10th Annual Tennessee Screenwriters Association Announces Contest
10th Annual Tennessee Screenwriters Association’s Screenplay Contest
Now open for entries!
* 1st Place Prize – $500 in cash, a subscription to Script Magazine and your script will be read by established and successful production companies.
* 2nd place Cash prize of $250
* 3rd place Cash prize of $100
All three winners will receive a listing on InkTip.com and a complimentary a TSA Membership.
Submission deadline: March 15th , 2011.
$30 for members $40 for non-members
The TSA is a non-profit educational organization established in 1988. Our mission is to promote and support the craft of screenwriting by providing a pipeline for information, constructive critique, and opportunities to network with other writers and film industry professionals.
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Want Instant Access to the Industry? The WSF Announces the 2011 “From Concept to Script” Competition!
The WSF is proud to present the next evolution in its goal to present screenwriters with the most coveted step towards the chance of making their dreams come true… access.
WSF members will have a chance to develop a high concept project for major studio consideration.
This exclusive competition has no sponsors. No trips to Hollywood. No big cash prizes.
The prize for all of those who partake, from the first round to the final, is access to the film industry, instant consideration by true power players within the studio system.
WSF members have been granted this opportunity by select individuals working in development with A-List production companies. Production companies that have first look deals with major studios.
They’re looking for the next big idea. They’re looking for the next high concept project to develop for a major movie studio, be it a tent pole action franchise, thriller, suspense, mystery, sci-fi, horror, comedy, inspiring drama, etc.
The WSF 2011 “From Concept to Script” Competition will be a year long quest for high concept projects, developed first from loglines, to eventual final drafts of the scripts that will be submitted for consideration by participating A-List production companies with first look major movie studio deals.
- The first round of this unique opportunity will ask WSF members to submit up to ten high concept loglines. ALL high concept loglines will be reviewed and considered by a Hollywood development representative working for one of the most successful production companies that is currently signed with a major studio. The best high concept loglines with the most potential will make it to the second round…
- The second round will ask the writers of those selected high concept loglines to write the first ten pages of the script. The best five First Ten Page submissions will advance to the third round…
- The third round will give those writers a few months to write the whole script, based off of the high concept logline that advanced them to this final round…
- The final round will have those five scripts submitted to additional select film industry insiders working at top tier production companies signed with major studios. Those scripts will be considered for option, purchase, etc. In addition, the Final Five will partake in the now staple WSF Mock Industry meetings. Based off of the scripts and meetings, the mock executives will choose the “WSF Pick”, who will receive one free year of membership with the WSF, as well as a free spot for a WSF Retreat.
The true prize for this competition is access. And all who partake will have a chance to woe major production companies signed with major studios. They’ll have a chance to develop a high concept project for major studio consideration. They’ll be able, from the first round and up, to get their high concept ideas into the hands of top tier companies for consideration.
So come one, come all. This competition is FREE. All you need to be is a member of the Wisconsin Screenwriters Forum, a not-for-profit organization developed to support screenwriters from all over the globe. The$50 annual fee (prorated from January – April at $35) gives screenwriters shared access to some of the industry’s best resources (see Join for details), access to the Official WSF Screenplay Feedback program, and a chance to make your dreams come true!
Please read the following articles to learn a little bit more about what you need to know to make the best possible high concept loglines. You must choose, but choose wisely.
Jim Eckman Chosen as Winner of the 2010 WSF Screenwriting Experience Contest!
The WSF is proud to announce that Jim Eckmann has been named as the winner of the 2010 WSF Screenwriting Experience contest for his feature screenplay “Kate”!
Celebrity judge Greg DePaul selected his screenplay from the Top Three finalists that also included Geoff Breuder (”The Ace of Aces”) and Jack Bennett (”Between the Devil in Hell”).
“Kate” tells the true story of Katharine Bushnell, M.D., then age 31, to end forced prostitution in the lumber camps of northern Wisconsin in the 1880s.
Jim will receive a trip to Los Angeles for the 2011 Screenwriting Expo in October, complete with a Gold Pass to the weekend long event that gives him access to all speaking panels and events.
Thanks to all those who submitted and supported this unique screenwriting contest! Thank you much to the Creative Screenwriting Magazine for sponsoring!
High Concept Defined Once and For All
High Concept Defined Once and For All
By Steve Kaire
(Originally posted at The Writers Store)
High Concept is a term that’s been confused, misunderstood and misused by writers for decades. The common belief is that it’s any movie that can be pitched in one sentence. A man who battles his wife for custody of their children is one sentence, but it’s a million miles from being High Concept.
Others define it by describing it as “one film crossed with another film.” In Robert Altman’s The Player, the writers pitch their project to a producer as Out of Africa meets Pretty Woman. That is not what a High Concept film is. What they used is a framing technique that is given prior to pitching your project to prepare the listener for what’s coming. You cross two well known films that touch upon the material you are about to pitch so the producer has some idea where you’re going with your pitch. That is an example of a common pitching technique and not what defines High Concept.
Story ideas, treatments and screenplays can all have High Concept premises. But only High Concept projects can be sold from a pitch because they are pitch driven. Non-High Concept projects can’t be sold from a pitch because they are execution driven. They have to be read to be appreciated and their appeal isn’t obvious by merely running a logline past someone. This is the reason why films like “Pulp Fiction,” “Star Wars” and “Sideways” could never be sold from a pitch.
