Year: 2013

The 10-second description

Maximum Z loglines, screenwriting, script, writing
Give or take a second or two
Give or take a second or two

Scenario:  You’re at a social function, engaged in idle chit-chat.  The topic of you being a screenwriter comes up.

“What’s your story about?” they will undoubtedly ask.

The chance you’ve been waiting for!  What do you say?

You want to pique their curiosity, and not bore them.

In the simplest of terms:  provide a quick summary of the main characters(s) and what happens in the main storyline.

Avoid too much information, non-essential characters, intricate subplots, how it’s a metaphor for this totally different other thing, or generic phrases like “and learns about themselves” or “stumbles into a world she wasn’t prepared for” or the ever-dreaded “wackiness ensues.”

What are the components of an effective logline?  Just the following:

1. A protagonist with a flaw.

2. An antagonist with a goal.

3. The situation that pits them against each other

4. What’s at stake.

That’s pretty much it. Keep it simple. Nothing too specific or generic.

Make sure you emphasize the genre. If it’s a comedy, play up the comedic angle. A thriller, go for the suspense. That sort of thing.

And most importantly, make it sound interesting. This is your best chance to grab their attention, so make the most of it (and make sure the script is just as good).

The argument for originality

Maximum Z creativity, ideas, originality, pulp fiction, screenwriting, script, storytelling, writing ,
Nobody saw it coming, and look what happened
Nobody saw it coming, and look what happened

As a screenwriter who hopes to one day see my work displayed on the big screen at your local theater, I strive to have each of my scripts present a unique tale that takes the audience on an entertaining ride.

Part of that uniqueness comes from me wanting to offer up a story that hasn’t been seen before. What’s better than being surprised with something you weren’t expecting, and liking it?

A lot of scripts adhere to “familiar, yet different,” which is fine. But there’s something to be said for putting a little more emphasis on the second part.

There’s an abundance of complaints about the lack of new ideas, or at least how sequels/remakes/reboots/re-imaginings are outnumbering original ideas.  (I won’t argue with that, especially with the recent announcement of a planned remake of GREMLINS. As the saying goes, is this really necessary?)

Don’t let that stop you.  New, smart and interesting will always triumph over dull, cliched and predictable.

Part of your job as a writer is to make your story so appealing that it becomes impossible for someone to say ‘no’ to it.

Put your creativeness to work.  Figure out what could make your story different. Don’t be afraid to take chances.

Show off those writing and storytelling skills.  Make the most of it and give ’em something they’re really going to remember.

Don those X-ray specs and press ‘play’

Maximum Z analysis, characters, screenwriting, script, story, structure, writing
Make sure to use them only for good
Just make sure to use them only for good

Many, many years ago, I attended an abbreviated version of Robert McKee’s seminar on screenwriting. While they usually run an entire weekend, this one was a merciful two hours long.

Of all the things he talked about, of which there were many, there’s only one point I still remember to this day:

If you want to really understand how to write a screenplay, watch a movie while following along with the script.  Do this every day (I’m assuming with a different script each time) for a year. Apparently this will instill in you how a screenplay works, the understanding of structure, etc.

I’m split on this.  On one hand, the only way you’re going to really learn is to just sit down and write.

But there is at least some merit to the idea. The more you watch and read, the more you’ll (hopefully) come to understand all the inner workings, nuances and intricacies that go into these things.

Say you’ve come up with an idea for your next spec.  A comedy.  You’ve got the basic story idea down, but there’s something missing.

Chances are you were influenced by other comedies. Compare your story to some of your favorites. What is it about them that you like? Is your story similar? What do they have that yours doesn’t, and vice versa?

Take the time to watch them again, but don’t just watch. Study them. View them through a writer’s eyes.

Can you see the elements at work? Are you able to look beyond the jokes and follow how the characters and storylines develop? Do the jokes and comic set pieces come naturally or do they feel forced?

Over time, identifying story components will become easier for you, and you’ll be able to put that knowledge into play on the page.

The hurry up and wait countermeasure

Maximum Z creativity, ideas, opportunity, productivity, writing
I suppose watching paint dry is an option...
I suppose watching paint dry is one option…

What a dreadful phrase.

Everybody’s been through this at one point or another. It’s an inevitability, no matter what field you’re in.

I got to experience it twice in the past couple of days. The first was mentioned by a colleague waiting to hear back about one of his numerous projects.  The other’s me waiting for a new batch of script notes.

You work and slave for countless hours, then send the finished product off, eagerly waiting for the go-ahead to move forward.  But it never happens as fast as you want at it to, and it’s killing you.

“What the hell’s taking them so long?” you think to yourself.

Fortunately, the perfect solution is always available to us folks of creativeness, and it’s not as hard as you think – focus on another project.

Doesn’t matter what. Start something new, go back to a previous one, maybe finally dive into that completely different something you’ve always wanted to try.  Productivity is always a good thing.

Worrying about that thing you just sent out isn’t going to do you any good, so you may as well redirect all that anxious energy into something positive.

The more time you spend on this new thing, the less you’ll think about that previous one. And before you know it, progress has been made.

Added bonus – building up your arsenal of material. This way you’ll be well-prepared when asked “What else have you got?”

Passing the cinematic torch

Maximum Z Big Trouble In Little China, movies, parenting, story ,
This kind of education begins at home
Family Movie Night – fun AND educational!

It’s no secret my daughter is semi-obsessed with Harry Potter. The movies, specifically.  Such to the point that this past weekend she printed out a whole bunch of pages from Google Images and taped them to her wall.

We own the movies on DVD, and she’s watched them multiple times. I don’t have a problem with that. I’ve done the same thing with other franchises.

But lately I’ve been suggesting maybe she could expand her horizons and try something new. 99.9 percent of the time, those words fall on deaf ears.

This past Saturday, K suggested we watch a movie as a family. Maybe something more or less kid-friendly V had never seen, and might possibly really enjoy.

So we opted for John Carpenter’s classic BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA. Martial arts, Chinese ghosts & magic, set in San Francisco, and James Hong . What more could you ask for?

I think “meh” sums up her reaction. She didn’t hate it, but wasn’t crazy about it.

What was especially interesting was that there were some scenes that scared her, or at least made her uncomfortable (kissing scenes notwithstanding – she’s always hated those).  We reminded her it was all make-believe, and that the Harry Potter movies can sometimes be just as scary, if not more so.

Didn’t help much.

But onward we will continue, undeterred in attempting to open her eyes to the almost limitless number of movie choices out there.  As a parent who happens to be a film afficionado and writer of movies, it’s my job, nay, obligation, to carry on.

We’ve made some progress in the past with silent movies, musicals and STAR WARS, but there’s so much more to go.  Looking ahead, how would she react to BACK TO THE FUTURE? Or RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK? Would she develop the same appreciation for NORTH BY NORTHWEST like I did?

I would love to find more films we could watch and enjoy together.  One of my fondest movie memories is my dad and I seeing STAR TREK II: WRATH OF KHAN at the local theater while a thunderstorm was raging outside.

I want to introduce her to films that require you to pay attention and follow along, rather than insulting your intelligence.  Some of these stories are a real rollercoaster ride, and I look forward to sharing the experience of savoring that kind of thrill with her.

I’ve got a really long list of favorite films, and can’t wait to see them again with her for the first time.