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I just saw the posting in "Writers Wanted" for Energy Entertainment and was wondering if anybody has heard of them or knows anything about them. I am getting ready to send them a copy of my latest script along with the release form and was wondering if anyone has dealt with them and could let me know what to expect. If so, let me know.

Thanks

BKW

I've been busting my butt trying to get a reputable agency to read some of my work, and it looks like it finally happened. Recently I found the site inzide.com, run by Zide/Perry Entertainment. After doing a background check on the company, I submitted my logline and received a response requesting my script. I emailed it to them a little over a week ago, and got a confirmation from them. Now I wait anxiously for a response. Has anybody dealt with these folks before? I'm just wondering what to expect and what my chances are of getting an agent and selling my script.

If you haven't been to this site, you might want to check it out.

Thanks for the positive feedback Richard. I know it's a long shot, but at least it has my spirits up.

As for Ashley, don't bother moving to LA. I've been there and there are a million actresses better and prettier than you. Take the money you've been saving and buy a new sense of humor. It's not nice to trample on another person's hope and dreams. :-p

Okay, first off, I'd like to apologize to Asley for my harsh words. I had no right to say what I did about her, because I don't know her.

Secondly, the reason I posted my original message to this board was because I wanted to see if anybody else out there had dealt with Zide/Perry specifically. I know how submitting a script works and the process, but I wanted to know if anybody had dealt with this company, and if they did, what kind of feedback they got. That's all I was looking for.

I know it takes a tough skin to work in Hollywood, I've been there. And I can take criticism, but I don't like un solicited criticism. So if you're interested and have the time, let me know and I'll email you a copy of my script. Then you can read it and let me know what you think. I would love that kind of feedback!

Sincerely,

Bryan Walsh

Hey Trevor,

Could you give me some more information about Zoetrope? The only one I know about is Francis Ford Coppola's production company. Is this one you speak of the same, or some type of writing group? Please let me know, especially if they have a website.

Also, I have tried using story exchange, as well as several other websites for screen writers, but so far haven't had any luck with any except Zide/Perry.

Thanks

Bryan

I'm sure everyone out there has seen and read everything that is going on with the possible WGA strike. I've been thinking about it a lot lately, thinking will it help or hurt the chances of a new writer getting his/her scripts read and or optioned/sold. Logically, it sounds like a better chance for us (the writers trying to break into Hollywood), but then again, if someone was to sell a script during this time, tha union would see them as a "scab", which could affect their career after the strike ends. How does everyone else out there think it will affect our chances, and what do you think the consequences of selling during the strike would be? Let me know, because I'd like to know what everyone else is thinking out there.

Bryan

Has anybody dealt with these people before? They claim that Earl Blakesley, who is their reader with Hollywood connections, will review your script and give you advice and help you tighten it up. Then, once it's ready, he'll pass it on to agents and production co's. The fee is pretty steep, $350, but there are some convincing testimonials on the website. If this is for real, it might be worth it, but I don't feel like shelling out that much money for nothing.

Let me know.

Thanks

Congratulations Daphne!

It's just good to see that somebody from this website is making real progress with their screenwriting. It gives hope to the rest of us. I'll be waiting to see if you make it to the finals.

Good Luck!

Bryan

I've seen a lot of ads on this site and others for services that offer evaluations, but for a pretty penny. Some of these even offer to put your script in the right hands once it's "ready". Has anybody out there used any of these and got positive results? I've been entering contests for about a year now with a few scripts, and haven't been able to get past the second round of any of them. I've used Zoetrope in the past to get some reads and feedback, and have done some re-writes according to what people have said, but nothing has been happening. I'm beginning to wonder if these "script consultants" are worth it. Let me know what you think.

Thanks

Bryan

D. Jay, you said Robert Flaxman was good, but pricey. Can you give me some more info; where can I find him on the web?

And to everyone else who has responded to this topic and who will, your help is greatly appreciated.

Bryan

Thanks Niall, your message made me think some more and help me build my confidence up. I guess I just have to learn how to market myself somemore. It sounds like you know what you're talking about, so if you have any more advice on how to do this, let me know.

D.Jay, I don't know how you could pay all that money for an eval. The ones I've seen have been between $200-$400. If I paid $900, I'd expect it to be put in the hands of Lucas, Spielberg, Cameron, or Bruckheimer once it was finished.

Thanks all

Bryan

I was wondering about that myself. I entered and am waiting for some kind of notification via email or snail mail. I'll send them a quick email and see what they say. I'll get back to this post when I get an answer from them.

I just got a response from the email I sent. The answer to when writers would be notified is "We are stuffing envelopes right now". So that means that we should al be hearing within the next week or so. Good luck to all who entered. I have my fingers crossed.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback on this topic. After much searching, research, and consideration, I've choosen to go with Craig Kellem at Hollywoodscript.com. His price seems very reasonable (meaning I will be able to eat this month without selling vital organs), and he has some solid credentials (listed in IMDB). I'll let everyone know how it goes in the future.

Bryan

American Pie, Final Destination, The Big Hit. These are just a few films off the top of my head that this company have produced, so yes they are extremely legit. Several months back, based on a logline I sent them, they requested one of my scripts. Unfortunately, they passed, but it was a good experience. If they request something from you, I would definately send it. Good luck and let me kow how things turn out.

Bryan

I too got the lower 50% letter. And I have too say that I am totally shocked. I entered last year's competition with my first ever screenplay; which was very amateurish, without any feedback anybody, I basically typed FADE TO BLACK and then sent it to the competition. That screenplay made it past the first round, and I was very pleased with my experience. The screenplay that I entered this year was much better, with character development, several conflicts, several surprises, a good hook (even AA gave me that), a back story, original, etc. I had even had several writers over at Zoetrope read it and give me feedback. Taking this into consideration, and the fact that I did 2 re-writes before the contest, I thought for sure I'd at least get past the 1st round. I guess it really is a crap shoot like everyone says. But like everyone else, I'm waiting to hear from other contests. Hopefully I'll get a better response.

Good luck to everyone who is waiting with me!

Bryan

Has anybody heard of/seen a short called The Sharktank Redemption? I just saw it on HBO comedy. It was the funniest thing I've seen all year; and based on some of the recent posts on this bulletin board, many of you would highly appreciate it. Basically it's a spoof of Shawshank. The film centers on an assistant in an entertainment agency who's real goal is to become a writer (which most of us on this site are striving for). I don't want to give anything else away, but if you can catch it, it's worth it. Check out the website, www.sharktankredemption.com, to find the times and channels it's playing on. Also, the site is a great parody of agancies and it's agents. Let me know what you think.

Bryan

I got an email from a guy who's been a consultant to me on my latest script saying that Marc Hernandez was looking for some new talented writers who write thrillers (maybe they're looking for something other than American Pie III). So I sent him an email personally. He responded the next day sending me an attached release form and saying that he "would love to read it", so I sent it snail mail. Since I submitted a script last year electronically and got a pass, I'm hoping that a personal email from Mr. Hernandez is a good sign that he's interested. Thanks to delivery confirmation, I know he received it 2 days ago. I'll let you all know how it turns out.

I received a request for one of my scripts from Numenorean films, and was wondering if anyone has dealt with them. At first I was pleased, but then I started reading the release form. It had a bunch of stuff covering what happens if they use my idea, saying that I would get the WGA minimum, that if they wanted it it would be considered a "work in process, and a bunch of other things that basically covers their asses if they steal anything. I've used other release forms that have the standard "similar plot, character, theme" articles, but nothing this extreme. Should I be skeptical about this or what? I know the WGA minimum right now is @ $60K, and I wouldn't be to dissapointed in that, but this just seems like they're taking too many precautions. Let me know what you think.

Thanks

Bryan

Here are the parts of the release form that make me reluctant.

1. "I agree that any part of the Material which does not in itself constitute protectible literary property may be used by you without any liability to me and that nothing in this agreement nor the fact of my submission of said material to you shall be deemed to place you in a different position than anyone else to whom I have not submitted said Material with respect to any portion of said Material which does not constitute protected property." - What do they mean by protectable property? I have registered it with the WGA.

2. "Except as to the industry’s standard practice of reserving any continuing publishing rights for published novels on behalf of the original author, I understand that any sale of screenplay, film or television rights to Numenorean or any other production company or studio would necessarily entail as part of the negotiations classification of the Material as a ‘work for hire’ as such term is generally understood in the industry, under all applicable copyright laws, including, without limitation, the United States Copyright Act of 1976.

Accordingly, in the event of any dispute between myself and Numenorean, I agree without reservation that while the fair market value of the Material may be subject to determination, the Material shall in all cases be considered a ‘work for hire’ and I hereby declare without reservation my intention to present it as such." -Why all this talk about "work for hire"? I was looking at the Minimum Standards at The WGA and it didn't say anything about "work for hire's". Do you get less for that?

3. "You agree that if you use any legally protectible portion of the Material, provided it has not been independently created by you or obtained by you from, or independently created by another source, you will pay me an amount which is comparable to the compensation normally paid by you for similar material or an amount equal to the fair market value thereof as of the date of this agreement, whichever is greater. If we are unable to agree as to said amount, in the event of any dispute concerning any alleged use of said material (e.g. whether you have used legally protectible portions thereof) or any other dispute arising out of or in connection with said material, or with reference to this agreement, or its validity, construction, performance, nonperformance, operation, breach, continuance or termination my rights shall be limited to an action at law for monetary damages, if any, from Numenorean and I shall not have the right to enjoin or restrain use of or the exhibition, distribution, advertising, or other exploitation of any project which I claim to be based either wholly or in part on the Material. The amount of such damages claimed, in the aggregate, shall in no event exceed 100% (one hundred per cent) of the single most applicable W.G.A. minimum for the screenplay, teleplay, or other format in which the claimed misappropriation occurred in effect at the time of the alleged infringement." -Here's where they talk about if they use anything of mine that is "legally protected" again and that if there is a dispute, they would pay me the minimum.

Like most everybody else at this site, I'm still waiting for my first sale. This could lead to something, but then again I don't want to have my story ripped off. But then again, based on this release it sounds like they would still have to pay me and I would have at least one sold script under my belt. Decisions, Decisions.

Again, all views on this are appreciated.

Bryan

Im' sory too saay Angleina, butt as u kan tel buy teh meny reesponzes abuv, yuo mey hav kome two thee rong playse.

Then agin, eye mey b rong; doo yu youtealeyes spel chek? Lett me now. Thanxz!

I've seen a lot of posts on here where writers who have submitted their scripts for coverage have been told that "the physics aren't right". I have two questions; 1) How many of these people doing coverage are actual physicists? And 2) Since when did physics matter in Hollywood????

When Steven Spielberg was making Jaws, he wrote the final scene when the shark jumps on the boat, basically sinking it. Peter Benchley, the original author told him that was ridiculous and that it couldn't happen. Spielberg told him that if the audience was still with him at that point, it didn't matter what was possible, they would accept it. That might or might not be physics, but just remember that sharks can't swim back wards, yet this one did to get off the boat. It's called temporary suspension of disbelief, and it's what Hollywood is based on.

Some other examples:

The liquid metal Terminator in T2, Landing 2 Space Shuttles on an asteroid in Armegeddon, Light sabers, time travel, Superman, E.T., vampires, that with big ears and a feather an elephant can fly, The Spice Girls Movie, and the most outrageous thing I've seen recently; the stunt in Driven where a racecar is falling from the air, is hit by another car, is shot about 100 yds away (the second car by the way continues with no damage), and lands in a stream, where two other drivers turn around on the track and rescue the trapped driver. Far fetched, but entertaining.

I've got a few ideas that I'm working on myself that have made me crazy trying to figure out the physics and logistics, but if you can sell the idea, it really doesn't matter. Just write a good script. :)

If this is true, and agents/production co's are afraid of mail, then this makes Lisa's service, at Venice Arts, all the more valuble at this time. I've been debating myself about using it, but now seems like the perfect time.

Congrats Terri on finishing your first script! Now that you're done, your first reaction is to get it out to as many agents and producers that you can get an address for, but don't make that mistake. What you need to do next is to have some other writers read it, or get some "coverage" on it.

If you opt for the first choice, check out zoetrope.com, which is an online community of writers. You can post your screenplay there and have it read by others for free (as long as you're willing to read 4 other scripts there). I got a lot of valuble advice from that site and read a few cool scripts.

The second choice is to use a service that will read and evaluate your script for you. This can range anywhere from $150-$1000. Most services are brutally honest, telling you what's good and bad about your script, and what you can do to improve it. I got the best results from this service. Before I got any coverage, I couldn't pay anyone to read my scripts; since I had it done about two months ago, I've had several companies request one of them. Coverage really had a tremendous affect in my case, opening my eyes to the little details that made a world of difference. If you do decide to do this, I'd recommend Craig Kellem at hollywoodscript.com. He was excellent; the price is $175 and he talks to you personally on the phone as long as it takes (of course you pay the long distance). And as a bonus, Craig will help you with your query letter, for FREE! There are other ones out there, but from my experience, they aren't nearly as affordable or personable.

I can't stress enough how important it is to get feedback from others so that you can polish your script to it's best. If you've already done this, than by all means send it out. If not, spend the money, it's well worth it.

So good luck, and if you do sell your script without doing either, then I'm an idiot, I don't know what the hell I'm talking about, and you're a much better writer than me. :)

Bryan

Malcolm,

If there ever was a company out there that you could trust, Zide/Perry is the one. Their release form is one of the most basic ones I have seen (I've only seen about six, but it's still the best) and it covers both you and the company. If you really want to see one that leaves you dizzy, check out the thread I started about a month ago; I think it was titled "Numenomeron Films", or something to that effect. I posted a huge part of that form and got a bunch of responses saying don't sign it, but if I did I would still be covered. And if you're still iffy about Zide/Perry, check out the interviews with their writers on their website, inzide.com It's great stuff. I've submitted to Zide/Perry twice; the first one was a pass, and I'm still waiting on the second one, but I'll continue to submit to them with total confidence.

Good Luck,

Bryan

Just wanted to revive this thread so Malcolm could find it easier. :)

Bryan

Okay, so I caved too and paid for the service. I don't know why so many people are against something like this. It's a great deal. I figured it out; I paid $65 for Lisa to send out 239 query letters for me. That comes to $.271966527 per query. If I had done this all on myself, I would have spent $81.26 on stamps alone, not to mention money I would have had to pay for paper, envelopes, and a new printer cartridge. I did get the list, and I did recognizes some names that I have already queried, but there were still over 200 that I hadn't. I think this is a great deal, and if you think of it in these terms, you can't beat it. I let you all know how it goes.

With fingers crossed,

Bryan

According to the IMDB, Doug knows his shit. Check out his resume, it's pretty impressive; two John Carpenter flicks, cool.

Which leads me to my next question; What brings you to this site? You already have a career.

Bryan

That was me. "It was the funniest thing I've read/seen/heard since Jason Biggs fucked a pie. Hats off my good man" was the exact quote. Anyway, it's a shame your list was lost. Do think you could re-post it for all those who missed it? Sorry Ashley if it brings back too many bad memories, but it was just too funny.

A manager who wants to represent me recently sent me a contract and I need a lawyer to go over it for me. Since I don't live in LA or NYC, I was wondering if anyone might know of a good one in the Baltimore/DC area. It seems like all we have around here are ambulance chasers.

And what type of fee should I expect from them? I've already gone over the contract myself a few times, I can't imagine that it would take a lawyer more that half an hour, its very basic.

Thanks for the help.

If you're looking for coverage, check out hollywoodscript.com. It's reasonably priced ($175), you actually get to talk to someone on the phone, and Craig knows what he's talking about. He's been in the business for years, and he helps you and your script tremendously. He helped me tighten mine, eliminate elements that were unnecessary, and suggested what would make it better. It worked, and it's the best $175 I've ever spent. Check out the site. They even offer a free query letter service. All I can say is it worked for me. Good luck.

Bryan

Ashley,

Are you kidding me?! You're just begging for it. But if you're willing I'm able. Be back soon with the questions.

Bryan

Thanks Anna, I'll check it out. :)

"I understand you all have your egoism to deal with, but surely there are other facets to your lives."

First of all, anyone who has to "welcome" himself to a message board definately has some ego problems of his own.

Second of all, yes we do have other facets of our life, that's why nobody rolled out a red carpet after you made your first post here.

If you'd bother to read some of the posts, you'd notice that this is where young, talented writers come to share experiences and answer questions for each other, which sometimes may involve a few "friendly" barbs between us; this is not a place to have your ego, or anything else for that matter, stroked. I've been posting here for almost 18 months now, nobody welcomed me; I don't care. That's not what I intend to get out of this site, an office on the Universal lot would be more like it. :) If you ask intelligent(most of the time), relevant (some of the time) questions, you'll get a good answer from someone who has already experienced what you might be going through. But, as you'll soon find out, it you come back, you'd better grow a thick skin quick. Hope to see you back!

Good call Randy! Really Love To See You Tonight; great tune!

Hey Mitchell,

That little smiley face next to my comment about an office on Universal means it was a JOKE; GET IT???!!!

Good luck with your screenplays; it looks like you'll need it.

Check out imdb.com. They have everything you would ever want to know about movies and tv.

Also, if your mouse still jerks, you can flip it over and open it up. Inside is the ball that actually senses your movements and moves the cursor. Sometimes lint collects in there and hinders the ball. I had the same problem a few months agi and this fixed it. Also, worst case scenerio, a new mouse costs ten bucks.

Good luck. :)

I and many others from this website have querried and sent scripts. some of us have been contacted, some have not. I know they're getting thousands of querries, and they ask for about 10% of those. Send if they request your script, give them 2-3 months to get back to you.

Randy,

Sounds like you'll have a very busy year. All your goals sound very ambitious, but I think you should move "get an agent or manager..." father up your list to #1 or #2; after all, with out this, all the others will fall short. And be a little more realistic about selling 3 screenplays; not even the pros do that, maybe 2. Good luck, keep shooting for the stars.

I think what he means is a book with names, addresses, phone numbers, etc. for production companies, agents, managers, studios. If this is what you mean, try the Hollywood Creative Directory. There are a few posts on this board about it. However, you might find this site pretty helpful. With the help of moviebytes.com, I was able to find a manager in Hollywood who loved my scripts and other ideas that I'm developing. Try looking at the "Writers Wanted" section on this site. It's a good way to start, and it's free. Good Luck!

Bryan

IMHO and from my experiences, skip the contests and use the money on querying agents and managers. If you spent $50 bucks on an entry fee and didn't make it past the first round, this means only one person read your script, they didn't enjoy it, and they probably aren't a "decision maker" in the industry. If you take that money and send out querry letters (lets say the cost of sending out the letter, including materials and postage, comes to $.75) that means you can send your logline to 67 people who might like it and who might be decision makers. This looks like a better way of getting your work out there. And based on what I've read on message boards from contest finalists and winners, most of them don't get the representation and industry jobs that they are looking for. Of course there are exceptions, like Finding Forrester, but it's usually not the norm. If you have a good concepr and a tight script, someone will notice it.

