Newsworthy?

Variety had an interesting article about screenplays that reflect the writer's life. It's always cool to read where stories come from, so it's a useful article to check out. But is it newsworthy? Who doesn't write something autobiographical when they write? I took a creative writing course in college called "The Autobiographical Imagination." I assumed we'd learn to write memoirs. But on the first day the professor announces that we could write whatever we wanted -- poems, fiction, essays -- anything. That whatever we wrote would be autobiographical because we'd be expressing ourselves.

'They" always say to write what you know. I don't believe it's possible to write anything else. I know you're thinking, "Well, I don't know about the Vietnam War and it's not autobiographical for me because I'm only 30!" You still will write a script about something you know. First off, you'll research the subject matter. But not too much. But you won't be writing a history special. Your script needs emotion and characters and specifics that take it from concept to story. And that stuff will be what you know. Even if you don't know the exact emotion of someone going to war, you know of a time when you've been frightened, and can transfer what you're feeling into the context of your story. The topic compels you for a reason, because you relate to something about it. Write about that. That's what you know.

I think it would be impossible to dedicate myself to several drafts of over 100 pages of screenplay without having an emotional connection to the material. Even a writing assignment needs that element of YOU. Every script is a reflection of its writer. So it's important to remember to tell your story, but kind of obvious at the same time. Why tell anything else?

The Black List

It's that time of year, when unproduced scripts get to shine. The full black list hasn't been released yet, to my knowledge (but I'll post when it does). But here's the top ten scripts on the list.

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/the-black-list-to-be-posted-here-in-entirety/

I'm really excited for The Social Network -- though I was before it made the list. Cedar Rapids and Desperados will also be really cool, I think, if they do get released. Because really, who doesn't love something with the description "The Hangover meets the Sweetest Thing?" Two silly, amazingly fun movies come together? Gotta be good.

Anyway, congrats to the writers who made the list this year. As always, this list inspires me to work harder on my own projects so that someday, I can see my name on that list as well. Not that it's the be all and end all of everything, but it's good to have goals.

UPDATE: Nikki Finke has posted the complete roster of the black list. View it here.

Perfect Scene

*SPOILER ALERT*

I was blown away by the writing in a recent episode of Gossip Girl, "The Treasure of Serena Madre." It was the perfect example of creating tension in a scene, and it was beautiful to watch.

It was the Thanksgiving episode. The Humphreys and the van der Woodsens were celebrating their first Thanksgiving together - and boy did they have different opinions on the holiday! Rufus wanted something huge and holiday-like. Lily wanted small, maybe even just take out. She didn't even want to invite her mother. Meanwhile, Vanessa decided to crash at Dan's loft because her mother was driving her crazy. Except she didn't realize that ever since the threesome Dan's been madly in love with her. Blair's mother was hiding something, and Blair (who is obsessed with Thanksgiving) was determined to find out over the holiday -- and when she does, she thinks the big secret is that her mother's pregnant. Serena and Tripp were busy having a quasi-affair, which was driving Nate crazy because he's in love with Serena again. Oh, and you know, the whole political figure scandal. Jenny's discovered that Eric was secretly behind her sabotage at Cotillion.

After a turn of events, everyone winds up at the van der Woodsen/Humphrey Thanksgiving. EVERYONE. Including Lily's mother, Vanessa's mother, and Tripp and his wife. The table is buzzing with secrets and tension. Everyone has to be on their best behavior, because it is a holiday, and they don't want to embarrass themselves. So there are a lot of snide comments. A lot of subtext. And finally, a lot of storming off.

It's a great scene because the audience is aware of all the tension. The audience knows everyone's secrets, everyone's drama. So we're just waiting for the pot to boil over. Waiting. It comes slowly...what's going to happen...how will our characters react...and then it all erupts at once.

This is what they mean when they say you should make sure your scenes have tension. Make your characters uncomfortable. Surprise them. Take the day we're all supposed to be happy -- Thanksgiving -- and blow it up so that there's nothing to be thankful for.

Watch the scene here.

Welcome to LA!

I spent the last month in a whirlwind, planning a move to LA. I determined that it was the place to be for writing, especially TV, and that if not now, when? So here I am, in my new apartment between Culver City and Century City, knowing that not too far away are all the studios and agencies and places that are just waiting to hire me. Right now, it's a bit of settling in and job hunting. Since I know a lot of blog readers are interested in the job search, I'll try my best to keep everyone updated on how things are going.

So far...I have a couple informational interviews lined up, I keep meeting people who know people who are passing along contact info, and I've applied to practically every job on the UTA joblist. As expected, the cold call applications haven't done much for me -- but I've only applied to a few in the week I've actually lived here, and I get that no one wants to hire someone who isn't physically in the state yet.

I'm trying my best to jump right in. I attended a panel last night at 826LA about women TV writers. The panelists were FANTASTIC, just such warm people with good info and a good outlook. I'll post my notes on that a bit later. But I was delighted to have a great conversation with the lovely Amy Berg, formerly of Leverage, currently of Eureka. It's a little crazy moving into an apartment, figuring out LA traffic and crazy drivers (never thought I'd miss NYC driving), keeping up with script reading, looking for a job, and networking. But it's the hustle, and if I can juggle all of these things, certainly I'll be able to juggle a 14 hour a day schedule in a writer's room.

The Vampire Diaries

I finally caught up on last week's episode of The Vampire Diaries. I really didn't expect to watch this show at all, much less get caught up in it. I thought I'd check it out purely because I miss Buffy a lot, and I wanted to see how Nina Dobrev did outside of Degrassi. And what I found was a clever, dramatic, well-written show. So if you haven't checked out this show yet, I recommend it.

But that's not the point of this post. In this past episode, I started really noticing Bonnie (played by Katerina Graham). She's Elena's (the protagonist) best friend. Her relatives are witches (Salem witches, but don't get me started on that...I'm a self-proclaimed Salem semi-scholar, and the misuse of Salem witches irks me...but it is the CW), and she fears she might be a witch as well. At first I thought she was just a sidekick and her powers were just there for convenience and to give her something to do. I didn't expect much out of her. Certainly not depth. But I realize now that her character might be the most compelling. She's crafted very well, very subtely, and though her journey is very much a subplot, it is fully-thought out and engaging. There's a great deal about character building to learn by examining Bonnie.

And yes, the rest of this will be a spoiler. Mostly.

Since the first episode of the show, Bonnie's been freaked out by her strange premonitions and odd feelings that she sometimes gets from touching people. At first, she tried to convince herself it was all in her head. That she was perfectly normal. And while she believed that, the audience didn't really have any reason to care about her. In fact, I thought she was a bit whiny. Just accept your powers, you know? But come to think of it, if I started being psychic and witchy I don't think I'd just ease right into it. And neither does Bonnie. She has a vision of numbers, and something really horrible happening with those numbers. And it turns out the coach gets murdered and those numbers appear at the murder scene. So Bonnie's a bit more freaked than usual. She kinda sorta predicted it. What does that mean? What else will she predict? Is she responsible? Hey, maybe she is a witch, and isn't that kind of cool in a scary kind of way? So in this week's episode, she comes into it with all these wrapped up emotions and trepidations. And she doesn't talk about her fears with anyone much. She just comes to grips with her powers slowly and subtly. She realizes she can light a candle with her mind. She doesn't try this, it just happens. She's a little scared, a little proud. All silent emotions written on the actress' face. And later, when presented with the opportunity to try this again, she takes it. And at first it seems not to work. And we see disappointment. We see that she wanted to be a witch, even though she's terrified. And when she looks back at the candles, they're all lit. And she's excited. And terrified. Because even though she wants her powers, she is scared. It was easy to want them when she didn't have them. But now it's all real.

Watching Bonnie deal with this discovery of powers is compelling. We see an entire internal conflict, even she's in only a few scenes. We understand this girl. She's real. She's not just some sidekick built so that Elena can have someone to think aloud to.

That's what makes Bonnie so great. She's not the most important character in the show (yet...I have a feeling she will become important) but she's an actual character. Too often, side characters are faceless nobodies. They exist only for the protagonist. But a better story is told when all of the characters are developed and real. When they all have arcs. I heard a powerful quote once that I always keep in mind when writing: "We are the hero of our own story." That's how it should be for secondary and tertiary characters. (And especially antagonists). They are the heroes of their own stories. If someone wanted to tell a story from their perspective, they'd have all the tools. This emphasis on secondary characters makes The Vampire Diaries must see TV, and it will make your scripts must reads.

