Over the weekend, I participated in a horse show (don't worry, this will be relevant in a minute). Like nearly every one who rides or participates in any sport of any kind, I left the ring feeling like, "that was ok, but I could have done so much better." It's a pretty common feeling -- I should have thrown the ball farther, or I could have played that poker hand just a little bit smarter, etc. That's all fine and good in certain aspects of your life, but writing isn't one of them.
Don't get me wrong; there is a time for rough drafts and "Hail Mary" takes on an idea or a script. The adage about writing being mostly re-writing is as about as true as any saying can be. Heck, I've already re-written this blog post 5 times and I'm not even close to being done. Try out a version, give it to your writing group to get some feedback, play with the characters to see what feels grounded and real.
However, the script/pages/pitch that you hand in to a producer, agent or whoever that final destination for it might be, better be the best darn version you have in you. Period. End of story. If you need to take a couple more days to feel like this is the best version you can give, do it. Because the odds that you'll get a second read out of someone are slim to none.
The only exception to that rule is if the person/studio/network you're giving the project to has a vested interest in reading it and giving you notes until they think it's right. Guess what? If they feel like the draft you gave them was anything less than the best you can give, they're going to be peeved. Even if you're doing work on an if/come basis for someone, what they are investing is their valuable time and they will be equally peeved if it feels like you're wasting it with half-baked plots or undeveloped characters.
What CAN happen is that you turn your draft in, a draft you've sweated blood over, and the recipient responds with notes. Maybe a ton of notes. They liked your general concept, but the specific plot doesn't work. As the writer, you can discuss it with them, listen to their concerns and engage in a dialog about how to fix it. What you CAN'T do is say, "I hear you, let me try to make that better".
I know, it sounds like a good thing to say, right? You think you're telling them, "I'll do a better version of that story or character now that I know what you want." But you're really saying (whether you know it or not) is, "I didn't give you my best work because I wasn't sure you'd like that idea. Now that I hear that you don't like it, I'll do a better job of writing that exact same thing, certain that when I give it 100% you'll see that I was right and love this as much as I do."
BZZZZ! Sorry, wrong answer. You had your shot before you turned in that first draft. If there were things you weren't certain about, call the people you're working with. Really listen to them, don't do that half-listen thing you do when you ask someone a question to be polite and really don't care what the answer is. Once you've turned it in and the person tells you an idea, plot or character isn't working, don't keep hammering at it with the idea that if you write it better they'll get it. Right or wrong, for better or worse, not only will they not get it, they may very well get pissed that the very thing they didn't like it back on the page in front of them again.
Be bold, be daring, go for the high fences as you write and rewrite, but be sure that whatever you give to the network or studio is the absolutely best you can deliver. If they don't like it, file it away in your "ideas to come back to" file and come up with something new that will work for them. Because promising to write the same idea but better next time is like promising sex will be better next time; it leaves your partner wondering what you were holding out for in the first place.
Showing posts with label script notes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label script notes. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Monday, January 5, 2009
Is Your New Year's Resolution to Sell Your Script???
New Years is a great time to renew your resolve to sell your script. Here’s a couple of tips to keep you from getting taken to the cleaners on the way to the red carpet:
Requiring money up front – SCAM
If ANYONE tells you they are interested in your script but they need you to pay ANY kind of fee up front to represent you or your project, run to the nearest exit. The most common one I’ve heard of is when an agent or manager requires you get your script covered by a “certified reader” for a fee. I’ve been doing this a long time and I’ve never heard of such a thing as a “certified reader”.
It’s not unusual or out of line for an agent or manager to ask you to give a synopsis of your script before they’ll consider your material. They may even give you a few names as suggestions of readers to use. What a legitimate company WON’T do is refuse to consider a synopsis SOLELY based on the fact that it doesn’t come from a “certified reader”. If they do run, don’t walk, to the nearest exit.
Asking for a free option – NOT A SCAM
It’s perfectly legitimate for a producer to ask for a free option on your script. Just be sure to give them a LIMITED free option – 6 months is a typical amount of time but you may want to make it shorter. For instance, if it’s about the Olympics or a “true” predicted natural disaster, then time might be more of a factor. If they want to keep pitching the script after the option runs out, make them pay some kind of fee.
The producer may also want you to address notes for free. That gets into sticky territory. They are honestly trying to get the script in the best possible shape to sell; you have to decide if their notes really make it better. If so, you’ve just gotten free script notes, be happy. If their notes don’t make any sense, it’s time to consider whether they’re the right people to be involved in your script in the first place. Even if they sell it, will they keep your vision of the story or turn your brilliant take on “Santa Clause V” into a horror movie? Are you willing to go there for mere money? Only you can decide....
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
THREE KEYS TO BEING AN ACTIVE WRITER
There’s nothing worse than that passive, whiny person we all know (or can become from time to time). You know who I mean, the “poor me” victim who claims things just keep happening to them, boo hoo. Whether you’re aware of that or not, that whiny voice can slip into your writing as well. Here’s three ways to be sure you don’t let being passive get the best of you.
Beware of Gerunds: According to the dictionary, a gerund is, “a noun formed from a verb, describing an action, state or process. In English, it is formed from the verb’s -ing form.” In other words, running, driving, shooting, kissing are all gerunds. They are also very boring and take action out of your character’s hands. By definition they describe the action rather than show it and everyone knows that the first (and most misused) rule of screenwriting is show, don’t tell. For instance, “John runs down the hall” is more active and therefore more engaging than “John is running down the hall”. The first keeps you involved IN the story while the second example reminds you that you are being told a story. It seems like such a tiny thing but it keeps the reader firmly locked out of the world of your script and that’s the last thing you want. Go through your script and upgrade all those errant gerunds to their more active, powerful form.
Keep Your Character Active: What’s the first thing you ask your friends on Monday -- “What did you do this weekend?” It’s human nature to be interested in what people do, whether it’s over spring break, summer vacation or when confronted with some problem. If someone says “A rabid dog followed me home” the most common response would be “Oh my God, what did you do?” So give your characters some action to perform in the course of your story. They don’t have to be superheroes; some of the most engaging stories involve ordinary characters who are pushed into action by some string of events out of their control. The point is, somewhere in the story they realize what they must do and eventually do it. Or fail but try. Even if you’re writing a drama and the extent of the action is that they write a letter, the story needs to pivot on your main character DOING something. Think of your script as an overall whole picture and see if you can identify what the action is that your main character needs to take that changes the course of his or her life or story. If there isn’t one, if things just keep happening to them and they float along helplessly like flotsam in the stream of life then you should re-think your story.
