Script Notes by Chad Gervich - Fun Stuff

WEBSITE OF THE DAY: JayCut.com

Chad — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:42:05 GMT

Wanted to pass along a pretty cool website...

For those of you who don't need all the bells and whistles (or pricetags) of Final Cut or Avid, but still want to edit home movies or online videos, check out JayCut-- a simple online editing application that lets you upload and edit videos, then put them on Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, etc... or put them on DVD or iPod. And best of all-- it's totally free!

In all fairness, I haven't spent a ton of time on JayCut... yet... but I've played around on the site... and it seems pretty cool and useful. The site claims you can use it to make shorts or "creative masterpieces"... and while I'm not sure it's what you'd wanna use to make the next "This Is It," it certainly seems user-friendly enough to make quick and simple videos, shorts, even sizzle reels or short presentations.

And as a quick bonus-- also check out Download3000, a free site that lets you download YouTube videos (together, you can use these applications to download footage, remix it, mash it up, splice it into your own work, whatever you wanna do...)

Colbert Nails Glenn Beck - BRILLIANT!

Chad — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:04:02 GMT

Hey, guys--

Just had to post this clip from last night's Colbert Report-- it's not only hilarious, but it's one of the most powerful pieces of social/political satire I've seen in a long time. Dead-on, never-wavering, and pulls no punches... and Colbert's summation at the end is sheer genius. Love this... wonderfully written!

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Bend It Like Beck

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Michael Moore

Don Draper > Barack Obama?

Chad — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:01:53 GMT

Is Don Draper (the main guy in Mad Men) more influential than Barack Obama, Steve Jobs, and Simon Cowell? According to 500,000 men who read AskMen.com-- YUP.

Check out this poll abput the 49 most influential men in the world... pretty interesting!

(And people say scripted programming is dying! Uh, apparently it's more influential than THE PRESIDENT.)

Will You Read My Fucking Script?

Chad — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:59:18 GMT

Special thanks to Sam for pointing out this brutally direct and honest (yet I don't think entirely fair or true) column from screenwriter Josh Olson (A History of Violence) from yesterday's Village Voice...

Click HERE to read "I Will Not Read Your Fucking Script"

Meet MFA Confidential!

Chad — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:00:44 GMT

Hey, all--

Just wanted to introduce you to Writer's Digest's newest blogger, Kate Monahan, who is chronicling her life as a grad student (in Fiction-writing) at the New School in New York City through WD's new blog, MFA Confidential.

Kate just started last week, but I'm totally hooked. I have to admit-- there's something about fiction, grad school, etc. that feels so much more "writerly" than Hollywood and screenwriting... and reading Kate's blog is like stepping into a cool East Coast literary scene.

Anyway, if you get a chance, swing by MFA Confidential and say hello! And Kate... welcome aboard!

Don Draper Gets Skewered

Chad — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:14:34 GMT

Hey, Mad Men fans--

Thought you might enjoy this great Mad Men parody, posted yesterday by the Landline sketch group...

Mad Men in 60 Seconds

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters Trailer

Chad — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:44:34 GMT

Thought this was pretty funny and figured I'd share... for those of you who liked this spring's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (which is already in the works to be a movie), by TV/Internet writer-producer Seth Grahame-Smith (Clark and Michael, History's Mysteries), the next "revised classic" comes out in a couple weeks, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, and it comes with it's own trailer...

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters: Book Trailer

Hitler vs. Avatar

Chad — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:31:32 GMT

For those of you who haven't seen the trailer for James Cameron's Avatar, which comes out this winter, I'm posting it below. (Not that it's that great...)

But first, and even better, comes "Hitler Learns That the Avatar Trailer Sucks" (which is pretty hilarious... maybe one of my favorites of all the "Hitler" videos...)

Hitler Learns That the Avatar Trailer Sucks

The actual Avatar trailer

Teach Your Kid To Be A Movie Critic!

Chad — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:07:04 GMT

Hey, folks--

This was such a fun and interesting event, I had to post it up here.

On Tuesday, July 21, KidsPickFlicks.com-- the movie review site for kids-- presents “Popcorn, Pop and a Paycheck: How to Get the Life of a Movie Critic” at the Variety offices here in L.A.

For those of you who don't know KidsPickFlicks, its a movie review site which was started five years ago by a Cole McNamara, a 9-year-old who was sick of seeing movies he enjoyed panned by adult critics. So he started a site where he reviewed kids movies from a kids' perspective... and where other kids could post reviews as well. It's taken off and is now run by Cole (who's 14) and his 9-year-old sister, Riley. I interviewed Cole a few years ago, just as KidsPickFlicks was taking off... he's a great kid, incredibly savvy and articulate... and if you have children interested in movies or movie reviews, I have no doubt this will be a great program.

Basically, Variety critics Todd McCarthy, Brian Lowry and Justin Chang will meet with young, aspiring Leonard Maltins and Rober Eberts to share their stories of how they got into the business, what their life is “really” like, and the ups and downs of being film critics. Lowry will also teach kids his three fun and simple rules of writing a movie review.

If you're interested, here's the scoop...

WHEN: Tuesday, July 21, 2009; 1 - 2:30 pm
WHERE: Variety, 5900 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif.

Register kids 8 and older at KidsPickFlicks.com. Space is limited.

For more information, please contact Trish Vogel at Starshine Media, 615-400-3660 or Tara@KidsPickFlicks.com.

Riley's Picks & Icks (from KidsPickFlicks)

Storywise: All Your Favorite Writers... In Their Own Words!

Chad — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:40:15 GMT

Hey, folks--

This is gonna sound like shameless promotion, and maybe it is-- especially considering Jen Grisanti is a friend of mine-- but this is a great new resource that you should all check out.

