| We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Why join MGSF?
If you are already a member, please log in to your account to access all of your features: |
| Screenwriters' Discussion Thread | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Jun 15 2009, 12:47 AM (375 Views) | |
| Tamashi_7 | Jun 15 2009, 12:47 AM Post #1 |
|
Ohhhh, the cunt is back.
|
MGSF have any amateur screenwriters beside myself and BigK (who's pretty much fucked off)? If so, what are you working on, what are you inspirations, what's your style, favourite genre, etc.? |
| Meh. | |
 |
 
|
| color | Jun 15 2009, 05:33 PM Post #2 |
 
|
I'm taking a screenwriting course next semester. Hopefully it will provide me with some better techniques and proper format styles. Actually, my friend just told me about this program/website—I forget which—that is very helpful for that sort of thing. I'll try to get back here with that. As for me, I want to write a screenplay for Paradise Lost. When I first read Milton's epic poem I couldn't help but notice how visual and dramatic it was. I could envision it as a film but it would be really tricky and border-line terrible if done...the wrong way. I mean, we're talking heaven and paradise, the space in between, God and Satan. It's the big leagues. People care about that stuff. Still, I think it can be done. As soon as I make sure the sod who has the rights wants to give it to me instead of making it himself. 
|
 Are you thankful to be living the way you are With the ones you love Or do you sit with a troubled heart Wondering why we’re here Patriots Promo Video | |
|
|
|
| BigK | Jun 16 2009, 07:18 AM Post #3 |
Laugher - Medicine to all that irks you. Except Herpes.
|
I am pretty much "fucked off" *ohh some things never change, do they?  * But given the knowledge I now from 3 years of screenwriting courses, and given the experience of working with my film group from UC-SC a while now, this will DEFINITELY be a fun discussion, hehe.First, my genres have been narrowed down to two: Action and Comedy. I've always been a huge fan of both genres, as most movies I see are either one or the others, occasionally the Pixar or 3D movie, but they tend to fall under the friendlier fun comedies, which are quite enjoyable as a matter of fact. I find that action, however, has been a genre I can zone in better when writing feature screenplays, but the only real success I have ever had selling scripts, *shorts to be precise* was in the comedy genre. It's a very hard genre to follow because you often get stuck in "talking head" segments, in which you got nothing but people talking for 4 minutes straight, versus actually getting out and doing things. But the trouble with my action scripts, and this has been a problem for years now, is that while I can properly stick to a semi-decent story, my characters are either unoriginal, all speaking with the same tone, or just plain don't have any soul or emotion behind them, y'know, that same soul that makes them characters you will root for, or give a remote damn about. And just KNOWING you have that problem doesn't mean you can solve it off the bat, it is incredibly hard to give characters an original unique edge you haven't seen in other characters, or to just make them guys you can care about, because too many action writers just stick with, "complete the mission, story story story boom boom boom." Which is good, don't get me wrong, but you HAVE to have emotion, otherwise, why do we even CARE if your main character completes his mission? Probably one of the reasons I really liked MGS4, seeing OLD Snake basically endeavor the weight of the world on an old man's shoulders, an old man with a limited life span, and a limited friend base. Die Hard, you love John McClaine, he's got so much riding on stopping Hans, his wife hates him, he's a screw up, and his whole relation with the "Carl Winslow" character via radio, you can really feel for him, in all his flaws, and his fears, you can care for John, you want him to kick Hans ass and you want him to get out okay. Currently, I'm working on an action feature script called "White Strain," which falls under an action/suspense genre, took a while to plan out so I just started writing the actual pages, none of which I'd say are remotely ready to be considered draft material yet, but that's custom with any script you just get started on. One of the beautiful/pain in the ass things about actually getting up and writing is you're never just working on one thing. See, this was a huge mistake I made when I first entered the writing world, I always thought you should stick to one script and work and work on it until it's ready. MISTAKE. As is, a proper script with ANY remote chance of being sold, and I'm talking REMOTE chance, goes through well over 13 drafts, all of which takes a good couple months if you're just starting out like I am, and if you get stuck on that script, which will happen, it's an inevitable fact of writing, you'll want to get your creative juices flowing by working on another project you may hit better creative sparks with. If you're stuck on one