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...By Ken Levine
The world as seen by a TV comedy writer |
Brian A. Klems' Questions & Quandaries
Let this WD columnist answer your most pressing grammatical, ethical, business and writing-related questions. |
| Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market blog |
| Chuck Sambuchino's Agents Blog |
Complications Ensue: The Crafty TV and Screenwriting Blog
The craft of screenwriting for tv and movies by a working screenwriter... with forays into life and political theater. |
Daily Script
A huge online of screenplays and TV scripts... often including different drafts of the scripts! |
Deadline Hollywood Daily
News for, and from, industry insiders... by L.A. Weekly columnist/blogger Nikki Finke |
Drew's Script-O-Rama
Hundreds of downloadable TV scripts and movie screenplays |
FishbowlLA
A blog about the Hollywood creative community and L.A. media |
Internet Movie Script Database
Produced movie scripts to read online |
Jane Espenson.com
A terrific blog from "Buffy" and "Battlestar Galactica" writer Jane Espenson, who offers everything from practical advice to writing tips to Hollywood commentary. |
John August.com
A ton of useful information about screenwriting... from the writer of "Corpse Bride," "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory," and "Charlie's Angels" |
Kung Fu Monkey
Hollywood commentary from screenwriter/producer John Rogers (Catwoman, Cosby, Transformers) |
| Maria Schneider's The Writer's Perspective |
Morning Call Time
The only daily podcast designed specifically for the entertainment industry! We not only give you today's industry headlines... we tell you how the trades are reporting them. |
News From Me
Mark Evanier's blog about TV, movies, comics, theater, news, politics, and other forms of fantasy |
| Novel & Short Story Writer's Market blog |
Past Deadline
Hollywood commentary from columnist/reviewer Ray Richmond (The Hollywood Reporter, The Pulse) |
| Poetic Asides |
Script City
A great site where you can buy produced scripts for hundreds of produced movies and TV episodes (they also have various drafts of different scripts) |
Simply Scripts
Tons of free downloadable screenplays and TV scripts |
The Artful Writer
Information, theory, and debate for the professional television and film writer |
The Thinking Writer
"A conversation about screenwriting" with a bonafide ntertainment lawyer and screenwriter |
The Unknown Screenwriter
A wonderful (and bit mysterious) meeting place for screenwriters looking for writing tips, Hollywood business advice, or fun commentary on the art and craft of screenwriting. |
| This Writer's Life by Kevin Alexander |
TV by the Numbers
Daily TV ratings, analysis, and commentary |
Without A Box
Streamlines the distribution process both for filmmakers seeking contests, festivals, & distribution and for distributors searching for content |
Wordplay
Screenwriters Ted Elliott & Terry Rosso (Aladdin, Shrek, Pirates of the Caribbean) offer advice on everything from the art of screenwriting to the science of pitching. They also have guest writers like Walter Parkes and Nina Jacobson. |
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 Friday, September 26, 2008
READER QUESTION: Is the Script Workshop Still Up and Running?
Posted by Chad
Hey, folks-- Today's question comes from Scott, a new reader who asks... "I was wondering if [the Script Notes Pitch Workshop] was still running? I have a couple of loglines that I am working which I would like to get some feedback on, just to see if I am going in the right direction." Well, Scott-- you've come to the right place. The Script Notes Pitch Workshop is absolutely still up and running. In fact, we switched it from being a "cycled," or timeline-based, workshop to just being an open-ended program. At any time, feel free to post a logline or short synopsis as a comment on one of the posts... or email it to me at WDScriptNotes@FWPubs.com... and I'll get it up on the site. I try to comment myself on most of the loglines/summaries that come in, and I also post them so other readers can give feedback as well. So feel free to submit away, Scott (you can even put your loglines as a comment to this posting)-- I hope the workshop's helpful and you get some good feedback! In the mean time, keep reading... we've got some great stuff on deck... a discussion on copyright and script registration, some new book reviews, and a guest perspective on balancing a writing career with single parenthood (don't worry, E. Daniels-- I haven't forgotten you)!
Reader Questions | SCRIPT NOTES PITCH WORKSHOP
9/26/2008 2:18:31 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) 
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Thursday, September 25, 2008
From WGA President Patric Verrone...
