K here!
After finishing my first draft of my first (solo) screenplay, I've decided to take a break from rewriting, and begin a new screenplay.
I've actually edited my first screenplay before, but I still consider it part of the first draft. I'm not really sure why.
I had ideas (and outlines) for at least 2 more screenplays, but I didn't feel like writing them. I feel like I will write them in the future, just not now. This next screenplay I'm soo ready to write.
Today I'm going to crank out the outline, and perhaps tomorrow or Monday I'll begin writing.
In other news, I finished the first 5 pages of my script for Scriptwriting class. I'm not too happy with it--not because it's "bad" perse, but because I don't feel like there's a point. I basically made the story up as I wrote along, and I hate doing that, because I can get easily distracted. Hopefully I'll get back some good notes from the class.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Coppola got robbed!
K here.
Zoetrope founder and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola got his computer stolen a few days ago while working at Zoetrope Argentina. His latest script "Tetro" was on the computer, as well as other files, including pictures of his family. All of this leaves me with just one question:
There's a Zoetrope Argentina...?!
Zoetrope founder and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola got his computer stolen a few days ago while working at Zoetrope Argentina. His latest script "Tetro" was on the computer, as well as other files, including pictures of his family. All of this leaves me with just one question:
There's a Zoetrope Argentina...?!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Writing a Screenplay that we can READ
K here.
We received a packet of short scripts, for which we need to review and make notes. Tuesday, we're going to go over them in class, but I need to get a few frustrations off of my chest.
1. If students turn in another script in anything other than 12-point Courier, I will not read it. I used to laugh when people said it was hard to read a script in anything other than the normal, but really--not only is it hard--it's annoying. It's not hard, if you do your script in MS Word, to scroll up to the fonts and click on "Courier New", and set the size at "12". I read a script where it was obvious that the guy had fiddled with the font size. I never thought it would be easy to see--but it's glaringly obvious. I'm not trying to be a jerk--but in other classes, when you turn in a paper, it has to be Times New Roman, 12. I would never turn in a paper in Comic Sans MS font 20. That's insulting.
2. Parenthetical should never be used--I really don't care who you are. And if you need to use a parenthetical, please keep it to one or two. One script I read had parenthetical as a replacement for action. I mean, it literally read like:
DAVE
(picking up paper)
What's this?
SUSAN
(leaning over to Dave)
Oh, that's just my report.
DAVE
(turning back to Susan)
You always do so well.
No!
3. Talking Heads. Enough said.
4. The scene never ended: I'm glad I've gotten to see what unended scenes look like, because I really never understood the concept before. We were supposed to write 5 pages (some people wrote less, others wrote more) of a scene or series of scenes...and some people just didn't get that just because you make a new slugline, your previous scene is ended. It's kind of frustrating, because you know exactly what they were trying to do...
5. Lack of voice. I have no idea how to explain this, but you could tell who did and who didn't have a voice--and a "voice" is necessary for the story we're all trying to tell.
I know I'm just venting now, but it almost feels like they just don't care because most of them are going to end up working on other people's films, or in editing, or they thought it would just be "a fun class". Eugh!
We received a packet of short scripts, for which we need to review and make notes. Tuesday, we're going to go over them in class, but I need to get a few frustrations off of my chest.
1. If students turn in another script in anything other than 12-point Courier, I will not read it. I used to laugh when people said it was hard to read a script in anything other than the normal, but really--not only is it hard--it's annoying. It's not hard, if you do your script in MS Word, to scroll up to the fonts and click on "Courier New", and set the size at "12". I read a script where it was obvious that the guy had fiddled with the font size. I never thought it would be easy to see--but it's glaringly obvious. I'm not trying to be a jerk--but in other classes, when you turn in a paper, it has to be Times New Roman, 12. I would never turn in a paper in Comic Sans MS font 20. That's insulting.
2. Parenthetical should never be used--I really don't care who you are. And if you need to use a parenthetical, please keep it to one or two. One script I read had parenthetical as a replacement for action. I mean, it literally read like:
DAVE
(picking up paper)
What's this?
SUSAN
(leaning over to Dave)
Oh, that's just my report.
DAVE
(turning back to Susan)
You always do so well.
No!
