Screenwriting

Congratulations on "Gus" being a Quarter Finalist, Francisco Castro!

Francisco, way to ROCK! Here's wishing you even more success with "Gus!"

Wow! Congratulations to all Quarter Finalists and you Francisco Castro!!

Congratulations, Francisco Castro! To you and all the quarterfinalists. Wishing you huge success with GUS!!

Congrats! This is big news and well deserved I am sure. The Stage 32 contests receive a record-breaking number of entries every round so to place is a testament to your writing.

You're welcome, Sam Sokolow. I've been wanting to write a stunt spec for a while. I just ordered the webinar. Thanks!

Thanks Maurice Vaughan !

Appreciated your post - many excellent points to consider and certainly factors that I have encountered, cheers!

You're welcome, Ian Milne.

No problem, Kelvin Fahey. You're right. Many excellent points to consider. And straight from the source.

I entered my sci-fi pilot to two screenplay contests --- a big name film festival and a smaller sci-fi festival. With the big film festival, I didn't make it. No laurels. The reader commented incessantly on my use of ellipses and couldn't see how that would translate into the finished product. With the smaller festival, I won and the reader praised the script. I agree with you, Matthew Kelcourse, that the "mood" of the reader is very much in play.

I have only one script, a Pilot. Have re-read it over 100 times. lately I have played a game with it. I will purposefully read it when I don't feel like reading it... maybe I am busy or my anticipations pull my attention elsewhere... or I am in a fowl mood. To much sugar, not enough sleep...frazzled from traffic or would rather do the dishes and deep clean the washroom then read another page... For the most part in these states of harmonic dissonance the story is less compelling. The dialogue makes me cringe and don't get me started on the formatting faux pas....What this means to me is that Objectivity like common sense is not guaranteed in our communication transactions with other individuals, other groups or even with ourselves...At this moment I have a lot more respect for nepotism, bribery and coercion as a method for getting a script into rightful hands. LOL!

Writing is an art. Every person will interpret a piece differently. And depending on what they are feeling on a particular day, at a particular hour, at that particular moment, will judge it differently. Like in quantum physics. The same particle can be in several different states of flux depending on how its viewed all at the same time. Thus the writer must be ready for inconsistent results, even from two different readers in the same contest at the same time. What one reader will love, another will hate. Thus is the game.

Dan, why negative on contests?

Jed Power I am not negative about contests. It is just something I was never interested in doing.

Once upon a time, my GF worked as an uncredited animator for Lilo and Stitch. The way she tells it you stop wanting to work for Disney once you start.

I don't understand that. But some of their project made me cry happy tears. I know they can do better for others.

...

Disney has an intern and apprentice program that you can look into. You're going to have to work your way up the ranks if you really want to make that kind of difference.

Maybe idealism can help. Was Walt Disney and many inspiring people Idealist as well.

Hi Pat Alexander and everyone in the lounge!

I submitted my metaphysical queer romcom:

What Is Meant For You Will Always Find You

which aims to increase awareness of humanity, especially to women.

Logline:

Two spirits attempt to rekindle their cosmic romance on Earth by reincarnating as a pair of women, but find their newfound terrestrial fears and beliefs are an obstacle to their relationship.

Tone: It’s a feature film that aims to explore love beyond the physical realm and the courage

it takes to embrace one’s true self.

Why Me:

I am the only person who could write this feature since the plot reflects who I am, who I was, and who I became. It's my DNA.

The plot is based on a journal I started writing two years ago, detailing a series of metaphysical experiences I've had to face and conquer. The characters' obstacles are based on my own life experiences as well.

Why Now:

Because I want to raise humanity’s awareness with a love story that begins in the

spiritual realms and manifests in the physical world. We need to evolve as human beings and now it’s the perfect time :))

Good luck to all of us and Thank you Stage 32 for this opportunity:))

Best of luck to everyone. These were all cool to see :)

Wihsing everyone in the contest luck. I agree with Sydney Summers - these are great!

I submitted: Spritzer - Little Does He Know

Logline: A rom-com set in the California wine country, pitting a macho American high-tech, jug wine maker against a sophisticated French woman as they attempt to save the vineyard by producing award-winning champagne.

