Message Board

Okay - I'm the "new guy" so I'll do all the asking of questions -- for now.

Who's Terri Dickey? What's this string all about? Can I join you? (for more than just this post?)

I am new to this forum, but have been writing for some time now. Several completions, but no sale -- yet. I'm still trying and want to maximize my chances. Of course, I'll help out, too, when I can (two-way street syndrome).

Just about does it. You sound like a friendly bunch. Best of luck to all!

Regards, R

Searching for names?

Try here: http://www.behindthename.com/

Click on African. Plenty others there too. I use it a lot. I allso use my "character name" function in Movie Magic Screenwriter. Doesn't give ethnicity, but a ton to choose from.

Frees one up from using "Fred", "Joe", "Mary"

Keep Writing!

RK

Maybe it's just me (I hope not), but every time I turn around Holly-weird is making another movie out of some shlep's novel. Heck, they've even gone to turning video games into movies. (Can PACMAN be too far off?)

What's up with that?

Seems to me we've got enough good (great, even) writers right here, some have even won contests (even multiple times) and I'm not seeing too many of them getting all happy about their first movie coming out soon.

And, (my final vent) how many movies have I (you, too?) seen and thought - "they actually PAID someone for that script?" or "How did THAT get made?"

Is Holly-weird that inbred that they won't take a serious look at arguably good material?

I'm about to buy a camera and start shooting my own. (There's a scary thought.)

Keep writing -- I will, regardless!

RK Leonard

Thanks - it wasn't just me. Although I probably take it too seriously at times. Just get tired of Charlies Angels, Hulk... Hawaii Five-O is coming, I hear. Okay, built-in audience and all, but I still think those types would be good for Hollywood down time.

Like I said, I'll keep writing: because I know I have original material in here somewhere.

Regards!

RK Leonard

PHEW!

I'm exhausted - "everybody was Kung Fu fighting" (re: song - dating myself, I know.)

All of this was FUN! Can we do it again?

Just WRITE already.

RK

Just looking for info on this one, but I've noticed a few placements under the "Writers Wanted" section that specify Canadian writers ONLY need apply.

Jeeze - I'm glad we got rid of such overt discrimination awhile ago. (No, I'm NOT gonna argue whether or not discrimination still exists in the USA - it does....)

So, are "Canadian" writers THAT good or are "American" writers THAT bad?

Either? Neither?

What's going on here? Anybody?

P.S. You Canadians feel free to weigh in, okay?

Thanks, RK Leonard

Frederick - GREAT site, BTW.

I've heard some hints of that Canadian funding angle. Especially seems prevalant when shooting film in Canada...something about X number of actors MUST be Canadian...might have to do with cashola, too, i.e., some percentage must be Canadian money...

On the one hand, I expect it, on the other, though, it just grabbed me straight up with the overt flag - Canadians ONLY need apply.

All in all - interesting issue, I think.

How about this: SCREENWRITERS ONLY need apply.

Works for me. :)

Keep writing - I will!

RK Leonard

OFF TOPIC (ahem)

HAHAHAHA!!!! LMAO, I did!

Gawd, eye luv tis site! Puleeze. I'm farely certain that my spelling an pucktuation iz good in my scriptz. Mostly.

But I'm no english major (stopped diagramming (yeah, I spell checked that word) sentences in the 4th grade) so whatta I know?

Maybe I'm just having too much fun in this life.

BTW - BACK TO TOPIC

Ditto on the DO IT. Imagine the experience.

And ditto on the "if you're gonna wait for other alternatives then join the other 100'000 on the list with great ideas."

Somone once put it this way: Wishing doesn't make it so.

And, whatever happens - have FUN!

Keep writing - I will!

RK Leonard

Ron and Steve (and everyone else)-

Excellent info! Thanks. I'd heard bits and pieces about the tax incentives, some kind of point system, etc. All makes sense now.

Bean counters rule - apparently. Prague, for one, others, no doubt, have recently been touted as low cost places to get good locations for filming. As long as the settings fit my script, do I care where the film is shot? Probably not.

R/

RK Leonard

Wow!

There's a dark alley in someone's future, no doubt.

Don't worry, I won't be there - "Can't we all just get along?" I think Charlton Heston said that in that B&W Mexican movie with Orson Wells.... right after that woman lifted her red dress and shot at him with that derringer....(she missed, by the way).

Anyway, I digress. Seems pretty clear to me that we're just about 50/50 on the typo-thing. Let's say we get over it.

Ed, Eric - you must promise to never, ever, ever send any typo-riddled material to Jerry. Ever.

Jerry, you must promise to never, ever, ever read any of Ed or Eric's typo-riddled material. Or mine.