Posted by Chad
Hey, guys-- Thought this was an interesting little piece from Patric Verrone, president of the Writers Guild west, on the state of TV writing, reality TV, and Sunday night's Emmy broadcast. He posted this yesterday on the WGA's POV webpage... What Matters More Than Nothing
For those of you who saw the 2008 Emmy Awards telecast (and consider
yourself a rare breed as it was the smallest Emmy viewership ever) you
saw further proof of the essential role that writers play in
television. In a year when writers shut down television for three
months, the TV Academy chose to honor its 60th anniversary by having
five reality show stars host the show. Their opening routine was built
on the concept of "nothing" (and not the good kind of Seinfeld
"nothing" but the boring, confusing, head-scratching variety of
"nothing.") They eventually took full credit for the routine, admitting
that they had no writers, and the bit fell flat on its face.
The long term tragedy of all this is that each of them would return
to their day job where they do have writers who do the kind of work
that earns these performers an Emmy nomination. Yet, with the exception
of Dancing With the Stars, none of these shows gives those writers
proper screen credit, health insurance or the other standard benefits
that writers earn in this industry.
The more immediate shame was that all the witless time-killing
forced producers to cut away from acceptance speeches, including that
of Kirk Ellis, who wrote the brilliant miniseries John Adams. In an
attempt to remedy that oversight, here is Kirk's speech in its entirety:
"I'd like to dedicate this award to two people. My own Abigail, my
dearest friend, my wife Sheila. And David McCullough. Not only a great
mentor, but a friend. Thank you Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, Colin
Callender, and Michael Lombardo for this opportunity to portray a time
in American politics when articulate men could articulate complex
thoughts in complete sentences. They forged a new nation with words.
Glorious words married to bold actions. John Adams believed that the
right words, spoken or written at the right time, could change the
world. And they did. Lately we've heard a lot of punditry about whether
words matter to us as Americans anymore. I'm just a writer -- what do I
know? But, in answer to that question I can only say, yes, they do.
Yes, they do. Yes, they bloody well do. Thank you."
Congratulations to Kirk and all the WGA members who won Emmys. And
to all our writer colleagues who toil in obscurity in reality
television: We think your words matter, too. Without them, your hosts
have "nothing."
--Patric M. Verrone
Interesting Talking Points | Reality TV | Writing TV
9/25/2008 6:31:40 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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In Honor of Matt Damon...
Posted by Brian
Fun Stuff
9/25/2008 5:29:58 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, September 24, 2008
READER QUESTION: Where Can I Find Good Script Contests?
Posted by Chad
Today’s reader question comes from a new reader, Wendy, who writes… “Hi Chad, I just found your blog. IT'S GREAT. Where can I find a list of reputable script contests?”First of all, Wendy—thanks so much for finding the blog and enjoying it! I hope you stick around! As for a sites listing reputable script contests, I think one of the best is MovieBytes, which has a database of hundreds of contests that can be sorted by deadline, professionalism, user rating, etc. I also really like Creative Screenwriting magazine's Screenplaycontests.biz, which allows you to search a database of contests by date, geography, type of script, etc. Two others-- which I can't vouch for as much, but might be helpful-- are... • Filmmakers.com's Contest Page & their Contest Directory• So You Wanna Sell A Script's Competition PageAnd lastly-- I can't say that every contest on each of these pages is "reputable." Many of them let anyone who "sponsors" or "hosts" a contest list them on their site, and I can't speak to their vetting processes. But Creative Screenwriting is reputable in and of itself, and MovieBytes has a pretty good (and growing) reputation... Hope that helps!
Books Tools Resources | Contests
9/24/2008 9:14:17 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Monday, September 22, 2008
You Must Be Kidding Me, Roger (UPDATED: ...And Maybe You Are)
Posted by Chad
UPDATE: Okay, everyone-- before you read on, let me say this: Roger Ebert may be entirely crazy... or he may have just earned my respect 100 times more than before. Here's the scoop... Earlier tonight, I posted the following bit with a link to an outrageous piece he published on his blog today... • • • • • "Okay, guys--
This isn't directly related to TV and screenwriting, but it IS directly related to Roger Ebert... whose opinion I previously respected (even if I didn't always agree with it). But I had to put this out there...
This is undeniable, irrefutable proof that our parents were right... watching too many movies rots your brain.
Like, REALLY rots it.
I will NEVER take this guy seriously again.