Pitching #3

So this post will be a bit more abstract. We've covered the types of pitches, as well as the elements of a pitch, and pitch materials. But even if you have all of that down pat, how do you really impress the execs?

Many writers get extremely nervous talking in front of people. Especially important people. Especially when their hearts and souls (not to mention hours and hours and even years of hard work) are on the line. But to have a successful pitch, the first thing you need is confidence.

Okay, but how do you get confidence?

• First, know your story inside and out. Love it. Believe in it. Your story and your execution of it are so fantastic that they're worth six figures or more from these executives. If you don't that walking into the room, you'll never convince anyone else of it. But, there's a fine line between confident and cocky. Maybe you wrote the next Juno. You will be laughed at if you say that. Your story is great. You're great. But you're not better than anyone else.
• Practice your pitch. In front of people. In front of a mirror. in front of your action figure collection. But it's best in front of people, because they can actually give you feedback. Maybe the first time you'll practice reading off your note cards. Hopefully, when you're ready to pitch, your note cards will have a bunch of chicken scratch on them that only you can sorta read, and you're not going to need to refer them. I hate pitching with notecards. It makes me nervous, makes me lose my focus, and inhibits my concentration on the pitchees expressions. I've always been a bit off-the-cuff, and I totally get that not everyone is. But try to memorize your pitch (or better yet, know your story well enough) that you can go off the cuff. This will help you pitch outside of formal pitch meetings, say, at a networking event.
• Don't get caught up in the wording of your pitch. Maybe you wrote something great on those note cards. Shakespearean even. If you sound like you are reciting a speech, you will lose interest. This isn't a speech, it's hopefully a conversation. If you fumble a word or two of your memorization, remember this: no one knows what's on your note cards. No one knows your script, so they won't know if you get something wrong. So don't get flustered. Because the only way anyone can possibly know if you got something wrong is if you show it all over your face, or if you correct yourself. However, if you've been calling your main character Jack, and then slip into his name from a previous draft, Steve, correct yourself so the execs don't get confused.
• SMILE! Even if you're shaking inside, a smile will make you come off as confident and enthusiastic. It will also relax you. You know that trick that if you're on the phone with someone you can't stand, you should smile, because it will make your voice sound happy? It works in real life too. Fake it til you feel it.

Next up, the difference between selling and a conversation, plus words you really shouldn't use.

Looking for Inspiration

Writing a good script involves tapping into your own life, your own stories and events that you've witnessed, and alchemizing (i know it's not a word) them into a powerful story for your characters that speaks to your audience.

Sometimes, it's the easiest thing in the world. More often, it's hard to find that line between the stories that inspire us and the story that would work for a script. So, I thought I'd share a great post from the Grey's Anatomy writers' blog about the inspiration for this past week's episode. So yeah, spoiler alert. So watch the show if you're into it. And if you aren't a Grey's fan, there's still something to be gained from reading how professional writers come up with their story ideas.

A remake of a show about a remake of a show

The title to this post reminds me of the Friends episode "The One Where Everybody Finds Out," when Phoebe says "They don't know that we know they know we know" and Joey has no idea what she's talking about. Fittingly enough, Matt Le Blanc is starring in a new Showtime comedy "Episodes" -- a remake of a BBC show, about two British writing partners/married couple who are signed on to produce an American version of their hit British show. The comedy is being written by former Friends co-creator David Crane and Mad About You co-producer Jeffrey Klarik. It could be really cute. I love everything Friends, so I'll definitely be tuning in when the time comes.

Also, just a musing I've been having lately that seems to fit here. Remember a year or so ago when comedy was dead? Well, it just goes to show you that trends are just that -- fleeting and changing. There are 3 full nights of sitcoms on network TV, and HBO and Showtime have quite a few half-hour comedies. And that's not counting dramedies like Glee or Ugly Betty. People are interested in laughing again. As for me, I could barely contain my laughter during last week's premiere of Modern Family, and I've been loving newbies Community, Bored to Death and Cougar Town as well. Gotta get ready for tonight's two new comedies also...oh, time, where have you gone?

What Does a Pitch Look Like?

So, more technical stuff in the second part of the pitching series.

There are a few necessary elements to a pitch. First, introduce yourself, schmooze a little. People like to work with people they like. So be likeable. Ask about the projects they are working on, what they think is doing well -- and if it's applicable, adjust your pitch to meet the needs to glean from them. Be a polite snoop, in other words. They'll let you know when to begin the actual pitch. Start with the concept. Some people suggest doing a match-up kind of thing to give a frame of reference. For example, "It's I Love You Man meets Doubt." Some people hate that, though. Try to learn as much about the person you're pitching to as possible to see if they'd appreciate something like that. But at least give a logline so they know what's coming. Unless you established it prior to the pitching meeting, mention the form. Is this a movie? A pilot? Unscripted or scripted? Then, tell them why you think they'll be interested. Are you pitching to get a deal to write the script? To get money to fund your indie project? To get an actor or director on board? If the pitch is based off another source, mention it. Explain that you have the rights. If you don't have the rights -- get the hell out of the room! If you have anyone attached to the project mention that. (and by this, I mean real names. If your cousin is an actor and he's agreed to star in it, don't mention it. Unless your cousin is Zac Efron). Then, begin the story. The story is the most important part of your pitch. Like I said in the previous post, the story should include a beginning, a middle, and an end. Make sure you have enough time to get to the end. Only stress the important beats. Leave some things to the imagination.

The people you're pitching to will have feedback for you, most likely. Well, hopefully. Feedback means they're listening. Take notes. I like to paraphrase their feedback and repeat it back, with a specific way of incorporating into my story. That way they know you're listening, interested, you value their opinion, you aren't stubborn, and you're easy to work with. But keep it short. The feedback portion isn't really about you. There might be feedback mid-pitch as well, and accept it gracefully. The more feedback, the more engaged they are. Most execs I spoke to have said they know if they're interested in a pitch within the first 5 minutes. If that long. Another line I've heard a lot is that pitching is like dating. You kind of get a feel for the person at the outset (How I Met Your Mother fans will recognize this as the lemon law). You're also trying to feel out if you'd be a good match for the person you're pitching to.

Here's a tricky subject: pitch materials. An all-too-often-asked question. If you're pitching an unscripted show, having a sizzle reel is generally a must. Just a short cut of what your show will look like or an ad for your show. Something to give them an idea of the show's style and your talent. So many reality show ideas are alike, but what sets them apart is how they're done. If you're pitching something scripted, it's okay to bring materials, but don't expect to hand them out. You can bring a treatment, a synopsis, a copy of the script, exciting visuals. Some people feel more comfortable if they have them along. But don't hand them out at the outset. Because as soon as you hand someone a piece of paper, what do you think they're going to do? That's right, they'll read it. You want their focus to be on you, not your papers. If, at the end, they ask if you have something, give it out. If you really have to, and you've gauged the people well enough, you can offer to give them more to look at.

Pitching #1

We're writers, right? We like to sit by our computers typing away, not really doing the public speaking thing so much. But when it comes to getting someone to read our scripts, or better yet, buying our scripts, we have to talk it up to them. We have to pitch.

A lot of people get really intimidated by the idea of pitching. Telling someone your 110 page story that you've slaved over for months in only a few short minutes? How can you possibly get it all in there? Plus, what if they hate it? Won't you just be utterly humiliated?

Not if you follow these tips. I'm going to do a short series on pitching over the next few days or so, with some techniques and guidelines.

Let's start off with the three kinds of pitches. First, there's the elevator pitch, which is a 30 second pitch in case you randomly bump into someone, say in an elevator. This is generally impromptu, so it's good to have something always memorized in the back of your mind. This pitch should include the main character, the journey, and how the script ends. If your story works, this should be a breeze to figure out. I found that I had some trouble with my elevator pitch until I really figured out the heart of my story. What is the most important part of your character's journey? The inciting incident, the main obstacle, and the ultimate goal? Practice this pitch on your friends, in networking events -- this should be your answer to "Oh, you're a screenwriter? What's your latest project?" No one wants a long answer. The key is to leave the person wanting to read your script. Remember to smile. If you're excited about your pitch, they will be too. Just an aside -- it's a good idea to have elevator pitches prepared for 1. your current script 2. any previous scripts 3. yourself. Come up with a personal pitch for networking events. This should include your current job, the fact that you're a screenwriter, and the script you are working on. Unless your current job is more interesting.