For the past sveral years she has worked in production and in various capacities, including producer. If you do an internet search, you will find her name a few times. Also, if you ask her, she'll send you a bio that you can check and see she's for real. I know she's "new" (about a year) as a manager, but she has a lot of connections in Hollywood, and a few clients have already gotten meetings and rewriting assignments in town. I've spoken to her extensively and if she likes your work, she's very passionate about you and you ideas. She knows her shit, so if she requested a script, you have nothing to loose by sending it.

I agree with what most people said here. 13 isn't too young to start, but maybe it's too young to sell something. But like Randy said, that gives you a head start. Think of everyone who's your age who in 10 years says "I want to be a screenwriter." If you start now, your writing will look like Shakespeare compared to theirs. It takes time to polish your writing skills. When I finished my first script, I thought, Wow, this will sell. So I sent it to contests and readers for coverage. Everyone said they liked the "concept", i.e. the basic story, but my writing was too green, i.e. too much dialogue, not enough action; the pacing was off, not enough character development. Things of this nature are all learned over repeated rewrites. Maybe you have all of this now; I haven't read any of your work, so I don't know. But that's what websites like zoetrope.com is for, so other people can read your work and give you advice. But just be prepared for honest answers, even if they sting. And don't forget, Cameron Crowe sold his first script, Fast Times At Ridgemont High when he was 16 or 17. So good luck, keep writing, and if you sell a script before me, just remember this great advice I gave you. Ha Ha Ha!

Randy,

I'll be moving back to LA as soon as I sell one of my scripts and have the financial means to do so.

Check out the new post on this topic. Hope it helps you out.

Bryan

Here's what I know about Shelley and PINCH. She was recently working for a distributor travelling to all the major film festivals as an aquisitions VP and acquired/released such films as the Hughes Bros. American Pimp. Before that, she worked in NY in a talent management company with a company that reps big comedians including SNL's Dean Edwards, etc. She started PINCH back in Nov. 2001. And like I said before, you shouldn't hesitate to send any work to her, she's legit. If she likes what she sees, she'll give 110% to you and your script.

IMHO, you should do both. First right a story you're passionate about, then make it commercial. Create some characters that people can identify with, put them in situations others have been in that create suspense, drama, action, or comedy. Give the audience a reason to want to see your movie/script. In Finding Forrester, Sean Connery had the perfect quote that applies to this subject. He said "Write your first draft with you heart, write your second and third drafts with your head." The first draft will allow you to get the passion of your writing and the story on paper. Subsequent drafts will help you refine it and make it more interesting, i.e. production co's and studios will gain interest. When I first started writing screenplays, I didn't think "Is this commercial or not?", but in reality if you want to get noticed and want the industry to gain interest and sell your screenplay, you have to consider it. Once you've sold your first screenplay and "made it", then it's time to pitch your "not-so-commercial" concepts.

I don't know if Mark is out or not, but if he is, it explains a lot; like why hasn't anyone been getting responses from him. I'm sure within the next few days someone will be able to confirm or deny this rumor for us.

I don't understand why anybody has any problem with "I Seeeeee" posting under an anonymous name, it's done all the time. If anybody has been following the news lately, concerning bin Laden, then you'd see everyday a source is quote as "an anonymous government official". I don't see any news papers or reporters getting a bug up their ass about it, so why should we? I was jusy happy to finally know a little something about what was going on at Zide/Perry. Thanks for the news I Seeeeee, but maybe you should change your name to "Deep Throat", it worked for that Nixon guy. Keep us informed.

I believe the demographic that brings in the most money is males 18-35. I don't know the exact number, but this is what most big budgeted pictures are targeted for.

I'm thinking about writing a spec teleplay for a show I watch all the time, only I don't know how many pages it should be. Anyone know the approximate length for an hour long drama along the lines of E.R, CSI, or Law & Order? Thanks for the help.

Bryan

Thanks for the advice Marlein. You mentioned reading a lot of tv scripts before actually writing one; where can I get copies of these shows' scripts?

Thanks

If he's that interested, tell him to give you the name and number of one of his clients or friends, then you can contact them and have them read it. Problem solved! :)

I think your logline sounds great; the only thing I don't know is if it's a comedy or a thriller. Based on your logline, these "mysterious changes" could be comical or eerie. I write thrillers and I thought yours sounded like a great one. I even started seeing it visually. But then somebody else talked about it as a comedy. May I missed something somewhere. Anyway, either way it sounds good to me. Good luck in LA.

Saw it this weekend. The first hour and a half was a little slow, but had some really cool insites; such as the origin of Boba Fett and Luke's Uncle Owen from Episode IV. The last 45 minutes on the other hand, was AWESOME! Don't want to spoil anything, but while watching the movie, if you have to take a bathroom break or grab a Zagnut, do it before Yoda tells Mace Windu to take all the available Jedi's and help Obi-Wan. If you don't stay in your seat after this point, you may as well have spent your $8.00 renting Glitter from Blockbuster. And I don't know why so many critics are blasting the film, what did they expect? This is fantasy; nobody should be expecting Gone With The Wind. There is an old saying that "those who cannot do, teach". I'm starting to think that's what most critics are; people who would like to write films, but don't have the talent/will. Either way, I think that puts all of us writers on this site above them. But those are just my thoughts. If you liked the original Star Wars trilogy, goes see this one; it's just as good as good, if not better then them.

Even though those are WGA minimums, if this company is truly interested and serious, you should ask/get way more than $69K. IMHO, that's just ridiculous. If it's a feature film (not direct to video) and the company has had past productions and is a legitimate company, the lowest I've seen is $150K.

Also, as a rule of thumb, always ask for more than you will settle for because the studio/production co is always going to want to spend less. For example, if you think it's worth $200K, ask for $250K or $300K. That way it'll look like you're willing to work with them and accept less. Of course if you get an agent/attourney, they'll already uses this strategy.

Good luck and let us know how it goes. :)

I also forgot one other poin. The industry standard you should get for your script is 5% of the film's budget. So if the budget is $5 million, that's $250K in your pocket; actually a lot less after agents, lawyers, and the IRS gets their piece.

Wow, I just thought this was a site for aspiring screenwriters. Boy was I wrong.

Have you given it to someone else to read & critique? If not, you can post it on zoetrope.com and get feedback from other writers. Very useful and it doesn't cost anything. Who says nothing in life is free? The only catch is that you have to read four other scripts and give comments before you can see the notes on your script. If you feel your script is ready, a great place to start is on this site. Check out the Writers Wanted section; it's how I found my manager. A few other good places are the Venice Arts query service or checkout the list of agents/manager at The WGA website. But like the previous post said, get ready for rejection because 99.9% of the responses you get back will be negatives. But just remember, the one positive response is worth it. A professional baseball player once said "Winning the World Series is easy, getting there is the hard part." The same is true about Hollywood; if you have an in, you can't play. Your agent/manager is what brings you to the game. Of course there are always exceptions.

Good luck and keep us posted. This board is a great place to vent frustration and discuss your dissapointments; as well as your successes. :)

What the hell is going on with you people???? Who gives a crap about other people's beliefs! To me that's private; look at what an ugly can of worms it has opened up. I thought this was a site where you could give and get advice about becoming a screenwriter based on your experiences. This ridiculous topic has been going on far too long. I'm not one to get on a soapbox, but since everyone else has...

GET OFF THIS BORING RIDICULOUS TOPIC!!!!!!!!!! Everybody has their own beliefs and nothing you can say will change them. That's why the world is so fucked up right now; everything in the middle east and bin ladin has to do with people trying to push thier ideas on others. I see enough of that crap in the news, I don't need to see it on this bulletin board. I come to this board for inspiration, and to share in others' success and failures, and to gain knowledge from them.

So inclosing, keep your own beliefs, but don't push them on others. So let's get back to the subject at hand...

SCREENWRITING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Thanks for the update Randy. Pretty scary stuff. I have to get on an airplane this weekend so this type of thing makes me fell much more confident that I'll be safe.

P.S. That last sentence is supposed to be sarcastic.

What type of drama are you looking to write? Since there are several types (war, cop, family, sports, court room, period pieces tearjerkers, etc.), you might want to be a little more specific just to weed out those who aren't interested. If you have a concept but don't want to post it, you can find my email on my profile. Good old Worchester MA; is the Spectrum still there?

Thanks. Got it, sent you one back.

From what I've read about this fellowship, it doesn't matter what genre as long as it's good. I read an interview, I think it was on this site, about someone who won it with a spec about a serial killer. Also, I remember that Disney also bought a serial killer spec, I think it was back in December 2001. If yo feel like searching all the thrillers on the "Recent Sales" page, I'm sure you'll find it.

Thanks Steve,

You always been a voice of reason here.

:)

I did an internet search and couldn't come up with anything. I also used the resources on this site and came up empty again. Are they a production co? Also, the name of Soderberg's production co is Section Eight; unless he's changed the name recently.

Good Luck

Upon further research, Section 8 is the production company Soderberg & George Clooney started, and I don't know of many director/producers who have more than one. Also, the credits for Insomnia lists three production companies, Alcon Entertainment, Section Eight Ltd., and Witt/Thomas Productions. There are also 12 producers listed, one of the Soderberg. If you go to The Internet Movie Database, you can find out much more information about credits then are shown with the film.

Also, it does look like Catch 23 is buying a lot of scripts, but none of the ones listed on this site have been released yet. Hopefully they'll release something soon so we can see what kind of work they do. Of course who am I kidding; I'd probably be happy to sell one of my scripts to any company right now.

Keeping the dream alive...

Yeah, if I had those kinds of connections, I sure as hell wouldn't be wasting my time here. Look at everybodys' profiles; were all Joe Blow from Katspaw, North Dakota; Woodbury, Vermont, or Iwannabefamous, Alabama; thousands of miles from Los Angeles. The above advice is the best; get some paid, professional coverage on your script, do some rewrites, and then turn it over to your industry friends. I've used one that was key in getting my writing to the next level; if you're interested, drop me a line and I'll let you know.

Like with everything else in this world, it's not what you know, it's who you know. Hell, I'm still trying to figure out what the executive was thinking who greenlighted Sugar & Spice; probably the writer's uncle.

Good luck

He's repped by Creative Artists Agency. You can find their address and phone number under the list of agencies on this website. Good Luck.

Wow, I'm sure impressed. You guys have kept this post going for over a month; how many sunsets is that? I can't believe all the time and effort everyone has put into this. My hats off to all of you for defending your beliefs, you don't see much of this these days. I'm not taking anyone's side, but you all make good arguements. I can just imagine the incredible screenplays everyone could write if the same amount of energy was used when we're infront of our computers taping away at the keys on our scripts. ;)

Good Luck Everyone!

Congratulations! And don't think it's shameless, I'm sure if all of us were in your shoes we'd do the same. Looks like you have a great director (Eric Stoltz) and cast, I'll try and catch it.

Now that you have one in the can, what's on the horizon for you? Any other deals in the works?

For all those out there who have never been to "whorepresents.com", it's "who represents", not "whore presents".

:)

I agree with Allen. Until your script is good and polished, you aren't ready to market it. If it is ready, another good place to start is on this website. Check out the Writers Wanted section; most of these are new agents/agencies that are looking for quality new writers.

Good Luck

True, readers may read the entire scriptp, but within the first ten pages you'd better have "the hook", which is what pulls the reader/audience into your script. Even if there is a long expository segment, you still have to hook the reader. Think of a film like American Beauty. At the beginning of the film is Lester's voice over saying "Have you ever seen those signs that say this is the first day of the rest of your life? Well for me, this is the last day of my life", something like that, I can't remember it exactly. Anyway, this hooks the reader; nothing interesting happens for another half an hour. I had the same problem with one of my scripts; it was character driven with a lot of talking to establish the plot. I got a lot of requests to read it based on the logline, but nothing once it got read. One nice reader on zoetrope.com sent me an email saying he stopped reading it after 3 pages because it was so boring. Initially I was offended and probably sent him an email back with some choice words. But he was right. I was able to solve the problem by putting in a gripping flashback, and since then I have gotten a lot of positive responses, including representation. This is all IMHO, but it worked for me. If you can establish that hook, you would probably get more positive results.

Good Luck

For the last four years I've been using Scriptware on a PC. It's the only one I've used, but it's been great. Like they say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", so I plan on sticking with it.

Randy,

I don't know who told you about scriptware not doing updates; I got one three months ago.

Bill,

Like you, I don't care about screen shuffling or most of the other features. Although the "search for" feature has come in handy' and the ability to change a name throughout the entire script in one click has been useful. When I first started writing scripts, it was on a word processor (does anybody remember those?). It was easier than a typewriter, but you couldn't set more than one tab, which made the formating difficult. I love scriptware because as you tab to the different start points (INT/EXT, Character, Dialogue, etc., it gives you choices that have already been used, which saves a lot of time.

But that's just MHO.

The last public appearance from Bigfoot I can remember was when Steve Austin kicked his ass back in the late 70's on The Six Million Dollar Man, of course that was a robot Bigfoot, so I don't know if it counts.

Sorry. I'm feeling a little loopy at work today; just something I had to do.

The original thread this started with was "What if Christ came Back as Bigfoot?" was started about two months ago. Since then it has developed into an insane discussion about religion that kinda goes like this:

1. My god is better than your god!

2. Oh yeah, my god will kick your god's butt!

1. Well my god is bigger than your god!

2. Your god sucks!

1. No, yours sucks!

And so on.

After that came W.I.G.C.B.A. BigFoot II. As a joke, I started this one. Looks like we have all created a monster.

IMHO Bill, don't waste your time joining this played out discussion, use it more wisely, like working on your latest screenplay.

Darrell,

Try the managers/agents/production companies that are listed in the "Writers Wanted" section of this site.

Good Luck

I agree with Mitchell. I tried zoetrope for a while, but I only got one piece of good feedback. Zoetrope is amateurs critiquing (sp?) amateur work. It's okay to be an amateur, we all are at this point, but wouldn't it make more sense to get tips from industry professionals? That's the way I've gone and my writing has improved leaps and bounds. But that's just my humble opinion.

Marcel,

I'm in the same situation. I started a new script last weekend and have banged out 67 pages since then, thinking it would be @ 100 pages. Now it looks more like 110. That's okay, that's what second and third drafts are for. Just get the script done, then go back and trim things that aren't necessary. Most of the pros will tell you this is how they write. If you're on a roll, keep it going, ride it out.

It's like a streak in baseball; according to Crash Davis "You don't fuck with a streak. If you think you're on a winning streak because you are or aren't getting laid, then you are!"

Nuff said, get back to writing the next Oscar winning screenplay.

Ashley and R,

I think you both provide good points.

Ashyley, people should check out what this site is all about and what it has to offer. I too am a little tired of answering the same questions, "How do I get an agent?", "What contests should I enter?" and the ones where somebody claims they have a great script and are looking for somebody on this site to buy/produce it. New people should maybe check out the current post first, because most of the time they'll find their answers or realizes what they are looking for isn't here.

R,

I do think that most of us here are here to learn and share our experiences. I only respond to a post if I've been in the same situation, read about a similar situation, or know of someone who has. And I think that this is when most of us throw our two cents in.

Another problem I've found with this site, and others, is that it's hard to "hear" a way someone is saying something. I've seen many situations, even been in a few myself, where what somebody has written was taken thr wrong way. Poster A thought Poster B was being mean, but they didn't mean it that way. So sometimes it happens, but unless you can tell that it's meant to be hurtful, it usually isn't.

And if you do want to post here, you'd better get thick skin fast. Think of this as the minor leagues of Hollywood. The critics (agents/producers/directors/managers/studio heads) will be ten times more critical then anyone on this page. If you can't take a little ribbing here, forget about LA. Everyone is brutally honest because they don't want to waste your time or theirs. I admit it's hard to get used to at first: I remember getting into a shouting match with Ashley when I first arrived about two years ago. But most of the info and advice here is meant to be helpful.

Both of you have valid points. In the words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along??????????"

Good luck to everyone with your writing.

D.G.,

You trip me out; in a good way.

Hey D.G.,

Where did I say "other writers trash"? I can't find it anywhere.

And I have read other writers and given them proper feedback.

I could lower my self and call you something like D.G. Ball-less, but I won't; I'm sure you've heard it before and it rolled off your back. I'm sick of all this back and forth insulting that is going on, I'm not getting into it. So keep insulting everyone like you do, you're not getting anymore responses from me.

Good luck with all your high concept concepts.

A few years ago I moved to LA with stars in my eyes, to work on films and "make it". This was back in 1998/99 when the Internet was making it's first initial boom. Anyway, the big thing then were these companies that for $75 dollars would put a picture of you on their website that they claimed casting directors used constantly to cast extras and small roles. So of course I bit and forked over the cash. Guess how many calls I got. None. These companies that charge a fee are the same; they're just interested in your money.

No there is always and exception to the rule. I know a few months back someone did sell a script through a service like this, but it was reputable and had been around a while. I think it was scriptshark, you can read about it on this site.

Always remember an agent/manager works for you. If you don't make anything, they shouldn't either. A real manager/agent won't even ask you to pay for copies, brads, or any other cost of reproducing your script, which I could see as somewhat reasonable.

I think you'd get more mileage out of your money if you used it for professional feedback, or by entering a few contests. But, then again, that's just my opinion. Let us know what you decide.

LOL! That's good Marcel.

I recently stumbled onto this site and wanted to let everyone know about it. If you haven't been there, it's run by Terry Rossio, half of the team that has written hits like Aladdin, Antz, Small Soldiers, Zorro, Godzilla, and a few others. Anyway, it's got a lot of great articles about screenwriting and the business of Hollywood. You can even email Terry and he'll post an answer in the Forum section. Check it out.

My thoughts it exactly. A king can give up a throne, but can Christ give up his "crown'? I think that would be his only shot of becoming an agent.

Thanks Craig. I guess I was a little naive to think everybody would be able to figure it out for themselves.

For Ron and everyone else, here are the directions.

1. Type the letter "w" three times, and then a period. I don't mean type "period", just the symbol; one character.

2. Then without a space, type "wordplayer".

3. Now, without hitting the big key at the bottom of your keyboard, type ".com"

4. Look to the right side of your keyboard and press the key marked "ENTER". In a few seconds, your computer screen should change to a different website called "Wordplayer.com"

This is one option. The other would be to use a search engine. Or, amazon.com has several dozen books on how to use the internet.

Oooops! I'm sorry; that's www.amazon.com for all you newbies.

I just came across this site, www.scriptwritersnetwork.com, which I've heard a lot about. It's based out of LA where they have weekly/monthly meetings with industry folks. I was wondering if anybody belongs to it that doesn't live in LA, and if so is it worth it. The website looks like it's full of great info, but I live on the other side of the country and seeing how I probably won't be making the meetings, is it worth the money?

Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

Check out the Who's Buying What section of this site. It lists all the Studios, Production Co's, Agents/Agencies/ etc. that you can possibly want. And if that's not enough, if you are looking for specific people, check out www.whorepresents.com. If you need to find an actor, director, writer, etc., you can find their agent there.

Nope, never heard of them.

