short films

Inquiring minds want to know

Maximum Z blog, budget, comedy, development, dialogue, draft, logline, movies, networking, project, rewrite, screenplay, screenwriting, script, short films, story, storytelling, writing
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Who’d like to go next?

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.

How about you?

A pause for some important announcements

Maximum Z blog, books, crowdfunding, New Orleans, screenplay, screenwriting, script, Sherlock Holmes, short films, story, storytelling, Table Read My Screenplay, writing
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Hear ye, hear ye!

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.

The bulletin board returns!

Maximum Z blog, books, comedy, consultant, crowdfunding, horror, networking, podcasts, reading, screenplay, screenwriting, script, short films, trailers, writing
bulletin board 2
No need to crowd. Plenty of pushpins to go around.

Today is once again all about promoting the projects of some very savvy creative folks, each one definitely worth checking out.

-Author/podcaster/friend of the blog Justin Sloan has released an audiobook version of his book Creative Writing Careers 2. Justin is also one of the co-hosts of the Creative Writing Careers podcast, which examines careers in writing not just screenplays, but also books, comics, and video games.

-Writer/filmmaker Luke Oberholtzer has a new proof-of-concept trailer (somewhat NSFW) for his proposed horror-comedy DRAIN BABIES. Contact Luke at Luke@LegacyEntertainmentFilms.com for more info.

-Writer/author/script consultant/friend of the blog Howard Casner has launched a crowdfunding project for his short film 14 Conversations in 10 minutes. Donate if you can! Howard is also offering a great new service for screenwriters – $20 to review the first 20 pages of your script.

-Filmmaker Scotty Cornfield‘s crowdfunding project for his short film Goodbye, NOLA is going strong! They’re getting closer to reaching their goal, but can still use a little help. Donate if you can!

Got your own project you’d like to promote? Drop me a line.

obligatory follow-up!

Maximum Z screenwriting, short films, writing gigs
Sounds pretty good to me

I think the proper phrase is ‘creative differences’.  And it was an amicable parting of ways, at least from my perspective.

Whatever happens next with this short, I will not be involved and I wish this guy all the best.

When somebody uses phrases like “the script is very subtextual” and “the characters don’t mean what they said; you have to see the acting,” and “the jokes are just funny; they have nothing to do with anything so far,” I take that as a sign to go.

From my perspective, it might have helped if he had been a little more detailed when he said “this is what I want”, rather than “see what you can do with this”.  I suspect this probably happens a lot with professional writers.  A producer says “I want this!”, then follows it up with, “That’s not what I meant.”

Oh well. Live and learn.

-One of my New Year’s resolutions is to check out more screenwriting blogs. I have my usual suspects over there to the right, but there’s an extensive list at Go Into The Story (particularly the Friends column), and I’m going to see if there are any others worth my time.  Any suggestions?

Knowing when enough is enough

Maximum Z screenwriting, short films, writing gigs
a difficult but necessary choice

I received the revised outline for the short on Christmas Day and have spent the past two days reviewing it.

My first response was “What the hell is he thinking?”  But I decided to cool my proverbial jets and gave it some time.  At least a day.  I looked it over again yesterday morning. I still don’t know what he’s thinking, but rather than get upset and try and tear him down, I thought it would be better to focus on the story.

So I went through the outline, scene by scene, scribbling down questions that each scene raised.  Why would the character do this?  Why does this happen?   Is this being set up to be paid off later? And so on and so on.

But as I read through, trying to figure things out, I also came to the conclusion that I may not be the writer this project needs.  As much as I’d love to see this develop into an actual film, I don’t know if it benefits either side for me to keep trying.

I think my ideas work, but it’s his film.  It’s frustrating to slave over a draft only to get “Not really what I had in mind” thirty minutes later.  This has happened twice, and I don’t know if a third try is worth it.

I gave him the option of going with another writer, but have yet to hear back. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.

I’ve never walked away from a project before, but sometimes you just have to.