Hey everyone and welcome back.
My goals progress on Draft 1 of Temptation is I have just finished Act 1 and I'm heading into Act 2 going towards the midpoint of the story.
I have yet to read a script for review but I will be on Thursday and Friday.
Today's lesson is simply on working on more than one story.
The reason to do this is to help avoid writer's block. While I am currently working on the actual script of my Temptation story I am also working on the story development for another one. This one I am using the process as laid out in The Coffee Break Screenwriter by Pilar Alessandra. I'll let you all know how it goes.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Save The Cat Strikes Back
For you screenwriters who have been living under a rock you have most definitely heard of the late great Blake Snyder's Save The Cat franchise from the earlier two books Save The Cat, the last book on screenwriting you'll ever need and Save The Cat Goes To The Movies, The Screenwriter's Guide to Every Story Ever Told.
Prior to his untimely death last year Blake finished the third book in his series Save The Cat Strikes Back, More Trouble for Screenwriters to get into . . . and Out of.
He teaches structure but in a thoroughly entertaining way which is why I loved the first book so much. As well as the second. I bought the third book with a little trepidation - I mean how can he better the first two?
Well he did. By following his own advice to "give us the same but different" he expanded on the concept.
Not just to make a good logline but how to do it and why as well. The why to make a killer logline is that it's pretty much the elevator pitch - where you have twenty seconds (if that) to sell your story.
Some other aspects include:
Before there's any comments about structure you must remember how important it is. In order for a house to be solid you need it to have a formula or sound structure.
Knowing story structure for writers is like knowing scales for musicians.
So get a good grasp on structure and proper screenplay format and keep attempting to come up with good stories.
Prior to his untimely death last year Blake finished the third book in his series Save The Cat Strikes Back, More Trouble for Screenwriters to get into . . . and Out of.
He teaches structure but in a thoroughly entertaining way which is why I loved the first book so much. As well as the second. I bought the third book with a little trepidation - I mean how can he better the first two?
Well he did. By following his own advice to "give us the same but different" he expanded on the concept.
Not just to make a good logline but how to do it and why as well. The why to make a killer logline is that it's pretty much the elevator pitch - where you have twenty seconds (if that) to sell your story.
Some other aspects include:
- He delves further into how to make the third act and finale so strong it'll blow your readers hair back.
- How to keep your story focused. While you can have multiple story arcs going on your main focus should be on one person's viewpoint.
- What to do when you get an agent and how to get one.
- So much more.
Before there's any comments about structure you must remember how important it is. In order for a house to be solid you need it to have a formula or sound structure.
Knowing story structure for writers is like knowing scales for musicians.
So get a good grasp on structure and proper screenplay format and keep attempting to come up with good stories.
Monday, November 1, 2010
November 2010 Goals
Hey all and welcome back to My Screenwriting Journey.
Last month I accomplished one of my goals and that was to enter into the Hollywood Insider Screenwriting Contest put on by The Writer's Store. I met the early bird deadline of October 31st which is why I was unable to complete the first draft/seventh draft of my current script or do five script reviews.
This month I will complete the draft as well as do five script reviews and one screenwriting book review as well.
Check back often.
Last month I accomplished one of my goals and that was to enter into the Hollywood Insider Screenwriting Contest put on by The Writer's Store. I met the early bird deadline of October 31st which is why I was unable to complete the first draft/seventh draft of my current script or do five script reviews.
This month I will complete the draft as well as do five script reviews and one screenwriting book review as well.
Check back often.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Frozen Script Review
Hello and welcome back.
The script review today is for Frozen. Billed as Open Water on a chair lift.
What happens is three friends, two guys Jason and Lynch and one of their girlfriends Parker beg to be let up on the chair lift for one last run at the end of the ski day. The lift is closing early due to bad weather approaching. The lift operator relents and allows them up the ski lift.
The problem comes when that lift operator is relieved to go see "the boss" in the office. He tells the one who relieved him that there are three more coming down. When the operator at the top of the hill announces over the radio that the last chair as arrived. The guy at the bottom of the hill sees three skiers come down and assuming that they're the three who were the last ones up shuts the lift down. The ski hill does not open again until the following Friday.
Now are the three friends are trapped with a storm front coming.
At first they believe they are going to be rescued. When it becomes apparent they have been forgotten the inevitable panic sets in.
They try things to escape their situation only to meet a grim fate.
The lesson to be learned from this script is that it is possible to have a movie take place in only one location and make it riveting. For further proof of this see Buried, Phone Booth and Rear Window.
What you need to show is the passage of time. You also need to have obvious obstacles to an escape, too far to jump off the chair lift. Too far to the next lift tower to climb down the ladder.
And also the obstacle of one of our greatest fears. Predators close by to eat us alive.
I enjoyed the script and will eventually buy the DVD or Blu Ray disc to watch the movie.
The challenge now is to come up with my - and your - own confined spaces script. Probably easier to sell than most as a one location script is very inexpensive to make.
The script review today is for Frozen. Billed as Open Water on a chair lift.
What happens is three friends, two guys Jason and Lynch and one of their girlfriends Parker beg to be let up on the chair lift for one last run at the end of the ski day. The lift is closing early due to bad weather approaching. The lift operator relents and allows them up the ski lift.