I think I remember reading something about this on the WGA website. I may be wrong, but I think it said that you can claim it as a business expense, but not until you become a professional writer, i.e. you actually get paid. So until you sell a script, the answer is no. But double check to make sure.

I was thinking the same thing. Thank God.

(Wait, I hope I'm not opening another can of worms with that last sentence)

Use The Force Obi-Wan, and you will find your answer and become a very powerful jedi writer.

P.S. Be ready for D.G. when he sees your handle.

Johnny, you DO talk a lot.

Ashley,

Does that included DVD rentals? I'd sure like to get my money back for some of the crap I've rented over the last year.

I just read an article about this on wordplay.com by Terry Rossio, a big time writer in Hollywood (check the imdb.com for his credits). To paraphrase, he says to use whatever the character would say.

So if Joe Blow was going to say "Hey, there's got to be a reason for that!", then that's what you write.

If it's a stuffy english professor, he would probably say "there is".

The same goes for "don't", "wouldn't" "he'll" and any other contraction. Write it how the character says it.

That should be wordplayer.com

I'm one of those people who listen to music all the time; at work, in the shower, in the car, working out, whenever. About the only time I don't is when I write.

I used to because it would help get me "pumped up" to write. But when ever I got to a point where I needed to think where I was going next, the music was too much, I couldn't concentrate. So I would turn the music off until I got passed it, then would listen til I was stuck again. It just became a nusance (sp?) so I tried it without the music. I haven't hit as many roadblocks since, I think I can concentrate better without it.

But like you said, everyone is different, so do whatever works for you.

It would be interesting to know if any of the big screenwriters, names we all now, lisen to music while they write. If anyone out there has any insight, let us know.

I haven't used Natalie, but the service I did use I felt was invaluble. I used Craig Kellem at hollywoodscript.com He charges $175, then he talks to you on the phone for as long as it takes. I found him very personable, and his insite helped take my writing to the next level. Also, they have a monthly contest for all scripts submitted, and the winner gets their work recommended to a management agency. I didn't win the contest, but after re-writing my script with Craig's suggestions, I was able to get a manager. It's definitly (sp?) work the money.

That should say "worth the money".

A.I. would have been much better if the film ended 30 minutes earlier; when the kid finally reaches the Blue Fairy.

HEY DEE GEE "I WISH I HAD SOME" BALLS,

I'll be totally honest with y'all. My DREAM, as I believe is EVERYBODY'S DREAM, is to earn a living DOING SOMETHING I ENJOY, and to some extent make my own hours.

So to me, being a screenwriter FILLS the BILL. I'm sorry if this seems SHALLOW or GREEDY, but you can't buy FOOD, A HOUSE, A CAR, CLOTHES, or A JUDGE without money. I didn't create this world, the ALMIGHTY GOD did, I just LIVE here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

People say you CAN'T BUY HAPPINESS. I say true, but you can lease a PORSCHE and that comes pretty DAMN CLOSE!!!!!

If I sound a little MATERIALISTIC, I AM!!!!!! And so are YOU (everybody) unless you live in a VAN NEXT TO THE RIVER!!!!!!!!!!

Like JAY MOHR said in Jerry Macguire:

"It's not 'show friends', it's 'SHOW BUSINESS'!"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, that last post was just me trying to walk in D.G.'s shoes for a minute. No disrespect meant.

But damn that felt good. :)

Randy,

Glad I could put a smile on your face.

Very easily. If after reading two sentence you want to read/watch the script, it's a good one. If you'd rather not, it's not a good one.

Which would you rather watch:

A man searches for his wife that was kidnapped.

Or

A second before he says "I Do", regular guy Jimmy Somebody's wife is kidnapped at the alter by a group of disgruntled circus clowns. Jimmy must find his bride within the next 24 hours in order to stop the evil clowns from turning every human being on the earth into a side show freak.

The second one is a little out there, but it obviously grabs your attention more than the first one.

If you were a reader/agent/manager, which one would you choose?

Maryellen Mulcahy - Manager Framework Entertainment 9057 Nemo Street Suite C West Hollywood CA 90069 310/858-0333 (f)310/858-1357

I started reading one of your scripts last night. I'll let you know when I'm done.

The other day I read an interview w/ Zach Tann, the guy who runs the Inzide website. He said the site has been up for about three years now and they've only picked six scripts that have been submitted. And none of them have sold; although they are in the middle of closing the deal on their first one. Mr. Tann said the biggest mistake writers make is submitting the first or second draft; me being one of those writers. So don't be discouraged, everyone on this site has received the same rejection.

It's part of earning your stripes on the long road to Hollywood.

"How many have you ever wished you would've of ran through a daisey (money) field with sunny blue skies and no cares?"

I tried it once, but it wasn't what I thought it would be. Too much hype.

By the way, if you do try it, make sure you're wearing clothes. Those daiseys STING if they hit you in the wrong place.

That's a conversation I dream of:

MR. SPIELBERG

Great rewrite Bryan. But things still aren't exactly the way I want them. We want you to do another one, okay?

BRYAN Uh, let me think for a moment...OKAY.

I'll let you know when that happens.

Keep it up Miriam, you're making us proud!

HEY CABLE ROADWAY!!!!!!!!!!

I know that a standard deal usually includes a re-write or two, and perhaps a polish. I was simply stating that it must be great to be asked to do another re-write for a few reasons.

1) They still have confidence in you and your work enough to not hire another writer. This is good.

2) Also, like Miriam said, she is getting paid and now feels like/is a professional writer. I'm sure that's a great feeling.

Also, just because the company who bought your story has a few re-writes written into the contract doesn't mean they are going to use them, so at some point, if they want you to do a re-write, aren't they going to have to tell you?????

That was my whole point with the Speilberg scenario, it would be pretty cool to have The Man tell you himself.

Sometime D.G. I think your only purpose in life is to instigate.

And now I'm sure you're going to come back with you're usually long winded rant about a higher power, the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost, etc. when all we really come to this message board for is information @ screenwriting.

So I'm ready, let me have it.

OR why don't you do something to surprise us all; like keeping your rant to yourself and crawl back into the cave and continue drawing pictures on the walls.

I'm sure they'll be no surprises from D.G. this time. Anybody want to give me some odds?

Yes, they said late July, but you have to remember you're dealing in "Hollywood Time", which means you'll probably hear something by mid September.

Hey D.G.,

I was just wondering who St. Germaine and Associates are? I saw them listed on your profile, but couldn't find them listed on this site or any other search engine.

Or is this just your clever way of telling us that Saint Germaine, the 18th-century adventurer known as 'Der Wundermann', is a personal hero of yours, or somebody you liken yourself to?

I think most people have thought about suicide at one point or another to a certain degree, maybe us writers/artists even more so because of our desire to create.

A few years ago, I was living in Los Angeles working on movie sets. Granted they weren't $100 million productions, but I was paying my dues, and I loved it. Even though I was struggling, I was in LA and had my foot in the door. Well, to make a long story short, my girlfriend at the time was home sick, so thinking with my heart instead of my head, we moved back east. And then six months later The Bitch broke up with me. This was the girl I thought I was going to marry, and I had given up my Dream for her. So for the next month in a half I was in bad shape. I'll admit that several times I thought about jumping off my 4th floor balcony. I had support of my friends and family, and they're what kept me alive.

I think all artists go through it, but like they say if it doesn't kill you, it will only make you stronger. And it's definately done that for me.

Also, I was writing back then, but my writing has come so far since then. I can draw on that pain and experience to make my writing better.

Another thing that kept me alive then and keeps me writing now is this. What about tomorrow? What happens if I was to end it all now, then tomorrow that huge agent or producer was to call? You never know what's around the corner so don't make that mistake and give up.

A perfect example was the day I found my manager. I had sent out over 150 query letters and because I had a great logline, I had about 25 request for my script. So weeks later after I sent them all out, I had pretty much received passes on all of them. That day I was thinking to myself "Maybe I don't have it, maybe I'm wasting my time, maybe I should give up". I was discouraged, but not suicidal, just fed up with rejection. So I was ready to give it up...

But that night I got a call from a management company in LA. I was shocked, bewildered, etc. The call came at the perfect time. So after talking for a few days, I signed with them. Weeks later after notes and rewrites, we sent out my script. Nobody bought it, but it got my work infront of people and a lot of them are waiting to read my next script, which I'm finishing up now. And I'm not talking about small, rinky dink companies, I'm talking about companies you would know and any of us would die to sell to.

So be persistant and hang in there. Don't give up. If you have the persistance, you have a better chance than those who don't.

One last thing; praying to your higher power, whoever that may be, also seems to help. Everytime I've been frustrated and asked for a little help, my prayer has been answered. Don't wish for a million dollars, just a little help.

I hope this helps. I didn't mean to be long winded. I've been there and I know how it feels.

Stay true to your path.

Bryan

That's what a logline is for.

Ask away, we're waiting.

I've gone to several other screen writing boards, but I feel the advice and commeradery (sp?) on this to be the best.

Steve,

Thanks for sharing. Keep Coming Back, it works if you work it.

:)

Does anybody have any clue as to who the hell these people/company are????

The reason I'm asking is because they bought 11 scripts/pitches/book rights today, as posted on "Who's Buying What". I've never seen a company make so many purchases in a single day. Are these low budget productions? If not, this company must be printing money in the basement.

If anyone has any insight, I'm really curious.

Well, it looks like I answered my own question. They're a big company who's biggest films include Backdraft and Blown Away (the one with Jeff Bridges & Tommy Lee Jones, not the one with Corey Feldman and Nicole Eggert). It looks like they have a deal with Spelling films for a boatload of money to produce feature and made for tv films.

Here's the link to their websits if you're interested.

www.fame-la.com/who/production/trilogy.html

Actually, you don't use "...". The correct way is "--", for instance.

BILL Get your ass in here before I--

JANE Don't you dare tell me what to do!

Years ago "..." was accepted, but now it's changed. "..." is now used if a character is stuttering or stumbling, or if their words/thoughts trail off.

DICK Wait...I don't get it...what?

At least that's what I've seen in recent produced scripts I've read.

The first time you go to Mahoney's office, you want to establish that it's in the Police Station.

INT. POLICE STATION - DAY Detective Riggs makes his way through the police station crowded with hookers, drug dealers, and other low-lives. He works his way through the crowd and strolls into

INT. CAPTAIN MAHONEY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS The chaos of the Captain's office reminds Riggs of his days in Vietnam. The desk is covered with hamburger wrappers, cigarette butts, and stacks of files.

Later on if you need to go back to Mahoney's office, you can go straight there because you've already established where it is. You could do it other ways, but make sure it's a smooth transition. You want to make it as easy for the reader as possible, don't confuse them. If the reader says "What, huh?", you've lost them and that can hurt you.

Dude, Where's My Car is based on Shakespeare?

Okay, how do I say this correctly...

WHAT???????????????????????????

Please clarify what play it was based on. I've never claimed to be a scholar when comes to classic literature, but I've read several of The Bard's plays for school and acting classes (mostly the standards), but I can't think of one that fits Dude, Where's My Car.

Yes, I know a lot of films are Shakespeare redone, I just never would have guessed Dude Where's My Car was one of them.

And yes, I did hear they were planning a sequel. The original was made for $13 million and made almost $47 million, which is profitable in anybody's book. The only thing they haven't thought about is that all the 12-15 years olds that went to see the first one will be too old to laugh at the same jokes again (at least for their sake, I hope they have outgrown it).

But this is the kind of shit in Hollywood that pisses me off. Someone greenlit the sequel to a really stupid movie that will no doubt be even worse. I have one completed script that could be made for a minimum of $5 million (and when I say "made", I mean to Hollywood standards, not something shot with local actors/crew) and would gross at least $30 million, more with just one star attached; I'd bet my left nut on it. I have two others in various stages that I'd be willing to bet my other nut that they would be just as successful.

I know Hollywood is a business, but wouldn't you be embarassed to admit that you were the executive who greenlit Sugar & Spice, Crossroads, or On The Line (that movie with the Backstreet Boy guy, I think that's the name)? I just wish they'd look to some new ideas sometimes because I'm sure most of us on this site have better ideas than what is getting made.

And I have to disagree with you Marcel. The brackets are unnecessary. Any professional actor who's read a script before will be able to figure out the dynamics of a scene by himself.

If you want to put the brackets, fine, but your work will come off as amateurish, which is one strike against you. Remember you only get so many.

Just say "performing/practicing Tai Chi". Most people know what that is these days, and you want to keep it simple.

If you want to go a little further to make sure they understand it, you could say "the ancient chinese art of Tai Chi, which is made up of slow, deliberate movements blah blah blah.

Make sure you don't chalk your cue stick too much; you might have to clean up the table.

Okay, I've been watching this post for the last few days to see what it's all about, and I've been sitting on the fence. I don't know if it was the horendous day I had at my day job, the fact that my air conditioning system broke (it's about 90 degrees in Baltimore right now), or what, but my curiosity has gotten the best of me.

Bill, my email is listed on my profile, let me know what your plan is.

Your profile says you can execute; well I've got the stories, concepts, and loglines. If you walk the walk like you talk the talk, I'm ready to see you strutt.

D G,

Thanks for the info, but did you ever talk to or email him, getting anymore info?

Like K. Ford stated, there was no mention of the name in the article. I did several name and address searches on the web trying to link MITCHELL BAILEY with the address listed in the article, but came up empty. If you've talked to him and know personally that that was his address or age, then I believe you.

Another thing, Mitchell's last post on this board was on Tuesday July 30th at 11:01 am, the article said he was found that day at 4pm, which might explain why he hasn't posted since then, which would lend more credibility to D G's theory.

If you're still with us Mitchell, let us know. If anybody could confirm the name of the deceased in the article, that would be helpfully.

Thanks D G. I never meant to imply it was false information, I just wanted confirmation. Thanks for the info. Sorry he's gone.

I was just starting to read a few of Mitchell's old posts to see what he was like and found that he had his own webpage with his books there. If anyone's interested, here's the address.

http://mbailey.4t.com/

Wow. Sometimes it amazes me just how low actors have to go to get some publicity.

I know it's been years since you've had any real work, but coming here?

Welcome to the board Richard Chamberlain.!

Hey Tom, welcome to the board.

After Mitch left, I looked at some of his older posts and saw what happened when he first arrived here. He welcomed himself, and several of us, including myself, berated him for having such a big ego. Looking back on it, I felt a little guilty and decided I'd never do that again. Even if Mitch claimed it was no skin off his back, it's no way to make a first impression. I've made a conscious effort to never do this again and to try and be less critical of others here, as I hope others will.

So again welcome. This board is full of good information and has helped several of us progress in our quest to be professional screenwriters. The people are friendly {for the most part ;) } and everyone can offer advice or an opinion to help you out. I've been to ther boards, but haven't found them as personable. Good luck with your writing and I hope you enjoy your time here.

Nope, but I've heard about a book called Cop Talk that supposedly goes over all police procedure. There's another one a read about a few days ago. I'll see if I can find it and get back to you.

I have a dictionary too (don't know where it is), but I think I've been spoiled (like everybody else in the computer age) with spell check.

Also, I've always thought telling someone to look up the spelling in a dictionary is backwards. How are you going to find it if you don't know the spelling? Yes, for some words it makes sense, but what about words like xygoth, which sounds like a "Z"? You'd spend all day looking for it. There are several words in the English language that you'd go crazy looking for in a dictionary.

Sorry Karl, I guess I didn't read your post thoroughly enough. Yes, dictionary software is an excellent cure. Doesn't that automatically come with Windows these days?

Wow.

Thanks for filling us in Bill. I've been wondering if it was a physical or mental ailment that pushed him over the edge.

Yes, it does depend. If you show the anus before it shoots, I would say that is fine.

If you actually show the anus while the crap is shooting out, that's pushing it.

There is a scene in Me, Myself, and Irene when a dog is crapping on Jim Carrey's lawn, and I believe they actually show "it" coming out. But it's not coming out on a person, so I don't know.

However, based on what I've seen & heard about the ratings board, they would ask for it to be cut.

Question: How many of you spend money on the lottery? That's how I look at Greenlight, but the odds aren't as bad as a lottery. Here's what I think:

If you're paying $30 for a chance to get your movie made, that's not bad. All the winners of the other contests only get to add the title of winner to their resume. With Greenlight, you not only win, you get to direct.

Even if you sell a script on your own, the chances of you getting to direct it are slim & none. And with the lottery, you have no control, the balls come up the way they want. If your script is good, you increase your odds of winning.

Plus, the readers for Greenlight aren't going to be indusrty readers, they're going to be writers like you and me. Yes, there are a few of us that are industry readers, but that won't hurt. And writers don't tend to be as critical as the pros, so a script that isn't perfect may be able to go far if it's a good concept.

And how much does it cost to send out queries & scripts? There have been a several months where I spent more than $30 and didn't get any response. With Greenlight you get some kind of feedback, don't you?

$30 isn't that expensive. That's 6 hours of work at minimun wage, one night at a bar, 8 DVD rentals, a cheap date, or a partridge in a pear tree. If your not willing to part with $30 for a real chance of getting your movie made, then you don't have the drive to do it.

Ask Pete Jones if he would have done it all over again if he had to pay $30. I'm sure he'd say yes.

Uh...maybe...on second thought, I was wrong. Maybe nobody should enter; that way the odds of me winning are better.

Ha Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From Mileena's Profile:

ANY AGENTS WHO NEED A GOOD CLIENT,PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT MILEENA2000@AOL.COM AND ONLY IF YOU COULD GET ME IN MOVIES AND YOU ARE A WELL KNOWN AGENT.AND ONLY IF UR IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!!!!

Oh my God! I've been going about this screenwriting thing completely wrong! You mean all I have to do is post something like this in my profile????? I'm so stupid!!!!!!

(Bryan BANGS his head with his fist like the guys in the Amstel Lite commercial)

To be young and naive again...

As far as having some one locked up for psychiatric reasons, I was always under the impression that you had to be an immediate relative, like a spouse, child, or parent. And you had to get a judge to agree with you to sign the commital papers.

Denise,

Could you post that email here? I'd like to see what it says.

Thanks

I didn't write screenplay when I was younger, but I did write stories. I always got A's in Creative Writing and my mother still has some of them.

In high school I wrote a short mystery story for an english class where the teacher of that class got killed. That teacher was a bitch, but I got a good grade on it.

I also have a short children's story that I wrote when I was younger. I think it would make a good kid's book and a good Disney-like movies. Eventually I'll do something with it.

When I was in Catholic school, I wrote a horror/slasher story about some kids getting killed at a Catholic school reunion. Turns out the killer was an eligitimate son of one of the priests. Guess that would be a hot topic today, right?

Anyway, I've always been writing in some form or another. I just didn't get serious about it until a few years ago when I was was trying to make it as a PA in LA. I realized if I had a shot at Hollywood, writing was my best chance. And the fact that you don't have to live a poor, meager exisitance while doing it, that's a plus too.

DB,

Thanks for the offer. Someone else on the board already sent it to me.

Mary Kay,

I don't think you have to title a post "The Most Disgusting Thing To Talk About" in order to get a response.