The next pitch is the 3-5 minute pitch. It's for a script you've already written. This should have more details than the elevator pitch -- the act breaks, major story beats. Mention your protagonist and maybe some other main characters. Make sure you get to the end of the story. No one wants a hidden ending, an exec wants to know the twist ending before they read your script. Imagine if The Sixth Sense had a different ending -- would it be the same movie? The twist can make a movie, so don't leave it out. The way you tell the story should be indicative of the tone. The funniest comedies are funny to talk about, the best dramas are dramatic just in story. I'll be talking a bit more about this pitch in upcoming posts. It's the most common for new writers, and also is a follow-up to an elevator pitch that has established proper intrigue.

The third is the professional pitch. This is 15-20 minutes and it's usually to get a check to write the project. So it's not really going to happen until you're more established. This includes a lot of detail, everything in the 3-5 minute plus more supporting characters and other incidents. The general idea is to tell such a good story that someone pays you to write it.

Notice that none of these pitches include the marketing strategies for the script. You may be able to throw some of that in during a professional pitch, but for the other two, it's best to let your story speak for itself. There are marketing people to decide how to find a target audience. Your job as a writer is to tell a good story. And if your story is good enough...finish this sentence please...your audience will find you.

Check back for upcoming posts on the specific elements of the pitch, strategies for delivering the pitch, and what it takes to sell a pitch.

A Film to Remember

Sorry about the long posting hiatus...this past month has been such a whirlwind, but now that things may have calmed down, I'll get here more regularly.

In this past week's Entertainment Weekly, Stephen King wrote his column about the decline of pop culture. I adore Stephen King (among other things, if you haven't read his On Writing you really ought to. It's more geared toward fiction, but it is a definite "must" for any writer of any genre), but I disagree with one of the comments he made in his column. I tried to find the article on EW's site, but it doesn't seem to be up. But I'll share the quote with you: "When did you last see a movie that still engaged your mind a week or a month later? Doubt was nearly a year ago. Ditto The Wrestler and The Reader." His point is mostly that movies like Transformers 2 dominate the box office and have the widest distribution. Fair. I'm personally tired of this argument against big blockbusters, especially in summer, because a)they are fun, sometimes, and movies don't have to always be more than pure entertainment and b)if the studios make big money on one picture, they don't have to worry about losing money on a smaller one -- and with DVDs and hulu an whatnot, most people don't go out to the big screen anymore for a movie that won't get lost (ie, whose explosions won't be as awsome) on the small screen.

But all that aside...there have definitely been movies that came out since The Reader that have stuck with me. That I can't stop thinking about. That inspire me in multiple ways. Most recently, I would say 500 Days of Summer and Inglourious Basterds. I cannot get them out of my head, and if money were limitless, I'd see them again in theaters tonight.

What is it about these movies that makes them so hard to get out of your head? I think foremost it's originality. I've never seen anything like Basterds. A tear-jerking action comedy about Nazis? Who even thinks of that? And to pull it off without being offensive? As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, it takes a lot for me to see a WWII movie, much less one that is supposed to be funny -- and I must say, Quentin Tarantino figured out a way to make WWII Europe into something that was at times laugh out loud funny. There has been nothing like that movie. And 500 Days took the romantic comedy to another level. It added truth to a usually sugarcoated genre. So of course, weeks later, I'm still wrapping my head around these films.

I also realize, that when I read a script, I'm looking for that originality. That extra oomph that makes me sit up a little straighter as say "Damn, I've never seen this before, I don't entirely know where it's going, but I trust it." I can read a beautifully written script, but if its plot doesn't stand out, chance are I'll pass. You'd be surprised how many of the same script I read. I read the synposes first, and so often I can't tell the scripts in my pile apart. But, it is also key to remember that originality isn't the be all and end all. I have read some highly original scripts, but the structure or the writing were off, or the plot was way too far-fetched that it was original but not interesting. So it is definitely important to keep that balance in mind when crafting your work, so that your script is one that a reader remembers weeks later.

A quick tip for originality: write against the grain. If your first instinct is to write a scene one way -- for example, a bank heist, the robber says "Give me your money of I'll kill you," points a gun at the teller's head and the teller weeps and hands over the cash as a child cries in the corner, huddled with its mother -- imagine it differently. Maybe the teller is in on the plot. Maybe the teller is secrelty a renowned martial artist. Maybe the child runs over to the robber and says "Daddy no!" Even if your idea is absurd (kind of like my last one), it may lead you to a deeper, more original story. And if you write a scene that no one is expecting -- but still holds true for the larger premise and tone of the film -- your script will be golden.

One final question: what movies stick around in your head (from this year or otherwise) and why do you think that is? By discussing outstanding movies, I think we'll all get a better idea of what the perfect script should look like.

Leverage

I just found this really cool blog by the creator of Leverage and other writers.

I've never been one for procedurals, but I'm addicted to Leverage. The characters are so developed and unique, and the cons aren't just a whirlwind of intense fun, but actually highlight the characters' flaws and insecurities. They tell a universal story while keeping it very specifically contained to these specific characters in this specific world. It's the perfect balance. The show is on TNT Wednesday nights at 9, with an encore episode at 11. Check it out. Seriously.

(500) Days of Summer

I don't tend to do movie reviews, because everyone has different tastes, and I like to stay as far away from spoilers as I can, but for this movie I just cannot help myself. I saw (500) Days of Summer this afternoon, and I was completely blown away. The storytelling was so unique, so unexpected -- and it really worked. If you're writing anything with flashbacks or voiceover, this is a must-see.

The basic premise, without giving too much away, is boy meets girl...but it isn't a love story. It's just an honest portrayal of the modern relationship, with heartfelt details and fantastic acting. I'm a huge Joseph Gordon Levitt fan to begin with, but his work in this film was stunning. And Zooey Deschanel was so real, you could almost touch her. Everything about this movie worked, from the sequencing, to the intricate costume and set design, to the dramatic tension in each scene.

This is a prime example of both characters and conflict. The entire movie is driven by these two specific characters who are at once only themselves but also universal, regular Joes. So the audience immediately recognizes themselves in the characters, but they are so detailed that they feel like real people. The characters are mixed with an inherent conflict that's placed subtly in each scene. Not a moment goes by with some sort of dramatic tension. Each scene has a purpose or two, but in the background are inklings of the greater conflict. One of the complaints I make most in my coverage (and that I get 0n my own writing, let's be humble for a second) is that the scenes lack conflict, and the story lacks drama. So seeing a movie where it really comes together made me truly understand this important nuance of screenwriting.

In short, if you're serious about pursuing screenwriting as a career, you have to see this movie. And you have to learn from it. And if you just like movies, art, or life, then you'll have a great hour and half in the theater.

Emmys

Writing awards are being cut from the live telecast of the Emmy...I don't know about you, but I'd really like to accept my future Emmy on TV.

http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/08/hundred-tv-writers-protest-emmy-changes-.html

Characters Aren't Just Their Quirks

One of the notes I give most often on the scripts I read is that the characters lacked proper development. They weren't people. Today, I'm up to my second script of the day, and both make the error of characters having quirks but not personality.

Don't get me wrong, it's important to have a few quirks. They draw the audience give, make a character memorable...but only if done correctly. Only if the quirk is a reflection of a deeper aspect of the character. Think of people you know, and their unique quirks. Where do they come from? What do they say about that person? Your characters should be well-developed, they should feel like real people. And real people have layered personalities, the outer layer of which is generally their quirks.

For example, take Monk. He's OCD, which would be his quirk. But what does that really mean about him? Well, he's meticulous. Which makes him a great detective. And he's a little bit anal, which makes him hard to work with. You can feel like you know Monk, because he's not just another bland detective. He's a detective who took an attribute that could have held him back in his work, and turned it into something that makes him the very best.

Or in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Jason Segel's character ate cereal out of a giant salad bowl. So weird. So particular. So unique to Peter Bretter. But even more importantly, it was just a manifestation of who he is. A goofy sort of guy, still with a childish impulse, who's so down trodden he doesn't want to eat anything more than cereal. But if he's going to do it, he's going to do it in a big way. This quirk doesn't present itself continuously throughout the movie. Instead, other quirks come about that have the same birthplace. The same core.

