Taking a look at the ol’ calendar on the wall, it looks like it’s been about three months since the last round of the ever-popular Project Status Update Time (or PSUT, which is an extremely lousy acronym, and will henceforth never be used again.)
This is your opportunity to let the rest of us know what’s been going on with you and whatever project or projects you’re currently undertaking.
Got a short you want to share? Trying to put one together?
Finished a draft? Started a new one? Run into a little trouble in Act Two?
Need help with a logline? Trying to finding the right lines of dialogue?
Connected with anybody new? Discovered a phenomenal new gem of a movie?
Got something you want to announce?
I’ll start the ball rolling.
In the middle of providing notes on a couple of scripts. Putting together a new batch of interviews (very excited about these). Gearing up to fine-tune the outline of another low-budget comedy. Considering writing a short. Seriously considering converting one of my story ideas to work within another medium.
Watched TRUMBO and THE REVENANT. Fantastic performances from the lead in both.
Okay, I admit it. I daydream about being a successful screenwriter. Who doesn’t?
“That mega-hit blockbuster? Yeah. I wrote that.”
It’s nice to think about, but again, it’s still just a daydream. I’m not counting on it. I’d be happy just to make a decent living at it, and that’s what I’m working towards.
I try to be realistic about this, learning from my mistakes and missteps. I’ve been extremely fortunate to be able to ask advice of writers with more experience than me, and I have heeded that advice to the best of my ability.
In the last couple of weeks, I’ve seen a lot of activity online involving writers (usually in the early (read: uninformed) phase of their careers) asking questions regarding a wide variety of topics.
A majority of the time, they get quality answers from seasoned (read: informed) writers. In theory, the original askers respond with “Thanks! That really helps!”, or “So glad you told me!”, or even “Great to know!”. These do happen. On occasion.
And then there’s the other response.
“You’re just trying to kill my/their dreams!”
“What do you know? You only have X credits on IMDB!”
“You just don’t want the competition!”
“I’ve never heard of you, so your advice is worthless!”
“What makes you so important?”
Sigh.
People are going to believe what they want to believe, or are more likely to believe advice that works in their favor, rather than the cold, hard truth. And if that cold, hard truth runs counter to the answers they want (despite them claiming to “seek” them), the harder they’ll reject it.
You may not like the fact that there’s not a snowcone’s chance in hell a major studio/agency/prodco will look at your script, let alone greenlight it for production, even with your without-a-doubt absolutely certain belief they’d grab it in a second if they’d only read it to see how totally awesome it is, but getting angry (and even berating) at somebody who tells you “that’s how it is” makes you look foolish and amateurish. And you’re also setting yourself up for continuous disappointment.
One of the things a screenwriter needs to accept early on is that there are certain truths about the industry and how things work within it. Unless people are completely blown away by the sheer genius of the writing in your first or second draft, (which they will not be. Trust me on this one.), you and your script are not going to be the ones that “change all of that”.
Learn the way things work. Ask questions of those who know better (and more) than you. Accept the answers and adapt. You need to. The industry has no interest in and will not be adapting to you.
No matter how many tantrums you throw.
**Shameless self-promotion! I had the good fortune to be interviewed by my pal Justin Sloan, who hosts The Creative Writing Career podcast, which covers a wide variety of fields and types of writing careers. We had a great time discussing trying to make it as a screenwriter. You can listen to it here, or subscribe to it on iTunes. Thanks for listening!
Once again, today’s post is about promoting the projects of a few savvy creative types, each one definitely worth checking out.
-Writer/author/script consultant Howard Casner‘s crowdfunding project for his short film 14 Conversations in 10 minutes is in its final week, and the goal is in sight! Donate if you can! For screenwriters, Howard is also offering his new service – $20 to review the first 20 pages of your script.
-Filmmaker Scotty Cornfield‘s crowdfunding project for his short film Goodbye, NOLA has been extended another 3 weeks. They’re about a third of the way there, so every little bit helps! Production on location wrapped earlier this week, and word of mouth is that it’s shaping up to be a great film. Donate if you can!