You posted a question about a certain production company asking if anybody had any info on them. If somebody doesn't have an answer, they won't respond. Or at least that's how I respond. So instead of having 25 people post "No", those who didn't have any information didn't respond. So it doesn't mean none of us wanted to help you, it simply means most of us didn't have any information.

Thanks D.G. Very informative. Everybody could benefit from this post; I learned a few things I wasn't sure about.

Miriam,

For me the first draft on a spec is always the hardest. Subsequent drafts tend to be easier because to quote William Goldman, "the spine of the story is done". As long as there aren't major changes in the story, the hard work is done. And when someone gives you good notes that make sense, that tends to make your job all the more easier.

I also find 2nd and 3rd drafts exciting because it gives you a chance to elaborate more on the characters. I love re-reading my script and adding small, minute details that make them so much more believable and alive; characters that people can relate to.

And I tend to work much faster on later drafts. Once I get my notes from my manager, all my free time is spent banging away on the keyboard. I think I'm more driven at that point because the script is really starting to take shape and I'm anxious to get to the next draft to see what needs to be polished, if anything.

It seems that most writers dread rewrites, but so far I have enjoyed them. Of course I don't have time limits and executives breathing down my neck, like I'm sure Miriam does. I'll have to let you know how I feel when I get to that stage; hopefully someday soon.

Just because D.G. uses BIGGER brads for his LONGER scripts doesn't mean they are better. Like many things in life, sometime QUALITY is better than QUANTITY.

With scripts and a few other things, it's not the length, it's not the size; it's how many times you can make it rise.

Right ladies??????????????

Although I've never had any complaints about my um...er...scripts over the years. ;)

Welcome Linda,

As far as mentors go, most of us here are trying to establish our own careers as screen writers, so I don't know what we could offer as mentors. However, this site is full of information about "The Business" and all of our dealings with it, and the lessons we have learned. So if you have questions about anything dealing with writing scripts and the movie biz, we're here to help. And some of us will even read your scripts (once they are registered with the WGA) and give you brutally honest feedback.

But I will warn you, the egos can be big and your skin must be thick; without a doubt, you will at some point be criticised. Just be ready for it.

Other than that, fire away, we're ready.

Hey Johnny #5,

What about Elsinore chewing tobacco? Wasn't that the name of the chew in--

No wait, that was the name of the beer the MacKenzie brothers drank in Strange Brew. My mistake. Sorry, eh? ;)

But seriously, I grew up in New England and we used to go across the border to Quebec to drink. The drinking age was only 18 and the little money we had went along way. Anyway, my cousins that I always used to go with were big chewers of "tabacky". I remembering them running out a few times up there and we'd just go into a convenience store and pick some up. They pretty much had the same brands; I can remember seeing Skoal, Kodiak, and Redman just to name a few.

To confirm this, has any of the scribes here from the Great White North been to 7-11 lately? If not, check next time and let Johnny and us know before it kills him.

What?????????????????????????????????

Yeah, I tried the WGA mentoring program a few years back when I started. To quote Crash Davis "It's like talking to a fungo." I asked a few questions, and about 5 weeks later got an email with and answer as brief as "yes" or "no". I can't remember which one it was, but it was so cold, dry, and uninformative that I have never done it again. Besides, most of the questions you have have already been or could be answered by those here.

Well, unless you have a question like "Dreamworks if offering me $500K, while Universal is only offering $450K, but I liked Ishtar so much, I would love to go with Universal. What should I do?" If that's your situation, you get no sympathy or advice from me.

Hey D.G., where are you? I have been awaiting your response to this post all day.

Don't let me down brother.

The Kodiak came in the plastic hockey puck like container, and the Redman came in the pouch, just like Big League Chew.

Johnny,

Actually catcher Darrell Porter, who died last weekend wore those type of glasses back in the late 70's/early 80's when her was playing for the Cardinals and Brewers.

And one other thing, Sabo is the correct spelling, not Szabo.

LOL! That's more like it!!!!!

Hey John,

Thanks for Sharing, keep coming back.

Yeah D.G, I know spelling names correctly has never been your strong suit when talking to us all on this BB, but I expect it to be different when your talking about a celebrity/well know person.

For example, I would expect you to write "George Brett" and not "Jorj Bret".

As for The Giants, I hope Barry Bonds stays healthy enough to break Aaron's record. I know that McGuire would have broken it if he stayed healthy. I guess that's what happens when you have andros three meals a day.

Try getting in touch with Willy Aames, the guy from Eight Is Enough and Charles In Charge. He's got a video series called Bibleman. Also, I know Kirk Cameron is involved with several Christian programs. You can find their contact info at whorepresents.com

Good Luck

Hey D.G., where, in english, are you going?

The Mother Ship ship must be returning.

D.G. PHONE HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Michael,

I checked out the website. What are the prizes????? Money? Production? Representation? If you want someone to enter, you might want to put what's in it for the writer on your web page.

Well what do you know; you learn something new every day. I never thought about it before, but I guess I'm Metis. That's right; my great grandmother was full blooded Canadian Indian, Mickmack (sp?) tribe, and my great grand father was French Canadian.

Hey, wait a minute! Does that mean I'm eligable for free health care and all those movie grants you Northerners get??!!

Where do I sigh up, eh?????

Andrea,

Yes, what I said is true, but I was born and raised in The USA, and am an American citizen. I'm sure to be eligable I'd have to gain citizenship in Canada, right?

Thanks for the info though. I'm to old to have to worry about dodging the draft, but if I evet need to flee the US, it sounds like Canada is the place to go.

Thanks

If you scroll down on the board, you'll see there is a lengthy & informative discussion on Buck & Ed.

From what I recall, they want thousands of dollars to re-write your script for you.

Guess the horror movie business isn't wha tit used to be, huh Buck?

Here you go.

Okay, astrological signs. I'm a Leo. What does that mean as far as writing goes?

I'm repped by Shelley and Pinch. Shelley is originally from Canada and has contacts at studio/production co.'s in both the US and Canada. I have nothing but great things to say about her and the company. If you have any other questions, feel free to email me.

I agree with Marcel. I always thought it was porter.

When I sent her my initial e-query, she got back to me within a week. After I sent her my script, again I heard from her about a week later. I asked her how many queries she gets; she said most days she gets at least a hundred, so she's very selective, just like any other agent/manager is.

If you are sending e-queries, make sure they have a great hook and they are commercially viable.

Hey Guys & Gals,

I need some suggestions on other sites like this one that have good interviews and articles about screenwriters and screenwriting.

Whenever I'm unmotivated or stuck when writing, reading and article or interview @ screenwriting really gives me inspiration and motivation. It's also very useful when things are slow at work.

In addition to this site, I have also read just about everything at Done Deal, Sc(i)pt, InZide, Wordplayer, Screen Writers' Utopia, and The WGA website. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Also, what inspires everybody else to write when they can't seem to get in the mood? Another thing that motivates me is seeing a really good or really bad movie. If it's good, it inspires me to write to that level. If it's bad, it makes me feel like I can do better. Let me know what your thoughts are.

Thanks in advance,

Bryan

Thanks John M. That site looks promising. Should hold me over for a while.

Damn Jay! Looks like you read even more then I do! Thanks for the sites, they should keep me busy for another day or two. ;)

There's not much on their webpage, but one of the guys who is running it is Bret Armitage. Here's his credits from IMDB:

Actor - filmography (1990s) (1970s)

Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) .... Cosmo Miami Blues (1990) (uncredited) .... Carjacked Dealer Vigilante Force (1976) (uncredited) .... Boy In Tree Caged Heat (1974) .... Family in Car ... aka Caged Females (1974) ... aka Renegade Girls (1974) Private Duty Nurses (1971) .... Boy On Beach ---------------------------------------- Filmography as: Actor, Producer, Miscellaneous crew ---------------------------------------- Producer - filmography (2000s) (1990s)

Big Bounce, The (2003) (executive producer) Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) (associate producer) ---------------------------------------- Filmography as: Actor, Producer, Miscellaneous crew ------------------------------ Miscellaneous crew - filmography (1990s) (1980s)

Jury Duty: The Comedy (1990) (TV) (assistant accountant) ... aka Great American Sex Scandal, The (1990) (TV) Amityville: The Evil Escapes (1989) (TV) (accountant) ... aka Amityville Horror: The Evil Escapes, Part 4, The (1989) (TV) ... aka Amityville IV: The Evil Escapes (1989) (TV)

So if not anything else, he's legit.

When I submitted, I think it took about 6 weeks to hear from them.

I haven't seen the film yet, but for the past two weeks Eddie Murphy's new film has been destroyed by the critics and the media. I was a little curious as to how bad it's actually doing at the box office, so I did some research and here's what I found.

Ishtar, which is synonymous with "BOMB" or "BOX OFFICE FLOP" in Hollywood cost $40 million to make. It grossed $14.375, which means it made back 36% of it's budget.

The Adventures of Pluto Nash cost an estimated $100 (supposedly it's much more) and so far it's made $2.7 million. Which comes out to 2.7% (tough math, huh?) of it's budget. And I did a search on the internet to see if it's still playing. Not at a single theatre within 50 miles of me.

So Ishtar was more more profitable percentage wise and in actual dollars made. And don't forget that Ishtar was out 16 years ago when ticket prices were almost half of what they are today.

Can anybody else think of a film that has been this disasterous?

I think the only time Pluto Nash will be spoken about in Hollywood will be as a punchline on Jay Leno or as a reference.

Studio Executive #1 How did the new (insert actor's name here) film do this weekend?

Studio Executive #2 Not well. Looks like another Pluto Nash.

Hey Eddie, have you signed on for Shrek III yet?

Waterworld wasn't as bad. It cost $175 million, but it made $88 million, which means it made back almost 50% of the budget. It made a total $255 million worldwide.

So Pluto Nash is still pretty bad. I don't think it has any hope of make back it's original budget even worldwide.

Heaven's Gate is close. It cost $44 million and made back $1.5 million, which works out to be 3.1%

Nope, you should never reveal the ending. A synopsis should include your logline plus a few sentences about the plot and characters. Just like with loglines, your goal is to entice the reader to read your script. Make sure that last line of your synopsis ends with a teaser which leaves them hanging. This will get them to request your script. If you give them the ending, they know what the story is about and they'll make their decision then and there; most likely it will be no.

Most agents/managers/studios/production co's are looking for any reason to say no. It's your job to get them to say yes.

The best example I can think of for an ensemble cast is The Breakfast Club. You have five different characters; the jock, the princess, the brain, the rebel, and the loner. None of them is the central character, and they all learn important lessons from each other. The Big Chill, Pulp Fiction, Indian Summer, MASH are all other good examples.

The best example I can think of for an ensemble cast is The Breakfast Club. You have five different characters; the jock, the princess, the brain, the rebel, and the loner. None of them is the central character, and they all learn important lessons from each other. The Big Chill, Pulp Fiction, Indian Summer, MASH are all other good examples.

To answer the question, yes, commercials are written by advertising executives. One very famous writer/directory who started out this way was John Hughes. He wrote commercials for an agency in the 1970's.

If you can remember that far back, one of his most famous ones was the shaving cream one where a guy shaves each side of his face with a different shaving cream then scrapes a credit card over each side to show how smooth/unsmooth the sides are.

Speaking of The Usual Suspects, that's a great ensemble cast; although in the end it's clear who's running the show.

I REFUSE TO WATCH THE TWO HOUR FINALE OF AMERICAN IDOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Although my wife is glued to the fucking tv.

The is by far the worst, most extreme example of milking something for money/ratings I have ever seen in Hollywood!!! It's down to two people; how fucking long does it take to say "The winner is..."!!!!!!!!!!! They could have done it like the lottery announcements on local stations; A TWO MINUTE SHOW!!!!!!!!!!

And I want to go on record saying I think I've watched a total of about 5 minutes of the entire run of the show. I can't believe they are going to do another one next year.

Which brings up another questions; will Mariah Carey and Ricky Martin be eligable to compete??? ;)

Marcel, please tell me the scripts you write aren't comedies.

No, seriously Marcel, PLEASE tell me you don't write comedies!

Another great one is RESEVOIR DOGS. Classic flick.

Good Luck Randy. Any chance of seeing the script you're shooting?

Yeah, wans't Bruce Willis great in Signs?? The only other role I can think of in the last few years that was better was when Mel Gibson starred in The Sixth Sense.

;)

LOL Steve! You've gotta be quick.

On a different note, since we're all talking about Randy and his independent production; has anyone here seen Living In Oblivion? For anyone who has worked on a film set, especially a small independent one, it's a must see. And if you haven't had the pleasure, this film is a great insite. It's a filmmakers' version of Spinal Tap.

Randy, I hope for your sake you've seen this film. If you only take one lesson from the film, make sure your craft service is top notch. If you've seen it, you'll know what I mean.

Just thinking about the film makes me want to run out and rent it, but I need to put the nose to the grindstone and work on a rewrite. There isn't shit on tv tonight, so if anybody is looking for something to do, go rent it. You'll laugh your ass off.

Headlines like that both amaze me, discourage, and motivate me at the same time.

At first I'm amazed that someone that young can have the knowledge, life experience, and talent to write a sellable script.

Then I get a little discourage thinking "What does this guy have that I don't? Does he have more talent then me? And if so, will I ever get to that level? I'm ten years older than that now, how long is it gonna take?"

Then, once I get passed all that, I get motivated. I remind myself about my family, friends, manager, other writers, and readers who have read my work and have told me I have talent and it's just a matter of time and the right concept before I kick the door down.

I think we all go through self doubt at one time or another and ask ourselves "What am I doing? Is it worth it? Am I ever going to make it?" It's those of us who answer "yes" it's worth it that have the drive and passion to make it in this industry that is based on so many catch-22's

I also believe that the incredible amount of time and effort we spend trying to make it will help us appreciate the fruits of our labors once we have "made it". I know it's a cliche, but things are better if they weren't given to you; it means so much more once you've earned them. Look at any celebrity/public figure who was born into money or who became a millionaire over night or at a young age. The Kennedy's, Tatumn O'Neil, MC Hammer, Corey Haim; the list is endless. Their lives are so fucked up, I wouldn't trade with any of them.

That guy who sold his first script out of college will probably live the good life for a few years. He'll blow his money on fast cars, coke, pornstars, and having Creed play his birthday party. Then in a few years, he'll be left with nothing. I know, because that is exactly what I would have done ten years ago if I had sold a script at a young age.

So hang in there everyone. If you have any kind of talent, and a good amount of perseverance. You'll make it.

Just remember who it was that gave you this great pep talk when make it. :)

Craig,

What I posted about the guy blowing all his money was not meant as a "wish" against the person who sells his first script right out of college. It's just a very probable outcome based on my own feelings about what I would have done at that age and situation; and based on what happens to so many young people when they come into a large sum of money.

Of course I could be wrong. I hope the guy has a good head on his shoulders and goes down the right path. Hopefully his first sale doesn't go to his head, inflating his ego. Hopefully he'll have a long, fruitful career in Hollywood. I know I'll be there some day with him.

And Randy,

Thanks for the support brother.

Johnny,

I think that looks fine. There are several ways of doing it; anyway that conveys what you want the reader/watcher to see without confusing them is exceptable.

Sorry, forgot one thing. You don't need to include SHOT before each one.

According to Vincent & Jules, here's why most people in our culture don't eat dog:

VINCENT Thanks a bunch. (to Jules, who's nursing his coffee) Want a sausage?

JULES Naw, I don't eat pork. VINCENT Are you Jewish? JULES I ain't Jewish man, I just don't dig on swine. VINCENT Why not?

JULES They're filthy animals. I don't eat filthy animals. VINCENT Sausages taste good. Pork chops taste good.

JULES A sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie. I'll never know 'cause even if it did, I wouldn't eat thefilthy motherfucker. Pigs sleep and root in shit. That's a filthy animal. I don't wanna eat nothin' that ain't got enough sense to disregard its own feces. VINCENT How about dogs? Dogs eat their own feces.

JULES I don't eat dog either. VINCENT Yes, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal?

JULES I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy, but they're definitely dirty. But a dog's got personality. And personality goes a long way. VINCENT So by that rationale, if a pig had a better personality, he's cease to be a filthy animal?

JULES We'd have to be talkin' 'bout one motherfuckin' charmin' pig. It'd have to be the Cary Grant of pigs.

I tend to believe the same thing. It would be pretty hard to be tossing a frisbee to Fluffy one minute, and then sticking a skewer through him the next. Dogs are more intelligent and personable then cows, chickens, ducks, lamb, and most of the other animals we carnivores consider okay to consume, or "dig on" as Jules puts it.

I tend to agree with Tom, Rob, Jay, and anybody else who says it's okay to use flashbacks. If you're going to use a flashback, make sure it's the hook. That's what Lester's monologue in American Beauty does.

There are several other films that start of with flashbacks, or course right now I can only think of one, A Perfect World with Kevin Costner and Clint Eastwood. Or for you horror buffs, the classics Halloween & Friday The 13th both start with flashbacks. I'm sure there are hundreds of other good examples, but I can't think of them. Pulp Fiction in the diner; maybe, but that could be more of a flashforward. Also, The Usual Suspects; that whole film is a flashback, Virgil telling the cops what went on.

So if you can do it the right way and make it work, why not do it??????

They're both morons. But since we all know who they are, they've done something right.

Speaking of bad film ideas, did anybody catch the disaster The Real World Movie on MTV? What a rediculous premise; An amateur film maker kidnaps the cast of the Real World and puts them in a house he has built with 50 cameras, out in the middle of nowhere. And the execution was even worse than the idea, they tried to make it look like The Blair Witch Project. I saw bits and pieces of it one weekend and haven't seen anything since. I'm sure whoever approved that project is looking in the want ads right now.

Isn't it amazing how a good review can get the creative juices flowing again?

Mary Kay,

I grew up laughing at the same films, Fast Times, Breakfast Club, etc., but there is a major difference in these teen films today. It seems that the films we watched were based more on story than stars; today it's the opposite.

When Fast Times came out, none of the actors were stars. Same as Sixteen Candles. It was the story and the actors's freshness that made them great movies that we still watch over and over today. It seems like back then studio execs chose project like "Hey, great story. It really moved me. Lets buy it and make it."

Today, it's all about the dollar, and to get that you need a star or two. So today the execs say thing more like "Great script. It really moved me, but there are no stars who can play a (insert untested, unfamiliar character type here). Instead, I've got a script about a 35 year old loser who still lives at home with his parents that wins the lottery that would be perfect for Adam Sandler. It's not that funny, but with Sandler it's guaranteed to make us millions!"

So to answer your question, no, I don't think that the films of today's youth will be seen as classics in 20 years. God I hope not!

I'll agree, the American Pies are good films. Saving Silverman, 10 Things I Hate About You, Can't Hardly wait, and Save The Last Dance are some others I can think of, but for every one of those, you have ten movies that suck.

I'm not saying there aren't any good teen movies being made, I'm just saying that most of them won't stand the test of time like Animal House, Porky's, or the John Hughes films have. Teenagers are still watching these films today. I just don't think in 20 years you'll find a lot of people renting Road Trip, Slackers, Dude Where's My Car, She's All That, She's The One, Carrie 2, Summer Pitch, Loser, Sugar & Spice, Orange County, and all the others you can name.