So, don't make characters whose only unique quality is their stutter or their need to wear high platform shoes. Make them people, who because of who they are, would have to stutter or wear high platform shoes. Or both. A stuttering-platform shoe wearing character would certainly be unique. If they were real.

How to Write a Spec Script

I'm currently in an amazing class, taught by two producers, one of whom used to head up the WB Fellowship program. This class is kind of her NY version of that program, in that we're learning how to perfect spec scripts, we're meeting writers, and getting notes from seasoned development execs.

I'm just starting to outline my spec (How I Met Your Mother, if you're interested). I went through (read: pitched) many ideas for the script, and got a lot of useful feedback about what works in a spec and what doesn't. Even though I thought I knew the basics of spec writing, I learned a lot just from talking to a woman who's spent years of her career weeding through specs -- she's literally seen it all. And is looking for something new and fresh.

So, the basics: A spec is script you write "on speculation" that you will get a job. You will not get paid for it. No one asked you to write it. In all likelihood, it will never get made. The most you should assume it will do for you is get you an agent or a staffing position on a TV show. Generally, specs are of shows that are currently on the air. However, original spec pilots have been making their way to agents. For our purposes, though, when I talk about spec writing, it's writing a spec of a show that currently exists.

What shows to write:

1. A show that is currently on the air, showing new episodes
2. A show that has been on the air for some time, or is so widespread everyone knows it -- for example, a show like the Mentalist would be okay because it's such a hit that Hollywood is paying attention. Better Off Ted still needs a few seasons under its belt, because the super-busy agent or producer reading your script probably hasn't had the need to Tivo it yet.
3. A show that is likely to remain on the air for at least another season. You want as much life as possible out of your spec -- mostly so that you don't have to write one every few months -- but also that people in Hollywood see that you're paying attention and can capture the current voice.
   
4. If you want to be a comedy writer, pick a half hour sitcom. Don't pick a dramedy. It's kind of a different beast. If you want to write dramas, pick an hour-long. It's best to have more than one spec under your belt (ideal these days is 2 specs and an original), so for comedy, write a multi-camera and a single-camera. For drama, write a serial and a procedural. Show that you're versatile. But don't be too versatile, ie, write an Office spec and a Law and Order. No agent will know what to do with you.
5. Don't pick a show like Lost where you kind of have to be in on the mystery to know what to write next. Serial dramas are obviously harder than procedurals because of all the character dynamics that shift. But try to find one where you can have a stand-alone episode. A bad idea would be (something I attempted earlier this year) writing a Grey's Anatomy script this season. Since your script must be current, it's kind of impossible to write a script with characters who may or may not be dead.
6. Find a show you really love, that you can spend hours watching and researching, whose characters you know, love, and understand. Because ultimately your passion will be what makes a script great.

I picked my show...what should the plot be?

1. A stand-alone episode is best. Write something that can happen at any point and is not contingent on any of the characters' current relationships, unless those relationships are fairly stable. Otherwise, as soon as your characters move on in the actual show, your script is completely moot. Plus, execs/agents will think you're a bit of a dumbass for not realizing that.
2. Don't make any major character changes. For instance, don't write Liz Lemon sleeping with Jack Donaghy. It's not up to you, and it doesn't show that you can write within the confines of the show.
3. Don't revolve the show around a guest character. This includes having your story be about the main characters, but sort of contingent on the existence of a guest character. Keep to your show's main cast as strictly as possible. Even recurring guest cast is a bad idea...what if, unbeknown you, the actor who plays Intern Steve on Grey's Anatomy just got cast in his own pilot and will never be on the show again? Don't risk it.
4. Stick to the main set of the show. Your characters should not venture off to foreign countries, or go to the movies if they always hang out at a bar, or anything like that. Show that you can use the world that already exists on the lot. On the off chance that your spec is good enough for the show to buy, don't let them hesitate because they'll need to increase budget to shoot your script. And even if you know they'd never buy the script, anyone reading yours will know this rule and expect you to follow it.
5. Don't change the rules of your show's universe. For example, Dunder Mifflin can't start selling pencils in addition to paper. The vampires on True Blood can't start to fly. Chuck Bass on Gossip Girl can't start taking the subway.
   
6. Competitions are dull. They're an easy way out, and too many specs use this device. It's boring to your reader because he or she has read it a hundred times before.
7. Make sure your A story is for your lead character. For example, my How I Met Your Mother is mostly about Ted even though the other characters have carried shows in the past. The general concept of the show is that it's Ted's story, so my script will be Ted's story. Same for Grey's -- it should be Meredith's story. Or 30 Rock, make it about Liz.
8. Make sure you have a B and C story, and that you balance them in exactly the same way that most of the show's episodes do.
9. Take a known story and spin a brand new twist on it.
10. Stay within the voice of the show. Understand what plots they tend to use, and use one like it, but one that is still wholly unique to both that show and the TV universe as a whole. Make sure your own voice comes through in your script but doesn't overshadow the voice of the show.
11. Remember that the people reading your script have read scripts for almost every show out there. Don't recycle a plot from a show that's no longer on the air. Don't pick an obvious plot that would have worked really well for The Larry Sanders Show and submit it to 30 Rock. Chances are someone at some point wrote a Larry Sanders spec with that idea, and the person reading your 30 Rock may recall it. Be as original as possible!

This all sounds impossible, how do I do it?

1. Research your show intensely. Rent the DVDs. Watch them straight through. Watch all of the extras. Listen carefully to the commentary, you can get some great ideas about how the actual writers come up with ideas and execute them, and how the people on the show feel about the characters and settings. Read as many scripts from the show as you can. www.scriptcity.com is a great resource, though you may have to pay $10 for a script (but when you're getting paid $3000 a week to write for the show you got hired on from that spec, you'll be okay with the fee.) Re-watch the show, taking notes of exactly what happens and when. Time the act breaks (now called "act outs" apparently). Time the scenes. Outline the show. I use graph paper to plot a curve of the show. Know that show so well that you can recite in your sleep and that you interact more with its characters than the real people in your life. Yes, be a crazy hermit. Total immersion. Read blogs. Read interviews. Read fansites. Watch webisodes, if applicable. (You don't want to copy a webisode plot by mistake!). Read the Episode Guide of the show (wikipedia is usually a good resource for this.)
2. Watch similar shows to get a feel for plot lines that you can maybe add your own spin to, or things that you should avoid because they'll seem overdone. For example, no one can really write a spec of the cast of How I Met Your Mother getting trapped in Ted's apartment in real time, because it will be too reminiscent of the Friends episode "The One Where No One's Ready."
3. Draw from personal experience. This was reiterated by almost every writer and exec who spoke to my class. Personal experience is where the rawest, funniest, most intricate stories come from. They'll be in your voice, they'll be unique, and they'll have that je ne sais quoi that readers crave. The truth compels people, and what you need to be is compelling.

Sexism

Amanda the Aspiring TV Writer linked to this blog on her site. It's a thoughtful essay on the subtle sexism still extant in Hollywood today.

And for more subtle sexism things, consider this info from New York Women in Film and TV.

It's odd to me that given the disparity between the genders in Hollywood, women still aren't considered minorities when it comes time for fellowship apps. Just saying.

It's All About Who You Know -- So How Do You Meet People?

When I decided that I was going to actively pursue screenwriting/TV writing as a full-time career, I was kind of nervous. It's hard enough to cultivate talent, but add to that the fact that it's who you know more than what you know that determines your success? I didn't know anyone. I had no family friends to pull favors from or anything like that. So I thought, I guess if I'm going to do this, I'll have to be one of those lucky few -- very few, I thought -- who make it based on merit alone.

But here's the thing. Yes, it is about who you know -- but no one ever said you have to start out knowing anyone. The trick is USING YOUR MERIT AND SKILLS TO MEET PEOPLE.

