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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board  /  Questions or Comments  /  OWC and Script Club
Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 21st, 2010, 7:45pm
Just occured to me that the One Week Challenge would normally have been in january. What's up with that? A new one coming on soon?

I also miss the Script Club. The last one was interesting as the person that recommended the script LOVED it and thought it was the best he's read in years while others, myself included, hated it and had a hard time getting through it. The script was The Killing On Carnival Row. In the script's defense, I can say that there were plenty of gurus and experts out there that praised it to no end. Interesting indeed how different we all are. I know I would like to se another SC happening. Perhaps Avatar would make a good script to discuss...I know I have plenty of opinions on it.

What do you think?
Posted by: mcornetto (Guest), January 21st, 2010, 7:55pm; Reply: 1
A new OWC is coming and it's going to be a very exciting one - so don't miss it.  I think Don is just working out how he's going to schedule it.

A new script club sounds great.  I'm in if I dig the script.
Posted by: bert, January 21st, 2010, 8:08pm; Reply: 2
Yeah, the last Script Club did not go as I had hoped it would.

It was a very polarizing script, wasn't it?  And while you would think that would make for a good discussion, in the end, it really didn't.

As far as script club, it should be noted that hosting script club is more of a challenge than it might appear at first glance.

It does not have to be the same host every time, but if someone steps up and volunteers, it needs to be a real commitment to run things.

We need a good method of selecting a script, I think, be it Unproduced from the boards or a produced script -- and somebody to step up and host it.  I am not in a position to do so right now.

[Edit:  I might nominate our resident blabbermouth Dreamscale once he is up and running again -- should he be up for it.]
Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 21st, 2010, 8:19pm; Reply: 3
I don't mind being the host, but the problem is when the discussions take a wrong turn (this happened at least once, I think) and the host doesn't have any 'editing' power. Maybe one of you mods can stay on top of that?

I read a lot though and would not mind have a discussion about some new unproduced scripts. Maybe from the 7wc or just by a regular member. I read Daemon by Sniper yesterday. I thought it was pretty good.

Btw, I think I have and maybe some others as well, have changed their minds about discussing scripts that have not yet been released. It seems unfair to the writer to criticize their work before the movie even comes out. That's why I deleted the movie script page on my website. We should support other writers and not trash them before we've even seen the film.
Posted by: bert, January 21st, 2010, 8:37pm; Reply: 4

Quoted from Grandma Bear
I don't mind being the host, but the problem is when the discussions take a wrong turn...Maybe one of you mods can stay on top of that?


Yeah, sure -- but deletions can be a tough call on those type of threads.

You are a great host, Pia.  I recall Breanne doing a fine job, too, although she thought she didn't.  But then, she never thinks she does a good job.  That woman be crazy.

I just thought it might be fun to watch how Jeff handles things -- our chief "derailer" squirming as HIS thread spirals out of control haha.  Shoe on the other foot and all that.
Posted by: mcornetto (Guest), January 21st, 2010, 8:48pm; Reply: 5
I think we should do Pia's St. Mary's script for the script club.  It's high time she had one of hers done. And if we end up doing one of hers then she probably shouldn't host.
Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 21st, 2010, 9:13pm; Reply: 6

Quoted from mcornetto
I think we should do Pia's St. Mary's script for the script club.  It's high time she had one of hers done. And if we end up doing one of hers then she probably shouldn't host.


Groan!!

Don't think I'm ready for that one to be prime time...ever...

How about Solium, The Bay or Daemon? James has a new one up, but we did his script once already.

Just tossing out ideas.  :)
Posted by: mcornetto (Guest), January 21st, 2010, 9:19pm; Reply: 7
The only problem I have with doing Solium, The Bay or Daemon is that none of those guys ever participate in the Script Club.  If that doesn't bug anyone else then I will glady submit to the majority decision - however -  I hope it isn't The Bay (no offense Rob).
Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 21st, 2010, 9:21pm; Reply: 8
Okay, I hear you.

Anyone else have any suggestions?
Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 21st, 2010, 9:23pm; Reply: 9
How about Thief?

I know you (Cornetto) and Sandra takes part and I think Mr. Ripley has as well in the past and you could probably use some more comments.
Posted by: Tommyp, January 21st, 2010, 9:26pm; Reply: 10
I think Thief needs a rewrite before it's good enough for the SC...

What about something from Rob?

Or an animation?

