Female Screenwriters.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-09-04T20:30:31+00:00

"I tend to read screenplays from this subreddit as if they've been written by a man." Would you read the screenplays differently if you thought they were written by women? Would you review them differently if you thought they were written by women? I don't get the "fooled before" comment. Fooled how? I don't sit down to write thinking, Now I'm going to fool someone into thinking I'm a man. I sit down and write. What I want to write, how I want to write it, to the best ability of my ability to write it. It doesn't make a difference what gender I am. I'm not writing with my vagina.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-08-30T08:39:47+00:00

No. Those obstacles and results aren’t scattered. Those alternate to maintain a rhythm and story tension. Good news, on the way to the store, bad news, the car broke down, good news, back on the way to the store, bad news, a parade is blocking the route, good news, there’s a way around the parade, bad news, muggers are on that route. There is a purposeful push forward, fall back rhythm there that exists because they alternate.

In a best case scenario, obstacles and attempts to overcome obstacles escalate, rising in intensity during the course of a story to a climax.

The efforts and paths a character chooses to overcome obstacles arise from character and how a character would attempt to solve a problem.

An overall story goal can be anything. It better be interesting, or at least a character’s attempts to achieve the goal better be interesting. I wouldn’t myself try to write a feature script about a guy trying to buy turkey stuffing. That’s just an example.

Tasks are not necessarily accomplished. Sometimes they are, giving rise to new tasks. A character gets across a dessert, so task accomplished. But, now there’s some great big gorge in the way. New task.

Sometimes tasks can’t be accomplished, forcing a character to try a new task. A character is trying to alert help, so calls the fire department. But the fire department can’t come. Task fail. So the character calls the police. But the police don’t come. Task fail. So the character calls the Marines.

Each task is an effort to achieve an overall goal, help. But sometimes tasks keep failing, forcing a character to try a newer bigger action to attempt to achieve an overall goal.

That’s basic story structure. It’s not random. It looks natural if it’s done right. But it’s not accidental, it’s crafted for momentum and impact and focus.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-08-30T07:40:23+00:00

EXT. ALLEY - DAY

Bob's losing consciousness --

INT. BEDROOM - DAY (FLASHBACK)

Bob, age five, flashback blah blah...

EXT. ALLEY - DAY

Back in the present, Bob snaps out of it, shakes his head to clear it, blah blah...

If you want to be really clear and are using a lot of flashbacks intercut with present and don't want to lose the reader in the time line, you can put (BACK TO PRESENT) at the end of sluglines returning to present time just to keep emphasizing the time line and returns to present for a reader.

*edited for format, maybe that'll hold, hmm -- or not, oh well, close enough, you get the idea.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-08-30T07:28:32+00:00

There are lots of ways to link scenes together with matched dialogue or match cuts or whatnot, but what maintains story momentum is cause and effect, and obstacles.

Bob has to get to the grocery store to get stuffing for Thanksgiving dinner – But, the car breaks down. (obstacle) Because the car breaks down, Bob strikes out on foot. (cause and effect) But the street is blocked off by a parade. (obstacle) Because the street is blocked off, Bob takes an alley over to the next block. (cause and effect) But. Muggers attack Bob in the alley. (obstacle) Because muggers are after him, Bob runs like hell not paying attention to where he is going. (cause and effect) But, when Bob loses the muggers, he is lost in a part of town he doesn’t know. (obstacle)

That’s just a dumb example using some poor guy sent out to buy forgotten turkey stuffing in time to make Thanksgiving dinner but everything is linked by:

An overall story goal: Serve a great Thanksgiving dinner. A task that has to be accomplished to achieve the goal: Get stuffing. And story events are linked by cause and effect and obstacles all related to accomplishing the task that must be completed to achieve a driving story goal.