The problem comes when that lift operator is relieved to go see "the boss" in the office. He tells the one who relieved him that there are three more coming down. When the operator at the top of the hill announces over the radio that the last chair as arrived. The guy at the bottom of the hill sees three skiers come down and assuming that they're the three who were the last ones up shuts the lift down. The ski hill does not open again until the following Friday.
Now are the three friends are trapped with a storm front coming.
At first they believe they are going to be rescued. When it becomes apparent they have been forgotten the inevitable panic sets in.
They try things to escape their situation only to meet a grim fate.
The lesson to be learned from this script is that it is possible to have a movie take place in only one location and make it riveting. For further proof of this see Buried, Phone Booth and Rear Window.
What you need to show is the passage of time. You also need to have obvious obstacles to an escape, too far to jump off the chair lift. Too far to the next lift tower to climb down the ladder.
And also the obstacle of one of our greatest fears. Predators close by to eat us alive.
I enjoyed the script and will eventually buy the DVD or Blu Ray disc to watch the movie.
The challenge now is to come up with my - and your - own confined spaces script. Probably easier to sell than most as a one location script is very inexpensive to make.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The Green Arrow Script Review
The Green Arrow script by Justin Marks is based on DC Comics characters.
The Green Arrow aka Oliver Queen starts off the story as a rich kid billionaire, an unfortunate event leads him to become a super hero dressed in a costume that goes around fighting crime. In other words he's another Batman.
He gets framed for murder committed by someone else and sent to Super Max Prison. Where he is befriended by another inmate.
The script, well written was basically Prison Break with comic book characters.
What I learned was you can have a premise or plot similar to stuff done before, just put a new twist or hook to the story.
For example Lethal Weapon and Rush Hour were the same plot - two detectives go after a crime syndicate. The story for Lethal Weapon is a retiring detective is forced to take on a suicidal partner.
For Rush Hour is was more or less an action comedy and the different approach to policing between the American detective and the Chinese detective.
So in creating a story start with What If? For example: What if a super hero gets sent to prison?
Do your what ifs and then see if something else has been done before and then try and put a different hook to the story.
The Green Arrow aka Oliver Queen starts off the story as a rich kid billionaire, an unfortunate event leads him to become a super hero dressed in a costume that goes around fighting crime. In other words he's another Batman.
He gets framed for murder committed by someone else and sent to Super Max Prison. Where he is befriended by another inmate.
The script, well written was basically Prison Break with comic book characters.
What I learned was you can have a premise or plot similar to stuff done before, just put a new twist or hook to the story.
For example Lethal Weapon and Rush Hour were the same plot - two detectives go after a crime syndicate. The story for Lethal Weapon is a retiring detective is forced to take on a suicidal partner.
For Rush Hour is was more or less an action comedy and the different approach to policing between the American detective and the Chinese detective.
So in creating a story start with What If? For example: What if a super hero gets sent to prison?
Do your what ifs and then see if something else has been done before and then try and put a different hook to the story.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Update to October's Goals
For those of you not on the Writer's Store mailing list they're putting on a screenwriting contest called "The Industry Insider Screenwriting Contest" located at the following link:
http://www.writersstore.com/industry-insider-screenwriting-contest
The update to my October Goals is that I am going to be working on an application for this contest to see how I do.
All of you aspiring writers should do so as well. Simply because if you don't put your writing out there you'll never know what your strong points and weak points as a writer are.
So go for it. Enter. There will surely be a lot of competition, but you never know, you might get picked.
http://www.writersstore.com/industry-insider-screenwriting-contest
The update to my October Goals is that I am going to be working on an application for this contest to see how I do.
All of you aspiring writers should do so as well. Simply because if you don't put your writing out there you'll never know what your strong points and weak points as a writer are.
So go for it. Enter. There will surely be a lot of competition, but you never know, you might get picked.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
October 2010 Goals
Hello everyone.
This month's goals for October 2010 will be to finish the draft of my screenplay that I'm working on and to read/review five scripts. I haven't been able to accomplish the goal of fifteen scripts so what I'll do is make a more realistic goal as I am still working two jobs along with my screenwriting and blogging.
This month's goals for October 2010 will be to finish the draft of my screenplay that I'm working on and to read/review five scripts. I haven't been able to accomplish the goal of fifteen scripts so what I'll do is make a more realistic goal as I am still working two jobs along with my screenwriting and blogging.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Goliath Script Review
When I read the title to the script I was expecting a story that was going to ram religion down my throat. I was wrong. It was a very good action movie, or at least it will be when it's made, that is faith based.
It had some very good action sequences in it as well as moments when you didn't know a character was going to die, but did.
The only weak point is that the hero, David, starts out as a reluctant hero. He doesn't want the responsibility, he just wants his easy life of being a shepherd. This has been done before along with the people who convince him to join the fight to save Jerusalem
There was good imagery in it too. For example it mentions that an area of Jerusalem is a slum that makes Jakarta look like a five start hotel. Gets the image of the horrible living conditions these people are living in. They're the lowest of the low, the dregs of the society.
What I learned from reading the script is how to finally write a chase scene. For example (not from the movie):
JANE
She runs down the alley and sees that she's got at a dead end. She looks around and sees three dumpsters on each side. A place to hide to postpone or cancel her impending death. She climbs in to the middle one on her right hoping that her pursuer will choose the opposite side.
As she quietly closes the lid she hears footsteps running towards her.
MIKE
Mike enters the alley and sees Jane's nowhere to be found. Could he have guessed the wrong alley? he scans around and sees the dumpsters.
