Yes, I know, I play Modern Warfare 2 a little more than I should. I care not, I shall continue to play it until I get tired of the sight of helicopters falling on America. Might be a while.

The aforementioned quote did, however, drum up some smidgen of inspiration in me. Thinking about it, who does write history? Is it those that make it, or those around them? Would Dubya have been as great a twat had it not been for Cheney or Rumsfeld? Would Hitler have been such a naughty boy without Himmler there to guide him? The list goes on. It kind of reminds me of a quote from Churchill, which I’ll post at the end of this.

If history is indeed as malleable as clay, then that must leave a shedload of opportunity for artistic conjecture. What if the Russian’s hadn’t stopped at Berlin, what if Richard and Saladin had actually met on the field of battle, and what would have happened if the Hindenberg hadn’t gone up in flames? Who knows.

Us creative types might

Anyway, I fancy going to grab a bite to eat, even though I have eaten already. For the end quote I will add this. Think about this quote, and then think about writers. We are generally frowned upon in the wide world. Maligned as malcontents, hermits and perpetual wankers, we take shit from above, below, left and right, and still come back for more. We love writing for different reasons, but love it all the same. So, to all those who would belittle our work. In the words of Churchill:

“History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.”

Something for you to watch at your leisure. Enjoy.

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Writing a Screenplay: Part 4 of 4 – Final Drafts

I seem to have said everything there is to say about the multiple draft screenwriting process with the last post. Each of the steps I follow naturally leads to the next.

A completed first draft is a second draft. When the second draft is complete it’s the final draft.

My alter ego, Izo, has offered to write a guest post with his take on the screenplay writing process.

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Master Your Craft

When engaged in any art, reaching your goal can be your only concern.

Start your day with your art. Ignore all else.

Do not prepare to work. Work.

The master samurai rises in the morning and begins training. The master writer rises in the morning and begins writing.

The master samurai is a master because of this discipline. You will be a master writer because of this discipline.

The samurai who does not practice becomes a servant in his shogun’s household. The writer who does not practice becomes a servant in a corporate cubicle.

Practice as if there is nothing more important in the world. This is the path of mastery.

Talent does not matter. Feelings do not matter. Situation does not matter. Money does not matter. All falls by the way, when you focus on your goal.

Your god given talents will not make you great. Your training will not make you great. Your connections will not make you great. Action will make you great.

When distractions interfere with your goal, cast them aside. When the same distractions appear repeatedly, destroy them utterly. When the distractions are people, remove yourself from their presence. Nothing must stand in your way.

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Master Your Day

When you rise in the morning, write freely until you reach your daily goal.

Then revise until your writing day is done.

Move on to other things for the rest of the day. Life experience is essential to good writing.

Carry a notepad while you enjoy your evening. Add ideas and outlines to it. Transfer the best from the notepad into your writing files at the end of the day.

So immerse yourself in your art that you dream about it.

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Master Yourself

Others are ruled by their passions, instincts and lusts. Let your passion be your art. Your instinct to create. Your lust a lust for success.

A happy life demands control of the animal side. Work toward what you would accomplish. Great effort brings great success.

Place your focus on what you would achieve. Do not focus on what you do not want to do. What you focus on is what you will move toward.

Focus on the good. Focus on your art. Focus on success.

Master yourself. Master your craft.

Article text and graphic copyright 2009 David Arthur Smith.

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While putting together my next film I couldn’t help entertain myself by making this short. I love the music – theme tune to Gerry & Sylvia Anderson’s 70s TV show UFO.

Check it out at Metacafe

or below on YouTube. Don’t forget you can also join the Microfilm page on Facebook.

I’m getting stoked about the possible “collaberation”.  After several e-mails with the producer/director, I have a good idea of what he wants to create.  I’m actually going to go to the library today and start research.

But, because I’ve never gone through anything like this, I still have questions that make me hesitant.  So I’ve asked the questions and we’ll see…

If you are embarking on this type of project, don’t be afraid to ask questions.   Satisfy yourself before you immerse yourself…

What is expected of you, the writer?   Will you own the script when it is written?  How will you be compensated for its use?   How will  disagreement’s during the script’s creation be resolved?    What if a member of the “collaboration team” can’t perform?  What happens if YOU can’t perform (family illness or something like that)?  What kind of experience do other members of the team have?

One part of me wants to  jump into this project feet first!    On the surface it’s a great opportunity.  But screenwriters know that  every screenplay we write takes part of our life, bits of our soul, so I’m being hesitant.  Perhaps it’s self-protection.  Perhaps it’s dumb.  Perhaps it’s really wise.

It’s another step on my “screenwriter’s journey”.

NGC 602 and Beyond, Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team

What could be more glamorous than being a screenwriter. Just think about it; you get to hang out in Hollywood, get to meet all sorts of interesting people, get paid lots of money, attend Oscar ceremonies and maybe even you are really good (and lucky) pick up an award every now and then. Does this scenario sound a little too good true? I hope it does, because though all these things are possible, it just might be the case that screenwriting is the most difficult of  writing professions to break into.

And what is really also surprising is that screenwriting is the most regimented of all the writing professions. In fact it is so regimented that there are available software programs that create for you the basic outline of a 120 page screenplay. Remember this is the standard length for screenplays, because two hours is a good length of time for a feature film. Anything longer and your screenplay gets bounced out of the stack (at least that’s what I’ve read), but you can go a little bit shorter than the standard 120 pages and still be in the ballgame.