Here's a little bit about my journey -- and while I haven't yet achieved the success I want to, I'm only just starting out, and I can feel that this is the right path. I think understanding how I personally am finding success could help you navigate your own trajectory. I took a screenwriting course in college, went to the Summer Film Program at USC for 6 weeks, and applied like crazy to internships and script reading jobs while I was out in LA for the summer. I got a script reading job, partly because of an interesting resume, partly because the head of the management company had done the same program at USC years earlier and thought I was a)the kind of person he wanted reading scripts and b)going to learn a lot from combining my coursework with the job. (People in this industry really do want to help you learn, especially at your early stages). Months go by, nothing. I was applying above my "level." Not above my skillset, but above my experience. I randomly saw an application for an internship at a non-profit, New York Women in Film and Television, and applied. I got the job. The organization is all about providing opportunities for people to connect better in the industry and advance their careers. It's a great organization, and there are chapters worldwide -- so I'd suggest checking it out. I worked really hard at NYWIFT, and attended as many of the programs as possible. I did my best to be helpful, efficient, pleasant, and hard-working -- more on that later. I built close relationships with my peers and superiors, and was given the opportunity to staff and attend a writing seminar with two established producers, one of whom used to head up the WB workshop. It's a great class -- small, and selective. I make it my business to be as gracious and helpful as possible to both the teachers and the other students. And I'm getting some great mentorship out of the deal. I've also had informational interviews with panelists (executives) from some of the NYWIFT events, and gotten great information, budding friendships, and people to offer to look out for opportunities for me. Meanwhile, at one of the NYWIFT events, I met one of our board members, and we got along pretty well. When she had an opening for an internship/PA job at her production company, she emailed me asking if I was interested. Suddenly, I wasn't the person blindly applying for jobs. I was the person who knew the hirers -- who "cheated the system" and got the job without applying through craigslist or entertainmentcareers.net.

I started out not knowing anyone. And now I have many business cards of contacts, and I'm seeing results from those relationships. I've learned -- it's not about who you know. It's about who you meet, and how you conduct yourself when you meet them.

In the next post, I'll talk a bit about how to meet people, what to do at networking events, and most importantly -- how to succeed as an intern/assistant and make sure you get bumped up to the next opportunity.

In the meantime, for that last bit, check out Amanda the Aspiring TV Writer's article on the Dos and Don'ts of being a good assistant.

Voiceovers

Wow, it's been a while since I posted. I have a lot of great stuff coming up on pitching and networking. But for now, let's talk a bit about voiceovers.

I've found that there are generally two camps of people when it comes to voiceovers. The people who love them and the people who absolutely can't stand them. I definitely fall into the first category. A good voiceover can lure me in to a story, make me feel like I know the character, and sometimes share tremendous insight the way that a novel sometimes can. My favorite example of voiceover is from the season two episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer called "Passion."

Angel (or Angelus, because at this point he's evil) open the episode with the following:

"Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping...and waiting...and though unwanted..unbidded...it will stir...open it's jaws and howl. (Action sequence where Angelus bites a woman, Buffy gets into bed, Angelus looks in. Angelus comes into the room, strokes her hair as she sleeps. Watches her.) It speaks to us...guides us...Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have?"

This voiceover works because it sets the tone for the episode, tells us something we otherwise wouldn't be able to completely understand just from visuals or conversation, and most importantly, make the audience think. The audience hears Angel say that, and realizes how much of our lives we give over to passion -- and for a second, we're Angel. We understand him. It makes the whole episode scarier.

There's a lot of voiceover out there that doesn't work, though. And even as a lover of the tool, I get so irked by improper V.O. to the point where it can taint my opinion on the script. So I can just imagine how people who hate the technique feel when they come across V.O. done poorly.

So here are some Don'ts of Voiceover:

1. DON'T include voiceover in the middle or end of the script if the character did not start the script with voiceover. If we haven't been in his or her head the whole time, we can't find ourselves there partway through the story.

2. DON'T include something in voiceover that is repeated in dialogue or in action. For example:
CHARLIE (V.O.)
I always knew I wanted to be a mechanic. Since I was a child, I've loved cars. Red cars. Yellow cars. All cars.

Charlie slams his locker shut. Bob approaches.

BOB
Dude, can you take a look at my car? It's been sputtering and I know you want to be a mechanic, so...

3. DON'T use voiceover when you have the option to use dialogue or action. That's just lazy. Voiceover is a last resort.

4. DON'T pepper the whole script with voiceover just for the sake of it. It doesn't legitimize the use of voiceover, it just makes it overkill. If we're in your character's head too much, consider telling this story in another format.

5. If you start the script with voiceover DON'T forget to end it with voiceover.

The bottom line is, make your voiceover perfect, dynamic, and irrefutable. Because a reader who appreciates the technique will love it, and a reader who hates the technique will let it go by.

It's all in the characters!

Here's an article from Variety about what makes sitcoms Emmy-worthy -- and more importantly, what can make your sitcom shine amid thousands of pilots and canceled shows.

It's all about character.

Evaluating a Critique

The Bitter Script Reader has a great post about assessing your writing group.

Everyone critiques scripts a little differently, and it's important to know how your readers read.

Some may be "blatantly honest" which more often than not translates into "nitpicky and harsh." My pet peeve -- saying you're an honest reader but not ever acknowledging the strengths of the script. Honesty includes positivity.

Some may be afraid to hurt your feelings. They are good for your ego, and if it's a true compliment, can help you determine what not to cut. But this reader won't point out flaws, so get a second opinion.

Others have a wide knowledge of movies and will be quick to compare your script to a zillion movies out there. With that kind of critique, I suggest renting a couple of the comparable movies -- first, to see if the reader is correct, second because you may realize how to make your story work. A comparison isn't always a negative or a positive review - movies that are "like" other movies tend to draw audiences. Movies that are too like other movies are boring.

Listen to how the members of your group (or class) critique others' work. Do they find similar problems to the ones you find? Are they always nitpicky or always nice? If you pay attention to the nuances in their critiques of others -- when it isn't your precious work on the line -- then you'll know what they really mean when it is your work.

Oh, and one final word, because it is so important --

Honesty includes positivity.

What The OC Taught Me About Pilots

I've been an avid fan of The OC for a while now, and have probably seen the series in its whole 4 or so times (thanks, Soapnet). And in my developing my own pilot for a young-people serial drama, I've read the pilot script and have been catching up on old episodes. And in rewatching the first three, I discovered something extremely important about pilot writing and establishing a series.

For those who didn't watch the show, rent the DVDs or catch up online or on Soapnet. Okay, that wasn't my point. If you didn't watch the show, the first three episodes take place when Ryan, a smart 16 year old from bad neighborhood Chino is kicked out of his house after he and his brother steal a car. His public defender, Sandy Cohen, takes him in for a few days to his amazing mansion in the ritzy Newport Beach. Sandy's wife Kirsten isn't so approving of this plan, she wants Ryan gone, so Ryan goes back home to find that his mother walked out on him. Seth, the Cohen's lovable misfit son, stashes Ryan in one of Kirsten's development homes, it burns down, Ryan's back in Juvi, Seth convinces Kirsten to accompany him to visit Ryan in Juvi, and she bails him out when she sees how awful it is. She's determined to find his mother so she can release him into her care. Sandy finds the mother, who seems at first to have pieced her life together, but winds up reverting to her alcoholic self and leaving Ryan with the Cohens.

When I remember watching the show for the first time, it seemed like ages before Ryan and his mother were reunited. I remember Ryan as already living with the Cohens, as already establishing himself in Newport. I remember Ryan's mother coming being a huge deal, that they were finally going to deal with everything that had happened. Except, in reality, it was only three episodes. And I watched them for the first time on DVD, so it's not even like three weeks went by.

Rewatching these episodes again, I realized something. The pilot did such a good job of hooking the audience to the characters, of introducing them and making them come alive. The world seemed so real and the characters so natural in it, that even in the first three episodes The OC felt familiar and like home.

A good pilot should do that. It should make the audience wonder how they ever lived without these characters before. It should make the audience feel like they've known the characters forever, that they've been anticipating the drama for a long time. That allows them to just soak it all in, tune in week after week after week -- and if you're lucky, keep watching even after your series ended just because they couldn't get enough of the show.

I highly reccomend reading the pilot script. It's available here, along with many other pilot and other TV scripts. Even having seen the episode multiple times, I couldn't put it down. Notice how even though it's still a somewhat early draft, the characters are all compelling, the setting is vivid, and the drama is engaging. There's no hesitation, and even the set-up is intensely dramatic. It's all aboiut subtely introducing your characters so that the audience gets to know them but feels like they already do.