That's one example of how to do it. The basic point to doing a chase scene is that you have to show each character's point of view in it not just one.
I hope you enjoyed today's review and lesson.
It had some very good action sequences in it as well as moments when you didn't know a character was going to die, but did.
The only weak point is that the hero, David, starts out as a reluctant hero. He doesn't want the responsibility, he just wants his easy life of being a shepherd. This has been done before along with the people who convince him to join the fight to save Jerusalem
There was good imagery in it too. For example it mentions that an area of Jerusalem is a slum that makes Jakarta look like a five start hotel. Gets the image of the horrible living conditions these people are living in. They're the lowest of the low, the dregs of the society.
What I learned from reading the script is how to finally write a chase scene. For example (not from the movie):
JANE
She runs down the alley and sees that she's got at a dead end. She looks around and sees three dumpsters on each side. A place to hide to postpone or cancel her impending death. She climbs in to the middle one on her right hoping that her pursuer will choose the opposite side.
As she quietly closes the lid she hears footsteps running towards her.
MIKE
Mike enters the alley and sees Jane's nowhere to be found. Could he have guessed the wrong alley? he scans around and sees the dumpsters.
That's one example of how to do it. The basic point to doing a chase scene is that you have to show each character's point of view in it not just one.
I hope you enjoyed today's review and lesson.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Update on September goals.
Hello everyone and welcome back.
Today I completed one of my September goals and that was to finish the board for the 7th draft of the story I'm working on.
Later today I will start working on the actual draft for it as well.
One important thing to remember when setting goals and accomplishing them is to reward yourself. My reward will be to buy a DVD movie.
Today I completed one of my September goals and that was to finish the board for the 7th draft of the story I'm working on.
Later today I will start working on the actual draft for it as well.
One important thing to remember when setting goals and accomplishing them is to reward yourself. My reward will be to buy a DVD movie.
Overcoming Obstacles
Hello everyone and welcome back.
Today I'll talk about overcoming obstacles to our writing. I had a minor one this week and that was the hard drive on my main computer crashed. A relatively minor one since I have a lap top as well as a desk top computer. But what to do in this situation if you don't have a back up computer and can't afford to buy one?
Lots of things:
Some other obstacles you might face are a perceived lack of time. I say perceived as we all have the same twenty four hours a day in which to find time to do our writing. You may think you don't have time but I would challenge you otherwise.
One of my main inspirations for this is Bruce Dickinson, the lead singer of Iron Maiden. Here's the things he does:
Here's the stuff I am doing:
If it means not watching football or other sports so be it. What has the potential to make you financially successful sports or writing? Unless you're an elite athlete it ain't sports.
Look at J.K. Rowling. She set aside the time for writing and has now become one of the most successful writers ever with the Harry Potter series of books and movies. While you may not get to that level wouldn't it be better to find out for sure one way or the other?
Keep those thoughts with you as you're writing or doing something else.
Bye for now.
Today I'll talk about overcoming obstacles to our writing. I had a minor one this week and that was the hard drive on my main computer crashed. A relatively minor one since I have a lap top as well as a desk top computer. But what to do in this situation if you don't have a back up computer and can't afford to buy one?
Lots of things:
- Work on a scene hand writing it out on paper.
- Work on log lines for other stories
- Work on the development of another story. You should always have other stories on the back burner.
- Work on five lines for stories.
- Work on a beat sheet found in Blake Snyder's "Save The Cat"
Some other obstacles you might face are a perceived lack of time. I say perceived as we all have the same twenty four hours a day in which to find time to do our writing. You may think you don't have time but I would challenge you otherwise.
One of my main inspirations for this is Bruce Dickinson, the lead singer of Iron Maiden. Here's the things he does:
- Lead singer for a hugely successful heavy metal band.
- Commercial airline pilot.
- Published novelist
- Produced screenwriter for Crowley.
- Plus probably the most important thing is he has a family as well.
Here's the stuff I am doing:
- Full time security officer at a local university where I do a 3 on 3 off shift rotation.
- Part time security guard for a private guard company on my days off.
- Working on building a network marketing business.
- Working on building an affiliate marketing business.
- Working on writing screenplays.
If it means not watching football or other sports so be it. What has the potential to make you financially successful sports or writing? Unless you're an elite athlete it ain't sports.
Look at J.K. Rowling. She set aside the time for writing and has now become one of the most successful writers ever with the Harry Potter series of books and movies. While you may not get to that level wouldn't it be better to find out for sure one way or the other?
Keep those thoughts with you as you're writing or doing something else.
Bye for now.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Fright Night Script Review
Hello and welcome back to My Screenwriting Journey.
I've almost finished the board for the 7th draft of the story I'm working on. And this will be the first script review of the month.
In traditional Hollywood fashion they're doing a remake. This one is of Fright Night. Somewhat updated for the time, people are missing in a neighborhood. The belief is that they have up and left their homes as they haven't been able to make their mortgage payments from the economic downturn. The main character's former best friend believes it's a vampire that's taking people away.
They also have a sort of Disturbia inspired bit with the main character spying on the neighbor and breaking into his house.
There is also the required horror movie script part where it starts off showing people getting massacred as a "what's to come" for the people of this town.
While I enjoyed reading the script and felt it flowed smoothly with good pace I would say I've pretty much had my fill of all the vampire movies. Hopefully though it'll be a good movie to watch when it comes out.