The Fairy of Eagle Nebula, Credit: The Hubble Heritage Team, (STScI/AURA), ESA, NASA

But alas all is not loss for there are successful screenwriters in this world. For an interesting inside look at the profession, check out these two guys here who made the grade. There names are Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio and you can find there fascinating blog here. And be sure to read their fascinating column called Throwin’ In the Towel. They really lay it on the line about what it takes to be a screenwriter. Their writing style is lively and upbeat, and their story is fascinating, for these two guys started out writing a while back. They set a goal of if nothing sold within five years, then they would “throw in the towel” and try something else. But believe it or not they slowly became successful adding such credits to their name as “Shrek”, Aladdin, Little Monsters, The Mask of Zorro and much more. Check out there blog for a fascinating look inside the screenwriter’s world from two successful writers.

Not everyone succeeds and just to get an idea of how rocky the road can get you need check out the story of a screenwriter, who almost made it. Her name is Lorelei Armstrong and you can follow her fascinating story at this site. It seems that Lorelei was a graduate from the UCLA film school who won over 10,000 dollars in various screenwriting contests, but who still could not break into the film industry as a writer. Instead she has gone the route of being a novelist and that whole adventure is discussed at another site of hers. You can also read excerpts from her novel or order the book online. The book is called “In The Face” and it is about Hollywood.

So there you are. My take on the ups and downs of Hollywood. It’s a very unique place indeed.

I received an email yesterday from a filmmaker about collaborating on a feature script.   I am so jazzed about this opportunity that I can hardly find words to express…

Don’t ask me who or what or when but, believe me, I am totally excited about this potential opportunity.  And, of course, if it pans out, any plans I had for the next few months will change.

But, I’m flexible and can “go with the flow” (such an outdated saying but one that says it all!).

Anyway, if it truly develops into a full-fledged opportunity I will record my experience as thoroughly as the relationship  allows!  Subscribe to this blog and follow  my ”journey”!

I’m sitting here rewatching a movie I watched last night. IN THE LOOP, a British political farce that was made this year. It’s hilarious. Watching it the second time, now that I know the plot, it’s even more interesting. With my tiny pea brain, I can follow it!

It’s chaotic and confusing and really, really funny. I wonder how the hell they got anybody to understand what the hell they were planning to do — without actually making the movie. It’s so jumpy / cutty that I can’t see how it would be understandable on paper. Certainly it would be impossible to pitch.

It’s based on a television series, so they did have some precedent. Makes it easier.

It’s an ensemble film. Lots of people cross-cutting and then it jumps from London to Washington and New York. Then more people show up. And it gets more complex and moves faster.

What’s great about it, among other things, is how each character’s dialogue is so separate from everyone else’s. The characters are distinct, WILDLY different from each other, and I bet it is right there on the page.

Also, the characters are people we have not seen before. Especially the foul mouthed character played by Peter Capaldi. Whoa! Can that guy cuss! In fact, everybody is wholly distinct, separate from everybody else. Even the small characters are cool, funny, distinct and (drum roll) different from any character we’ve seen before. This is NOTHING like the folks on West Wing!

The tiny details in the scenes are really great. Getting in and out of most of the scenes is a tiny bit, like being unable to pay a hotel porter more than two one dollar bills… and the level of gentle absurdity is pretty high. A Pentagon general and a woman assistant secretary of state are at a party and want to talk in private, so they go upstairs to the kid’s room and have their high level discussion sitting on the edge of the bed… and need to add some military figures, and use the child’s calculator to calculate troop strength… and it makes silly noises when they punch in the numbers. It’s HILARIOUS.

Someone was definitely on the ball.

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, Oscar season has begun, and as I (as a member of the Writers Guild of America) get to go to the movies for free, I’ll be seeing lots of movies between now and Oscar night. Perhaps you will benefit from what I discover in the dark rooms of a movie theater near me.

I love, love love just adore going to the movies for free!

Signed, Eloise Akers

I’ve invested quite some money on screenwriting events. Expo 5, 6 and 7, Final Draft, Sherwood Oaks classes. I’d compare them all to the writing courses (except for the CS Open) – lots of talks, some interesting networking, nice people most of the time, but in the end a waste of time.

Glad I count that money as “vacations travels”. I never pitched except for a manager at the Final Draft event – too daunting doing a five-minutes speech in a foreign language (Final Draft allowed me 15 minutes, that’s why I “dared”). And from what I heard, not many succeed at these pitch fests.

Competitions are probably another waste of time and money, although I did some in the last couple of years (mostly the ones that gave also some sort of feedback, sometimes for a fee, sometimes not) and I do intend to try the Nicholl Fellowship at least once.

So, what will I do with all my scripts? I don’t know yet. Maybe I’ll “novelize” them (which I already did with the first one), or maybe I’ll just leave them in a drawer along with other abandoned projects.

One or two things I’ve learned: even if I sell a spec script, it’s going to be rewritten; it’s only a sample and then I’ll be hired to rewrite other people’s stories; until I become a writer-director I won’t have any control on my script-babies. So, let them lie low for some other time. I better go back to markets I’m more familiar with.

