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With broadcast networks trying new programming strategies and new cable networks springing up every day, there are more opportunities than ever to sell a TV idea and get a show on the air. But TV pilots are an artform unto themselves... they work differently than novels, movies, or even regular TV episodes... and if you don't have a solid grasp of how pilots work-- and what networks and studios look for-- it's nearly impossible to sell an idea! This seminar explores the art and craft of writing a TV pilot: structure, character, genre... and what a pilot must accomplish in order to impress and survive TV's development execs.

(It's also one of my favorite classes to teach...)

Click here for more information...

WHEN: Thursday, August 7, 7-10 pm
WHERE: Beverly Hills Bar Assoc., 300 S. Beverly Dr., 2nd Fl., Beverly Hills, CA 90212
COST: $65 ($50 for avantguild members)
TO SIGN UP: Call 212-547-7890 or click HERE

Classes Seminars Workshops | Events Activities and Things To Do | Writing TV

7/31/2008 10:55:25 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Top 10 Ways To Win Writers Digest's Annual Screenwriting Contest - Part II
Posted by Chad

And here's the conclusion to this weekend's post, the TOP 5 WAYS TO WIN WRITERS DIGEST's annual screenwriting contest...

5) STAGE DIRECTIONS – PART II. Do not over-write descriptions in your stage directions. Give the reader only the bare minimum of what he/she needs to know in order to understand your story. Elaborate scenic descriptions, character profiles, or visuals of props and costumes have no place in a screenplay… no matter how colorfully you see these things in your head. If you enjoy writing these elements, put them in a novel or short story.

4) DIALOGUE. Do NOT write long chunks of dialogue. Like with stage directions, try to keep each paragraph of dialogue under 3 lines. Sometimes, obviously, you’ll need more… if someone is ranting or lecturing… but dialogue should be short and snappy. (And real people rarely speak in long chucks; actual dialogue tends to be in quick exchanges.)

3) VOICE-OVER. If you’re going to use voice-over, use it VERY sparingly. Many writers believe V.O. is a crutch used to avoid dramatizing story. I don’t necessarily agree with this—there are many stories that use voice-over to great effect—but it’s often easy for it to BECOME a crutch, to use a character’s voice-over to set the stage, color the world, or give us exposition that isn’t necessary to the story. Some entries began with two, three, or four pages of one character’s V.O., and even without reading it, seeing this is as much of a turnoff as pages of stage description. Treat V.O. like any other piece of dialogue… it should be short and to the point.

2) SOUNDING CONTEMPORARY. Do NOT worry about making characters sound “cool” or “contemporary” at the risk of honesty. In other words, don’t use slang or speech patterns if you don’t use them naturally. There were many entries where writers seemed to be writing about foreign places, people, etc. This is fine—the whole point of storytelling is to transport the reader (and writer!) to new places—but capturing accurate speech patterns is less important than capturing emotional honesty. So if your story is set on the streets of Watts or in the backwoods of Georgia… but you’ve never been to those places… don’t try to recreate your version of street slang or southern drawl. You’ll be much more convincing if you accurately convey how your characters FEEL—even if their speech is totally inaccurate—than if you throw in a bunch of misused colloquialisms.

1) WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW. I know we all hear this a lot, but this does NOT mean you should write something autobiographical… or you shouldn’t set something in a faraway time or place. It means “write what you know EMOTIONALLY,” and be honest about it. If you’re writing about a medieval knight who longs to leave his home and family to see the world, tap into what you dislike about your own home. Listen to fights you have with your family and transcribe them into your script. Many entries were set in interesting places, but they didn’t seem to reflect any emotional reality in the writer’s life; they didn’t ring with the truth of universal emotions. We all experience love, loss, grief, elation, melancholy, wistfulness… and while we all have our own life experiences, the experiences of these emotions are usually identical. The more honestly you can type into your own feelings, the more strongly we connect to your writing and see it as a reflection of our own lives.

Career Advice | Jobs Contests Opportunities | Screenwriting (Film) | Writing Advice | Writing TV

7/29/2008 8:09:59 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Sunday, July 27, 2008

Top 10 Ways To Win Writers Digest's Annual Screenwriting Contest - Part I
Posted by Chad

Writers Digest’s annual writing contest is in full swing… fiction, poetry, non-fiction… and, of course, screenwriting. I’ve been judging the screenwriting division for the past few years, and I always love it—it’s a blast reading and discovering new talent. And this year is no different, so I’ve been poring over hundreds of scripts, many of which are really good.