Pumped about the OWC.
Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 21st, 2010, 9:36pm; Reply: 11
I think Thief would be a good project as it needs some work, but is also written by people that contribute to the boards.

An animation might be nice too. Like the Prince Of Coal... I know Phil wrote a great one, but he doesn't take part here.

Keep the suggestions coming!
Posted by: Mr.Ripley, January 22nd, 2010, 12:29am; Reply: 12
What about Sean's Solium or any script he prefers?
Posted by: Scar Tissue Films, January 22nd, 2010, 3:27am; Reply: 13

Quoted from mcornetto
I think we should do Pia's St. Mary's script for the script club.  It's high time she had one of hers done. And if we end up doing one of hers then she probably shouldn't host.


Agreed. I was going to say the same thing. ;D

I always read the script club threads, even if I don't participate in some of them and I always like the Unproduced ones the best. The level of feedback that it generates must be incredibly valuable.

One thing that occurs to me if you go with a Produced one, is to pick a film that is an example of something that is extraordinary in some way. Say it had an incredible twist, or was universally praised for its characters or something. Or it was structurally different.

That way you can discuss the way they did it and "steal" the technique.
Posted by: Breanne Mattson, January 22nd, 2010, 3:32am; Reply: 14

Quoted from bert
I recall Breanne doing a fine job, too, although she thought she didn't.  But then, she never thinks she does a good job.  That woman be crazy.


Hosting Script Club is like walking between a wall of fire and a river of lava. You can’t win. There are some people who would argue with a doorknob because they felt it turned too smoothly.


Quoted from Grandma Bear
It seems unfair to the writer to criticize their work before the movie even comes out. That's why I deleted the movie script page on my website. We should support other writers and not trash them before we've even seen the film.


I’m torn on this one. On the one hand, you really can’t judge a writer by a draft in development. It’s pointless. Things get bounced around and so many people make suggestions. From the outside, you just can’t tell why a script is the way it is at any given point.

On the other hand, something stinks about the whole issue. I can’t get past the question of where these scripts come from in the first place. The overwhelming majority of leaked scripts simply must come from people who are on the inside of the project. I don’t see how the studios could be so helpless to stop it if they really wanted to. I can think of ways it could be minimized greatly if studios were really interested in stopping it. Their ineffectiveness is, in my mind, revealing.

Either way, though, you’re right. It’s best just not to get involved with it.


Breanne


Posted by: Scar Tissue Films, January 22nd, 2010, 4:52am; Reply: 15

Quoted from Breanne Mattson


I�m torn on this one. On the one hand, you really can�t judge a writer by a draft in development. It�s pointless. Things get bounced around and so many people make suggestions. From the outside, you just can�t tell why a script is the way it is at any given point.

On the other hand, something stinks about the whole issue. I can�t get past the question of where these scripts come from in the first place. The overwhelming majority of leaked scripts simply must come from people who are on the inside of the project. I don�t see how the studios could be so helpless to stop it if they really wanted to. I can think of ways it could be minimized greatly if studios were really interested in stopping it. Their ineffectiveness is, in my mind, revealing.

Either way, though, you�re right. It�s best just not to get involved with it.


Breanne


You make some good points. I understand Pia's point and it's morally correct I think, from the point of view that we are all writers and we wouldn't want our unfinished work being ripped apart until it's finished.

It's nevertheless interesting to read the scripts. Also I'm not really sure it makes much of a difference to audiences. The people who read these things are a tiny fraction of the audience and no-one really listens to people on the internet do they? People have such wildly different opinions on things, literally the polar opposites over even the slightest thing, that people like to make their own minds up.

Initial reports on Avatar in the media were trying to make out as though it was going to be a huge flop. They seemed to have it in for the film and we saw how audiences reacted to it.

Shelton made a great point on the Simplyscript Radio that he's never not watched a film just because he didn't like the script. I'm the same. Even if I didn't enjoy the script, it's interesting to me to watch the film to see how they tried to improve it or how it translated to the screen. It actually makes it fun to watch either way. If it's still bad you get the sense of satisfaction that you were right all along  :P and if it is better you get a pleasant surprise and a renewed appreciation of how the collaborative process can improve things.

You also raise a great point about it being the studioes who are letting them out. That's definitely the case. I started thinking about making films in 2004, whilst I was doing an acting course in LA. One of my friends there was a PA for a Producer at Sony and he would bring scripts that were in development or just been bought back to the flats all the time.