Jen, who used to run current programming at Spelling TV and is now coaching countless of top-notch writers and directors through Jen Grisanti Consultancy, has launched Storywise... a monthly periodic podcast of interviews with A-list screenwriters and TV writers.

Her first episode features an awesome interview with TV writer and executive producer Glen Mazzara (The Shield, Life, Crash, Hawthorne), and her latest interview is with feature writer Jason Filardi (Bringing Down the House, 17 Again).

If you love hearing writers talk about their own paths, definitely check this out!

Also-- as a lot of you know-- I'm a HUGE proponent of podcasts... I'm always shocked that they haven't become more mainstream, especially since they're downloadable, making them portable enough to listen to in your car, at the gym, as you're cooking dinner-- wherever you want!

Anyway, for writers looking to learn from other writers' experiences, Storywise a great way to get wonderful advice right from the source!

Click HERE to check it out...

Back to the Futurama

Chad — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:12:36 GMT

Hey, guys--

If you're a fan of Matt Groening and David Cohen's Futurama, which was canceled by FOX six years ago, check out this Hollywood Reporter article, hot off the press...

Comedy Central has picked up the series, and new episodes will begin debuting next year!

Hung Up on the Hangover!

Chad — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:04:50 GMT

Hey, guys--

Thanks to Brian, who pointed out this great article on Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily about how The Hangover came to be written... it's a pretty fun story-- check it out!

Getting Canceled: Terminator-Style

Chad — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:33:01 GMT

So, I'm not sure how many of you are/were fans of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which was recently canceled by FOX (personally, I LOVED the first season and Tivoed most of the second, but haven't watched it yet), but either way...

You have to read this blog post from Josh Friedman, one of the creators and showrunners.

I don't know if this was the smartest career move for Josh-- I mean, he rips new assholes for FOX, Warner Brothers, even Chuck Lorre (kind of)-- but he certainly captures the pain, frustration, anger, betrayal, and heartbreak of having your show canceled.

It's truly a rare, uncensored glimpse into the mind of a screenwriter dealing with the brutal side of Hollywood... IN THE MOMENT... as it's happening.

(Also, I don't know how network and studio execs will react to Josh's post, but the truth is... if they don't know how much it hurts to have your show killed... and how it often happens in the most brutal ways... then they're not very good executives. I'm sure they'll look at this and A) feel defensive, B) laugh a little-- because hey, some of it really is funny-- and C) TAKE NOTHING AWAY FROM IT. But the truth is... we work in a business that does this to people ON A REGULAR BASIS. And on one hand, sure-- that may be the nature of the game. Yet on the other-- come on, Hollywood, surely there are better ways of handling these things?)

Click HERE to check it out...

(By the way, Josh has some other really fun, interesting posts re: life in Hollywood. He doesn't post much, but when he does, it's always entertaining. So if you get a chance, check out the whole blog.)

ABC & NBC New 2009-2010 Schedules... with clips!

Chad — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:03:58 GMT

Hey, folks--

Here's the latest from the upfronts, ABC and NBC's schedules...

ABC 2009-2010 Schedule

NBC 2009-2010 Schedule

Also, for your viewing pleasure, some clips from the upcoming shows...

FOX's Human Target, Past Life, Brothers, Cleveland, and Sons of Tucson

ABC's Cougar Town, starring Courtney Cox

ABC's remake of V

Onion Star Trek Spoof!

Chad — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:43:56 GMT

If you haven't seen the Onion "News Network"'s hilarious Star Trek commentary-- beam yourself up!...

Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Film As 'Fun, Watchable'

Great NBC/Ben Silverman piece- NY Magazine

Chad — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:14:43 GMT

Hey, all--

Just had to post this morning's awesomely hilarious piece from NY Magazine.

If you love following the slapstick programming antics of NBC's Ben Silverman as much as I do, you'll love this. It uses some great graphs and pie charts to show you just how well-- er, NOT well-- NBC is performing since Ben took the reins!

Click HERE!

Thanks for a great turnout!

Chad — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:05:55 GMT

Hey, everyone--

Just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who came out Tuesday night for the Small Screen, Big Picture seminar and pitch panel at Barnes & Noble here in L.A. There were a ton of Script Notes readers there... some familiar faces and some great newbies... and it was wonderful to see you all. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the support...

William, the Barnes & Noble event manager, was thrilled with the turnout... he said it was by the most successful local event they've ever had there-- so thank you!

And for those of you who weren't able to make it, you missed a terrific time. I gave a much-longer-than-planned talk about the elements of successful TV shows, and then we brought out a panel of special guests: Lindsay Howard, a scripted agent from APA, and Joke Fincioen and Biagio Messina, executive producers from Joke Productions, one of the hottest reality companies in town right now. Audience members were then able to pitch us ideas for their TV shows and get feedback on their pitches... and we heard some GREAT stuff.

To be totally honest, while not all the pitches were home runs, I was really impressed with the overall quality of the ideas and the poise of the pitchers. So kudos to everyone who attended, supported, and pitched! I hope you had a great time and left with something valuable!

For a fun description of the night, check out the blog of my friend and fellow TV writer, Paula Yoo... although be warned: you're not only in for a description of the night, but also for a gushy lovefest over Anoop Desai. (Trust me-- I'm embarrassed FOR her, I swear.) (Just kidding, Paula!) (Not really.) (And to be fair, at least once a week I find myself inadvertently rocking out to Kelly Clarkson.)

And lastly, here are some photos from the night, compliments of Paula... thanks, Paula!

The "seminar" in full-swing (and running way longer than I'd intended... so thanks to everyone for putting up with me!)

More me...