Unfortunately, not all scripts can be terrific, and I often notice that the not-so-terrific ones are not-so-terrific for the exact same reasons. In fact, many of these scripts COULD be terrific, but they fall into certain traps that keep them from being as good as they could/should be.

So I wanted to dedicate a couple blog posts to the WD writers contest… and how to give yourself the best possible chance of winning. So here’s Part One of…

THE TOP 10 WAYS TO WIN WD’S ANNUAL SCREENWRITING CONTEST - PART I

10) YOUR SYNOPSIS. Writers Digest asks you to submit a synopsis along with your script. Do NOT write a full-page, single-spaced, tiny-font synopsis. The purpose of the synopsis is to give a QUICK overview of the story; not detail every plot turn. Thus, your synopsis should be one tight paragraph. When I see more than that, I rarely read it… and it tells me the writer doesn’t know how to tell his/her story quickly and succinctly.

9) FORMAT. Make sure your screenplay is in PROPER SCREENPLAY FORMAT. I’m always stunned at how many entries aren’t written in standard script format; some are written as plays, some are single-spaced without tabs, others just make up their own format. Here’s the thing: if your screenplay is NOT in standard format, it’ll be glanced at, but its chances of winning are greatly diminished. And in a real-life situation, an exec or producer probably won’t read it at all; it’ll just go in the trash. I know this seems nitpicky and harsh, but in an age where everyone is only moments away from the Internet, a library, or a bookstore, there’s no excuse for not having proper formatting. (And with software like Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter, the computer formats the script for you.)

8) YOUR FIRST PAGE – PART I. Even before I actually begin reading your first page, I’m judging your script. If your first page consists entirely of stage directions, it looks dense, daunting, and uninviting. To be honest, I probably won’t even read the whole thing or make it to page two. This is true in the real world as well; execs and producers are looking for any reason to not turn the page, and a big paragraphs of stage directions are a great one.

7) YOUR FIRST PAGE – PART II. Jump into major conflict on your first page. Do NOT take time to “set the stage.” Jump into action, dialogue, and conflict at the top of page one. It’s a gross misnomer that stories need a few pages to establish the main characters or setting. Not only do we rarely need this info in order to start a story, but it’s more effectively conveyed if it comes through as we watch the action/conflict unfold. If you begin by “setting the stage,” I promise you: your reader will be bored by page two.

6) STAGE DIRECTIONS – PART I. Do NOT write huge paragraphs of stage description. I try to never write stage directions over 3 lines long. If I need more, I’ll OCCASIONALLY go to 4 lines… but never more. If you still need more, break it up into different paragraphs. But few things turn readers off more than seeing massive chunks of stage direction. (And the truth is: you DON’T need more than 3 lines. The job of stage directions is to give us only info and action we MUST know to follow the story; don’t waste your readers’ time with detailed descriptions of people, places, clothing, etc.)

Stay tuned for the next five tips... have a good weekend!

Chad

Career Advice | Jobs Contests Opportunities | Screenwriting (Film) | Writing Advice | Writing TV

7/27/2008 4:09:18 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Thursday, July 24, 2008

READER QUESTION: I Don't Live in L.A.; How Should I Sell My Reality Idea?
Posted by Chad

Today's question comes from CONNIE, an aspiring reality producer who lives in a state far from Los Angeles...
"I was at a party and ran into an acquaintance whose brother is a [low-budget film] producer... and I told him broadly about my [reality show] idea. He said that he might be interested in developing my idea. Do I need a lawyer to negotiate for me? I don't know where to begin to find a good entertainment lawyer - especially here in the provinces. Should I sell to the first bidder and get out, or should I try and find an agent and hold out for a more legit company? What would you do?"

Hey, Connie—

Thanks for the question… this is an interesting dilemma, especially for you and all the other readers who live far from the madding crowds of Hollywood.

The first thing to discuss is how TV shows are actually sold. Unlike in the rest of the world… where buying/selling transactions mean Person A pays Person B an agreed-upon price to wholly acquire a product, then Person B goes away… television works a bit differently.