CLICK HERE and brace yourselves... I'm not sure if this leaves me confused, saddened, or absolutely terrified..." • • • • • I'm not gonna lie... I totally believed it was real... and apparently,
judging from all the chatter on the Internet, so did a bunch of other
people. But now, no one seems so sure. Is it real, or have is he totally punking us? If it's the latter, and I'm starting to believe that is, then I have to give Ebert props for being awesome. I love this kind of Borat satire, comedy that illuminates ridiculousness and hypocrisy by embracing and heightening it (although I admit-- it's funnier when I'm not the one falling for it). Check out this 2005 article Ebert wrote, in which he seems to be a pretty strong opponent of Creationism. And many sites point out that Ebert has defended evolution in the past (I'm not gonna link to them all because there's too many, but a quick Google search will give you plenty). Anyway, the jury's still out on whether or not this is real. But I'll say this... it has everyone talking. So if it's intentional satire, I applaud Ebert 100%... BRILLIANT. If it's intentional NON-satire, and honest commentary... then I stick to my "confused/saddened/terrified" position. And if the site was hacked... well... I guess Sarah Palin's a better computer geek than I ever gave her credit for. So the question is... REAL? NOT REAL? SINCERE? SATIRICAL? Whaddaya think?
Interesting Talking Points
9/22/2008 10:34:03 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Awesome-- You Gotta Read These!
Posted by Chad
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?!)
Fun Stuff | Writing TV
9/22/2008 4:02:02 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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READER QUESTION: What kind of conditioner do you use?
Posted by Chad
Today's reader question comes from Supernerd, who responds to this weekend's post, "In Defense of 'Bad TV Writing,'" with this comment: "Chad, you do have fabulous hair. What brand of conditioner do you use?"This is an excellent question, Supernerd, and to be honest-- I'm surprised I don't get asked this more often. The shocking answer is... I don't condition. (Although yesterday I was at a hotel and DID use conditioner, only because they had a little bottle on the sink. But then I forgot to wash it out, so my hair was slimy and weird-feeling all day.) I basically just use shampoo, and usually whatever's cheapest and has the nicest smell... like something citrus-y from White Rain or Suave. Suave tends to smell better, but White Rain has a nostalgia factor since I used to solidify my hair with their hair spray back in high school. I recently bought some shampoos that have green tea in them, because it makes me feel very trendy and metro, but they don't smell as good as ones with kiwi or melon. Anyway, I hope that helps, Supernerd! Thanks again for reading, and stay tuned for more writing chatter and hair-care tips. Coming up over the next few days, some great stuff... We'll have a special guest talk about E. Daniels' question re: balancing a writing career and single parenthood, we'll get to Wendy's question about TV and screenwriting contests, and we'll talk about some new books about animation, sound design, and more!
Reader Questions
9/22/2008 3:00:42 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Saturday, September 20, 2008
In Defense of "Bad TV Writing"
Posted by Chad
Hey, guys— Wanted to take a moment and respond to an interesting comment posted recently from reader JNG. First of all-- thank you, JNG, for the comment! I LOVE it when people comment here, and I’m always hoping/trying to get people to chat and discuss creative, business, social, or political issues concerning the world of television. So I really appreciate your comment, and I hope it’s a conversation starter! For the rest of you-- JNG responded to my post about Amanda the Aspiring TV Writer’s blog, and here is what he/she writes… “No wonder most TV writing is so bad. When writers spend their formative years working within the industry itself--rather than actually experiencing life in the outside world--it's hardly surprising that they have nothing interesting to say about that outside world. Dick Wolf was right. It's a shame that TV has constructed barriers to entry that ensure its continued mediocrity.”I thought this was an interesting point… because I think JNG is very right… and also very wrong. I completely agree with JNG… great writing comes from great living, and the best writers are those who spend as much time experiencing as much life as possible, then use those experiences to fuel their writing. I think this applies to ANY art… painting, sculpture, acting, photography. Art is a comment on and expression of the human condition and the world around us, and the more you know about the world and humanity, the more you have to say about it. Using myself as an example, I went from undergrad right into a graduate writing program, and I’ll be honest… I sometimes think my writing would have been helped more by traveling the world, or working as a deep sea fisherman, or farming lentils, or any number of things that would’ve dropped me into interesting places and situations. Having said that, I’m also not sure one person’s life experiences are more valuable than another. I once read a saying that I often think about, and it went something like this: “As an artist, it’s not what you choose to look at in the world, it’s how you choose to look at it.” And I think that’s probably very true. Living life is important, but it’s less about where you go, what you do, and who you meet… than how you experience what’s available to you. Now, while I agree that writers—both individually and as a collective—should always be striving to improve, here’s where I DISAGREE with JNG… “No wonder most TV writing is so bad… It's a shame that TV has constructed barriers to entry that ensure its continued mediocrity.” The thing is, JNG: I actually think there’s a TON of OUTSTANDING writing on television right now. In fact, I think television right now—and over the last few years—has had more brilliant writing than at any other time in its history. I mean, just think about shows that have been on over the last few years: The Sopranos, Mad Men, Family Guy, Lost, The Office, Grey’s Anatomy, House, 24, The West Wing, Arrested Development, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Monk, The Wire, The Simpsons, Sex & The City, Six Feet Under, 30 Rock… the list goes on. This isn’t