Be Your Own Biggest Fan: I think the hardest thing for most writers is to get out there and network with people. Unfortunately, the bottom line is that no one cares as much as you do whether your script gets made into a movie or not. No agent, no producer, no actor, not even your best friend has as much invested in your script as you do both in terms of time and money. So why let fate decide if it gets made or not? Get out there and talk to people. I don’t mean join other groups of angry bitter writers and sit around bitching once a month about how hard it is to get you movie made. Join groups of people that can help you get your movie made. For instance, you could take a class or seminar from an instructor who works in the business and approach them for help. Go to networking breakfast groups – there are a number of them out there. You could also research who is on the board of directors for certain charities. If a producer who would be perfect for your movie is on the “Save the Malibu Ducks” committee then get out there and help save some ducks. The producer or someone who can get to them will come by sooner or later. This is the part where you have to sell your soul a little bit so I’d suggest keeping it to causes or groups that you really believe in. That way even if you never sell your script at least you’ll gain some good karma points, right?
Beware of Gerunds: According to the dictionary, a gerund is, “a noun formed from a verb, describing an action, state or process. In English, it is formed from the verb’s -ing form.” In other words, running, driving, shooting, kissing are all gerunds. They are also very boring and take action out of your character’s hands. By definition they describe the action rather than show it and everyone knows that the first (and most misused) rule of screenwriting is show, don’t tell. For instance, “John runs down the hall” is more active and therefore more engaging than “John is running down the hall”. The first keeps you involved IN the story while the second example reminds you that you are being told a story. It seems like such a tiny thing but it keeps the reader firmly locked out of the world of your script and that’s the last thing you want. Go through your script and upgrade all those errant gerunds to their more active, powerful form.
Keep Your Character Active: What’s the first thing you ask your friends on Monday -- “What did you do this weekend?” It’s human nature to be interested in what people do, whether it’s over spring break, summer vacation or when confronted with some problem. If someone says “A rabid dog followed me home” the most common response would be “Oh my God, what did you do?” So give your characters some action to perform in the course of your story. They don’t have to be superheroes; some of the most engaging stories involve ordinary characters who are pushed into action by some string of events out of their control. The point is, somewhere in the story they realize what they must do and eventually do it. Or fail but try. Even if you’re writing a drama and the extent of the action is that they write a letter, the story needs to pivot on your main character DOING something. Think of your script as an overall whole picture and see if you can identify what the action is that your main character needs to take that changes the course of his or her life or story. If there isn’t one, if things just keep happening to them and they float along helplessly like flotsam in the stream of life then you should re-think your story.
Be Your Own Biggest Fan: I think the hardest thing for most writers is to get out there and network with people. Unfortunately, the bottom line is that no one cares as much as you do whether your script gets made into a movie or not. No agent, no producer, no actor, not even your best friend has as much invested in your script as you do both in terms of time and money. So why let fate decide if it gets made or not? Get out there and talk to people. I don’t mean join other groups of angry bitter writers and sit around bitching once a month about how hard it is to get you movie made. Join groups of people that can help you get your movie made. For instance, you could take a class or seminar from an instructor who works in the business and approach them for help. Go to networking breakfast groups – there are a number of them out there. You could also research who is on the board of directors for certain charities. If a producer who would be perfect for your movie is on the “Save the Malibu Ducks” committee then get out there and help save some ducks. The producer or someone who can get to them will come by sooner or later. This is the part where you have to sell your soul a little bit so I’d suggest keeping it to causes or groups that you really believe in. That way even if you never sell your script at least you’ll gain some good karma points, right?
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Give Your Scenes A Purpose
Time and time again I find that writers have taken great pains to get the characters, dialog and description right but forgot to give the scene a purpose. I’m not talking about a cheesy “a ha!” moment at the end of every scene but a believable, organic reason for the scene being in the script. The purpose can be subtle or overt. It can be obvious at the time or be revealed later but there has to be a justification for it to be in the script. Showing off the scenery, educating your audience or plain old ego aren’t good enough reasons for a scene to be in the script.
Here’s a good test; after you’ve finished writing your script, go back through and read each individual scene as a single, stand alone piece. Ask yourself what has this particular scene accomplished. Has it forwarded the story? This is typically the best reason for a scene to be in the movie and yet often the most misunderstood. Marking time by repeating information about the story or a character that we already know (or sometimes don’t need to know) doesn’t count.
Has the scene revealed more about a particular character that is vital to the storyline? The biggest culprit here is when writers give the audience the back-story of a character at the beginning of the movie that really isn’t all that necessary to know. If you’re talking “Batman Begins” then sure, showing young Bruce Wayne has purpose. After all, the whole point of the movie is showing how Batman became Batman. But in a movie like “The Saint,” one of the least satisfying aspects of that fairly mediocre movie was the long drawn out beginning to help us understand what made Simon Templar into the man he became. Who cares? An audience isn’t stupid; they’ll be able to piece together what made your villain evil or your hero (or anti-hero) the person he is. If there’s a moment you really feel strongly about, consider putting it in the present action of the main story. Find a way to weave it into the dialog or action of the without simply spewing out details in a clunky “info-dump”. That’s a valid purpose for a scene that doesn’t slow the movie down.
Go through this process with every scene. Does each individual scene forward either the story or the character? If the answer is no or even a wobbly maybe, then either go back and add purpose to it or, painful as it may be, cut the scene altogether. Working with writers I’ve found it’s often hard to cut the fair-haired darlings, the scenes that they just like as an artist but amputation might be necessary for the health of the whole body. You can try to add purpose but usually it ends up feeling forced, like cramming a round peg in a square hole.
It doesn’t matter if you’re writing a drama, an action piece, a mystery/thriller or animated short; making sure that each scene has a purpose will successfully pull an audience into your script. That’s a key difference between a page-turner that you can’t put down and a ho hum script that you’re done with after just 10 pages.
Here’s a good test; after you’ve finished writing your script, go back through and read each individual scene as a single, stand alone piece. Ask yourself what has this particular scene accomplished. Has it forwarded the story? This is typically the best reason for a scene to be in the movie and yet often the most misunderstood. Marking time by repeating information about the story or a character that we already know (or sometimes don’t need to know) doesn’t count.
