CLIMBING TO THE TOP

October 11, 2009 at 7:19 pm (screenwriting)
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Would you plan to climb Mt. Everest without first gathering the right equipment and supplies, finding the right guides, and making sure that you were in peak physical condition?

Oh, and you don’t want to forget the weather forecast—as well a map! Those might be helpful!

Well, your trip to the top of the ranks of Screenwriters should be just as carefully planned.

So many people think they are “ready to roll” with just a script in hand.

That would be like taking off on your mountain expedition with only a pair of hiking boots.

Unfortunately, it seems that all too often would-be screenwriters come unprepared. Someone will write a script and then flounder around wondering how to find someone to buy it when they should be worrying why no one will read it!

Let’s go through the preps:

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
A screenwriting program, produced scripts, screenwriting books and courses in screenwriting and marketing.

FOOD
The “HOLLYWOOD DIRECTORIES”, magazines and newspapers dealing with showbusiness and the business of writing.

GUIDES
Mentors, script analysts, networking, screenwriters’ groups.

EXERCISE
Write more than one script, learn all you can.

MAP
You need a plan of action. You also need to know where you want to go and the best way to get there. There may not be a guaranteed route, but you do want to avoid the pitfalls–so you need to know what and where they are located.

WEATHER
What are studios and production companies interested in buying right now? Which companies might be interested in your genre of script? This should probably be at the top of your list. Write something based on what might sell.

CLOTHES
Your pitching and marketing materials.

…and MONEY…
Climbing Mt. Everest isn’t cheap.

In subsequent blogs I’ll give more details on each of these subjects.

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Adventures in Script Consulting

September 17, 2009 at 6:05 pm (Uncategorized)
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Hi,
It’s a crazy business.

Hollywood dangles the million $ carrot and we all run after it. Fortunately, some of the runners drop out along the way. If you’ve got the stamina and talent, you may hurdle over the Great Wall of Hollywood.

Don’t make the same mistakes that everyone else does. Learn from those who can smooth the way.

There are those who won’t listen to advice and have to make their own mistakes–don’t be one of them.

There is no one “right” way to make your dreams come true, but there are plenty of “wrong” ways that will prepare the way for failure.

I’m going to give you tips for success and ways to make the whole process less painful.

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WHAT IS “ON THE NOSE” DIALOGUE?

September 17, 2009 at 5:46 pm (screenwriting)
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What is “on the nose dialogue”?

Dialogue is a complicated subject.

We all know how to talk, right?

So we should be able to make our characters speak their minds? Oh, if only that were true! Characters in films speak “naturally”  so it has to sound like regular conversation, but it isn’t! Film is a medium  with time constraints. You want to convey as much information as possible in two hours or less.

One of the ways to do that is through dialogue.

But beware the backstory babble. “Hi, this is my friend, Sarah, who was married to my second cousin Jim until they divorced eight years and who went to jail for murdering his new wife but is now a self-help guru and gourmet chef on weekends.”  I know you’d never do that, but some dialogue is just too full of information.

However we were on the topic of “on the nose”,  so let me give you an example of that:

HENRY
How’s it going, Jane?

JANE
Fine, Henry. How about you? Did you
have any word on the job applications?

HENRY
Nah. I guess I’ll just keep looking.

JANE
Maybe you should try a different line of
work, Henry.

…zzzzzzzzzzzz…boring!

Here we convey the information, and in a more interesting way:

HENRY
Hey, Jane, know anybody who needs
an all thumbs kinda handyman?

JANE
Thought they were always desperate
for engineers.

HENRY
Might be time for a career change.

JANE
My back porch is falling apart.

It’s not great dialogue, but whereas before all we learned was that Henry was looking for a job, this time we learned that he’s an engineer who’s desperate enough to consider becoming a handyman.  Jane’s porch is in need of repair and she’s a helpful friend, who is willing to hire him, even though he’s inept.

Also, please notice that Jane doesn’t answer his first question until the end.

I might have packed even more in that short interchange, but I think that gives you the idea. Movie dialogue needs to provide info efficiently.

By the way, in most cases, people don’t call each other by their names. And you can usually leave off the first pronoun.

More examples in forthcoming blogs.

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