to say there haven’t been some wonderfully written shows in other times ( The Twilight Zone, Mary Tyler Moore, All in the Family, Hill Street Blues…). And it’s not to say there aren’t some horrible shows on TV right now. And it’s not to say even today’s great shows haven’t had some not-great episodes, arcs, or even entire seasons. But I would venture to say there are more top-notch shows on TV right now than top-notch movies in the theater. And if you compared the good-shows-to-bad-shows ratio to good-movies-to-bad-movies ratios… TV shows would win. (Which isn’t necessarily to use “well, there’s bad writing in other mediums” as an excuse; it’s just to say, “I think bad writing exists in EVERY medium, TV included, but I think we happen to have a lot of strong, creative writing on TV right now.”) As for the “constructed barriers to entry that ensure [TV’s] continued mediocrity,” I agree that there ARE barriers, unfortunately, that keep out some talented writers. But I think that’s also a function of the fact that TV-writing is usually about much, much more than writing. In other words, television has more factors than any other medium which affect what you perceive as a show’s “writing.” In almost any other medium, a writer can sit in his office, pour stories onto paper, deliver them to a producer or publisher, and not be bothered with them again. This couldn’t be LESS true in TV writing. (Also, I know this is a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea.) Not only is TV writing intensely and necessarily social, but there are a million non-writing factors which affect the “writing” that appears on screen. For example, a writer (or writing staff) might write a BRILLIANT story, or story arc, about a new character. They then cast a brilliant, talented actress to play the role. But then the actress, who was stunning in her audition, shows up to shoot her scenes… and she can’t pull it off. For whatever reason, she’s not funny... or she’s not convincing… or she’s unlikable. Suddenly, the writers must rewrite the entire role, often on-stage as production continues, so the schedule doesn’t get thrown off. This not only changes the character, but it has ripple affects into all the stories and characters around it. And suddenly, when the story appears on screen, the writing is no longer as brilliant as it once was. Or… a writer might write a terrific scene that takes place on a creepy boat dock in the middle of the night. But when it comes time to shoot the scene, the production can’t afford the dock. Or it won’t fit into the schedule. And the best solution is to rewrite the scene so it can be shot at a location already being used… like a golf course in the middle of the day. So the scene must be rewritten, as well as possible, to accommodate the change and still keep the scene’s intent. Obviously, this not only changes the scene itself, it changes everything around it. And suddenly, when it appears on screen, the writing doesn’t seem as brilliant. Or… a writer might write a wonderfully complex action sequence, a perfect example of pacing, tension, and build. All the locations are available. All the resources are ready. But then, once the crew is on set, they find the sequence is more complex than they had thought. Or a traffic accident slows them down. Or it rains. Or an actor is late. And suddenly, they don’t have time to shoot the entire sequence the way it should’ve been shot. The best solution?... Do a quick rewrite, simplifying the sequence. The result still works… just not as well as the original. And suddenly, the brilliant writing doesn’t seem so brilliant. Now, obviously, these kinds of challenges arrive in any collaborative production medium: film, theater, etc. But here’s the difference… A film shoot can be stopped or postponed in order to fix problems. Not so in television. A TV show—once it’s up and running—must churn out new episodes EVERY SINGLE WEEK. It’s a train racing forward, full speed ahead, and it can’t be stopped. (Some of you may have read about 24 and Dollhouse recently stopping to fix script problems… but these shows, while in production, aren’t on the air yet… so they have some wiggle room.) These examples illustrate why TV writing is often the product of much more than just the “writing”… and why it’s tough to truly assess a show’s writing based only on what you see on screen. Sure, there’s bad writing… and the writers deserve some of the blame for it. But TV writing also goes through so many layers and filters that “bad” writing isn’t always the result of bad writers. But these examples also illuminate why barriers to entry are so high for TV writers. The good ones do much more than just write. Most take on “producer” responsibilities as well, helping with casting, supervising on set, working with designers, etc. The best become showrunners, overseeing virtually every aspect of a show’s production. But even those lower on the food chain are writer-producers… and those who aren’t, those who do nothing more than just “write,” rarely excel very far. As a result, “the constructed barriers to entry” help weed out those who can’t hack it as a bona fide writer-producer. Working in the industry gives young writers—like Amanda the Aspiring TV Writer herself—experience in the business… experience in production, relationships with writers and directors and designers, opportunities to read scripts, visit sets, or participate in development meetings, etc. Sure, it’s all industry-related experience that may not be “experience” in the “outside world,” but as a friend of mine who writes on Lost always says, “If you want to just sit in a room with a pad and pen and write, go be a novelist or a poet or a playwright… but you’re probably not cut out to be a TV writer.” That’s not a slap in the face, it’s just a simple fact: different jobs take different skills, and writing for TV requires more than just words on paper. Having said THAT, TV’s “barriers to entry” aren’t perfect… and I’m sure they do keep out some deserving writers. But that just means you have to work harder. No one said this would be easy… if it was, it wouldn’t be worth doing. Anyway, that’s my long-winded response to JNG’s post, as well my defense of “bad” TV writing… and of all the Amandas working at agencies, studios, or networks in hopes of breaking into the writers room. (Next week, I’ll be writing in defense of sweatshops and child labor.) Feel free to respond ( please!). Agree, disagree, bash me, or extol my many virtues (and my great hair).
