notes

Ask a Getting-Down-to-Brass-Tacks Script Consultant!

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The latest in a series of interviews with script readers and consultants who would be worth your while to work with if you want to get your script in shape. Today’s spotlight is on writer-consultant-contest reader Jim Sarantinos.

Jim Sarantinos is the Editor-in-Chief of Creative Screenwriting Magazine, and writer of Gideon’s Way, a highly popular and acclaimed screenwriting blog which he started in 2009. He’s guest blogged for MovieBytes and other sites, and placed in various high-profile screenwriting contests including Scriptapalooza, Fade In, and most recently, Happy Writers with a TV sitcom pilot.

Jim has also read for various screenwriting contests and is currently developing several film and TV projects.

1. What’s the last thing you read/watched that you thought was incredibly well-written?

I’d have to say Nightcrawler, and I’m still mad it wasn’t recognized at the Oscars. TV-wise, I just watched my first episode of The Americans. Riveting stuff.

2. How’d you get your start reading scripts?

Going through film school, it was considered vital to our training; perhaps even more important than watching films themselves. I decided to consult because I was getting too many random scripts flooding my inbox demanding/requesting I read them and provide feedback within 24 hours.

3. Is recognizing good writing something you think can be taught or learned?

You can teach the basic building blocks of screenwriting, but recognizing good writing is learned from experience, intuition and taste.

4. What are the components of a good script?

Style and character. I love deeply flawed characters that straddle good and evil simultaneously. There’s so much scope for them to grow and interesting places to take them. I also love worlds I’m not familiar with; not necessarily fantasy or supernatural. A wonderful story can be set in an abattoir, a funeral home or a country club.

5. What are some of the most common mistakes you see?

Lack of story focus. Know exactly what you want to say before you start writing. Sure there is some discovery during writing, but know your theme and central message early on.

6. What story tropes are you just tired of seeing?

Car chases, explosions, shootouts. Give me a cop disarming a criminal solely with his/her mind and wit any day. You can only paper over the story cracks with CGI for so long.

7. What are the 3 most important rules every writer should know?

-Know yourself.

-Know your story.

-Know the audience.

8. Have you ever read a script that was an absolute, without-a-doubt “recommend”? If so, could you give the logline?

I can’t give you a logline, but I recently read a contained thriller about a heist gone wrong. Two-thirds of the movie was set in an office where the hostages and criminals were barricaded in. It was so vivid and real, which made it easy to visualize it.

9. How do you feel about screenwriting contests? Worth it or not?

They’re a double edged sword for me. I’ve heard of success stories which have launched careers and also stories of writers winning major contests and not getting anywhere. There are also too many cash cow contests with dubious readers. If you enter a contest, go big or go home. Preferably enter one that gives notes, so you know the reader has actually read your script. Practice due diligence.

10. How can people get in touch with you to find out more about the services you provide?

My blog Gideon’s Way is at www.gideonsway.wordpress.com and Script Firm Consultancy is at www.scriptfirm.wordpress.com

11. Readers of this blog are more than familiar with my love/appreciation of pie.

What’s your favorite kind? Humble. Preferably organic, sugar and gluten free.

Just a few random thoughts…

Maximum Z analysis, comedy, consultant, feedback, jokes, loglines, notes, screenwriting, script, self-confidence, spec, writing
typing Superman
…typed at super-speed!

-Work on the low-budget comedy spec is inching forward at a rate of about 1 1/2-2 pages a day. It may not seem like a lot, but it’s proving to be much more enjoyable than expected. A big part stems from going back and rewriting the jokes to make them better (and hopefully funnier). It’s difficult to be self-analytical about it, but I think I’m getting better. The big test will be if it generates some actual laughs when people read it.

I was originally hoping to be done with it by the end of the month, but mid-May may be a little more realistic.

-More notes and feedback coming in on the western. Lots of helpful and insightful comments, including some fantastic suggestions on how to make the logline better, and a few confidence-restoring observations about the material as well as my own skills. Those are always nice to get.

Already figuring out what to work on when the next rewrite gets underway.

-Had to give notes to a newbie writer about their script. There was a lot that needed to be fixed, and I tried to be equally tactful and supportive with my comments, but they still got more than a little defensive.

Apparently I can’t recognize the genius in anybody’s work.

-When I first started my “Ask a Script Consultant!” interview series, I had no idea it would: A) go on this long, or B) spark so much controversy about whether or not it’s a good idea to use one. It’s easy for professional writers to denounce it because they’ve got a much stronger support system than those of us trying to break in. A lot of us do what we can on our own to get better, but sometimes will still need help and guidance in order to improve, and do what we can to get it.

Sure, there are some really lousy ones out there, and you might get burned. That’s a chance you have to take. It’s up to you to do the work to find the one that’s right for you.

Caveat emptor, chums.

-Enjoy the weekend. Hope you get a lot of writing done.

How low can you go? Quite, apparently.

Maximum Z comedy, consultant, creativeness, depression, feedback, half-marathons, notes, perseverance, podcasts, production company, rewrite, running, screenwriting, script, self-confidence, story, storytelling, westerns, writing
Nothing funny about it
Nothing funny about it

We all experience “one of those days”, but it’s totally another thing to have “one of those weeks”.

Exhibit A: Yours truly.

The week started off nicely. I had the good fortune to meet and chat with script consultant, interviewee and overall mensch Danny Manus. (For all you gentiles out there, “mensch” is Yiddish for “nice guy”.)