In defining High Concept, we talk about the premise of your story, not what happens in Acts 1, 2 and 3. The premise or logline is the core of High Concept. My comprehensive definition of High Concept is comprised of five requirements, each of which is mandatory. The five requirements are in descending order of importance. Therefore, numbers one and two are the most important as well as the most difficult to attain. But meeting only several of the requirements is not enough. All five requirements have to be met for success in achieving the “slam dunk” project everyone is looking for.
Requirement #1:
YOUR PREMISE SHOULD BE ORIGINAL AND UNIQUE
A logline is generally one to five sentences, with the average being three. Therefore, you have to pitch your material in a compressed, economical manner which captures the essence of your story and showcases its originality. Most of my pitches are one or two sentences long. Every writer should practice pitching his or her work by boiling down their story into only one sentence regardless if their story is High Concept or not.
In seeking originality, we are not talking about reinventing the wheel. We can take traditional subject matter that’s been done before and add a hook or twist to it which then qualifies the material as original. Using the kidnapping plot, there have been dozens of films which covered that subject area before. In the film Ransom, Mel Gibson plays a wealthy businessman whose son is kidnapped. That story in itself offers nothing new. The hook of the movie which makes it original is that instead of paying the ransom, Gibson uses the ransom money to pay for a contract hit on the kidnappers. That twist makes the film original and therefore High Concept.
Staying with the same kidnapping genre, the comedy Ruthless People follows the same pattern. Danny Devito plays a wealthy man whose wife, played by Bette Midler, gets kidnapped. Challenging convention, Devito refuses to pay the ransom because he hates his wife and sees this as the opportunity he’s been waiting for to finally get rid of her. Now the bungling kidnappers are stuck with an impossible woman that they have no idea what to do with. Again, it’s that unique hook that makes this a High Concept film.
Requirement #2:
YOUR STORY HAS TO HAVE MASS AUDIENCE APPEAL
That means it’s possible to meet Requirement #1 by creating an original story that’s never been done before. But that story may be so odd or strange that the appeal exists only in the mind of the writer who created it. No one else.
An example would be if a girl woke up one morning, turned into a butterfly, and flew to the land of Shangri-La. That’s never been done before but who cares? Mass appeal means that nine out of ten people who you pitch your story to would say that they’d pay ten dollars to see your movie first run based solely on your pitch. You have to decide either you’re writing for your own enjoyment or you’re writing to sell. If it’s to sell, then you have to take the marketplace into account.
Requirement #3:
YOUR PITCH HAS TO BE STORY SPECIFIC
That means that within your pitch, you have to have specific details which make your story different and adds color and depth. Let’s take the bank robbing plot. If you came up with a story about three people who want to rob a bank by digging a tunnel underneath it, the response would be, “So what?” A twist on that genre is the movie Going In Style. It’s about three senior citizens who attempt to rob a bank. The wheelman has had his license revoked, the lookout is visually impaired, and the brains of the operation is 75-year-old George Burns. Those specific details enhance the story and keep it from being stale and generic.
Requirement #4:
THE POTENTIAL IS OBVIOUS
If you’re pitching a comedy, then the potential for humor should be obvious within your pitch. People should smile or laugh when you tell it. If you’re pitching an action movie, the listener should be able to imagine the action scenes in his head as your pitching. I sold a project to Miramax called My Kind of Town with the Wayans Brothers attached to star. It is about two guys who want to make a new start in life. They pack up their car and take off with no particular destination in mind. Entering City Hall in some tiny Southern town to get a map, the roof collapses on them and they sue. They win the lawsuit but the town can’t afford to pay them so they’re given the town. The potential for humor is obvious when the Wayans Brothers are given a Southern town to do whatever they please with it.
Requirement #5:
YOUR PITCH SHOULD BE ONE TO THREE SENTENCES LONG
Most pitches should be this length although some set-ups may be more, but you shouldn’t go over five to six sentences. You are not telling what happens in Acts 1, 2 and 3 unless you’re asked to do so later. You’re giving the premise of your story. I’ve spent days shaping my loglines to include as much information in as few words as possible.
I’ve had thousands of projects pitched to me in over twenty years and writers mistakenly think that the longer the pitch, the better the story. No one wants to listen to a pitch that’s a half hour long when I could read the script in less time. I tell writers “Pitch me your story in a couple of sentences.” Most cannot because they don’t know what the five requirements are and lack the practice in condensing and fine-tuning their pitches in advance.
When you’re pitching, you are telling what your story is about, not what happens in the story. You don’t want to begin your pitch with, “My story is about a 26-year-old woman named Jill, who lives in Chicago. She’s unhappy with her life. She goes to her office where she confronts her boss. She quits
and goes home where she fights with her boyfriend.” That is not pitching. That is a boring unfolding of the story which you want to avoid at all costs.
The reaction you want to hear when you pitch is “Wow! Why didn’t I think of that?” or “That’s so good why hasn’t somebody made that movie before?” When the faces in the room light up after you deliver your pitch, you know you’ve got them. That’s the sought after “slam dunk.” That’s what High Concept is all about.
