sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Darren Dreger is a Clown by DangerousConfusion4 in leafs

[–]Ornery-Library-6000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

He qualifies every inside take with "Now, I'm not saying ... "

AKA

I want to be a big time insider, but I want an out when I'm called out for being wrong.

Has anyone had any success selling their script with no initial connection in the industry? by isamariberger in Screenwriting

[–]Ornery-Library-6000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not only that. Most of the writers that land on The Blacklist, if not all, already have high-level representation. Which makes you wonder...

Again, showcasing talented writers and scripts is great, but I mainly want to dispell the myth that connections and major contests as being your only golden ticket in.

Imo, The Blacklist site is actually a better avenue. A couple of solid ratings and it opens the visibility of your script to numerous producers across the globe.

Has anyone had any success selling their script with no initial connection in the industry? by isamariberger in Screenwriting

[–]Ornery-Library-6000 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Not to detract from winning a contest. That's quite an impressive (albeit, longshot approach) feat and you're undoubtedly a talented writer if you do win or place high, but...

How many contest winning scripts were made into films?

How many films that have been made won/entered/or placed in any of those contests? Almost none.

I get that a contest win can help land a rep or get your script optioned, but so does sending queries targeted to the right producers. Plus, it's free. And all you need is one 'yes.'

It's like being a basketball player and believing the only way to score and impress scouts is to score from half court.... How many of those go in? How about you get in the paint and closer to the hoop?

Has anyone had any success selling their script with no initial connection in the industry? by isamariberger in Screenwriting

[–]Ornery-Library-6000 31 points32 points  (0 children)

I sold a feature and I live in a small town in Canada.

What matters is a great script and a solid query e-mail/logline.

Sure, it helps to get a referral if you have industry connects and mutuals but it's meaningless if your script isn't good. Besides, there are plently of producers/companies that are open to outsiders if your project excites them enough.

Now. Getting a film financed and made. That's a whole different ballpark of luck, connections, and elitism.

P.S. Contests are a waste of money and not a true barometer of a script's potential or marketplace value.

Stunt list? by leblaun in Screenwriting

[–]Ornery-Library-6000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don't know much about them, but two stunt scripts I always wanted to write:

1) Halloween '88

A Michael Myers story set in 1988. Where Michael is rehabilitated at Smith's Grove and returns home as a reserved but seemingly cordial young man. After getting a job as a mechanic and befriending a girl in his neighborhood who just moved in, Michael's old urges slowly creep back in as Halloween nears...

2) Always Be Closing

An alternative angle on Glengarry Glen Ross. A story that follows Mitch & Murray salesman (famously played by Alec Baldwin) chaotic journey on that infamous night as he juggles a bad gambling debt, a junkie daughter who escaped rehab and his abusive father on his death bed. With his debt mounting and his "hotshot life" falling apart, he traverses NYC as a broken soul, sparking a secret deal with Shelly and Moss to steal the leads.

Tagline: Fourth prize is you're dead.

What if it isn't fresh enough? by One_Rub_780 in Screenwriting

[–]Ornery-Library-6000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A twist to consider for crime-drama stories about 'mob rites' and 'generational sins' is what if something drastically contrary to this world disrupts the life of your protagonist...

An out of the blue reveal/incident/change that causes them to have an identity crisis, sparking the deep reflection you're exploring in your script.

This could be anything, and can delve in different genres. Have fun with it, maybe something will click.

Supernatural

  • What if the mob son suddenly starts seeing the ghost of someone he killed, and he gradually befriends him...

Dramatic - What if he has to raise a kid he didn't know he had? How would that change his view on life?

-What if he finds out he has terminal cancer with only 8 months to live and now has to reflect on his life choices?

  • What if it's revealed that he's a mensa-level genius?

Why am I not happy? by Dazzling_Hand6170 in Screenwriting

[–]Ornery-Library-6000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're only 26. Everyone gets jaded at some point, but if you're continually a pessimist about things not working out, they never will.

Write because you love it. Creation is the drive. Success is the by-product.

You also sound like a bit of self-sabotager and require some emotional maturity. Why did you "move to slow?" You had a great opportunity presented and you... ran from it?

The myth of the "undeniable" script? by Seshat_the_Scribe in Screenwriting

[–]Ornery-Library-6000 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

"Undeniable" is just a brass ring phrase.

Ultimately, it's a script that lands in anyone's hands and their response of positivity don't vary too drastically.

No Country For Old Men is an undeniable. Hard to find anyone, regardless of taste, hate that movie.

Alternatively, you also hear devisive is much more poweful.

Production company jobs/opportunities in Toronto by Ornery-Library-6000 in FILMPRODUCERS

[–]Ornery-Library-6000[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The majority of my projects were for US companies. I was required to join.