While awaiting notes on the western rewrite, I opted for an academic approach to writing the first draft of the low-budget comedy. I was going to read some good comedy scripts and see what lessons they could impart. The call went out asking for quality examples of this kind of writing, and some trusted colleagues came through. (Thanks, chums!)

That’s when the notes started to come in.

As my grandfather used to say – oy. To say they were heartbreaking is putting it mildly. I can honestly say they were given with the best of intentions and most definitely not mean-natured, but my faith and belief in my writing ability was given a thorough thrashing. And then some. (Although one note-giver, to their credit, did acknowledge that this is a “shitty, frustrating part of the process,” and advised me to not give up. I appreciated it, but it didn’t help much.)

The descent into a dark pit of despair had begun. I’ve been here before, and I do not like it. Any writer knows this comes with the territory.

My brain and subconscious were relentless in working in tandem to make me feel totally and utterly worthless as a writer. Any hopes or dreams I had about succeeding had been ground into a fine powder and cast to the winds, only to be blown right back into my face.

And then came the coup de grace: the response to a pitch I’d submitted to a production company last week. They’d passed with a brief 2-sentence rejection, including this gem: “Wanted more specificity with the throughline.” Keep in mind that my perception was a little out of whack at the time, so my overall reaction could be summed up with a very simple “What the fuck does that mean?”

Even reassurances from my wife and texts from a friend were little consolation. Thoughts of “failure” and “loser” were screaming inside my mind. Believe me when I say I did not sleep well that night.

But after I woke up and went through my getting-ready-to-leave-for-work routine, I kept telling myself that there had to be some kind of light at the end of the tunnel, emphasis on “had to be”. Giving up most certainly wasn’t an option. It had also been suggested to totally abandon the story as it was and start anew, which wasn’t ideal because I still have a lot of confidence in this story. Thinking straight was not going to happen any time soon.

Almost as an antidote came another set of notes, this time with lots of positive things to say, plus a few more comments of support and sympathy. These helped. That and desperately trying to refocus my attention on something, anything, that might help my creativeness and confidence get back on track. This is where the aforementioned comedy scripts factor in. They helped, too.

This is an extremely tough business to break into. There will be a lot more heartache and disappointment. Some days it’s easier to deal with, and sometimes it just slams you flat on your back. And since I can’t imagine doing anything else, I continue to learn how to roll with the punches and keep going.

As has been the case many times before, my condition has improved. My resiliency is stronger. My desire to succeed burns brighter than before. I won’t be giving up. All I have to worry about now is writing a script that’s funny. Easy peasy, right?

-Little did I know that while I was dealing with my own problems, a maelstrom of controversy was developing online. Apparently a successful writer who co-hosts a popular podcast about screenwriting made some disparaging remarks about script consultants, one in particular, based on an article the latter had written.

Seeing as how I’ve posted over 3 dozen interviews with consultants (with more on the way), I felt as if I could at least say something about this, especially since it involves this consultant.

I’d read the article in question a few weeks ago and found it extremely helpful. I’d already contacted the author last month about an interview, mentioning how much I’d enjoyed this article and a few of his other ones. He consented to the interview, and appreciated the kind words about his work.

All of the consultants I’ve interviewed have been gracious and grateful to have taken part, and each one is eager to help their clients improve. I’ve been asked which of them I’d recommend. Simple: all of them. Do your due diligence and find the one that seems to be the best fit for what you need.

The writer in question has been working for quite some time. He gets paid a lot of money to write movies that, to me, just suck. He’s also entitled to his opinion, but I’d hate to think that all the aspiring writers out there are looking to him for career advice.

-Half-marathon update. Did the Oakland 13.1 this past Sunday with a time of 1:58:16, thereby accomplishing my goal of under 2 hours. See? Perseverance does pay off.

From asking to being asked

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Nothing like a receptive ear (and the person connected to it)
Nothing like a receptive ear (and the person connected to it)

Compare the most recent thing you wrote to the very first thing you wrote. How much of a difference is there?

One thing’s for certain: it no doubt took a lot of hard work and learning to get you from your skill level then to what it is now.

But you didn’t do it alone, or in a vacuum. You had help along the way from countless resources. It might have come from a book, a class, a writing group, or the occasional someone with more experience willing to help out.

When I started out, that was me. I got my hands on as many books as I could (the one I still recommend – Story Sense by Paul Lucey). Classes weren’t really an option, so I read a lot of scripts and attended a few seminars and expos when I could. I also had the good fortune to be involved with a few writing groups. A lot of this was also in the early days of the internet, so online resources and networking were nowhere near the levels they are now.

But what definitely helped the most was getting notes and feedback. The more fresh eyes you can get to take a look at your work, the better the end result will be. One stipulation: it depends on who you ask. Specifically, someone who really knows what they’re talking about, and whose knowledge and opinion you trust.

This has made a significant difference for me, such to the point that I now have a core group of trusted colleagues I can rely on for quality notes, and I’ve done my best to return the favor to many of them when possible.

And in recent months, as my network has grown and I connect with more writers, I’ll occasionally get an email asking along the lines of “If it’s not too much trouble, would you take a look at this and let me know what you think?” A script. Some pages. A logline. What have you.

I honestly never expected to be on the receiving end of that question, but, schedule permitting, am always happy to help out when I can. It’s the least I can do. Hopefully my notes will give them the help they need.

I don’t claim to have all the answers, but it’s kind of nice to think that I might be able to help somebody in the same way others did for me in the past.