I was there early…far too early…I read the Show Bible. It’s a comedy…kind of tongue-in-cheek. Don’t know if that’s my style. It was a cute idea but I didn’t get that “I gotta be a part of this feeling…if anything happens.” He went on to say something to the fact that the writers will be paid something like $4,000 weekly for the first season..blah blah blah. Money doesn’t move me especially if it’s "potential" money and not a check with my name in the “Pay to the order of” line. I was like, here’s my card, call me if something is a go but I told him that I am not overly enthusiastic about quitting my well paying job to jump on a television series that’s just starting who may get cancelled after 2 episodes. Not that I was being pessimistic but realistic. TV shows get cancelled before anyone every sees them. I know someone that happened to and I like my job especially because Friday is pay day and I know there’s a check coming with my name on it. So, since I’m not eager to just up and quit my stable job that pays well even if it’s not $4,000 a week…I would consider writing episodes as a freelancer. He understood. So we’ll see what and if anything happens. I’ll just go with my gut.
PSS (Okay this is getting too long so I’ll wrap it up)
I spoke by phone with the Producer of Focus Entertainment last week that I had met earlier that week. He requested to see both my drama, “Sisterhood of Secrets” and the adult comedy, “Dogged” that’s just come from under option and I’m not renewing with the same producer. He was okay about it and very professional since it’s my prerogative anyway. I sent the new interested party synopses for both scripts. He called me last night and offered to meet with me on Friday when I will bring hard copies of both scripts. Thank goodness I just bought more ink on Saturday!
Also, I meet with the entertainment attorney tonight.
More later.
Write on!
Tash
Meeting Lew Hunter, screenwriting guru and teacher, was so fantastic. I forgot my camera, as usual, so I didn’t get to take a picture with him or of him which is a bummer because I could have posted it. Oh well.
Anyhoo, there was a lot of stuff I didn’t know about Lew outside of him teaching in the MFA program at UCLA for a number of years and writing the book Screenwriting 434. I didn’t know that he worked directly with Walt Disney and was a studio executive at not only Disney but ABC and NBC from 1975-1986. Also, more than 20 of his former students have gone on to win Oscars. That’s phenomenal! He’s also a very nice and funny person. Very generous. He has a new edition for his book but I purchased the book like four years ago so I wanted to know if it was only a new cover or was there enough new information to justify paying $15. Yes, I asked this question. He has a new book coming out called Naked Screenwriting where he interviews all those Oscar winners. To my surprise, he told me that there was only about 10 pages of new material and to not buy it that he will email the updated pages if I would give him my information. Can you believe it? I’ve never had anyone offer to do that. So, of course, I gave him my business card and he gave me personal advice on breaking through. (See 1-5 below) Everyone wants to sell their book no matter what. He isn’t like that. I guess he’s made so much money he doesn’t need the book sales. He did mention that he wrote the book for people who aren’t able to take his classes or seminars, not to make a profit. He even stayed almost an hour after his talk to answer personal questions. I didn’t really learn anything new because I’ve been studying on my own, taking classes and seminars, reading every book out there for 5 years now. What I did get out of the two hour talk was the encouragement to keep on pressing on. People do make it but it’s not easy and only the persistent survive. I walked away with more determination than ever and belief that it is possible. I can make it and I can be an Oscar winner just like those 20 other people who were once unknown.
Lew’s private suggestions given to me:
Very simple and nothing I didn’t already know but coming from him was like confirmation that there is no other way. Success comes with persistence and hard work.
1. Be persistent, never give up.
2. Get the Hollywood creative directory and query agents and managers who have an asterisk by their names because those are the people open to accepting new clients.
3. Enter contests that are notable and have a good reputation to get exposure.
4. Be patient. If you stick with it, one day your time will come.
5. And always keep writing. Once you break in or get someone’s attention, they always ask, “What else do you have?”.
Oh, he was also not very fond of script consultants that charge hundreds of dollars to review your work especially if they don't have a well-established name in the industry. He also said to be careful of screenplay contests that charge an entrance fee of over $50 and only go with reputable ones since anyone can start a contest these days. That's actually a rule I incorporated for myself years ago. If a contest entry fee is over $40, I probably won't enter. Heck, the Nicholls contest is only like $20 for early bird entry and it's the most prestigious one out of them all since it's run by the Academy of Motion Pictures! Why would I want to pay $50 plus dollars on an unknown one that has no connections or prestige. However, to each his own and whatever works for you.
Write on!
Natasha
PS.