Nail biting you got me again!  It hurts after you get to where the nail is connected with the rest of the finger, but how else do you grossly and awkwardly halt boredom?  I’ve heard of bitter stuff you put on your nails to get you to stop biting them, but that reminds me a little too much of sour apple spray you train a dog with.

I’ve been way too late since whenever I first wrote about my lack of sleep due to not sleeping and then waking up early.  Recently, I’ve been trying to put together my ideal soundtrack for what would play during Grizzly Skag Bear.

Here are three songs that would definitely be on the soundtrack:

Say Anything – Woe

Weezer – El Scorcho

A Day To Remember – NJ Legion Iced Tea

Those are some starters.  Write you’re own movie if you want to create your own made up soundtrack.

The first correct response is the only one that counts.

Clue: this person is famous (but shouldn’t be)

It just goes to show that if you know the right people, even the most untalented people in the world can get a job where they get to meet and interview cool people, cool bands, and all without any hint of personality or anything that would add anything to the conversations.  The stereotypical “frat boy” image wasn’t cool or funny or entertaining to begin with, but you kept on with it.  Did you just hear laughter at one of your “jokes”…. No?  Neither did I.  Naturally, you’re on Twitter, with nothing to say.

That’s all the info you get.

Out of sight, out of mind right?  As soon as I get back to Bloomington, and see a few people I haven’t in a while, Winona is hardly an after thought.  I can focus again.  I even did homework on a holiday.  Sadly, the movie will have to wait until some other priorities are taken care of.  Yes, I discovered what those are.

A friend of  mine introduced me to The Avett Brothers, and their album I and Love and You.  The title track is incredible.  I could listen to it for days straight and not get sick of it.  The rest of the album is just as good.  Those guys prove that bands today do give a shit about the music they make and produce.  If I could, I would open the movie with one of their songs.

Thanksgiving was great.  I talked to a lot of relatives I don’t normally get to talk with regularly.  It’s felt like a lot longer day than it’s really been, but thats most likely from the food.

George Bernard Shaw once wrote that plot was the creation, manoeuvering and destruction of relationships between characters. Plot is derived from character and it’s sole purpose is to drive the story so the character can attempt to achieve their goal. Every scene in your script must either reveal something about the character and advance the story. Flat scenes become boring and lose your audeince. Here are some plot devices that can pique your plot:

• DANGER – I cannot stress this one enough. It can be moral danger such as deciding to cheat on your spouse, or physical danger such as being trapped in a burning house. Raise the stakes and make your character earn their goal and pay for their mistakes. Give them insecurities, flaws, problems and issues we can all relate to. Make them fall into a ditch that they must crawl out of. A common plot device in action films is to either have multiple things go wrong at once or sequentially. The victim tries to escape, but they can’t find the keys to the car so they break in. Then there’s a flat battery so the can’t hot wire it to start. Then there’s no cell phone coverage… What’s needed may not arrive in time or not arrive at all. Oftentimes, dramatists use a Deus Ex Machina (literally God from the machine) whereby some life saving event occurs just in the nick of time before all is lost. Make sure this isn’t a lucky co-incidence or your audience will never forgive you.

• TIME BOMB - Give your characters a ticking time clock where something seriously bad will happen if they don’t achieve a goal. Maybe there isn’t enough time to defuse the bomb? Perhaps the main character doesn’t know how to defuse the bomb. Maybe the main character isn’t even aware of the bomb. Does the audience know? Giving either the audience or the main character such a superior position adds intrigue and interest. Alternatively, the main character can simply run out of options to achieve their goal rather than out of time.

• CONFESSION – After deep humiliation make your character confess to a secret, shortcoming, wound or a deep seeded fear or shame. Maybe they realise the error of their ways and take responsibility for their actions. Consider your audience. Being born out of wedlock is generally not considered a shameful act in the Western world. Forcing a pregnant unwed couple to marry may be acceptable is some cultures, but not in others. Play with morality in your plot. The beauty of it is that it’s never clearly right or wrong like a maths problem. Is it wrong to kill someone? What if they killed your family? What if it is in self defense?

• BETRAYAL – The hero’s buddy changes sides or is revealed as a traitor. What if the main character doesn’t realise this, or does so when it’s too late? What if the traitor leads them into a trap?

• DILEMMA – The hero is forced to make a choice between two equally bad alternatives. Consider the family with premature Siamese twins who must decide which one survives and which one doesn’t. What if the main character consciously decides not to act because they are faced with issues of duty for the higher good? Or even love?

• OBSTACLES – External influences such as bad weather or natural disasters forcing them to stop. Car or other vital piece of machinery breaks down and a replacement part is not immediately forthcoming. What if their progress is stalled due to injury, illness or other physical condition such as pregnancy or diabetes? What if someone in their team is killed or kidnapped? Running out of bullets, money, food, air all add to the excitement of danger.

• DISCOVERY – The element of surprise and shock always jolts your audience. Examples of this include a cover been blown of an undercover cop, the presence of an intruder being noticed, an escalating lie has been revealed. A discovery must pivot your story into a new direction, not simply act as a minor irritant. Remember the scene in “Mad Men” where Betty discovers Don’s true identity by opening a locked drawer? She didn’t sigh and carry on, she left him. Discoveries can also be wild goose chases. Following the wrong lead, the wrong map or the wrong advice.

