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Showing posts with label scriptwriting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scriptwriting. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Remind Yourself With Reminders: Dreams And Goals

We need constant reminders of what we want to accomplish in the future. If we want to become a Hollywood screenwriter, wearing shirts, hats, using notebooks, screensavers and other mementos that convey this message can keep us on track. Of course, we must do the work to achieve our dream.

Reminding yourself using visual reminders can empower you to chase harder. Our dream is within reach. Start doing what you love to do and repeat this action daily. Stay proactive and be a go-getter. Sooner than later your dream will come true. See you on the silver screen! 


Happy Screenwriting! 

Take Ownership Of Your Dream

Visualizing your future success is the most important step to believe in your capabilities. Taking ownership of your fate will create unlimited opportunities...

Do the work and your work will speak on your behalf.


Happy Screenwriting! 

Do The Work And Stop Listening to Others

Successful screenwriters write daily, read scripts and watch movies. There is always room to learn something new. Most of the time we don't know the entire story ahead of new script projects. Therefore, we must perform research to fill in the pieces that turn our story into a completed puzzle.

Embrace the screenwriting process. Be proud that you are a storyteller. It is a gift to make worlds come to life with words. Imagining your creative ideas going from script to screen is an amazing dream.

Never complain about living a dream. Writing movies is a gift we should celebrate daily. Do the work: Don't allow others to discourage you from living your dream.

Happy Screenwriting!






Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Be specialized in a genre to get Hollywood work

Being that specialized screenwriter is better than being a screenwriter who has written a script for every genre. Jumping around genre-to-genre is unimpressive. Instead of being known as that horror, thriller, comedy and/or science fiction, which your manager can market you as that screenwriter to land you paid jobs, you will fall into the "spread yourself way too thin" category to lose good opportunities.

Becoming specialized in a particular genre or sub-genre can give you a creative edge. Whenever movie studios need a screenwriter for comedy movies, and you are great at writing these type of movies, your manager can pitch your specialized skill to attract these paid assignments.

Keep in mind: Movie studios do need writers to revise other writer's screenplays to make these stories work better. If you are that writer, you may be considered to revise a completed comedy, thriller, horror and/or science fiction screenplay.

Losing focus doing your main passion can happen, especially if you concentrate on being good at everything. Labeling yourself a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none can delay your screenwriting goals. Truth is, we should view screenwriting as a goal. Never allow the fear of living your dream to hold you back.

Discipline yourself to be specialized as a genre writer. Visit FilmSite.org to view a list of genres and sub-genres. Watch my Vlog on spreading yourself too thin to find out more information about spreading yourself too thin. Please like and subscribe to Positive Life.

And remember, write the raw pages to flush out your creativity. Happy writing!




Thursday, February 4, 2016

An Article on How Creed Movie Lessons Can Teach Screenwriters

Ryan Coogler's Creed hit movie theaters on Thanksgiving Day. Michael B. Jordan teamed up with director Ryan Coogler a second time, the first pairing in Fruitvale Station.

In this Rocky spinoff, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is now retired from boxing. He owns a restaurant inspired by his boxing career. Michael B. Jordan's Adonis Creed moved to Philly, walked into Rocky's restaurant and introduced himself as Apollo Creed's son.

According to ScreenCraft, Creed teaches us valuable lessons that screenwriters can use to master their screenwriting craft. Check out the following article on Creed and screenwriting here.






Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Most Screenwriters quit

Great screenwriters are hard to find. However, there are seasoned screenwriters who give up after years of struggling to make ends meet. Screenwriters are getting smarter; they are now shifting to more lucrative alternatives such as becoming television writers to receive steady paychecks.

Catch 22 of television writing is that you must live in Los Angeles in the beginning. In the film world, screenwriting is no easy task to attain. Life will hold you back, dealing writers a blow to your confidence. Why do most screenwriters quit their dream?

Screenwriting is a craft, an art that requires some talent, good storytelling, and film connections. A good screenplay is only a part of the equation. Thousands of screenplays arrive on Hollywood studio floors yearly, but only a few hundred are optioned yearly and a small percentage of these scripts are made into movies. No options mean no pay. Can you afford to wait for an option?

Life gets in the way. We must survive. We have bills to pay. Our work schedules and low salary/hourly pay can block screenwriting success. Screenwriting requires day-job hours to finetune the plot, build character development and complete feature-length scripts in their entirety. Even after all that effort, revision-after-revision is necessary to make script adjustments. How can we concentrate on screenwriting if we can't pay our bills, eat a healthy meal, and maintain our health? That is a widespread challenge we must all deal with day-in, day-out.