Has the scene revealed more about a particular character that is vital to the storyline? The biggest culprit here is when writers give the audience the back-story of a character at the beginning of the movie that really isn’t all that necessary to know. If you’re talking “Batman Begins” then sure, showing young Bruce Wayne has purpose. After all, the whole point of the movie is showing how Batman became Batman. But in a movie like “The Saint,” one of the least satisfying aspects of that fairly mediocre movie was the long drawn out beginning to help us understand what made Simon Templar into the man he became. Who cares? An audience isn’t stupid; they’ll be able to piece together what made your villain evil or your hero (or anti-hero) the person he is. If there’s a moment you really feel strongly about, consider putting it in the present action of the main story. Find a way to weave it into the dialog or action of the without simply spewing out details in a clunky “info-dump”. That’s a valid purpose for a scene that doesn’t slow the movie down.
Go through this process with every scene. Does each individual scene forward either the story or the character? If the answer is no or even a wobbly maybe, then either go back and add purpose to it or, painful as it may be, cut the scene altogether. Working with writers I’ve found it’s often hard to cut the fair-haired darlings, the scenes that they just like as an artist but amputation might be necessary for the health of the whole body. You can try to add purpose but usually it ends up feeling forced, like cramming a round peg in a square hole.
It doesn’t matter if you’re writing a drama, an action piece, a mystery/thriller or animated short; making sure that each scene has a purpose will successfully pull an audience into your script. That’s a key difference between a page-turner that you can’t put down and a ho hum script that you’re done with after just 10 pages.
Monday, June 23, 2008
CHARACTER ARC VS. ARCH
I finally got a chance to see “Iron Man” the other day and it got me thinking about character arc. I know, weird coming from a big action movie, huh? But the writers and actor obviously went to great lengths to clearly spell out the characters arc. And you know what? They did a pretty damn good job of it if you ask me.
The movie starts with Tony Stark, a guy with absolutely no moral compass, a real jerk and a womanizer. But did you notice what else they did? You can’t help but like the guy, as much of an a-hole as he may be. Yes Tony’s an irresponsible alcoholic who glibly sells the Pentagon a bar for every lethal missile they order. But he’s funny, he’s personable, and he talks to the little guy when most guys in his position wouldn’t give them a second glance. Most importantly, you see that he’s got a good woman who cares about him so he can’t be all bad, right? For me, the set up all went on a bit too long but still it effectively gave you a flawed character who you still wanted to spend two hours with to see how he redeemed himself.
And therein lies the problem with 80% of the scripts I read. After about five pages I just don’t like the main character. Yes, you need to give your hero a place to go. He (or she) needs to grow/change/maybe improve as a result of the journey they go on through the course of the story. But they don’t have to be whiny, bitchy, completely unlikable people! You want the reader and eventually a viewing audience to be drawn into their story despite their flaws and foibles, not be repelled by their basic nature.
Usually the problem is that it’s impossible to understand what the character wants and what’s in their way. If you only knew that, you might excuse the whiny, bitchy behavior. In “Iron Man” you know that deep down Tony wants to be the kind of man everyone thinks his father was but is conflicted. Was dad that good? After all, he made millions selling death and destruction and no matter how you rationalize it that’s still got to be confusing. So rather than deal with it he hides behind his own outlandish behavior. Complex, but no so overly complicated you can’t figure it out. And RELATABLE. No, most of us aren’t billionaire weapons dealers but we do have deep conflicts about who we are, what’s our purpose in life, etc. This is so not going to go over well with the artsy fartsy crowd but I think they movie makers – whether it was the writers, director or actor – did a fantastic job making a comic book hero into a real, flesh and blood man.
Whether you agree or not, think about it the next time you start a script and make the lead character a) stupid b) mean as a snake or c) a combination of a & b all in the name of giving your character some place to go. Take a step back, make them human first, and then work out the arc.
The movie starts with Tony Stark, a guy with absolutely no moral compass, a real jerk and a womanizer. But did you notice what else they did? You can’t help but like the guy, as much of an a-hole as he may be. Yes Tony’s an irresponsible alcoholic who glibly sells the Pentagon a bar for every lethal missile they order. But he’s funny, he’s personable, and he talks to the little guy when most guys in his position wouldn’t give them a second glance. Most importantly, you see that he’s got a good woman who cares about him so he can’t be all bad, right? For me, the set up all went on a bit too long but still it effectively gave you a flawed character who you still wanted to spend two hours with to see how he redeemed himself.
And therein lies the problem with 80% of the scripts I read. After about five pages I just don’t like the main character. Yes, you need to give your hero a place to go. He (or she) needs to grow/change/maybe improve as a result of the journey they go on through the course of the story. But they don’t have to be whiny, bitchy, completely unlikable people! You want the reader and eventually a viewing audience to be drawn into their story despite their flaws and foibles, not be repelled by their basic nature.
Usually the problem is that it’s impossible to understand what the character wants and what’s in their way. If you only knew that, you might excuse the whiny, bitchy behavior. In “Iron Man” you know that deep down Tony wants to be the kind of man everyone thinks his father was but is conflicted. Was dad that good? After all, he made millions selling death and destruction and no matter how you rationalize it that’s still got to be confusing. So rather than deal with it he hides behind his own outlandish behavior. Complex, but no so overly complicated you can’t figure it out. And RELATABLE. No, most of us aren’t billionaire weapons dealers but we do have deep conflicts about who we are, what’s our purpose in life, etc. This is so not going to go over well with the artsy fartsy crowd but I think they movie makers – whether it was the writers, director or actor – did a fantastic job making a comic book hero into a real, flesh and blood man.
Whether you agree or not, think about it the next time you start a script and make the lead character a) stupid b) mean as a snake or c) a combination of a & b all in the name of giving your character some place to go. Take a step back, make them human first, and then work out the arc.
Monday, June 16, 2008
MAKE YOUR FIRST TEN PAGES COUNT
Whether you’re entering a contest or you’ve gotten some overworked, underpaid executive somewhere to read your script, the fact of the matter is you’ve got just ten pages to get their attention. If they aren’t drawn into the story by then, they either won’t read the rest at all or will breeze through it just to get to the last ten pages so they can pretend to know what happened in the end. Think about it – can you blame them? Any executive will tell you it’s not just about what’s good but what they can sell. Sorry folks, it’s the entertainment business, not the entertainment arts. Save the artsy fartsy stuff for your second script and stick to good basic storytelling for your first script sale.
Make sure that your first ten pages accomplish three major goals in an interesting and concise way. They need to establish the tone/genre of the script, the time and place of the story takes, and who the lead character is if not his or her goal.
The very first words on the page should set the tone of the entire script. Is it a comedy? Is it a drama? A thriller? Make it clear to the reader ASAP. Nothing is worse than reading a script and not being sure if you’re supposed to be laughing or crying at a story point. The more time it takes for the reader to figure out just what sort of animal this script is, the more time he or she will spend removed from the script and therefore not engaged with your characters or storyline.