If anyone has another "favorite pilot," please share. Pilots are one of the, if not the hardest scripts to write, and when they're done well, it's not only exhilirating to read/watch, but so useful in learning how to craft your own.

Glee Part 2

I know there's been some discussion recently about whether or not Glee was a well-written pilot. Critics have been loving it, the buzz has been great -- even my non-TV watching friends tuned in and fell in love. Yet, writer Alex Epstein points out serious flaws with the pilot on his blog. Some of the comments agree with him, and his points are really valid.

Structurally, the pilot was off. Some of the character intros and arc were introduced in a backhanded way. For instance, it wasn't super clear why the teacher wanted to coach the club in the first place. While watching it, I actually got a bit jittery because everything I've learned about writing a pilot seemed to be thrown out the window.

Yet, it was a massive success. And as much as the "issues" with the pilot stuck out to me, I loved the show. I will definitely watch it when it returns this fall, and I kind of can't wait. So it makes me wonder...

How important are the rules of pilot writing? It seems that you can create a successful show without following the code absolutely. Sometimes the audience can surprise you by standing behind a show that if it weren't made by already successful writers probably wouldn't get made. There are enough elements of Glee that fit in with what audiences want -- music, bright colors, underdogs, snarkiness, multimedia -- so maybe in this case, "industry standards" don't apply.

Glee Part 1

It's the talk of the town, right? Everyone, even non-TV watchers are buzzing about the show...but I'll get to that in the next post.

I'd like to use this one to talk about finding your place as a writer. And no, it's not tied in to "Don't Stop Believing" -- though that's a valuable mantra in this business.

Ryan Murphy, the creator of Glee, is also the creator of Nip/Tuck and Popular. I've never actually seen more than five minutes of Nip/Tuck (I have a thing about doctors, which somehow only disappears for Grey's), but I was a huge fan of Popular.

Just to refresh your memory, Popular was a show about cliques in high school, centered around two seemingly opposite girls -- Queen Bee Brooke and anti-conformist anti-popular Sam. At the end of the pilot Sam and Brooke discover that their parents are engaged, and the once mortal enemies are now on their way to becoming step sisters. The show explored the social scene in high school, basically focusing on how every teenager is insecure, even the most popular people have issues with which they struggle, and as much as people would like to crossover between groups, as much as people would like to live outside the labels high school slaps on them, it's hard.

Then, take Glee. So far it's about a high school teacher, former Glee Club star (back when the club was the coolest thing) who takes over the Glee Club in the hopes of returning it to its former glory. Except at the school now, Glee is the rung below the bottom rung on the ladder. Cheerleaders and jocks rule the school. Luckily, the teacher persuades a jock to join the club, hopefully giving it credibility among the popular kids -- but it seems from the preview that it may just stir up trouble. To top it off, the teacher struggles with his wife who's pregnant and wants him to get a better paying job to support the family. In his own way, he's doing the uncool thing by sticking with Glee, when he can have a high-powered more respectable job. Hooray for plot mirrors!

Popular and Glee are two different shows -- one is musical, one wasn't. One is a little more adult, one was clearly for middle school and high school kids. But the themes of the shows are similar. They both deal with social hierarchy in high school. Just in totally different ways.

Ryan Murphy clearly has a story he wants to tell about high school. The subject matter moves him in some way, and so he continues to reinterpret the basic core theme that is attractive to him. He's establishing himself as a writer with a certain tone (from what I understand, Nip/Tuck is pretty snarky, Popular was as well, and Glee seems to be that way too), and a certain genre. It's fairly obvious what his voice his, what his stories are, and most importantly...WHO HE IS AS A WRITER.

There are many more examples of writers who have successfully established themselves in a certain genres...Josh Schwartz. The OC, Gossip Girl, even the sadly not-picked up Lily spin-off. Shows about rich kids growing up, impacted by their setting, but at the end of the day still kids. With a little bit of soaptastic drama thrown in. Alan Ball is the master of sexed-up, sort of creepy but so good you have to keep watching, death hanging over the story stories. Joss Whedon -- sci-fi, funny, quirky, layered, suspenseful dramas that create an entirely new world that feels more real that ours. They all know who they are as writers, what they want to write about, and how they want to write it. And more importantly, Hollywood and their fanbase know it too. See, you can't quite have a fanbase without having a clear persona.

So my question to you is, who are you as a writer? If a bigshot producer stopped you on the street tomorrow and said, "Hey, aspiring screenwriter, what sort of stuff can I expect from you?" how would you answer? It's important to know who you are, what stories you are compelled to tell, and how you will tell them.

ABC/Disney Fellowship

Here's some extensive info on the ABC/Disney TV Writing Fellowship -- what the application process is like, what the program is like...

http://hollywoodwritersoffice.blogspot.com/2009/05/abc-disney-fellowship-night-by-diana.html

Good luck!

Budgets!

Last week, I had the privilege of attending a seminar for work with Richard Guay, an expert on EP budgeting software. At the beginning of his talk, he showed us a page of screenplay, and broke it down in terms of the budget process. It really made me look at scripts in a new light.

For example, if I write "INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY" followed by "GREG, 16, slams his locker shut. It's the end of the last day of school," I'm just thinking about the fact that I wrote two sentences. But a budgeter would see that and think:

"Okay, I need to secure a school. Probably on a Saturday? Should we cast someone actually 16 to play Greg? If so, we'll need to think about minor restrictions, and we'll need a tutor on set...Okay, it's the end of the last day of school. What does that look like? Lots of kids running out, being wild. How many is "lots of?" 100? 50? How can we stretch the extras? So if these are high school students, maybe we can secure a deal with the high school to use their students? What would that entail? If we have 100 high school kids waiting around set, it could get rowdy -- maybe it would be good to have a few extra PAs on hand that day to keep them in line. How much do we pay these PAs?"

Stressful, right? If two lines could cause this much trouble, imagine what 120 pages does!

BUT

And this is a big but. Hence the caps. It's not your job as a writer to think about budget. Even if you're a writer/director working on your own indie -- get someone else whose entire job is worrying about the budget. As daunting a task as budgeting is -- as overwhelming as a screenplay can be -- it's your job as a writer to tell a good story. a page turning, engaging, relatable story that moves an audience. And you can't move an audience if you're panicking about money at each line.

I attended a seminar during Tribeca with writers Brian Koppelman and David Levien, entitled "Writing Big and Small." The intended topic was how a big or small budget affects the writing of the film. Both writers started off by saying, quite simply, "It doesn't." They went on to explain that a good director (for them, this was Steven Soderbergh) can stretch a dollar. And sure, maybe in the filming process some things will need to be cut or adjusted -- but if the script is solid and its story shines through the pages, the director, producer, and budgeter will see what's necessary to tell the story and what isn't.

Bottom line: concentrate on writing a great script. That's hard enough. Leave the math to someone else.

(most writers I know were never any good at math anyway...)

How much outline is enough?

I'm working on a pilot that I've been thinking about for almost half a year, taking mental notes, etc. A few weeks ago I started to make actual notes - character bios, info about future episodes, an outline for the pilot. I thought because I'd been working on the story in my head for so long I'd be able to use a vague outline. In general, I don't love outlining because I get too bored with the writing process if I've already written everything out. But I'm finding that I'm more frustrated now that I have a minimal outline -- I know what's coming but I have little idea of how to get there. And I'm getting way too bogged down by character set-up. I just wrote two scenes, a page and a half, where all that really happened was character introduction. Not, "Hi My name is Jessica" -- luckily not that bad! -- but those first interactions that tell you who a character is. And they drive the story forward I suppose, but we're so far away from the meat of the story...I read some pilots last week to get my juices flowing and I know that these last two scenes are on such a different level than those scripts.

I wish I'd made a better outline, with exactly how I plan to introduce my characters in a story driven way. It's so hard to accept that even though I've started writing I have to go back a step and outline. But I guess that's how things are.

Index cards, here I come.

Soundtrack

I guess I've been inspired by other bloggers' posts recently, but this post about writing to music by Amanda the Aspiring TV Writer really stuck out to me tonight. If you haven't checked out her blog, you should. It's really great.