Actually, one of the funniest teen films I've seen in a while was Not Another Teen Movie, just because it made fun of all of these films. I laughed my butt off.

A good way to get over this is to read what you've already written. Look it over, tighten it up, do some editing. This will get the creative juices flowing again, or at least it does for me.

Right now, I'm dealing with a similar problem; lack of motivation. I'm supposed to be working on a rewrite right now, but I just don't feel like it.

I was out sick from work last Monday and spent most of the day working on it, but since then, I haven't been able to sit down and write. I think it's because I know it's going to be a major rewrite, which means many hours sitting infront of my computer.

Who knows, it's still early Saturday night, maybe I'll get motivated and write. We'll see.

I use The WGA. Have had no problems, so I plan to stick with them.

We already have these on the east coast, so I assumed they were everywhere. I've been a few few times and it was pretty cool. Although it didn't cost $60-$100. I think the price of the ticket was a buck or two higher than a regular theatre, and then you just paid for whatever you ate or drank. So I guess it could run you $100 if you ate & drank a lot.

If you really want to find who an actor's agent is, whorepresents.com usually has it. They also may list their manager, publicist, and lawyer. If not, you can always contact SAG and they will be able to provide you with the information.

If I'm not mistaken, Playtone Productions is Tom Hanks's company. I'm sure there are several places to find his contact info, including all those listed on this site.

Good point Miriam; my thoughts exactly.

FADE OUT

THE END

Click on "Agencies" right above this thread.

Hey Johnnie,

I watched Marathon Man Friday night on AMC. They've been playing it all week and I was finally able to catch it from the beginning. Your right, great script, great execution.

I also noticed the make up was superb, even up to today's standards. The scene where Roy Scheider shows up bleeding to death; the make up is incredible. His face looks like there isn't a drop of blood left in his body, he looked so gaunt.

Also, I can't det over the dentist scene. I cringe everytime I see it. Classic scene.

"Is it safe?"

It just goes to show a film can be successful without ten murders, twenty explosions, a gratuitous sex scene, and toilet humor. Not that I mind any of these. :)

I love watching old movies like this that start slow and build. They rely more on story, tension, and dialogue, rather than big budget, star quality, and hype.

Think of the beginning of Marathon Man; a guy is running, he comes back to his apartment, his brother shows up. Where's the hook? There isn't much of one, if any. Based on today's screenplay standards (hooks, beats, conflict by page 12, etc.), this film might not have been made. I long for the day when Hollywood leans back to quality instead of quantity.

Tom,

I know the feeling all too well. I did the same thing with a thriller I have. Start slow, introduce and develop characters, throw in a few small clues as to where the story is going. I had several people, including a few industry professionals, tell me they didn't read past page ten because there was no hook. Well, if you read the whole thing, you'd see the first ten pages are essential to the story. SO they would read it and go "Oh yeah, you're right; but you need a hook." So I cut about eight pages to bring the hook out faster. Now it grabs the reader, but it lacks a little character development.

I think Marcel missed the boat on this one.

*********SPOILER ALERT************

Johnnie,

Yes, I did see Signs, and I agree. It did get into it faster then should have been. One thing I think it could have used was a scene where they show Mel Gibson, prior to where the story begins, as a preacher with his congregation, showing how much his faith means to him. Then maybe showing him ripping the cross off the wall, denouncing his faith after he looses his wife.

There are only a few films in recent years I can think of that start off slowly, but build. The first is Se7en. The opening scenes with Morgan Freeman are slow and dileberate, but tell us who he is and where he is in his life; counting the days waiting to retire.

The second is The Sixth Sense. Yeah, it starts out with Bruce Willis being shot, but we are lead to believe he survived and everything is alright. The rest of the movie is about his relationship with Cole, trying to get into his head; and him dealing with his marriage falling apart. I remember sitting in the theatre thinking to myself "This movie is good, but not great. What's the big hype?" I think it would have been a good movie without the twist at the end, it's the character insite and the connection between Willis and Cole that keep the movie going. The twist at the end took it from a 7 to a 10.

And Craig,

Yes, Absolute Power was worth it, but it is much different than the book, if you have read it.

I hate when Hollywood does that. I remember seeing The Firm thinking "This isn't The Firm." It was an okay film, but a totally different story. I understand sometimes things have to be changed for several reasons, but there should be some kind of disclaimer warning you before you buy tickets.

Sorry, but no. Check over on Done Deal, they have a whole section devoted to agents/agencies.

Good luck

Wow D. Jay. You pointed out a lot of holes I never even thought about, and all of them make sense. Thinking about all this makes me realize it really wasn't as good as the critics said. I can say I did enjoy it, but it wouldn't be on my Top 10 for the year. I think a lot of the hype had to do with M. Night more than the picture itself.

I did really get, understand, and enjoy the true theme of it though. "Everything happens for a reason". I think he took a unique approach to the concept and that's really the part I liked about it. But looking back, those aliens were real pussies. E.T. could have kicked their asses.

I used a script consultant once, and although it might not work for everyone, I totally think it was worth it.

The one I used was inexpensive and I actually spent over an hour on the phone talking to the person, twice. Most coverage is usually in the form of notes and are mailed to you, so I found this a great plus. Also, it took my writing to another level. He made me think about things I had never thought of before, even though I have read several books and have a degree in film.

After I did another rewrite, he looked at it again for a discounted rate. He help me tighten it up, change somethings, had a few suggestions, etc.

Before I used the service I had gotten several requests for my script from agencies based on my logline, but I never got past that stage. After using the script consultant, I had a few managers who were interested in me and my work, one of whom I decided to go with.

I don't know how good your work is or how far along you are in the craft, but to me it was worth it. Prior to this, I had entered several contests, paid a lot of money and received very little feedback. For about $300 I was able to get coverage on two drafts, which helped me land a manager. If you want to know who I used, send me an email and I'll let you know who I used.

I remember long nights in the editing room during college. Lots of fun, the time seems to fly by. It's amazing how long the process can actually be. If you've never done it, you won't understand it. By the end of the night your brain is fried and your eyes are crossed. Like most endeavors in this business, it can be bitter sweet.

Keep chugging along Randy.

Based on what I've seen and heard, I believe you would have to get the rights. Remember a few months ago when those miners in Pennsylvania were trapped in the mine for a few days? Well, Disney paid them $150K each for their stories.

It would also depend on how much of their story you use. If you plan on writing sbout a person's whole life, you certainly want to talk to someone about securing the rights.

As for historical figures like George Washington and William Wallace, you probably wouldn't need anything unless you were basing your script on one certain book. I mean how does one get permission from a person who died 200 years ago? There stories probably fall into the category of public domain by now.

But when all is said and done, if your serious, the best advice is to check with a lwayer.

I don't know what I'd expect from someone who PROMISES to make my script PERFECT. No script, or anything else in this world is perfect. That's a little far fetched, but then again, I could be wrong. Go with what your gut is telling you. Check this person out, if the credentials are there, it might be worth a shot.

MOW means "Movie Of The Week", but I didn't see that anywhere in this post.

David also made a good point. At sites like Zoetrope, the people who are critiquing your work could be on a level equal to or below the level you are at. When I used to read script and get coverage at Zoetrope, I did find this was true most of the time.

I found it was worth it to shell out a few bucks to have my work read by somebody who has been in the business for a while.

Wonderful eulogy, but I'm sorry for your loss and that you had to write it.

Your dad sounds like a great guy, reminds me of an uncle I had who passed away a few years ago.

I can't imagine the task of writing a eulogy for my father, I hope I don't have to for many years to come.

From what I've heard and read, if you want to get into television with a spec, write it for a new show, not an old standard like Law & Order, ER, or Everybody Loves Raymond. Shoot for Fastlane, The Bernie Mac Show, Alias, My Wife & Kids, etc., something that is newer that may be looking for new ideas & storylines. Also, new show may not be fully staffed and may be looking for other writers.

Like the others have said, the tried & true shows already have things planned out for a year or so. Some of them will except specs, and based on those they might give you an assignment.

If you're a sci-fi fan, I know the Star Trek series accept submissions from anyone, so that might be one worth taking a shot at.

Good Luck.

I'd love to go, but I'm stuck on the other side of the country. I wish somebody would do a screenwriting expo in New York City, Washington DC, Philadelphia, or some city around here. I'd be there in a heartbeat.

If anone know of any, let me now.

I am thinking about going to Sundance this winter though. I have family right in Park City, so I wouldn't have to fork out any cash for a hotel. Anyone else thinking about Sundance? Let me know, I'd love to meet some of us that post on the board.

Orlanda,

I don't know where to check for Star Trek. I've read a few interviews with writers who are working in the industry today who broke in with Star Trek specs. I can't remember where they were, but you should check out the BB at scriptsales.com The BB isn't as personal, but if you're looking for contact info, it's excellent.

Also, I'll get back to you on your logline. This week has been so busy, I haven't had much time.

Ditto. I'll take a gander.

Just wanted to bump this one up for PJ

Check the BB again.

PJ,

I've been with Pinch for about eight months now. Things are going great; my first script that was sent out was received well, but didn't sell. I have one I'm working on right now that I expect to sell. I know this sounds egotistical or naive, but it's a very original, commercial concept, so if it doesn't sell, I don't know what the hell I'm gonna do. I guess I'll take some time off and re-evaluate my goals. If it doesn't sell, it's no fault of Pinch; everyone there has been great to me.

Hope this helps.

Ditto on thanking everyone for their help.

As for a "voice", this means "how" you tell a story. Miriam makes a good point about screenwriting being limited because of the structure, but it's how you work within that structure that gives you a voice.

A good analogy to use for "voice" would be two different people telling you the same story with the same words. Each one may say the same thing, but it's how they tell it thast matters. One person might be reserved, have low energy, and tell the story in a perfectly acceptable manner. But the second person who tells you the story is enrgetic, uses his hands, changes his voice for different characters, gets in your face, jumps on the table, etc. The second person would get your attention more and draw you into the story.

Another similar situation is pitching. The more energetic you are, the better chance you have. Think about these two different cartoon characters; Droopy and Daffy Duck. Who would tell a better story?

So to have a good voice, your script has to have more than:

John picks up the gun. He shoots. The bullet kills the robber.

It would have to be more like:

John feels the cold steel in the palm of his hand as he picks up the Ruger .457. He takes aim at the form lurking in the dark, and pulls the trigger. The gunshot ECHOS through the room as the bullet finds it's mark. The intruder CRUMBLES to the ground as his head explodes.

It may be a little graphic, but it's also more descriptive and compelling.

Marcel,

I didn't get much done this weekend; I had family in from out of town and had to entertain them. But I do plan on reading Goddess this week. Sorry for being so slow.

Marcel,

Yep, you're right. It wouldn't be a difficult film to shoot (budget and technical wise), with the exception of the car chase/crash. I didn't sell it, but someday I'd like to shoot it; maybe down the line after I sell a few others, like the one I'm working on now.

Yeah, I went there last year when the whole "Greenlight thing" was happening. Everybody there was insulting everyone, reading into things too much, etc. It seemed like instead of trying to get somewhere on their own merits, everyone was trying to get somewhere by stepping on others, or trying to eliminate their competition, or by convincing you to give up your dreams all together.

I like this BB much better. It seems like everybody here has more of a "you scratch my back, I'll scratch your back" mentality.

The BB at Done Deal is a mix of the two. There are a lot of great resources and advice, but there are still a lot of people "pissed at the world". I tend to read the articles and posts more than I actually post. As a matter of fact, I can't even remember my screen name for that site.

Tom,

Nope, made that up off the top of my head, so your Academy Award should be safe. :)

Nice site Marleine. If I hadn't already used another script analysis services, I might have used yours. It says that one of the people you forward scripts to are Aaron Sorkin and some production co's; just wondering if anything that has passed through your hands from your website been forward up the food chain and garnered some type of sale/option, or even professional interest.

I don't know about any that advertise analyzing short scripts, but you might consider email all the services and see if they'll accept it at a discounted rate. Or I believe there are several short script contests listed in the Contests section on this site. You might look into them, I'm sure some of them offer some kind of analysis.

This section is pretty much standard on every release form I've ever seen.

I read it a few times and here's what I get. What it states basically is that there might be other ideas out there that are similar to yours, and that Tribeca might already have a similar idea to your in development or otherwise. It also states something about using "general, but not specific" aspects, which basically means if you write a story about a bank robbery, they might have another one about a bank robbery. But if you have a story about a group of gymnasts who rob a bank while wearing masks of presidents and get away on unicycles, and they make that movie, then you have something to worry about.

You also have to think about the source this is coming from. It's Tribeca, which if I'm not mistaken is Robert DeNiro's company. If he/the company liked your script, it would be easier/quicker/better to buy it instead of hiring someone to rip it off.

This is standard Hollywood legal speak. Yes, it might scare some people, but it's the companies protecting themselves. There was a time in the 80's when several movies came out at the same time, with the exact same premise of body switching; Like Father Like Son, Vice Versa, and 18 Again. The companies are just lwtting you know that your idea might not be as original as you think it is. Another theme that was done to death was the One Man Fighting Machine; ie Rambo, Die Hard, Commando, Under Siege, etc. It happens all the time.

Everyone who has made it in the business has at one point had to take a chance. And most of the time when they do, there is a positive result. Think of this BB and all the others like it that list all the sales and successes of screen writers. You almost never hear about somebody getting sued for stealing a story. Sure it happens once in a while, but if you're going to keep your screenplay to yourself and never let anybody read it, then you have no chance of anything ever happening.

And if you're that worried, there's always the WGA's Script Registration.

Deb is right; your contract should have some kind of "out clause". I know mine does, I just can't remember what it is right now.

If it doesn't and you fired your manager, I guess they could probably sue you, but if you don't owe them any monies from previous sales/options/aasignments, I don't think they could go after you. If they haven't done anything for you, then you wouldn't owe them anything.

Of course you could always check with a contracts lawyer to be sure.

Mary Kay,

If you get voted off our island, there's no guarantee of representation by any agency, but I think I can guarantee you a nine page spread in Playboy, a la Jerri. What do think, are you up for it?

Wow, only one time???? That's ridiculous. My manager emails me every other day to see how things are going, and we talk on the phone every other week.

If I were you, I'd send her an email saying "What's up??!! You haven't returned any of my calls/email, is it safe to assume you are not interested in representing me any further? If I do not receive a response to this email, that is what I'm going to assume." IF you send her a message like this and she doesn't respond, you'll have your answer.

Good luck.

Hey Optimus,

Thanks for the tip; it's a very informative post. I read the board at DD all the time, but haven't stumbled onto that one yet.

You say you're 3000 miles from LA, so I'm guessing East Coast. Where you located.

Keep your eyes peeled for those tricky Decepticons.

I just gota message on my answering machine from Scott Schultz of Storybay regarding a querry I sent over a year ago to The Irv Schecter Company. Has anyone dealt with Storybay? I know there are a logline/script listing service, but do you think Scott is just calling me to try to get me to buy the service or what?

Any answers and comments about Scott and Storybay would be appreciated. Thanks.

Thanks Rob. Yeah, I gave him a call and it was basically "Did you know we could help you with this, that, and the other for a small fee of $X?"

The query letter he had of mine I sent over a year ago, so I told him that I now have representation and that I get all of those service for free from my management company. He said "Great, but keep us in mind if the management thing doesn't work out." I told him I will, but I've been pretty happy with them.

Well, I hate to say it, but it looks like I'm gonna have to miss it. Unfortunately, the only thing that is stopping me is the 2808.56 miles between San Fran and me. Maybe I'll catch it when it makes its way to the East Coast.

Mary Kay,

Just because you're 40 doesn't mean you can't be in Playboy. Suzanne Sommers, Farrah Fawcett, Belinda Carlisle, LaToya Jackson, Diane Parkinson from The Price Is Right, Susan Johnson (the lady who slept with Frank Gifford) were all over 40 when they did it.

Wait...I mean...that's what I've heard. I've never actually picked up a copy myself; uhum.

Okay...I admit I did READ it once. But that was only because they're was an interview with Mother Theresa in it. But isn't that why everybody buys it anyway, for the articles?

;)

Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Bueller?

Sorry about that. It's been a long day at work and I'm in a goofy mood.

Hey Orlanda,

Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier. I've been really busy working on a 2nd draft that I just finished.

I read the notes you sent me, and it sounds like the story is more of a thriller than a comedy. Or maybe that's just the way I saw it, of course I haven't read the script to know. But here's what I've come up with for a logline.

“When assassin Angel (Insert Last Name Here) ruins her 100% kill rate by botching a contract hit and is herself critically wounded, her ambivalent family finds themselves in the most unforeseen predicament; they must carry out the hit themselves. It’s a race against time, the mark, bullets, and circumstance as the family gets a crash course in the art of assasination.”

Remember, you don't want to give away too much in the logline. You want the logline to grab the person you are querying (sp?). You want them to say "Great new concept, I've got to read this."

After the logline would come the summary where you would go into more detail; who are the family members (descriptions), who is the mark and why does somebody want him dead, etc.

If you want to talk more, you have my email address. Hope this helps. I think the concept is great and if done right (like I said I see it as more of a thriller with comedic elements than a comedy, but that's just my opinion), this would be something Hollywood would love. Every actress in town would love a script like this!

Let me know

Conratulations Steve!

I just saw on WSN that you got representation with AIM. That's great!

ARe they a newer company? I didn't find them listed on MB.

Looks like things are starting to happen for you. Good Luck!

I haven't seen Bowling For Columbine yet because I can't find it around here yet, but I live 15 minutes from where the DC Snipers were killing people, and I am definately for stronger gun control laws. It was scary around here for a couple of weeks, and hopefully a lot of eyes have been opened.

The one law that has been proposed that I totally agree with is "gun finger printing", where the finger print a gun's balistic result when it is manufactured. I think this would be a great law. If somebody gets killed and the gun's finger prints show that Joe Nobody owned the gun, go pick his ass up. It would make things so much easier for authorities and be a big deterant towards crime.

I don't understand how the NRA is against a law like this. It's just like having license plates on cars; they serve as identifiers. I don't own a gun, but I'm not against anyone owning one if they are using it for the intended purpose; hunting, target shooting, protection. The only reason for owning a Bushmaster (the weapon the Snipers used), which is an assault weapon, is to kill people. Any redneck hick that owns one because it makes a "good duck/deer hunting rifle" needs to go back to high school and get his diploma.

The NRA argues that it would infringe on their right to bear arms; bullshit, it protects us from wackos. I'm sure that if one of Chuck Heston's kids was gunned down in the middle of the street, he would want to know who did it, right? That's all this law would do.

Also, like driving a car, there should be some kind of licensing test, as well as mental background check before you can own a weapon.

That's enough from me, I'm winded.

Or Blade Runner

Actually, the best voice over (in my opinion) was in Fallen.

"Did I ever tell you about the time I almost died...?"