Writing Loglines that Sell
Writing Loglines that Sell
(Originally posted at The Writers Store)
Have you ever been stuck listening to a friend tell you a joke that seems to go on without ever reaching the punch line? Your mind starts wandering and you stop paying attention as the joke painfully loses its momentum.
Pitching your ideas effectively, whether from a script, novel or even your own mind, does not come naturally for most of us. But with a little practice, it can. Once you learn what a “High Concept Idea” is and how to create exciting story “Loglines” for your work.
Why do Writers Need to Learn How to Pitch?
In Hollywood, every movie starts out in the form of underlying material, such as a novel, a screenplay, a comic book or even a great idea. The next step is to convey your idea clearly and succinctly to those who are in a position to buy it. This is an essential tool for any writer working in Hollywood today.
We all know that Hollywood is not a meritocracy where only the best scripts, books or ideas get made into films. You have to learn how to pitch effectively to get your projects purchased in this very competitive marketplace.
What Hollywood Is Looking For?
Let’s look at the types of films that the major Studios are buying these days.
Beyond some of the wonderful independent films that are being made within and outside of the Studio system, Hollywood primarily wants to acquire what they call, “High Concept Ideas”. In layman’s terms, we’re talking about stories that put butts in the seats on a Saturday night.
Stories that are labeled as “High Concept” can certainly be subjective, but we’re not necessarily talking about the crazy, Psycho Ninjas from Mars-type movies. My definition of “High Concept” simply refers to: Stories that all of us can relate to on some tangible and emotional level.
For example, we all want to fall in love; we all share a thirst for adventure; we all deal with difficult moral dilemmas; we all have similar family issues and we all like to watch people make fools out of themselves. That’s an easy concept to relate to, because let’s face it, we’ve all made fools out of ourselves at some point.
Creating Loglines For Your Work
“What’s your screenplay about?” “Tell me a little bit about your novel?” We’ve all heard these questions before. But what is that person really asking you about your work?
What they’re looking for, in Hollywood-speak, is what’s called a “Logline.” My definition of a logline is this: It’s a one- or two-sentence description of the overall idea of the story. It’s the main goal of the story that you want to convey to your audience.
Every year, agents, Studio Executives and Producers receive hundreds of scripts, books and query letters from writers wanting to submit their work, so they have to filter those down into only pursuing the projects that they think would make great films. The clear and concise logline you present to someone, is what will get them excited about reading your work.
For this article, I’ve put together a pitching exercise to get you thinking about how to describe your own work using simple loglines. We will look at five examples of well-known, memorable films and see if their loglines can give us the big idea of the movie.
Pretend for a moment that you’re in your living room with your feet up getting ready to watch a movie. You open up your TV guide and you’re deciding what to watch based on the description or logline of the film. Those TV magazines always do a nice job of breaking down a film into one or two sentences.
In this exercise, first I’ll give you the logline, and then provide the answers at the end.
Logline #1 – The extraordinary story of a thoroughbred racehorse – from his humble beginnings as an under-fed workhorse to his unlikely rise and triumphant victory over the Triple Crown winner, War Admiral.
Logline #2 – A 17th Century tale of adventure on the Caribbean Sea where the roguish yet charming Captain Jack Sparrow joins forces with a young blacksmith in a gallant attempt to rescue the Governor of England’s daughter and reclaim his ship.
Are you getting the hang of it so far? Here’s a few more:
Logline #3 – After segueing from a life of espionage to raising a family, Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez are called back into action. But when they are kidnapped by their evil nemesis, there are only two people in the world who can rescue them… their kids!
Logline #4 – Toula’s family has exactly three traditional values – “Marry a Greek boy, have Greek babies, and feed everyone.” When she falls in love with a sweet, but WASPy guy, Toula struggles to get her family to accept her fiancée, while she comes to terms with her own heritage.
Logline #5 – A young man and woman from different social classes fall in love aboard an ill-fated voyage at sea.
Answers:
1. Seabiscuit
2. Pirates of the Caribbean
3. Spy Kids
4. My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding
5. Titanic
Make Your Logline Memorable
The main point to remember about this exercise is that you have to try to boil down your own high concept ideas into something that’s easy for people to understand. If you can’t relate to an agent, a publisher, a producer or even a studio executive what your story is about in one or two sentences, then it will be difficult to get them interested in reading your work, and more importantly, wanting to buy it.
Keep in mind however, that a good logline doesn’t tell someone too much. It’s always good to leave a little something to the imagination. In the case of Spy Kids, you want the person you’re pitching, to ask you, “Hey, what does happen when the kids have to save their parents?” And that’s when you can say, “Well, you’ll have to read my screenplay to find out.”
Additionally, when you’re pitching your story logline, you don’t want to sound like a snake-oil salesman by telling someone: “It’s like Die Hard on a bus” or “It’s like The Firm meets The Fugitive.” What does that even mean? However, if you told me that your script was about “A man who is bitten by a genetically-altered spider, and soon discovers that he has unusual powers and the strength and agility of a spider.” Well, I’d say, that’s definitely a movie I’d want to see.
Some may ask, why is the Spiderman logline a high-concept idea? It’s high concept because, while we all can’t relate to what it would be like to be Spiderman, the film has many high-concept themes that we can all relate to such as: unrequited love, parental approval and of course, wish fulfillment as a superhero.