COMMON MISTAKE #1: You don’t want to stand outside the script with the reader looking in. Saying things like, “we hear the pounding of a heartbeat, the woman is terrified,” may set it up as a thriller but it also keeps the reader at arm’s length. “We” don’t hear anything; the description could read something like, “Jolene’s heart pounds in her chest, her eyes dart everywhere, looking for an escape.” You’d get the same idea – this is a thriller – and yet be drawn into the story rather than solidly set outside of it.
You also need to establish the time and place that the story takes place. Sure you could just super, “Virginia, 1863”. However, if instead your description was something like, “An angry crowd gathers while an effigy of President Lincoln is burned in the small town square,” you establish the same general feel for time and place without being boring or stiff. If your next sentence is something like, “The sheriff nervously reached for his phaser, ready to stun the crowd at the first sign of trouble,” you’ve added another level of intrigue. You’ve set up the time, place and tone as being completely unexpected. The story could be futuristic, it could be about an alternate reality, the audience isn’t sure but hopefully they’ll be intrigued enough to read on. That’s your job in a nutshell; set up the time, place and genre in a way that the reader MUST keep reading.
COMMON MISTAKE #2: Don’t over describe the situation with mundane details that have no direct bearing on the story. I don’t need to know what color the character’s parka is, I just need to know that it’s cold. Remember also that this is a script, not a book, so dialog is king. The sooner you get to characters making some comment on their surroundings, time, place and/or current ordeal the better.
Finally, you need to set up the main character in the first ten pages. It could be like the classic movie, “Casablanca” where we hear a lot about Rick before meeting him. Or like the film version of “Lord of the Rings” where we hear a lot of back-story directly related to the main characters’ quest before we meet them. Or possibly like “Gladiator,” where we meet the character straight away and immediately know what he wants – to be with his family. The only thing we don’t know is that he’ll accomplish this goal in a non-traditional way – by joining them in Paradise. However you choose to do it, make it organic to the story and INTERESTING. You could, for instance, just say something like, “Hank pulls his ship into the Nabu spaceport, stirring up unrest in his Tyrolean crew.” Unfortunately, since most of your readers will never have been to Nabu or Tyro, the reference will be lost on them. It’s boring and disengaging.
What if instead you wrote something like, “Hank edges his beater of ship past the luxury liners around the restricted Nabu spaceport, dwarfed both in size and class. Fred, his first mate, leans down. “I hope you know what you’re doing.” Has he turned pale? Hank could never read his friend even after all these years, the striking blue Tyrolean skin that all of his crew shares make them too hard to read especially at a time like this.” Granted, it takes a little longer but, lame example that it might be, still draws us into the story faster than the previous option.
COMMON MISTAKE #3: Don’t ever assume that the reader has as much interest or knowledge of your lead character as you. For instance, I once read a script where much of the opening pages where written in Celtic. Hey, I love Ireland as much as the next guy but I’m not slogging through old Celtic to read a script. Why? Because it’s off-putting and I know it’s unlikely I’ll be able to sell it up the ladder. Yes, I’m sure someone out there reading this will know of an exception to the rule but do you want to count on being the million to one exception or the more traditional rule? By the way, the rest of the script may have been written in Celtic as well, I never went past page 10.
You don’t have to formulaically spell out whose story this is, what they want and what’s in their way if you don’t want to. For instance, in the original “Raiders of the Lost Ark” you got to know Indy first, warts and all, before you found out the story that drives the movie. It worked in that case because the character was so appealing that you were too hooked to stop watching. You can hold surprises until later, make the audience THINK they know what the script is about only to spin it around 180 degrees down the road but they have to at least think they know what the script is about to keep reading. Mystery is one thing; complete and baffling confusion is something else.
Use the first ten pages to set the stage for the story and characters, and then end it with something exciting or intriguing enough to change the course of the story or character and pull us along with it. Otherwise, all your beautiful prose that you labored over in the middle of the script will be lost to the ethos, never read or appreciated by anyone who doesn’t have a direct connection to you the writer.
Make sure that your first ten pages accomplish three major goals in an interesting and concise way. They need to establish the tone/genre of the script, the time and place of the story takes, and who the lead character is if not his or her goal.
The very first words on the page should set the tone of the entire script. Is it a comedy? Is it a drama? A thriller? Make it clear to the reader ASAP. Nothing is worse than reading a script and not being sure if you’re supposed to be laughing or crying at a story point. The more time it takes for the reader to figure out just what sort of animal this script is, the more time he or she will spend removed from the script and therefore not engaged with your characters or storyline.
COMMON MISTAKE #1: You don’t want to stand outside the script with the reader looking in. Saying things like, “we hear the pounding of a heartbeat, the woman is terrified,” may set it up as a thriller but it also keeps the reader at arm’s length. “We” don’t hear anything; the description could read something like, “Jolene’s heart pounds in her chest, her eyes dart everywhere, looking for an escape.” You’d get the same idea – this is a thriller – and yet be drawn into the story rather than solidly set outside of it.
You also need to establish the time and place that the story takes place. Sure you could just super, “Virginia, 1863”. However, if instead your description was something like, “An angry crowd gathers while an effigy of President Lincoln is burned in the small town square,” you establish the same general feel for time and place without being boring or stiff. If your next sentence is something like, “The sheriff nervously reached for his phaser, ready to stun the crowd at the first sign of trouble,” you’ve added another level of intrigue. You’ve set up the time, place and tone as being completely unexpected. The story could be futuristic, it could be about an alternate reality, the audience isn’t sure but hopefully they’ll be intrigued enough to read on. That’s your job in a nutshell; set up the time, place and genre in a way that the reader MUST keep reading.
COMMON MISTAKE #2: Don’t over describe the situation with mundane details that have no direct bearing on the story. I don’t need to know what color the character’s parka is, I just need to know that it’s cold. Remember also that this is a script, not a book, so dialog is king. The sooner you get to characters making some comment on their surroundings, time, place and/or current ordeal the better.
Finally, you need to set up the main character in the first ten pages. It could be like the classic movie, “Casablanca” where we hear a lot about Rick before meeting him. Or like the film version of “Lord of the Rings” where we hear a lot of back-story directly related to the main characters’ quest before we meet them. Or possibly like “Gladiator,” where we meet the character straight away and immediately know what he wants – to be with his family. The only thing we don’t know is that he’ll accomplish this goal in a non-traditional way – by joining them in Paradise. However you choose to do it, make it organic to the story and INTERESTING. You could, for instance, just say something like, “Hank pulls his ship into the Nabu spaceport, stirring up unrest in his Tyrolean crew.” Unfortunately, since most of your readers will never have been to Nabu or Tyro, the reference will be lost on them. It’s boring and disengaging.