I remember him bringing a script for what turned out to be Hostage and we sat and read it by the pool.

He was reading them like we do to see what they wanted, to work on his own stuff and I'd do the same. You read these things and think, "I could do better than that". We all do.

He wasn't doing this surreptitiously and smuggling them out, they were just lying around the office and he'd take them, then bring them back. The Producer was perfectly happy for him to have them, so it's not like they are under lock and key.

It works for them both ways. If it's great, brilliant free-marketing, if it's not so well received they get the time to change things round.
Posted by: sniper, January 22nd, 2010, 5:55am; Reply: 16

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films
...we are all writers and we wouldn't want our unfinished work being ripped apart until it's finished.

But isn't the work - from the writer's point of view - finished? When the writer turns the script over to the producer we must assume that that is his or hers final draft - at that point in time.

Though I can't rule it out, I seriously doubt that any paid writer would turn a script over to a producer and say "Here ya go. I'm not happy with it. The shit needs a lot of work..."

Yes, the producer, the director or even the actors may then want to change this or that and that will lead to a new draft (another final draft from the writer's point of view) but the original draft is still the writer's vision of the story and I think it's perfectly fair to critique it for what it is as long as you bear in mind that you're critiqueing the script (or how it looked at a certain point in time) and not the finished movie.
Posted by: George Willson, January 22nd, 2010, 6:22am; Reply: 17

Quoted from sniper

But isn't the work - from the writer's point of view - finished? When the writer turns the script over to the producer we must assume that that is his or hers final draft - at that point in time.


If it were a novel, I would say yes, but a movie is different. Some scripts may well be finished at the time they're handed over, but others may have some minor gaps on the visual side of things. The writers knows these things are there, but he also knows that they're things the producer or director would fill out anyway. Remember that a lot of what we do leaves a lot of room for interpretation. We say the house is white, but we don't describe the flower boxes out front unless they're essential to the story. We might say "They fight" and hit some high points, but we don't go into detail about it.

I had one where I knew the guy wanted to run his people all over a house and try as I might, the dude never gave me a floor plan to work with, so I gave him a paragraph describing what needed to happen and where everyone needed to end up. It's boring as hell to read on the page, but he knew what he needed to do with it. MY part -- the story -- was finished. HIS part -- the visuals -- were not.

So whether the script is done or not depends on why it's written. The story should be finished, though.

And regardless of who heads up the script club discussions, I can mod it (which I really should since they occur on my part of the world). I loved participating in the discussions and such. It is hard to head it up because one part of you wants to control the discussion, but another wants to let them go freely to see where they end up. Trouble is they often fizzle out before the week is out. I suppose that's fine, but sometimes, you want it to go further.

One script that might be interesting to see others' thoughts on is the original draft of Labyrinth. This one would be interesting because the first draft is a whole lot more Monty Python than the final. Remember that Labyrinth was written by Terry Jones of the Monty Python troupe. Even more shades of Holy Grail than survived the final cut. And it appears that Labyrinth is MIA, but I have a copy saved...
Posted by: Takeshi (Guest), January 22nd, 2010, 6:26am; Reply: 18
I agree, Rob. The writer is responsible for the script. A whole shit load of people are responsible for the film. They're two different things. Hence we have situations where writers get annoyed with what the directors have done with "their" script. So yes, it's fair to judge a script as is. Not on how the film turns out. This is also why films that win best screenplay awards don't always win best picture awards, and vice versa.
Posted by: Craiger6, January 22nd, 2010, 9:45am; Reply: 19
Pardon my ignorance, but what is the script club?
Posted by: George Willson, January 22nd, 2010, 9:49am; Reply: 20
There are eighteen threads in the screenwriting class board dedicated to the Script Club. I believe this is the first one:

http://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-screenwrite/m-1222311499/s-new/

If you go to that board, select all threads, and then use your browser to search for the words script club, you'll get those threads as results.
Posted by: Scar Tissue Films, January 22nd, 2010, 10:47am; Reply: 21

Quoted from George Willson
There are eighteen threads in the screenwriting class board dedicated to the Script Club. I believe this is the first one:

http://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-screenwrite/m-1222311499/s-new/

If you go to that board, select all threads, and then use your browser to search for the words script club, you'll get those threads as results.


I came onto this late and just dived in at some point.

My posts would have been somewhat different had I read that....

Cheers George.