I've almost finished the board for the 7th draft of the story I'm working on. And this will be the first script review of the month.
In traditional Hollywood fashion they're doing a remake. This one is of Fright Night. Somewhat updated for the time, people are missing in a neighborhood. The belief is that they have up and left their homes as they haven't been able to make their mortgage payments from the economic downturn. The main character's former best friend believes it's a vampire that's taking people away.
They also have a sort of Disturbia inspired bit with the main character spying on the neighbor and breaking into his house.
There is also the required horror movie script part where it starts off showing people getting massacred as a "what's to come" for the people of this town.
While I enjoyed reading the script and felt it flowed smoothly with good pace I would say I've pretty much had my fill of all the vampire movies. Hopefully though it'll be a good movie to watch when it comes out.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
September Goals
Hello Everyone and welcome back.
Last month I was able to achieve my goal of finishing the sixth draft of the screenplay I was working on. However I was unbale to cahcive the goal of reading fifteen screenplays and reviewing them.
This month however I will make that as part of my goal to read fifteen scripts and review them. Also I will be doing my best to complete "The Board" for the seventh draft of the story.
For those of you who don't know what I mean by "The Boar" buy Save The Cat by Blake Snyder to get an indepth description of it.
But to give you the simplified version of it: The Board is basically a spot on the wall, bulletin board or anything you can think of that will enable you to post index cards or stick it notes on it. It's sectioned off for Act One, Two and Three - the most normal structure for Hollywood Screenplays. You use the index cards to denote a scene, what happens in it, the conflict and the emotional change to it.
Remember every scene has a beginning, middle and end to it. A feature can be seen almost like a whole bunch of short films all rolled into a big massive feature. I say almost as they all have to tie in together to create payoffs later on in the story.
Last month I was able to achieve my goal of finishing the sixth draft of the screenplay I was working on. However I was unbale to cahcive the goal of reading fifteen screenplays and reviewing them.
This month however I will make that as part of my goal to read fifteen scripts and review them. Also I will be doing my best to complete "The Board" for the seventh draft of the story.
For those of you who don't know what I mean by "The Boar" buy Save The Cat by Blake Snyder to get an indepth description of it.
But to give you the simplified version of it: The Board is basically a spot on the wall, bulletin board or anything you can think of that will enable you to post index cards or stick it notes on it. It's sectioned off for Act One, Two and Three - the most normal structure for Hollywood Screenplays. You use the index cards to denote a scene, what happens in it, the conflict and the emotional change to it.
Remember every scene has a beginning, middle and end to it. A feature can be seen almost like a whole bunch of short films all rolled into a big massive feature. I say almost as they all have to tie in together to create payoffs later on in the story.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
One August Goal Achieved
Hello,
To announce I have achieved one of my August goals and that was to get the 6th draft of a script completed.
The other goal to read and review 15 scripts - so far I've done 2, only thirteen more to go. I'll be doing my best to get 13 done in the next five days. Currently writing this at 11pm. This week I had family down to deal with the last job involving my mother's death and that was to spread her ashes over the Atlantic.
But the main thing is I got my most important goal for screenwriting and that was to fininish the 6th draft. I will be reading that script and then the 7th draft of the script will be morphing into a 1st draft of a different way to tell the story.
To announce I have achieved one of my August goals and that was to get the 6th draft of a script completed.
The other goal to read and review 15 scripts - so far I've done 2, only thirteen more to go. I'll be doing my best to get 13 done in the next five days. Currently writing this at 11pm. This week I had family down to deal with the last job involving my mother's death and that was to spread her ashes over the Atlantic.
But the main thing is I got my most important goal for screenwriting and that was to fininish the 6th draft. I will be reading that script and then the 7th draft of the script will be morphing into a 1st draft of a different way to tell the story.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Sunday Script Review
Hello,
This week my Sunday Script review is for the scripts Die In A Gun Fight and Contagion.
Die In A Gun Fight - writers Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari.
The two writers sold this script while still in NYU film school. An impressive start to what is hopefully to be a long and profitable career.
What it is about is two young people from rival families fall in love. The two kids, Ben Gibbons and Mary Rathcart, from well to do families never seemed to grow out of their rebellious youth stage which leads to conflict with their families. Conflict is something that every script needs.
It had good pace to the script and the dialogue was good. The only weakness to it at this stage was that the main characters did not yet have (at this stage in the script's development) clearly defined goals.
One of the fathers seemed to. Ben's father is in a lawsuit against a corporation that developed a teletransport device. The reason is simply that a man went through the device ended up committing a murder and then claimed that the device destroyed his soul which caused him to commit murder.
So Ben's father is trying to prove the existence of the human soul. I won't spoil the ending for those who haven't read the script in case it doesn't change much when it reaches the theater.
But the only weakness, which can be fixed, is that a script needs to have characters that have goals and flaws which are challenged by the story. That's the lesson learned there as throughout I didn't seem to care much about the characters.
CONTAGION
Contagion written by Scott Z. Burns is another script/movie about a virus that gets unleashed onto people and the race against time to prevent a catastrophe ensues.
The difference here is that with most of the movies of this type they only show that one part of a city or country (usually the USA) is effected and it must be contained quickly.