Let Your Passion Rule Your Writing
As you work on your own projects, it’s important to remember that as a screenwriter or a novelist, you should always write what you are passionate about. Do not let people try to pigeonhole your writing and likewise, do not attempt to get into the mindset of writing only what you think may sell as a film. That’s like asking Picasso to use a little more green in his paintings so that they’ll match your couch. You simply cannot infringe on someone’s creativity!
Take Your Pitching to the Next Level
Oftentimes the best films and the ones that consistently win Academy Awards each year, come from the most interesting, emotional and historical backgrounds. But you must still be able to convey the high concept or main idea of these stories effectively to whomever you’re pitching.
Now that you understand how loglines work and what an important tool they can be, let’s take your pitching skills to the next level.
It’s great when writers tell me that their story is too complex to boil down into one or two simple sentences. Here are a five more examples of loglines from great, Academy Award nominated films, that may help you pitch your ideas that you feel are a little more complicated and multi-layered.
Logline #1 – When a Roman general is betrayed and his family murdered by a corrupt prince, he comes to Rome as a gladiator to seek his revenge.
Logline #2 – An older man is forced to deal with an ambiguous future after he enters retirement and his wife passes away. Ultimately, he finds hope as he comes to terms with his daughter’s marriage and his own life.
Logline #3 – A comedic portrayal of a young and broke Shakespeare who falls in love with a woman, inspiring him to write “Romeo and Juliet.”
Can you see how even these multi-layered stories, whether they are dramas or historical films, can be broken down into simple loglines that are easy to pitch?
Here are just a couple more:
Logline #4 – A journey of self-discovery by a brilliant mathematician once he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He eventually triumphs over tragedy and receives the Nobel Prize.
Logline #5 – An Epic tale of a 1940s New York Mafia family and their struggle to protect their empire, as the leadership switches from the father to his youngest son.
Answers:
1. Gladiator
2. About Schmidt
3. Shakespeare in Love
4. A Beautiful Mind
5. The Godfather
In conclusion, developing the ability to create powerful loglines for your work is an invaluable skill that all writers should have in their toolkit! As you learn how to pitch your ideas effectively, you will be one step ahead of your peers and on your way to having your material read faster by those who are in the position to buy it.
Storylink Interview with “Unstoppable” Screenwriter Mark Bomback
Below is an interview with Mark Bomback, screenwriter of such hits as “Unstoppable”, “Live Free or Die Hard”. Mark answers questions from fans on Storylink and sheds light on the art, craft, and business of screenwriting. Enjoy…
I really enjoyed the pacing and structure of Unstoppable, both of which kept me on the edge of my seat. Can you talk about researching the story Unstoppable is based on. Did you work with train industry and/or first responder consultants directly, and how accurate to actual events were technical details about the trains and their potential for causing a devastating accident? – Damir
Well, Damir, I wrote my first draft of Unstoppable using only the basic elements from various news articles as a starting point. (I’m referring to the story of CSX 8888 which, in 2001, was brought to a stop by conductor Terry Forson and engineer Jesse Knowlton.) My goal was simply to write the best movie I could, independent of the facts of that particular event. I did a fair amount of research, talked to engineers and railroad employees, but solely in the interest of learning as much as I could about train operations. However, once Tony Scott came on as the director, it was really Tony who pushed me to spend time with Jesse and Terry, partially to expand on certain details of what they did, but mostly because he felt they were really compelling characters and had certain traits that could be incorporated into the characters of Frank and Will that I’d already conceived. It was far and away the most useful research I could have done. In all honesty, the events of Unstoppable differ quite a lot from what Terry and Jesse did back in 2001, but the one element that I did not exaggerate in the slightest was the extent to which Jesse and Terry’s heroism came from a place of selflessness. That ultimately is what I take away from the real events that inspired the script: that there actually were two men who made a very quick decision to risk their own lives in order to save the lives of others. They faced a crisis and rose to the occasion, working together by necessity, even though they hadn’t known each other very long. It’s really remarkable when you think about it, and to my mind, very movie-worthy.
Do you have specific actors in mind while writing a script, and do you mention them when pitching it? – Melva
Hi Melva. I always had Denzel in mind for the character of Frank. I really couldn’t think of any actor I’d rather see in that role, and so even in my early drafts, I tried to write for his voice. When writing for Will, I tended to use a few different actors for that voice in my head. Of course now I can’t conceive of anyone other than Chris Pine in the role. From the first day of shooting I knew we’d gotten incredibly lucky that Chris decided to take the part. As for pitching, I personally think it’s a good idea to plant an actor’s face in the mind of your listener whenever possible. I can’t recall whether I did this or not when I pitched Unstoppable, but as a rule of thumb I think it helps your audience visualize the story and allows for a certain shorthand in describing a character. I’d add, however, that it’s advisable to “cast” actors in your pitch that the studio or financier would be excited about. If you’re at a loss for the perfect name, then it’s probably best to use an older actor as a place holder (e.g. “He’s a Jimmy Stewart type”).