A display of books (I know this isn't that exciting to look at, but I have to admit... I like the poster)

The pitch panel in progress (from left to right: me, standing; Lindsay Howard; Joke Fincioen, Biagio Messina)

And if you weren't able to come but would still like pick up the book, please do!...

A Peek into the Mind of a Movie Producer

Chad — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:58:31 GMT

Hey, guys--

My friend Dena Hysell, one of the founders of Secret Handshake Entertainment (Drinky Crow, Baxter & MacGuire) is one of the producers on St. Vincent, director Walter Hill's new movie starring Mickey Rourke.

CORRECTION: Okay, it's not actually St. Vincent... it's A Little Help, starring Jenna Fischer and Chris O'Donnell, and written and directed by Michael Weithorn, who created King of Queens. St. Vincent doesn't start till later this year. (Thanks for the correction, Dena!)

She's leaving LA this week to produce the movie in New York for the next 15 weeks... and she's started a blog, www.denanicole.com, to journal the experience of producing her first big feature.

I don't normally promote random blogs on here, because EVERYONE has a blog... and while many of them are fun to read, I'd go crazy if I tried to promote each one.

But I think Dena's blog will be especially interesting to those of us who love movies, want to be in the film business, or wonder what it's like producing your first-ever feature. We've all dreamed of that, and this is a chance to live it through someone else's eyes.

We often look at producers and agents as our enemies... money-grubbing people trying to change writers' creative visions... but the truth is: producers are often passionate, movie-loving people who want to make incredible films-- they simply have jobs that force them to be occasionally be odds with their co-workers and creative partners.

I hope Dena's blog will help us peek into the mind of a producer who loves movies as much as those of us who write them.

Two days ago, for instance, she wrote a nice post about how hard it is to say "no" to everyone... even though that's often her job... and it made me think about how much I would HATE having to do this.

Anyway, I don't know where Dena's blog will go... or how the movie will turn out... but I wanted to pass it along as a fun behind-the-scenes look at an interesting feature...

Pitch Your Idea to Producers & Agents... Next Tuesday!

Chad — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:41:51 GMT

Hey, guys--

Huge thanks to everyone who came to last night's pilot-writing seminar at mediabistro... it was a terrific turnout, and I really appreciate everyone coming and being so interested!

For those of you who couldn't make it... or those of you who have actual TV show ideas you'd like to pitch... or those of you who aren't sick of hearing me talk about television... I wanted to let you know about a very cool event coming up next week here in L.A.

As most of you know, my TV book, Small Screen, Big Picture: A Writer's Guide to the TV Business, came out from Random House/Crown a few weeks ago... so Barnes & Noble and I are hosting a pitch workshop and panel next Tuesday, March 31.

It should be a blast... I'm going to do a short (45-50 minutes) seminar about pitching, and then we'll have a panel of guests who will actually TAKE YOUR TV PITCHES, then offer feedback on your idea and pitching style!

And the best part... IT'S COMPLETELY FREE! (And the first 25 people to buy copies of the book that night will be guaranteed the chance to pitch!)

Our guests will be Lindsay Howard, an outstanding scripted TV lit agent from APA, and producers from Joke Productions (Scream Queens, Beauty & the Geek)... so whether you're interested in writing comedy, drama, reality, or alternative... we've got you covered!

Here's all the info... hope to see you there!

WHEN: Tuesday, March 31, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Barnes & Noble, The Grove
              189 Grove Drive, Suite K-30
              Los Angeles, CA 90036
              323-525-0270

(On a totally unrelated note, I am writing this while sitting in my backyard, on a beautiful California afternoon, listening to Johnny Cash's "Hurt" cover on repeat... IS THERE ANY SONG MORE POWERFUL THAN THIS???!" Simply awesome.)

IN RESPONSE TO TYLER'S COMMENT (see below): Hey, Tyler-- so glad you can come... and yeah-- I'll totally sign copies that aren't bought there! As for RSVPing... it's just first-come/first-served. (And again-- this song is awesome... now listening to the NIN version... but I think Cash's cover is better...)

IN RESPONSE TO JOAN'S COMMENT (see below): Joan-- thank you so much for the blurb on the blog... I can't tell you how much I appreciate it-- that's terrific! And wonderful blog! Everyone... please check out Joan's blog/website, The Publicity Hound, which offers free tricks and advice for generating publicity. It's a great resource for writers... especially since we often need to generate our own buzz and heat, but-- frankly-- are rarely that good at doing it. (I mean, come on-- we're writers... we're designed to sit in a room and talk to ourselves... which is why Joan's website is so handy!)

Ricky Gervais on "Sesame Street"

Chad — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 02:19:39 GMT

This is incredible... I had to share...

(It's outtakes from Ricky Gervais's recent interview with Elmo on Sesame Street...)

> > >

Join Me as I Get Bipolar on the Radio This Weekend! (Internet Radio)

Chad — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:51:48 GMT

Hey, everyone--

Just wanted to invite you all to tune in this weekend when I'm a guest on LA Talk Radio's "Bipolar Nation" this weekend! LA Talk Radio is LA's premiere Internet radio site, and "Bipolar Nation," Bert Hamaoui and Susan Schofield's talk show, explores current controversies all things political, social, and entertainment.

This weekend, we'll be talking about reality TV (how much of it is "real?"), this week's provocative finale of The Bachelor, and all things television! And feel free to call in with questions, disagreements, or just to raise hell and push buttons!

Here's the scoop...

WHEN: Sunday, March 8, 10 a.m.
WHERE: streaming live www.latalkradio.com
CALL-IN NUMBER: 323-203-0815

Hope to talk to you all this weekend!

Thanks for coming... now go pitch some shows!!!