script and you're at such a bump you can't even write, you're not writing ANYTHING, and that's just a waste of time. One of the bitches about screenwriting when having absolutely no writing credit under your name is that even when you do win a competition, get networked to a studio and get offered a pitch, there is an incredibly slim chance of selling anything, even if you know the film industry. Either the exec hates your script, or your script lacks heart, or the studio's already producing a movie of the same premise as your script *ANOTHER reason why you always work on more than one project*, beyond other things. I've finished 3 years of courses, I write for film makers and network to independent film makers, something that took me over 4 years to accomplish. I HAVE pitched a couple scripts, and have had nothing but negative results, even when knowing how to pitch and what my script required. I knew I had to give spirit to my screenplays, and it was unfortunately, easier said than done. Now, adaptations, and this is a harsh reality many writers branching into the film industry will realize the hard way, are impossible for people who haven't sold a successful script in their lives. I knew better than to even TRY to solicit an adaptation, but just as a hypothetical example, beyond the fact that MGS Second Skin was pure and utter garbage, which it was immensely, I have no rights to the original content, my skills as a writer cannot compare by so much as a percentage of a fraction to the original writers. And adapting is MUCH more than just taking what you see on a book or comic or game and making a text-spec script out of it. It's about creating the same kind of life you'd see from what you're adapting to a visual component, and the biggest problem with adaptation writers is too many over-estimate their skills, in thinking they have any fraction of a chance of adapting anything. In today's film age, you have to have an extensive writing history before you can HOPE to try to adapt anything. I'll be in my mid 40's before I ever get a chance to do that. See, the problem is, the more and more you learn about screenwriting, the more you come to understand just how incredibly hard it is to be a success in the writing industry. If I honestly based all of my career on writing and nothing else, I'd be homeless by now. Too many people enter the industry or writing competitions thinking they'll be able to sell a script and become a success like THAT. Because their idea is original, it has soul, it has uniqueness, it has the flow no OTHER script has. Tens to thousands of other people have that exact same mindset, and they're all busting their asses off, competing against every other writer to try and make a sale, another reason why this industry is such a competitive, only the sharks survive industry. As far as applications go, if you're just starting out, go to google, and download celtx. It's a great beginner program that sets the format to proper range, pdf conversion, and typeset functions. Once you are officially committed to writing and think you may want to start trying to write for real, put 240 bucks on the table and purchase Final Draft. It's the program most pros use, *that means nothing, it just works better than celtx functionally, plus you can use typeset and convert to pdf without the requirement of internet. And when you actually print out a script, it's format doesn't mess up on paranetheticals and it's spellcheck won't crap out like celtx may, which is a big deal if you're entering a competition or soliciting.* A lot of people see it as negative views on writing from my part, but that's just the realism behind screenwriting, it's hard, frustrating, and intolerable at times, but I gotta tell you, typing Fade Out on a very first draft, after a long journey of writing and hating your story and yourself as a writer and man, feels DAMN good. Cause now you can read over your hardship, see how much you screwed up, and get right on down to Draft Number 2. Also, as far as Drafts go, people often think there's a set number to how many drafts it takes before you're ready to sell, THAT answer is simple: When you read your script, and see absolutely NO way of improving it. *Reason why you hire an editor.* Does that mean you can go through 2 drafts and be spotless? Hell no. Because for a while, there will ALWAYS be something wrong with your next draft. But it's a journey, keep at it, don't give up no matter how immensely hopeless writing may feel, and that committment will pay off in the long run. *However long...beats the hell outta me.