-Author/playwright/screenwriter M. Pepper Langlinais‘s short script St. Peter in Chains won the Short Grand Prize in the 2012 Table Read My Screenplay competition, and now she’s expanded it into her 6th novel – The Fall and Rise of Peter Stoller. She’s an accomplished author, having also written three Sherlock Holmes books. Some great choices, especially with summer reading season upon us.
Got your own project you’d like to promote? There’s always room on the bulletin board, so let me know.
Here in the US, we are heading into what’s known as Memorial Day weekend, where we honor those who have given their lives in the service of our country. It’s also considered the kickoff of the summer season, even though summer doesn’t officially start for a few weeks.
Once upon a time, Memorial Day weekend was when the summer movie season kicked into high gear, with each weekend seeing the release of a potential blockbuster. It has since crashed through the barrier of time limitation, with some summer-appropriate fare being released as early as late March.
I was fortunate enough to have come of age when each summer saw its fair share of films that could be categorized as prime examples of not only filmmaking, but also of storytelling.
Definitely storytelling.
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. GHOSTBUSTERS. BACK TO THE FUTURE. ALIENS. ROBOCOP. DIE HARD.
Each one has made its indelible mark on me, making quite the impact on my psyche and personality, and severely influencing the way I write. I make no secret about loving to write these kinds of stories.
(Author’s note – I’m no fool. Nobody’s going to take a chance on a mega-budget script from an unknown. Hopefully once I establish a foothold with my smaller scripts, I can eventually bring out the bigger ones.)
Some may see a summer release as Big Dumb Fun, which admittedly some of them are, but I make a point of treating the audience as intelligent people and want to give them a story that goes beyond simplistic expectations.
I strive to write material that entertains more than just the eyes and ears; I go for the brain, too. It takes a lot of effort to put together a story that stimulates the viewer on more than just a sensory level, but when it’s done in a smart and efficient way, the satisfaction of seeing it pay off is well worth it.
Will I ever get paid to write these kinds of stories? I like to think so. It doesn’t hurt to at least daydream about it.
Imagining that sometime in the relatively near future, a trailer will come up that features snippets of characters and dialogue, all of my creation, all culminating with those words laden with the excitement of anticipation:
“Coming this summer to a theatre near you”
A big smile and chills up my spine, believe you me.
Throughout the online writing community, among the many forums and networking groups, there will always be someone, most likely just starting out, who asks a question along the lines of:
“How do I go about accomplishing THIS?”
The variations on this are endless (as are the number of possible answers, but that’s another subject for another time).
A lot of the time, the question stems from a simple lack of knowledge; they just don’t know. Most likely, it’s about a subject which the more seasoned of us have an answer, probably having lived through it ourselves. Hoping to pass on the benefit of your experience, you provide an answer.
Is it what they were expecting to hear? Maybe. Maybe not. But you are giving them THE TRUTH.
With any luck, the question-asker is grateful and appreciative. A win for both sides. They learn something, and you fulfill the mentor role. Even if you just told them “For God’s sake, DON’T DO THAT!!”
And sometimes they don’t like the answer, possibly even getting angry and resenting you for telling them what is, in essence, THE WAY THINGS ARE. How dare you shatter their illusion in which they can do no wrong? They probably don’t realize how petty and thin-skinned they’re acting; two traits which will doom their potential writing career before it even gets started. Hey, at least you tried to help.
(Side note – this process is a two-way street. If somebody asks you a question straight out of the first day of Screenwriting 101, don’t insult or belittle them for asking it. You were in that exact same situation once too. Plus, it makes you come across as a total dick.)
If you’re among those just starting out, remember that nobody’s first script is at 100 percent. Mistakes will be made. Don’t be afraid of making them. It’s the only way you’re going to learn.
If you’re among those who’ve been down this road many times, be willing to take on the role of patient educator and help when you can.
Even though writing is for the most part a solitary activity, we’re still part of this community, and all in this together.
Maximum Z 