Interesting Talking Points | Reader Questions | Writing TV
9/20/2008 2:55:31 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, September 17, 2008
WEBSITE OF THE DAY: Amanda the Aspiring TV Writer
Posted by Chad
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.
Books Tools Resources | Fun Stuff | Writing Advice | Writing TV
9/17/2008 8:58:31 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Sunday, September 14, 2008
Palin vs. Clinton: The SNL Match-Up
Posted by Chad
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...
Fun Stuff | Writing Advice | Writing TV
9/14/2008 7:39:05 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, September 12, 2008
BOOK REVIEW: The Citizen Kane Crash Course in Cinematography
Posted by Chad
Hey, screenwriters and filmmakers— Wanted to take a few moments to give you a fun book recommendation… a new book from cinematographer David Worth ( Any Which Way You Can, Bloodsport, Kickboxer, Bronco Billy, etc.) called: The Citizen Kane Crash Course in Cinematography: A Wildly Fictional Account of How Orson Welles Learned Everything About the Art of Cinematography in Half an Hour. Or, Was It a Weekend? (And yes, that’s actually the title. All of it.) First of all, this has to be one of the oddest, quirkiest books on Hollywood I’ve ever read. And it’s terrific. Here’s the premise: It’s basically a primer on cinematography, but it teaches its lessons by recreating a 1940 meeting between first-time movie-director Orson Welles and Oscar-winning DP Gregg Toland. According to legend, Toland was desperate to work with wunderkind Orson Welles on his upcoming shoot for Citizen Kane. So he convinced Welles he could teach him everything he needed to know about cinematography in less than an afternoon. Welles accepted… they had their “lesson”… and Welles hired Toland to shoot the movie. Here’s where things get weird… Worth’s book recreates that lesson, letting the reader become a fly on the wall, learning cinematography as Welles might have learned it from one of Hollywood’s greatest DP’s. BUT… Rather than recreate the afternoon meeting as it may have actually happened, Worth stretches it into a fully fictionalized “orgiastic” weekend of Hollywood debauchery, sending Welles and Toland on drunken adventures across L.A., where they encounter movie-star-lookalike hookers, mobsters, illegal casinos, Pink’s hot dogs, and a host of other classic Hollywood landmarks and characters. And—as bizarre as this sounds—the glue holding all this together is a wonderfully astute lesson on cinematography. Sure, it’s a blast to watch Welles and Toland drink, eat, gamble, and bang their way across Hollywood, but the true strength of the book lies in how it teaches and explains the art of being a shooter. And this is why I’m recommending it. The Citizen Kane Crash Course isn’t so much a how-to instructional for beginners… in fact, I think it might be confusing to those who have never shot a movie or spent time on set, because the book assumes the reader has SOME understanding of filmmaking technique. What the book is great at is helping someone who has SOME filmmaking knowledge and experience learn the basics of cinematography. Or, perhaps more accurately, it helps them “organize” the random tidbits of cinematography knowledge already in their head. For example, over the years, I’ve watched many TV shows being shot… and here at Reality Binge, I often go on shoots when the producer/director is shooting a skit I wrote. But whenever the lighting guy begins adjusting the lights… or the shooter begins setting up the camera… I find I’m able to tell SOME differences in lighting… or catch SOME oft-repeated terms or phrases… but I don’t REALLY know the mechanics of what’s going on. I find it fascinating to watch, but I don’t really KNOW. That’s where The Citizen Kane Crash Course comes in… and makes it all crystal clear. The book doesn’t necessarily explain HOW to be a cinematographer—and again, I think it’d be hard to follow if you’ve never seen it done (and because it uses drawn sketches instead of photographs, which-- especially in the "lighting" section-- are probably less effective than photos)—but it makes sense of all the basic principles: mechanics of the camera, storyboards, lenses (you’ll love the “toes, twat, tits, and teeth” section), lighting (keys, kicks, fills, etc.), etc. This makes it a fantastic book for all writers, PA’s, actors, casting people, runners, sound technicians, costume designers, etc… people who spend time on set and have an idea of what the DP and director are doing, but want to have a firmer grasp. In short: it’s a cinematography-to-English dictionary, couched in a fun, sexy, easy-to-read Hollywood novella. Anyway, that’s all for now, folks. I’m off to the L.A. BBQ Festival this weekend, where—if he were alive—I think Orson Welles would be more than happy to meet me…
Books Tools Resources
9/12/2008 11:52:09 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Great Story Seminar...
