Screenplay

That worked out nicely

Maximum Z animation, comedy, determination, draft, encouragement, fantasy, feedback, notes, pages, perseverance, persistence, query letter, rewriting, screenplay, screenwriting, script, writing , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bit of a shorty today.

It took several days of almost-constant work, including a good deal of editing, tweaking, and overall wordsmithing, including a marathon 6-hour stretch at the very end, but the rewrite of the animated fantasy-comedy is complete.

Total page count now stands at 106, which is still good.

Got a squad of beta readers currently working their way through it, and the initial responses have been very, very positive – which is always encouraging – as well as a handful of suggestions for minor fixes scattered throughout.

I’m quite happy with the end result.

Up next – concept art, character designs, a pitch deck, and researching potential targets for querying.

Writing is just one piece of the puzzle.

Allowing myself a brief respite before jumping back into the rewrite of the sci-fi collaboration, which also seems reinvigorated in terms of ideas and execution. The jotting-down of new material is well underway.

Overall, a mighty fine writing week. Hope it was for you too.

-really, really enjoying BLUE EYE SAMURAI on Netflix. Incredible stuff, and definitely NOT family-friendly.

Just some minor reshuffling

Maximum Z adventure, animation, comedy, determination, excitement, fantasy, ideas, notes, perseverance, persistence, rewriting, science fiction, screenplay, screenwriting, script, writing , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Almost two weeks into the year and my priorities have already changed. Hopefully for the better.

The original intent was to finish the rewrite of the sci-fi adventure, then start on a new project.

But then I got some phenomenal notes back on the animated fantasy-comedy AND a revived connection from a former collaborator about a project that’s lain dormant for a few years.

So now I’m splitting my time between those two, while the first two have been temporarily relocated to the proverbial back burner. As is my usual fashion, I’ll most likely jot down the occasional thought for the latter two between writing sessions for the former two.

I was initially resistant to the idea of rewriting the fantasy-comedy. It’s done well in some contests and garnered some potential interest, but given the opportunity to make it better, how could I resist? The aforementioned notes really opened my eyes as to what needed work – thankfully not a lot – and it feels like implementing those changes could have quite a positive impact on the script as a whole. Work has already begun and even though I’m still in Act One, I’m thrilled with how it’s going.

Regarding the script that’s been resurrected from the graveyard of abandoned scripts, my former partner had some ideas about it and got in touch with me to discuss it. His suggested changes seem to be more in sync with the type of story we want to tell, and my suggestion was to streamline and simplify the story to make it more relatable.

Both projects seem to hold a lot of potential, and I’m enjoying splitting my time between them. Both are established in terms of their stories, so these new drafts aren’t as challenging as if we were starting with an entirely new blank slate.

How do I feel about all these sudden changes of plans? Honestly, thrilled. I’m enthusiastic about all of them, and while I’d like to work on what I originally set out to, I’ve got no problem taking care of these other two first. If things go smoothly, there might even be the possibility of returning to the initial two sooner than expected.

We’ll see, but fingers crossed.

Catch ya later. Got some writin’ to do.

The “Business” part of “Show…”

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A lot of screenwriters just starting out often think “All I need to do is write an amazing script, and the rest will fall into place.”

Not really. Having an amazing script helps, but that’s just the beginning.

Learning how to write a script, let alone an amazing one, is one thing. What to do when the script is done is a whole other topic.

Do you know how to pitch? What about dealing with contracts? How are your negotiating skills? These and many other business-oriented topics are vital. And if you’re thinking “Why should I care? My reps can handle all of that,” think again.

A rep can only do so much. A lot of the time you’ll most likely be doing a lot of the work yourself, so it’s smart and practical to know what’s expected.

If you want to further develop your business savvy, here’s a special offer you should seriously consider.

Seasoned writer/development executive Kaia Alexander runs the Entertainment Business League, which features a specially designed virtual course to help you prepare for working in the industry.

The Entertainment Business School Winter session is a 9-week course starting on January 29 running until March 29.