* Selling itself, you do it for getting your name out in the field, not for the money. I don't say that to make people not act greedy, I say it as a fact, you don't make much money. Suppose you sell for...let's say 75k. As any paycheck goes, it's not net, that's gross revenue. Net revenue, immediately, 40% of that 75k is out the window in general sales tax. 10% goes to your agent for getting you the shot to sell. 5% to commissions of the sale. 5% to your lawyer if you have one. 5% to your editor if you have one. Now, for a rookie writer branching into the world and finally selling a script, you'll tend to have all facilities, meaning 65% GONE. Netwise, that 75k isn't that appealing. I'm a teacher and I make MORE than whoever just sold that 75k script. But selling is a great feet, and getting your name out will make your next sale even easier. And having a sell under your belt will get you representation from agent no problem, or even your same agent if he/she sticks to representing you directly. I'm also working on a radioplay version of MGS Second Skin. Now, I stopped writing fan fictions because I honestly no longer see the point in taking time writing something I can never do anything with to appease a handful of people. Reason I'm writing it in radioplay format is because I can appease a larger base of people with actual performances from amateur VA's via itunes store subscribe registry, or podcast bean. One thing I did was take a look at the latest draft I was working on here, saw what was needed, what wasn't, seeded out the unneeded garbage, rewrote the entire story to be on the more MGA-non cannon-esque story structure, and started on that. So I'll probably post Episode 1 in a couple months once I get episode 1 uploaded. Which falls under the very reason you write to begin with. Because tacky, untacky, creative, uncreative, whatever you're working with, you have a story that you want nothing more than to share with an audience, you want people to enjoy your story and that is why you write. Hence the famous Hal Ackerman quote, "Amateur writers write for themselves, but professionals write for everyone else." Which is why you work your ASS off to make sure you make your script spotless, because you want it to be spotless for your audience. *Of course, the reason a lot of movies aren't spotless is because a sold script is officially not yours if you don't hold creative control over it, and so that script is left in the hands of the studios writers, and after so many revisions made by the hired writers of the studio...well, some stuff will get lost in translation. Which is a shame, but a harsh reality to the trade off of getting your script produced.* So this is incredibly ramble-esque and wordy, but I hope it can be enough meat for discussion for you folks, and I hope it does at the very least leave you guys with some information that may help you in your process. 
|
|
|
|
| Tamashi_7 | Jun 16 2009, 09:43 AM Post #4 |
|
Ohhhh, the cunt is back.
|
I've been having similar conversations with people in my family about writing. I tell them, "You know, even if I was able to write the best script imaginable, (in hypothetical terms,) there's still no guarantee that I'll be able to sell it — or even get anybody to look at it — due to the politics and general bullshit that surrounds the screenwriting industry. It's for that reason that I never wanna write a film screenplay until I actually have a little credibility. And on top of the initial trouble of even getting somebody to recognize your work, I've read too many interviews where directors/writers have had to jump through hoops just to have a little freedom in their work — so fuck that royally. At the moment, I'm writing a video game screenplay, which is kinda caught between stage plays and films, to my understanding. When I say that, I'm referring to the writer's role in the product's creation; for instance, in the film industry, the director is considered 'God', whereas it's the writer in the play world. The only trouble with video games is that they haven't reached a stable point where developers consider narrative a fundamental aspect to a game's creation; the gaming industry is developing slowly, and it's grown considerably in the last ten years, but we're still not quite at the stage where we'll be seeing more amazing stories in a video game format. Nevertheless, people are hopeful that projects like Heavy Rain may usher in a new genre of more story-orientated video games. But yeah, I'm writing with a low level of expectancy when it comes to actually selling my screenplay. I mean, I'd like to sell it, and I'll definitely try ...but I don't consider it too possible. Therefore, I'm writing just for the joy of it, mostly. I mean, I've had these story ideas in my head for ages now, and I've been bale to express them in this one project — and it seriously amazes me how most of it is fitting together. So yeah, I'm just trying to get those ideas down on paper to at least say 'hey, I tried'. So far I have over 150 pages — including planning, script, treatment, and a ton of other shit. My writing is kinda on hold, though, due to work taking up most of my time, but it's still slowly progressing. And the hidden beauty is that I'm able to continuously look over my work and correct the material (like, there is some stuff that you write which just seems horrible in a month or two, and then the rest is timeless). But yeah, it's proving to be quite an experience just writing this script, let alone the rest. |
| Meh. | |
|
|
|
| Null | Jun 16 2009, 05:27 PM Post #5 |
People said his brain was infected by devils.