Screenwriters quit for reasons beyond their control. It is not easy to succeed as a screenwriter. Our family, our friends, and strangers will tell us to stay away from this industry. They view screenwriting as an impossible dream, a Hollywood American Dream that will waste our future. We are judged on our writing inabilities before we can't share our writing portfolios.

Imagine completing a screenplay and selling this off to a studio to be developed. That is the dream you strive for as a screenwriter. Conflict and resolution lead every screenplay. Mostly all stories begin with some sort of conflict, and then we root for our protagonists to resolve these obstacles/challenges.

Money can make/break our screenwriting dream. If we make enough money, we get complacent. If we struggle to make a living, we procrastinate on screenwriting. It is common for screenwriters to lose focus, to postpone screenwriting until life gets better. The truth is that delaying screenwriting will push this dream to the brink of extinction. As screenwriters, you must keep writing and do this often enough that it becomes a routine part of your daily operations.

Most screenwriters quit chasing the dream to make a living. Student loans, rent, credit cards, food, children, and other challenges may block screenwriting. Furthermore, significant others and family members could criticize this screenwriting dream to the point in which screenwriters eventually abandon their quest to option a spec script. Financial instability is a dream crusher.

Screenwriters realize screenwriting is self-destructing their marriage/relationships. It takes two people to make a living. This person may grow apart from your screenwriting dream. When there are no results to report, these people lose interest in your illusion.

Patience and perseverance determine the fate of successful screenwriters. If you quit, you may miss out on a potential opportunity to write that prized script. Surround yourself with positive people, not toxic people who make negative comments to sabotage your future success.

Of course, we have to be realistic. It makes sense to reevaluate our past to pave the future. If screenwriting is not working out, you may need to find a reliable job to make a living. This doesn't mean you have to give up on the fight to write movies. Screenplay writing takes discipline, passion and good time management. Possessing these traits could improve your shot at reaching the coveted screenwriting dream.

Please don't give up on screenwriting. We need inspiration to motivate people. There are too many unhappy people who need guidance to share their talents. Without your screenplays, we face an uncertain future filled with disappointment. A powerful movie can make a huge difference.

Most screenwriters quit after constant rejections. Remember, failure is a part of screenwriting. It is a mainstay of the film industry, where most film dreamers understand the dark journey that await them. Don't let this discourage you from completing a screenplay. Don't quit screenwriting! Keep writing!




Friday, January 2, 2015

Loss of the Original Idea?

The movie box office generated billions in ticket sales in 2014. Surprisingly, Guardians of the Galaxy, a movie based on a Marvel comic book, finished as the top earning movie of 2014. View a list of the top 2014 box office finishers and you'll notice the top movies are either sequels, remakes, and/or content based on previous material. Where are the original movies? Do movie fans have to wait until The Academy® reveals Oscar® nominations to discover original films?

Original ideas still thrive in Hollywood. The Oscars® will soon get us back into original mode. However, the original story is struggling to perform since the box office is dependent on moviegoers, who are spending their hard-earned money on comic book movies, remakes, sequels, movies based on books, movies based on true stories and other movies based on previous material. It appears that tossing money toward material with a built-in audience, rather than risk it all on original ideas, is a safe bet.  

Do you believe originality is going dormant for a few more years? Until a slew of original scripts arrive at the Hollywood doorstep and entice studios to invest into more great original ideas, don't expect originality to lead the box office. Inception is an exception to this original rule, so are many great classic 80's movies that moviegoers still enjoy watching today. Back to the Future is one of those major classics. E.T.: The Extraterrestrial, Top Gun, and Beverly Hills Cop were huge box office earners. 

Hollywood studios and independent production companies are making original films. Unfortunately, moviegoers dictate whether these movies earn money, lose money and/or flame out. A strong marketing campaign can take lukewarm hits and transform these into blockbusters. Good word-of-mouth builds hype and encourage movie fans to attending showings.

There are many steps involved in making Hollywood movies and independent films. The moviegoing public have a huge hand in whether original movies see light or are buried in the flop archives. Taking risks that translates into huge losses can sink a studio department like a battle ship. Cheaply made original movies can deliver great box office performances. Insidious and Saw are an example of this original paradigm, where the screenwriter and director tandem make good use of small shoestring budgets to deliver huge commercial hits. 

