Interviews Worth Watching

Stumbled upon a pretty cool website – FilmNut on thestream.tv – interviews with the movers and shakers of all aspects of film making.
Check it out here: http://www.thestream.tv/series.php?s=3

One of my favorite interviews -- Oscar Winning Co-Writer of "Crash" Bob Moresco
Check it out here: http://www.thestream.tv/watch.php?v=302

Let me know what you think, and
Keep Writing!

Evolution of a Screenwriter

Do you remember when you first decided to become a screenwriter? I can. I saw Birth of a Nation during its first release back in….

No, not really… I’m old, but NOT that old! No, I first fell for screenwriting when I took an Introduction to Screenwriting class at the local community college back in ‘02. 2002, not 1902.

I had a passion for writing fiction – even had some short stories published – and I had taken all of the fiction writing classes at Wake Tech and the only writing class available was, tada! Introduction to Screenwriting. The goal of the class was to complete an Act I first draft and the rest, as they say, is history.

From there it was just a matter of consuming every screenwriting book I could find, read tons of screenplays, etc. My writing philosophy was strictly Sid Field – three act structure, plot points, mid-points by the numbers, by the page, ad nauseam. Slowly I discovered other screenwriting gurus: Mckee’s Story – devoured that book several times; ran across Jeff Schechter's Four Act Structure; Hal Ackerman's Write Screenplays That Sell: The Ackerman Way; Inside Story by Dara Marks – loved it. And last, but not least, Unk over at The Unknown Screenwriter. You get the idea….

No longer am I an old school three act kind of guy. Now I plan my screenplay as Four Acts:

• ACT I: (Orphan, Loner, Disunity) – The protagonist finds herself in a new situation that leaves her alone, orphaned — sometimes physically, sometimes psychologically—and surrounded by chaos/disunity.
  
• ACT II: (Wanderer, Explorer, Deconstruction) – The protagonist wanders / explores / deconstructs her new world learning the rules of this new world from mentors, friends and, yes, even her enemies.
  
• ACT III: (Warrior, Activist, Reconstruction) – The protagonist now knows how to fight the opposition, becomes more active in trying to reconstruct her world.
  
• ACT IV: (Martyr, Death, Unity) – The protagonist dies – metaphorically – she has martyred her old self in order to bring unity back to her world and in the process – hopefully – is reborn a better person.
  

When the first draft is complete I print out my screenplay in ten (10) page sequences, then edit/rewrite each sequence with the intention of ending each sequence with a cliff hanger and/or transition into the next sequence.

Put the whole thing back together and make another pass concentrating on character, action description, and plot. Now I should have a screenplay I won’t be embarrassed to show to other screenwriting friends and/or send out to story analysts.

This is where I am today – in the months ahead I may be somewhere else, hopefully as a better writer. Let me know how you do it – we can all learn from one another.

Keep Writing!

Question on Spec Script Sales

I’m in a dilemma. In a pickle. In between a hard place and a harder place. And you, my loyal reader, can help.

Here’s the deal. Each month I post script sales here on ye ol’ blog and I am not ashamed to inform you that I get my data from Done Deal Pro. Their details on script sales are – well, shall we say – not very consistent. Anyway, here’s my dilemma – pickle – hard place: If a writer/director makes a sale and the source of the material is not identified as an adaptation, assignment, true story, or a pitch… can I safely assume that the screenplay is a spec? I mean, after all, it is original material and as original material can it be declared a spec?

Let me know what you think because if I am wrong, my stats on script types – adaptation, assignment, pitch, remake, etc. – are skewed. Tell me what you think.

Keep Writing!

Script Sales for June 2009

There were 79 sales in June.