3. Talking Heads. Enough said.
4. The scene never ended: I'm glad I've gotten to see what unended scenes look like, because I really never understood the concept before. We were supposed to write 5 pages (some people wrote less, others wrote more) of a scene or series of scenes...and some people just didn't get that just because you make a new slugline, your previous scene is ended. It's kind of frustrating, because you know exactly what they were trying to do...
5. Lack of voice. I have no idea how to explain this, but you could tell who did and who didn't have a voice--and a "voice" is necessary for the story we're all trying to tell.
I know I'm just venting now, but it almost feels like they just don't care because most of them are going to end up working on other people's films, or in editing, or they thought it would just be "a fun class". Eugh!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Scriptwriting
Having a workshop-type class is always good in helping you improve upon your craft. In this case, it's screenplay writing, but really, any kind of writing where you have to get up, read what you wrote, and listen to feedback from people who, often times, don't get it, is helpful.
But let me just say this: Editing is your friend, especially if your monologue is actually a dialogue written in the voice of Jeffrey Dahmer, who has an orgasm right after he kills a runaway.
Uh...okay.
But let me just say this: Editing is your friend, especially if your monologue is actually a dialogue written in the voice of Jeffrey Dahmer, who has an orgasm right after he kills a runaway.
Uh...okay.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Scriptwriting Class
K here.
M and I finally signed up for a true, bona-fied scriptwriting class, and, I have to say I'm disappointed with the way it's been going so far.
There's nothing wrong with our instructor. She's nice, liberal minded as long as it doesn't involve violence towards animals or Full Metal Jacket references, young and hasn't become jaded--yet.
The unfortunate thing about it, though, is that this is an introductory course in screenwriting being taught by a film grad student who has a lot of things going on--namely her responsibilities as a producer for another film.
We've been in class for three days. The classes run for 2 hours, but for all three days, we have been let go early. Last Thursday was the third class--we were let go with 45 minutes left over. I suspect this is because she's busy with her other responsibility. I'd estimate that for the 8 hours we're supposed to have of classtime each week, we only get 5 or 6. That means we're losing at least 2 hours a week. This class is 10 weeks long. By the end of the course, we'll have lost at least 20 hours of classtime which could be used for improving upon our craft in a workshop setting. There's nothing better than getting feedback from your peers. That 20 hours could provide a lot.
My other gripe is that she's a first time instructor. That in itself is not a reason to have a gripe, it's just that she seems a little unsure as to how to structure her class. We've watched excerpts from movies, but done little with actually getting down and reading a screenplay. Sure, we read a simple excerpt from "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang", but it was only a page and a half of mostly dialogue.
We haven't even worked on creating a story, yet she wants us to write a "interior" monlogue for class on Thursday. That, of course, won't be a problem, but I'll be interested to see how the others will format their screenplays. (She told students they needed to buy a Final Draft, which, for college students not majoring in film, isn't work the price or the hassle). Most students have this idea of formatting it based on indents she provided for Microsoft Word. I'm not kidding. I have the mind to tell everyone on Thursday they can download already formulated Microsoft Templates for $45, or they can download freeware like Celtx.
The students haven't truly been tested on whether or not they know what a "slugline" is, or whether or not they know how to use INT./EXT., or whether they now they should not put "INT. HIS BEDROOM 8:00 PM THE THURSDAY BEFORE THE PROM -- NIGHT" or not. She hasn't even asked us the very first question you should ask kids in a screenwriting class: "What's a screenplay?"
In class on Tuesday we did a really neat exercise that is supposed to help writers find motiviations for their characters. I'll have a scan up of mine probably tomorrow, but the point is this--she knows of exercises that will help writers, but I don't think she's using them. Either she doesn't have the time to prepare, or she's nervous. Either way, we're missing out.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, whichever way you choose to look at it) M and I are just too advanced for the class. This isn't intended as some sort of weird stroke of our egos, it's just a fact. She started the class by saying "If you come out knowing more about writing screenplays than you did before, that's a bonus" I almost shat myself right there. I don't want to "know" more about writing screenplays, I want to make a screenplay--a really, really good one. It's almost as if she doesn't have high hopes for the class, so she shoots from the hip and hopes it hits something.
