The only constant is change

Maximum Z creativity, determination, development, entertainment, ideas, originality, outlines, perseverance, persistence, screenplay, screenwriting, script, spec, story, writing , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Even though a lot of the past week was family-oriented, thoughts about the current spec were omnipresent. There’s still a lot to figure out, but things are progressing, albeit slowly.

One positive result is that as these ideas develop, each causes a ripple effect in terms of how it impacts the rest of the story.

Just as an example, I needed to come up with a very important story detail, so started listing all the possible reasons how it could happen. I came up with one I felt worked best and started implementing it into the still-under-construction outline. That in turn triggered thoughts of “that could be because of ____” or “what if ____ is why?”.

A little more rejiggering of possibilities and how they’d fit into the story and voila! Some really helpful ideas and additional details that strengthen its designated storyline AND how it affects a few others.

When I started this project, I reminded myself that the end result would most likely be very different while the core story remained the same. Staying on top of all those little details is really keeping me on my toes, while also forcing me to constantly ramp up my creativity to make this script as original and entertaining as possible.

It’s a safe bet I’ll come up with more story-changing/impacting ideas over the next few weeks, but I welcome them and will deal with those as they happen.

The main focus remains just putting it all together.

From the archives: One happy fanboy

Maximum Z filmmaking, Indiana Jones, Oscars, production company, Raiders of the Lost Ark, screenplay, screenwriting, script, Skywalker Ranch, sound, Star Wars , , , , , , , , , , ,

We’re preparing to take Ms V back for her final final year of school. Felt like the appropriate time to re-post this post from way, way back in May 2011 – when she was 8. This was a truly memorable experience, and I still have the shirt.

Enjoy.

There was no work done on the rewrite at all yesterday because I got to do something I honestly never I thought I’d get to: visit Skywalker Ranch.

If the name sounds unfamiliar, it’s the compound in Marin County (the one north of San Francisco) where George Lucas had set up Industrial Light & Magic after the success of STAR WARS.  ILM has since moved to the Presidio in SF, but Skywalker Sound and a lot of the administrative offices are still there.

A mom of another student at V’s school works at Skywalker Sound.  In fact, she won an Oscar earlier this year for Best Sound Editing for INCEPTION (her and two other guys).  One of the silent auction prizes at our school’s spring fundraiser was a private tour of the grounds.  Since there was no way we could afford that (I think it went for something like $275), I ran into her about six weeks ago at a school function.  I casually mentioned missing out on the opportunity to take part in the tour, to which she said she’d see if she could arrange something.

A few weeks later, I got an email saying that if we could be there during her lunch hour, she’d be happy to show us around.  Deal.

Our dilemma now was whether or not to bring V, because that would mean taking her out of school early.  My first reaction was it would be worth it, but the more we discussed it, we decided that this wasn’t an amusement park-type environment, but more an actual production facility, which your typical 8-year-old would probably find boring.

But I had heard they had a gift shop, so we’d get her something.

The Ranch is way out there on Lucas Valley Road, and it’s quite easy to drive right past it if you’re not looking for it. No signage; no big-ass Star Wars logo anywhere.  Just a nondescript driveway off a quiet country road.

You get through the gate and up to the security guard booth.  While the guard was contacting our friend, I couldn’t help but notice the EMT-type patch at the top of her sleeve.  Like a fire department logo, except with an X-Wing Fighter in the middle.  Cool.

We got our map and directions where to go, then drove ahead.

My first reaction was “It’s a lot smaller than I expected.”  And it is.  It’s not the sprawling estate I thought it would be.  Everything was a lot closer than the map indicated.

We passed the ball field, then the horse corral, the organic garden on the other side of the road, and then pulled into the Tech Building parking lot.  Our friend was waiting for us and took us inside.  The first thing you’ll notice is the abundance of movie posters for US films but in foreign languages.  They’re all over the place.

If you’re into sound or audio production, you’d feel as if you’d died and gone to heaven.  There are studios of varying size throughout the whole building, each equipped with sound boards that would seem more appropriate for the Starship Enterprise.  What was also cool was that the larger ones had a theatre-like design, so each room got the maximum results for what was being worked on.  We also got to see one of the humongous rooms that they would record orchestras in, complete with adjustable walls so you can actually tune the sound of the room.

Our friend is currently working on the sound for COWBOYS & ALIENS, but she didn’t show us any footage.  The movie comes out in July, and all of the post-production will be done up until just a few weeks before the release.  We found that very strange, expecting there to be more lead time between wrapping it up and the release, but apparently that’s become common practice for most studio films these days.

Although we were only in it for a few minutes, the screening room was simply incredible. About 300 or so seats with a nice big screen.  Apparently they were setting up for some kind of demonstration later in the day, but we got to see a short snippet of a scene from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK in black and white, but with only the dialogue sound.  No music, no effects; just “throw me the idol, I throw you the whip.”  It sounded strange to hear it like we were on the set.

Then we stopped in the Foley Room, where traditional sound effects can be created. Walking on certain types of surfaces, dropping, smashing or manipulating something to get a particular sound.  Very similar to how they did sound effects for old-time radio.

We were then asked if we wanted to see the main building, which is the one in the photo above. Very Victorian-era architecture, reminiscent of a New England beach house. In some of the cabinets just off the main door are the only proof that George Lucas is connected.  On display are some lightsaber handles (I’m fairly certain they’re the originals), the fertility idol from the opening sequence in RAIDERS, the Crystal Skull, an AT-AT model from EMPIRE, Indy’s hat and whip (also originals, I assume) and what I thought was incredibly cool – Charlie Chaplin’s cane and derby.  I’m pretty sure Lucas could afford to buy them.