• LOVE – Due to it’s universality, love will always add to a plot. What if a past lover returns? Consider Jodie Foster in “Sommersby”, when she tells her returned “husband” that he’s not the man she married because she didn’t love him like she loves the impostor. Add a love triangle; one bride versus two grooms. Add gender swaps, such as “Tootsie” who had enamored a man who thinks she’s a woman. Also consider the third wheel. The buddy who suddenly becomes the bride’s love interest when he reveals his true self. Love is also used to tame a savage, misanthropic heart.

• TRAITS – Give your character some endearing traits so the audience can partially overlook their negative ones. Give them courage, give them love. give them scruples so they are fighting for a good cause where the collateral damages justifies the cause, make them perform a good deed, make them desirable such as handsome, physical and funny. Make them spiritual, generous and wise. Ensure it all emerges from a place of truth and authenticity. Audiences retract from phonies. Give them fears, traumas which block their growth, masks which prevent other characters from seeing their real self.

• LIKES – Make your characters like children, animals and art. Give them great taste in cars, partners, houses, music, fashion, food and overall lifestyle. Audiences tend to admire what they aspire to be or what they perceive to be desirable.

So go forth and beef up those plotlines.

posted by: pol

El desesperado amor de Paul Varjak

Aunque mucho se ha hablado ya de la fantástica Breakfast at Tiffany’s, no me resisto a inaugurar la serie de “Diálogos para el Recuerdo” con la conocida declaración de amor de Paul a Holly en un taxi neoyorquino. Una escena climática que no se me va de la cabeza…

I know promised to write this yesterday but then Man proposes and God disposes. Yesterday was a terribly hectic day and I got no time at all. Anyhow, here it is. Enjoy!

My next story is going to be about a vampire who’s in love with girl who’s human. The antagonist is going to be a Marathi Manoos werewolf who wants to kill the vampire because he’s a Bhayya. He wants to kill the girl because she called Mumbai Bombay to express solidarity with her lover.

How this helps:

Raj Thackeray takes affront and decides to express his outrage by vandalising bookstores and burning copies of your book in illustrative / intimidatory bonfires. Of course, this results in loss of revenue but it also guarantees publicity. Publicity that you can’t otherwise buy. Your book starts getting talked about and people who otherwise wouldn’t have bought it queue up to buy. It all works out.

Now, the flip side:

What if Raj Thackeray isn’t interested? What if the issue is not worth his time?

Enter the failsafe:

The vampire-girl duo are on the run and take shelter with some friendlies. Did I say friendlies? Not quite. You see, those friendlies are actually Jehadi Lychans who have an agenda of their own.  And their plan is to drill a hole all the way into the Earth’s core and plant a zillion megaton nuclear bomb there. Of course, you can’t drill a hole all the way to the Earth’s core but figure out a revolutionary new technology that does it anyway. For ideas, look up the film The Core.

Now, why would the Lychans shelter our protagonists? There can be two reasons. One, well, the werewolves with their heretic ideology are their enemies and any enemy of an enemy is a friend. Two, the journey to the centre of the Earth is fraught with peril and they need stooges to do it for them.

Meanwhile the Sun is flaring up out of control, and shooting tiny neutrinos into the Earth which is heating up the crust intolerably.

While our protagonists are with the Lychans, introduce a brilliant, sensitive Lychan painter who paints nude werewolf goddesses. 

Meanwhile, the werewolves catch up with the protagonists. While they are in Lychan territory, they stumble upon the painter’s works. Of course, once that happens, they do what comes naturally to them. They destroy the paintings. In the midst of the destruction, however, in a fit of petulance, the werewolf leader, an accomplished cartoonist, stops to draw some offensive sketches of the Lychan god.

How does it all end? How do I know? I haven’t thought of everything yet.

All I know is your book gets released. All castes and communities unite in calling for a universal ban on the book. Now join hands with a pirate on a revenue share basis. Now sit back and watch your bank balance grow.

Sigh. If only I could get someone to publish it. Sigh, maybe I’ll go to the Danish cartoon guys.

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. . Photo courtesy of Tracy Collins under creative commons license.

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Writing a Screenplay: Part 3 of 4 – Second Drafts

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The second draft is all about editing. Experienced writers go through the first draft looking for several types of writing mistakes. Spelling errors, grammar problems, run on sentences and paragraphs that need rewrites all get addressed in one pass. Then they set it aside for a short time, review it again and call it final.

Many writers don’t stop at one pass through the first draft. Some go through it again and again tweaking the story and making corrections. I’m one of those. I continue going over the piece until I have a pass where I can only find minor corrections and then I call it final.

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Editing

All the details of technically correct writing could fill a book. Several books. There are many style guides available. Perhaps the best ever written is Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style”. It’s only about 128 pages long and you can find it at all major booksellers. The original was by William Strunk only and you can browse the full text for free here.

If you do a search for writing tips, you will find thousands of writers putting out articles to help you write better. Where did they learn it? Trial, error and books. Lots of books. Amazon has close to one million books on writing. Don’t despair if you feel like you’re not a good enough writer to do your own editing. Keeping reading and writing. Every author must write a lot before producing good quality marketable work.