The other kids in the class seem a bit slow. Well, that's the nicest way I can put it without getting all ad-hominem...y. They don't seem to be interested in anything our instructor has to say. I just don't think they realize how hard it is to write a screenplay, or how passionate many of us are about the craft...And they'll probably never learn from this class, because, even thoug we're supposed to create a 20-30 page short, she said we can produce 5 seperate 6 pagers that we're supposed to be working on.
WHAT. THE. HELL.
But, enough of the complaining. I'm glad to be able to take this screenwriting class, if nothing for the fact that it's in a workshop setting, and we get to hear other people's opinions. It will be nice to see if my work is as good as M says it is--and vice versa. It will also be interesting to hear other voices read the work, how they interpret the words, how the scenes map out when it's played in real time.
For that, I am glad.
M and I finally signed up for a true, bona-fied scriptwriting class, and, I have to say I'm disappointed with the way it's been going so far.
There's nothing wrong with our instructor. She's nice, liberal minded as long as it doesn't involve violence towards animals or Full Metal Jacket references, young and hasn't become jaded--yet.
The unfortunate thing about it, though, is that this is an introductory course in screenwriting being taught by a film grad student who has a lot of things going on--namely her responsibilities as a producer for another film.
We've been in class for three days. The classes run for 2 hours, but for all three days, we have been let go early. Last Thursday was the third class--we were let go with 45 minutes left over. I suspect this is because she's busy with her other responsibility. I'd estimate that for the 8 hours we're supposed to have of classtime each week, we only get 5 or 6. That means we're losing at least 2 hours a week. This class is 10 weeks long. By the end of the course, we'll have lost at least 20 hours of classtime which could be used for improving upon our craft in a workshop setting. There's nothing better than getting feedback from your peers. That 20 hours could provide a lot.
My other gripe is that she's a first time instructor. That in itself is not a reason to have a gripe, it's just that she seems a little unsure as to how to structure her class. We've watched excerpts from movies, but done little with actually getting down and reading a screenplay. Sure, we read a simple excerpt from "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang", but it was only a page and a half of mostly dialogue.
We haven't even worked on creating a story, yet she wants us to write a "interior" monlogue for class on Thursday. That, of course, won't be a problem, but I'll be interested to see how the others will format their screenplays. (She told students they needed to buy a Final Draft, which, for college students not majoring in film, isn't work the price or the hassle). Most students have this idea of formatting it based on indents she provided for Microsoft Word. I'm not kidding. I have the mind to tell everyone on Thursday they can download already formulated Microsoft Templates for $45, or they can download freeware like Celtx.
The students haven't truly been tested on whether or not they know what a "slugline" is, or whether or not they know how to use INT./EXT., or whether they now they should not put "INT. HIS BEDROOM 8:00 PM THE THURSDAY BEFORE THE PROM -- NIGHT" or not. She hasn't even asked us the very first question you should ask kids in a screenwriting class: "What's a screenplay?"
In class on Tuesday we did a really neat exercise that is supposed to help writers find motiviations for their characters. I'll have a scan up of mine probably tomorrow, but the point is this--she knows of exercises that will help writers, but I don't think she's using them. Either she doesn't have the time to prepare, or she's nervous. Either way, we're missing out.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, whichever way you choose to look at it) M and I are just too advanced for the class. This isn't intended as some sort of weird stroke of our egos, it's just a fact. She started the class by saying "If you come out knowing more about writing screenplays than you did before, that's a bonus" I almost shat myself right there. I don't want to "know" more about writing screenplays, I want to make a screenplay--a really, really good one. It's almost as if she doesn't have high hopes for the class, so she shoots from the hip and hopes it hits something.
The other kids in the class seem a bit slow. Well, that's the nicest way I can put it without getting all ad-hominem...y. They don't seem to be interested in anything our instructor has to say. I just don't think they realize how hard it is to write a screenplay, or how passionate many of us are about the craft...And they'll probably never learn from this class, because, even thoug we're supposed to create a 20-30 page short, she said we can produce 5 seperate 6 pagers that we're supposed to be working on.
WHAT. THE. HELL.
But, enough of the complaining. I'm glad to be able to take this screenwriting class, if nothing for the fact that it's in a workshop setting, and we get to hear other people's opinions. It will be nice to see if my work is as good as M says it is--and vice versa. It will also be interesting to hear other voices read the work, how they interpret the words, how the scenes map out when it's played in real time.
For that, I am glad.
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