What if instead you wrote something like, “Hank edges his beater of ship past the luxury liners around the restricted Nabu spaceport, dwarfed both in size and class. Fred, his first mate, leans down. “I hope you know what you’re doing.” Has he turned pale? Hank could never read his friend even after all these years, the striking blue Tyrolean skin that all of his crew shares make them too hard to read especially at a time like this.” Granted, it takes a little longer but, lame example that it might be, still draws us into the story faster than the previous option.
COMMON MISTAKE #3: Don’t ever assume that the reader has as much interest or knowledge of your lead character as you. For instance, I once read a script where much of the opening pages where written in Celtic. Hey, I love Ireland as much as the next guy but I’m not slogging through old Celtic to read a script. Why? Because it’s off-putting and I know it’s unlikely I’ll be able to sell it up the ladder. Yes, I’m sure someone out there reading this will know of an exception to the rule but do you want to count on being the million to one exception or the more traditional rule? By the way, the rest of the script may have been written in Celtic as well, I never went past page 10.
You don’t have to formulaically spell out whose story this is, what they want and what’s in their way if you don’t want to. For instance, in the original “Raiders of the Lost Ark” you got to know Indy first, warts and all, before you found out the story that drives the movie. It worked in that case because the character was so appealing that you were too hooked to stop watching. You can hold surprises until later, make the audience THINK they know what the script is about only to spin it around 180 degrees down the road but they have to at least think they know what the script is about to keep reading. Mystery is one thing; complete and baffling confusion is something else.
Use the first ten pages to set the stage for the story and characters, and then end it with something exciting or intriguing enough to change the course of the story or character and pull us along with it. Otherwise, all your beautiful prose that you labored over in the middle of the script will be lost to the ethos, never read or appreciated by anyone who doesn’t have a direct connection to you the writer.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Interview with Writer Benjamin Ray
This interview with writer Benjamin Ray is the first of what (hopefully) will be a monthly feature. The point isn’t to sell you on how great my services are, although Benjamin’s kind words are greatly appreciated. The driving force behind the interviews and the ReelWriter blog in general is to foster practical information and advice on how to be a writer in Hollywood without losing your soul. Or your mind.
Newbies, experience writers who have hit a wall or just folks who love to hear great underdog stories will find something to appreciate in these monthly tales of how writers just like you are putting their talent to work telling stories that mean something to them even when they aren’t getting paid the big bucks. Yet.
Benjamin sent me his script, “Marcus and Faith” a while back for coverage and I was thrilled to hear that since then, it has racked up some impressive awards. Here’s his story...
MW: HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN ENTERTAINMENT?
After I graduated from University of Toronto, I realized I made the greatest mistake of my life. No wonder my friends told me I was lost.
Ever since I could remember, I always had an interest in stand-up comedy. I tried it, got off to decent start but soon I was finding it hard to behave like a LIGHT SWITCH – you know -- jump on stage and you have to be ON -- happy, happy, happy. Listen, I don’t mind being happy, just I’m happy being unhappy, sometimes. It’s too exhausting to fake this happiness thing. Well maybe I could fake it real good if I did drugs which are fashionable in the comedy business. But I knew if I chose that path I would be dead in the gutter. Screenwriting came to rescue.
MW: DO YOU LIVE IN LA?
I live in Toronto. It has been proven; you don’t have to live in Los Angeles to make it in this business. If you have a solid business plan for unexpected expenditures, then taking that risk is possible. When the time is right I will be in LA.
MW: WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING WHEN YOU AREN’T WRITING?
I’m a business plan writer and tax preparer. I had to pick a job. One that keeps me stressed out, which a good thing, sometimes.
MW: WHAT AWARDS/RECOGNITION HAS “MARCUS & FAITH” GARNERED?
Semi-finalist with 20/20, Quarterfinalists with -- Fade in Magazine, Writers Network, Script Shark, All Access Screenplay Competition. And of course -- winner (finalist) with Pacific Northwest Screenwriting Contest whose Judge Daniel Yost -- co- screenwriter for Drugstore Cowboy – starring Matt Dillon
MW: HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK IT IS FOR A WRITER TO ENTER CONTESTS? WHAT’S THE MOST VALUABLE THING YOU GET OUT OF THEM?
If you want to stay in this game – enter selective contests, at least 4 per year. Stick only with contests with proven judges/filmmakers/producers. Look, study and research their current and past winner list and identify similarities. Find what kind of scripts the contest gate-keepers like. This is a business with no rules. Some contest providers push only the genre and style they like. I really don’t want to sound discourteous – some Contests don’t think like producers or studio heads. Grab the bull by the horn and ask tons of questions. And stay away from writers who open up screenwriting contests. I want to grow as a writer and as to understand the business of Hollywood, not just to write. So I have to be selective. Also, some Screenwriting Contests think they have a monopoly on cinematic vision when in reality they are not trained in the business world where the producers are the Kings, the Queens and the Jokers.
MW: WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO GET YOUR SCRIPT COVERED?
Needed to find out if Hollywood would appreciate my style of screenwriting. I write on a “cinematic visualization style”. You know the camera films most of it, so I must write scripts, not novels. Fore-mostly, I wanted to know if I was writing a lean mean “blueprint” or just building a damn estate for some trophy wife while sleeping with the interior designer. If you know what I mean.
MW:A LOT OF WRITERS HAVE A HARD TIME LETTING GO FOR THE FIRST TIME AND HAVING AN OUTSIDER TAKE A LOOK. WHEN DID YOU KNOW IT WAS TIME? WAS IT A TOUGH CHOICE?
It wasn’t a tough choice; I knew I could write a cinematic script. Got coverage from Scriptapalooza. The guy slaughtered me but he did like my Act 1 and went on saying that it grabbed him by the throat and it was well written. The day you become fearless of coverage is the day you realize that only parts of your script are good. Only parts!!! There is no such thing as a perfect script and those that praise you writing 100%, are wasting your time. And those who give scripts high marks are also wasting your time.
Trust me, after a while, mean-spirited coverage does not affect me anymore. Okay I lied, maybe for 2 whole minutes, then their notes go in the garbage and I will delete you from my hard-drive. So far the only fair coverage I got was from you at www.thescriptfixer.com.
MW: HOW DO YOU THINK COVERAGE HELPED YOUR SCRIPT?
I had 5 professional coverages for “Marcus and Faith”. Most of them were trying to shove their genre and their cinematic likings down my throat. One coverage provider told I should learn to write like Shane Black and went on to say that I should make it into a drama instead of a thriller.