Orson Scott Card has said, “Since every writer has about ten thousand pages of utter drivel in them, you might as well start now so you can get a good portion of that out of your way while you’re still young. After all, you learn more about writing from writing a 100,000 word manuscript than you ever will from any writing class or writing book.” Read the entire interview here.

Do the best you can. Just as your writing will improve with practice, so will your editing skills.

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Formatting Revisited

I searched my favorite screenwriting sites and picked out seven good articles on screenwriting. More than you need to know to get started.

All About Screenwriting – “Basic Screenplay Structure”

Screenplay Mastery – “Quick Tips”

Scriptwriters Network – “Feature Script Format”

Writers Store – “Formatting Scripts to Sell”

BBC Writer’s Room – “Screenplay Format”. This one’s a pdf.

Screenwriting Secrets – “Script Format Sample”

Script Links – “Basic Screenplay Format”

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What About My Word Count?

I said I had ways around the low daily word count I get when I work on second drafts. It’s one of the methods I use to prevent writer’s block. I have several projects on the go at once. By switching between preparation, first draft writing and second draft editing/revising, my daily word count is fairly steady.

The next article will deal with the final draft.

Article text copyright 2009 David Arthur Smith.

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]]> http://keerdo.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/screenwriterasdiplomat/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:17:50 +0000 Margit http://keerdo.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/screenwriterasdiplomat/

Simon Beaufoy, the screenwriter of The Full Monty (1997) and Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and Peter Bloore – an academic, consultant, screenwriter and director – talked about the relationship between the screenwriter and “the others” (director, producer, financiers, etc.) during the development of a screenplay.

Going to a script meeting?

In the earlier stages of his career, Beaufoy often lost control over his screenplay, which went on to go through smaller and bigger changes in the hands of whoever and often with dire consequences. Such as Blow Dry (2001) with Alan Rickman – a film reported to be terrible – that Beaufoy has never seen. Beaufoy found himself constantly being defensive, “protecting” his work, so that it wouldn’t get “ruined” by the others, it was like always wearing a helmet to a meeting, but he started becoming more flexible over time and learned to get over the anger.

Instead of thinking of it as people “ruining” your work you should adapt and take on other people’s ideas without thinking of it as “ruining” the story – because the core of the story, the original idea will remain the same. It can be hard to incorporate some ideas and that then needs to be discussed, don’t let other people assume you’ve just ignored their notes. There can be an area, a sort of no man’s land, between the screenwriter and the others (editors, financiers, sales agents) where they meet. The screenwriter needs to be a diplomat because that way s/he is able to keep the project moving forward.

Simon Beaufoy

Everyone needs to feel like they’ve gained something at the meeting, so that everyone will leave the meeting feeling happy. No one can gain everything and at some point someone has to give up something but everything can be negotiated. It’s very important not to lose momentum because the project might come to a halt. The momentum doesn’t depend on the producer alone but on the screenwriter as well.

The only thing that needs protecting and fighting for is the core of the story – the soul of the story, the thing that makes it original. Everything else around it can be changed. The rest of it can be sacrificed. The fact is that with more money there’s a bigger responsibility and more people will want to make sure the project is as good as possible.

After several flops, Beaufoy decided to make a low-budget film on which he could have total control over everything.  It was one of the best projects he’s ever done. The development process was reversed – first they got the money and then they started figuring out what they can do with it, and the script was written only after casting and doing workshops. This is the future of independent cinema – low-budget films that you can make by yourself.

What happens when a project goes from one company to another? First you’re alone or with your producer, then other people from outside start coming in with their ideas, TV channels have their priorities – you constantly have to adapt but also keep the project the same. It’s always important to keep it moving forward.

Also, you don’t have to change everything they tell you. If you change half of it, they’re happy. You can negotiate the rest. The story is not going to improve if you adapt too much. Don’t change everything. You also need to explain why you haven’t changed everything, so that they wouldn’t feel alienated.

Don’t react to notes right away during a meeting (saying things like “what?! Have they read the bloody thing?”) but remain calm and digest it. You can also request they send you the notes a week before the meeting and on one sheet so that they can sort out any conflicting notes amongst themselves. Thank them for taking time to read it and giving notes. Usually, the notes have been carefully thought thought but just badly put into words (which is what makes you angry). Tell them you need time to think about it and you’ll get back in touch with them. In a meeting, keep it moving forward. Try to avoid saying things like “no”, “I can’t”, or “fucking idiot”. Writing is a fragile, vulnerable process, and when you have to open up to a group of strangers the comments will hurt because they touch you personally.

Peter Bloore

For example, Channel4 didn’t want Slumdog Millionaire to be an R-rated film (because less people would see it) and wanted to cut some of the violent scenes (involving eyes) but after negotiating and making good arguments for keeping those scenes in for dramatic purposes they agreed and the scenes remained in the script.

Beaufoy started out as a documentary film-maker and knows that you need to feel the authenticity of what you’re making, and he wouldn’t have made Slumdog Millionaire without that. He went to India, walked around the slums, talking to people and asked their opinions. He didn’t want to make a National Geographic cover picture, he wanted it to feel real. That was part of the reason why some the changes didn’t go through.