Trust us when we tell you that original scripts are sought after. Screenwriters who write original, thought-provoking scripts with commercial potential, can get optioned. Dust off those original scripts! Keep screenwriting! 


Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Write for television

Screenwriting is a challenging dream to pursue. It is highly likely that most screenwriters will never master the art of writing for film. However, don't let this moral deflater we hear from most Hollywood insiders discourage you from chasing after this screenwriting dream. We just want you to know there are potential risks involved, so plan this dream accordingly.

In a PsychCentral.com article, an author shares the most common genres where novice writers fail to advance their screenwriting goals. Of these two genres, most writers overlook storytelling in favor of being overly creative. The mistake here is investing all this energy into writing that perfect script. We can't be perfect writers. Even the most prolific screenwriters have failed at writing. They don't quit. They pick up the broken pieces and rebuild. Criticism and constructive criticism are two opposing forces. Learn to deal with both.

There is no right or wrong way to break into Hollywood screenwriting. This dream to succeed at all cost may block writers from achieving the greatness they desire most. They want to get noticed really bad. For the most part, these writers refuse to make adjustments.

In the end, these screenwriters may write a terrible movie ending like The Devil Inside - the worst exorcism movie ever made. It violates the traditional exorcism structure. Watch the movie and see for yourself, how miserable this movie really is. We feel sorry for the unidentified demons who never got to reveal their names. It really sucks to not get noticed!

Use the co-screenwriters of this exorcism movie as an example that perfection is unnecessary. Write a bad, bad, bad movie about unidentified demons convincing a fictitious woman to murder fake church staffers and trick people into believing this is the scariest movie since The Exorcist, and you may have a real winner. It can make you into an instant millionaire, especially if you choose profit participation rather than accept a low 6-figure option.

Writing a terrible script on a sub-genre that has a built-in market can open the right doors. Go small now, then go big later. We're sure of it, that writing a less than perfect script can get your foot into the door. If not, squeeze through the window and make your case known; that you have what it takes to write movies.

Screenwriters have big dreams. It just so happens that only a few of these screenwriters reach them. Bad movies won't hurt your screenwriting career. Just look at Showgirls. Watch Speed 2: Cruise Control. Look at all the scripts that M. Night Shyamalan butchered after his breakthrough movies, The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable. Nothing is happening in The Happening, except a disaster premise and poor writing.

You have time to develop into an award-winning screenwriter the next time around. You need money to keep this dream afloat. It is that first bad script that will make this happen. As time goes on, you meet important and established people. Soon enough, your screenwriting will evolve. Ask Leigh Whannell and James Wan. Look at the brilliant award-winning screenwriter, Simon Beaufoy, and his Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours screenplays.

How can we reach this screenwriting dream without wasting valuable time? According to this author, he believes that television writing is an avenue worth walking down. In television writing, these writers can make a good living and develop scriptwriting skills in the process. It is possible that this paid television writing work may guide them into screenwriting.

Do you want to become a paid Hollywood writer? Or do you want to become a starving screenwriter? Pick your poison. Write for television and invest your off-time into writing a good spec script. Now that's a good plan to reach your screenwriting dream.

Check out the PsychCentral.com article here.




What job will make writers money while pursuing a screenwriting career?

A recent article on PsychCentral.com discussed what jobs writers could perform while chasing after their screenwriting dream. This is an important question to ask oneself, because becoming a Hollywood screenwriter is no guarantee. It is tough out there, trying to get noticed, but what really can put the writing flame out is trying to weather the financial storm. What jobs are reliable to survive until the writing dream is realized?

Quite a few aspiring screenwriters are performing primary day jobs. In the night, they may work as restaurant servers, bartenders, drivers, and even take on irrelevant writing projects. It's not impossible to become a great screenwriter, all it takes is one good spec script to reach the right person.

Our personal struggles make great stories. In these daily challenges, we figure out how to shape characters and learn how life really works. Though many movies are unrealistic, there is some truth to them. While performing these day and night jobs, pay close attention your surroundings. These moments, these events provide good material to inject into screenplays.

Every screenwriter has a personal journey. Their hope and dreams rely on survival instincts. With that said, writers must depend on their day jobs and typically a second job to keep the cash flowing in until their screenwriting dream hatches and give birth.