Chad — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 02:02:00 GMT

Thanks so much to everyone who came to the my Small Screen, Big Picture book signing and TV seminar, "Seven Steps to Selling Your Show" today at the Writer's Store! For those of you who were able to make it, I can't tell you how much I appreciated you coming and supporting the book! And thanks to Darren-- who introduced himself as a fan of the blog-- it's always great to meet readers... I love it when you guys introduce yourselves, so double-thank you, Darren... it was terrific to meet you!

Also, thanks to Paula for taking and sending these pictures... for those of you who weren't there, here are some quick, fun photos of the event!...

An incredibly awesome part of the seminar...

Another awesome part of the seminar...

Me with Paula Yoo, TV writer & author (The West Wing, Tru Calling, Good Enough, Sixteen Years In Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story)

Me with Anupam Nigam, TV writer/producer (Psych, The Division)

A bunch of stuff... including Scott's contest question

Chad — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 06:53:24 GMT

Hey, guys--

A bunch of stuff...

1) Scott asked a good about the Spinoff Contest... "Will you allow entrants from outside the US?"

The answer?... ABSOLUTELY! Wherever you are, Scott-- or anyone else-- please: submit away! Click HERE for all the details...

2) If you're into web video, check out a great website called eGuiders. Using a team of top-notch industry advisors, including Deadwood creator David Milch, as well as heavyweight advisors like Jerry Stiller, Damon Lindelof, John Landis, and Shawn Ryan, eGuiders aggregates the best videos in cyberspace and places them in easy-to-find categories: documentaries, spinoffs, drama and genre, comedy, etc. It's a great way to let industry big-wigs do the heavy-lifting of sorting through all the online crap so you only have to watch the best of the best!

3) This is going to be of interest to almost NO ONE except me, but so I'm SO FREAKING EXCITED I don't care... CLICK HERE to read today's Variety article about Eddie Van Halen's new guitar... and the new album the band is hoping to start this summer!!!

VIDEO OF THE DAY: "Hollywood ASST"

Chad — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 18:52:58 GMT

I meant to post this a couple days ago and totally spaced it... sorry!... but this video has been making the rounds in Hollywood. It's from my friend Max Dionne and his sketch group, Back of the Class. If you've ever worked as a Hollywood assistant... or wanted to... this should make you smile...

Hollywood ASST

Hollywood ASST from Back of the Class on Vimeo.

Win a role on CBS's "Numb3rs"!

Chad — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 18:54:19 GMT

Hey, everyone--

Thought this was a fun opportunity I'd pass on!...

The Writers Guild Foundation is conducting an Ebay auction to raise vital funds for our High School Screenwriting Workshops and other community outreach & literacy programs. Thank you for bidding generously!

EBAY AUCTION! - TV SHOW NUMB3RS WALK-ON-ROLE
Auction Ends: Feb-28-09 19:58:07 PST- BID NOW!

This is a "WALK-ON" role on CBS Paramount Television's hit show Numb3rs.

Imagine. You can hear the director in the nearby, you are actually rubbing shoulders with real actors in your scene because you have placed the highest bid on this non-speaking, "walk-on" role and YOU ARE ON THE SET of NUMB3RS!

VIEW AUCTION AND BID HERE!

All winners of the "non-speaking walk-on role" must be 18 years or older to participate. The date of appearance will be by mutual convenience of the winners and Paramount. Appearance will be in Los Angeles, California and transportation to and from is not included in this auction. CBS Paramount reserves the right for security reasons to refuse the admittance of anyone to any of its production facilities in its sole discretion. Auction prize redeemable up to one year from date of auction, and details of the walk-on depend solely on the pending production schedule of NUMB3ERS and are at the sole discretion of CBS Paramount.

Learn more about the Writers Guild Foundation's programs at: www.WGFoundation.org

WEBSITE OF THE DAY: The Write Environment

Chad — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:13:18 GMT

Hey, guys--

Props to Andrew, who steered me toward an interesting website: The Write Environment. Founded by screenwriter Jeffrey Berman, The Write Environment is actually a series of interviews, conducted by Berman, with some of today's top TV and film writers, including Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Dollhouse), Damon Lindelof (Lost), Tim Kring (Heroes, Crossing Jordan), and Doug Ellin (Entourage).

Berman posts clips of the interviews on the website, and you can watch the whole of each interview by buying a DVD for $12.95. I don't know if you'll want to toss down 13 bucks for any of these, but even just watching the clips is a lot of fun...

VIDEO OF THE DAY: "Benjamin Gump"

Chad — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:05:17 GMT

Hey, movie fans--

I haven't actually seen The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but thanks to this video... you won't need to! Props to Rick for sending this over. Check it out... hilarious! (I especially loved it because I find Forrest Gump one of the most over-rated movies ever... although it has a great soundtrack-- the best part of the movie)

BENJAMIN GUMP

The Curious Case of Forrest Gump - watch more funny videos

Joss Whedon's Writing Tips

Chad — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:14:34 GMT

Special thanks to Brian Klems for finding this awesome piece with Joss Whedon's top ten writing rules (compliments of Catherine Bray, 4Talent magazine, and Danny Stack). I found this super-helpful... especially the first one, which-- quite honestly-- is a HUGE problem of mine.

Anyway, happy MLK Day, and click HERE enjoy some sage advice from Joss!

Party Pics... Better Late Than Never

Chad — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:05:28 GMT

Hey, folks--

Sorry these are late, but we finally got some of the photos from last month's book party for Small Screen, Big Picture: A Writer's Guide to the TV Business , at the Standard Hotel in Hollywood, up on the Mediabistro website! Click HERE to check 'em out... hope you enjoy!

Also, the book's been getting some terrific reviews, so I just wanted to share a couple with you... (I know this is kinda shameless self-promotion, but I'm excited, so I just wanted to put them up here...)