They also had a meeting with the author of the game show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” who protested against the way the game show was depicted.  The film-makers didn’t want the film to be a huge advertisement for the game and created an unpleasant host but the author didn’t like it because the hosts are always very pleasant. This is an example of how a bad reaction can halt the process. Then, together with the author they discussed how to make the host nasty – and together, they found a solution, and everyone was happy. Had they gone off and fought the author, it wouldn’t have had a positive outcome and certainly not a quick one. But because the author himself was involved in the process of making changes in the story, it worked out fine.

The screenwriter needs to remember that s/he has a great influence over the flow and momentum of the project. Everyone should feel that they gain something from a meeting. You need to keep it moving forward, take on other people’s points of view, and take risks (risks for financiers) in order to be creative!

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Notes from this and other Screenwriters’ Festival sessions, visit Vera Mark’s inkblog.

Have a look at other notes from the Screenwriters Festival:
Part 1: Chris Jones and Doug Chamberlain
Part 2: Making a Living as a Writer
Part 3: Armando Iannucci and Kevin Loader on In The Loop

Cheltenham Screenwriters Festival website

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Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving!   There are many things that we, as screenwriters, can be grateful for.  On this Thanksgiving, take a moment and ponder…

Freedom of Speech  and how you can write whatever YOU want. 

How computers have made rewriting easier.  Can you imagine having to retype every page that you need to rewrite!   OR, putting a screenplay on paper using nothing but a pencil?

Research is faster with help from the internet.   But don’t forget the beauty of your local library and be thankful for that, too.

Readers, the people who read what we write … our family, our internet buddies, friends in our writer’s groups.

And our lives.   All our experiences that we draw from as we write.  Our imaginations, wild and crazy as they are.   Our loves and our fears.  Our challenges and our gifts.

Screenwriters be thankful.  And after you eat some turkey, get back to work and finish that feature!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Winona is a ghost town again.  Sometimes it’s called “summer”.  It’s worse than summer now, though.  At least it’s green, warm, and the sun doesn’t go down at 4 in the afternoon.  A person just feels limited if they can’t go outside and enjoy the day past 4PM.

This Thanksgiving holiday will be plenty of time to definitely maybe start writing the movie again.  It’s priority number 5 behind researching stereotyping in advertising, finishing up my portfolio for advertising, painting some stuff I’m a bit behind on, and creating a webpage for my internet com class.

I’m looking forward to seeing some family members I haven’t seen in a long while.  You know, those family members you only see 2-4 times a year.  They’re the ones I actually look forward to seeing.  I highly doubt the family members I could care less about seeing know how to operate computers.

What’s that?  Bloody Mary’s you say?  Why yes, I believe I’ll have 3.  At twin cities prices though.  I just hope we don’t run into that prick of a bartender that looked like a skinnier Jon Gosselin, but was still just as big of a douche bag.  If you don’t want a 5% tip or less, then I suggest smiling at the very least, and not looking so deliberately disinterested.  And I wonder how those people are hired for jobs before me….?  Someone please tell me if my fly is down or if I, for some reason, have a swastika on my cheek next time I go in for an interview, please.

Word

http://www.pitchq.com

If you go here, there is a little place that says GuestCode where you can put in the following: thx1138  This will take you to my pitch, which you can then watch and rate.

You can also mock my marginal public speaking skills and how weird the pitch of my voice is in real life versus how it sounds in my head.  I mean, you don’t know that, but trust me.  I will also not talk about how I blink one eye more than the other and talk about of one side of my mouth more than the other.  Because, you don’t care.

Also, check out the face I’m making in the still frame.

-_-;;

Credit to Dave ‘F**king’ Coates for the awesome title to this next entry. Apparently those constitute being a screenwriter. I am inclined to a certain extent to agree.

Anyway, I’m still sitting in the library, still working on this sodding essay. The word count is fine. The quotes are not. I want around 4 quotes and a couple of statistics, but do I have energy to look for them? Not a chance. I’d rather be at home, in bed with a cup of tea and someone to watch a film with. Too much to ask? I think not.

DAMN YOU BOTTEN ANNA!!! Just thought I’d get that in. Heard the damn song in Sweden years ago and its crept back into my head and won’t go away. That and “2 x 4″ by Metallica.

Got a rehearsal for ‘Ungry tomorrow, hopefully going to get some of the cast acting and getting used to each other on a set. Might even bring the camera along to get them used to that, as well as trying out some camera angles for the actual shoot. Must remember to take pictures of the cast so they have a particular outfit and stick to it, for purposes of continuity. No haircuts people!

Anyway, must get back to this bastard essay and get it done, I don’t want to be thinking about this tonight.

Well…working hard on the script…and have to admit it’s scaring the crap out of me.  To use “hollywood-speak” the tone is a cross between AUDITION and THE SEVENTH SEAL.  Which if I heard someone else speak those words, I’d honestly laugh out loud.

It’s a dark film.  A very dark film.  One that explores death and fetishes, and what we do to feel less alone, to turn ourselves on, to stay alive.

Will be sitting down with Lynn Mancinelli this weekend for the first time, to pick her brain and bring more of her personality to the pages.