The following are examples of jobs that screenwriters can perform to keep afloat, while in their pursuit of chasing that screenwriting dream:

  • Ridesharing jobs
  • Bartending
  • Restaurant serving
  • Academic writing
  • SEO writing
  • Web developing
  • Valet parking
  • Hotel night auditor 
  • Car salesperson 
  • Computer sales

Check out this PsychCentral article and report back here. Share a current job that is keeping your screenwriting dream alive.


Tuesday, December 2, 2014

David Goyer on not writing enough detail in his scripts

David Goyer, writer of Batman Begins, The Unborn, Man of Steel, and Dark City, to name a few of his writing works, shared how he reinvented himself to write an eerie horror script, The Unborn. In this article featured in Volume 16 Number 1 of Creative Screenwriting,  Goyer speaks of not writing enough detail in his scripts that ticked off a director.

According to David Goyer, he wrote an unnamed script that Guillermo Del Toro directed. In Goyer's ambiguous description, he wrote along the lines of, 'He looks like a living nightmare.' This provoked Guillermo to respond with, "This is bullshit. What does this mean?" (pg. 73).

Nevertheless, David Goyer learned from writing minimal description in his screenplays. He realized this lack of description could frustrate some directors, even when he, himself, was tasked to direct his own script, The Unborn. In the middle of his directing duties, David would question the motive of the writer and ask what is wrong with this screenwriter.

Interestingly, David remembered he wrote the screenplay and experienced a dose of vague descriptions that may have confused past directors. David shared that he would work on improving his descriptions and this action could provide a better foundation to keep directors in the loop.

Remember, movie scripts are intended to convey detailed action. Vague descriptions and/or questionable similes and metaphors can confuse directors. Explain action in detail to avoid run-ins with directors.


Every page is money in the Bank

I connected with another screenwriter, who is on the verge of optioning his series to a cable network. Because this writer was under an NDA, he couldn't share the name of the project and this cable network involved in the potential deal. That's cool, I understand that he must abide by the legal terms set aside in this contract. This cool writer shared a really awesome moddo to follow.

Several times during this conservation, this writer reiterated that we all must keep finishing pages because every page is money in the bank. I really like this phrase. The mindset of this writer explores how he attaches value to his writing, especially since many writers focus too much on developing multiple ideas rather than complete movie scripts in their entirety. 

It is all about finishing writing projects, instead of devoting endless days and nights discussing screenwriting and television writing on forums and never working toward a finished script. One completed spec script holds more value than several working scripts stuck in the First Act. 

It is true. Every completed page is money in the bank. Whereas ideas are a dime a dozen, completed screenplays have a shot at potentially selling if the execution of this writing and the storyline capture the essence of their intended purpose - whether the concept is highly commercial and/or this original spec script is salable under a popular genre. This screenplay may represent an artistic montage of the screenwriter's brainchild, their creative expression that is ready to divulge top secret ideas into an all-out silver screen mission to capture moviegoers.  

Write script pages to build value into an overall movie project. Writing outweighs talking. Talkers are not walkers. Writers are movers. They move every scene forward, closer to a completion. 

Indeed, every completed page is money in the bank. When the final page of this script is completed, now the writer has something to discuss with the right people. They can revise this script, as well. 

Keep writing. Focus on the main goal. Finish the script. Then, option this script to put money in the bank. 


Thursday, November 20, 2014

Original Scripts are going to make a return

Original Scripts

Original scripts reached their height in the 80's. However, originality has taken a backseat to comic book movies. Batman, The Avengers, Spiderman, Hulk, Iron Man, Superman, X-Men, and other superhero movies are generating billions of dollars in the worldwide box office. Artistic expression, as we see in Interstellar, is impossible without the credentials to back up such a large budget.

In Hollywood, writers must pay their dues to get a movie made. Writing a movie that appeals to a mass audience will win future projects. Would a great writer sacrifice creativity for longevity? Breaking into Hollywood requires a screenwriter to sell a spec script, write uncredited scenes, and/or hold writing experience in the television space.

There are several other strategies to get into Hollywood, such as winning screenwriting contests, film festivals, writing fellowships, writing programs, industry connections, and old-fashioned luck.

Why are comic book movies dominating the movie box office? One screenwriter, who is on the verge of selling his show, shared that comic book movies already have a built-in audience. It doesn't take much endless marketing to convince fans to watch these types of movies. Young children and adolescents, even adults, enjoy watching comic book movies.

Nonetheless, Hollywood is not ready to accept original movies quite yet. Soon enough, there will be a renaissance, a new movement, a resurgence where demand for original movies will outweigh remakes, reboots, comic books, books, sequels, and other movie types. For the most part, original movies take more effort to build a new market.