Among the many topics covered:

-If and when you need to create your own production company

-How studios and streamers make buying decisions

-How attachments work and how to get them

-How to pitch to buyers and reps

-How to network and build your community 

-How to get producers for your projects

-The way the pandemic has changed the industry

-How to negotiate like a pro and not leave money on the table

-Film financing and where to find investors, and how to vet them

-The roles of managers, agents, entertainment attorneys, publicists, producers, and development execs

-Entertainment business etiquette do’s and don’ts

-How to think about budgets

Also included are live coaching sessions, mixers, and industry guests.

You also get access to an impressive online portal with a library of business and finance documents including screenplays, pitch decks, show bibles, streamer/network pitch preferences, financial literacy downloads, legal documents, just to name a few.

Don’t live in Los Angeles? No problem. The class is done virtually, and each session is recorded and available afterward, along with email access to Kaia during the work week.

The early bird window for signing up is Jan 8-13, which includes a $50 discount using the code WOLFPACK50.

Space is limited, so don’t wait too long before signing up.

One week to go

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Submissions continue to come in for the upcoming Maximum Z Winter ’23 Script Showcase, which goes live on Friday 22 December. The cutoff for sending in is Thursday 21 December, so there’s still time to add your screenplay or TV script into the mix.

If you’ve been trying to think of a way to spread the word about your script, then look no further. Once the post is up, I’ll post a link to it on several of my social media platforms, and hope you’ll do the same.

All this free marketing and publicity, with an emphasis on the “free” part.

Here’s how it works:

Email the following info here with the subject line “Maximum Z Winter ’23 Script Showcase”

-Film or TV?

-Title

-Author(s)

-Genre(s)

-Logline

-Awards (if applicable) – limit of 5

-your email

And that’s it. No more, and definitely no less.

A few important things to remember before sending:

-DO NOT SEND THE SCRIPT! If somebody is interested in reading it, that’s why your email is included.

-ONLY ONE SCRIPT PER PERSON

-MAKE SURE YOUR LOGLINE IS ACTUALLY A LOGLINE. A few writers have sent in synopses and taglines, which are most definitely NOT loglines.

-PROOFREAD YOUR INFO! Is everything spelled correctly? Is all the info there that needs to be there? I will post what you send as is – no editing on my part, so make sure it reads the way you want it to.

The inbox remains open for just a few more days. The cutoff date of Thursday 21 December will be here before you know it, so don’t delay and send today.

Our crack staff of editors is standing by.

The countdown continues…

Maximum Z community, contest, genre, logline, networking, proofreading, screenplay, screenwriting, script, social media, spec, television, writing , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The number of listings continues to grow for the upcoming Maximum Z Winter ’23 Script Showcase.

The Showcase will post on Friday 22 December, so submissions will be accepted until Thursday 21 December. Like the lady in the gif says – you’ve got two weeks and counting to send in the details about your script.

I’m thrilled that lots of writers are taking advantage of this absolutely free opportunity to put their screenplay or TV script in the spotlight.

Are you one of them? If so, great and thanks!

If not, why the heck not? It’s super-easy and all you need to do is send an email here with the following info:

Film or TV?

Title

Author(s)

Genre(s)

Logline

Awards, if applicable – limit of 5

Your email

And this cannot be stressed enough: PROOFREAD YOUR INFO BEFORE SENDING IT!!

Is everything on there accurate and spelled correctly? There have been a few listings that left out some important details. As one writer responded when asked if it was a TV or film script, their response was “Oh, God. I had ONE job: Fill out the form correctly!”

Exactly.

Also important: DO NOT SEND THE SCRIPT

-and-

ONLY ONE SUBMISSION PER PERSON

Once the post is up, I’ll put a link to it on my social media accounts. Hope you’ll share it around and proudly announce your inclusion.

For those that have submitted in years past, already-submitted scripts are welcome, but new material is encouraged.

A few writers have asked if short film scripts and specs for existing TV shows are allowed. The answer is YES.

Feel free to email me at the address above if you have any other questions.

Clock’s ticking.