Genre          Type         Studio              Production Co.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Action         Sequel       Paramount Pictures  Bad Robot
Action Advent  Adaptation   Columbia Pictures   Arad Productions
Action Advent  Adaptation   N/A                 Summit Enter
Action Comedy  Pitch        Paramount Pictures  Montecito Picture
Action Comedy  Pitch        Paramount Pictures  Skydance Prod
Action Spy     Assignment   MGM                 EON Productions
Action Super   Spec         Paramount Pictures  di Bonaventura
Action Thrill  Adaptation   N/A                 Lionsgate
Action Thrill  Rewrite      N/A                 CBS Films
Action War     Adaptation   N/A                 Omnilab
Action Western Adaptation   Universal Pictures  De Luca Prod
Adventure      Pitch        Columbia Pictures   Right Coast Prod
Adventure      Rewrite      20th Century Fox    N/A
Comedy         Adaptation   20th Century Fox    N/A
Comedy         Pitch        DreamWorks          N/A
Comedy         Pitch        Universal Pictures  Benderspink
Comedy         Remake       Paramount Pictures  Montecito Picture
Comedy         Spec         N/A                 Chockstone Pic
Comedy         True Story   Universal Pictures  Imagine Enter
Comedy         Adaptation   N/A                 Henson Company
Comedy         Rewrite      20th Century Fox    Prime Universe
Comedy         Spec         Universal Pictures  Type A Films
Comedy Advent  Adaptation   Universal Pictures  Imagine Enter
Comedy Buddy   Rewrite      N/A                 Focus Features
Comedy Child   Adaptation   Universal Pictures  Gotham Group
ComedyFamily   Spec         N/A                 Wind Dancer Films
Drama          Adaptation   Fox 2000            New Regency
Drama          Adaptation   20th Century Fox    Yorn Management
Drama          Adaptation   N/A                 GreeneStreet Films
Drama          Adaptation   Warner Bros.        Unique Features
Drama          Adaptation   N/A                 L+E Productions
Drama          Pitch        Paramount Pictures  Appian Way
Drama          Spec         N/A                 Imagine Enter
Drama          True Story   N/A                 Halcyon Enter
Drama          True Story   N/A                 Reel One Enter
Drama          Turnaround   Warner Bros. Pic    Gold Circle Films
Drama Bio      Adaptation   N/A                 Time Inc. Studios
Drama Bio      Assignment   Warner Bros.        Unique Features
Drama Mob      Adaptation   N/A                 L+E Productions
Drama Romance  Spec         N/A                 Castle Rock
Drama War      Adaptation   N/A                 Brilliant Films
Fable          Pitch        Walt Disney         Monsterfoot Prod
Family         Pitch        DreamWorks Anim     Netter Productions
Family Action  Adaptation   Universal Pictures  Imagine Enter
Family Advent  Adaptation   Universal Pictures  Illumination Enter
Family Advent  Pitch        DreamWorks          Kurtzman/Orci
Family Comedy  Adaptation   N/A                 Magic Lantern Ent
Family Comedy  Remake       Dimension Films     Foster Productions
Family Comedy  Rewrite      N/A                 Walden Media
Family Western Adaptation   N/A                 821 Entertainment
Fantasy        Adaptation   N/A                 Unique Features
Fantasy Advent Adaptation   Warner Bros.        Unique Features
Fantasy Child  Adaptation   Sony Pictures       Stars Road
Fantasy Child  Adaptation   N/A                 Framelight Prod
Heist          Pitch        N/A                 Overture Films
Horror         Remake       Universal Pictures  Imagine Enter
Horror Comedy  Remake       Dimension Films     Furst Films
Horror Supern  Assignment   N/A                 Vertigo Enter
Horror Supern  Assignment   N/A                 Gold Circle Films
Musical        Adaptation   Universal Pictures  Zadan/Meron Prod
Musical Comedy Adaptation   N/A                 Unique Features
Musical Comedy Remake       MGM                 N/A
Rom Com        Adaptation   Fox 2000            Radar Pictures
Rom Com        Spec         N/A                 Overture Films
Sci Fi         Adaptation   N/A                 Red Giant Media
Sci Fi         Adaptation   DreamWorks          Bay Films
Sci Fi         Remake       Columbia Pictures   Original Film
Thriller       Adaptation   N/A                 Unique Features
Thriller       Pitch        N/A                 Summit Enter
Thriller       Remake       N/A                 Lionsgate
Thriller       Spec         N/A                 Intrepid Pictures
Thriller       Adaptation   N/A                 Chockstone Pic
Thriller       Adaptation   N/A                 Dark Hero Studios
Thriller       Adaptation   N/A                 Smuggler Films
Thriller       Spec         Fox Searchlight     di Bonaventura Pic
Thriller       Spec         N/A                 Screen Gems
Thriller       Spec         N/A                 Mandate Pictures
Thriller Legal Adaptation   N/A                 Gran Via Prod
Thriller Suspe Adaptation   N/A                 Overture Films

Keep Writing!

