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Pia's How Good Do You Think You Are? Poll. (currently 3434 views)
Baltis.
Posted: November 16th, 2010, 11:28am
Guest User
I didn't vote because I didn't see the "You're so good rainbows and sunshine shoot outward from your fingertips when you type" option. Maybe next time.
My hair's ever changing... One day it's up. One day it's down. 3 months it's long and on and on and on. I never stick to any one set hairstyle or beard for that matter. I'm just glad I still have all mine.
Well, I still have all mine, but damnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn......
Phil
That's nothing I should upload a pick when I'm jamming... I got so much glue in it you can't move it. I usually wear it in twist spikes on those nights.
I didn't vote because I didn't see the "You're so good rainbows and sunshine shoot outward from your fingertips when you type" option. Maybe next time.
I have a similair affliction Balt, except the rainbows and sunshine comes out of my arse...
I was the only person who rated themself "off the chart". BWAA!!!!
Not really, I was secretly doing it in the privacy of my office while staring at my new galaga coin-op machine. Next stop is Double Dragon, Donkey Kong and Pac-man!
Too bad we lost the original poll in the merge, but I got a pretty good idea where you guys rate yourselves.
A little sad that someone rated him/herself a 1.
A "1" to me is near The Cabin in quality. I haven't read anything that bad from anyone here in ages.
Here's something someone sent me this morning. It's notes taken by a screenwriting student. Maybe it can be of help...
Screenwriting Crib Sheet October 29, 2010 Here ya go! A useful handout. A REALLY useful handout.
This is based on my lecture in Screenwriting class last night. I spent two and a half hours going over student homework, pointing out where they drifted off course. A lot of it is about physical writing, but a bunch is about dialogue and storytelling.
One of my students, Mike Nomitch, took these notes. My hat is off to him for his careful note taking skills.
Your Screenplay Sucks! Screenwriting Crib Sheet
Colon after FADE IN Need to tell us character’s name in CAPS and need a brief description of who they are (personality) Only time you can editorialize to the reader Looks are only important if they are very important – don’t spend too much time with clothing Scene description should more aptly be called action description Don’t put ANYTHING obvious in there Example “ Cody slashes at branches near by” – near by is obvious What character loves to do/adores is a good thing for openings “attempt” implies failure Print to proofread – before turning in the homework, have a physical copy that you proof on – you will make far fewer stupid mistakes this way “a large house” – you should be more specific when saying things like this. “a Tudor mansion” Don’t give us too much detail or info Don’t clarify things that happened two pages ago Don’t forget sluglines when people change rooms Kid goes from kitchen to dining room – this requires a new slugline Anything that you can make visual – make visual Whenever a new actor is introduced, their name/character is in caps “a line of ADULTS” “make their way” isn’t a good phrase “look” – one of the seven deadly sins – sometimes this is okay, but always be careful If the scene is in a classroom, don’t say “classroom chair” If someone is at a desk, you don’t have to say sitting at the desk Teacher are always at the front of the class – this is obvious, don’t tell us Numbers are written out “thirteen” not “13” – very long numbers are okay “212” might be said as “two twelve” or “two one two” Sound effects in CAPS To interrupt use two dashes and then don’t say “interrupt” in the next scene description If a person doesn’t respond don’t say “he is silent” – we know that Don’t’ do “BIG KID #1, BIG KID #2, BIG KID #3” – do “GIGANTIC KID, OBESE KID, BUFF KID” You are not the director Get rid of the movie in your head – just give us the shorthand version – this is responsible for tons of overwriting “turn” a deadly sin, is a result of the movie in your head Adverbs are a sin Crucial info only! Cut dialogue when an action will suffice Instead of “yeah” give a nod or grunt in the affirmative Most important word at end of sentence (95% of the time) With jumps in time or flashbacks, remind us when you come back to the present day “visibly” and “noticeable”– unnecessary Screenplays are all in the present tense, nothing in past Need to make every word count – try to use specific nouns and verbs rather than adjectives and adverbs “written by” on your title page should have a lower case w Final Draft doesn’t like this Also, on title page, phone number and address should go in the lower night hand corner Don’t put “Address: 1602 Camden Way” just say the address Give reader every possible way to reach you No line under title of screenplay On page one, you’ve got the time to set the stage/mood/genre/setting of the story – This is the only time you have the opportunity to do this Less dialogue and more mood on page 1 Don’t have to say “present day” but if it’s the past say that it is “nearby” is often unnecessary Make sure your image order is correct. If things are happening simultaneously, make