Posted by Chad
Hey, guys-- We'll have some cool posts over the next few days... some great book recommendations, interviews-- and per your question-- we'll discuss the highwire act of being a single parent and attempting to start a career in television writing. But first... I wanted to give you a heads-up re: a great educational opportunity. If you're in L.A. (or can get here), don't miss Jennifer Grisanti's Storywise Seminar on Saturday, September 20. Jen's one of the best TV execs, producers, and developers out there... she spent years at Spelling Television, and she's one of the creative forces behind shows like Beverly Hills 90210, Girlfriends, Melrose Place, Charmed, Medium, NCIS,
The 4400 and Numb3rs. She now runs Jen Grisanti Consultancy, and you may remember her from her interview here a few months ago. Well, Jen is leading a day-long story seminar/event designed to help aspiring writers network with working writers, execs, and producers, learn more about TV, and break into the industry. Some of the execs and writers on hand will be: Glen Mazzara, Executive
Producer/Showrunner of the upcoming series Crash on Starz; Elisa Roth,
Sr. VP, Drama Programs, Universal Media Studios; and Gaylyn Fraiche, VP,
Martin Chase Productions. Here's what Jen has to say about the day: "What if in one day you could discover how to increase your chances of
getting work AND get past your creative obstacles? What if you could
mingle with top executives who know what it takes for writers and
directors to land a job AND why want to share their knowledge with you?
What if you could walk away savvier about what makes a great story AND
how to get the most out of story meetings?... As a Current Programs executive for over a decade at top studios, I
learned from the best in the business about what makes the process of
writing and selling successful. I want to offer this same type of
opportunity to you by revealing some of the secrets I learned and
gathering some of the most talented executives in the business to share
their insights... Storywise is your
opportunity." Please forward this e-mail to anyone who you feel would benefit from this event. STORYWISE SEMINAR - GETTING TO THE NEXT STEP Date Saturday, September 20, 2008 Time 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Place UCLA Price $215 (if you purchase on or before 9/17/08) $235 (if you purchase after 9/17/08) $200 - Special discount price for WGA/DGA/SAG members. (If you are a WGA/DGA/SAG member, please contact me directly at jennifer@jengrisanticonsultancy.com about the special discount instead of going through Pay Pal. Group rates are $180.00 for groups of 5 or more. Please contact me about this at jennifer@jengrisanticonsultancy.com. To sign up, please email Jen at jennifer@jengrisanticonsultancy.com or visit www.jengrisanticonsultancy.com. Scroll down on the homepage. You can sign up there and get more information.
Events Activities and Things To Do | Classes Seminars Workshops
9/9/2008 6:39:27 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Upcoming Conferences & Festivals: September Edition
Posted by Chad
Once again, thanks to MovieMaker magazine and its FestFlash emails for this great list of upcoming festivals, contests, and conferences...