Here it's a little more realistic in that there are places all over the world, China, USA the main ones that get hit with a deadly disease. The reality here is that this is what would most likely happen today with our high speed travel there will be a high death toll before people realize that something's amiss.
That and the fact that the corporations trying to find a cure will undoubtedly be trying to figure out who gets what percentage of the profits before while people die.
The only flaw is that with this script there doesn't seem to be any main characters who have flaws and have conflict with each other. It could potentially use something similar to The African Queen in which the characters played by Bogart and Hepburn started out as rivals and were brought together by fighting the Germans. This could potentially strengthen the script.
This week my Sunday Script review is for the scripts Die In A Gun Fight and Contagion.
Die In A Gun Fight - writers Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari.
The two writers sold this script while still in NYU film school. An impressive start to what is hopefully to be a long and profitable career.
What it is about is two young people from rival families fall in love. The two kids, Ben Gibbons and Mary Rathcart, from well to do families never seemed to grow out of their rebellious youth stage which leads to conflict with their families. Conflict is something that every script needs.
It had good pace to the script and the dialogue was good. The only weakness to it at this stage was that the main characters did not yet have (at this stage in the script's development) clearly defined goals.
One of the fathers seemed to. Ben's father is in a lawsuit against a corporation that developed a teletransport device. The reason is simply that a man went through the device ended up committing a murder and then claimed that the device destroyed his soul which caused him to commit murder.
So Ben's father is trying to prove the existence of the human soul. I won't spoil the ending for those who haven't read the script in case it doesn't change much when it reaches the theater.
But the only weakness, which can be fixed, is that a script needs to have characters that have goals and flaws which are challenged by the story. That's the lesson learned there as throughout I didn't seem to care much about the characters.
CONTAGION
Contagion written by Scott Z. Burns is another script/movie about a virus that gets unleashed onto people and the race against time to prevent a catastrophe ensues.
The difference here is that with most of the movies of this type they only show that one part of a city or country (usually the USA) is effected and it must be contained quickly.
Here it's a little more realistic in that there are places all over the world, China, USA the main ones that get hit with a deadly disease. The reality here is that this is what would most likely happen today with our high speed travel there will be a high death toll before people realize that something's amiss.
That and the fact that the corporations trying to find a cure will undoubtedly be trying to figure out who gets what percentage of the profits before while people die.
The only flaw is that with this script there doesn't seem to be any main characters who have flaws and have conflict with each other. It could potentially use something similar to The African Queen in which the characters played by Bogart and Hepburn started out as rivals and were brought together by fighting the Germans. This could potentially strengthen the script.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
August Goals
Hello,
This month, my goals are to read and review 15 scripts as well to finish draft 6 of the script I am working on.
Stay tuned and I'll let you know how it goes.
This month, my goals are to read and review 15 scripts as well to finish draft 6 of the script I am working on.
Stay tuned and I'll let you know how it goes.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Goal Readjustments
Hello everyone and welcome back.
I know I had said I would be doing a script a day from the 40 days of screenplays. But unfortunately right now it's just not feasible. While working on my own writing, plus research, I am still working two jobs while also doing this and a fitness blog at tightfortimefitness.blogspot.com.
So what I will do is on my three days off from my main job is do a script review on those days as I still will be doing my own writing on days that I work.
I will still do my best to give you inspiration and make promises that I can keep.
I know I had said I would be doing a script a day from the 40 days of screenplays. But unfortunately right now it's just not feasible. While working on my own writing, plus research, I am still working two jobs while also doing this and a fitness blog at tightfortimefitness.blogspot.com.
So what I will do is on my three days off from my main job is do a script review on those days as I still will be doing my own writing on days that I work.
I will still do my best to give you inspiration and make promises that I can keep.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Witness Script Review
Hello and welcome back.
Today's script review is of Witness, written by Earl W. Wallace, William Kelley and Pamela Wallace.
The story might sound pretty familiar. A young boy witnesses a murder and a police detective protects him and his family until they have to go to trial.
However this is not your typical one. To create conflict the writers had to step away from the typical cop investigative movie. A script where the cops are both the good guys and the bad guys. Cops killed another cop.
Not only that but the witness to the murder, Samuel, is Amish. In their world, violence is not tolerated. Which creates the conflict between the detective, John Book, whose world almost requires violence. So when John Book is injured in a gun fight and he drives Samuel and his mother Rachel back to their Amish community they have to nurse him back to health there.
Neither can truly understand the other's world. John can't comprehend how when her son's life is threatened why she wouldn't fight. Even in a scene where her Amish friends are being accosted by tourists they don't fight back but John pounds the tourists and is restrained by Amish people. Violence is not their way.
As opposed to John where he uses violence as a means to an end.
All in all a good script and a good movie.
Today's script review is of Witness, written by Earl W. Wallace, William Kelley and Pamela Wallace.
The story might sound pretty familiar. A young boy witnesses a murder and a police detective protects him and his family until they have to go to trial.
However this is not your typical one. To create conflict the writers had to step away from the typical cop investigative movie. A script where the cops are both the good guys and the bad guys. Cops killed another cop.
Not only that but the witness to the murder, Samuel, is Amish. In their world, violence is not tolerated. Which creates the conflict between the detective, John Book, whose world almost requires violence. So when John Book is injured in a gun fight and he drives Samuel and his mother Rachel back to their Amish community they have to nurse him back to health there.