I approached the content of Seattle writer/director Lynn Shelton’s Humpday with some trepidation – in America pretty much the worst thing you can say (or even imply) about a straight man is that he may have some sexual interest in another man. You can see this in evidence in everything from homophobic stand-up comedy to sports trash-talking to films about straight men posing as gays to gain some special right or privilege (or the girl). What I did not want to see was yet another gay-bashing disguised as comedy. I was delighted to find the subject treated in an honest, sensitive and thoughtful manner in the knowing and funny film Humpday.

Dealing with issues of identity and choices beyond sex and sexuality, Humpday chronicles the reunion of college buddies Ben and Andrew. One has taken a more conventional path including marriage, a house and talk of having children. The other has followed the path of the Beat generation artists and poets, traveling around the world with no particular goal in mind but the trip itself. Their assumptions about one another are challenged as are their doubts about themselves and the choices they have made.

Shelton’s script is beautifully crafted and realized. Knowing a bit about the film from reviews and word-of-mouth, I wondered through the first half hour or so how she was going to pull this off. Natural, believable characters unfold as their relationships bend and twist and evolve, revealing surprising truths about love and friendship and sex. Strong performances from the cast, including Shelton’s own luminous supporting role as free-spirited Monica, demonstrate the director’s skillful,  subtle touch. Alycia Delmore’s turn as Anna, the patient wife struggling to understand her husband and herself and what it means to be married, brings a focus and clarity that is clever and satisfying. Mark Duplass and Joshua Leonard ultimately carry  the day though, delivering what feels like a single seamless performance in their critical scenes together. Their chemistry is just right, as is this enjoyable AND intelligent film.

Humpday is available on Netflix.

Since the holiday season is upon us, thought I’d create a “gift list” to use when shopping for your writer friends – or yourselves.

This list is very simple: 30 Books (Plus One) Every Writer Should Own. I realize this is subjective, but it encompasses the type of material we need when working on our books, articles, essays or other projects. This list is also designed to spark new ideas, or to further exploration of ideas you already have.

In the list, you will find several self-help writing books, collections of conversations with authors, memoirs, technical books, books addressing other creative genres (music and art, specifically), and works written by some of the greatest authors.

While I would love to include my own writing books in this list – Writes of Life and The Write Time … that’s not for me to judge. One day, someone might create a list that includes them.

In no particular order, here is the list, with personal impressions from my experience as an author, poet, journalist, editor and writing teacher. You can order them through Amazon.com or your local bookstore. Take this list with you during Black Friday or Online Monday (or whatever they call it). Also, let me know what you would add to this list – I’ll run your suggestions and any comments in a future blog.

1 & 2. On Becoming a Novelist and On Writers and Writing, by John Gardner. We start with a bang – a two-for-one. No novelist has ever conveyed the craft and writing life better; then again, he was perhaps the nation’s most refined fiction writer and teacher of fiction at the time of his death in 1982.

3. Writers Dreaming, by Naomi Epel. Conversations with noted authors on their dreams, plots or ideas that came from dreams, and how they work with their dreams. A vital read if you, like me, believe the 6 to 8 non-waking hours of the day contribute mightily to the writing process.

4 & 5. Storycatcher: The Power of Story to Change Our Lives, by Christina Baldwin. Reading and working the prompts in this book is like drinking nectar, further flavored by your own words when they spin together perfectly. In other words, this book does magical things to one’s ability to journal, write an essay or story, and heal. Life’s Companion: Journal Writing as a Spiritual Quest is another Baldwin title worth owning.

6. The Elements of Style, by William Strunk and E.B. White. After nearly a century, this book remains a staple of working writers and teachers. Its greatest value might be in emphasizing the need to write tight – crisp, concise, to the point.

7 & 8. Punctuation for Writers, by Harvey Stanbrough. This book deserves a spot on every writer’s desktop alongside The Elements of Style. It presents punctuation as a timely, valuable asset to every written sentence, rather than the necessary evil we first met in grammar school. Whenever I write a book, this gem sits on my desktop. An alternate Stanbrough pick: Writing Realistic Dialogue & Flash Fiction.

9. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard. In my opinion, one of the best memoirs ever written. I’ve read it 10 times, and counting. This masterpiece brings together nature, voice, observation, listening, creating, inner feelings, outer environment, hubris and hope … and every word sparkles with brilliance. What else is there? If you want more Dillard, go with Three By Annie Dillard – a collection that also includes An American Childhood, and The Writing Life.

10. A Natural History of the Senses, by Diane Ackerman. This is a tremendous book on how the physical senses play out in the natural world, and how we can attune better to our own senses … a critical aspect of deep writing. Some of the stories of how animals use their senses are breathtaking – and reminders of how much more sense-itive we can (and should) become as writers.

11. Color: A Natural History of the Palette, by Victoria Finlay. This book contains a history of primary colors, how they were mixed for artists since prehistoric times, and the fascinating stories behind the substances and creators of these colors. A great book of observation, journalism and craftsmanship. Good writers always form close alliances with color and tone; here’s a wonderful map into that journey.

12. Library: An Unquiet History, by Matthew Battles. I believe every writer should know basic library science and library history – and this book provides a wonderfully off-beat account of both. From Sumeria to your local library, the adventures of the printed word and its storage – and the wars fought over books – could not be better told.

13. The Browser’s Book of Beginnings, by Charles Panati. As writers, we should know the origins of every subject about which we write – and the etymology of the historical words we use. The incredible material can either be used in your works – or prompt little “archaeological” digs of your own. An alternate selection: The Book of Lists, by David Wallechinsky.