Your coverage gave me confidence to pitch it live. Your logline and coverage of the script’s theme was motivating and respectful to my prerogatives. You told me the good, the bad and the ugly in a professional way.
MW: HAS IT HELPED YOU PREP TO TAKE IT OUT AND TRY TO SELL IT?
Of course, your positive coverage gave me confidence to accelerate my marketing plan. If a coverage provider is negative, demand a refund. Negativism is a natural force and it can slow down your progress if you don’t have the experience to fight back.
You are truly a leader in this business.
MW: YOU MENTIONED BEING SELF-TAUGHT – WHAT BOOKS DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR OTHER WRITERS STARTING OUT?
I read some screenwriting books by not taking them seriously while have my ADD moments. I always believed that screenwriting cannot be taught. I did not and will not attend film-school. Every time I read a book on screenwriting, I lose my motivation and get temporary writer’s a block. It’s not for me.
I learned to write screenplays by watching ICONIC movies and taking notes.
And I also learned for reading one exceptional book which changed my life forever. It’s written by Phil Gladwin at www.screenwritinggoldmine. It’s the most truthful book out there on this business.
Also, I learned from reading biographies of ICONIC film directors. Read how writer/ director Francis Ford Coppola mortgaged his house to make a movie. Or how a director wanted to kill the producer if they changed one word in his script. Read their scripts, it’s the most economical piece of art. That’s screenwriting! They believed in their story-telling instinct.
It’s good to consult, but only with those who know what they’re talking about.
Consult with people that actually made movies. If you believe in you story, stick to your guns and make it happen. Work with people that can inexpensively test a scene on a cinematic level with Cinematographer. Consult with people who have worked with an editor or involved with mixing of music to some scenes. I don’t think there is a book out there that analyzes screenwriting from a director-/screenwriter angle. I learned by “method writing”. If you’re going to write about a boxer or a dancer or teacher – think like a director – they will tell you -- go out there and live in their shoes – then thank them for that experience.
MW: HOW DO YOU THINK LEARNING ON YOUR OWN HAS MADE YOUR WRITING DIFFERENT FROM SOMEONE WHO WENT TO FILM SCHOOL?
I would like to answer this question without insulting anyone. Here it goes -- I enjoy visualizing all the scenes in my scripts. We are servants of our imagination. The mind does not have a map and cannot be tamed. Film school is not for me. . Don’t get upset if one day you’re 88 years old and haven’t sold a script or made a movie. Do what you want to do, listen to only a few trust-worthy consultants. There is no formula or strategies. Sorry, film-school does not work for me. I get so upset when people tell me to go to film-school. If they have film-school, why don’t have music-school – and we all can go there learn how to be the next Mick Jagger or Amy Winehouse or Eminem . You see what I mean.
MW: HOW DID YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A STAND UP COMIC INFLUENCE YOUR WRITING IN GENERAL?
Jokes or dialogues, same thing – edit, edit over and over and over and then test it out in front of the mirror or with a microphone. Tape and listen.
MW: DO YOU MISS THE INSTANT FEEDBACK OF A LIVE AUDIENCE VS. THE AGONIZING WAIT FOR WORD BACK ON A SCRIPT?
I don’t miss it. I use the internet, forums and blogs and unexpected office staffs for instant feedback.
MW: HOW IMPORTANT IS FEEDBACK, BOTH GOOD AND BAD, TO YOUR SELF-EDUCATION PROCESS?
Stick to your guns, feedbacks can be wishy-washy. Again, just find one or two coverage providers who will honest with you and treat you with respect.
MW: WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND IS THE MOST PRODUCTIVE WAY FOR YOU TO WRITE? FOR INSTANCE, DO YOU HAVE A SET SCHEDULE? DO YOU WRITE 20 PAGES A DAY, WRITE FROM MIDNIGHT TO 3AM, JOT DOWN THOUGHTS WHILE YOU’RE IN YOUR CAR, ETC.
I change my writing environment every time – Subway, buses, accidental long distance travel, office space, hopping from one library to another or in the middle of a breakup with psychos and angels. I don’t think about the routine of writing, I just make it fit in my circle of life.
MW: HOW MANY SCRIPTS DID YOU START BEFORE YOU FINISHED YOUR FIRST?
Marcus and Faith is my second. My first script was “Sin So Well” – it’s a B movie/script thing with lots of action and R-rated jokes. Actually some of the coverages found the jokes offensive. They’re probably the same people who found BORAT offensive.
MW: WHAT WAS IT ABOUT MARCUS AND FAITH AS CHARACTERS THAT COMPELLED YOU TO WRITE THEIR STORY?
Marcus and Faith had a controversial lifestyle and aspirations. Most artists come from a dysfunctional background. Some can’t adapt and give up in life by becoming self-destructive. I wanted to show that Marcus and Faith are survivors not matter how bad their childhood was. Whatever happened, we cannot blame our parents, teachers, bosses for the stress and pain we have in this life. We have to take control. Marcus and Faith found each other and they helped each other survive.
MW: WHAT ABOUT THEM DO YOU THINK WILL MAKE THEM, AS YOU EXPLAINED TO ME, “LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF YOUNG ADULTS AND TRANSFER FROM GENERATIONS TO GENERATIONS”?
I did a survey, when the movie Saturday Night Fever came, out – a specific crowd was able to identify with Tony Manero. Young adults with their problems with careers, unsupportive parents, sex-in-the –city syndrome and dead-beat friends.
Young adults love a lifestyle where they can piggyback vicariously on the entertainment culture. They temporary think that they will achieve stardom in anything they do and their future will be cozy and comfortable. But they fail to realize that this chase is a dangerous game and we have to tread carefully. It’s possible, no to drown….Marcus and Faith helped each other.
MW: YOU’VE SAID THAT FOR A “STORY TO FLOURISH IN OUR MODERN TIMES AND TOUCH OUR HEARTS, IT MUST BE DARINGLY DIFFERENT AND DARK.” DARINGLY DIFFERENT I GET BUT WHY DARK?
It has to be dark in some parts, in order to justify the happy ending. For a movie to play the immortality game, it has to be dark.
MW: THE SEX CLUB, KAMA-SIN, IS INCREDIBLY VIOLENT. DO YOU THINK THAT’S A COMMON EXPERIENCE FOR AUDIENCES OUT THERE? A TYPICAL FANTASY?
Mel Gibson was very vivid with Apocalypto and The Passion of Christ.