It seems movie studios are reluctant to gamble on new screenwriters and original screenplays. Past original movies nearly bankrupted studios, also resulting in executives getting pink slips for these lackluster duds.

Get ready for renewed demand in original scripts. In a few short years, Hollywood may be calling out for your original screenplays. Your hard work and dedication will pay off soon enough. Stay patient and never lose sight of the screenwriting dream. Originality is on the verge of making a comeback.

Keep writing original movies. 

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Start scenes with a problem and develop a resolution

The best writing techniques are switching traditional scenes up to start with down moments. We start with a major problem, but through intervention we resolve it. Think of your screenwriting as a counseling session, a form of therapy to rehabilitate this character.

In the beginning of a scene, a character shares a problem that causes a disaster. The character receiving this bad news will start a fight. We see this in cheating movies. We see this in the American Dream movies such as Pursuit of Happyness (ultimate struggle), Rocky(sports dream), American Beauty (good example of losing the dream), and Forrest Gump (dream through the ages). Life is hard, but if you stay persistent you will achieve the American dream.  

Write this way. Open scenes with conflict. Use reversals to solve problems. Open with a problem and leave with a solution. Make this scene a call to action. Try to change this character, detour them from their routine. But aside from their need to change, the character refuses to listen because they want to achieve the dream and nobody understands their fire and desire. 

This writing trick is psychology. People will understand these scenes, that is because they live their life this way, everyday. Millions of students are moving back home. Jobs are not hiring. Their degrees are temporarily rendered worthless. Until these characters can sustain theirs struggles and learn from them, they won't take the required steps to sought after change. They believe the world is looking down at them, criticizing their challenges and hardship. Whereas, these people should be looking up to reach the stars. God is giving them signs to make adjustments. 

Start scenes with conflict. Make this conflict unbearable to write. Live in the scenes. Become a fixture in your stories. Write with a purpose. Make problems so severe you stave off intervention. Writing is special because you create the real world through make-believe encounters. Life follows this paradigm. People digest these scenes, these stories. 

The next time you write a scene, think about opening with a major problem. Make the characters react in what you think is believable. Your audience will catch on and enjoy these real moments. Happy writing! 

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Inject screenplays with real life

How many times have you heard that Hollywood is losing their grip on making movies? If you write movie scripts, then you know good writing goes a long way. Writing compelling screenplays based on real-life scenarios will capture a large fan base. This is your time to shine. Inject screenplays with your life experiences.

Original movies are in high demand. In the past three decades, original movies have quickly declined. Hollywood is viewed as a recycling platform focused on making movies that earn massive revenue. As a result of this, remakes, comic book movies, reboots, and books are leading the film circuit. Original movies are almost nonexistent.

Screenwriters should use their life experiences to shape movie characters. Movie characters thrive on conflict because the central theme depends on introducing tense situations and events.

Great writers know how to shape their characters. If you want to become successful in Hollywood, write original screenplays using your real life experiences. Good luck! 


Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Screenwriter John Gatins and Real Steel screenplay

Real Steel is an inspiring story about an underdog robot, a father and a son bonding through the robot fighting circuit. The son Max loses his mother, so his father Charlie decides to sign him away to the deceased mother's sister. Eventually, the father and son form a strong bond with an old robot they find in a dump site. John Gatins writes with passion to inspire the moviegoer.

Most critics will bash Real Steel as a poor man's Rocky movie. We see the emotional structure in the robot movie. John Gatins show us that a tragic event and one interest can unite a father and son together. The movie makes you think back to your father taking you to baseball games, camping, WWF wrestling matches, football games, and playing baseball with your friends. These inspiring movies are the best to watch.  

The resolution in the last act is touching. We actually felt compelled to let out tears of joy. We're not ashamed to admit the movie ending resonated with strong emotions. Bailey's tears of joy makes the moviegoer feel her warmth and happiness.

John takes a script about a future robot fighting circuit and transforms it with an emotional movie about bonding and reconnecting a father with a son he essentially abandons to live his broken life post boxing. His robot fighter is reduced to scrap, so he invests his newfound $50,000 in another top robot that is also scrapped apart in a match.

A screenwriter must understand the emotional components to reel in the audience. John knows how to win the audience over in the movie ending. I haven't felt this inspired in a movie ending since watching The Karate Kid. Good screenwriting will capture the moviegoer every time. Real Steel is the real deal.