I've gone through a good number of playlists for my feature. The first was songs I thought told the story of the script. That didn't work very well for me, though, because the playlist moved faster than my writing. And, once I had finished the draft of the beginning, the playlist still had those appropriate songs. Very frustrating. I spent way to much time fast forwarding and far too little time writing.

So I made a shorter playlist once I neared the ending of draft 3. That one worked a lot better, but still the pace was off. Then, another idea dawned on me.

I'd been imagining Zac Efron as one of the main characters, so I decided to see if listening to him would inspire me. I popped in my Hairspray CD and listened to all of his tracks on repeat. Eventually the music just faded away, and I was writing like a machine, propelled by the hope that someday the voice I was listening to would speak the dialogue I was writing. Sure, it's unlikely, but the hope is what keeps us going.

Then, I had to work on a final touch up. I decided to make a playlist for my read-through. So I thought, hey, why I don't choose songs my protagonist would like? This way I can work on character development! I decided that my protagonist would listen to mostly indie stuff, but with a poppy tonality.

So there I was, pounding away at the keys, bopping along to some Moldy Peaches and Rilo Kiley (though at this point are Rilo Kiley so indie? Beside the point). But I realized something. My character's whole point was that she had never really rebelled. She was more go-with-the-flow don't wanna stir the waters. So it was unfathomable to me that she would seek out unique music. It was so completely out of character. And I'd actually written her taste for indie music into the script (though not specific songs! never!). That needed to be changed. So I changed all the instances of indie to "Top 40" and breathed a sigh of relief that my character development hadn't been an epic fail.

Moral of the story? Make a playlist your character would listen to, and see if it's true. Once you're listening you'll notice if the words you're writing fit with the songs you're listening to.

Oh, and if you want a musical actor to be in your movie, get out the soundtracks!

Zen

I stumbled upon an ad from the WGA East today at work. I thought I'd share it. It's an excerpt from "On Writing" (Not Stephen King's fabulous book, but from a publication by WGAE).

"[David] RAYFIEL: You know, there are only two things I know about screenwriting. One is a quote from Kuniyoshi, a Japanese-American painter who was once asked about his way of working. And he said, 'At a certain point I send the model home.' And that's the way it happens. You can't keep going back to the model or the source. The screenplay becomes its own source.
...[the second thing is] something Willa Cather once said: "Whatever is felt upon the page without specifically being named there, that, one might say, is created.'"

Ahhh...Feedback

So I stumbled upon this great blog about getting feedback on your writing.

Basically, the author suggests giving comments in the form of questions. Instead of "Wow, your dialogue is super-cheesy," something like "Would Cara really say something like that?" would be better. It makes the writer think about the issue at hand, it cushions the blow, and it probably means the writer will be more likely to take advice. No one like a Negative Nancy...

...which brings me to another point. It's always best to include something positive in feedback. If you're a writer looking for feedback, ask the people to whom you're sending your script to mention what they liked about the work. If you're a reader, keep in mind how you would feel if it was your work coming back peppered with negative comments. There's always something good to say about a script -- even "I liked the main character's name" can be an ego boost. But it's not all about ego either. Notating the positive is useful not only because it makes the negative comments easier to receive and follow, but also because it means the good scenes won't get cut in the editing. Once a writer takes scissors to his or her script, anything goes -- but if there's a scene that's particularly good, the writer will keep it in. Mentioning the positive can also give the writer an idea of what works, and what the rest of the script should look like. If the dialoge is perfect in one scene, but atrocious everywhere else. pointing out the good scene will provide a framework for what the rest of the script should look like in a rewrite.

The Good Guy

This afternoon, I had the privilege of attending a screening at Tribeca of The Good Guy (starring Scott Porter, Alexis Bledel, and Bryan Greenberg). I hope not to give too much away, because it is a worthwhile film and I hope it gets distributed. But I can't stop thinking about the film, especially the script, and thought I'd share my ruminations.

The basic premise is a love triangle centered on Wall Street. It's a romantic comedy -- though not quite in the same league as Kate Hudson/Meg Ryan movies. More a comedy whose anchor was partly romance.

The characters were really the most interesting aspect of the movie. The writer/director Julio DePietro broke all sorts of basic rules with his protagonist. First, there were essentially three protagonists who occupied mostly equal amounts of screen time (though one was slightly more focal than the others). They each had valuable stories that didn't really overshadow one another. Yet, it wasn't an ensemble piece. Each protagonist was also the antagonist at different moments, which kept the audience guessing. And, what I found most intriguing about the film, was that the characters were all people we've seen in real life -- cliches almost -- but not people we've ever seen on screen. They were real people who we'd recognize but not movie characters.

It was actually disconcerting to watch this film with all the script reading I'm doing. The rules for what works in scripts can sometimes be so rigid. This is usually a good thing -- most first time writers don't understand the rules well enough to break them, so the result is a clumsy script. I'm so used to evaluating scripts -- and movies -- with my mental checklist of the dos and don'ts of screenwriting that for a while I couldn't decide if The Good Guy worked or not. But, after marinating on the film and talking briefly with DiPietro, I realize it did.

There are a few reasons the movie worked, even with its rule-breaking characters. First, the comedy was great. The audience laughed out loud multiple times. Even during gut-wrenching scenes, there was room for laughter. Second, the movie hinted at what it was doing. It basically acknowledged that the characters in the film were going to be a little different, and how. The script actually foreshadowed itself in a way. Acknowledging that rules were about to be broken softened the blow. It was obvious that DiPietro understood screenwriting and the basic storytelling rules of the medium, but that he had a statement to make by breaking them. Three, the techinical stuff -- editing, music, direction, acting -- were superb.

So what's the moral? It's okay to break screenwriting rules every so often -- just make sure you know what the rules are, you understand you're breaking them, and you strengthen another aspect (like comedy) of your script so a finicky reader is too excited to pass. Don't be afraid of unconventional characters.

Oh, and check out The Good Guy, either at Tribeca or when it hopefully gets a distribution deal.

Networking Tips, Inspired by Tribeca

The Tribeca Film Festival is here! Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend two Tribeca events, a panel on writing for big budget vs small budget films, and a screening of the romantic comedy TiMER. (Yes, it is a lower-case "i").

I'll give notes on the panel in an upcoming post. The movie was really charming. It stars Emma Caulfield of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame (she played Anya). It's a romantic comedy set in a world where you can get a wrist implant that will count down to the day you will meet your soulmate -- so a lot of the love game is gone. I liked it a lot. And I got to meet Emma afterwards, which was fantastic, since I'm a huge Buffy fan.

But anyway...I mostly attended these events for the networking opportunities involved. It's great to know as much about the business as possible, but without connections, knowledge, creativity, and talent won't get you anywhere. I made one great career connection and one personal connection (which, you never know what it could lead to!)

But along the way I noticed some networking faux pas.

First off, if you arrive early for an event, don't pull out a book or an ipod or anything. Try to engage with the people around you. They all share some similar interest, right? Otherwise you wouldn't be at the same event. Everyone is looking for their next connection -- let it be you! Try to take a seat next to someone, instead of a few over. This way you can really converse. Even though an opening is scary, it's worth it. Try "I like your shirt/dress/boots." Or, "Do you know what time this starts?" or "Oh, I've been meaning to read that book you're holding, is it good?" or "Boy, it's nice out today, isn't it?" Then, follow up with "By the way, my name is (Cindy). Nice to meet you. What brings you here today?"

I opened up to the person next to me at the TiMER screening by asking if she was with Tribeca. She was wearing a Heineken lanyard, which the volunteers and workers all had. She responded (quite curtly) "No, I'm an industry professional." "Oh," I said. "What do you do?"
"I'm an aspiring filmmaker." (still curtly)
"Very nice."
"Yeah, well, I'm working in web and video for a company so I got this pass."
And then she stopped talking to me. No follow-up questions.

Not to toot my own horn, but this woman could have been making a huge mistake. She had no idea who I was -- maybe a student (I look young) or an aspiring filmmaker like herself -- or maybe I've had things produced. Maybe I'm an assistant at Mirimax. Maybe I'm Martin Scorcese's niece. How would she know? She never asked. She missed out on making a connection because she was rude and had no follow-up. So always follow-up with someone if they approach you to network. I've had too many people at networking events just stare blankly, as if the adage "Don't talk to strangers" applies at business networking events. It doesn't.