When I first saw a TV spot for Unstoppable, I knew I wanted to see it. It looked like nothing I had ever seen before. Even the ten second spot made me want to go and start writing a script. What inspired you to write this film? – Timothy Mably
Producers Julie Yorn and Mimi Rogers brought the idea to Fox, and then to me. My take was simple: it’s like Jaws, only with a train instead of a shark. I think the idea of a mindless villain with whom it’s impossible to rationalize is what first excited me, and pointed me toward a structure for the film. Thanks, Timothy.
When writing an action-heavy script, how do you balance out the action and the character development? Do you have any rules about that? I mean, do you write with action in mind first and then character development comes second, or vice-versa? – Jonathan
Good question, Jonathan. I always ask myself “Why does this story happen to this person? What is broken about them that we want to see fixed by putting them through the paces of this particular narrative?” I think that in answering those questions you’ll find that action and character really go hand-in-hand. Ideally, your characters are propelling the story forward simply by being who they are. And as the story twists and turns, the way your characters cope with each obstacle informs what comes next.
With all the action movies coming out of Hollywood, it sometimes seems like they’re being done to death. How do you make your idea look new and interesting enough to sell it? – Marcus
The short answer, Marcus, is that it’s really tough to sell anything to a major studio that doesn’t have at least a hint of the familiar to it. But I think there’s a misperception that studios only want to recycle old ideas. The truth is they want ideas that feel proven but are in fact new (Iron Man comes to mind). I would urge you to simply write the movie you want to see – maybe it bears a resemblance to an older film or films, or maybe it’s so radical it’s hard to find any recent films to compare it to — but what studio readers most respond to is a sense of purpose and confidence in your storytelling, and an ability to create compelling characters in a complete world.
What’s your writing process on adapting books or previously written material to the screen and how do you determine what part of the story is relevant or disposable? – Paul
Each adaptation is different, Paul. Some require more fidelity to the source material than others. The only constant is that if an element from the material doesn’t improve or fit into the film story you’re trying to tell, it doesn’t belong there. Quite often changes are made to an existing story to accommodate the nature of the film medium – which quite simply has different requirements – and those changes will in turn have ripple effects. It’s important, in my opinion, to approach the adaptation as an original work unto itself, and let the source material function as a “collaborator” of sorts.
I noticed that you recently signed on to adapt one of my favorite books of all time, Shadow Divers. How does something like this come about? Did the producers approach you . . . or vice versa? How many times will you read the book, etc.? Do you feel pressure to adapt such a highly-acclaimed piece of source material? – adam
Glad you’re excited about the film, Adam. I was approached by the producers, Scott Free (Tony and Ridley’s company), as well as the director, Robert Schwentke, whom I’ve known for a while. I must admit, I didn’t expect to love the book as much as I did, as I’ve never been especially curious about diving. But the characters are just tremendous, and the story is riveting. I’m always a little nervous adapting something that’s beloved by fans, but my goal is to recreate the thrill you get when reading the book.
As a writer who has worked on two of the best action films of the decade (Unstoppable and Live Free or Die Hard), did you set out with the mindset of wanting to write action? With success in the genre, do you plan to write within the one genre exclusively? And would you recommend that to young writers also, to find one genre and make it work? – Bill
First, Bill, thanks very much for the compliment! I didn’t really set out trying to be an “action writer,” and have written many scripts in a variety of genres. I love action films, and hope to write more in the years to come, but I’ve also worked on thrillers, espionage tales, sci fi and even straight drama. In terms of advice to young writers, I’d say that if you really feel compelled to stay within one genre, by all means do so, but if your interests take you elsewhere, absolutely follow them. I think screenwriters have a lot more freedom to switch genres than, say, novelists, and so it’d be a shame not to take advantage of that.
How important is story outlining in the development of a screenplay? – Samuel
I think that’s sort of project-dependent, Samuel. Ultimately I’m always working from some kind of outline, but I try not to get too bogged down in details. I find that the best stuff comes when you’re focused on a scene unto itself, in the moment. For me, at least, the more I outline the less life the script pages have. But on the flip side, I need something of a road map or I can’t sleep at night.
How do you know when you’re done rewriting? – Scott
Short answer, Scott: you’re never really done. Long answer: when enough people tell you you’ve labored on it sufficiently, and it’s really not going to improve substantially until it’s rehearsed with actors. At which point the rewriting starts all over again.
WSF Screenwriting Experience Contest Final Three Announced!
Jim Eckmann
“Kate” – Based on true events surrounding the efforts in 1888 of Katharine Bushnell, M.D., then age 31, to end forced prostitution in the lumber camps of northern Wisconsin.
Geoff Breuder
“The Ace of Aces” – Based on the true story of Richard Bong, a rookie WWII pilot from Wisconsin, who makes a brazen bet to beat the kill record of America’s top-scoring ace. But as the deadly competition spirals out of control, he is forced to confront the bitter realities of war and what it means to be a real hero.
JackBennett
“Between the Devil in Hell” – Caught in a strange hellish purgatory, the lines between dreams and reality are blurred as Judd DeLong begins to unravel the mystery of a murder involving his family.
The Final Five took part in mock industry meetings in Madison, WI both in person and through conference calls. Top Three finalist Geoff Breuder commented on the meetings, “What really makes the WSF stand out from the crowd are their meetings and conference calls. The constructive feedback and experience are invaluable.”
