Rant

Maximum Z craigslist, screenwriting

I was lucky enough to get a gig last summer writing a short for a film student’s final project. I made a whole $20 on it, and the final result should be ready in a few weeks.

A few months ago, I got an unpaid gig helping a newbie writer put his short script together. I haven’t heard from him since, so I don’t know how it worked out.

Another writer was looking for help with a script based on his outline. I didn’t get that one only because another writer was willing to work for free. But the original writer was very nice about it.

Lastly, I came really close to writing a Bollywood-type script for a first-time director, but there was some miscommunication regarding compensation. That, and she provided 3 characters and 2 plot points and expected a 120-page script in return.

All of these came from craigslist. Every once in a while, I’ll check the latest listings, looking for something worth my while.

This is where the rant begins.

It seems that there are people out there with incredibly unrealistic expectations. One guy, fresh out of film school, admitted he knew practically nothing about writing; he had focused more on producing. He had a script but would only accept a professional writer to critique it.  For $80.  I don’t know if he got any offers.

Another guy was looking for a collaborator on a script. He had the idea, but wanted help with the writing. We set up a time to meet. And he never showed. Phone calls and emails to him went unanswered for days. When I finally heard back from him, he said he had been called away on business for his day job. He also said he’d get back to me to set up another meeting.

I’m still waiting.

It kills me that there are people out there who think screenwriting is something anybody can do. It’s not. It’s a long, laborious process that requires constant work. Like they say, “if it were easy, everybody would do it.”

One saving grace is some anonymous poster who responds to some of these listings with a similar attitude. Whoever this person is, they really rip into the listing with such gusto. Sort of a whack upside the head while saying “Pay attention!  Here’s how it really works!”

They’re usually very entertaining. At least for me.

I’ll probably keep checking the listings because there may be a perfect match every once in a while. It’s good experience, maybe worth a little cash, and it expands my credits.

Besides, it could lead to bigger and better things. Which is really what it’s all about, anyway.

Anybody have similar experiences or is it just me?

Yet another burst of inspiration

Maximum Z anime, DC, Lucy Steele, Miyazaki, Netflix, outlines, screenwriting, theme

I don’t know how other writers do it, but when I start a story, I come up with the basic plot and see what theme works with it.

When I started LUCY, I didn’t have one.  I worked on the story, but couldn’t figure out a strong-enough theme.

I settled on one I thought worked.  At the time, it seemed okay.  But it didn’t fit.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but going off to V’s hockey tournament two weeks ago was exactly the break I needed.  It’s remarkable what a few days of watching 8-year-olds skate their hearts out can do to one’s creative batteries.

So when I sat back down to work on the outline, something was different.

Not only was I able to get through a creative block, but on a whim, I changed my one-word theme.  And it really clicked.

Boy, did it.

Even better, it works with a lot of the scenes I already had.

So today I wanted to see if I could keep the creativity flowing for the second half of the first half of Act Two.  I worked on expanding the ideas I came up with yesterday.  In each scene, I would ask “what’s the worst that can happen, and will it ask the central question of the story?”  That helped a lot.

Right now, I’m in the middle of a necessary sequence, and hopefully tomorrow can get to the end of it.  Working the midday shift has a better chance of yielding success.

If I can keep up this kind of progress, I’m hoping to be done with an outline I like by the end of February.  Later than I originally hoped, but the point is: IT WILL BE DONE!

And then the real fun begins.

Movie of the Moment: THE LOSERS, which I completely forgot was based on a DC/Vertigo comic.  Overall, it was a lot of fun with some really predictable moments (I saw the smoldering teddy bear a mile away).  It definitely had some good parts, but sometimes the cheese got a little overwhelming.  Glad I didn’t pay to see it.  My biggest complaint: Jason Patric as the bad guy. Either he was really playing up the camp or the only one not taking it seriously.

Since V is on her Miyazaki kick right now, tonight’s feature was MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO.  I’d seen it a long time ago, but couldn’t really remember anything about it.

It’s yet another charmer, full of warm-fuzzy moments.  Watch it with your kids.   And explain to them that, yes, Japanese families take baths together.

Lastly, it really too much to ask for Netflix to be a little more vigilant about scratched-up discs?  We missed about 12 minutes out of the whole thing because it would freeze, and then jump ahead.

V still loved it.

Not necessarily floodgates, but still…

Maximum Z Lucy Steele, Oscars, outlines, pie, screenwriting, story

Nice progress today.  I’m putting together the bare basics of what I’d like to happen in that page 45-to-midpoint range.  A few ideas, maybe skipping one or two scenes here and there, but overall, really coming together.