Script Sales Charts June ‘09

There were 79 script sales in June.

Keep Writing!

I’m Baaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Did you miss me, my two or three loyal followers? No? Really? No?

No matter.

I’m here and not going away.

Where have I been, you might ask? Vacation. No computer. No writing. Isolated. From writing anyway. And now, I am well into my ninth screenplay – somewhere around page 60 – and should have the first draft by mid-July. After that I will be taking an on-line class through the UCLA Extension Program: From Inspiration to Completion: Finding Your Movie. I’m really looking forward to this class as I have a dy-no-mite story idea I am eager to develop.

More later.

Finally, something special for my two loyal fans out there in cyber-space. Check out this blog's sister site over at http://www.schererjoyofwriting.com/.
Look up at the top of that blog and you will see a tab labeled Script Page. There you will find the first ACT (more or less) from seven (7) of my spec screenplays. Read’em. Analyze’em. Tear’em apart. Give me some feedback.

Looking forward to hearing from the both of you.

Keep Writing!

Script Sales for May '09

There were 106 script sales in May

Genre            Type             Studio              Prod Co.
_________________________________________________________________________
Action           Adaptation       N/A                 Recorded Picture Co
Action           Adaptation       20th Century Fox    Seed Productions
Action           Adaptation       Warner Bros.        Thunder Road Films
Action Adventure Adaptation       N/A                 Sunset Pictures
Action Cop Buddy Adaptation       Warner Bros.        N/A
Action Drama     Remake           20th Century Fox    Marvel Studios
Action War       Rewrite          Universal Pict      N/A
Action           Sequel           N/A                 Arclight Films
Action           Spec             N/A                 Leju Productions
Action Adventure Spec             N/A                 Articulus Enter
Action Comedy    Spec             N/A                 Hannibal Pictures
Action Detective Spec             N/A                 Winkler Films
Action Drama     Spec             Warner Bros.        Mad Chance
Action           Spinoff          N/A                 Alcon Enter
Animation        Adaptation       N/A                 Starz Media
Animation Child  Spec             N/A                 Tinseltown Toons
Comedy           Adaptation       N/A                 Tornante Company
Comedy           Adaptation       DreamWorks Ani      N/A
Comedy           Adaptation       Paramount Pic       Misher Films
Comedy Teen      Adaptation       Paramount Pic       N/A
Comedy Family    Animation        Warner Bros.        Original Film
Comedy           Assignment       20th Century Fox    Davis Enter
Comedy           Pitch            N/A                 Endgame Enter
Comedy           Teen Remake      N/A                 26 Films
Comedy           Rewrite          20th Century Fox    Blue Sky Studios
Comedy           Rewrite          Paramount Pic       N/A
Comedy           Rewrite          20th Century Fox    Lakeshore Enter
Comedy Drama     Spec             N/A                 Kanzaman France
Crime Comedy     Spec             N/A                 Amusement Park
Coming of Age    Adaptation       N/A                 Independent prod.
Drama            Adaptation       N/A                 Foster Prod
Drama            Adaptation       N/A                 Indigo Film
Drama            Adaptation       N/A                 Uppity Films
Drama            Adaptation       N/A                 First Line Entert
Drama            Adaptation       N/A                 Levinson/Fontana
Drama            Adaptation       N/A                 BBC Films
Drama            Adaptation       N/A                 BBC Films
Drama Bio        Adaptation       N/A                 Lightning Enter
Drama Fantasy    Adaptation       N/A                 Arclight Films
Drama Horror     Adaptation       N/A                 Focus Features
Drama Opera      Adaptation       N/A                 Participant Prod
Drama War        Adaptation       20th Century Fox    Seed Productions
Drama            Rewrite          N/A                 Seed Productions