Writers spoke with two mock executives, in this case WSF President Ken Miyamoto and Los Angeles contact John Baumgaertner, who flew in specifically for these meetings for the second consecutive year. Both have extensive experience with such film industry development meetings and utilized that to help give the writers a feel for what to expect if and when they break through.
“Writers have this image of sitting at the end of a long table with suits staring them down as they pitch their scripts with judging eyes. Meetings aren’t like that. They’re usually very casual and are more about getting to know you as a writer and where you’re at in your writing,” Miyamoto says.
Top Three Finalist Jack Bennett felt the meetings helped him prepare for any such film industry meetings. “Getting to sit down and talk with writers and industry people who actually read the script, and liked it, was worth its weight in gold. We talked about what worked and what didn’t and especially WHY it didn’t. It was a great process and should I get the opportunity to pitch or participate in future development meetings, I will be ready… I mean really ready.”
Top Three Finalist Jim Eckmann offered his own reaction to the contest and eventual meetings, “”The contest was efficiently and effectively run with built-in systems to assure fair and impartial evaluations. More important, the feedback and suggestions were invaluable – I was “in the room” with production professionals in a collaborative effort to improve my work, a wonderful mix of encouragement and recommendations.”
These three writers will now have to wait until the celebrity judge, screenwriter Greg DePaul (“Saving Silverman”, “Bride Wars”), reads and reviews the three screenplays and offers his exclusive pick for the winner of the 2010 WSF Screenwriting Experience contest. The winner should be announced by January 16th.
The winner of the contest will be offered a paid trip to the 2011 Screenwriting Expo in Los Angeles. There they will be given a Gold Pass to the Expo, possible studio tours, and possible meetings with film industry professionals.
The WSF would like to thank everyone who submitted their work for consideration in this unique contest. We’d also like to thank the WSF Screenwriting Experience’s official sponsors, The Creative Screenwriting Magazine and The Screenwriting Expo.
Best of luck to the Final Three and stay tuned for the next evolution of the WSF contest, coming in 2011. We’re shaking things up and offering yet another unique approach to the contest arena, with the goal to help writers break through those Hollywood doors.
What a Creative Executive Needs To Love Your Script
Scriptmag.com posted an excellent interview with Creative Executive Joyce San Pedro, who has a first look deal with Escape Artists over at Sony.
The below interview offers a look behind the scenes that writers can use to choose their next projects with an eye at breaking through and attaining a career in the film industry as a screenwriter.
Big ideas, high concept, is what gets you noticed, considered, hired, and gets a script sold, accompanied by great characters, story, structure, format, and pacing. That said, you can have a script that is written very well, but if there isn’t a big idea or concept (in whatever genre), the sad truth is that odds are stacked high against you and the avenues in which to break through are drastically limited. It’s great and important to have those smaller scale and/or more personal scripts in your arsenal. There is a market for them. But if you’re looking to have a chance at making a sale and/or starting a career in screenwriting, it’s all about the big ideas and high concepts. Consider this when you choose your next project for 2011.
In the words of the ancient Knight guarding the Holy Grail to Indiana Jones, “You must choose. But choose wisely.”
This interview also points out the importance of sharing your work and getting feedback. Which of course leads us to a WSF Screenplay Feedback Program plug. Click on the link to find out more about this WSF exclusive and free coverage program.
Enjoy the article!
So, you’ve written a screenplay, maybe even two, and now your ready to sell it and make it big. Piece of cake, right? Hollywood loves buying good scripts, or so it would seem. They’re definitely looking for material, always looking, says Creative Executive Joyce San Pedro, who has more paper in her office than a college professor during finals week. “I’ve got a very large ‘get to this today’ pile,” she laughs, and that’s her job — to find your script amongst the others. When she does, she has to love it. Then, she has to make her boss, Alex Siskin (The Master of Disguise, Mr. Deeds, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, Big Daddy) love it. And after that, he has to make Escape Artists love it so they can make Sony love it. That’s a long list of loving it. So, your submission better be something to get excited about. Script sat down with San Pedro to get some insight on what she hopes to find among that stack in her office.
SCRIPT: What does a creative executive do?
JOYCE SAN PEDRO: That’s a fancy way of saying I look for material that fits into the mold of what we want to produce for movies and/or for television. I try to find new writers, new directors. I look for new voices.
SCRIPT: What’s the challenge to finding new material?
JOYCE SAN PEDRO: There is a never-ending stack of reading material on my desk. You can never read enough books, magazines or scripts. There’s always something to pore over. And, if a new draft comes in for one of our projects, that trumps everything. It’s always changing. When you have that much reading material, it’s difficult to read cover to cover. You can usually get a decent sense of a writer’s ability and sensibility pretty quickly. When I’m reading writing samples, I look at how his or her voice can be applied to projects we currently have going on. If someone has a really good romantic comedy voice, I set it aside and say, “This is someone we’ll go to for this kind of project.”
SCRIPT: Describe a typical day for you.