When a network “buys” a TV show idea, they do acquire the rights (usually), just like in a traditional business transaction. But RARELY does the seller/producer go away. In fact, the most important part of a TV idea is almost NEVER the idea itself… it’s the writer/producer/storyteller behind it. A mediocre idea in the hands of a talented and proven producer is almost always more attractive and sellable than a brilliant idea from a total novice. So the TV network wants, needs, and often EXPECTS that person to stay around. In fact, it’s nearly impossible for a total novice to sell an idea at all, no matter how brilliant it may be.

(This is for many reasons… A: networks and studios want to hire producers they know can execute their own vision, B: networks and studios also tend to hire producers they’ve worked with and continue to trust, C: EVERY IDEA—no matter how original its creator may think it is—has been pitched, developed, or done before; so an idea itself rarely has value… it’s the producer’s vision and execution that make it unique and sale-able.)

As a result, when a TV network or studio buys an idea, they don’t just pay the seller one large paycheck and then own the property in a single transaction. In fact, because the seller usually sticks around to produce the project, there usually isn’t one set price. Rather, the buyer and the seller agree on a producing fee which is paid to the producer over the life of the project.

So, for example, if you sold a TV network or studio a show called “Connie’s World,” they probably would NOT say, “We love this idea, Connie—we’d like to buy it from you for $100.” Instead, they’d say, “We love this idea, Connie—we’d like to produce it with you. We’ll own the project—or at least the majority of it—but we’ll pay you $60 to produce the pilot and $40 per episode to produce the subsequent episodes.” (These numbers aren’t accurate, obviously—they’re just examples.) These “producing fees” would be negotiated between you and the buyer at the outset. You may also negotiate maintaining ownership… or a certain amount of ownership… in the project. The “real money” in TV comes from owning TV shows, or pieces of their backend, not in producer fees… so it’s to your advantage to maintain as much ownership over your project as possible.

All of this helps answer your questions, because if your producer-friend wants to “buy” your project outright, it says two things to me:

1) You shouldn’t do it. Or at least, you shouldn’t “sell” him your project in its entirety. Partnering with him is a different thing… and he may make a valuable PARTNER, which we’ll discuss in a moment. But I wouldn’t wholly sell him your idea.

2) If he wants to “buy” your idea outright, it suggests he doesn’t understand how television works. Now—you don’t necessarily say this in your question, so I’m kind of inferring... (and to be fair, you say he just wants to “develop” it, which seems more appropriate)… but just be warned: whenever someone—especially a not-established TV network, studio, or production wants to “buy” an idea—it’s usually a red flag to me that they don’t understand how the TV business works.

So the question is… IS THIS GUY THE PRODUCER/PARTNER FOR YOU?

Only you can ultimately answer that question, but use these criteria to help…

To produce a TV show, or convince a buyer you can produce it, three things must be covered by the selling team…

1)   You need a strong creative vision (this is primarily where you come in, since the idea is your baby)

2)   You need the ability to physically produce the show… to shoot it, budget it, prep it, post it (and practicalities will often affect the creative vision/execution, so your physical producer should be someone you trust creatively as well)

3)   You need to have the connections and track record in order to sell it. Buyers like networks and studios rarely take meetings with strangers and newbies, let alone buy projects from them. So you need to have someone who can get you in the door and convince buyers you have the ability to make this TV show. If it’s not you, or a producing partner, it can be agent or manager.

If you don’t have all three of these points covered yourself, that’s when you need a producing partner… in this case, your film producer friend.

The questions you must ask yourself are:

• Does he have the ability to produce this show physically? Not just as a one-off, like a movie, but as a long-running series?

• Does he know the appropriate reality executives and producers to pitch this to? And if so, does he have strong enough relationships with them—or a track record—to convince them he can do this?

If the answers to these questions are yes, you’ve found your partner!

If the answers are no, you may want to keep looking. Partnering with the wrong person can hurt you more than not partnering with anyone, because you burden the project with unattractive attachments, and that makes it a tougher sell to execs and producers. So be very careful about who you partner with!

Having said that, I understand that you want to move forward, and this producer may be your one resource to helping get this project off the ground.

Perhaps you can work with him simply to develop the concept and shoot a sizzle reel or demo. He probably won’t work for free, but you could negotiate a plan to pay him only for his work on this stage of the project. It could be a work-for-hire arrangement, in which you pay him just to help you develop the idea and shoot a sizzle reel. Or it could be arrangement in which you defer his compensation and pay him only if the idea sells. You could even offer him a piece of the project’s backend if it sells; HOWEVER—since, at this point, you have no control over how much backend—if any—you may get, you can only offer him a piece of YOUR potential backend, not the whole project’s. (In other words, let’s say you offer him 15% of the backend; you can’t really offer him 15% of the show’s backend, you can only offer him 15% of YOUR backend.)