In future all my posts will be constructive and accentuate the positives, rather than dealing with things I don't like.
Posted by: Breanne Mattson, January 22nd, 2010, 2:28pm; Reply: 22
Rick,

Excellent points. I guess I should clear up what I mean by not getting involved in it. I think it’s perfectly fine to read scripts in development for insights into the process. I just think it’s pointless to review or critique them publicly because there are numerous reasons why they may not be perfect, some beyond the writer’s control.

The scripts are certainly interesting to read. With something like “I Want To _____ Your Sister,” I think we have one situation. This is a spec script that sold. Of course we’d all like to know why it sold, but without input from the people who purchased it, we can only speculate.

With something like “Countdown,” we have a situation where the script is in development. I think it was good to look at because we could actually tell where more than one writer had had a hand in it. It became sort of choppy as a result. But it was in development and hadn’t been polished. We can study it for personal benefit but judging the writer is, in my mind, pointless and unfair. Looking back, and knowing what I do now, I think I was wrong about a lot of things.

I think if we (we in general, not you and I specifically) had kept our heads -- and if we all were more knowledgeable at the time -- we could have looked at the scripts more objectively and understood what was really going on. As it was, we became very unfairly critical of the writers -- in my opinion.

We can’t help but look at them. But to publicly review them, I think, is counterproductive unless you view them within the context of the process the script is going through.

That’s all I’m trying to say. :)


Breanne


Posted by: Blakkwolfe, January 22nd, 2010, 7:13pm; Reply: 23
Looking forward to an new OWC...

I missed Script Club last time it came a round, but I'd like to participate in the new incarnation.
Posted by: Breanne Mattson, January 22nd, 2010, 7:59pm; Reply: 24
Just for the record:

Script Club I: The Clean Up Crew
Script Club II: Tis The Season
Script Club III: Fade To White
Script Club IV: Countdown
Script Club V: I Want To _____ Your Sister
Script Club VI: Jagged
Script Club VII: Demon Beach
Script Club VIII: The Strangers
Script Club IX: Coffee & Inspiration
Script Club X: Angels & Demons
Script Club XI: Killing on Carnival Row


As for Script Club XII, what about “Armored?” That’s a script that’s already been produced and released to theaters and was also the first-time sale for the writer.


Breanne


Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 22nd, 2010, 11:11pm; Reply: 25
Armored made a big splash when sold.

I'd be for reading that one.
Posted by: JonnyBoy, January 23rd, 2010, 6:18am; Reply: 26
I read about that story. If I remember rightly (correct me if I'm wrong) the writer had no agent, no real writing history - he was, to paraphrase his own words, just some schmuck with a script, and yet he sold to a real studio and I think Lawrence Fishbourne was in the finished movie (among others).

A story we can all relate and aspire to...'Armored' has my vote.
Posted by: Mr.Z, January 23rd, 2010, 9:59am; Reply: 27
The writer had some success before selling "Armored", but it was this script what really launched his carreer, so it would be a fun piece to discuss.

Here's an interview with the writer where he details how it went down:

http://johnrobertmarlow.com/lonelykeyboard/LK__intvw--jsimpson.html
Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 23rd, 2010, 6:39pm; Reply: 28
So...is it going to be Armored? Who's up to running it?
Posted by: Tommyp, January 23rd, 2010, 9:22pm; Reply: 29
Yeah, Armored, why not.

And, Pia.... you?
Posted by: Scar Tissue Films, January 24th, 2010, 1:02pm; Reply: 30
Something to think about in the future:

Does anyone else think it would be a good idea to look at an Unproduced script from a writer here and then compare it and contrast it to Produced scripts considered excellent?

EG Someone writes an Action piece. We read it, present initial thoughts and then look at successful films/scripts like Die Hard to see how the proffessional scripts work better or to highlight techniques that could be borrowed.

The idea of the script club seems to me to learn what makes these scripts sell, but there's no real common thread. (Besides the marketing of them to the people that matter).

For instance, Armored is attractive to Producers because it's contemporary and young men like to see people shoot guns, plus there's a market for heist style movies. It's great to read about "unknowns"selling scripts, (even if it's just a re-working of Walter Hills 'Trespass', except no where near as good), but it's only really relevant if you are trying to write a similar film.
Posted by: MPaige, January 24th, 2010, 4:01pm; Reply: 31
sounds interesting to me.
Posted by: George Willson, January 24th, 2010, 4:11pm; Reply: 32
I can run it on the Screenwriting Class board again. The discussion moderator is just there to try and keep the conversation on track and then keep it going if it fizzles out. I think we should discuss how we want to discuss it beforehand, however. The compartmental categorization doesn't seem to work very well since people tend to either hold back and then forget what they were going to say, or they spill it all ahead of time, and no one contributes since they don't want to go "out of order."