This is a rom-com set in the wine country of Sonoma, California. Spritzer runs a successful jug winery. But his great Aunt Belle who owns the winery wants to make the best possible champagne.

But they know nothing about making sparkling wine as it is known outside the champagne region of France. So they import a strong-willed and stunning Chef du cave from France. There is an instantaneous mutual dislike but they must find a way to work together as, if they fail, the winery will be lost. Needless to say, romance can bud through adversity.

My idea for a Romantic comedy is called "Tour-Ette" and involves a bus full of smashers doing community service going on a rehabilitation French Tour holiday to a French City called Saint Ettiene. The two with Tourettes syndrome fall in love when they break down in the Alpes. I havent submitted as I don't have a membership yet unfortunately. www.Tour-Ette.com

Are you talking about this post, Cameron Tendaji: www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/I-Finally-Have-a-Manager-annnnddd

If that's the post, you said, "So long story short… if your main goal is to find representation you’re wasting time… (don’t be like me lol) you should be showing that you know how to be a producer as well. That you know the industry, you can get things done on your own, and that you understand the business… and a manager can come in and help facilitate. Because if the writers strikes taught us anything.. you can’t just be a writer. You HAVE to be a multi-hyphenate."

I responded, "What you did is a great idea for others to follow, but searching for a rep isn't a waste of time. And not every writer wants to be a producer. I don't want new writers and experienced writers to think becoming a writer-producer is the only way to get a manager."

A writer who thinks like a producer when outlining/writing scripts and being a writer-producer are two different things.

Maurice Vaughan i was just giving you a hard time lol

Haha Ah man, Cameron Tendaji. Ok.

Maurice Vaughan - When I’m writing music, I try and think like a Producer, as if it will fit into a scene, or its long enough l, or too long, musically.

Like you - a Little bit - I wonder how, for example, how a contemporary or rock ‘n’ roll music (with vocal ease) will fit into a scene which I’ve written.

Hi Jacob, thank you for posting this. I learned a lot from this. As a writer, I have never attended a festival. What is a festival that you recommend?

Hi Roberta M Roy - Ewan, who commented above, teaches a Stage 32 course on pitch deck fundamentals and execution that I highly recommend (and today is Cyber Monday so it's on sale :)

Here's a link so you can check it out: https://www.stage32.com/classes/Stage-32-4-Part-Class-Pitch-Deck-Foundat...

As the guy(s) below once said, "That is the sound of inevitability." Will attempt to create a pitch deck for one of my scripts, happy to muddle through the process myself (learning curve, self-development etc.). It's handy being able to search for topics on here, and sourcing the helpful links from Maurice and CJ.

What a great thread. Thank you for those links, Maurice Vaughan . Looks like I need to get started on a pitch deck!!

You're welcome, Ben Henning. Glad the links help.

I'll also be running my 8 part Pitch Deck writing lab again starting in July.

Not everyone but I believe most new screenwriters believe their first screenplays are good enough. After they have several under their belt they have to go back and rewrite them. At least that was how it was for me.

Thank you all for your comments. Dan Guardino my first screenplay I was sure would win an Oscar, it was crap.

What I desire now when I ask people to read my work is their emotions, not technically advice. Things like “Why does Harry do that?” or “Judd is a shit, I didn’t like him”. Or good feedback “It fks with your head” why niece gave me that on a thriller I wrote.

That sort of feedback is as close to a test screening as I can get.

You're welcome, Craig D Griffiths.

Dear friends, my situation is similar. If you are willing to read my latest screenplay, you can send me the latest you have written yourself. For mutual reviews. I will try to find your worst error.

In 2014, I directed my first movie. 104 minutes long. A no-budget comedy based on a play I had written. Afterwards, two persons reviewed the film. Both reviews "smelled sulfur and brimstone". I sure thanked both reviewers.

Taika Waititi sometimes writes a script, leaves it for a year, reads it again, throws it away and writes what he remembers (as it'll be the good bits worth remembering). Re-writing is an essential tool for any writer.