WRITERMAN

Archive for the ‘scripts’ Category

Posted on November 10, 2010 - by writerman

Screenwriting, explained

Three minutes and three seconds of the best lesson in screenwriting¹ you’ll ever get:

WORDS from Everynone on Vimeo.

Color me inspired. I will now make more coffee and continue to put one word in front of the other.

Thank you, Everynone.

1. I was going to write some pseudo-clever commentary here about why, exactly, this is the best screenwriting lesson ever. But honestly, this is one of those times where the best thing to do is just shut up and watch the movie. In fact, I’m gonna watch it again, right now. [↩]

Posted on March 25, 2010 - by writerman

How not to write a crock of shit

Some refreshingly direct wisdom on drama, the job of the writer and how not to be a dickhead, courtesy of Hollywood’s favorite literary pugilist, David Mamet.¹

Highlights cut & pasted below, but if I were you I’d click through and read the whole thing at Movieline. For the record, I have no idea why it’s in ALL CAPS.

———————————–

“THE JOB OF THE DRAMATIST IS TO MAKE THE AUDIENCE WONDER WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. NOT TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT JUST HAPPENED, OR TO*SUGGEST* TO THEM WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

ANY DICKHEAD CAN WRITE, “BUT, JIM, IF WE DON’T ASSASSINATE THE PRIME MINISTER IN THE NEXT SCENE, ALL EUROPE WILL BE ENGULFED IN FLAME”

THINK LIKE A FILMMAKER RATHER THAN A FUNCTIONARY, BECAUSE, IN TRUTH, YOU ARE MAKING THE FILM. WHAT YOU WRITE, THEY WILL SHOOT.

HERE ARE THE DANGER SIGNALS. ANY TIME TWO CHARACTERS ARE TALKING ABOUT A THIRD, THE SCENE IS A CROCK OF SHIT.

ANY TIME ANY CHARACTER IS SAYING TO ANOTHER “AS YOU KNOW”, THAT IS, TELLING ANOTHER CHARACTER WHAT YOU, THE WRITER, NEED THE AUDIENCE TO KNOW, THE SCENE IS A CROCK OF SHIT.

DO NOT WRITE A CROCK OF SHIT. WRITE A RIPPING THREE, FOUR, SEVEN MINUTE SCENE WHICH MOVES THE STORY ALONG, AND YOU CAN, VERY SOON, BUY A HOUSE IN BEL AIR AND HIRE SOMEONE TO LIVE THERE FOR YOU.”

LOVE, DAVE MAMET
SANTA MONICA 19 OCTO 05

1. Rumor has it this is from a memo Mamet wrote to the staff of The Unit. Of course, it’s probably only a matter of days before we find out the whole thing is a hoax, and the actual author is Kurt Vonnegut or Mamet’s dog walker or some guy who writes for The Onion. But does any of that really matter on the Internet? It’s still a fun read and pretty good advice. [↩]

Posted on January 12, 2010 - by writerman

Mr. Unlucky wins Champion Screenwriting Competition

Got some good news to kick off 2010. After a series of near-misses, short-lists, semi-finals and finals, Mr. Unlucky finally stepped up to the plate and hit one out of the park. That’s right, my little screenplay about leprechaun gangsters, true love, road trips, diabolical corporate executives, game shows, breakfast cereal, a 1960 Plymouth Valiant and the unluckiest guy in the world is the official Champion of Champion.

Righteous!

Now let me tell you – this is my kind of screenwriting contest. Prizes were handed out over beers, fortune cookies and steaming plates of Kung Pao on a Friday nite in Hollywood. The next two days were a blur of high-fives and bourbons at the Coach & Horses, a weekend crash course in screenwriting (courtesy of Mr. Jim Mercurio) that featured a cold reading of our scripts by the talented and ever-so-handsome AJ Quartermaine, and finally taking my beautiful out for a steak dinner at Musso & Frank’s to celebrate.

And just in case you were worried that this sudden success will go to my head, allow me to share a little story. The Falcon was in the shop that weekend, so the very first thing I did after winning the contest was slide the winner’s check into my pocket, walk down to La Brea, and wait 45 minutes for the bus to take me home. In the rain. Damn right it’s glamorous being the Writerman.

Just watch for me on Entourage next week, baby.

Thanks Jim!

Posted on December 23, 2009 - by writerman

Jim’s totally excellent screenwriting seminar

I must admit: I’ve always been a little suspicious of screenwriting seminars and the people who teach them. If Robert McKee really knows how to craft a Black-List-topping, low-to-mid-six-figures-selling, Oscar-winning screenplay, why doesn’t he sit down and write one of his own, instead of charging me and you and everyone we know a thousand bucks to learn his patented secret formula? I mean, what could a guy like this Jim Mercurio character possibly teach that couldn’t be learned from watching Chinatown for the 23rd time?

It was with this general air of skepticism and a mild hangover that I entered Jim’s A-List Screenwriting class on a Saturday morning. And, by the time we hit California Pizza Kitchen for lunch, my headache and my doubts had vanished. Jim really knows his shit.¹

Jim’s unique way of thinking about writing opened my eyes to a whole new way of looking at a script. In short order, he armed me with a ton of ideas for exploring character, revealing theme, tightening plot and turning up the funny in my stuff. The guy is a diet-soda-fueled tornado of insights and ideas. His knowledge of film is encyclopedic. His DVD collection is first-class. And his course is fun, fast-paced and seriously inspiring. He’s also way funnier in person than this photo makes him appear. I strongly recommend.