Neither can truly understand the other's world. John can't comprehend how when her son's life is threatened why she wouldn't fight. Even in a scene where her Amish friends are being accosted by tourists they don't fight back but John pounds the tourists and is restrained by Amish people. Violence is not their way.
As opposed to John where he uses violence as a means to an end.
All in all a good script and a good movie.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Script Review 2 days late
Hello,
today is my Sunday Script review for July 18, 2010. Two days late. I apologize for the delay as i had other business I had to attend to. But to make it up to you I am going to do something special. My mentor sent me a website that he says pretty much equals a screenwriting course.
The website is www.mediafire.com/thescriptlist.
To start I will begin with the file 40 Days of Screenplays and actually follow that for 40 days. After that I will go back to my weekly script review of one script per week.
The first one is Back To The Future. The script was written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale. Unless you've been living under a rock or were born after the year 1985 you definitely know what the movie is about.
For those of you who don't the story is a kid, Marty McFly accidentally travels back in time thirty years to see his mother and father as teenagers in high school. Things happen and his mother falls for Marty and he has to recreate the circumstances that get his parents back together. He does but things happen differently and when he gets back to the future things have changed.
So that's the basic story. I've seen the movie a couple of times and even then the script still kept me engaged. That's the hallmark of good writing. It creates a good image in the head. You can actually visualize what is happening as you're reading.
today is my Sunday Script review for July 18, 2010. Two days late. I apologize for the delay as i had other business I had to attend to. But to make it up to you I am going to do something special. My mentor sent me a website that he says pretty much equals a screenwriting course.
The website is www.mediafire.com/thescriptlist.
To start I will begin with the file 40 Days of Screenplays and actually follow that for 40 days. After that I will go back to my weekly script review of one script per week.
The first one is Back To The Future. The script was written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale. Unless you've been living under a rock or were born after the year 1985 you definitely know what the movie is about.
For those of you who don't the story is a kid, Marty McFly accidentally travels back in time thirty years to see his mother and father as teenagers in high school. Things happen and his mother falls for Marty and he has to recreate the circumstances that get his parents back together. He does but things happen differently and when he gets back to the future things have changed.
So that's the basic story. I've seen the movie a couple of times and even then the script still kept me engaged. That's the hallmark of good writing. It creates a good image in the head. You can actually visualize what is happening as you're reading.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Sunday Script Review
Hello and Welcome back.
This week's script review is Interview With The Vampire.
I remember watching this movie back when it came out, before I was thinking enough with the vampire movies. And it was an awesome movie.
As we all know the movie was adapted from the Anne Rice novel of the same same. Which is why the movie got made. Generally novels that sell pretty good have a better chance to get made as the belief is the movie will make money.
But then the script still has to keep you on your toes wondering what will happen next.
And that's what the script did. It kept me engaged, even though after watching the movie I already knew what was going to happen next. It wasn't bored in the least bit watching it.
In reading the script you see where the vampire Louis was in despair after losing his wife (before becoming a vampire) and how in depression he wanted to die. Lestat gave him his "dark gift". and then from there how his self loathing and refusal to feed on humans led him to the fateful meeting with Claudia, the child that eventually became the vampire.
Further down it led to the "murder" of Lestat and then Louis and Claudia left for Europe to find their own kind.
All in all the script was a good read. Watch the movie if you haven't seen it yet.
This week's script review is Interview With The Vampire.
I remember watching this movie back when it came out, before I was thinking enough with the vampire movies. And it was an awesome movie.
As we all know the movie was adapted from the Anne Rice novel of the same same. Which is why the movie got made. Generally novels that sell pretty good have a better chance to get made as the belief is the movie will make money.
But then the script still has to keep you on your toes wondering what will happen next.
And that's what the script did. It kept me engaged, even though after watching the movie I already knew what was going to happen next. It wasn't bored in the least bit watching it.
In reading the script you see where the vampire Louis was in despair after losing his wife (before becoming a vampire) and how in depression he wanted to die. Lestat gave him his "dark gift". and then from there how his self loathing and refusal to feed on humans led him to the fateful meeting with Claudia, the child that eventually became the vampire.
Further down it led to the "murder" of Lestat and then Louis and Claudia left for Europe to find their own kind.
All in all the script was a good read. Watch the movie if you haven't seen it yet.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
The Importance Of Fun
Hello,
Today's blog post is about how your screenwriting must be fun.
Basically you have to enjoy what you're doing in order to get past the doldrums of writing bad screenplays. And trust me you will write bad ones on your first few tries.
This is all part of the learning process. And why you have to enjoy what you're doing as the saying goes "if you enjoy what you're doing, you never have to work a day in your life."
If screenwriting is a chore it will become too easy to give up. After all what's more fun, the chore of washing dishes, doing laundry, cleaning the house or watching television or playing video games? Exactly.
That said you do have to discipline yourself to get your writing done, but if it's something you enjoy you won't think of it as discipline, you'll hopefully think of it as pursuing your dream or passion.
To quote from the great drummer Rod Morgenstein "If you don't express your passions you'll die disappointed."
That's it for today, stay tuned though as I may ad more in new posts to this topic and I'll soon be adding a book review.
Today's blog post is about how your screenwriting must be fun.
Basically you have to enjoy what you're doing in order to get past the doldrums of writing bad screenplays. And trust me you will write bad ones on your first few tries.
This is all part of the learning process. And why you have to enjoy what you're doing as the saying goes "if you enjoy what you're doing, you never have to work a day in your life."
