Any Writers On Here?

#1
MphsBlues

MphsBlues

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#1
I'm just curious if VN has anyone that has tried their hand at screenwriting. I am about 30 minutes into my first script and it's a whole new world. Formatting, plot, character depth, conflict, etc intertwine and sometimes it becomes difficult to weave the story. I'm having trouble with a period piece right now that is giving me fits.
 
#2
#2
MphsBlues said:
I'm just curious if VN has anyone that has tried their hand at screenwriting. I am about 30 minutes into my first script and it's a whole new world. Formatting, plot, character depth, conflict, etc intertwine and sometimes it becomes difficult to weave the story. I'm having trouble with a period piece right now that is giving me fits.
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I've been working on a concept for a couple of years, but have the same technical problems you are faced with now.
 
#4
#4
MphsBlues said:
What are you working on, Lex? Feature film? Maybe I could help?
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I can't decide. It will probably be like most other things in my life. Half done.

I've been trying to hammer this idea out for a while. My problem is that I see too many movies and I don't really read enough.

Here is the idea:
An over the hill rock band is stuck playing small clubs and taverns all over the country. They have been working on a new project for a while and have a release date.

They get a call to open for a "flavor of the month" pop band (at some cheesy venue like Vegas) that are huge fans of their old stuff. The problem they detest the music of the people inviting them.

The screen play would basically be based what happens to the band after that call.

I have tried to bang out the characters, but can get no further than that.
 
#5
#5
Lexvol said:
I can't decide. It will probably be like most other things in my life. Half done.

I've been trying to hammer this idea out for a while. My problem is that I see too many movies and I don't really read enough.

Here is the idea:
An over the hill rock band is stuck playing small clubs and taverns all over the country. They have been working on a new project for a while and have a release date.

They get a call to open for a "flavor of the month" pop band (at some cheesy venue like Vegas) that are huge fans of their old stuff. The problem they detest the music of the people inviting them.

The screen play would basically be based what happens to the band after that call.

I have tried to bang out the characters, but can get no further than that.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good story. I sat on the one I'm working on for about 6 years and did nothing with it. The whole idea just seemed like too tall a hill to climb. I didn't know how to format or anything. When I found out that formatting isn't that difficult I jumped on in. What software are you using?
 
#7
#7
kev20 said:
Bad Santa FTW!
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:) Lex is a good writer. I'm sure whatever he comes up with will be good stuff. I never tire of movies that have to do with rock bands. I think my favorite to this day is The Commitments (although they were a bunch of Irish boys and girls playing the blues).
 
#8
#8
I've been working on a couple ideas for a while now but it's very tough to actually try to make something legit. I feel like I've already put more thought into my idea than 90% of movies that get made these days...

My two ideas:
1. Kind of broad still but just a non-conventional college football movie. It would look at different aspects of life and their impact on the game similar to the TV show Friday Night Lights.
2. A witty animated movie about a bi-polar polar bear. He is a DJ named JD and he is from the North Pole marrying a bear who says shes from the South Pole (making him somewhat a resident of both poles). He will also be literally bi-polar and for example this will play out through his job as a DJ where he will randomly put on a depressing slow song.

Any thoughts on the second one especially would be much appreciated. If you think it's terrible that's fine too...
 
#9
#9
RockyTop572 said:
I've been working on a couple ideas for a while now but it's very tough to actually try to make something legit. I feel like I've already put more thought into my idea than 90% of movies that get made these days...

My two ideas:
1. Kind of broad still but just a non-conventional college football movie. It would look at different aspects of life and their impact on the game similar to the TV show Friday Night Lights.
2. A witty animated movie about a bi-polar polar bear. He is a DJ named JD and he is from the North Pole marrying a bear who says shes from the South Pole (making him somewhat a resident of both poles). He will also be literally bi-polar and for example this will play out through his job as a DJ where he will randomly put on a depressing slow song.

Any thoughts on the second one especially would be much appreciated. If you think it's terrible that's fine too...
Click to expand...

I hear ya about the thought you've put into it. I can't believe some of the stuff Hollywood comes out with nowadays. You have some really good ideas there.

1. Not enough football movies have been made, in my opinion. I guess the key will be the angle you take in presenting the game. There is so much you can do there. That could be a lot of fun to write!

2. Love the idea. Very clever. And I admire you trying to tackle that genre. That could be a lot of fun, too.
 
#10
#10
Lexvol said:
I can't decide. It will probably be like most other things in my life. Half done.

I've been trying to hammer this idea out for a while. My problem is that I see too many movies and I don't really read enough.

Here is the idea:
An over the hill rock band is stuck playing small clubs and taverns all over the country. They have been working on a new project for a while and have a release date.

They get a call to open for a "flavor of the month" pop band (at some cheesy venue like Vegas) that are huge fans of their old stuff. The problem they detest the music of the people inviting them.

The screen play would basically be based what happens to the band after that call.

I have tried to bang out the characters, but can get no further than that.
Click to expand...

Lexvol, you should read The Wishbones by Tom Perrotta. Similar concept and a really good book.
 
#12
#12
MphsBlues said:
Sounds like a good story. I sat on the one I'm working on for about 6 years and did nothing with it. The whole idea just seemed like too tall a hill to climb. I didn't know how to format or anything. When I found out that formatting isn't that difficult I jumped on in. What software are you using?
Click to expand...

None...just sitting on the idea.
 
#13
#13
This thread title made me think of a friend my son graduated with at M/C, actually his dad played pro football years ago. He had ambitions of writing ,etc. as well. My son didn't find this out until he was about to graduate. Turns out, his friend(frat/brother) did move to NYC and is currently working for Spike Lee.He has visited him once and has an open invitation. I'm not sure what will ever become of this but I know he's pursuing his dream though.Just thought I'd share.
 