Thoughts on that?
Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 24th, 2010, 6:30pm; Reply: 33
I like Rick's idea...actually, I need to confess that I think he's one of the most insightful and always provides useful comments here. You need to be on Simply Radio as a guest sometime. I always read your posts.

Thanks George for taking this on!

Maybe we should just let people write up whatever they feel about the script and then just sort of carry a conversation about why we agree or not with this or that post. I have noticed to that it fizzles when we pick one are to discuss first and then another later. Maybe just open the flood gates and see if we can spark discussions that way?
Posted by: sniper, January 25th, 2010, 8:18am; Reply: 34
I would like to nominate one of the best scripts I've read in a long while: Year 12 by Edward Ricourt.
Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 25th, 2010, 8:37pm; Reply: 35
Unless no one chimes in with a protest, I think Armored would be a good one.

Nothing against you Sniper, but we are not necessarily looking for the best script out there. Armored made a lot of  noise so IMHO it makes it worth looking at.

George is running this. Are we in some sort of agreement about Armored or are there some other suggestions?

Also, when are we going to do this? Hate for it to collide with the OWC.
Posted by: JonnyBoy, January 25th, 2010, 9:14pm; Reply: 36
I'm all for Armored. I have a suggestion about the way we should approach it, though. I think that the script should really just be part of a larger case study. I see in another thread Dec thought the finished film was really poor - that's not a problem, in fact it could be seen as a bonus. I really think we should try to understand why this script sparked interest, and why it was bought by Sony and put straight into production (despite apparently being nothing special).

The story of how this script was bought and turned into a fairly major film is one that is not actually that beyond us - this was a first-time sale by a guy who had no agent. who was literally plucked from the wilderness and handed a studio deal. Why? How? That's what I think we should try to understand.

Obviously, to start with we should read the script. We should read what those producers and agents (including the ones that turned it down) read. We should discuss it, really get our teeth into it. But then I think we should go beyond that. We should look at interviews, at blogs, at any info we can find on the sale of this script. We shouldn't be afraid to speculate, to let those with a bit of industry knowledge (a category I firmly DON'T fit into) guess from what they know. By the end, I think it would be great to not only have dissected the script, but also be able to understand how and why it sold. If we do it that way, then we'll come out with more than just an understanding of how to write a sellable heist script. We'll have a case study of what it takes to write a spec script and be able to land a major deal without any real professional writing history and with no agent. A possible blueprint for success, perhaps. Something to try and emulate.

Of course, that's just a suggestion.
Posted by: George Willson, January 25th, 2010, 9:27pm; Reply: 37
We did something like that with The Strangers. No outside blog work or anything, but we reviewed the script and then reviewed the movie making some comparisons and contrasts between the two. It worked fairly well. We could all take a week to read the script (if anyone has a link on hand, please provide it), discuss it for a week and then watch the movie and discuss it. A week is a general time frame here, and I'd really like to keep the script and movie as divided as possible so one doesn't cloud the other, but that would give us  four week commitment here. If that's cool, then that's cool.
Posted by: JonnyBoy, January 25th, 2010, 9:29pm; Reply: 38

Quoted from George Willson
We could all take a week to read the script (if anyone has a link on hand, please provide it), discuss it for a week and then watch the movie and discuss it.


I wasn't really suggesting that we necessarily compare the script to the movie...what interests me is how the writer got this thing sold. That's what I want to learn about. What it was about the script that made it such an attractive commodity, or how he managed to hype it (without an agent) so that it BECAME an attractive commodity.
Posted by: Scar Tissue Films, January 26th, 2010, 5:52am; Reply: 39

Quoted from JonnyBoy


I wasn't really suggesting that we necessarily compare the script to the movie...what interests me is how the writer got this thing sold. That's what I want to learn about. What it was about the script that made it such an attractive commodity, or how he managed to hype it (without an agent) so that it BECAME an attractive commodity.


A key part of the equation is not Armored itself, but the script he wrote before hand that did reasonably well in the Nicholls and attracted the attention of the Producers who shopped around Armored.