To answer your final question, Connie—do you need a lawyer/agent/etc. to negotiate this?—probably. I’m NOT a lawyer/agent/etc., and I know very little about the machinations of these things… but you should have legal representation any time you want to legally protect yourself or your ideas.

Having said that—I don’t know how many entertainment lawyers are out there in your neck of the woods. Most of them, obviously, are in places like LA, New York, Nashville, etc. And, unfortunately, I think you’ll have a nearly impossible time convincing one—if they’re not already your best friend or relative—to take you on as a client.

However, there probably ARE lawyers in your area who can handle this… or refer you to someone you can. Ask around at entertainment-related places that would have these connections: local TV stations, radio stations, talent agencies, commercial production companies, universities with media departments, etc. You’ll have to pound the pavement a little, but I promise: there are probably less than six degrees of separation between you and your lawyer.

Anyway, Connie—I hope this helps! Good luck with your project, and I hope to see it on TV soon!

For the rest of you… if you have questions, please don’t hesitate to email me at WDScriptNotes@FWPubs.com

Talk to you soon!

Chad

Career Advice | Reader Questions | Reality TV

7/24/2008 11:28:06 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Sunday, July 20, 2008

Fremantle Fires Back
Posted by Chad

As you all know, the Writers Guild of America launched its American Idol Truth Tour last week to help unionize reality TV and fight unfair labor practices against writers. In yesterday's LA Times, Fremantle fights back. Here's the article...

Reality TV producer fires back at Writers Guild

Fremantle disputes WGA claims about working conditions and says not all of its shows use writers.

By Richard Verrier, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
July 19, 2008

Reality TV producer FremantleMedia North America fired back at the Writers Guild of America, West, dismissing its "American Idol" Truth Tour as nothing more than a caravan of misinformation.

"The WGA allegations that are leveled against Fremantle are not true and just another example of their campaign of defamation and negative propaganda," said David Shall, executive vice president of business operations for Fremantle, which produces several reality TV programs, including the Fox hit "American Idol."

Shall was responding to a campaign the guild launched this week intended to highlight the adverse working conditions of writers on "American Idol" and other Fremantle shows. Among other things, guild officials allege that Fremantle has denied overtime pay and meal breaks to writers and other workers.

But Fremantle executives call such claims baseless. The guild's dispute with Fremantle began last year, when it urged four writers on the game show "Temptation" to walk off the job. The union has since helped several Fremantle employees file wage and hour claims, which have been settled or are pending.

The union wants Fremantle to agree to a contract covering writers on all of its reality and game shows, which Fremantle argues is unreasonable because not all of the company's shows, including "American Idol," use writers -- an assertion the union disputes.

Fremantle recently negotiated a contract with the guild to cover its game show "Match Game" and noted that it had agreements with other unions, including the Directors Guild of America.

"They want a blanket contract to cover every one of our shows, whether we need writers or not," Shall said. "Our position is that most of our reality shows and a good chunk of our game shows don't need writers."

Industry Updates | Reality TV

7/20/2008 6:31:56 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Thursday, July 17, 2008

Watchmen Trailer Online!
Posted by Chad

Hey, movie/comic/graphic novel fans--

The trailer for the movie adaptation of Watchmen, Alan Moore's seminal graphic novel, is online! Check it out here...

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Watchmen-Trailer-9552.html

What do you think? Thumbs up? Thumbs down? Thumbs sideways?

Fun Stuff

7/17/2008 6:30:33 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Calling All Buffy, Angel, & Firefly Fans!...
Posted by Chad

Hey, guys--

I don't know that you're all Buffy, Angel, Firefly fans (but you should be), but since I am, I wanted to give you this update. (Also, show creator Joss Whedon is definitely a writers' writer, so I'm guessing you enjoy him as much as I do...)

Anyway, Joss Whedon's new Internet short, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, starring Neil Patrick Harris, has arrived! It debuted yesterday, and is now available at iTunes through July 29 for $4.99. Check out the preview...

DR. HORRIBLE'S SING-ALONG BLOG PREVIEW

Teaser from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog on Vimeo.