Another error this "industry professional" made is that she assumed I was not worth networking with. EVERYONE is worth networking with. You never know what the future holds for someone. In 5 years, I could be a senior writer on a major TV show (we hope we hope we hope). Even people who aren't in the industry are worthwhile. You never know who someone knows. Maybe someone is an accountant. But maybe this accountant has an important client. Or plays golf with a big Hollywood person. You're only hurting yourself if you judge based on appearance, past credits, or career.

There's a famous Hollywood truth that's worth repeating. Today's assistant is tomorrow's exec. Be courteous to everyone, take an interest in everyone, and soon your Rolodex (or blackberry or twitter friends) will grow.

Tonight I'm headed to an event sponsored by NYWIFT that I'm really excited for -- a Conversation with Theresa Rebeck (writer on Law and Order, writer of Harriet the Spy and Gossip, as well as others...playwright). I hope networking opportunities abound, and as always, if there's something interesting that pops up I'll be sure to share it!

Neuroses

Ever since I started taking screenwriting seriously and reading script after script, I realize I've become a little neurotic. I find myself cringing at minor details that any normal person wouldn't even notice. But in this business, you kind of have to be neurotic, because everyone else is.

So here are some of the things that make me cringe, that most people would ignore.

1. The wrong font. Scripts should be in courier new size 12. Not in anything else. Just courier new. It is your friend.

2. Camera language. You don't look smarter for knowing what a Wide Angle is or a closeup. You look like you don't know what a screenwriter's job is and what a director's job is.

3. Underlined words. If we can't figure out the inflection in the dialogue from the words on the page, think about how to reconstruct the sentence so it's obvious. Again, you're a writer, not an actor.

4. Sluglines that aren't INT. LOCATION -- TIME or EXT. LOCATION -- TIME. Don't include extra info. Don't switch the order around. Don't forget to use a slugline.

5. Sluglines that say "INT. DARCY'S KITCHEN -- DAY" followed by, "Darcy is in her kitchen." Well, if she's anywhere on screen it's in her kitchen. We learned that from the slugline.

6. The wrong size brads. Now, I didn't know this a bit ago, and I panicked trying to find the right brads. They are Acco #5s, available special order from Staples or Office Depot or thewritersstore.com. They are not the same as Staples brands. I held both in my hand, and they are vastly different. #5s are 1 1/4 inch. And made of real brass. Use two of them, but punch 3 holes.

7. If you are submitting a script online, convert it a PDF. Not everyone has Final Draft or Moviemagic on their computers, and you don't want someone not to be able to open your script. A Word document will likely screw up your formatting. When I read scripts in Word, I know there are bound to be errors and pre-judge the script. Conversely, if there aren't any errors, I get thrilled that the writer really took the time to understand formatting and proofread, but that's not usually the case.

More to come later...but for now, those are things that drive me CRAZY when I'm reading a script.

What Separates High Concept from Boring

One of the first things you learn as a screenwriter is that you have to write something that can sell. That your script should be as marketable as possible, and one of the ways to do that is to create a "high concept" script. You know, a script that has an idea so simple and catchy it can be summed up in one sentence.

For example: A journalist lacking romantic experience goes undercover to a high school, where she falls for her English teacher -- Never Been Kissed. A blonde sorority president from LA enrolls in Harvard Law School when her ex-boyfriend dumps her for a more intellectual old-money girl -- Legally Blonde. Two single guys crash weddings to pick up girls -- Wedding Crashers.

These movies' premises seem simple enough. But there's more to them than just a good concept. Too often, I read scripts that have great hooks, are high concept, but lack the extra edge to get them pushed toward a recommend. That extra edge is soul, heart, a universal theme. It's like when your friend tells you a funny story -- it's either great, or it's the kind of story that begs you to respond "And then you found five dollars, right?" Too many scripts fall into that latter category.

A script needs to be about something. A charming concept is a great start, but it needs to be backed up by a story that the audience can relate to, with characters that transport them. It seems obvious enough, but most of the scripts I read lack this simple element. They focus on plot, on getting the concept from point A to point B – but since the beauty of a high concept script is that we kind of already know what to expect (hence it’s salability, because the audience knows they’ll like it), following a plot along gets tedious. It’s especially problematic with comedies that lack this element, because they wind up becoming too-long sketches. No one wants to watch (or read) two hours of the same joke. But a joke that accompanies growing characters and a universal theme is golden.

Let’s explore some of the earlier examples I gave. What is the universal theme or the heart in Never Been Kissed? Well, Drew Barrymore’s character Josie has always been the nerd, always been a few steps behind in her life, but when she gets the chance to live through high school again, her brother helps boost her popularity, and her teacher falls for her sexy intellect. It all starts to crumble when her secret is discovered, and she winds up being humiliated – as humiliated as she was back in high school when the hottest guy in school stood her up for prom. The only difference is, this time she has the confidence to face the humiliation and the courage to make things right. The audience can relate to her, and to the movie, because everyone’s had those moments where we feel a few steps behind of everyone else. Everyone’s been humiliated, been heart-broken – so when Josie stands up there on the pitcher’s mound, finally taking charge of her life and leaving her bad memories behind, we’re right there with her.

Or take Legally Blonde. The joke of a superficial sorority girl at Harvard Law would get pretty old pretty fast if there wasn’t something more to the story. Legally Blonde is a story about standing up for yourself in the face of adversity, believing in yourself when no one else does, and trusting your instincts. This theme is all over the movie – in Elle’s sunny declaration that she’ll go to Harvard; when Elle helps her manicurist Paulette get her dog back and win over the UPS guy; when Elle believes Brooke is innocent and sticks her neck out to prove it; when Elle walks away from the case after Callahan puts a move on her, but swiftly returns because she believes she can win the case; when she uses her Cosmo knowledge to win the case. The movie is funny, and the concept brings the audience in, but it’s the message of the movie that gives it its soul – and its Golden Globe noms.

And Wedding Crashers? It’s more than just an outrageous comedy filled with quotable dialogue and memorable provocative scenes (who can ever forget the hand job at the dinner table?). It’s a story about friendship. About friends who are so close they do everything together. They’re the perfect single buddies, living the bromantic life until they fall in love, and have to deal with the complications that will inevitability change their friendship.

Pick any high concept movie and you’ll see that it’s about a lot more than its simple premise would suggest. A script with a funny hook that fails to convey a message to the audience, a script that plods along its plot without characters that are beautifully and wholly human, isn’t going to make it past a reader. Before you sit down to write a script, tune in to yourself to find what it is you want to tell the world, what inner universal truth you’re committed to spreading. To paraphrase Jewel, if you could tell the world one thing, what would it be? Answer that in your high concept script, and you’ll have an audience hooked.

Welcome!

It's that age old question of what to write after Fade In...you know where you'd like to take the story, but you're not quite sure where it begins. So too, my blog.

I'd like this blog to serve a few purposes:

I'll share some of my knowledge of what to do and what not to do when writing and submitting a script. I've been reading scripts for a management company for a while now, and I see a lot of the same errors over and over. I've also read a few scripts that got it right, and I'd love to see more of them. I won't be able to get into any specifics about the scripts themselves, but I'll share tips that can get your script past readers like me.

I'm also working on some of my own writing projects. I have a feature and a TV spec that I've completed and I'm just beginning work on my next project. I'll talk a little about my writing process and share those wonderful and frustrating moments only writers can really appreciate.

I'm currently interning at a fabulous organization called New York Women in Film and TV. The organization hosts speakers, seminars, panels, screenings, etc., with the hopes of providing resources and networking opportunities for filmmakers (women specifically, but men are encouraged to join). I'll share some of what I've learned both from the events themselves and from networking. Because we're all great writers, right? We just need those connections...so I'll be talking a bit on how to get and maintain some connections.

Speaking of connections...what I think will be the most of fun aspect of this blog is that I intend for it to be interactive. I'd love to respond to readers' questions. On the other hand, I have yet to be paid for my writing work, so obviously I won't have all the answers. It would be great if you all could send me some of your insights and experiences, and I'll post them here (with proper attribution, of course!). I also want to lend my "script reader goggles" to you, so if you have a scene that you're having trouble with or just need a pair of eyes to look over, send it my way, and I'll post it here with some feedback. I'd love to have this blog become an online hub of screenwriters, so we can all build our networks, have moral support, and polish our writing while we do it.

Welcome to the blog, I hope you enjoy it!