Sets up the whole movie and the twist at the end. Best use ever for a voice over.

Lester's voice over in American Beauty is a close second.

I agree, the VO in Someone Like You was not needed. I think the film would have played fine without it. But at least it refers to men as "cows" instead of "dogs". At least someone is giving us men a break.

Yes, but if you've seen the way a pig's genetalia (sp?) looks (think curly fries) and the size of it (in proportion to body size, very, very small), you'd prefer to be either a cow or a dog before a pig.

>:)

Is that "Fifty Dollars", or "Fifty Thousand Dollars"? If you meant fifty thousand, that's $50,000, not $50.000.

Also, you've come to the wrong place if you're looking for someone to pitch your idea to the industry. Everyone here is in the same boat as you; we're writers looking to start a career, not agents/producers/managers.

But check out the "Writers Wanted" section on this site, it may be of some help.

And most of us here agree with your idea that quality is better than quantity.

Good Luck.

Sounds like a winner! Here's the logline for my new spec:

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

(Okay, it's not a logline)

Hey Jeff,

Do you ever make it to the East Coast? I've read good things about your seminar and would love to go, but I'm 3000 miles away. Let me know when you plan on hitting the other coast.

Thanks

Welcome to the wonderful world of the amateur screenwriter!

If you want advice, you've come to the right place. If you want it to be totally honest, make sure you have thick skin before asking advice, because people will give it, but you might not like it.

As for your logline/synopsis, you need to be less vague and actually give events in your script. I know you might not want to give away some of your gems, but if you want to create buzz/interest, you need to do this. Talk more about the conflicts your characters face, why should we care about them, what are the possible out comes? You need to include these elements that gets the reader's interest.

A logline is supposed to tell the story in one or two sentences, like these:

Unable to catch a killer, an FBI agent inlists the help of a diabolic serial killer who almost took his life several years earlier.

After years of failure and frustration, an actor pretends to be an actress and lands the best role of his life. The only problem is keeping his secret once he falls in love with one of his female co-stars.

NASA discovers an asteroid is on a collision course with earth and has only six weeks to stop it. The only hope mankind has is a rag-tag group of renegade oil drillers NASA hires to destroy the asteroid.

Can you think of which movies these are? If so, it's a good logline.

If not, I have no idea what I'm talking about.

:)

Jeff,

I'm in Maryland, but have relatives in NYC, so I can make it. What part of 2003 are we talking about?

Check www.whorepresents.com

I'll read it, I love a good thriller. And since my brain is fried from writing, reading this weekend sounds like a great alternative.

My email is in my profile. I look forward to it.

Bryan

$12,900 a pop?! That can add up to some serious cash. I don't know what the minimums are in the states, but that's not bad. Write 4 or 5 episodes a year and you can live very comfortably. Any more than that and it's gravy.

Good luck Marcel. Let us know how it turns out.

Okay, my curiosity got the best of me so I looked it up on the WGA website.

For a 30 minute t.v. show, the minimum for a story is $13,383. If you write the story as well as the teleplay, the minimum is $18,659.

Hey, I'd be happy with either, Canadian or American.

Very cute website. I'm sure all of the women are going "Ahhhhh" when going there.

The next time someone asks you what director is attached tell them you are and see what their reaction is. :)

Also, there's a posting on the Done Deal BB on this topic. You can check it out at scriptsales.com under the Agents/Managers heading.

No money due at this time; just remember the old adage (sp?) "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours", which in today's entertainment world means "don't forget me when you make it." :)

Sure. My email is listen in my profile. I'll get to it when I get a chance, probably sometime this week.

Bryan

That should say "listed" in my profile.

Hey Steve,

Don't know if you've started the casting process for BUNNIES IN BAGDAD yet, but I'd really, really, really like to play the part of Hussein.

I'll even work for scale.

Okay, make that for free.

Fuck it, I'll pay you $100.

Okay fine, $100 plus I'll throw in a case of your favorite Canadian Beer.

That's it, this is my last offer; $100, a case of Canadian beer, and an autographed box of Doug Flutie's Flutie Flakes.

Anything more than that and I'm gonna have to bring an entertainment lawyer into the dael.

I'll take a gander; you have me email address.

Johnny,

Several directors/writers/actors have broken into the business this way; the two most notably (sp?) Sly Stallone & M. Night Sham...whatever.

UA wanted to buy Rocky from Sly for $200K, he said no because he wanted to play Rocky. They finally caved.

M. Night said when he wrote The Sixth Sense his goal was to write a script that was so good that when the studios wanted to buy it they would have no choice but to let him direct it.

So it does happen, I'm just waiting for the day I have that choice.

Marcel - I bet you can.

Steve - Lebatt's it is!

That's Oprah's company right? If so, use Who Represents to get her contact info.

Check out the BB at www.scriptsales.com, Done Deal. If I remember correctly, they have a jobs posting board there. I think there's also a link to a few other sites that list jobs that can be found in the postings.

Michael,

Where is it available for free?

Thanks for the input and saving us broke writers $10.

I saw it. It was much better than I thought it was going to be; and let me clarify why. From watching the HBO series, most of what they showed on tv was the bad stuff. I don't think they ever showed a day on the shoot where things went smoothly. I think everybody expected it to be a bunch of shoots with bad actors and shoots with the boom mic in the frame cut together.

It did have some funny things in it, like when Danny (isn't that the kid's name), who is jewish, is eating dinner with his parents (his father the rabbi) and make the sign of the cross. I reall laughed at that part.

What I did find even funnier was the fact that most of what they showed them filming got cut from the film.

I think Pete Jones' downfall was wanting to shoot this film like he had a $10 million budget while it was only $1.5 million.

And Pete Biagi was the same way. He wanted this film to look like it Lawrence Of Arabia. What an ass, especially when you're on a shoestring budget. He obviously had his own interests (his reel) ahead of the production's.

By the way, did anybody notice that Pete doesn't have any other projects in the works?

Stephanie,

I may be the one you're talking about. I've been very busy with the holidays and all, in & out of town, so I haven't had a chance to read it. I also have another script and a treatment to read/critique ahead of yours, so once I get done with those, I'll get a chance to look at yours.

Have a good holiday,

Bryan

And Marcel, I have started your script, but have not finished it yet.

I'm thinking of going this year; I have relatives in the area, so I have a free place to stay. Anyone been? Is it worth it? Is anybody else going? It would be great to put a face to some of the posters on this board and get together and share some experiences with others that are going throught the same experiences.

Let me know.

Bryan

D.G.,

Good to see you're alive and well. Some of us were taking bets as to your whereabouts.

I guess you're not in a Mexican prison, so I'm out $20.

What's been going on in the cave?

Bryan

Everybody should check this out. It's about time somebody did something like this. I proposed something like this a few months back, but nobody showed any interest.

This thing could actually work if done the right way.

Congratulations Marcel; that's great! Yeah, it may not be a lot of money, but it shows somebody believes in your work enough to shell out some cash. And now you can tell managers/agents that you've had an aoption, which will help you to get read.

Also, the definition of "professional" is "to get paid for your work", so technically you are now a professional writer. Hopefully your friends and family can appreciate how you feel right now. There must be some feeling of justification now.

So how how does it feel???? Break out the bubbly and moose jerky!

I love hearing when somebody chasing this dream has success, even if it's just a small one, and nobody outside our realm thinks it's a big deal. it really shows that hard work and perseverance (sp?) pays off.

Keep us updated.

Bryan

Your welcome.

I've read the info on the site and think I have a pretty good grasp of the idea. One script will be choosen, then the rest of us get to work on the production as AD's, PA's, grips, gaffers, loaders, etc. Then, when the project gets bought/sold/distributed, there will be a production company we are all a part of that has a produced credit; which will give the company and everyone associated with it credibility. Kind of like Rodriguez with El Mariachi, he shot the film for $7,000, then everybody loved it and the door to Hollywood opened for him and his crew; correct?

Count me in.

Chels,

Sometimes these things take a lonnnnnnnnng time. Since this was back in October, it hasn't been too long in "Hollywood Time". Also, things are pretty slow in the entertainment business right now, everybody has closed down for the holidays. I'd try the guy a few more times after the beginning of the new year. If he doesn't respond then, maybe it's time to let it go. But what about the actress? That could be another way to go; if you got her attached to the project, you'd be golden.

Good Luck, keep us posted.

Ditto.

:)

When I was querying for an agent/manager, I did a little of both. The first place I went to was the Writers Wanted section of this site and contacted those, which were pretty easy because moest of them have e-queries.

Then I checked out the recent sales section and got some from there. I also sent some out to the larger agencies, ICM, CAA, etc. Yes, I was probably shooting to high, but one can dream.

Another good place are there smaller boutique agencies that have their own websites, like Zide/Perry, Bender/Spink, Crescendo, and Four Sight. All of these sites have a place where you can submit a logline, and if they like it, they'll request the script.

When querying, there is no formula that guarantees success. My thought was to hit everything across the board, large agencies, small agencies, boutique agencies, and new agencies. It is a numbers game, so yes, the more people you submit to, the better your chances are of being successful.

Some people call, some send letters. As a writer, I feel more comfortable writing then speking to somebody on the phone who I don't know at all. Whatever you feel better with, go that route.

Hope this helps, good luck.

Here's the next few steps you should do after finishing your first draft:

1. Register it with the WGA.

2. Get feedback/coverage from constructive sources. Other writers, contests, and script consultants are all good avenues.

3. Re-write using suggestions from feedback/coverage.

4. Repeat Steps 2 & 3 until your script is the best it can be, and your hair starts falling out on its own, or from you pulling it.

5. Query; agents, managers, producers, directors, actors, and studios are all fair game. Anyone of these can help you become a professional writer in their own way.

6. Sell script for an obscene amount of money, quit your job, movie to LA, divorce your wife & marry Sept. 2002 Playmate of the month, buy a mansion next to Samuel L. Jackson, buy a Ferrari, start doing blow.

7. Remember to mention my name when accepting your Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

It's all very simple if you think about it.

;)

Welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Alex,

Bender/Spink and Crescendo (Marc Hernandez) are both former employees of Zide/Perry. The last time I checked, they have an email query on their websites that doesn't cost you anything. All you do is email them your logline; if they're interested, they'll let you know. Maybe you were at the wrong sites, I don't remember what the addresses are of hand, but I'll check them out and get back.

Bryan

I just checked out Crescendo, and I'll be damned, they are now offering script consulting. But, they also still have the free e-query service. Click on "Management" and then "Query".

I tried to find Bender/Spink, but couldn't find them; will try again.

Just checked out benderspink.com. They too have a free e-query service. All you have to do is submit a synopsis online. If they like it, they'll contact you.

One word about submitting to these well know agencies; make sure your script is golden, no typos, no spelling/grammer or formatting mistakes. And make sure it's tight. You may only get one chance with them, make it count.

If its funny, it will sell. American Pie was the one that kicked the new batch of these gross-out comedies off, and look how many imitators there are. Everyone you mentioned above got made because Pie & Pie II did so well.

From what I can remember from old posts...

RUN!

RUN AWAY!

RUN AWAY FAST!

RUN AWAY FAST AND DON'T LOOK BACK!

If you search through the posts on this site and others like it, you'll see what I mean.

Welcome Crystal!

Like Marcel, I have been taking a break from writing (about four weeks, my brain was fried), alas I have more time to check out the board, which I do a lot of times for both inspiration & motivation.

But now that the new year is here, its time to get back to the grindstone an crank out that (uhem...uhem...) Oscar winning script.

Good luck to everyone this year with your writing; hopes everyone meets their goals.

Walter,

I know what you mean. It's almost an impossible task to condense a 350-500 page novel into a 90-120 minute movie.

When I first started writing back in college, I started out trying to write a novel. I used some of the authors I read as a guideline; Stephen King, John Saul, Dean Koontz, John Grisham, Michael Crighton, to name a few. Most of these authors, King in particular, are very discriptive and give a lot of background info, which is what I felt was the most time consuming. Most of the stories I read I felt could have been much shorter. Why do I care if the guy who pumps gas at the local Exxon station once spent a summer at camp where he learned to whittle, shoot skeet, and had his first homosexual encounter there? Especially if he pumps gas in one scene and then you never see him again.

I think I got to a point where I realized that writing a novel was very time consuming, much more so than I wanted to spend, so I switched over to screenplays. In a way screenplays are more difficult because you have 120 max to get in everything. Learning how to do that comes with experience, just like anything else.

I've read, been told by a few professional writers, and follow the idea that when you write your first draft, you let everything hang out, write 200 pages if that's what it takes. The next few drafts and revision are where you start to edit, trim, and tighten your story. Kevin Smith is famous for this. When his first draft of Dogma was close to 300 pages (The final cut of the movie was two hours long, but there are over two hours of deleted scenes, so the first cut of the movie was four hours).

The latest script I'm working on, the first draft was 122 pages, the second was 95. When you go back and read it, you'll see a lot of things aren't necessary or you can show something in a quicker, different way.

Writing novels and screenplays are learned skills; they are similar, but also different. It's just a matter of adapting from one to another. I hope I didn't ramble too much and I hope this helps. Don't worry, you'll get it.

Good Luck!

I haven't seen The Twin Towers yet, and I probably won't. Why you ask? Because I was disapointed with The Fellowship Of The Rings. Before anyone gets bent out of shape, let me explain why.

I will admit that I haven't read the books, but I was looking forward to seeing it because of all the hype & fanfare, but it was such a let down.

The first reason was is because it was too expository (See my post under "Novelist" on this board). Maybe it's because I have been conditioned (like everyone else today) to expect something right off the bat, but it seemed like it took a super long time for Frodo & the gang to get going. If this story had been a spec written by an unknown, no reader would have gotten past page ten.

Secondly, there was too much CGI. It's not just this film, but it seems like every fantasy film is 90% CGI, 5% star quality, and 5% plot. I just got sick of seeing a long, tracking shot of the tower and all the evil minions, or the different landscapes of the film. And the scene in the caves where about a gazillion orcs show up, that was just ridiculous. Is this a film or a demo reel for a graduate of the local computer technology film? When I was growing up an a scene called for a lanscape that was all ice and snow, the crew found a location and shot there; they didn't higher ILM to create it. Yes, there are certain things that can't be shown without CGI, but there is a lot in this film, as well as others, that could have been done with a good old Ariflex camera and a good location scout.

And lastly, I was really disapointed with the ending. Yes, I know it's a trilogy, and I know it's the way the book was written, but end on a strong, positive note. Hell, even a negative note would have been better than the way this film ended. Frodo & the other chaps have another fight with the orks, a few people die, the quest goes on. How boring is that??? NOTHING HAPPENED! They should have ended it earlier with Gandolf's death or something interesting. Think of the Star Wars trilogy; each film was a part of the trilogy, but each ended on a good note. Luke blows up the Death Star; Luke loses his hand and finds out Darth Vader is his father; Luke saves his father from the dark side, kills the emperor, finds out Leia is his sister, destroys the Empire and saves the universe. These were all good endings that would have made each movie just as good if they weren't part of a trilogy. The way Fellowship ended, I felt like I was watching V on NBC back in the eighties; "Tune in tomorrow night for part two of the historic miniseries V". I mean, even the ending of Silent Night Deadly Night and its sequels end on a better note than this film.

I waited to see Fellowship until it was on video, I think I'll wait until The Two Towers is on TNT before I see it (that means it will be on video, pay-per view, HBO, NBC, FOX, PBS, and TBS before I see it, which is a long time).

Sorry about the rant, had to get it out. Plus I'm sure the few Captain & cokes I had with dinner had something to do with it.

P.S. I did think Insomnia & Frailty were a couple of good flicks. That's what I mean when I say you don't have to have all that CGI to make a good film.

That's enough out of me for now.

Randy,

Whatever happened with the short film you shot? If I remember correctly, you were going to submit it to a couple of contests & festivals. Did anything ever happen with it; awards or companies interested?

Just curious.

Bryan

Sounds like a good idea. For those of you who have gone, can you give me an idea of how much you've spent in the past so I can start selling blood, organs, etc. Or I could just start saving. Let me know.

D.G. is back. Never thought I'd say this, but boy did I miss him.

For everyone relatively new to this site (within the last three months), grab onto something, you're in for a great ride!!!!!!!!

Good point David. I think another film that does that is M. Night Howeveryoupronounceit's Signs. Good movie that not only entertains, but also has a good message at the end (Don't want to ruin it for those of you who haven't seen it).

Who is it from? There are several services out there like this, but I wouldn't spend that kind of money on them. Unless it's somebody like William Goldman; then it would probably be worth it.

If you want to read more opinions about the subject, check out the rest of this BB and the one at scriptsales.com. The opinions are all over the map.

Miriam,

I've had the exact same problem. Who's advice do you take when one is telling you "The ending should be A" and the other is saying "No, it should be B". It's so frustrating sometimes.

Or how about when your agent/manager/reader says "I think it would work really well if Situation X happened", so you write it and they come back and say "You know what, Situation X doesn't really work; maybe you should do this...", and that was how you had it originally!!!!!!!!!!!

Or when you say to your agent/manager "I think it would be great if happened" and they say "No, I don't think that sounds too great", but then the reader says "It would be better if happened.

What are you supposed to do after you're done picking up all the hair you just pulled out of your head???!!!

I know you've been working on your rewrites a long time Miriam; do you mind if I ask how many this makes it? It gives us all something to look forward too.

Now, back to the original topic of advice from your peers; are you talking about friend, family, co-workers, etc., or industry professionals? If you have a friend tell you one thing and then an industry perofessional tell you another, it's hard to tell. Sometime your friends will be correct, sometimes the professional will; but in the end who's opinion can matter to you; you're friend's or the guy who works at Universal.

I'm not saying the industry person won't occaisionally be wrong, but he/she is always looking at the bigger picture; what can be sold, what has worked in the past, what hasn't, who would the audience be, who would want to star as the lead character, does this script have blockbuster potential or is it a small indie production, what can be changed to make it more appealing to the masses?

So if your grandmother is telling you it's a great story because she can identify with the 80 year old widow who is trying to prove her husband's death was part of a big consperacy, but a potential agent is saying "You have to make her younger because there are no 80 year old actresses left in HW that can still draw a crowd", you'd better make sure you make her young enough so Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez, or Gweneth Paltrow can play her. That is if you want to get anywhere with your script.

Gil,

I read your post again and saw that everone you were talking about was in the industry. Yeah, that must be really hard. I know how it is having two different opinions coming from industry people, with four you must be chasing your tail around in circles.

Here's some advice from Animal House:

"My advice for you is to start drinking heavily."

Good luck.

So including conference fees, motels, meals, airfare, etc. are we talking $500, $1000, or what?

Did anybody see this listed on "Recent Sales"? Am I seeing things?? Am I crazy???

Okay, the first one had Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, & John Voight. It was made for $35 million and grossed just under $69 million. But what can they possibly do to have another profitable film that will live up to the (uhem...uhem...) standard of the first one? I just don't get Hollywood anymore; DOESN"T ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A FRESH, ORIGINAL MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!! I DON'T GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How many times have all of us gotten a response from a query that said "Sorry, you're idea is too much like film X", or "This has already been done before, we're looking for something new".