Booklist (the magazine of the American Library Association) -

Booklistreview.jpg (955.55 KB)

The Writer -

Writerreview.pdf (1.72 MB)

Video Awesomeness

Chad — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:48:30 GMT

Hey, TV-lovers...

Just wanted to let you know about a couple really cool online video things...

First of all, AMC-- the cable network that brought you Mad Men and Breaking Bad-- is doing a remake of The Prisoner (starring Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellan), one of my favorite shows ever... and one of the coolest, most unique shows ever. So to get people psyched up, they've put every episode of the original British series online... FOR FREE! If you haven't seen it... or want to watch it again... you gotta check it out. It's incredible-- and the predecessor to so many popular series that came later (most notable, probably Lost). Click HERE to watch!

Second of all, for all you Gossip Girl fans (props to Julia for finding this), you gotta check out Southern Mothers and Matt Pearson's music video for "Dear Gossip Girl"...

20 Reasons Why 2008 Rocked

Chad — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:52:13 GMT

Hey, everyone—

So, I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this on the blog before, but every year as we head into Christmas and New Years, I put together a special CD which I send to all my friends, family, co-workers, and business contacts.

I call it “X Reasons Why [Whatever Year] Rocked” (X being the number of songs), and it contains all my favorite songs of that year. I also put in a little sheet of “liner notes” with a tiny blurb about why I like each song.

It’s one of my favorite things to do each year… I spent the entire year collecting songs in a special iTunes playlist, then in November and December I sort through them, find my very favorites, and but them in the order that seems to flow the best.

There are only two rules I have when making this CD:

RULE #1: The song must be from that particular year. If it’s a single from an album that came out the previous year, it doesn’t count. Also—reissues are not allowed (although remakes and covers are).

RULE #2: The song has to ROCK. Which basically means it has to move me in some powerful way… either some bad-ass electric guitar (it’s pretty hard NOT to move me if your electric guitar is bad-ass enough)… some heart-shattering lyrics… a killer beat… whatever. Basically, “rock” means it has to be a song that I can listen to over and over again and never get sick of. It has to be awesome.

So without further adieu, I wanted to pass along the song list from this year’s CD. (And while I can’t, unfortunately, send a CD to each of you, I’ll include links to songs so you can download or listen to them. Most are also available on iTunes.)

Oh, one last rule: I tell everyone who gets a CD that they have to give me a review. You can like it, you can hate it, but you have to tell me what you think. The same holds true here.

So take a listen… download what you want… and lemme know what you think! Happy New Year! (And for what it’s worth, I think it always sounds best cranked on your car stereo… preferably while flying down a freeway…)

20 Reasons Why 2008 Rocked (according to Chad)

1. Rock ‘N Roll Train, AC/DC – I hear you laughing. But put this in your car, hit the open road, and crank this as loud as it’ll go. Let’s see who’s laughing then.

2. Thelma & Louise, HorrorPops – Like the Misfits… with a bad-ass chick singer. (Also—these guys may be my new favorite band of the moment. Their whole new CD, “Kiss Kiss Kill Kill,” is incredible.)

3. Help Me, Alkaline Trio – They may have softened, but pop-punk rarely sounds this good.

4. Don’t Forget Sister, Low vs. Diamond – A perfect song for an age of greed and disillusionment.

5. Sarah’s Game, The Loved Ones – Sheer, earnest punk rock energy.

6. Fruit Machine, The Ting Tings – The year’s cheekiest, sexiest, most playful dance song.

7. Ten Million Slaves, Otis Taylor – Rockin’ the banjo like you never thought possible.

8. Sometime Around Midnight, The Airborne Toxic Event – Tis better to have loved and lost?... I’m not sure these guys would agree with you.

9. I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You, Black Kids – Finally, someone who’s not just gonna do what she wants because she asks.

10. Say Hey (I Love You), Michael Franti & Spearhead (featuring Cherine Anderson) – It’s impossible to listen to this song and not feel good about pretty much everything.

11. (Doin’ The) Boom Boom, Eli “Paperboy” Reed and The True Loves – For Aaron and Kelly.

12. Human, The Killers – “Are we human or are we dancer?” Uh… what? (Some people want me to apologize for putting this on here. I won’t… I like it, even if they’ve rocked harder in the past.)

13. A&E, Goldfrapp – Gorgeous and haunting. Like your favorite memory (I know that sounds cheesy, but it’s true, I swear).

14. Graveyard Girl, M83 – Adolescent loneliness and longing haven’t been captured so well since Buffy.

15. Do the Panic, Phantom Planet – The attitude of today with the bounce of vintage rock.

16. Inni mér syngur vitleysingur, Sigur Rós – The best thing Iceland’s ever given us.

17. Elephants, Rachael Yamagata – If you’ve never had someone rip your heart out and not let you heal… Rachael will do it for you.

18. Nitrogen Pink, Polly Scattergood – The best swirling, pounding, thumping fuzz of the year. (Also, this song debuted in the U.K. in 2007, but didn’t arrive stateside till ‘08.)

19. Being Here, The Stills – A U2-esque pump-you-up rocker.

20. Say I Won’t (Recognize), The Gaslight Anthem – Energetic… sad… and the perfect bittersweet anthem to wave goodbye to the old year and bring in the new.

Breaking into Television: My Interview with Alex Epstein

Chad — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:37:41 GMT

Hey, folks--

Just wanted to point you to an interview I recently did with Alex Epstein, TV writer and author of Crafty TV Writing: Thinking Inside the Box and Crafty Screenwriting: Writing Movies That Get Made. Alex writes the "Complications Ensue" blog, which-- if you're not already reading it-- is a terrific blog about TV and film writing.