While waiting for the talk to start, I met some of the other people. One guy was looking for writers in the local area to work on a TV show. He has a pilot that has gotten some interest and his partner’s daughter is getting married to a studio executive in LA. So, I guess it is sort of who you know. Anyhoo, the guy’s going to pitch it to his daughter who will pitch it to her husband who will pitch it to his colleagues who hopefully will order the pilot and a few episodes. To make a long story short, he has the pilot and 12 episodes written but they need more writers to make up the writing staff incase it’s a go. He asked if I would be interested. Since I was there early…far too early…I read the Show Bible. It’s a comedy…kind of tongue-in-cheek. Don’t know if that’s my style. It was a cute idea but I didn’t get that “I gotta be a part of this feeling…if anything happens.” He went on to say something to the fact that the writers will be paid something like $4,000 weekly for the first season..blah blah blah. Money doesn’t move me especially if it’s "potential" money and not a check with my name in the “Pay to the order of” line. I was like, here’s my card, call me if something is a go but I told him that I am not overly enthusiastic about quitting my well paying job to jump on a television series that’s just starting who may get cancelled after 2 episodes. Not that I was being pessimistic but realistic. TV shows get cancelled before anyone every sees them. I know someone that happened to and I like my job especially because Friday is pay day and I know there’s a check coming with my name on it. So, since I’m not eager to just up and quit my stable job that pays well even if it’s not $4,000 a week…I would consider writing episodes as a freelancer. He understood. So we’ll see what and if anything happens. I’ll just go with my gut.
PSS (Okay this is getting too long so I’ll wrap it up)
I spoke by phone with the Producer of Focus Entertainment last week that I had met earlier that week. He requested to see both my drama, “Sisterhood of Secrets” and the adult comedy, “Dogged” that’s just come from under option and I’m not renewing with the same producer. He was okay about it and very professional since it’s my prerogative anyway. I sent the new interested party synopses for both scripts. He called me last night and offered to meet with me on Friday when I will bring hard copies of both scripts. Thank goodness I just bought more ink on Saturday!
Also, I meet with the entertainment attorney tonight.
More later.
Write on!
Tash
Free Screenwriting interviews on IPod Prodcasts
Hey everyone,
I recently purchased the IPod Nano and noticed that there is a
Prodcast called The Treatment that can be downloaded for free.
On THE TREATMENT, film critic Elvis Mitchell turns the tables and
gives the "treatment" to some of the most influential and innovative
forces creating movies and popular art and entertainment.
Each week, Elvis speaks with an amazing array of guests, discussing
everything from their inner conflicts to their interior design. With
a straightforward style that understates his vast knowledge, Elvis
is able to extract insights, issues and inspirations from even the
most introverted guests. Conversations on THE TREATMENT are mostly
comfortable, sometimes contentious, but always fascinating.
There are eight available now. I'm listening to the following while
I'm at work:
1. In the dark comic thriller, The Matador, writer-director Richard
Shepard uses British crime films, Graham Greene, and his star,
Pierce Brosnan, as both context and subtext. He'll talk about giving
a hit man a soul.
2. The Wedding Crashers is a wild risqu-- comedy about players who
are finally played. Its authors, Steve Faber and Bob Fisher, are
also very clear about its political commentary, too. It's all about
subversion.
3. Backdraft, A Beautiful Mind, Ransom, and now Cinderella Man.
Films by director Ron Howard are dramas that deal with fear -- fear
of being stripped of your tools. It's as if the artist fear being
left bereft.
Check it out if you have an IPod. I'm going to search to see if
there are more for screenwriters. So far, it has been interesting
listening to these directors, producers and screenwriters tell how
their projects came to be.
Write on!
Tash
I recently purchased the IPod Nano and noticed that there is a
Prodcast called The Treatment that can be downloaded for free.
On THE TREATMENT, film critic Elvis Mitchell turns the tables and
gives the "treatment" to some of the most influential and innovative
forces creating movies and popular art and entertainment.
Each week, Elvis speaks with an amazing array of guests, discussing
everything from their inner conflicts to their interior design. With
a straightforward style that understates his vast knowledge, Elvis
is able to extract insights, issues and inspirations from even the
most introverted guests. Conversations on THE TREATMENT are mostly
comfortable, sometimes contentious, but always fascinating.
There are eight available now. I'm listening to the following while
I'm at work:
1. In the dark comic thriller, The Matador, writer-director Richard
Shepard uses British crime films, Graham Greene, and his star,
Pierce Brosnan, as both context and subtext. He'll talk about giving
a hit man a soul.
2. The Wedding Crashers is a wild risqu-- comedy about players who
are finally played. Its authors, Steve Faber and Bob Fisher, are
also very clear about its political commentary, too. It's all about
subversion.
3. Backdraft, A Beautiful Mind, Ransom, and now Cinderella Man.
Films by director Ron Howard are dramas that deal with fear -- fear
of being stripped of your tools. It's as if the artist fear being
left bereft.
Check it out if you have an IPod. I'm going to search to see if
there are more for screenwriters. So far, it has been interesting
listening to these directors, producers and screenwriters tell how
their projects came to be.
Write on!
Tash
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