JOYCE SAN PEDRO: Every day is different. There’s a lot of reading. I usually go through about four scripts and up a day. We have interns cover what we call “third world submissions.” Somebody’s friend of a friend wrote a script. Or somebody’s dentist. Because you just never know, you have to read them all. You just never know if it’s going to be great. That kind of material goes to the intern or to the assistant. And when they say, “Thumbs up” or “Thumbs down,” I look at it, depending. If it goes through me, it goes to my boss and up the pipeline to Escape Artists and then to Sony. I have been an intern, so I’ve been there. I don’t want them just getting coffee and just reading the crappy projects. I want them to read scripts they’re going to get excited about and fill them in on the projects we have going, and involve them where it’s fitting. On top of the daily reading, some days I’ll meet with writers or directors, or meet with managers and/or agents to discuss projects and clients.
SCRIPT: Explain how a “first-look deal” works?
JOYCE SAN PEDRO: We have a first-look deal that goes through Escape Artists. And, on top of that, Escape Artists has their first look deal that goes through Sony. If Alex and I find a project and if Escape Artists is interested in producing it with us, then we’ll take it to Sony. And if Sony is interested, they’ll get on board. But if Escape Artists or Sony decide that they aren’t into it, we can shop it elsewhere. It’s a system with a lot of checks and balances. When you’re working for a studio, the biggest lesson that I have learned is that this is a business. It’s a billion dollar industry. You have to separate your personal taste, and look for projects that are commercial. My taste isn’t always the most commercial. I like art house and indie, but I need to look for something that has commercial appeal.
SCRIPT: What makes a project commercial?
JOYCE SAN PEDRO: High concept, easily castable, and easily marketable make it commercial. For me, I love stories and characters that are relatable. Alex and I look for what we like to call the “poor man’s Jim Brooks” material. That’s what I like. The John Hughes movies. The feeling that you can relate to this story and these characters. And, I love movies that make me cry. Knowing that someone else has been through your pain. We like family, coming of age stories that have a heart-warming feel. Like Parenthood. That’s the perfect example of a movie we’d love to do. It’s something the whole family can enjoy. But it really runs the gamut. Escape Artists produced Seven Pounds, Backup Plan, Pursuit of Happiness, to name a few. Good material is good material.
SCRIPT: What’s your advice to aspiring screenwriters?
JOYCE SAN PEDRO: You can’t be too precious about your material. Have people read your work. You can’t work in a vacuum. You should be willing to have eyes on your work. Writers’ groups help a lot. It’s hard when you live in a city where there isn’t a big entertainment industry, but there are writers’ groups online. They help keep you disciplined. You have to submit pages every month and it forces you to be open to critique, as well as critique other writers’ work. It keeps you focused. But don’t be shy about your work. Sell yourself. Also, try and develop relationships with other people whose tastes you admire. It can work as a good support group.
SCRIPT: What’s the best way for an aspiring screenwriter to get a script in front of someone like you?
JOYCE SAN PEDRO: Enter competitions. I’m on several tracking boards, and there are all kinds of online boards and groups for people like me to read. People in my job share gossip and news. We look to find out who’s selling what? Which hot specs are going out? We’ll exchange information that way. When the Nicholl’s finalists were announced, there were dozens of emails floating around. “Do you have the script?” “Have you read it?” Join as many competitions as you can. Look at the Black List. Get your script out there and get people to read it. What good is it, if it’s gonna sit on a shelf? You have to let go of it.
SCRIPT: What’s your advice to beginner screenwriters on writing?
JOYCE SAN PEDRO: I’ve tried to write, and I give you guys credit. It’s hard to get what you want on the page. Especially, when what you want is to give someone the feeling that you’re having. It truly is a skill and a craft and a discipline that you have to work on. For someone in my position, it’s easy to say, “It works or it doesn’t work.” One of my old bosses told me once, when you work in development, “Anyone can say, ‘No.’ It’s your job to figure out how to say, ‘Yes.’” Maybe that means taking a period piece and making it contemporary, or flipping a horror into a comedy – who knows? I have to think about how to do something commercial and sometimes that involves going through a lot of bad ideas to get to the good ones. That said, if you want to work in this industry in a commercial sense you have to be willing to collaborate. A lot of people come together and weigh in on the story. No projects happen through just one person. It helps to be open to the process. Have people read your work. It brings something out in your unique sensibilities when you can understand what’s worth fighting for, or what’s worth keeping. If you have three people reading your work and they all have the same note, you know that something isn’t working. So go back and try to rework it. Be open to the process.
MARNstages Now Open For Submissions
Announcing MARNstages
MARNstages is a unique opportunity for playwrights and screenwriters to experience their play or screenplay in front of an audience. While the work will be read dramatically by paid actors there will be no stage direction, lighting effects, props, costumes, etc. Just the text and sub-text will be presented giving writers and the audience an opportunity to see how the piece is working.
Nickelodeon Offering Writing Fellowships
Nickelodeon is offering writing fellowships in live action and animated television to writers with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Participants will have hands-on interaction with executives writing spec scripts and pitching story ideas. The program, developed to broaden Nickelodeon’s outreach efforts, provides a salaried position for up to one year. Deadline to submit is February 28, 2011. For more information, visit www.nickwriting.com.
If you’re interested in writing for television, you can’t afford to overlook the Nickelodeon Writing Fellowship, which offers participants a salaried position for up to one year to work with Nickelodeon executives. Check out this MovieBytes Interview with the program’s Executive Director Karen Kirkland:
MovieBytes: Who sponsors this contest, and what is their background in the industry? When was the contest founded?