The Journey of a thousand miles and all that.

I don't want to pre-emp the script club discussion so I won't go too much into Armored, but it's essentially the text book concept that the screenwriting books all emphasize:

High concept (every day guys stealing $42M), contemporary (easy and cheap to make), strong recognisable genre (heist, cops and robbers), strong hook (the $42M).

Mr Z's link is a great post. Here is the most pertinent aspect of it:


Quoted Text
JRM:   What gets your attention and makes a script stand out from the crowd?

Jay Simpson:   The concept. Most writers obsess over execution, Execution is important to a point, in that it needs to exploit the concept and clearly convey it in an interesting and entertaining way. But if you don't start with a concept�a �hook��that grabs someone's attention at first blush, you're stacking the odds against your own success.

JRM:   What makes you think a script will be a chore to read, and is there anything you find particularly lacking in today's scripts?

Jay Simpson:   You can tell in the first page if the script will be a chore to read. A lot of scripts I read simply don't start where the story begins. I think those writers either don't know what their story is really about, so they aren't sure where to start it�or they realize their story is not really interesting on its own, so they try to distract from the mundane story with creative visuals and structure. It never works.

JRM:   What are some of the mistakes you see writers make�with their scripts or in their approach to people or the industry?

Jay Simpson:   A lot of writers invest thousands of hours studying and improving their craft, but virtually no time learning about the business or developing a network with people in the business.


Broken down:

1. Pick an exciting, high concept premise with natural conflict
2. Write the story clearly and well
3. Network like hell.

The link is worth repeating:

http://johnrobertmarlow.com/lonelykeyboard/LK__intvw--jsimpson.html

It's a brilliant breakdown of so many things we discuss week in, week out on here.
Posted by: George Willson, January 26th, 2010, 6:04am; Reply: 40
Decadence, you left out one important point that people around here always, always, always not only skim over, but even outright state that it isn't important to them:


Quoted Text
A lot of writers invest thousands of hours studying and improving their craft, but virtually no time learning about the business or developing a network with people in the business.


That would mean in order to write an effective movie, you should know something about making a movie. You don't have to go out with your camera and friends, but watching "Making of" documentaries has some extra advantages for screenwriters. Knowing how to make your own script would be terribly useful in writing it. This isn't the technical specifications, but just knowing in the back of your head that "hm, in this scene, they'd probably built a set with a blue screen out the window" and "this exterior would probably be either a CG or painted background with the flying ship and little village being either models or CG constructs." When people ask for scripts, they often specify a budget and expect you to know whether your script would fit in that budget. How the heck would you know unless you have a clue on how to make it?
Posted by: Scar Tissue Films, January 26th, 2010, 7:40am; Reply: 41

Quoted from George Willson
Decadence, you left out one important point that people around here always, always, always not only skim over, but even outright state that it isn't important to them:



That would mean in order to write an effective movie, you should know something about making a movie. You don't have to go out with your camera and friends, but watching "Making of" documentaries has some extra advantages for screenwriters. Knowing how to make your own script would be terribly useful in writing it. This isn't the technical specifications, but just knowing in the back of your head that "hm, in this scene, they'd probably built a set with a blue screen out the window" and "this exterior would probably be either a CG or painted background with the flying ship and little village being either models or CG constructs." When people ask for scripts, they often specify a budget and expect you to know whether your script would fit in that budget. How the heck would you know unless you have a clue on how to make it?


That's an interesting point.

Personally I'm not sure it's completely necessary to have much of an understanding of such specifics like Blue/Green screen and such. I dare say there a lot of Directors who aren't experts on such things.

But it's certainly important to have some understanding of the budget and no knowledge is going to hurt you.

The key thing about the business side is to work out who your market is. There are only a tiny number of people who actually work in the Industry. If you write say, Horror scripts, there are only a few major companies that Produce them (Dimension, Lionsgate etc). Find out who is responsible for procuring scripts and target them.

You also need to know what they like. They make certain films and know how to market them. They like to use previously successful methods. You just make it easy for them to say yes, rather than no.

A creative marketing guru once gave me a good tip. He called it the "Kingmaker list".

You write the names of ten people down who can make your career in one go. Numbered in order of importance. You then creatively try and attract their attention, starting with number one.

Let's give a specific example just for reference.

1. Harvey Weinstein.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005544/

He can open the doors to the Kindgom literally overnight. He and his company can make off the wall films or standard genre flicks.