1. Full disclosure – I did not have to pay for Jim’s class, I won a free pass from the Champion Screenwriting Contest. So, I have no idea what he charges, but I would say if you’re serious about writing the movies then it’s probably worth it to scrape a couple of bucks together and give it a shot. [↩]

Posted on May 26, 2009 - by writerman

CineStory Screenwriting Awards

While I was busy playing bocce in the park and trying to live up to my vow to BBQ every meal for Memorial Day weekend, I heard the good word from CineStory:

My hard-working, good-looking script Mr. Unlucky survived the first round of judging and made it to the quarterfinals of the 2009 CineStory Screenwriting Awards!

thanks CineStory!

Posted on April 2, 2009 - by writerman

Don’t you forget about me

Started working on a new script the other day. It’s set in a high school, and since I’m definitely not in high school anymore, I’ve been using it as an excuse to watch old episodes of Freaks & Geeks, turn Sunday into a John Hughes movie marathon, and hit the midnight screening of the Breakfast Club at the Regency Fairfax. Good times!

Now I know some people worship at the altar of the Geeks and the Freaks, and I can respect that. It was a great show. But I bet if you ask Judd Apatow, he’d agree that John Hughes is clearly the master.

There’s just no denying that every teen movie and tv show made after 1984 is heavily influenced by Mr. Hughes precarious balance of realism, comedy, and melodrama. In fact, I’d argue that the influence of Hughes’ movies extends beyond the screen. If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, there’s a good chance Sixteen Candles or Weird Science or Ferris Bueller had a direct impact on your young life.

• How many preteen geeks enrolled in computer classes in the desperate hope that someday they could make their very own supermodel, just like Anthony Michael Hall?
• On a personal note, it was Ferris Bueller himself who inspired me to start cutting class. Of course, I got busted a lot more than Ferris and I sure as hell never got to drive a convertible Ferrari.
• I even have a friend who, to this day, dances (un-ironically) just like Molly Ringwald in Breakfast Club.

To be fair, Hughes isn’t perfect. Maybe Andie should have ended up with Duckie, and maybe it was kind of anti-feminist when the basket case got a makeover so she could make out with Charlie Sheen’s brother. But for my money, John Hughes was one of the best and most influential writer/directors of the late 20th century.

Thanks John. We won’t forget about you.

Posted on December 1, 2008 - by writerman

PAGE Awards for two of my scripts!

Some days, good things do come in pairs. Two of my scripts made the semi-finals of the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards:

MR. UNLUCKY – a 21st century fairy tale about leprechaun gangsters, true love, breakfast cereal and the unluckiest guy in the world.

1-800-SUPERHERO – an hour-long TV pilot about a Regular Joe trying to survive high school at super-powered Cosmic City Central.

Posted on October 8, 2008 - by writerman

Top 50 in Austin

Got a letter from the Austin Film Fest. My Scrubs spec made the top 50 of their teleplay contest. This is awesome for three reasons:

1. It means someone else likes Scrubs too
2. Festival registration discount!
3. I’ve been looking for an excuse to drive to Austin

More importantly, some of the good people in the Wednesday Night Writers Club also got letters, so I’ll have someone to talk to about where all of the agents are hiding or that time when Shane Black totally said “Hey man” to me in the elevator. Woohoo. Can’t hardly wait!

Hang on a minute – I can’t go to Austin this year. I’m going to be busy getting married!

On a related note, Scrubs’ best scene ever:

Posted on October 7, 2008 - by writerman

Silver Screenwriting Semi-Finals

You can call Mr. Unlucky “butter,” cause he’s on a roll!

The exciting and glamorous Silver Screenwriting Competition just gave my script two thumbs up by naming it a semi-finalist. Even better, in a totally unprecedented move, Julie actually picked up the phone and called to tell me about it. I didn’t get to talk to her because I was busy stuffing my face with cupcakes (seriously, I was), but she left an ever-so-lovely message filled with adjectives like “hysterical” and “hilarious” when talking about the script.

Nothing like a mouthful of cream cheese icing and a voicemail box full of compliments to make a brother feel like he’s on top of the world, ma!

Posted on October 6, 2008 - by writerman

You call him Dr. Jones!

Back in 1978, a young guy named George called up his friends Steven and Larry to discuss an idea for a new movie. The three of them sat down and George told them all about a swashbuckling archeologist with a bad attitude and a great hat who went by the name of “Indiana Smith.”

If that sounds familiar, it’s because the I’m talking about George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Lawrence Kasdan, and the story that came out of this meeting would become one of my favorite action movies: Raiders of the Lost Ark.

I haven’t seen it in a while, but when I was in college in Vancouver, there was an old second-run theater downtown that used to play Indiana Jones marathons on slow nights. Three movies for the price of one! We used to go early to catch all of Raiders and the opening sequence of Temple of Doom. Then, we’d head out to grab something eat and get back in time to watch the end of the second movie and settle in for Last Crusade. Good times. I know the truly hardcore nerd would have sat through all three, but I’m just not a big fan of Temple of Doom. Sorry, Steven, I know your wife is in it, but even the Babe couldn’t hit a home run every time he stepped up to the plate, right?

As it turns out, these early discussions were recorded, and recently some hard-working nerd has transcribed every single word. So now we can all read about how the story came together, how Spielberg hated the name “Indiana Smith” and pushed Lucas to come up with something better (I think you know what I’m talking about), and how they had so many ideas for the first movie that they needed to make two sequels just to squeeze it all in.

Plus, someone even took the time to assemble a bunch of the original concept sketches for the character, from back before he looked like Han Solo:

Sweet.

I can take no credit whatsoever for this discovery. I just read about it on the Mystery Man’s blog. But I strongly recommend. If you’re an Indiana Jones fan, an action movie geek, or just a writer looking for a new way to procrastinate, check it out:

The “Raiders” Story Conference Diaries.