That's it, I give up. No more original ideas. Let's see, what can I write that Hollywood would buy?

Hell, there have already been 10 Friday The 13th, I'm sure the world is ready for #11.

Or what about The Titanic II? Yeah, I know the ship sank in the first one, but maybe there was a cook, valet, life guard or somebody on board that had a really good story to tell that was missed in the first one. Or, maybe the guy who built the original boat has spent years wondering why it sank and decides to build another one!

Cruel Intentions did pretty good, and they made a sequel that went straight to video, but hey, I'm sure the world is ready for Cruel Intentions III: Buffy Goes To Grad School.

What about Sugar & Spice II: Women's Prison (I never saw the first one, so I don't know if they got sent to jail. I'm still trying to figure out who Greenlit that one). I'm sure with some more volumptous babes and a few shower scenes, it could be profitable.

And then there's Pluto Nash II. Yes, it was made for over $100 million dollars and made about $4 million dollars, but it had Eddie Murphy in it. That's star power, and star power sells tickets.

Or Bikini Car Wash III? They've already made two, I think there's room for another one. Jeff Conaway, Bobby from taxi directed the first two, think he'd be up for a third?? Note to self: Call manager about contacting Jeff Conaway. And if I'm really lucky, maybe he get get his old bud Tony Danza to drop by for a cameo; that should put a few extra butts in the seats. Wait a minute, that's direct to video; make that "a few more rentals over the counter".

And they've already made four Leprechaun movies ( yes four, count them; 1, 2, 3, 4. I can't believe it either). Let's see, I believe the last one was subtitled "Leprechaun In Space", which believe it or not, took place in space. Where can I set the next one? How about hell???!!! No wait, that's where everyone who saw the last one thought they were while they were watching it. I'll have to think about this one some more, but I know there's a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow. Ha Ha! Get it??!!

Or what about good old Herbie The Love Bug? I know it's been a good 26 years since the last one, but Volkswagon has a new model out and there is a whole new batch of youngster who would laugh their Buster Browns off at Herbie and his crazy hijinks (Never thought I would use that word in my life). Plus, think of all the tie-ins the studio could get rich on! Herbie Happy Meals, Herbie Huggs Diapers, Herbie toy cars, the list is endless! Wait, this is it, I've got it! The idea that is gonna make me millions! Braveheart II. Yes, William Wallace dies a couple hundred years ago, but think about this high-concept concept. Somebody finds his skull buried somewhere on an archiological dig. They clone him and he makes a living repo-ing cars by day, but because he has a sensitive side, he volunteers at an animal shelter at night where he meets the girl of dreams. The only problem is it turns out her great, great, great, great, great grandfather was king who had him executed, which puts a strain on things. That's it!! That's the one!!

Okay, I've said too much, don't want to have somebody steal this GOLDEN idea. I'm gonna go register it with the WGA right away!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does anyone have Mel Gibson's personal email??? I know he would want to hear about this right away.

Sorry about the rant, but I've read several scripts, including some from posters on this BB, that are more original and could be made at a reasonable cost and make a profit, that would be so much better than things like this. Again, I must reitterate, I DON'T GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If somebody has "the answer", please let me know.

Thanks.

Thanks Paula, that gives me an idea of how much money we're talking about.

Alexander,

I hate to admit it too, but the more and more you write and try to get your work sold, you will see Hollywood IS just a business to the companies that own the studios. All you have to do is look at the films that ARE being made.

Check out the post on Anaconda II. If that isn't just being made for a possible profit, I retract this post completely.

It's a fact of life; do you think Sony is more interested in making a film that wins a lot of humanitarian awards or one that grosses half a billion dollars. The trick, like someone else said, is to make one that does both. But, you don't find many that just win the fell good awards; those are refered to as "indies".

Yeah, but I guarantee the profit margin won't be as good, if profitable at all. This film will either have two weeks of theatrical release or will go straight to video.

Gil,

I'd take the advice of your friend, the one who is a writer and professional reader for a film company. What he is suggesting is to start your script off with a good, strong "hook", which is designed to pull the reader forward, into your story.

The next time you watch a flick, consciously watch to see when the hook happens. Most of the time its within the first 5 minutes. Some good examples are Fallen, American Beauty, The Sixth Sense, American Pie, Lethal Weapon II, Star Wars, Jaws, Halloween, Charlie's Angels (I'm not saying the movie was great, but the first five minutes were a good start). There are always exceptions to the rule, but hardly ever by a first time writer.

I think once you sell something and become a bankable writer, then you can elaborate more on future scripts.

But that's just one man's opinion.

I think I even saw an ad the other day for Tremors: The Series on the Sci Fi channel. It's a good thing for Michael Gross they keep doing these or else he'd have to survive on his Family Ties and Cool As Ice residules.

Welcome K!

Before you send anything out, have you had your scripts read and/or critiqued/evaluated by anyone? The most common mistake made by new writers (I made it many times myself) is sending out there work before it is polished and tight. There are several avenues you can use to get your work read by industry professional that are talked about in a lot of the postings here. Check them out for more info; that information and boat loads of other information pertaining to the world of struggling screenwriters are now at your finger tips. Good luck!

Actually, I think it would be a great idea to create enough categories so that everyone can win an award. That way, when you send out query letters, you can say "And I am also a winner of the esteemed Moviebytes award for "Best Girl On Girl Scene"...wait a minute, different award show all together.

But the idea is still the same; if we have 20 regulars here on this BB that enter, have 20 different categories that would conform to our writing styles, and only moviebyters that have posted their profile can enter. At least we'd be able to add an award or two to our resumes.

:)

OLD CLASSIC: On The Waterfront. Most of the older films can't hold my interest, I think it's because of the pacing, today's films move much faster. I've tried to watch Citizen Kane at least four times and have fallen asleep each time. I think this affects all of my generation.

CLASSICS: Midnight Cowboy, Butch & Sundance, Marathon Man, Jaws, Halloween (and anything else by John Carpenter, except Ghosts of Mars), The Godfather Saga, The Sting, Susperia, Star Wars Trilogy, The China Syndrome, The Omen, Animal House, Pink Panther(s), The Rescuers, The Paralax View.

MODERN CLASSICS: Friday The 13th, Risky Business, The Breakfast Club, Pulp Fiction, Clerks, Se7en, American Beauty, Bad Boys (Michael Bay), Blade, Primal Fear, Fallen, Dumb & Dumber, The Game, Stir Of Echos, Silence Of The Lambs.

These are all just off the top of my head. As you can see I have a very ecclectic taste, just like my writing is all over the place.

Out of all of these, the two that really got me into movies & writing were Jaws & Halloween. I think because they both scared the pants off me as a little kid, they made an impact and made me what to write something that would have a similar affect on people. Not necessarily to scare them, but to have some kind of affect on them, whether it's joy, terror, enlightenment, amusement, or whatever.

Sorry Doris, this isn't the place to hock you book, screenplay, or manuscript. Try the ScriptWriter's Network or another site like it.

I hear ya Steve.

We've already had more snow this year than we have over the past four combined.

Also, another storm is supposed to hit us tonight bringing another 4-6 inches. That might be peanuts to you up in the land of The McKenzie Brothers, but down here it's big news.

Here's hoping I don't have to go to work tomorrow (Bryan raises his glass filled with icy cold Sam Adams).

LOL Marcel!!!!!

As I recall, that film is still in pre-production, and I'm waiting to hear back from the producer/direct Steve Something-or-other about being cast as the lead.

I'll let you know when I hear back; cross your fingers for me.

Crystal,

Your "Future Favorite" sounds like a sure blockbuster if I saw one coming down the pike. Do you have a treatment for it? If so, send me it and I'll see what I can do with all of my connections in the seedy underbelly of Hollywood.

Well, as of right now, The Raiders are a 3 1/2 point favorite, and I tend to agree with the experts.

The Bucs have a better defense than offense, which was obvious in the win over The Eagles. And I don't think their defense will be enough to stop Gannon, he's just too good. Brad Johnson is going to have to step up if their offense is going to score enough to keep up with the Raider's pace.

I'm no psychic, but I think Golumn has a better chance of getting a ring this weekend than the Bucs do.

Ellum,

Like others have suggested, check out some of the other BB on screenwriting, specifically the one at Done Deal (scriptsales.com). It also offers a wealth of information on the subject, but most of the posters there have the attitude that in order to make it in this business, if you criticize, belittle, and trample on other people, you will have a better shot of making it.

Here at moviebytes, we share our experiences & helpful information in a more civilized and fun manner that doesn't trample on peoples ideas, toes, or egos.

Yes there is a bit of levity going on here, but that's because it's a healthy way of dealing with stress. Most of us here look at our writing as a second job, which will hopefully one day become our primary job. Don't tell me you've never gone home and said to your significant other "Work sucked today, you wouldn't believe what my boss made me do...". Like somebody else here said, most of us, who are spread all over North America, have no other outlet to talk to somebody who may have experienced what we are. Pete & Natasha are the only people I know of here who are a husband/wife writing team, so they are the only ones who might have another outlet.

I find it hard to believe that this BB hasn't been helpful to anybody who hasn't posted a serious screenwriting question, as well as being entertaining at times.

Knowledge + Fun = Learning

And here's another nugget of knowledge from AA that can also be applied here:

Keep coming back, it works if you work it.

:)

Ellum,

You misunderstood what I was saying. I was trying to say that compared to other BB's, this one is much more civil and enjoyable. And I was using Done Deal as an example of a more hostile place. If you go there and "ask" a question, you have a better chance of leaving with your balls in a sling than you do of getting a striaght answer; this isn't always the case, but I've seen it happen hundresd of times. I wasn't trying to say that I thought you might be like that and that would be a better place for you. I was just using it as an example of a place that isn't as good as out little net community here.

That's another problem with bulleting boards; unlike the spoken word, you cannot tell if a person is being sincere, joking, or has sarcasm in their writing. The post I made was meant to be sincere and in no way harmful.

P.S. When you reach Step 8 of the 12 Step Program, you know where to reach me.

And this IS JUST A JOKE, so please don't get too bent out of shape over it.

Vincent,

Take a look at the Scr(i)pt Magazine's Open Door contest that is done quarterly. They are partnered with Paradigm, a well-known literary agency. If you check their track record on the Recent Sales part of this website, you'll see that they have had several sales in the last few years.

Freddie,

I know the feeling. Most of the time I write at clips of about 2-4 hours. When I started the first draft of my most recent spec, I got on a roll and stopped after about 8 hours and 34 pages. Gotta love those times when the creative juices are flowing. Just make sure you ride that wave til it runs out, because you never know when you're going to catch another one like that.

It's Friday night, no work tomorrow; hopefully I'll be able to catch one of those tsunamis and ride it into the early hours of Saturday morning.

Shakila,

Welcome to Moviebytes, you're in the right place if you're serious about writing screenplays. I first started coming here about 2.5 years ago when i started writing. This site and the people on it have helped my writing tremendously, hopefully you will get the same out of it.

Now, as far as inspiration goes, I hear ya. Even though the whole story may be worked out, getting it down on paper is the hard part. All of us could think of 101 better things to do with our time, or sometime its due to lack of confidence in you story or ability to convey what you want to. For me, I have a few things that will usually get my butt in my seat and start typing.

1. Read this site. This is where I find a lot of inspiration. When I see that Miriam is working on another re-write, or that Marcel has just optioned something, this shows me that it can be done and I'm not wasting my time.

2. Watch a movie; specifically a BAD movie. Nothing inspires me more than watching something like Slumber Party Massacre, Night Eyes, any Van Damme, Brian Bosworth, Andrew Stevens, Corey Feldman (trust me, if you can sit through one, this is a fail safe), or Carmen Electra film. After watching something like this, you're sure to say to yourself "I can right something better than that." And you know what, you probably can.

3. Check out the contests/writers wanted section. You'll see that people are always looking for new writers; i.e. this means you, this is your shot.

4. Read scripts. If you are not in the mood to write, read. Check out Drew's Script-o-rama, there are hundreds to read for free. After read several pages of your favorite movie, your creative juices will kick in and you won't be able to get to your screenwriting program fast enough.

5. Read interviews of first time writers. You'll learn what they went through and what you can expect.

Try them out, not all will work, but one is bound to. Good luck!!!!!!!!

Freddie,

I will give you Goonies is a great movie, as is The Lost Boys, but his career, since he has started inpersonation Michael Jackson, trying to be a rock star, and culminating with his wedding on The Surreal Life, has been a stealth fighter in a 180 degree nose dive into an Exxon Oil tanker. Actually, this would be more exciting.

There has been "one" shining moment though; that was "Project Red Light", a spoof of Project Greenlight that can be seen at ifilm.com. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

Freddie,

How could I forget Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????

This was the first horror film I ever saw in a theatre (the first movie was FT13TH PT 3 on cable), and I loved it. I'm a huge fan and have everyone in my private library; except J Goes To Hell & X. And come to think about it, the first script I wrote, while I was in 6th grade, was a FT13TH rip-off set in a catholic school. I would like to amend my previous post stating that Corey killing Jason with the machette is his career highlight. But sad to say, his cameo in 5 wasn't as good.

I've used Scriptware for the last four years or so. This and other programs like it should be used for one thing and one thing only; formatting. It helps you to stick with industry standard, which if not followed, is the first sign to a reader that you are an amateur. Any company/program that says it does the writing for you is BS.

These programs also have a few other useful things, such as outlines, index cards, and beat sheets.

Like everything else in this computer age, it just makes things easier. If you know enough about programing and computer languages to write your own program, great, more power to you. For those of you like me who, the screenwriting program is the only way to go.

Check out DOne Deal at scriptsales.com

"Who Represents" is now at www.whorepresents.net.

Ah...Celebrity Jeopardy. One of the great skits that will be missed without Will Ferrell on SNL.

How about Hitchcock's Psycho? Norman Bates/Mother; but then again, you didn't know/see Norman was Mother until the end.

I know there are some others out there. I vaguely recall a thriller/horror film where a guy, who was tortured as a child had a split personality and talked different ways when he switched back and forth. But I can't think of what it was right now. If I remember, I'll ;et you know.

Gil,

That's not the one, but I forgot about that flick.

I think Dave has the right idea, especially if he saw it in Spiderman.

That doesn't mean it's the only way though. If you can do it another way that doesn't confuse the reader, you should be fine.

Miriam,

I saw mention of Sante Fe on another board and am interested in going. I did a search, but couldn't find their website; do you have the address for it?

Thanks.

Paul,

Thanks for the info. I'm checking it out as we speak.

Miriam,

It looks pretty good, but I have some questions about the producer's seminar and barbeque blow out. The producer's seminar sounds great, what did that consist of? Same w/ the barbeque? And the additional pitching sessions you can buy; how does that go?

And online it has you choose a mentor; does this mean that you go to this person's classes exclusively, or can you oick and choose what workshops you go to.

Also, if there are some other good things that I should know about regarding this conference, please let me know because I am very interested in going.

Thanks!

There's a very informative article about options at the link below:

http://www.scriptsecrets.net/tips/tip277.htm

If you're gonna walk the walk, you'd better be able to talk the talk.

Warren,

Did you get to say "You want the best, you got the best. The hottest band in the land...KISS!!!!!!!!!!"

If so, that's pretty cool.

As far as being recognized, if you mean how long before somebody saw your work, saw some promise, and committed to it, then the answer for me is two years and on with my second script. It was at that point that I got my first manager, and the first time anyone besides a family member/friend said "Wow, great story. You should be a writer."

If you mean a credited writer, I'm still waiting.

Randy,

Where can I find more info on ASA in New York? I'm only 3.5 hours away, so that would definitely be cheaper and more convenient.

Thanks in advance.

Just a few off the top of my head...

BLUTO: What's all this lying around shit??!! Come on! Did we give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor???!!!

JOHN BENDER: Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe?"

NOSY NEIGHBOR: What's going on? I've been trick or treated to death tonight. DR. LOOMIS: You don't know what death is.

GENERAL: I'd piss on a spark plug if I thought it would help.

TY: DO you take drugs Danny? DANNY: Everyday.

JOEL: Sometimes you just gotta say "What the fuck".

WILLIAM FORRESTER: You write you first draft with your heart; you write your second draft with your head.

Randy,

Thanks, I did a search and found it.

I think ASA might be a better option for me too, since I live 3.5 hours away and my sister lives in NYC, which means no hotel bill.

I'll let you know if I go. Maybe we can get together for a wicked cold Sam Adams.

Mary Kay,

I see the same thing.

A lot of it has to do with the way people respond to other's posts. Case in point is Ellum's response on this subject. Ellum, you made a good point. This site is not a place for name calling or making any other belittling statements. I'm not attacking anybody personally, but if some people would just let things be, it would be less hostile around here.

If you disagree with someone, that's okay and fine, state your opinion. But we don't need to go back and forth calling each names or putting each other's talent down. If all you ever do is bitch and moan about the advice that is asked for and received on this site, then it's obviously not for you, and you need to find somewhere else to spew your poison.

I come to this site for information and inspiration. Lately there hasn't been much of that around here and I have found myself checking out Done Deal a lot more.

It's a shame too because it used to be the opposite. I used to spend most of my time here because it was a small group of writers who shared a lot of good information with each other. Now it's become a Done Deal Jr., the only difference is there aren't as many people who post here.

Ellum,

You did it again. I give you a complement, you take it the wrong way, but not only that, you insult me.

Boy, what a piece of work.

Let's stop pulling punches okay. The gloves are coming off.

You are a fucking idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so sick of dumb ass, wanna bee's like you (I'm not claiming to be better than any writers here on this board). Why do you think everything on this site is about you???!!! If you're writing is anything like your attitude, you will never, ever, ever have any kind of success!!!

You need to take your old, broken down, ass and attitude and get some professional help. We used to have another member here who went and killed himself, and I felt really bad when he did because he was a decent human being. But not you, you're a lousey, bitching, cry baby pile of shit who somehow learned how to use a computer and has nothing better to do than bitch and moan about things. Wah Wah Wah!!!! So do us all a favor and jump off a cliff or bridge or whatever.

Mary Kay gives you a compliment by saying she would like you to stay around and "teach others", and you insult her by saying she makes you want to throw up all over your keyboard. That's really nice; what a jerk off.

Put yourself out of your fucking misery. Stop wasting all of out time with your self righteous, I was in the military, blah blah blah, bullshit.

This is a place to talk about screenwriting and breaking into the business, offering info and experiences you've had that can benefit others. I can't recall a post you've made that has remotely touched on any of these subjects. All you do is BITCH, COMPLAIN, and INSULT people.

So yes, I am now saying that done deal is a better place for you.

And if you haven't gotten it yet, yes I am saying FUCK YOU!!!

I'm sorry if this has offended or insulted anybody other than Ellum, but I've had too much of him and his "higher than thou" attitude. I haven't found one miniscule piece of input of his that has benefitted anyone.

Ellum, you're one of those people that nobody can say the right thing about anything. Nobody can ever win with you. I tried, as others have, but I'm done, I'm not wasting another ounce of energy on your hopeless soul.