Digital Media and Web Series | Fun Stuff

7/15/2008 7:53:09 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Friday, July 11, 2008

Fight for Writers' Rights... and Get A Free Trip To San Francisco!
Posted by Chad

Hey, writers--

FremantleMedia is beginning its next round of auditions for FOX's mega-hit reality show American Idol, and The Writers Guild of America is using the opportunity to step up its fight to organize reality TV and game show writers... and they need your help-- AND YOU CAN GET A FREE TRIP FROM L.A. TO SAN FRANCISCO!

Here's the message direct from the WGA...

The Writers Guild of America, West continues to fight for WGA-coverage of all 'reality' & game shows. The WGAW stands with you to demand that production companies like FremantleMedia
respect you with industry standard benefits. The WGA's Network Organizing Committee (NOC)
is shining a light on FremantleMedia's unfair treatment of its writers. FremantleMedia's marquee show, American Idol, is conducting its Season 8 national auditions. WGAW members and reality & game show writers will be joined by Teamsters Local 399 & other labor allies on the American Idol Truth Tour.

Hundreds of supporters will be traveling around the country to American Idol auditions to expose FremantleMedia's unfair treatment of its workers.

The first stop of the American Idol Truth Tour is San Francisco, CA. On Wednesday, July 16th, reality & game show writers, WGAW members, Teamsters and other allies will be leaving Los Angeles for the first stop on the American Idol Truth Tour.

Come & get on the bus! Two large events will kick off the Truth Tour.

American Idol Truth Tour Kick-Off Press Conference
Wednesday, July 16th @ 10am
WGAW multi-purpose room, 7000 W 3rd St, Los Angeles
***Bus to San Francisco leaves immediately after the Press Conference. Transportation, food, and hotel will be provided.***

American Idol Truth Tour Rally
Thursday, July 17th @ 11am
Outside the Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA
***Bus to Los Angeles will leave after the rally and arrive in Los Angeles by 11pm Thursday night.***
COME TO THE LOS ANGELES PRESS CONFERENCE and RIDE THE BUS TO SAN FRANCISCO FOR THE AMERICAN IDOL TRUTH TOUR.
For more information and to reserve your seat on the American Idol Truth Tour bus, contact WGAW Organizing Department:
Trish Albert
WGAW Organizer
talbert@wga.org
323.819.1676

For more information on the fight to organize reality TV, check out the WGA's organizing page, or download the following study from Goodwin Simon Victoria Research:

harsh_reality.pdf (195.68 KB)

Events Activities and Things To Do | Reality TV

7/11/2008 6:53:07 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Thursday, July 10, 2008

READER QUESTION: Should I Shop Both a Script and a Novel Version of my Story?
Posted by Chad

Today's reader question comes from avid reader Chris, who has a very interesting question...

"I was thinking about using a screenplay I’d written as a pseudo-outline for a book, and even adding back in some of the scenes that I cut to make the script tighter. My question is, if by a miracle I feel that both products are really good, can I shop the screenplay and the book around at the same time?

Thanks, Chris"

Hey, Chris—

As I said, this is a really intriguing question… in fact, I have a story idea I’ve wanted to write for a few months (okay, who am I kidding? It’s been a few years, to be honest…), and I’ve tried it as both a movie and a novel, but I haven’t been able to crack it in either form. Which is neither here nor there in regards to your question, I’m just saying—I’ve been (kind of) in your shoes.

But in terms of shopping your two versions, here’s the thing…

I see no reason why you can’t shop them both around at the same time. HOWEVER…

The two versions don’t necessarily “help” each other; in other words, having a novel version of your story doesn’t make your screenplay more sellable, and having a screenplay version doesn’t make your novel more sellable.

Basically, because both pieces are written on spec, neither has any real value to buyers, outside of its own quality.

Now, if one of them were to sell, the other MIGHT suddenly become more valuable. I.e., if a publisher snatches up your novel, especially if it’s a high-profile publisher or a big sale, film companies or studios may suddenly be interested in the movie rights. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll care at all about the script you’ve written—they might not even want to read it—but their interest may at least be a bit more piqued. (And if they DO want to make a movie, they’ll probably want to develop it from scratch, with their own input and guidance, rather than use your pre-written script.) A few years ago, for instance, first-time novelist Michael Reisman sold his children’s sci-fi novel, SIMON BLOOM, THE GRAVITY KEEPER, to Penguin. The book wasn’t scheduled to be published till 2007, but his manager slipped a copy of the manuscript to director Gary Ross, who loved it so much he acquired the film rights months before the book actually came out. Although the manuscript had to be good enough to stand up on its own, the fact that it had already been vetted and accepted by another buyer gave it added value.