I really wish there could be more days like this.  After so much time struggling and being frustrated, I can’t write the ideas down fast enough.

Sure, some of them may not work in the end, but just the fact that I’m able to do this right now is the writing equivalent of a runner’s high.  Believe me, it feels awesome.

I also realize the proverbial well could dry up at any moment, so I’m enjoying it while it lasts and will really try to remember what this euphoria is like when all I’ve got is a blank screen and a blinking cursor.

-My two cents on the Oscars.  I haven’t seen a majority of the nominees, so I couldn’t tell you who’s going to win what (except maybe TOY STORY 3 for Best Animated Feature).  I’m always really bad at it anyway.

My opinion: go back to five nominees for Best Picture; ten is stupid.

Last year we went to a great party at a friend’s house and played Oscar bingo during the ceremony.  It was a lot of fun.  I also like to think my infamously delectable pecan pie added to the festivities.

It doesn’t look like this year’s cards are ready yet, but Google ‘Oscar bingo’ the closer it gets to the show and print ’em out for your own enjoyment.

You’ll also have to make your own pie.

Ha! Breakthrough!

Maximum Z Lucy Steele, movies, outlines, plot, screenwriting, Star Wars, story

You’d be amazed at how creatively inspiring folding laundry can be.

Sounds crazy, I know, but I was working on the outline, got stuck once again on how to have Lucy track down the bad guy, and I didn’t really want to sit and stare at the screen, hoping for some kind of answer.

So I stood up, stretched and realized I had a ton of laundry on the nearby drying rack to take care of.  The folding of shirts begins.  The whole time, I’m thinking “what could she do?  I know HOW I want her to get there, but what’s the set-up?”

Fold, fold, fold.

Previous attempts at a solution had proven futile.  And I was almost done with the shirts.

She has to find this guy.  It’s the spine of the story.

Last week I had rewritten the beginning, which suddenly offered a story point which would tie in very nicely with what led up to Lucy’s current predicament.

Wow.

That was the spark I needed.  I knew what I wanted, typed out the basis of the idea, then folded the last of the shirts.

But I had to be sure this worked.  A quick jaunt to the DVD player to check how similar another well-known sequence might be.  Answer: a little, but nobody’s going to claim I ripped it off.

I had the answer I wanted.  I couldn’t understand why I hadn’t thought of it before.  It was perfect.  A little readjusting in some scenes beforehand, a burst of creativity in the handful of scenes following, including a reminder about her love interest, and there I was at page 45.

Oh so nice.

Tomorrow: the slog towards the Point of No Return continues!

Movie of the Moment: We DVR’d the last 3 CLONE WARS on Cartoon Network (something about a Dark Side trilogy, based on V’s description) and since tonight’s homework is done early, we may crash on the couch and watch all three (excluding commercials, of course).

Yessir, that girl is growin’ up right!

Coolness

Maximum Z analysis, Filmsack.com, I Blame Ninjas, movies, Netflix, screenwriting, story

Today was pretty busy around the house, so I didn’t get any work done on the LUCY outline.  Drat.

But I said I’d read through Patrick Sweeney’s GHOST TRAIN again, and I did.

I sent him some comments, but the gist of the whole thing was that I was really impressed with it.  I’m a sucker for a good western, and this comes really close.  It’s a great premise (outlaw’s son goes after limitless riches on a train carrying the condemned to hell).  The writing is vivid, colorful and really holds your attention.  This would make a kickass movie.

However.

I did have some questions about some parts of the story.  Some things weren’t exactly clear, hence my need for a second read.  I would read something, and it would stick in my mind as I tried to figure out if that’s what it was supposed to be read.

Don’t get me wrong.  I enjoyed it a lot, but it helps when I can fully grasp the rules of the world a script is portraying.  Makes it easier to follow the story.

When Patrick sent me the script, he said he was open to another draft.  Hopefully my questions will result in answers that clear up some of these problems.

Movie of the Moment:  FRIGHT NIGHT, based on the Filmsack podcast. It was okay.  Interesting to see how this was one of the earlier flicks to cash in on the vampire craze.  Roddy McDowall really helps elevate the material.  I know they’re remaking it with former Doctor Who David Tennant in that role, but this time as a Vegas magician instead of a TV host.

(BTW – Filmsack is free on iTunes and oh-so-worth-it.)

Highly doubtful I’ll see that in the theatre, but definitely out it into the Netflix queue.

Tomorrow:  back to work on LUCY!