See? We're friends again.

BACK TO TOPIC -

Ed, are you gonna take the deal? Let us know how it goes.

Keep writing - I will!

RK Leonard

Congratulations! I'm no expert, but it would appear that among those of us who post here, you are first out of the box for 2004.

May your short film continue to reward you throughout 2004! PLease keep us informed.

Regards, RK

Or, you could beg - right up an aspiring screenwriter's alley.

I've heard (ahh, rumors) that if you call and ask them (any agency, that is) for contact with agents seeking new material, sometimes they give you a valid point of contact and their contact information.

As to a newly promoted agent...lots 'o luck (probably).

Write Often

RK Leonard

I've had a SHORT produced. A copy on DVD is on it's way to me and they're trying to get it into various film festivals.

No CASH though - I opted for writing credit instead. I think the budget was about $5K to 7K or so and the final is just over 11 minutes.

I'm psyched just to be able to say some of my work has been produced.

Am I out of line because no moola changed hands?

Keep writing scripts! I will...

RK Leonard

OOoh!

Let me clarify - this wasn't a money OR writing credit deal. The producer is former military as am I and I knew he was working a tight budget. So, I basically waived any cash and told him I'd be happy with just the writing credit.

Probably not a wise idea - heck, even $50 would do, I guess, but I got what I wanted out of it.

Still helps, right?

RK

I didn't see the movie, but my other (better) half did. We both lived in Japan for many years (a few lifetimes ago; read 'decade').

While she found the movie to be quite funny, her observation was that one probably had to have been there and experienced the culture in order to "get it".

Not quite sure how that helps, but just know that you're likely in good company.

Write Often! RK Leonard

Folks - I'm borrowing here: We Be $CREWED

I was looking at Done Deal for March. (Not that this is the definitive source, mind you, but...)

Screenplay sources are:

Video Game Comic Book Novel TV Series Pitch Comic Book Novel Idea (Pitch of an insudstry insider) Novel Novel Memoirs Video Game Novel Novel Re-write Novel Unknown Source Novel

I've noticed this trend at the movie house, too. Is there REALLY no good material out there? Are we all dead, or what? Personally, most of this stuff is TRASH...but hey, corporate conscience being what it is - the bottom line (i.e., $$$) rules... and we WALK.

I'm not sure I can hang on for 10 or 15 years of this while waiting for the pendulum to swing the other way. I can see why there are so many Indies, too. With the crap that's coming out: re-makes, TV show-now-the-movie, comic books ( COMIC BOOKS???! - is THAT what we're left with???) etc., etc., if I had the wherewithal (and the $$) I'd make my own movies, too.

Solutions?

Write Often - I STILL do.....

RK Leonard

I think Eric's right - action movies would not do well in Indie-land. That's why I've "converted" (or "evolved" if you will) to writing psych-thrillers -n- dramas: few locations, character driven, intense subject matter. I'm hoping it will work and that I'll get the attention of a good, hard working, mid-level Indie company.

Don't get me wrong, the lower tier Indies are great = I've got 4 (yes, 4) short scripts out (one filmed and being shopped to film festivals) and am shopping my 5th around. I write shorts when I hit a dead spot in my features...keeps me going in the writing arena and let's me step back from whatever feature problem I'm facing at the time for awhile.

Anywho.... Keep writing - I will And thanks for the input.

RK Leonard

How much is too much? I find it difficult metering my loglines between giving away too much in the story and not giving enough. I try to keep in mind that I'm trying to tell 'some' of the story; but still, I don't want to give away too much so that my reader knows the story in advance.

All that said, could I please have a few comments on the following logline?

LOGLINE: A hotshot international bounty hunter must face the consequences of his past actions when he agrees to rescue the kidnapped family of a billionaire-shipping magnate taken hostage in the South China Sea.

Thanks in advance.

RK Leonard

ALL good points above - highlighting my dilemma - how to say more, without saying too much. I'll work on it.

More to Ellum - and perhaps others could weigh in: I've tried to shy away from comparing my scripts to noted works already out there.

The danger, as I see it, is that the reader will think: "already been there, done that." Kind of a double edged sword really - been there, done that versus sounds intriguing, good combination.

Anyone care to weigh in on the good, bad and ugly of citing specific works in loglines?

Thanks in advance - again.

Write always - I do.

RK Leonard

Steve:

You are right - as I step back and look at it, the script does have a "generic" appeal. The key, thoug, is his "past action" and how it has managed to aid in getting him into his current situation.

I'll give your suggestions some consideration and see what I can come up with. The bottom line is making the logline stand out against a field of run-of-the-mill thrillers.

THANKS!

RK Leonard