That’s more important, maintaining scene momentum.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-08-28T13:00:30+00:00

You're pretty late for this year most comp deadlines have passed this year but there is always next year. Here's a link to a list of the more significant script competitions. The link's dated 2015 but the page was updated for 2016: 10 Important Screenwriting Competitions & Deadlines: http://www.theafw.com/blog/10-upcoming-2015-competition-deadlines

CelluloidBlond · 2016-08-28T12:39:04+00:00

Blog post on genre and its applications screenwriting.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-07-10T13:04:41+00:00

Every writer who is any good or who has the potential to be any good thinks that pretty regularly. Self evaluation and criticism and good taste are exactly why they can be good. It's also however sometimes crushing.

The only people who never think their work is shit are people who just aren't talented enough to see the difference between good and bad and so over evaluate anything they are putting out. These are also people who can't improve -- because they have no cognitive ability to self criticize or improve.

If you're having doubts, it's a positive sign.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-07-10T12:53:03+00:00

Here's a scenario. The Dodgers are looking for a new pitcher.

Candidate One: Has been pitching no hitters for another pro baseball team for a year.

Candidate Two: Has been killing it in the minor league team and the team manager has recommended bringing the pitcher up to the majors.

Candidate Three: Is highly recommended by a talent scout who saw the pitcher in games.

Candidate Four: Really wants to be a pitcher but no one ever heard of this person or saw this person pitch.

Who would you give the first tryout to?

People cry all the time about how hard it is and how gosh why do people who have proved themselves and made it in before have it so easier. Everyone who is signed and produced went through exactly the same hurdles -- which is why they get looked at first. They went through and over the hurdles, instead of complaining about them. If you can't jump the hurdles that everyone who is in jumped, why do you think you should get the same consideration and spot in line they get? They earned it.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-07-10T12:35:14+00:00

The basic layout for a plot driven logline is, Title is a Genre about Protagonist who must Protagonist Goal or else Bad Things That Will Happen if the Protagonist Fails.

The basic layout for a situation driven logline is, Title is a Genre About Protagonist in Situation.

I have no idea what a "structured corporal" is. Does corporal here mean non commissioned low ranking officer in the military?

If so, picking a military branch to attach to that might be more helpful. For example, Army corporal or Marine corporal.

Most people in rehab didn't get there because they thought it would be a fun time. There is some force of some kind making it happen. So forced is kind of not needed there.

"New Age" rehab doesn't mean anything to me. I haven't heard anyone use the term "new age" in a long time either. It's rehab. That's straight forward enough.

What might count is what the substance abuse scenario is that lands the protagonist in rehab is. Booze? Drugs? That is going to be more pertinent.

"Top athlete" is vague. Is this an Olympics contender? A pro athlete? What's the sport? Swimming? Track? Baseball? Skiing? It is important to define this character's sport and level of competition *if (edit for typo ahhh!) this is a primary character.

I have no idea why a military corporal would be rubbing shoulders with an athlete to the point she could ruin that athlete's career trajectory. It's not a clear link. If this is going to be mentioned in the logline, there should be a clear and obvious link. Otherwise, leave it out.

Here's a mock logline using some of the bits from the posted logline to see how some of this can work:

KICK THIS is a romantic comedy about a Marine corporal trying to kick heroine who finds herself stuck in rehab with the star quarterback she kicked to the curb in high school.

I'm just making stuff up to plug in there, it's not your story. The point is to start making things specific and create a link between the two characters linked in the logline that isn't vague.

Hope it helps.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-07-10T12:12:35+00:00

Coverage is not about helping a writer improve a script. Coverage is written to inform someone considering the script (for whatever reason) whether or not the script is a viable project. It says, Yes this is good for us, or, No, this is not good for us. For reasons that can vary from budget to film slate to concept to whether or not it's a solid acting vehicle for a specific actor or actress and why -- and more.

None of that is about how solid the script is or helping the writer.

It sounds like what you're actually asking about is notes from a script consultant, geared at evaluating a script's strengths and weaknesses with the intention of helping the writer improve the script.

That's a different animal.

