Screenwriter's Workshop

Is there anyone in this community that lives in Austin?

Hi, everybody. Need your help. I'm now applying for a MA screenwriting course and they require three half-page pitches. Should the pitch tell the story from the beginning till the very end or just stop somewhere in the third half to keep the intrigue?

Hi. Do you know any good postgraduate script writing courses in London? All I found so far is National School of Film and TV. Is that the only option?

I know this comm is long dead(ish), but to any of you who still might check it, I just wanted to say this:

SNAKES ON A PLANE is a perfect example of a high concept, well-executed screenplay. Yes, it's hyped to the max. Yes, it's Hollywood to the core. Yes, it's about snakes on a mf'n plane. But it delivers exactly what it promises and follows three act structure to a T.

Plus, it's scary fun.

Thanks guys.

-kben

Effective immediately, this journal will be neglected and eventually die, in favor of a new, permanent LiveJournal for me:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/walker_evans/

Please adjust yourself accordingly, and feel free to add this new LJ as a friend.

Thank you,
The Management

Okay, let's try this again. We're going to start over. Kind of. Don't toss all the stuff you have. You're still going to use it. But we're taking a different approach.

I have to get some work prepped for my ABC/Disney Writing Fellowship Program Application. You guys should check it out, too, if you have any serious interest in professionally writing for the screen. There's no application fee, but you will have to register your work with the WGA, which costs $20 and you can do it over the 'net.

Even if you don't want to apply, the approach I'm taking is from Viki King's "How to Write a Movie in 21 Days." I'll be posting each daily step here. Before you freak out and say "21 DAYS!!132!! That means I'll have to write, like, eight hours a day!" Nope. This method applies techniques that have you writing as little as eight minutes a day and no more than three hours a day. Also, that doesn't have to be three consecutive hours. You can break it up into chunks throughout the day.

Mostly, to really reap the benefits of the "Inner Movie Method" (as Ms. King calls it) you have to be willing to do one thing: Get out of your head. Stop worrying about what you can't get done and focus on what you CAN DO.

I am a super procrastinator. Even taking the time to write this post is something I'm doing to avoid starting on this myself. So, let's get to it.

( PreparationCollapse )

After that short preparatory segment, we're right were we left off: Act One, Page One.

This approach will bypass the standard concept of outlining, so all of you (er, us) who were unsure how to start outlining have no excuse not to get rolling on this.

Day One starts tomorrow. For me, anyway. If you're stressed out about time or finals or work, don't feel like you have to start this with me. But, once you do start, you should do each day, consecutively. And even if you're not participating, if I don't post a Day's info, feel free to pester me until I do. It's only fair. :)

I stumbled on to this livejournal and thought I throw in a post. We are a british film group filming a short documentary (10min) this fall in Pennsylvania on a small town that is struggling with poverty. While in post production we are now moving closer to a docu-fictional story and seek a script writer to join our team and develop a small story line for our film.

Because I have worked with few fictional storylines I was wondering how I would go about finding talent. I have collected many interviews and pictures of the area, I wanted the screenwriter to form a story that would combine documentary footage with actors.

If there would be any interest in submitting a 10 minute script for the project (full credits on the film and maybe beable to pay for the time) please drop me an email me at sinnymaker @ yahoo.com

Also it anyone has any tips or suggestions that would be most helpful.

Re: previous post that I deleted

If you want to learn about character development, then learn how to develop characters. There are tons of books and websites and methods that one can research without asking other people for their characters. It's not about dishing out credit, it's about creating and shaping your own characters. I'm not out to be a bitch, just think of me as the Simon Cowell of this workshop.

Speaking of this workshop:

Is anyone still participating? I know I didn't post this week's info, but before I rush in and lay out the next part, I want to find out if any of y'all are still writing your projects. If you're not, but want to pick it back up, great. If you just burnt out, that's fine, too.

Please take a moment to respond to this and tell me where you're at in your progresss.

I apologize for the unplanned two-week hiatus. But… I'm back in gear,
so let's get rolling on Act One.

The most imperative part of the first act is The First Ten Pages.

These pages are what will make or break your script, especially in the
eyes of the Hollywood Reader. It's the hook. Think of the first ten
minutes of your favorite film. What happens? Who do you meet? Why
do you feel motivated to keep watching? The First Ten Pages will set
the standard for your script.

Act One should run about thirty pages. It will include the
introduction of your main character, the groundwork for and
introduction of the central conflict, and the introduction the
protagonist, as well as any subplots.

( Common Act One MistakesCollapse )

These thirty pages will set the stage on which your story will play
out. Next week will also be about the first act, so shoot for
something around fifteen pages over the course of this week. Focus on
the opening, the introduction of your world.

Ok, I've got my characters, I've got ideas and scenes and moments in my head.

How do I translate this into an outline? I mean, I know a lot of it is just sitting down and writing, but... any tips? Suggestions? Should I write details of the scenes or just the barest of comments? I keep looking at that blank page with numbers and not writing anything.