14. Writer’s Market, by Writer’s Digest Books. Between the great articles on marketing, editing and craft, and the thousands of publishing listings, how can any working writer not operate with this book close at hand?

15. 1001 Ways to Market Your Books, by John Kremer. John has been teaching marketing workshops to writers for a long time, and this book has become a staple for working writers nationwide. In this era of online communities and direct author involvement in promotion and marketing, its importance has never been greater. Writing today means doing good business; you will find a number of strong marketing strategies for your book in here.

16 & 17. Dimensions of a Life, ed. Jon Halpern. Written to honor great poet-essayist Gary Snyder on his 60th birthday, this collection of essays, stories and poems by more than 70 contributors focuses on aspects of Snyder’s life, work, personality, cultural influences, and more. It’s like taking 70 gemologists, peeling a diamond open, and seeing how that diamond comes together, one side at a time. Alternate selection for fans of Beat poetry and literature: Lighting the Corners, featuring the works and conversations of Michael McClure.

18. The Language of Life, by Bill Moyers. The subject of a 1995 PBS special, this book features conversations with 25 great current poets. In it, you will see how writers and poets develop voice, and read priceless insights on observation, imagery and craft.

19. Henry Miller on Writing, by Henry Miller. This book changed my writing life; I learned to really finish my book manuscripts after reading it. One of the 20th century’s most prolific writers and artists shares his take on the art and craft of writing – and the insights and tips fall from every page like fruit trees perpetually in season.

20. The Crossing Point, by Mary Caroline Richards. Every writer, teacher, artist, artisan, poet and those concerned with the creative process would do well to own this book of essays, talks, poems and musings by one of the 20th century’s greatest purveyors of personal creativity (and part of the famed Black Mountain literary movement). My copy is hopelessly ripped, underlined and dog-eared from extensive use; I can feel my creative electrons jumping each time I open this book.

21. How To Think Like Leonardo DaVinci, by Michael Gelb. Here it is, in a single hardback book: the visual imprint of the creative mind and creative process. Its exploration of the ultimate Renaissance man brings out the creator in all of us. This book is filled with page after page of creative inspiration; I can’t last more than four pages at a time without putting it down and writing to exhaustion.

22. A Writer’s Diary, by Virginia Woolf. The beauty of this diary is that we truly see the inner triumphs and struggles of a great literary figure – but also how every minute of every day was spent writing or gathering the seeds for future works. A great look at the inner world of the perpetually working writer.

23. The Gang That Wouldn’t Write Straight, by Marc Weingarten. The story of the New Journalists – the writers to whom every current journalist, memoirist and narrative non-fiction author owes a debt of gratitude. Beginning with Norman Mailer and Truman Capote, these were the pioneers of incorporating fiction-writing and deep inner personal feelings into non-fiction work.

24. The Language Instinct: How Mind Creates Language, by Stephen Pinker. During our growth as writers, we realize more and more how vital it is to understand the nuances of language, its im-pressions as well as ex-pressions. This book, written by a renowned linguist, shows the way. Read it, and you will find yourself listening to every person’s spoken word more closely – and capturing it more completely in your next piece of writing.

25. Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg. A modern classic for writers seeking the deeper, inner places from which to write, and the relationships of their feelings and perceptions to the outside world. The vignettes and essays in this book are tight, concise – and built to prompt you to write.

26. Practicing: A Musician’s Return to Music, by Glenn Kurtz. Music and writing are so closely linked, structurally and creatively, that it behooves every writer listen to music deeply, if not play or study it. But this stellar memoir is about more than music: it is about the art and hard work of practice, and how practice creates ultimate attunement with one’s instrument. In the case of writers, that means written vocabulary and voice.

27. Bird By Bird, by Anne Lamott. Anne’s deeply felt, highly observant look at the little things in life – a prime topic of both her fiction and non-fiction books – informs this collections of essays/prompts. In it, she shows how she invents verbs to suit the action of the moment – reminding us that we, too, can invent words.

28. Cultural Literacy, by E.D. Hirsch, Jr. While this book is somewhat limited, in that it spells out “only” 5,000 cultural facts or subjects people should know about, I consider it vital reading to every writer who wants to make an imprint on society – and in particular, younger readers. Due to breakdowns in education, funding and the like, writers are in a particularly crucial position of helping to educate and advance our culture. We can develop a strong base with this book.

29. On Writing, by Stephen King. The man who re-invented the horror genre – in both books and films – wrote this heartfelt, deeply informed book to the writer who fights, struggles, bleeds, perseveres and stops at nothing to write … then comes back for more. In other words, a book for all of us.

30. Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting, by Robert McKee. The author put 40 years of screenwriting experience into this book, which rises far beyond the world of the screenplay into something much more universal – the art and craft of writing a compelling story by visualizing a moment and then drawing it out. This book works for all writers. Alternate selection: The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller, by John Truby.

The Bonus Book: On Being a Writer, by Theodore Strickland. This Writer’s Digest Book Club selection is now 20 years old, but just as much of a treasure as the day it was published. It features wide-open conversations with a number of best-selling authors; between them, they canvass and discuss every nook and cranny of the writing process.