Of course, simply selling one of the pieces does not, in any way, guarantee buyers will want the other version. In fact, for unpublished authors, a sale itself rarely does much to raise the cachet of its project or author. Michael Weisman’s story—while inspirational—is a definite anomaly. Whether writing in film or print, you probably need your project to actually get made or published and then turn into a bona fide HIT. Once the story is a genuine success in one medium, buyers will be more likely to see its potential in another. Movie producer Scott Rudin, for example, bought the movie rights to Marisha Pessi’s first novel, Special Topics in Calamity Physics… but only after it had been published and received stellar reviews.

Anyway, Chris—all of this is to say that I don’t think it can hurt you to shop both your book version and your screenplay version… but it also doesn’t really help you. So if you want to put in the time and energy to write both versions… go for it.

Personally, I think your time and energy are probably better spent writing two original pieces, regardless of the medium. Like an athlete exercising different muscles, writing new/different pieces will not only help you get stronger as a writer, it’ll illuminate different sides of your skills.

Either way, I can’t wait to read your book AND see the movie… whichever comes first!

Good luck… hope this helps!

Chad

Career Advice | Reader Questions

7/10/2008 2:17:28 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Please Set Your Tivos!
Posted by Chad

Hey, everyone--

Just wanted to give you a heads up and ask you to please set your Tivos and VCR’s for tomorrow night...

The comedy talk/sketch/variety show I’ve been writing for, Reality Binge, premieres tomorrow, July 10, at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Fox Reality Channel. Each week, we parody and poke fun at the funniest clips in reality TV with jokes, sketches, bits, etc. Think Saturday Night Live meets The Daily Show meets The Soup... but better than all of them!

You can check it out on the web here...

www.foxreality.com/realitybinge

So please watch... or if you can’t, record it!

Thanks a million, everyone--

Chad

Here’s the info again...

REALITY BINGE
Thursday, July 10
7 p.m. & 10 p.m.
Fox Reality Channel
www.foxreality.com/realitybinge

Events Activities and Things To Do

7/9/2008 4:31:21 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Upcoming Film Festivals: July Edition
Posted by Chad

Hey, screenwriters & filmmakers--

Once again, courtesy of MovieMaker magazine, here's a list of upcoming film festivals and conferences. Take a look... and also check out some of the great features at MovieMaker.com...

Tickets are available for the ANGELUS STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL on Sept. 13! This festival honors future filmmakers as they create works that respect the dignity of the human person. Angelus-winning films reflect values such as redemption, spirituality, dignity, tolerance, equality, diversity, hope and triumph of the human spirit. Angelus alumni include Sundance winners Patricia Cardoso (Real Women Have Curves) and Tony Bui (Three Seasons, Green Dragon). Other winners include directors Greg Marcks (11:14, starring Hilary Swank) and Sabrina Dhawan (screenwriter, Monsoon Wedding). For tickets or more information, go to www.angelus.org or contact Monika Moreno at Monikka1@verizon.net or 800/874-0999.

BOULDER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL: Their big idea? Provide filmmakers with huge, film-savvy audiences along with generous filmmaker hospitality and open the festival to gifted film artists worldwide. This has made BIFF into one of the most influential and popular young festivals in the U.S. Chris Gore, the author of The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide and Film Threat, says, "The staff's dedication to championing true Indies, the amazing hospitality along with a classic theater (with a full bar), make this a festival that should be on the top of every filmmaker's list.” Submit today, you’ll love it there. Deadline July 25. Visit www.biff1.com or email staff@biff1.com for more information.

The 5th Annual BIG APPLE FILM FESTIVAL is now accepting entries for this year's event taking place November 19 - 22, 2008 at the world famous Tribeca Cinemas in the heart of the greatest city in the world. The BAFF is dedicated to showcasing and promoting the highest quality films from the New York City independent film community, as well as additional specially selected films from across the country and around the world. The festival includes special New York City premieres, interactive panel discussions with industry professionals, networking parties and a closing night awards ceremony. Alumni films include Suffering Man's Charity directed by Alan Cumming, Love, Ludlow (Warner Home Video), Owl and the Sparrow (2008 Spirit Award nominee) and Chubb Chubbs Save Christmas (2007 Sony Pictures Release). Previous panelists, guests and keynote speakers include representatives from Samuel Goldwyn Films, Magnolia Pictures, HBO, Current TV, Wellspring Media, Cinematical.com, Zeitgeist Films, Wild Bunch Films, First Run Features and Gen Art. In order to bring the most elite talent to the silver screen, BAFF partners with a variety of New York City independent film organizations and media outlets including IFP, The Village Voice, Indiewire.com, Cinematical.com, The L Magazine and MovieMaker Magazine. For more information go to www.bigapplefilmfestival.com.