The Kama-Sin is my forecast of the danger that awaits society if we don’t put end to this addiction people have to sex vices. I’m just showing what happens when men get bored with certain things and they CAN’T GET SATISFACTION – until they find a temporary fix – the birth KAMA SIN, for example. In certain business culture – the rich and famous really like to experiment on this level.
MW: IF YOU COULD PICK FIVE WRITERS (ALIVE OR DEAD) TO BE IN A WRITING GROUP WITH YOU, WHO WOULD YOU PICK?
1. Frank Miller
2. Guy Ritchie
3. Robert Rodriguez
4. David Cronenberg
5. Spike Lee
MW: WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE WITH “MARCUS AND FAITH”??
I ‘m getting ready to market “Dance Desire Violence” – a dramatic thriller which takes place in 1977 New York. It’s about a college dropout, dirty dancing, schizophrenia and a crime boss and his promiscuous wife.
Also putting the polishing touch on “Don’t Hit My Mommy” – -- takes place in modern New York about a retired boxer/father, HIV, AIDS and an illegal escort business.
Lastly -- marketing a sit-com version of a tamer version of “Marcus and Faith”.
Email me for full synopsis of any of the above.
I believe in these scripts. New projects are always happening
Newbies, experience writers who have hit a wall or just folks who love to hear great underdog stories will find something to appreciate in these monthly tales of how writers just like you are putting their talent to work telling stories that mean something to them even when they aren’t getting paid the big bucks. Yet.
Benjamin sent me his script, “Marcus and Faith” a while back for coverage and I was thrilled to hear that since then, it has racked up some impressive awards. Here’s his story...
MW: HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN ENTERTAINMENT?
After I graduated from University of Toronto, I realized I made the greatest mistake of my life. No wonder my friends told me I was lost.
Ever since I could remember, I always had an interest in stand-up comedy. I tried it, got off to decent start but soon I was finding it hard to behave like a LIGHT SWITCH – you know -- jump on stage and you have to be ON -- happy, happy, happy. Listen, I don’t mind being happy, just I’m happy being unhappy, sometimes. It’s too exhausting to fake this happiness thing. Well maybe I could fake it real good if I did drugs which are fashionable in the comedy business. But I knew if I chose that path I would be dead in the gutter. Screenwriting came to rescue.
MW: DO YOU LIVE IN LA?
I live in Toronto. It has been proven; you don’t have to live in Los Angeles to make it in this business. If you have a solid business plan for unexpected expenditures, then taking that risk is possible. When the time is right I will be in LA.
MW: WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING WHEN YOU AREN’T WRITING?
I’m a business plan writer and tax preparer. I had to pick a job. One that keeps me stressed out, which a good thing, sometimes.
MW: WHAT AWARDS/RECOGNITION HAS “MARCUS & FAITH” GARNERED?
Semi-finalist with 20/20, Quarterfinalists with -- Fade in Magazine, Writers Network, Script Shark, All Access Screenplay Competition. And of course -- winner (finalist) with Pacific Northwest Screenwriting Contest whose Judge Daniel Yost -- co- screenwriter for Drugstore Cowboy – starring Matt Dillon
MW: HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK IT IS FOR A WRITER TO ENTER CONTESTS? WHAT’S THE MOST VALUABLE THING YOU GET OUT OF THEM?
If you want to stay in this game – enter selective contests, at least 4 per year. Stick only with contests with proven judges/filmmakers/producers. Look, study and research their current and past winner list and identify similarities. Find what kind of scripts the contest gate-keepers like. This is a business with no rules. Some contest providers push only the genre and style they like. I really don’t want to sound discourteous – some Contests don’t think like producers or studio heads. Grab the bull by the horn and ask tons of questions. And stay away from writers who open up screenwriting contests. I want to grow as a writer and as to understand the business of Hollywood, not just to write. So I have to be selective. Also, some Screenwriting Contests think they have a monopoly on cinematic vision when in reality they are not trained in the business world where the producers are the Kings, the Queens and the Jokers.
MW: WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO GET YOUR SCRIPT COVERED?
Needed to find out if Hollywood would appreciate my style of screenwriting. I write on a “cinematic visualization style”. You know the camera films most of it, so I must write scripts, not novels. Fore-mostly, I wanted to know if I was writing a lean mean “blueprint” or just building a damn estate for some trophy wife while sleeping with the interior designer. If you know what I mean.
MW:A LOT OF WRITERS HAVE A HARD TIME LETTING GO FOR THE FIRST TIME AND HAVING AN OUTSIDER TAKE A LOOK. WHEN DID YOU KNOW IT WAS TIME? WAS IT A TOUGH CHOICE?
It wasn’t a tough choice; I knew I could write a cinematic script. Got coverage from Scriptapalooza. The guy slaughtered me but he did like my Act 1 and went on saying that it grabbed him by the throat and it was well written. The day you become fearless of coverage is the day you realize that only parts of your script are good. Only parts!!! There is no such thing as a perfect script and those that praise you writing 100%, are wasting your time. And those who give scripts high marks are also wasting your time.
Trust me, after a while, mean-spirited coverage does not affect me anymore. Okay I lied, maybe for 2 whole minutes, then their notes go in the garbage and I will delete you from my hard-drive. So far the only fair coverage I got was from you at www.thescriptfixer.com.
MW: HOW DO YOU THINK COVERAGE HELPED YOUR SCRIPT?
I had 5 professional coverages for “Marcus and Faith”. Most of them were trying to shove their genre and their cinematic likings down my throat. One coverage provider told I should learn to write like Shane Black and went on to say that I should make it into a drama instead of a thriller.
Your coverage gave me confidence to pitch it live. Your logline and coverage of the script’s theme was motivating and respectful to my prerogatives. You told me the good, the bad and the ugly in a professional way.
MW: HAS IT HELPED YOU PREP TO TAKE IT OUT AND TRY TO SELL IT?
Of course, your positive coverage gave me confidence to accelerate my marketing plan. If a coverage provider is negative, demand a refund. Negativism is a natural force and it can slow down your progress if you don’t have the experience to fight back.
You are truly a leader in this business.
MW: YOU MENTIONED BEING SELF-TAUGHT – WHAT BOOKS DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR OTHER WRITERS STARTING OUT?
I read some screenwriting books by not taking them seriously while have my ADD moments. I always believed that screenwriting cannot be taught. I did not and will not attend film-school. Every time I read a book on screenwriting, I lose my motivation and get temporary writer’s a block. It’s not for me.
I learned to write screenplays by watching ICONIC movies and taking notes.
And I also learned for reading one exceptional book which changed my life forever. It’s written by Phil Gladwin at www.screenwritinggoldmine. It’s the most truthful book out there on this business.