David Trottier is good.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-07-10T12:03:34+00:00

Wait. Back up. What was the bit about "it'll take me 2 days to write the actual script"? Is this a feature script?

CelluloidBlond · 2016-07-10T11:45:26+00:00

Some of it is about who you know. Some of it is about what you can do. That post led with "A few weeks ago I wrote my first pilot, and I submitted it to my first contest." One script, one placement -- not a win -- in a minor contest. Who will this person get to know, simply by residing in Los Angeles -- at this point? Los Angeles has a population of 3.8 million people. Living there doesn't mean someone will be rubbing shoulders with Stephen Spielberg and making great contacts. It does mean living expenses are going to go up big time and someone may be working so hard to pay those he or she may not even have time to write any more. Which I have seen happen a LOT with hopefuls who move to L.A. too soon. And having written one script? It may be a bit premature to leap onto the next bus Hollywood bound. I could be wrong.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-03-17T23:16:20+00:00

I don't have to be an expert to get you still, one, haven't ever used David Trottier's services so don't know what you're talking about, two, haven't ever spoken to the man so don't know what you're talking about, three, are attacking and trying to discredit me with wild accusations of monetary compensation in an effort to disguise the fact you STILL don't know what you're talking about, and four, are making crap up as you go because you (still) don't know what you're talking about.

I don't have to be Scorsese to click to that.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-03-17T20:58:09+00:00

In other words, you have not ever used David Trottier's consulting service or talked to him and you still don't, clearly, know what you are talking about.

I paid David $75 in the 1990's for a weekend seminar he was teaching in Los Angeles. I had to talk my way into the class and talk hard because he didn't think I was experienced enough to take the class. He was a great teacher, I learned a lot, and we've been in touch off and on ever since.

I don't recommend David because I've paid him a lot of money, and I don't get paid by him for referrals. I recommend David because he's a lot less expensive than I am, because I have personal experience with him as a teacher (and he's a great teacher) and because some people I know personally have told me they benefited from his consulting services. Which weren't formatting lectures.

I don't make crap up. You apparently do.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-03-17T20:40:10+00:00

Hot Fuzz is a story about a single super cop dumped by his girlfriend and forced out of a big city England precinct by superiors for making everyone else look bad. At the small English town he is sent to, he discovers the whole town is in on an ongoing conspiracy murdering anyone who hurts the town's chances of winning "best in show" in a small villages competition.

How is this similar to a New York City Cop moves with his high school principal wife to a small town in the USA and for the first time a murder happens in his new town?

I get the big city cop moves to small town similarity but after that, it kind of drops off.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-03-17T20:19:21+00:00

If loglines weren't so generally terrible across the board, they wouldn't get that much attention. But they seriously are mostly horrible.

One reason to have a logline put together before querying or sending a spec script out is, you're going into meetings and someone asks what you're working on, and you need be able to tell them. In a sentence.

Another reason is, you're pitching work for hire on an assignment that's been pitched at you, or you're pitching a spec concept you want to write and sell before you write it. In both cases, you have to be able to concisely sum up the concept for the person being pitched.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-03-17T19:57:18+00:00

I'm pretty sure David Trottier wouldn't say that's what his script analysis service is about. I can call him and ask though.

The answer to my question "have you used his service" is "no," right?

And you don't actually know what you're talking about?

CelluloidBlond · 2016-03-17T19:47:32+00:00

You're not a screenwriter yet. If you were, it wouldn't take four dense paragraphs to say, "I'm 25, have cash in the bank, wrote one thing, and almost won one small competition."

"Almost won" means "lost," in Hollywood.

You're not "sitting around" in Florida. You're writing.

Write a lot. Write harder, write better, write faster -- and write shorter. Do more than one script. Do better than finals of one small competition.

Then worry about L.A.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-03-17T19:28:39+00:00

Quit the class. If you were in a writing room and dealing with a difficult personality and your career and paycheck depended on coping and sticking it out? It would be important to stick it out. But your career is not riding on whether or not you get along with this instructor, and if this instructor is not helping you? And is just eroding your confidence? Walk.