sure you introduce them in the right order. Names aren’t capitalized in dialogue CAPS in dialogue means that the person is yelling Parentheticals aren’t in the dialogue, there is a break for the parenthetical then dialogue. Use contractions in dialogue – this is how most people speak Automatic character continues (CONT’D) should be turned off Don’t have any sluglines at the bottom of page Always want two quote marks, not one Get rid of “is” as much as possible When writing a scene, think about what each character is feeling, if it matters and isn’t totally obvious what they are feeling, tell us – emotions matter By cutting some dialogue, dialogue that is left becomes stronger Staples should be in the right place and close to the corner of the pages In sluglines make sure you have spaces between the place and the time of day INT. BEDROOM NIGHT Saving lines is really helpful You’re and your Don’t hide the good dialogue in the bad dialogue “Under the table, he clenches his fist” NOT “He clenches his fist, under the table” This is a good example of why image order is important and you should end sentences with the important thing “looks” and “seems” – “Will seems angry” – is he actually angry? Or does he just seem angry? “embrace” – does this mean hug or kiss? Off-screen action is sometimes something you want to bring on screen Don’t talk about the Zeppelin disaster, show it Don’t talk about a mean dad, show him Don’t overdirect the actors (in addition to overdirecting the camera or scenes) “Nowhere” is one word Don’t repeat info from the slugline in the action Break big paragraphs up into smaller ones “He exits” not “He then exits” Pace of scene and story weight should be related to importance. Important things should take longer than less important stuff. Don’t describe someone as woman and then girl, confusing Don’t use a phrase to describe when a word will do “dirty hair” is as good as “Hair that looks like it hasn’t been washed in days” Same sentence or phrase shouldn’t appear twice on the same page “of the” is a deadly sin – use possessive noun instead Punches with fist – grin on face – both obvious FLASHBACK comes before INT. or EXT. With a flashback that isn’t actually the truth – explain that it’s not real, make it obvious F.Y.I. or N.B. Read Lethal Weapon or other screenplays by Shane Black You need to find your own voice as a writer – it should be like you and nobody else – people are looking for a new fresh voice JUNO is a good example of this This isn’t a reason to be unclear or redundant “both” is a deadly sin Tell the character/functional name when we meet somebody, nobody should have two different names No blank page after title page Possessing is often a stupid word to use… especially when referring to body parts. “BEDROOM – DAY” not “BEDROOM-DAY” or “BEDROOM- DAY” If a lot of time passes you need to have extra sluglines that say “LATER” “, and” can often just be a comma Don’t use hyphens for words that are split between lines Get peek, peak, pique and piqued right. It’s surprisingly confusing No commas in sluglines Make sure products are spelled correctly – BlackBerry or DirecTv Mr. should by mister when it is alone – (“yeah mister”) After description, you must have a character name if someone is talking, even if they were just speaking No spaces between parentheticals within dialogue, but do put it on a different line Smile is a word you should be aware of – maybe you are overdirecting the actors – people use this a lot, often too much within one script Give names only to people who need names Think of edit points – the scene should end on an exciting note. “Girl shoots man and walks out of room” is worse than “girls shoots man” Clothing isn’t as important as you think Don’t describe dialogue in your scene description First words in parentheticals are lower case Describe visible action in scene description “Nate runs back to his dorm room” would likely be impossible in one scene. “Nate runs away” is possible though. All dialogue should move you forwards. If you can cut one exchange do that (unless is messes with rhythm) “walks” is a deadly sin – there are better words Don’t capitalize names multiple times Question and answer dialogue is bad Showing is greater than telling – showing and telling is doom Yelling shouldn’t go in a parenthetical, the thing yelled should go in caps If people are whispering, don’t say whispering before each line of dialogue. Say it once in description and maybe italicize it. Look for opportunities to insert badass lines when possible Champagne is spelled with a capital C Optical effects go in CAPS – “FREEZE on Reggie”
I rate myself a five. I'm a better writer now than I was a year ago, but not as good a writer as I'll be a year from now. That's how it was last year, and the year before that. That's how it'll be next year, and the year after that.
But I would never rate myself a 10. When you think you're perfect, you stop trying. When you stop trying, your work suffers. Perfection is, and should be, an unachievable goal. Keep pushing for it even though it'll never happen. That builds character, it builds ability, it builds modesty.
As you probably figured out, I don't live anywhere near Hollywood.
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