UPCOMING FESTIVALS & CALL FOR ENTRIESAFI FEST 2008 presented by Audi, slated for October 30th to November 9th, brings the best of world cinema to the heart of Hollywood for 11 days this fall. Headquartered at the Hollywood Roosevelt, L.A.’s longest running film festival is packed with red carpet premieres, conversations with filmmakers and deep programming for a full sweep of the year’s best. Tickets on sale October 10. Passes on sale September 2. www.afi.com/afifest; 866/AFI-FEST. 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 and 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. Bold visions. Lovingly crafted. Cutting-edge. Artistically inspired. These are the kinds of films sought for the 47th ANN ARBOR FILM FESTIVAL, the longest-running showcase of independent, experimental and artistically-inspired films in North America. All lengths and genres accepted and considered: Experimental, animation, documentary, narrative and combinations in between. + More than $20,000 awarded to films in competition. + Qualifying festival for annual Academy Awards. + Select films participate on international traveling tour. Standard deadline October 15, 2008 = $40. Late deadline November 15, 2008 = $50. The 47th Ann Arbor Film Festival, March 24 - 29, 2009. Visit www.aafilmfest.org or e-mail info@aafilmfest.org. BENDFILM: Where Filmmakers Are Gods. Set against the backdrop of the stunning Cascade Mountains in Bend, Central Oregon. Now in its 5th year, BendFilm creates a memorable festival every October with more than $30,000 in cash awards including a $10,000 Best of Show Award. Additional cash awards are presented for Best Feature ($2,500), Best Doc ($2,500), Best Short ($2,500), Best Student Film ($3,000), Best Conservation Award ($2,500) and Excellence in Filmmaking By A Female Director ($4,000). Add that to the Audience Award, which takes home a percentage of ticket sales and you have a festival that filmmakers love. Deadline: June 30, 2008. Visit www.bendfilm.org. Executive Director: Sandy Henderson. Contact: info@bendfilm.org. BIG BEAR LAKE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL & SCREENWRITING COMPETITION is held the weekend of September 11-14, 2008. Screenings of independent feature films, short films, student films, High School student films, documentaries and a screenwriting competition. Festival holds educational filmmaker panels, seminars and a Pitchfest. Visit www.bigbearlakefilmfestival.com or call 909/866-3433 for more information. The BLACK MARIA FILM FESTIVAL seeks diverse, expressive and passionate short films and videos by independent makers. The festival is named after Thomas Edison’s motion picture studio and is known for its support of spirited, cutting edge, and otherwise singular film and video. The Black Maria is committed to works that explore the potential of the medium to illuminate, provoke, enrich and engage viewers. Imaginative and revelatory films and videos, which provide insight into the human condition and political, social, and environmental issues, as well as the lives of people with disabilities, or which investigate the aesthetic potential and eschew obvious conventions of the medium are also sought by the festival. www.blackmariafilmfestival.org. The 8th annual installment of the CONEY ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL hits the shores of Coney Island Friday, September 26th through Sunday, September 28th. This annual festival features over 80 films from around the world; a stunning array of high and lowbrow fare, as diverse as the neighborhood it represents. The festival kicks off with an opening night party featuring performances from The Coney Island Sideshow and Burlesque Performers. An annual screening of The Warriors runs Saturday night where the audience is encouraged to talk back to the screen! For details go to www.coneyislandfilmfestival.com. Contact Rob Leddy 718/907-3409 or rob@coneyislandfilmfestival.com. 10th annual CROSSROADS FILM FESTIVAL, April 2-5, 2009, Jackson, Mississippi. Come challenge Mississippi’s creative class & still be showered in Southern hospitality. This is where the music of delta bluesman Robert Johnson runs straight into the home of the international ballet competition. Tennessee Williams, Morris, Welty, Faulkner, James Earl Jones, Oprah, Morgan Freeman; some of the world’s greatest musicians, quirky and creative folks. There’ll be cash prizes, Southern celebrities, workshops, daily receptions and nightly jukin’ with live music to toast you, the filmmaker. It’s all about your story. Share it. They’ll show you a great time. Entry Deadline Dec. 20. www.crossroadsfilmfest.com. The 14th annual CUCALORUS FILM FESTIVAL is in the works! This "filmmaker’s festival" prepares for another rugged and rebellious celebration of filmmaking, taking place in historic downtown Wilmington, NC from November 12-15, 2008. Filmmakers from all over the world bring their independent visions to the screen with shorts, features, docs and motley mix of experimental films and events. Bring your brain and an extra set of eyes, Cucalorus is the real deal—a festival for filmmakers, by filmmakers. Full schedule for 2008 announced in early October, check out www.cucalorus.org to get the skinny and reserve your festival pass. Call 910/343-5995 or e-mail dan@cucalorus.org for more. FIRSTGLANCE FILM FEST 9 HOLLYWOOD—Call for Entries Opens Deadline December 1, 2008. Calling for submissions from professional, student and first-time filmmakers from across the globe for their 9th annual event to be held in Hollywood April 2009. All Official Selections receive a distinguished award presented by our screening committee and compete for the Best of The Fest prize worth tens of thousands, plus a new sliding scale prize, the more entries the greater the prize package. FirstGlance offers more short films the opportunity to get visibility with their online contest for shorts they cannot program due to time constraints but that they feel have great festival potential, with a great prize package and screening at the Closing Night Screenings. For the first time they have opened their categories to Webisode Pilots. Visit www.firstglancefilms.com to apply. The INDIE SHORT FILM COMPETITION is now accepting entries for its 2nd annual international short film competition. This innovative online short film competition is a great opportunity for indie filmmakers to advance their career, gain recognition in the filmmaking industry and receive international exposure. Open to shorts 40 minutes and under. $25,000 in cash and prizes. 