Drama Comedy     Sequel           Warner Bros.        Anonymous Content
Drama            Spec             N/A                 NALA Films
Drama            Spec             N/A                 Netter Prod
Drama            Spec             N/A                 Coach 14
Drama            Spec             N/A                 Foster Prod
Drama            Spec             N/A                 Polakoff Prod
Drama            Spec             Sony Pictures       Overbrook Enter
Drama            Spec             Columbia Pic        De Luca Prod
Drama Comedy     Spec             N/A                 Gotham Group
Drama Comedy     Spec             Warner Bros.        Storyopolis Prod
Drama Romance    Spec             Universal Pic       Mandalay Pictures
Drama Romance    Spec             N/A                 DreamWorks Picture
Drama            Treatment        N/A                 BBC Films
Drama            True Story       N/A                 Participant Prod
Drama            True Story       N/A                 Single Cell Pictures
Drama            True Story       N/A                 Summit Entert
Drama            True Story       N/A                 Little Film Co.
Drama            True Story       N/A                 Operamovies
Drama Bio        True Story       N/A                 Primary Prod
Drama Bio        True Story       N/A                 Amusement Park
Drama Bio        True Story       N/A                 HighRoad Enter
Drama Political  True Story       N/A                 BBC Films
Fantasy          Adaptation       DreamWorks Ani      N/A
Fantasy Comedy   Adaptation       Warner Bros.        Silver Pictures
Fantasy Comedy   Adaptation       N/A                 N/A
Fantasy Action   Assignment       N/A                 Kickstart Enter
Fantasy Romance  Spec             N/A                 Fabrique de Films
Horror           Adaptation       N/A                 Twisted Pictures
Horror Gothic    Adaptation       Universal Pic       Cha Cha Cha
Horror Thriller  Adaptation       N/A                 Dark Castle Enter
Horror           Remake           N/A                 Dark Castle Enter
Horror           Remake           DreamWorks          Gaeta Rosenzweig
Horror Comedy    Remake           N/A                 Pressman Film Co.
Horror           True Story       Universal Pic       Dark Horse Enter
Musical          Rewrite          Screen Gems         N/A
Musical Drama    Adaptation       N/A                 Screen Gems
Mystery Romance  Adaptation       N/A                 Foster Prod
Satire           Adaptation       N/A                 Colac Pictures
Satirical Drama  Adaptation       N/A                 BBC Films
Sci Fi Action    Adaptation       Warner Bros.        Weed Road Pic
Sci Fi Adventure Remake           Walt Disney         N/A
Sci Fi Drama     Adaptation       N/A                 Halcyon Enter
Sci Fi Thriller  Adaptation       N/A                 CBS Films
Sports Child     Adaptation       N/A                 Nehst Studios
Sports Child     Adaptation       N/A                 Nehst Studios
Sports Comedy    Pitch            Walt Disney         Gunn Films
Thriller         Adaptation       Warner Bros         Vertigo Enter
Thriller         Adaptation       Universal Pic       Red Wagon Prod
Thriller         Adaptation       N/A                 Glasshouse Pict
Thriller         Adaptation       Walt Disney         Seed Prod
Thriller         Adaptation       N/A                 Yellow Bird
Thriller         Adaptation       20th Century Fox    Winter Road Enter
ThrillerSupernat Adaptation       N/A                 Nehst Studios
Thriller Mystery Pitch            Walt Disney         POW! Enter
Thriller         Remake           N/A                 Vertigo Enter
Thriller         Rewrite          Warner Bros.        Spring Creek Prod
Thriller         Rewrite          N/A                 Focus Features
Thriller         Spec             N/A                 Media Rights Capital
Thriller         Spec             N/A                 Thousand Words
Thriller         Spec             N/A                 Myriad Pictures
Thriller         Spec             N/A                 Relativity Media
Thriller Psych   Spec             N/A                 Mimran Schur Pic
Thriller         True Story       N/A                 Hannibal Pictures

Keep Writing!