#15
#15
Lexvol said:
None...just sitting on the idea.
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Ah, ok. If you decide to try your hand at it, you should check out Scripped.com. The free software makes formatting easy. I'm beta testing their latest offering for them right now. You can store your script right on the site. The Ivy League kids have a good idea with this site.
 
#16
#16
kptvol said:
Lexvol, you should read The Wishbones by Tom Perrotta. Similar concept and a really good book.
Click to expand...

It's also important to read screenplays. Very important. You can find a bunch of them here. Personally, I found Titanic to be a great example of how to write a screenplay. James Cameron is good. Just keep in mind that you're not allowed to direct in a spec script like you see in his scripts. No 'Close On' no 'Slow Pan Left' or any of that. You have to keep it simple - EXT - MARINA - Day, for example. Directors take exception to spec writers directing the action. That said, there's a lot you ca do to push the direction the way that you want.
 
#17
#17
utfantilidie said:
This thread title made me think of a friend my son graduated with at M/C, actually his dad played pro football years ago. He had ambitions of writing ,etc. as well. My son didn't find this out until he was about to graduate. Turns out, his friend(frat/brother) did move to NYC and is currently working for Spike Lee.He has visited him once and has an open invitation. I'm not sure what will ever become of this but I know he's pursuing his dream though.Just thought I'd share.
Click to expand...

Having a contact is sooo important. Just getting a script in the hands of someone that will actually read it is huge. If you just write and send your script to Disney, a reader will skim your script while having lunch with four people and talking on his cell phone. It has to really grab the readers attention if you are sending them off blindly.
My only connection is that a co-worker's sister works for Steven Seagal - and my script would NOT be a good fit for him.
 
#18
#18
Not at all related to screenplay writing, but I find it interesting that small-time screenwriters will FedEx their completed scripts to themselves as a way of copywriting it. Not offically of course, but I guess its a proven way of protecting their stories.
 
#19
#19
The Dude said:
Not at all related to screenplay writing, but I find it interesting that small-time screenwriters will FedEx their completed scripts to themselves as a way of copywriting it. Not offically of course, but I guess its a proven way of protecting their stories.
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Never heard of people doing that, but then I'm new to it. I think you can get copywrite protection pretty easily now. I'll have to look into it as I near the end of my script.
 
#20
#20
MphsBlues said:
I'm just curious if VN has anyone that has tried their hand at screenwriting. I am about 30 minutes into my first script and it's a whole new world. Formatting, plot, character depth, conflict, etc intertwine and sometimes it becomes difficult to weave the story. I'm having trouble with a period piece right now that is giving me fits.
Click to expand...

Wrote three screenplays about 10 years ago and actually got interest in 1 of them (after sending out about 10 queries to several agencies). I didn't have the time or money at the time to go out to L.A., hunt down an agent, and negotiate and really didn't have any clue as to what a screenplay should fetch on the open market. At the time, I figured at best i would get probably $700-1200 dollars and it would probably be rehashed and rewritten so many times that it wouldn't resemble anything that I had originally anyways.
 
#21
#21
MphsBlues said:
It's also important to read screenplays. Very important. You can find a bunch of them here. Personally, I found Titanic to be a great example of how to write a screenplay. James Cameron is good. Just keep in mind that you're not allowed to direct in a spec script like you see in his scripts. No 'Close On' no 'Slow Pan Left' or any of that. You have to keep it simple - EXT - MARINA - Day, for example. Directors take exception to spec writers directing the action. That said, there's a lot you ca do to push the direction the way that you want.
Click to expand...


When I began writing, I used the screenplays of "Clerks" and "She's Gotta Have It" as models for writing my screenplays.
 
#22
#22
Rasputin_Vol said:
Wrote three screenplays about 10 years ago and actually got interest in 1 of them (after sending out about 10 queries to several agencies). I didn't have the time or money at the time to go out to L.A., hunt down an agent, and negotiate and really didn't have any clue as to what a screenplay should fetch on the open market. At the time, I figured at best i would get probably $700-1200 dollars and it would probably be rehashed and rewritten so many times that it wouldn't resemble anything that I had originally anyways.
Click to expand...

I didn't know you were a writer. :hi: That's great that you jumped in and tried it. I know very few people that have actually turned out a script. Was the pay for them really that bad back then? Good feature films nowadays fetch $200k or more just for the spec script. If they are good, maybe you should dust them off and try again?
 
#23
#23
Rasputin_Vol said:
When I began writing, I used the screenplays of "Clerks" and "She's Gotta Have It" as models for writing my screenplays.
Click to expand...

I just opened up Clerks in another window. Looks good so far.

RV, did you ever discover a fatal flaw in your script midway through? That's where I am right now and I'm struggling to get around it.
 
#24
#24
MphsBlues said:
I didn't know you were a writer. :hi: That's great that you jumped in and tried it. I know very few people that have actually turned out a script. Was the pay for them really that bad back then? Good feature films nowadays fetch $200k or more just for the spec script. If they are good, maybe you should dust them off and try again?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how much they were fetching for a script written by some unknown writer (me) and I didn't have an agent or attorney to help negotiate at the time. I have no idea how much I could have actually gotten for them...
 
#25
#25
Rasputin_Vol said:
I'm not sure how much they were fetching for a script written by some unknown writer (me) and I didn't have an agent or attorney to help negotiate at the time. I have no idea how much I could have actually gotten for them...
Click to expand...

One good way to get recognized is to enter a screenwriting contest. The biggest is the Nicholl Fellowship. The winner gets 5,000.00, has a good chance to get the movie made and would have NO problem finding an agent. Even making the first couple of cuts is really good. You can take your best one and submit it. You won't find out til around September, I think. If I get mine finished before the final submission date, I'll submit mine.
 
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