10 categories to enter! Winners are determined by a judging panel of industry professionals. Sponsored by Sony Creative Software, Write Brothers, FrameForge 3D Studio, JellyPie Software, Media Servies, MovieMaker Magazine, Partners In Rhyme, Blackmagic Design, TwistedTracks.com, BoilerPlate and SmartSound! Deadline for entries is November 29, 2008. For more information visit www.IndieShortFilms.net. L.A. COMEDY SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL and L.A. COMEDY SCRIPTS SCREENPLAY COMPETITION Call for Entries! The Early Deadline for the 2009 festival is October 3, 2008. Now accepting submissions in the following categories: Comedy Short Films (30 minutes or less), Comedy ‘Shortie’ Shorts (5 minutes or less), Animated Comedy Shorts (30 minutes or less), Feature Comedy Scripts (80-130 pages) and Short Comedy Scripts (30 pages or less). Over $35,000 in cash and prizes. Presenters and judges will include top names from film and television including “SNL,” “Mad TV,” “The Boondocks,” “Boston Legal,” Austin Powers and more. Enter at www.lacomedyshorts.com or through www.withoutabox.com. The MAGNOLIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL was founded by Ron Tibbett in 1996 to celebrate his vision of Independent film in Mississippi. “The Mag” has been called the most filmmaker friendly festival by many past contributors. The festival takes place in mid-February, in Starkville, Mississippi, and welcomes all genres and all lengths in competition for awards. Receptions, workshops and luncheons are held in the Starkville and West Point, MS area. Housing, meals, events and local transportation are provided for filmmakers whose work is chosen for screening. To learn more about the festival see www.magfilmfest.com. MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL: October 2-12, 2008. 2008 marks the Mill Valley Film Festival’s 31st edition. A celebration of the best in independent and world cinema, MVFF annually brings together a community of filmmakers and film lovers to Mill Valley, San Rafael and beyond to experience great new films in the beautiful environment of San Francisco’s beautiful Bay Area. With its reputation as a filmmakers’ festival, this prestigious non-competitive event showcases international features, documentaries, shorts and children's films—something for every filmgoer. They invite you to join them in celebrating great film! For more information go to www.mvff.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. CALL FOR ENTRIES! The SYRACUSE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (SYRFILM) is preparing for the '09 Festival. April 24, 2009 - May 3, 2009. Accepting films through December 1, 2008. Submit early for discounted entry fee. Visit www.syrfilm.com for submission materials. SYRFILM '09 NOT JUST AN EVENT—AN EXPERIENCE. The 14th annual VICTORIA FILM FESTIVAL presents the most exclusive industry event of the year. Trigger Points Pacific has only 50 openings for producers who’ll have the opportunity of a lifetime to meet with 25 top industry acquisition execs in 30-minute meetings for incomparable access and results. With historic architecture and fabulous vistas, downtown streets are lined with theaters, shops, museums and cafes that provide the perfect backdrop for the home of the boutique schmooze. A great package is available at the legendary Fairmont Empress to make your business trip unforgettable. Online registration and information at www.victoriafilmfestival.com. Enter the 42nd annual WORLDFEST-HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL. Regarded as one of the best-conceived film festivals in the world. WorldFest gave first honors to Spielberg, Lucas, Ang Lee, Ridley Scott, the Coen brothers, David Lynch, Jonathan Demme, Brian De Palma and hundreds more. They offer International competition and Remi Awards for Indie Features, Shorts, Experimental, Student, Screenplays, Documentaries, Music Videos, New Media, TV Commercials, TV Production and Film & Video Production. WorldFest is one of the oldest and longest running International Film Festivals in the world and the third oldest film festival in North America. "Before there was Sundance or SXSW, before there was Toronto or Tribeca!" Simply go to www.worldfest.org, click on FAQ, CATEGORIES, ENTRY FORMS and HOW TO WIN! They welcome your participation.
Events Activities and Things To Do | Conferences and Festivals
9/3/2008 6:25:18 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Monday, September 01, 2008
A Message from the Writers Guild
Posted by Chad
Hey, everyone-- Just wanted to post this email sent this evening from Writers Guild presidents Patric Verrone and Michael Winship. They say some interesting things about the post-strike world of new media and online entertainment, as well as their stance on the current standoff between studios and the Screen Actors Guild...
Dear Fellow Members,
It's Labor Day and, in a year during which we have created a stronger working relationship between the Guilds and reestablished our place in the America | |