Anyway, Alex has just posted the first of a four-part interview in which we discuss everything from how to get your scripts into the hands of producers to common mistakes made by aspiring writers to how to pitch reality shows.

Click HERE to check out the interview... and I hope you enjoy!

Chad

UPDATE (12/29/08): Part Two has now been posted! Click HERE to take a read!

UPDATE (12/30/08): Part Three has now been posted! Click HERE to take a read!

UPDATE (12/31/08): Part Four has now been posted! Click HERE to take a read!

Happy Holidays, Movie Lovers!

Chad — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 23:56:17 GMT

Hey, everyone--

First of all, huge thanks to Matt and Wendy for your super-nice comments after yesterday's post! I can't tell you how much I appreciate all you guys, and those comments made my day. Please keep reading... and posting!

Second of all... I'm gonna take things slow over the next couple of holiday weeks. I'll still try and post a bit, but I'm gonna relax as much as possible till the end of the year.

Having said that, I still have an inbox full of questions, comments, thoughts, and Pitch Workshop submissions, so if you've sent something in, I promise-- I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN YOU! Merik, Erica, Ronke-- don't worry... your questions (all of which are great) shall not go unanswered! Plus, we've got some cool stuff coming up... an interview with author and animator Ellen Besen, movie critiques, and book reviews of some interesting new filmmaking books (Bankroll, GreenScreen Made Easy, The Invisible Cut... and more!)...

But right now... I had to pass along this awesome montage of great movie speeches, put together by Matthew Belinkie, who runs the website Overthinking It. (And special thanks to my friend Rick for passing this along!) If you like movies-- and I'm guessing you wouldn't be here if you didn't-- you will LOOOVE this. Seriously-- I've watched it like a million times already, and each time I wanna laugh.. and cry... and laugh... and cry again. It's like a celebration of everything you've ever loved...

(Okay, I just watched it again... I'm convinced this may be the greatest thing I've ever seen in my life...)

(P.S. Just watched it again. FUCKING AWESOME.)

Happy Holidays... and I'll talk to you all soon!

(P.P.S. It's now Christmas morning and I just watched this again. I have to know-- seriously-- HAS THERE EVER BEEN ANYTHING COOLER THAN THIS???!!!)

40 Inspirational Scenes in 2 Minutes

Join Me for a XX Chat About TV... on the Internet

Chad — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:46:53 GMT

Hey, everyone--

Just wanted to invite you all to tune in this Sunday, when I'll be a special guest on The XX Factor, Susan Schofield and Kim Gruenenfelder's political/pop cultural Internet radio show on LATalkRadio.com. We'll be talking about the state of television... where it's going in the near future... and some of today's hot TV-related topics like NBC's recent Jay Leno move, the potential Screen Actors Guild strike, and how the economy is taking its toll on Hollywood. Here's the scoop...

Sunday, December 21, 2008
10 a.m.
LATalkRadio.com - just click to listen live!

UPDATE (12/20/08, 7:30 pm): I just found out that we can take live calls on the show tomorrow, so if you have a question, comment, or wanna say hello, please drop us a line between 10 and 10:50 at 323-203-0815! Hope to talk to you then!...

TV Interview... and a Book Excerpt

Chad — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:51:50 GMT

Hey, guys--

Just wanted to point you to an interview I did last week with Mediabistro... we talked about everything from breaking into television and producing your first show to how the Internet is changing TV and what the economy has in store.

They also printed an excerpt from my TV book, Small Screen, Big Picture: A Writer's Guide to the TV Business, which talks about the most important elements in creating a successful TV show.

Click HERE to read the interview...

Click HERE to read the excerpt...

And coming in the next few days: an in-depth interview with animator Ellen Besen, a discussion of fight scenes, book reviews, Pitch Workshop submissions and feedback, and much much more!...

Interesting Article... Enjoy!

Chad — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 12:08:01 GMT

Hey, everyone--

This doesn't have anything to do with screenwriting per se, but I loved Andrew Sullivan's piece, "Why I Blog," in this month's Atlantic magazine, so I just wanted to pass it along. Andrew's one of the best bloggers out there, and he does a great job of summing up the relevance and uniqueness of blogs in this article...

Click HERE to check it out (and enjoy the accompanying video below)!

In the mean time, stay tuned... we've got some great stuff coming up: more responses and submissions to the Script Notes Pitch Workshop, a discussion of how to write fight scenes, book reviews... and much much more!

YOUR BRAIN ON BLOG... WITH ANDREW SULLIVAN AND MARC AMBINDER (THANKS TO THE ATLANTIC)

Havin' a Party... and You're Invited!

Chad — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 18:00:42 GMT

Hey, everyone--

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving and are at least half as stuffed as I am... I am literally writing this with the computer on the bed and me on my knees next because I'm too top-heavy to lift myself up any further. Having said that...

Wanted to give you all an official invitation... to my L.A. book party!

As you know, my TV book, Small Screen, Big Picture: A Writer's Guide to the TV Business, came out on Tuesday from Random House and Mediabistro... so Mediabistro and I are having a party!

It's this Thursday at the Standard Hotel in Hollywood. Click HERE for all the info and to RSVP (be sure to RSVP so you get on the list). You can come by, say hello, grab a drink, and pick up a copy of the book!

Hope to see you all there!

Hit Your Local Bookstores! (Please!)

Chad — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:35:07 GMT

Hey, everyone--

I know I mentioned this a couple weeks ago... but today my TV book, Small Screen, Big Picture: A Writer's Guide to the TV Business, hits shelves from Random House and Mediabistro-- so please don't be afraid to go check it out!

