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).
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
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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