If screenwriting is a chore it will become too easy to give up. After all what's more fun, the chore of washing dishes, doing laundry, cleaning the house or watching television or playing video games? Exactly.
That said you do have to discipline yourself to get your writing done, but if it's something you enjoy you won't think of it as discipline, you'll hopefully think of it as pursuing your dream or passion.
To quote from the great drummer Rod Morgenstein "If you don't express your passions you'll die disappointed."
That's it for today, stay tuned though as I may ad more in new posts to this topic and I'll soon be adding a book review.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Sunday Script Review
This week I do my script review for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind by Charlie Kaufman.
At first as I started to read the script I thought it was going to be just another boy meets girl type of love story. It was another boy meets girl love story but just another one.
The theme to the movie was from the famous quote - those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.
And they did. People who suffer and emotionally traumatic breakup are able to "forget" the relationship. For those who have not seen the movie I won't spoil the surprise as to how they do it. For those of you who have seen the movie you know what I mean.
And remember that those who forget history well you can imagine what happens.
It flowed pretty good and I enjoyed reading it. I can't wait to watch the movie. Find it on rental or buy it.
At first as I started to read the script I thought it was going to be just another boy meets girl type of love story. It was another boy meets girl love story but just another one.
The theme to the movie was from the famous quote - those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.
And they did. People who suffer and emotionally traumatic breakup are able to "forget" the relationship. For those who have not seen the movie I won't spoil the surprise as to how they do it. For those of you who have seen the movie you know what I mean.
And remember that those who forget history well you can imagine what happens.
It flowed pretty good and I enjoyed reading it. I can't wait to watch the movie. Find it on rental or buy it.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Getting your Knuckles Wrapped
Hey Everyone.
I learned a tough lesson today that I'd like to share with you. I sent out my script to my mentor without having read it myself and with already wanting to change it.
Didn't go over too well. In short I made a major faux pas. One thing he said was that you have to always respect your reader and only send out your best. Whenever he gives a script to someone he's very saturated with it from reading it over and over again.
So there are lessons to learn here. One is that I shouldn't have told him I only finished it yesterday and that I haven't read it myself.
The other is that I deserved the lashing because I had been disrespectful to my mentor.
I'll choose the latter. I simply messed up. I'm beyond that - or should be. Always read through something you send out at least five times BEFORE sending it out. That way it's the best you can make it.
Your mentor, agent or anyone else who reads your script is not your hand maiden who makes your career for you.
Grow up and be the best you can be at whatever you can be (forgive the cliche).
I learned a tough lesson today that I'd like to share with you. I sent out my script to my mentor without having read it myself and with already wanting to change it.
Didn't go over too well. In short I made a major faux pas. One thing he said was that you have to always respect your reader and only send out your best. Whenever he gives a script to someone he's very saturated with it from reading it over and over again.
So there are lessons to learn here. One is that I shouldn't have told him I only finished it yesterday and that I haven't read it myself.
The other is that I deserved the lashing because I had been disrespectful to my mentor.
I'll choose the latter. I simply messed up. I'm beyond that - or should be. Always read through something you send out at least five times BEFORE sending it out. That way it's the best you can make it.
Your mentor, agent or anyone else who reads your script is not your hand maiden who makes your career for you.
Grow up and be the best you can be at whatever you can be (forgive the cliche).
Monday, June 28, 2010
Finished Draft 5
Hello and Welcome Back
Today I finished draft five of a script. The next step is to send it to my mentor for feedback. And to take a day or two break - assuming I deserved it.
This was a draft a long time finishing, longer than it probably should have. Main reason in April I lost my mom to a massive stroke and didn't truly have it in me to write at the time. I wonder how long established professionals grieve for lost loved ones. Some people do grieve in their own way. That was the biggest challenge. Once I got back into writing it took pretty quick to finish it.
And that's one thing I also want to talk about today - motivation.
In normal circumstances when I truly didn't feel like working on a script I was usually - about 80 to 90 percent of the time - able to make myself do it anyway. And then fairly quickly I was motivated.
That's something that helped me. So when you're ever feeling like "do I feel like writing or would I rather play video games" ask yourself - which has a better chance of getting you to your goals - writing or video games? Of course you know the answer.
That being said, we are human and like I said 80 to 90% of the time I am able to make myself do my writing anyway. Which means 10 to 20% of the time I am not. Sometimes you really do need a break or you'll burn out.
Today I finished draft five of a script. The next step is to send it to my mentor for feedback. And to take a day or two break - assuming I deserved it.
This was a draft a long time finishing, longer than it probably should have. Main reason in April I lost my mom to a massive stroke and didn't truly have it in me to write at the time. I wonder how long established professionals grieve for lost loved ones. Some people do grieve in their own way. That was the biggest challenge. Once I got back into writing it took pretty quick to finish it.
And that's one thing I also want to talk about today - motivation.
In normal circumstances when I truly didn't feel like working on a script I was usually - about 80 to 90 percent of the time - able to make myself do it anyway. And then fairly quickly I was motivated.
That's something that helped me. So when you're ever feeling like "do I feel like writing or would I rather play video games" ask yourself - which has a better chance of getting you to your goals - writing or video games? Of course you know the answer.