Our first stop was the library, which is two floors, with a wooden spiral staircase and a gigantic stained glass window in the middle of the ceiling.  No matter what department you work in, you can come here and do research on whatever you’re working on to get the utmost in accuracy.  I asked if George’s office was in the building.  It is, but I thought it would have been presumptuous to ask if we could see if he was there.

I asked if the gift shop was here, but it was in another building.  We zipped over to another building.  The gift shop is a whole lot smaller than I expected.  We got a t-shirt for V, one of those EMT-style shirts for me (Millenium Falcon in the logo – nice!) and a pair of lightsaber chopsticks (Luke green and Darth Maul red, which also have magnets in the bottom for the complete double-bladed effect).

Our friend had to get back to work, so we thanked her and headed home.  On the drive back, K asked what I thought about what we had just done.  I said I was really glad we did it.  I also confessed that I couldn’t help but think I’d love to go back someday when they’re working on a film that I wrote.

That would be quite awesome.

Even just a few steps is still good

Maximum Z determination, draft, encouragement, outlines, perseverance, persistence, plot points, screenplay, screenwriting, script, spec , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s the onset of a holiday weekend here in the US, so file this post under “short, but relevant”.

The good news is I hit the midpoint for the outline of my current spec. The not-so-good news is that I’m still figuring out the rest of Act Two and most of Act Three. Plot points (such as they are) are in place, and the filling in between them continues.

Daunting as that may be, I’m just happy to have gotten this far. Current mindset is “just get it written and fine-tune it later.”

I know I’ll figure things out, but count on lots of ruminating in my near future.

Speaking of which…

As if by divine intervention by the writing gods, a friend posted online that the upcoming month is being labeled “Spectember” in that a writer could complete a spec script by month’s end. Pretty certain I couldn’t complete an actual spec, but the outline? That’s a definite possibility – or as mighty close as I can get.

Enjoyment levels and overall excitement for this project remain strong and steady, which always help.

Easiest screenwriting contest ever! No, really. And it’s free

Maximum Z community, contests, determination, encouragement, perseverance, persistence, screenplay, screenwriting, script , , , , , , , ,

After seeing several recent big screenwriting contest announcements, I couldn’t help but notice that the number of entries they get usually average in the thousands. Those numbers are then drastically reduced to the respective finalist tiers, continuously being whittled down to single digits and the final GRAND PRIZE WINNER.

(Said winner most likely goes on to fame, fortune, glory, and sudden anonymity.)

But I digress.

All the scripts entered means there are a shit-ton of writers who got the email that began with phrasing along the lines of “Thanks for entering (CONTEST)! We got X entries, and unfortunately, (YOUR SCRIPT) was not selected to advance.”

It’s heartbreaking. And I’ve gotten my fair share of them.

So in a valiant but most likely ultimately futile effort, I humbly present

The Maximum Z Screenwriting Contest.

It’s the only contest of which I’m aware that requires the barest, leastest, most minimal effort one can possibly make to claim victory in a contest.

What makes it so easy? Here’s how it works:

-You wrote a script? Fantastic! You get a set of laurels to shamelessly promote yourself as A GENUINE WINNER.

That’s it.

And as you may have noticed in the title of this post – IT’S FREE

Why am I doing this? Because the fact that anybody who wrote a script should be properly acknowledged for such an important accomplishment. You know it ain’t easy, so why should only a select few get all the glory?

Hence: laurels.

And who’d say no to being offered what amounts to a totally worthless but still-validating award?

So if you’d like to claim this meaningless yet quite meaningful symbol of recognition for yourself and all your hard work, then just click/right-click on the image below and save it to the appropriate page on your computer or wherever you keep that sort of thing. You can even print it out to proudly display above your designated writing area or hold up in the coffee shop where you’ve spent so much time working on said script.

A very hearty congratulations on your well-earned and well-deserved victory!

And it would be awesome if you could so a shoutout on social media – @maximum_z on X/Twitter, @pezscreenwriting on Instagram and Blue Sky, along with photos of you and/or your laurels.

Did it before. Can do it again

Maximum Z Captain America, development, ideas, manager, plot points, polish, rewrite, scenes, screenplay, screenwriting, script, sequence, story, westerns , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Made an interesting discovery this week.

My manager and I have been doing what is for the most part a line-by-line edit/polish of my western.

(A quick aside to note that it is quite a thrill to include that part about having a manager.)

We’re about halfway through, so I took it upon myself to go through the second half and then go over it with him. I like how it turned out.

But while I was reading, one thing that really stood out about it: there were a lot more scenes and sequences than I remember. It had more of an impact this time because I’m still working on the story of my new spec, and seeing all those little scenes in the western that enhance the characters and story make me think “this is what I need to do for this one”.

I’m still figuring out the story, so this may just be me getting ahead of myself. I’m not concerned, and know I’ll eventually figure things out. This may just stem from seeing how put-together a previous script is and wanting to a similar outcome for the new one. This happens a lot during this stage in the process.

Not that I’m looking to re-capture what feels like lightning in a bottle, but figuring out the story and all the supporting details is always a challenge. I come up with the major plot points and then start filling in the blanks between them. Sometimes I’ll create a list of all the ideas and possibilities that could be included, and then start picking and choosing. I already had a few set pieces, so I may work on expanding that.

This is all part of how it works – for me, anyway. I’m always amazed to see another writer just crank ’em out with what appears to be little effort. This just reinforces the idea that I’m a plotter, not a pantser.

I don’t mind having to go through all of this. I’m sure I’ll be happy with the end result; it’s working my way there that’s the challenging part.