Find someway of getting a script in his hands and he likes it....you're on the way.

If not, you go to number two on the list....and so on.

The whole point is that in any creative industry there will be one guy who can make you instantly.

It doesn't matter if you are a painter (Saatchi and Saatchi) or you design trainers (Adidas), there are people there who can make you overnight based on the fact they like your work.


Easier said than done maybe, but where there's a will....
Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 28th, 2010, 6:33pm; Reply: 42
So...did we decide on Armored and that George will run it?

If so, when? George can you find out what time would be good so it doesn't collide with the OWC?
Posted by: George Willson, January 28th, 2010, 10:06pm; Reply: 43
I can find out about the OWC easily enough, but my main concern is where the Armored script is coming from. I didn't find it in a SimplyScripts search, so is it elsewhere on the web, or does someone have a copy? Can't very well do it if there isn't a copy floating around out there somewhere.
Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 28th, 2010, 11:20pm; Reply: 44
I've got it George...
Posted by: George Willson, January 29th, 2010, 5:43am; Reply: 45
And that doesn't surprise me...

The next OWC is planned, but no dates at present. I hear it should be soon, but that's all I know right now. I may be able to find out more later today.
Posted by: seamus19382, January 29th, 2010, 2:35pm; Reply: 46

Quoted from George Willson
I can find out about the OWC easily enough, but my main concern is where the Armored script is coming from. I didn't find it in a SimplyScripts search, so is it elsewhere on the web, or does someone have a copy? Can't very well do it if there isn't a copy floating around out there somewhere.


That's why you're in charge George.  You don't let the little details slip by!
Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 29th, 2010, 3:07pm; Reply: 47
...so, are we doing it or what?

We could e-mail to the participants. We did that with one of the other scripts as well.   :)
Posted by: George Willson, January 29th, 2010, 4:10pm; Reply: 48
Yeah, let's do it. I'll start a new thread detailing the details. The OWC isn't starting within a week, it appears, so there will be time.
Posted by: Tom02 (Guest), January 29th, 2010, 5:39pm; Reply: 49
Hello:

I am not sure if this is the place. I am very interested in receiving a one page synopsis of scripts for animation. The company I represent is overseas, has money and is very serious about this endeavor.  

Thanks,

Tom

Tom02@aol.com
Posted by: Grandma Bear, January 29th, 2010, 6:33pm; Reply: 50
Excellent! Since some people seem to not want me to read their scripts in return for reading mine, I'm all caught up at the moment and look forward to doing this script club.

Tom,

welcome to Simply Scripts. That's great you are looking for a script here, but you might have better luck if you post your request here  http://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-film_contests/

Good luck with the film. Hope you'll use a script from someone here.  :)
Posted by: jayrex, January 29th, 2010, 6:35pm; Reply: 51

Quoted from Tom02
Hello:

I am not sure if this is the place. I am very interested in receiving a one page synopsis of scripts for animation. The company I represent is overseas, has money and is very serious about this endeavor.  

Thanks,

Tom

Tom02@aol.com


Wrong place to post.

p.s. try Film Contests and Call for Scripts within the Screenwriting Discussion board.
Posted by: Scar Tissue Films, January 30th, 2010, 6:50pm; Reply: 52
The script was good. Very good actually.

Pleasant surprise after seeing the film.

A lot of the idiocy that was in the film was clearly introduced by the Director.

EDIT: I'm actually re-watching the film now to compare. It's amazing really what they have done with it, they have fundamentally changed the whole back story of the characters and introduced whole concepts and set pieces that make absolutely no sense.

The funny thing is that the only outright silly part in the script has not been addressed at all, so each and every change was ill-advised and unneccessary.

It's actually making me quite angry watching it.  
Posted by: George Willson, January 31st, 2010, 1:25pm; Reply: 53
Well, since there has been some interest in opening the script club thread earlier so the discussion can begin, I have no problem amending the time frame a little bit. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but if there are no objections, we can open the floor on Tuesday morning (Central Standard Time -- I can crack it open around 4:30am my time).

In fact, it would be a good idea to do it early for some other considerations and possible conflict, so I would suggest typing out your initial thoughts in Notepad and something and prepare to cut and paste on Tuesday...unless anyone objects.

On another note, if you have requested the Armored script from me and didn't get it yet, my PM box was full. Please re-send your request. Thanks.
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