If you're an aspiring TV writer, this is a book you definitely don't want to miss... there are many TV writing books out there-- books about drama, books about comedy, books about pilot-writing and spec-writing-- but this book is different in that it's a user-friendly writer's guide to the business of television. TV, after all, is an industry... and the way that industry works-- the way it's structured, the way it generates profit, the way it's changing and evolving-- are the factors that ultimately affect the kinds of shows that get on TV and the kinds of shows that survive.

So Small Screen, Big Picture details how networks like NBC and studios like Warner Brothers work... how shows like NCIS or How I Met Your Mother make money (and how that affects the creative process)... how new series, such as Fringe, are pitched and developed... the real difference between shows like Lost and CSI... the pilot production process... the inner workings of a TV writers' room... how series like 24 or Desperate Housewives work differently than pilots... when/where/how/why to get an agent or manager... and, ultimately, how to use this information to break in and launch your TV career.

I'm always dismayed when I meet young writers who don't know (or care!) how the industry works... so this book is:

A) A way to get a leg up on your competition
B) My attempt to give young writers a resource I wish I'd had when I started out
C) My love letter to television

Having said all that-- please check it out! You can get it at Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble, or just about any other bookstore. And please... LEMME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! (Good or bad-- I have thick skin...)

-- Chad

P.S. If you can't make it to the bookstore (or even if you can), at least become a fan on Facebook! Just click HERE. Thanks, guys!

WEBSITE OF THE DAY: ChadGervich.com

Chad — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:29:03 GMT

Hey, everyone--

My website, ChadGervich.com, is finally up and running... so please swing by and check it out! You'll find info about me (news, upcoming events and classes, etc.)... but you'll also find some amazing resources for aspiring TV writers...

• Job-hunting links and websites
• Network, studio, and agency info
• The best industry news sources
• TV conferences, festivals, and contests
• Books and software recommendations
• ...and much, much more!

Although I'll continue adding stuff and updating the site (I think of it as a constant work in progress), I hope to make it one of the best go-to websites for TV writers looking for guidance, contacts, outlets, and resources. So take a look and lemme know what you think!

(And a HUGE thank to my friend, Charlie, who has been helping me put the whole thing together. I couldn't have done it without him!)

TV Writing Interview: Part III... Take a Listen

Chad — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:17:31 GMT

Hey, everyone--

Here's the third part of the 3-part podcast interview I did with Judith Parker Harris and the Alive! Authors Network. Take a listen... we talk about the politics and logistics of being a TV writer, frequent mistakes aspiring writers make, and how to break in and launch a successful career.

Click HERE to check it out!

(And here's Part I and Part II...)

And coming up, we've got some great reader questions... book reviews... and more pitch workshop entries!

Best Book Recommendation EVER!

Chad — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:00:31 GMT

Hey, everyone--

I'm super-psyched to announce that my new (and first) book, Small Screen, Big Picture: A Writer's Guide to the TV Business (which officially comes out November 25), is now available for pre-order on Amazon, Borders, and Barnes & Noble!

The book is a user-friendly "business guide" for aspiring TV writers. It explains the differences between networks, studios, and production companies... how TV series make money... the new show development and production process... and how all this affects the creative process. It then talks about what happens in a writers room... how to break in and get your first writing job... and how to survive once you're there.

It also features interviews with almost 200 working TV professionals... network and studio executives from almost every network and studio (NBC, ABC, FOX, the CW, TNT, Comedy Central, E!, you name it)... showrunners, writers, and producers from all your favorite shows (Lost, Psych, Dexter, Life, Army Wives, Alias, Prison Break, Buffy, 24... and more)... and agents from Hollywood's top TV agencies (UTA, ICM, APA, Gersh, etc.).

Now, granted, I’m biased, but if you’re an aspiring TV writer… or even just love television and learning how it works… I think/hope this is a really helpful, important book. Most books focus on the creative aspects of being a TV writer: how to write comedy, how to structure a pilot, how to pitch a show, etc. Small Screen, Big Picture looks at these things… but from a business perspective: what executives really want, how to design a show that will be profitable for its studio, what agents need to get you work, etc.

So please… take a look… and lemme know what you think!

TV Writing Interview: Part II... Take a Listen!

Chad — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:23:02 GMT

Hey, everyone--

A couple weeks ago, the Alive! Authors Network posted the first part of Breaking In and Breaking Through the TV Business, Judith Parker Harris's 3-part interview with me about TV writing... how to get your foot in the door, get noticed, and excel in the world of television.

Well, Judith has now posted Part II... so please CLICK HERE take a listen to the next installment, and lemme know what you think!

In the mean time, have a great weekend... enjoy your extra hour... and Part III will be up soon!

Chatting About TV Writing... Take a Listen!

Chad — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 05:47:10 GMT

Hey, everyone--

Just wanted to invite you all to listen to a recent podcast interview I did on the Alive! Authors Network... all about TV writing and the TV industry.

This is the first of a 3-part interview I did, called Breaking In and Breaking Through the TV Business, with podcast host Judith Parker Harris. We talk about finding your own voice, common mistakes, ageism in Hollywood, how to deal with criticism, show business myths and misnomers... and more!

Click HERE to go to the podcast...

Take a listen and lemme know what you think... the next two segments will be available over the next few weeks!

Batman vs. McCain: Last Night's Debate

Chad — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:40:22 GMT

A great clip from last night's debate... or not... (courtesy of Andrew Sullivan's "Daily Dish" at The Atlantic)...

Batman vs. The Penguin (the debate)

Free Theater Across America!

Chad — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:07:40 GMT

Hey, everyone--

Huge thanks to my friend Hallie for cluing me into this, but this is awesome! Free Night of Theater is a program designed in cooperation with Theater Communications Group and the Association of Performing Arts Service Organizations to get people out to see more live theater, introduce newbies to live performance, etc.... and it coordinates hundreds of theaters in cities across America!