|
The politics and bullshit you speak of comes with the entertainment industry in general, it's not exclusive to screenwriting. I'm in the same boat as color, i'm taking a screenwriting course once the summer's done as part of my degree. Looking forward to it. |
 When I was little, my father was famous. He was the greatest samurai in the empire, and he was the shogun's decapitator. He cut off the heads of a hundred and thirty one lords. It was a bad time for the empire. The shogun just stayed inside his castle - and he never came out. People said his brain was infected by devils. My father would come home, he would forget about the killings. He wasn't scared of the shogun, but the shogun was scared of him. Maybe that was the problem. Then, one night..the shogun sent his ninja's to spy on our house. They were suppose to kill my father, but they didn't. That was the night everything changed. Jackal Company is now in FULL EFFECT.. | |
|
|
| BigK | Jun 16 2009, 08:25 PM Post #6 |
|
Laugher - Medicine to all that irks you. Except Herpes.
|
Here's the thing, the film industry in general for beginners as well as those who do sort of have a name for themselves is a place where if you want any chance to actually succeed in this world, you HAVE to be willing to jump through hoops. See, you aren't playing on your terms here, if an exec who considers possibly buying your script tells you that you need to do something, regardless of how absurd it may appear, you do it. See, if you have that leniency with execs, they see you are both easy to work with, and someone who can comply with the premise of what they want in the project they are looking to create that you can write. Because if you remain a brick wall about your writing, that won't take you anywhere in the writing world. It's essentially you bend over, get kicked in the ass, then you smile and say, "Thank you sir, may I have another?" Sucks, very much so, but it pays off ultimately. See, the politics of the film industry are bullshit, yes, but it's a world where, if you can't deal with those politics, you won't last, unless you get yourself in good with the right kind of people in power. That's why, even if you are just writing for the joy of it, which is perfectly fine as well, or if you would at least want to TRY and sell a script, I would strongly recommend you take courses that cover the business side of the writing world. FTV60C and up are great courses for that. Of Hal Ackerman's "Writing Screenplays That Sell - The Ackerman Way," that book covers a lot of the business side, the politics, learning the basics of a sale and what is required of you. Edited by BigK, Jun 16 2009, 08:26 PM.
|
|
|
|
| Tamashi_7 | Jun 16 2009, 08:47 PM Post #7 |
|
Ohhhh, the cunt is back.
|
Ha. Yeah, that's what I meant to say. |
| Meh. | |
|
|
|
| osric90 | Oct 23 2009, 04:59 AM Post #8 |
Jail Guard
|
It is all about contact and perfectionism. I wrote 9 books that I considered the best books ever and now I look back at some of them and I think "crap" even if there's people that even cried reading them... Practice a lot, write a lot, love your writing, hate your writing, find your inspiration, read others' works, learn from others' mistakes instead of yours... And finally make lots of contacts... Talk to people that knows someone that knows other one that knows Chuck Norris, I don't know... Just move a lot and never give up, it can take 10 years for you to begin... And never end being sucessful. |
|
|
|
| Burning_Eagle | Oct 28 2009, 06:49 AM Post #9 |
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly all rolled up into one
|
ah yes i see what you mean about "make lots of contacts" that's one of the reasons I'm going into Journalism.  i haven't tried to write a screen play since i took a theater class. the format pretty much alienated me because i'm used to writing in MLA. but i think i'll take it up next semester... if there are even classes 
|
 my sexy Zippo Trick Spoiler: click to toggle
| |
|
|
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · Writers' Forum · Next Topic » |
9:53 PM Mar 14