FANTASTIC FEST is a week-long festival featuring the best in new science-fiction, fantasy, horror, animation, crime and Asian cinema. During his Keynote Address at the 2007 International Film Festival Summit in Las Vegas, former Variety president and publisher Charlie Koones listed Fantastic Fest in a list of "10 Film Festivals We Love," which he described as "interesting and exciting" events. In addition to the Fantastic Fest, the list included industry heavy-hitters such as Cannes, Toronto and Telluride. The festival strives to make it the most friendly, fun and exciting experience as possible for their out of town guests and visiting filmmakers. www.fantasticfest.com.

Set for October 9 - 16, 2008, the 11th annual INDIE MEMPHIS FILM FESTIVAL is accepting submissions from across the country, in any style or genre, with an emphasis on films about the South or made by Southern filmmakers. Located in the home of the Blues and the birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll, the festival provides an environment that inspires independent filmmakers to connect and collaborate, building bridges from Memphis to all corners of the United States. Deadlines: May 16 /June 16 /July 1 /July 15. For details, call 901/246-7086 or visit www.indiememphis.com.

The INTERNATIONAL HORROR & SCI-FI FILM FESTIVAL is now accepting submissions. Get your film and screenplay in now. Be part of the coolest genre fest in the country. Directors of acquisition from distributors will be in attendance to view films for consideration. This event will receive press coverage from the top genre press, both online and traditional. Submit your film and screenplay now to become part of the madness that is the International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival. Go to www.horrorscifi.com for more information.

MOONDANCE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL cordially invites filmmakers and screenwriters, playwrights, short story writers, TV writers, librettists, composers, children's filmmakers & writers, young (18 & under) plus seniors (75 & over) and all filmmakers & screenwriters, music video filmmakers and multi-media filmmakers to attend and participate in the truly international 2008 film festival in beautiful Boulder, Colorado, USA. Moondance offers everyone a unique opportunity to come together with other writers, directors, producers and audiences, to create new opportunities, develop tools for success and forge new alliances within the international film and entertainment industry. Festival dates: August 29, 30, 31, 2008. Email: director@moondancefilmfestival.com or visit: www.moondancefilmfestival.com.

The OMAHA FILM FESTIVAL is now accepting entries in the following categories: Narrative Features, Documentaries, Short Films, Animated Short Films, OFF the EDGE (Horror, Experimental, Dark Films) and Screenplays. Deadlines: Sept 8 (regular) and Oct 26 (late). Visit www.omahafilmfestival.org. With the creation of the festival's Film Education Initiative, ongoing learning opportunities have been provided to filmmakers during the annual festival and conference. Past participants include Shane Black, Mike Hill, Jon Bokenkamp, Josh Stolberg, Lew Hunter, Tom Elkins and Jeff Kitchen.

The PHOENIX FILM FESTIVAL is now accepting films and screenplays for its April Festival. Go to www.phoenixfilmfestival.com to submit your film today. The Phoenix Film Festival is the largest festival in Arizona and accepts features, shorts, animated shorts, student films and foreign films in both short and feature length. The festival has repeatedly been called "the best filmmaker festival" by filmmakers that have attended. The screenplay competition offers a cash prize and studio exposure.

For more information on advertising in MovieMaker's FLASH e-newsletter, contact Ian Bage at 800/677-4424 or ian@moviemaker.com.

Conferences and Festivals | Events Activities and Things To Do

7/6/2008 10:13:02 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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Saturday, July 05, 2008

A Few Moments with Diablo Cody
Posted by Chad

Hey, guys--

Happy Fourth of July weekend! I wanted to point you all to my interview with Diablo Cody, the Academy-Award-winning screenwriter of Juno, which appears in this month's issue of Writers Digest. Diablo was one of the most fun interviews I've done, and she's got some terrific insights into screenwriting... take a look HERE!

In the mean time, have a great weekend!...

Chad

7/5/2008 2:59:31 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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