That being said, we are human and like I said 80 to 90% of the time I am able to make myself do my writing anyway. Which means 10 to 20% of the time I am not. Sometimes you really do need a break or you'll burn out.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Day Breakers Script Review
One of my goals in screenwriting is to read at least one script a week. I will also now post a review every week on my blog.
There are several reasons why - it helps to know how a good script flows so you can apply it to your own writing. Also how a bad one feels so you can avoid it in your own writing. Those are the two biggest reasons why.
It also helps to avoid writing something that's already been written and gives you a better chance to "give us the same but different" (Blake Snyder).
So without further a do here is my review of Day Breakers.
When I first saw in the trailer for Day Breakers I immediately thought - Oh great. Another vampire movie. I had pretty much had my fill of them before 30 Days Of Night and definitely after that as well.
As a result I didn't go see it in the theaters. We must always be big enough to admit our mistakes.
After reading the script I have to confess I made a mistake. Yes it's another vampire movie, but remember the same but different? Most vampire movies are about humans going out to hunt down a lonely vampire.
This one is different, which is probably how it got made.
What it all boils down to is Vampires have replaced humans as the dominant species through a plague. Now humans are an endangered species, hunted to the point of extinction - somewhere out there the dodo bird is laughing. The vampires have to come up with a blood substitute for if and when humans go extinct.
There all small human camps where they fight for survival and I won't spoil the ending for you. Just say to go and rent or buy the movie.
There are several reasons why - it helps to know how a good script flows so you can apply it to your own writing. Also how a bad one feels so you can avoid it in your own writing. Those are the two biggest reasons why.
It also helps to avoid writing something that's already been written and gives you a better chance to "give us the same but different" (Blake Snyder).
So without further a do here is my review of Day Breakers.
When I first saw in the trailer for Day Breakers I immediately thought - Oh great. Another vampire movie. I had pretty much had my fill of them before 30 Days Of Night and definitely after that as well.
As a result I didn't go see it in the theaters. We must always be big enough to admit our mistakes.
After reading the script I have to confess I made a mistake. Yes it's another vampire movie, but remember the same but different? Most vampire movies are about humans going out to hunt down a lonely vampire.
This one is different, which is probably how it got made.
What it all boils down to is Vampires have replaced humans as the dominant species through a plague. Now humans are an endangered species, hunted to the point of extinction - somewhere out there the dodo bird is laughing. The vampires have to come up with a blood substitute for if and when humans go extinct.
There all small human camps where they fight for survival and I won't spoil the ending for you. Just say to go and rent or buy the movie.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
My Writing Goals
One other important point to mention is to set a goal for how much writing you want to get done in a week.
For me my goal is at bare minimum 10 hours a week. Preferably I want to get to twenty. I will do my best not to allow the fact that I have two jobs that requires me to work over sixty hours a week some weeks to be an excuse to to write.
After all there are breaks on jobs that give me time to write.
So there,
I've put it out there as to what I am going to do.
For me my goal is at bare minimum 10 hours a week. Preferably I want to get to twenty. I will do my best not to allow the fact that I have two jobs that requires me to work over sixty hours a week some weeks to be an excuse to to write.
After all there are breaks on jobs that give me time to write.
So there,
I've put it out there as to what I am going to do.
Set A Schedule
Today we discuss the importance of following a set schedule for your screenwriting.
When starting out - like I am - it's best to find which schedule works best for you. Ideally about two to four hours a day of writing/rewriting/revisions/tearing your hair out in frustration to get a scene to work.
Most of us have day jobs so experiment which works best for you. For some it's the morning, for some it's the night, afternoon.
For others like me who have a shift work job or actually two or whatever the case might be, will probably find it hard to write at the exact same time everyday. Just put in a consistent effort and your writing will improve.
When starting out - like I am - it's best to find which schedule works best for you. Ideally about two to four hours a day of writing/rewriting/revisions/tearing your hair out in frustration to get a scene to work.
Most of us have day jobs so experiment which works best for you. For some it's the morning, for some it's the night, afternoon.
For others like me who have a shift work job or actually two or whatever the case might be, will probably find it hard to write at the exact same time everyday. Just put in a consistent effort and your writing will improve.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Welcome To My Screenwriting Blog
Hello and welcome to my screenwriting blog.
To start off with, I am an aspiring screenwriter. I haven't got anything produced, yet. But it is my goal to do so.
I started this blog as a way to make myself accountable to not only myself but to others as well. It's one thing to say to your friends, "I'm a Screenwriter" but it's a whole other thing to put it out to the world that this is my dream, this is my goal.
I have a mentor, who is helping me tremendously with improving my writing and I have taken some classes and intend to do more in the future.
I would to invite you to join me on my journey from aspiring to produced screenwriter. I will tell you what I've learned along the way, and give credit to those who have helped me out.
It is also my intention to help and inspire others who are just starting out on their journeys.
To start off with, I am an aspiring screenwriter. I haven't got anything produced, yet. But it is my goal to do so.
I started this blog as a way to make myself accountable to not only myself but to others as well. It's one thing to say to your friends, "I'm a Screenwriter" but it's a whole other thing to put it out to the world that this is my dream, this is my goal.
I have a mentor, who is helping me tremendously with improving my writing and I have taken some classes and intend to do more in the future.
I would to invite you to join me on my journey from aspiring to produced screenwriter. I will tell you what I've learned along the way, and give credit to those who have helped me out.
It is also my intention to help and inspire others who are just starting out on their journeys.
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