Karen Kirkland: The contest is sponsored by Nickelodeon. Launched in 1979, Nickelodeon has grown to become the most-watched television network by kids in the United States, and basic cable’s #1 network overall. Nickelodeon’s “kids first” philosophy is the key element to its business successes, which in addition to television now includes feature films, consumer products, records, online, recreation and publishing.
The Nickelodeon Writing Fellowship was founded in 2000.
MovieBytes: What role do you play personally in the administration of the contest?
Karen Kirkland: As the Executive Director of the Writing Fellowship my overall job is to ensure that there is a steady stream of diverse writers afforded the opportunity to work for Nickelodeon Networks. I also serve as a liaison between the network and show productions. I’m responsible for promoting and executing the objectives of the program with an emphasis on staffing quality writing talent.
Part of my job is to serve as a public relations representative for the fellowship by interfacing with the entertainment community as well as faculty at colleges and universities. This elevates the fellowship to the degree that it is relevant and competitive in our industry.
The best part of my job is discovering new talent, watching them develop into strong writers and (as corny as it may sound) helping to make their dreams come true!
MovieBytes: Have any of the winning scripts from the contest been sold or produced?
Karen Kirkland: As a result of being in the fellowship, the majority of the writers that have come through the program have received multiple produced credits on Nickelodeon shows. However, our main objective is to not only get them produced credits, but to get them staff writing jobs – in either live action or animation.
We’ve been successful at staffing the majority of our writers on Nickelodeon shows. In addition to those that are still writing for Nick (Jonathan Butler, Gabe Garza, Jessica Gao, May Chan, Ron Holsey, Ivory Floyd), others that have come through the fellowship are currently writing on shows like ‘Modern Family’, ‘The Cleveland Show’, ‘Mr. Sunshine’ and ‘Seasame Street’ to name a few.
MovieBytes: Who judges the early rounds of the competition? What are their qualifications? Who judges the final rounds?
Karen Kirkland: Our judging process is pretty rigorous! There are three rounds of reading. During round one, all of the scripts are read by professional readers who are hand-picked by me. They are readers who understand the sensibilities of the fellowship and they understand precisely the qualities that make for a good script. Scripts that make it through the first round are then moved into the second round. These scripts are read in-house by the coordinators and managers on the network side of development and current series (both live action and animation). The third round of reading is done by the Directors, EIC’s and VP’s within development and current series live action and animation.
After the scripts have gone through the several rounds of reading, I then read the scripts that have come through the sifter. At that point I may or may not “pass” on a few more. The writers of the remaining scripts become the semi-finalists. All semi-finalists have a phone interview with me. During which time I ask for a second spec. If you don’t have one – you’re immediately disqualified. It’s my belief that if you’re a writer – you’re constantly writing. If you’re a television writer – you should have more than one television spec. Once I read your second spec, you’re then called in for an in-person interview. If all goes well during the in-person interview – you’re then a finalist and moved into speed interviews. Speed interviews are a series of interviews over a course of a few days.
MovieBytes: Do the early-round judges read the entire script, or do they stop after a certain number of pages?
Karen Kirkland: During every round of reading – the script is read in its entirety!
It’s a bit easier for us to read the entire script because we’re reading 1/2 hour spec scripts, not original pieces or features.
MovieBytes: Are the judges looking for any specific type of script? Are scripts of a certain genre more likely to do well?
Karen Kirkland: For submission to the fellowship you must submit a 1/2 hour spec script based on ANY comedic television series currently on-air and in production on primetime network or cable. Any 1/2 hour spec. It does NOT need to be for a Nickelodeon show, nor does it need to be kid-friendly.
Your best bet is to write a spec script for ‘30 Rock’, ‘Modern Family‘, ‘The Office’, ‘Parks and Recreation’, ‘Community’, ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm‘, ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia‘ – just to name a few.
Your script will be judged on story, humor, dialogue, character development, structure and originality, amongst other things.
MovieBytes: What do you do to promote your winning writers, and to publicize their scripts?
Karen Kirkland: Each year, when the writing fellows are chosen we’ll do a press release to the major trades in addition to some other publications. There’s also an internal release that’s distributed throughout the Studio introducing them and giving a bit more detail on who they are and how they came to Nickelodeon.
During the first few months the writers are inundated with meetings with everyone at the Studio, from executives, to show creators, to head writers, to line producers and even folks in our post-production department. So practically everyone in the Studio knows who they are and the fellow is then free to network and create relationships – which is something we encourage.
When a fellow is placed on a show – it’s announced internally so the Studio can keep track of the writer’s progress and if the writer is ultimately staffed on a show, that too is announced internally as well as in the major trades.
MovieBytes: What advice can you offer to writers entering your contest?
Karen Kirkland: Hmmm…advice? Have multiple 1/2-hour television specs written – assuming you want to write for television.
Beware of typos – they are not your friend!
Before you write your spec, do yourself a favor – write a 1/2-page premise first, then an outline, then (and only then) should you write your first draft.
Do your research – it’s not enough to watch a couple of episodes. Watch them all – multiple times!
Have a unique premise, a well told story, a clear A, B and C story, clearly defined character motivations, scenes that move the story forward, and a solid structure – that’s all…
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