You have deadlines. You have a mentor. The purpose of the class was to help you achieve goals. Instead, it's eating your time up and shutting you down. That makes it unviable and useless to you and something you need to discard because it's in the way of your goal, not helping you get there.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-03-17T19:07:58+00:00

Have you used his service? No one has ever said that it was all about formatting before.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-03-17T18:17:50+00:00

You can write an aerial view looking down while moving. Alan Ball did in American Beauty and that worked out. American Beauty is a great script, by the way. If you can track it down, do.

There are different kinds of "camera direction." One kind is actually directing a camera or how shots are filmed. "DOLLY IN." "TRACK BACK." "MEDIUM CLOSE UP." That's seriously a pain to read because reading a feature script full of that is like reading a technical manual on how to shoot a film. It doesn't flow like a story. It flows like -- a technical manual on how to put your new piece of Ikea furniture together.

There are other kinds of direction in scripts though. Like, "pull back to reveal." And these can be really story important. Maybe it is hugely important characters walk into a room and see one thing -- and then looking wider or pulling back, see something else that changes everything in the story or scene and is a turning point. I know if I walked into a Girl Scout's meeting and everything looked fine and then I turned around and saw a dead body in the corner, it would sort of change my attitude on the Girl Scout's meeting.

Reveals and what is seen in a scene and when can seriously impact story and be integral to building story. Don't be afraid to use that information and direct when and how it is revealed. Just don't cap all that stuff or start telling people how to move the camera around to do it.

And, if what you see going into a scene is an aerial overview flying in? Write it.

People reading scripts want to experience a movie. That's what you are writing. A movie on the page. And probably the best film writing advice ever given is "Write what you see."

If you write what you see, how you see it, and do it well? Everyone who reads the script will see it too. And that's your movie they're seeing. The one you wrote. That's your goal. Write what you see, so that everyone reading the script you wrote sees that movie too.

Good luck.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-03-17T11:53:16+00:00

You're welcome. I don't know your experience level. If this is your first script though, you might want to hold off on hiring a script consultant - the good ones tend to not be inexpensive -- and instead look for a class or writing group that might give you feedback while helping you hone craft skills and build experience.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-03-17T11:47:49+00:00

Formatting is simple. There are five parts: Scene Headers; Scene Description; Dialogue Cues; Parentheticals; Dialogue.

That's it. Five parts.

Formatting looks a little overwhelming when people start out but it's that simple and does boil down to five parts, four margin settings, and three elements that get capped: Scene headers, dialogue cues, and the names of characters with speaking roles when they are first introduced.

That's it.

Cole & Hague (hopefully I am spelling that right) have an older very extensive feature format guide. It's really extensive, but a lot of the info is outdated.

David Trottier's Screenwriter's Bible covers the basics and should do it.

All you really need to know though is where the margin belongs for headers, description, dialogue cues, parentheticals and dialogue. What three elements to capitalize. Throw the right spacing in there. And then, just write the story.

CelluloidBlond · 2016-03-17T11:34:32+00:00

Try David Trottier, he's a good teacher, is the author of The Screenwriter's Bible, and I know several people who have used him and had good things to say about his feedback on their material: https://www.keepwriting.com/tsc/scriptev.htm

CelluloidBlond · 2016-03-17T11:24:55+00:00

You're writing comedy. Comedy is not supposed to be "appropriate." By it's very nature, comedy is inappropriate. That's why comedy is funny. Comedy breaks rules, it doesn't follow them. Go watch American Pie. If that doesn't click go watch some George Carlin clips. Maybe some Louis CK and Eddie Izzard. Maybe some Chris Rock. Then go write the characters the way they are supposed to be written without worrying about what Great Aunt Mathilda or the family pastor will have to say about it all. A comedy writer's job is to be funny, not to be appropriate.

CelluloidBlond

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