Between October 16 and October 31, hundreds of theaters in Atlanta, St. Louis, Los Angeles, New York, Austin, San Diego, Cincinnati, Lexington, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Portland, Boston, and almost 100 more cities will be offering FREE NIGHTS OF THEATER!

Click HERE for more info, or click HERE to find theaters near you... and enjoy a great night of live theater!

In Honor of Matt Damon...

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:29:58 GMT

We've all seen (or most of us have) Matt Damon's September 10th interview about Sarah Palin. So today, CollegeHumor.com posted this terrific sketch video...

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Awesome-- You Gotta Read These!

Chad — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:02:02 GMT

First of all, huge thanks to an anonymous reader who directed me to "Little Big Screen," James Wolcott's terrific piece in this October's Vanity Fair about the quality of TV writing vs. movie writing.

And second of all, huge thanks to Dewayne, who pointed me to this incredible Aaron Sorkin piece in yesterday's New York Times. Basically, Maureen Dowd asked Sorkin to write a piece for her column, so Sorkin wrote a scene in which Barack Obama asks for advice from The West Wing's President Bartlett. It's terrific-- you gotta read this! (Why couldn't Studio 60 have been this good?!)

WEBSITE OF THE DAY: Amanda the Aspiring TV Writer

Chad — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:58:31 GMT

Props to my friend Charlie for turning me on to this site, but I wanted to let you all know about a pretty great blog... from Amanda the Aspiring TV Writer.

I don't know Amanda personally, but if you're interested in television writing... or how to break in... this is a terrific site. Here's the scoop... Amanda is a young woman, here in L.A., trying to make it as a television writer. So she's doing what many people do when they're trying to get their foot in the door: working at an agency, which is one of the best-- if not THE best-- way to get your start in Hollywood (especially in TV).

So Amanda uses her blog not only to give writing advice, but also to advise people on how to get their start, how to navigate the world of agencies, etc. She even posts interesting events and writer-centric activities around town. But perhaps most interestingly, Amanda captures what it's like to be twentysomething and trying to make it in television. She writes about everything from the culture within an agency... to why she loves TV... to how to network and find jobs. It's half memoir, half advice-column, half behind-the-curtain-glimpse at Hollywood. (And yes-- that's three halves. I am HORRIBLE at math.)

Anyway, check it out... it's a different (and, I think, fresher and perhaps more honest) look at writing-- or trying to write-- in Hollywood then you get at blogs of more established writers.

Palin vs. Clinton: The SNL Match-Up

Chad — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:39:05 GMT

For those of you haven't seen last night's Saturday Night Live sketch starring Tina Fey as Sarah Palin and Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton, I'm posting it here. I love this not only because Tina Fey does a DEAD-ON Palin impersonation, but because this is some great political sketch producing.

I love it not only because of Fey's performance and the biting wit, but because the SNL writers do a terrific job of creating a little "relationship" between these women on screen. (For those of you who haven't been to one of my L.A. classes, I'm a HUGE proponent of pounding home that all good storytelling-- regardless of length or purpose-- is about only three things: RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS.)

It would've been easy for the writers to simply string together some snarky political one-liners and rely on the strenth of their performers' impersonations (Amy Poehler does a decent job, but not as good as Tina Fey), but instead they took the time to let the fictional Palin/Clinton relationship build.

Both characters in this sketch have strong personal/emotional wants... which they articulate at the beginning of the sketch... but in order to achieve their wants they're forced to team up with the one person most antithetical to their objective. (Well, Hillary is, anyway-- Palin is practically oblivious to the tension in the relationship.) You can almost hear the SNL writers asking themselves "how would these two women feel-- and behave-- if forced to join together for a brief moment on the political stage?" "How would their world-views conflict, and how would these conflicting views affect their behavior?"

Take a look... lemme know what you think...

Two Cool Web Series!

Chad — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:33:03 GMT

Hey, everyone--

Not sure if you've seen these, but wanted to turn you on to two interesting web series...

1) Stephen King's N. This is an adaptation of a short story coming out in Just After Sunset, a collection of Stephen King stories coming out this November. The web series, written by Marc Guggenheim (creator of Eli Stone on ABC), is basically a "filmed" graphic novel... it's illustrated with actors doing voice-over.

N. tells the story of Charlie, a psychiatrist who receives a bizarre box from an old school friend. In that box are notes from the friend's brother Johnny, also a psychiatrist, who recently committed suicide after treating a mysterious patient known only as "N." The story follows Charlie as he explores the contents of the box... and learns the secret that drove Johnny to his death.

Each episode is around a minute and a half... and they are addictive. Watch one, you'll definitely watch another. This is a great example of how even with the simplest production values, well-crafted storytelling is utterly riveting.

Also-- the series premiered July 28 and has been posting a new episode every day until today... which is the finale. All the episodes are now available HERE or you can check out the widget I put below...

2) Gemini Division. Produced by and starring the super-cute Rosario Dawson (who is also a self-professed comic book geek), Gemini Division follows an NYPD cop, Anna, as she tries to avenge the death of her fiance... and finds herself pulled into a sci-fi world of cyborgs and conspiracies.

There's been a ton of buzz around this series because it's got a ton of heavy-hitters involved, including Sony and NBC. I'll be honest... I don't think it's the best thing ever done on the Internet (I wish each episode was a bit shorter, and I wish the story integrated the "webbiness" of the web a bit more... interactivity, etc.), but it deserves kudos for being more ambitious and sophisticated than most web offerings out... and it's a great example of how much you can do if you use your green screen creatively.

Anyway, check 'em out and lemme know what you think...

Stephen King's N.