Also, I learned from reading biographies of ICONIC film directors. Read how writer/ director Francis Ford Coppola mortgaged his house to make a movie. Or how a director wanted to kill the producer if they changed one word in his script. Read their scripts, it’s the most economical piece of art. That’s screenwriting! They believed in their story-telling instinct.
It’s good to consult, but only with those who know what they’re talking about.
Consult with people that actually made movies. If you believe in you story, stick to your guns and make it happen. Work with people that can inexpensively test a scene on a cinematic level with Cinematographer. Consult with people who have worked with an editor or involved with mixing of music to some scenes. I don’t think there is a book out there that analyzes screenwriting from a director-/screenwriter angle. I learned by “method writing”. If you’re going to write about a boxer or a dancer or teacher – think like a director – they will tell you -- go out there and live in their shoes – then thank them for that experience.
MW: HOW DO YOU THINK LEARNING ON YOUR OWN HAS MADE YOUR WRITING DIFFERENT FROM SOMEONE WHO WENT TO FILM SCHOOL?
I would like to answer this question without insulting anyone. Here it goes -- I enjoy visualizing all the scenes in my scripts. We are servants of our imagination. The mind does not have a map and cannot be tamed. Film school is not for me. . Don’t get upset if one day you’re 88 years old and haven’t sold a script or made a movie. Do what you want to do, listen to only a few trust-worthy consultants. There is no formula or strategies. Sorry, film-school does not work for me. I get so upset when people tell me to go to film-school. If they have film-school, why don’t have music-school – and we all can go there learn how to be the next Mick Jagger or Amy Winehouse or Eminem . You see what I mean.
MW: HOW DID YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A STAND UP COMIC INFLUENCE YOUR WRITING IN GENERAL?
Jokes or dialogues, same thing – edit, edit over and over and over and then test it out in front of the mirror or with a microphone. Tape and listen.
MW: DO YOU MISS THE INSTANT FEEDBACK OF A LIVE AUDIENCE VS. THE AGONIZING WAIT FOR WORD BACK ON A SCRIPT?
I don’t miss it. I use the internet, forums and blogs and unexpected office staffs for instant feedback.
MW: HOW IMPORTANT IS FEEDBACK, BOTH GOOD AND BAD, TO YOUR SELF-EDUCATION PROCESS?
Stick to your guns, feedbacks can be wishy-washy. Again, just find one or two coverage providers who will honest with you and treat you with respect.
MW: WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND IS THE MOST PRODUCTIVE WAY FOR YOU TO WRITE? FOR INSTANCE, DO YOU HAVE A SET SCHEDULE? DO YOU WRITE 20 PAGES A DAY, WRITE FROM MIDNIGHT TO 3AM, JOT DOWN THOUGHTS WHILE YOU’RE IN YOUR CAR, ETC.
I change my writing environment every time – Subway, buses, accidental long distance travel, office space, hopping from one library to another or in the middle of a breakup with psychos and angels. I don’t think about the routine of writing, I just make it fit in my circle of life.
MW: HOW MANY SCRIPTS DID YOU START BEFORE YOU FINISHED YOUR FIRST?
Marcus and Faith is my second. My first script was “Sin So Well” – it’s a B movie/script thing with lots of action and R-rated jokes. Actually some of the coverages found the jokes offensive. They’re probably the same people who found BORAT offensive.
MW: WHAT WAS IT ABOUT MARCUS AND FAITH AS CHARACTERS THAT COMPELLED YOU TO WRITE THEIR STORY?
Marcus and Faith had a controversial lifestyle and aspirations. Most artists come from a dysfunctional background. Some can’t adapt and give up in life by becoming self-destructive. I wanted to show that Marcus and Faith are survivors not matter how bad their childhood was. Whatever happened, we cannot blame our parents, teachers, bosses for the stress and pain we have in this life. We have to take control. Marcus and Faith found each other and they helped each other survive.
MW: WHAT ABOUT THEM DO YOU THINK WILL MAKE THEM, AS YOU EXPLAINED TO ME, “LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF YOUNG ADULTS AND TRANSFER FROM GENERATIONS TO GENERATIONS”?
I did a survey, when the movie Saturday Night Fever came, out – a specific crowd was able to identify with Tony Manero. Young adults with their problems with careers, unsupportive parents, sex-in-the –city syndrome and dead-beat friends.
Young adults love a lifestyle where they can piggyback vicariously on the entertainment culture. They temporary think that they will achieve stardom in anything they do and their future will be cozy and comfortable. But they fail to realize that this chase is a dangerous game and we have to tread carefully. It’s possible, no to drown….Marcus and Faith helped each other.
MW: YOU’VE SAID THAT FOR A “STORY TO FLOURISH IN OUR MODERN TIMES AND TOUCH OUR HEARTS, IT MUST BE DARINGLY DIFFERENT AND DARK.” DARINGLY DIFFERENT I GET BUT WHY DARK?
It has to be dark in some parts, in order to justify the happy ending. For a movie to play the immortality game, it has to be dark.
MW: THE SEX CLUB, KAMA-SIN, IS INCREDIBLY VIOLENT. DO YOU THINK THAT’S A COMMON EXPERIENCE FOR AUDIENCES OUT THERE? A TYPICAL FANTASY?
Mel Gibson was very vivid with Apocalypto and The Passion of Christ.
The Kama-Sin is my forecast of the danger that awaits society if we don’t put end to this addiction people have to sex vices. I’m just showing what happens when men get bored with certain things and they CAN’T GET SATISFACTION – until they find a temporary fix – the birth KAMA SIN, for example. In certain business culture – the rich and famous really like to experiment on this level.
MW: IF YOU COULD PICK FIVE WRITERS (ALIVE OR DEAD) TO BE IN A WRITING GROUP WITH YOU, WHO WOULD YOU PICK?
1. Frank Miller
2. Guy Ritchie
3. Robert Rodriguez
4. David Cronenberg
5. Spike Lee
MW: WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE WITH “MARCUS AND FAITH”??
I ‘m getting ready to market “Dance Desire Violence” – a dramatic thriller which takes place in 1977 New York. It’s about a college dropout, dirty dancing, schizophrenia and a crime boss and his promiscuous wife.
Also putting the polishing touch on “Don’t Hit My Mommy” – -- takes place in modern New York about a retired boxer/father, HIV, AIDS and an illegal escort business.
Lastly -- marketing a sit-com version of a tamer version of “Marcus and Faith”.
Email me for full synopsis of any of the above.
I believe in these scripts. New projects are always happening
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)