And as Forrest Gump says, "That's all I have to say about that."

After a very long period of contemplating, I have decided to part ways with my manager. It's such a cliche, but the easiest way to put it is "creative difference".

I have completed the 3rd draft of a comedy/action spec and have started to query new managers/agents. Doing the email query route, and am contemplating using The Writer's Script Network. It looks like it worked for a few people on this site, hopefully it will work for me.

I'm also working on three other specs that are in various stages of the first draft.

Paul, I see that you are up at Dartmouth. Do they still have "Tubestock" up there every summer? One of the best parties I've ever been too.

Damn Randy,

You really know your stuff when it comes to extra work. I wish I had all of this information when I was living in LA. I was one of the unfortunate ones that shelled out some cash to the "ripoff" operations. I spent probably around $300 and never got one call.

A few points about the above posts, particularly (paraphrasing here) "If you go with a company like Circle of Confusion, you will have to pay them 15% and 10% to your agent"

1. If you have a good management company that has a decent reputation and some sales, you don't necessarily (sp?) need an agent. A lot of working writers have one or the other, but not both. Another alternative is to have a manager and an entertainment attorneny, which tend to charge less than agents, usually @ 5%. An agent's job is to find work for you and negotiate your deals; most of them don't help you creatively like a manager does. So basically a manager and an attorney would be the very similar. Also, percentages with managers are always negotiable (sp?).

2. If you do have both and these are the percentages they receive, 75% of something is better than 100% of nothing.

I haven't entered any of these, so I don't know, but here's a couple I'm looking forward to.

NICHOLS FELLOWSHIP

SCR(I)PT MAG'S QUARTERLY CONTEST (check out the website. It's being sponsored by a really good agency)

I have heard some good things about Venice though. I used their query service and was pleased. They're a stand up operation, so I'd wager to say that there contest is legit and helpful.

Actually, if you are a long distance competitive walker, that would be another option.

Seriously.

No matter what time you get on the freeways in LA, the traffic is always bad. You will always hit stop and go traffic. If you have a five mile trip, plan on leaving at least half an hour early. Cabs get stuck in traffic just like any other car.

When I was there, I worked about three miles from where I lived, and with morning traffic it would take me half an hour to get to work. I AM NOT KIDDING. If I didn't have to wear a suit and tie, I would have ridden my bike to work.

So a bike would be another option, but some places will be too far for that, depending on where you live and have meetings. For instance if you lived in "The Valley" and had to go back "Over The Hill" to get to Sony Studios in Culver City, forget it, it's too far.

The best option, in my opinion, is a motorcycle. Everytime I sat in traffic on the 5 or the 405 (two of the LA highways), every few minutes a motorcycle would come WHIZZING by between the cars. It really used to piss me off, but looking back, these guys were the smart ones.

I hear ya.

I'm moving back once I sell my first script. If it doesn't happen, I don't move.

I haven't used either, yet. But I have been doing a lot of research on both of them.

It looks like WSN has had a lot of success in the past. I plan on signing up with them if my latest batch of queries doesn't land me anything.

Mr. Storey,

Hey, hey, hey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be careful of the use of such strong words as "he##" and other profanity. We don't take kindly to such things around these parts. Women and children tend to visit this board.

Okay...maybe not children But some of us may act like them sometimes.

;)

Funny, yet "makes-you-want-to-slap-the guy-in-the-head" story.

I agree totally; unless the producer's last name is Rudin, Bruckheimer, Zanuck, Marshall, Wagner, Donner, Hurd, Silver, or any of the other big Hollywood producers.

Of course if it were, you wouldn't be talking about a $1 option (there it is, look at it. Just typing it out without any zeros behind it, it just looks insulting, doesn't it?), would you?

Danny,

You said you won Scr(i)pt Magazine's Open Door Contest back in December and I was just wondering what that has brought you. Meetings, representaion, sales, options, assignments? And anything else you can tell us about your experience would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Thank God somebody else noticed and posted this! I was starting to think my eyes were going bad from endless hours staring at my monitor.

Just dropped off my two entries at the post office, so you all might as well not send your's in. :)

Just kidding!!!!!

But I am interested to see which other/if any other moviebyters are entering.

Good luck to those who are.

Ron,

You'll be in my prayers also. Hope they are bening(sp?) or treatable.

Keep us up to date, good luck

Check out "Wild Things"

Not only can you learn about sailing, but Denise Richards & Neve Cambell will give you a few other lessons you'll never forget.

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!

Alan Smithee visited our little screenwriting group! Imagine that, a big time director coming here and telling us about new stamps that we can buy!!! Thank God for the internet, now I can finally purchase what I've always hoped would come into existence and lead a happy, complete life.

I still can't be;ieve it; Alan Smithee at Moviebytes. Wonders never cease. Heard a rumor that next week George Lucas is going to start posting here.

;)

I entered 2. I thought about entering more, but these two were my most commercial, polished scripts. One is a dark thriller, the other an action comedy. Two completely different genres, which will probably have two comepletely different results.

When writing my first draft, I'm usually amped up about it, so it will take me 2-3 weeks.

Rewrites are another story. Each subsequent draft can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks depending on the notes I get.

Dennis,

I'm like you. I tend to write more in the fall & winter when the weather is cold and dark, and there isn't much to do outside.

When the spring & summer hits, I tend to spend most of my time outside.

Dave,

The answer to your question for me is both yes and no.

Some movies I watch and I feel "God, I can't believe this piece of trash got made. I can write better than this." But what this does is it gets my butt in my chair and inspires me to write.

On the other hand, I see small bits and pieces that are brilliant, and inspire me even more. For instance...

**********MINOR SPOILER ALERT**********

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN X-MEN UNITED YOU MAY WANT TO SCROLL PAST ALL THIS

In X2, there were two parts that, made me say "Wow, that's awesome. Whoever wrote that (one of several screen writers who did various drafts) deserves every penny they were paid. The first scene is when Mystique injects the prison guard with iron, and the second is when Mystique visits Wolverine in his tent. Excellent, excellent, excellent moments in a great film.

I also saw Identity a few weeks ago and thought that was written extremely well. But I think they gave you too many clues and almost walked you right up to the "twist" ending.

Bad films inspire me to do better because I know I can; good films inspire me to do better because I want to reach that level. So I'll keep watching the good and the bad, and try to learn from both of them.

Gil,

I feel the same about Identity. I think they should/could have held off on the reveal a little later. They could have given the audience a few more clues, and then when there were only a few "people" left at the hotel, they could have let the cat out of the bag.

I did like the 2nd twist at the end with the little kid, showing how everything "really" happened. But I thought it was pretty stupid of the doctor to let the guy out of the cage. He deserved what he got.

Randy,

For one of my film classes, we had to write & shoot a music video using a popular song. If you're familiar with commercial scripts, meaning 30-60 second advertisements (both tv & radio), it's the same format.

Your page is divided into two columns; the left side is the visual, the right side is the audio. If you've seen this format before, you'll know what I mean. If you haven't, let me know and I can write up something quick and email it to you.

Terri,

Sorry you had such a bad experience with this consultant. What a horror story. I on the other hand, had a great experience with the one I used. I paid $175 and my writing grew tremendously, even helped me land a manager.

And I agree with everyone else who says you should let us know who this is. That's what this site is for; to help others further their writing and to make sure others don't make the same mistakes somebody else did.

So, who was this guy??????

I don't know if I can say who The Top Ten Screenwriters are, but I can say who has influenced me the most & who's level of writing I would like to reach.

In no particular order:

Dave Koepp, Andrew Kevin Walker, John Carpenter & Debra Hill, M. Night, Shane Black, John Hughes, Kevin Smith, Joe Esterhaus, William Goldman, Akiva Goldsmith, Carl Gottlieb.

I'm sure there are several others I could list, but these are the writers who's films I watched growing up that made me want to become a writer.

If I'm still coming to these boards trying to make it in 15 years, I'm going to kill myself.

If in 15 years I'm the only one of the regular posters still here who hasn't "made it", I'm going to first hunt down and kill all of those who have made it, and THEN kill myself.

;)

Terri,

Not at all; I think it's great that you have stuck with it that long. I just don't know if I'll still have the kind of drive I have now in 15 years.

By then I'll probably have a few kids and be into my 2nd or 3rd mid-life crisis, and who knows if I'll have the time and/or the energy to pursue it as much as I can now.

Terri,

I've always been a writer, and for the past three years I have considered myself a screenwriter.

Maybe I should have said "aspiring-full-time-professional-screenwriter", because I think that is what myself and everyone else who is trying to "make it" is shooting for. And you aren't considered professional until someone pays you for something you created. I guess until then I'll have to change my title to "amateur screenwriter".

Vincent,

I just reviewed the release again (I sent my entry in about 20 minutes ago), and it's all standard. There is a lot of legalese, but I triple checked the section you were concerned about, and it looked okay.

This is a pretty reputable magazine, sponsored by an extremely reputable company, so I don't think you have anything to worry about.

Also, I live about 25 miles from them (have driven by the place a few times), so if they do anybody wrong, I can fix it for you; for a small fee or course.

;)

I agree. If you have a shot, take it.

I don't think they would pay as much as other companies if they bought your script (I remember from the Jean-Claude Van Damme E! True Hollywood Story that they only paid him $25,000 for each of his first four films), but a produced screen writing credit & the start of a career is worth much more.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

If you look higher on this thread, the $32,000 was the amount ED HANSEN PRODUCTIONS was going to CHARGE the writer to re-write their script for them.

But I agree; if anybody offers you $32K for a script, take it. You don't have to worry about when you should use your life lines and you don't have to deal with Regis or Meredith.

$200K against $400K means you get 200,000 up front and then you get an additional 200,000 once the film is made, totaling 400,000.

When a studio/production company doesn't want the amount they paid for a script known, they usually use the "Six Figure" thingamabob. Here's how they break down.

Low Six Figures = 100,000-399,999

Mid Six Figures = 400,000-699,999

High Six Figures = 700,000-999,999

And then of course, after this, comes the promised land of Seven Figure script deals.

M Night; one hit wonder????

Stuart Little $140,000,000

The Sixth Sense $293,000,000

Unbreakable $ 95,000,000

Signs $228,000,000

I hardly think so. M. Night has done so well because he takes old ideas (a ghost story, good vs. evil superhero, alien sci-fi) and gives them a new twist/hook.

David,

You're logic is a little flawed; just because you didn't like something, doesn't mean it wasn't a "HIT".

Just because you didn't like Signs & Unbreakable personally, doesn't mean they weren't hits. Industry standards and the box offices figures show they were hits, three of them were huge blockbusters.

Personally I didn't think Lord Of The Rings was that good, but there's no way I can deny that it wasn't one of the biggest HITS of last year.

So Terri, are you telling me that you weren't surprised to find out that Darth Vader was Luke's father?

Or that Soylent Green is people?

Or that Norman Bates & Mother are one in the same?

Or that Gwyneth Paltrow's head is in the box?

;)

I agree, it is a dead give away when a big star shows up.

But I don't feel the same about Michael Rooker in Sea Of Love, and I'll tell you why. Before Sea of Love, Rooker had only been in a few movies (Henry is a great flick), so he wasn't a star, or even much of a known actor at the time. As a matter of fact, I didn't even know who he was the first time I saw it, which was back in '89 when it came out. It wasn't until years later after he was "a name" and I saw it on cable again that I said "Holy shit, that's Michael Rooker."

Sea Of Love is a great study in the mystery/whodunnit genre. In film school I learned that with this genre, like all genres, there are always conventions that they must all conform to; such as there are always small clues throughout (go back and watch your favorites and you'll see), and you always see the killer before the climax (whether you realize it or not). Rooker's character is so minimal until the end, it's done perfectly.

Which brings up another dead give away; if there is an unimportant character you see briefly in the first act, then they show up in the third act and you're thinking "What the hell is he/she doing here?", then you know they are the killer. Perfect example, The Bone Collector.

I'm also one of those who tries to guess the ending before it happens and I too figure it out most of the time. Blood Money was easy; what the hell is Jeff Daniels playing a goofy harbor rat for??? They could have gotten any C List actor to sit on a boat and drink beer for a couple of months. Oh wait a minute, I get it, his character must be important to the story. Gee, I wonder what that could mean. But I did like the twist with the code and the name, that was pretty good.

For The Sixth Sense I remember sitting in the theatre watching it near the end, after Malcolm & Cole had decided that Cole was "cured" and that there was no need for them to see each other again. I thought to myself "Well, I guess it was an okay movie, but I don't see what all the hype is about." Then...BOOM!!! They drop the bomb on you. The great thing about this flick is that they then go back and show you all the clues, and you're like "Oh yeah, I can see that now. How did I miss that?" (And for those of you reading the other post on The Top Ten Screenwriters, that's why M. Night is so good)

Another one I love is Fallen. Terri, if you saw that one coming, hats off. The best use of a voice over, ever. You hear it for a few seconds at the beginning, then you forget about it completely until the last 60 seconds of the film.

Ah...The Usual Suspects. Another good example. It was on TNT the other night and I happened to catch the last 20 minutes or so for the reveal. Great ending.

A few others that come to mind; Fight Club, The Game, Color Of Night, Twelve Monkeys.

One twist ending that I can't stand because it's such a cheesy cliche is the "thought they were dead, but turns out they're not" ending; ala Striking Distance or Deceived. That is so cheap & dumb.

Well Steve, I wasn't going to (I just entered 2 scripts in both Nicholl & Scr(i)pt Magazine), but that sounds like a challenge to me. So I guess I'll be taking my latest comedy to the post office tomorrow.

See you on the red carpet; I'll be the one with the big blue "1st Prize" ribbon pinned on my shirt.

):P

"Just curious. Is there anyone out there reading this BB who's been lucky enough to receive a high-six figures against a low-seven figures deal? Or even a mid-six figures against a high-six figures?"

Terri, trust me. If there were anybody here who had received that kind of deal, you would know it.

As far as I can remember, from the writers who frequent this site, there have been several options, maybe a few sales, but I can't remember any that have been seven figure deals.

Terri,

Yes, I did see SHATTERED, but again it was many years ago, before I started writing screenplays and before I started trying to outsmart the script/movie and guess the ending before the reveal. I do remeber liking it a lot, and I know I saw it on video a few times because I recommended it to friends.

I spent three years in high school and four years in college working in video stores, so there wasn't much between 1988 & 1995 that I didn't see. Horror & thrillers tend to be my favorites, so if it fits into these two categories, I probably saw it.

LOL Terri,

You crack me up.

What wouldn't last?

I agree. With the exception of an occasional lapse of judgement from posters (I myself have had a few of these), this continues to be the most enjoyable, informative, "feels-like-a-writer's group" site that I visit.

I totally expect to see more and more of it's member's names popping up on the winner lists of all the screenwriting contests that are out there.

ScriptMyViagra????????

Why would you want to give your script Viagra??? That goes against everything we are taught about scripts.

If you gave your script viagra, it would make it long, hard, and in the wrong hands, very dangerous.

Aren't scripts supposed to be short, to the point, easy, and appeal to a large audience???

I think if anything, it would be better to throw your script into the cold ocean. Then you'd get the more appropriate effect.

:)

Terri,

I'll hold you too it.

I'd like to go also, but only if I'm at least a semi-finalist.

Which brings me to another question that I couldn't find on their website. When is notification sent out? If the deadline is June 2nd, and the festival is in October, that only gives them about 12 weeks for judging. And then they have to notify you. Which doesn't give you much time to decide if you're going or not.

And like a lot of others, what if you are a semifinalist, but if they announce it too late, you might not be able to book a flight or hotel room.

A response from anyone who's entered Austin before would be appreciated.

I never listen to critics; whatever they say, I always think,the opposite.

My whole take on critics is these are people who tried to have a career in film, but failed. So now they criticize other people's successes.

It goes along with the old adage "People who can do, do; people who can't teach."

That should read "People who can do, do; those who can't, teach.

I agree with Ellum.

About a year and a half ago I bought and HP 1200 LaserJet and it's awesome. Yes, I think it cost a couple hundred dollars, but after you print out 15 or so (based on $12 a script), you break even.

Since I bought it, I've probably pringted out 40 copies of various scripts, so it has been well worth the cost.

Also, when I bought it there was a special goin on where I got an additional ink cartridge for free. I'm still on the first one, so I shouldn't have to worry about any additional costs for awhile.

If you can afford it, it's definitely worth it.

I just received my letters confirming they received my 2 screenplays.

That means there are 298 other spots available for the quarter finals; how many of you out there will be joining me?

Gotta keep those positive thoughts going.

;)

Ooops! I saw the topic and thought this had something to do with oriental spas. Boy, do I feel foolish.

Well, since I'm already here, I might as well as my two cents.

I don't believe all "great" films have to have a happy ending.

Great films to me are films that not only entertain, but also make you think or look at things differently; or open your eyes to something you never knew existed. They can be both happy or sad.

Back when "The Bard" was writing plays, there were two kinds; comedies & dramas. A comedy was categorized as a play that ends in marriage, while a drama ends with death. Today, just like back then, they can both be moving and enjoyable.

John V,

Three words; DEMI'S NAKED BOOBS

That's the reason a film/story as bad as Striptease can start oft & consists of such bad writing. 99.999999999% of everyone who has ever seen that movie saw it for that reason. The producer knows it, the director knows it, the studios knows it, hopefully the writer knows it, and of course Demi who earned a $12,000,000 pay day certainly knows it.

I did think Ving Rhames' character was written well though. And the whole thing with Burt Reynolds and the Vaseline was hysterical.

I'm a night owl by nature.

When I write after work during the week, it's usually from 8pm and can go as late as 2pm.

When I write on the weekends, it's usually from 6pm on 'til I run out of steam.

I've tried to write earlier in the day, but the creative juices don't start flowing until the sun goes down.

It's good to see that there are some good things being said around the internet about Colin. Sound like all his claims are true and he's one of the "good guys". I also queried him and he requested my script. I sent it and am waiting for a response.

With the exception of the one person above who received a response two hours after Colin finished his script, has anybody else heard back yet? I know he must be swamped, just curious about his turn around time.

There's a great discussion about this on the Done Deal message boards with good insight to both sides of the story. You can check it out here:

http://pub130.ezboard.com/fdonedealquestionsandadvice.showMessage?topicID=1183.topic

And there's also a link for you to read the article.

Ashlyn Gere.

Finally something that made this topic interesting/worth reading.

Unless your name is Charlie Kaufman, David Koepp, William Goldman, M. Night Shyamalan, George Lucas, or any of the other prolific screenwriters in Hollywood who have major control of their films, don't worry about the title sequence.

Titles sequences, like trailers, are usually done by somebody other than the writer or director.

Wayne's example of Se7en is incorrect. The opening titles were done by Peter Frankfurt, not Andrew Kevin Walker (the screenwriter), or David Fincher (the director). If you read the script you'll see there is no mention of the opening credits sequence; and if you really want to know about it in detail, you can hear about it on one of the audio tracks on the DVD.

So until you have a sale or two under your belt, including a title sequence in your script is just another excuse for a reader to say "no".