Recently, one of our S32 members posted a great topic where writers could list five things they are most proud of doing. But how about this one? List five things you've recently done as a creative to challenge yourself. For me, recent activities I've found challenging were: 1) Co-writing a screenplay with a director where I largely used his ideas. 2) Adapting horror material from a famous writer. And working to maintain a Gothic tone with the material. I finished it on Monday and already have a producer lined up to read it. One who has previously optioned and shopped my work. 3) Writing a romcom feature and trying to make it funny. 4) Writing a television pilot using precise 5-act structure (Breaking Bad) and then creating a show bible. 5) ratcheting up my efforts to make industry connections. Including doing Happy Writer's pitches and a few other sources. Extra one: I've entered several more competitions including Shore scripts, Screencraft and Zoetrope. It's your turn.
Screenwriting : As a creative, what are you doing to challenge yourself? by Phillip E. Hardy, Prolifique
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Great post, Phillip. Here are mine: 1. Switching from writing features to TV pilots. 2. Also changing from writing mostly supernatural mysteries to developing a sitcom. (which has been a fun challenge) 3. Posting comments on Stage 32—I’m quite the introvert. Have had a Twitter account for years and have posted maybe 15 personal tweets altogether. 4. Getting back into pitching my projects after 20 years. The first time I tried to pitch a screenplay in the 90s I actually lost my voice (so hoarse I couldn’t be understood) and had to scribble down the notes and hand it to the literary agent sitting in front of me. (But he was very kind about it, and liked my idea so much that he referred me to his friend at Paradigm.) 5. Taking several courses on writing TV pilots and how to write comedy.
Love the inspiration! 1. Starting a new screenplay: a rom-com, a genre in which I've never written 2. Re-attacking my Pilot I put on the back-burner
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Linda: great stuff. David: Great work. Bill: excellent lesson for people who are trying to get a film made.
hanging out at the Writer's Guild East Office, attending their seminars and movie screenings- "Meet the Filmmakers" "Birth of a Nation" screening, Q&A with Nate Parker & Cast members at WGA sponsored event. gonna be interesting. Attending NY Comic Con next month. should be a bunch of up-and-coming geek-filmmakers, celebrities. Writing my action thriller about a Dog. listen to my Mentors, past and present. They all said, "Go make your own movies."
I am speaking musically, but the thing about being creative and moving forward is that it is like a stream that seems to grow as you move...Creativity is so vast! Have a BEautfiul day! :-) Rachel
Ok, 1. adapting a short novel into a script with my team. 2. directing a short film (possible tv pilot) from the script with my team 3. Resurrecting our feature film script which again is receiving fantastic reviews 4. Researching companies and people to approach in regards to the feature script 5. Entering some of our work into festivals
Phillip: I think some people think writing the script is hard. It's hard, to be sure. But getting the financing....that's way harder. If it wasn't...all great scripts would be financed. Then...once it's made....even though I'm not there yet....getting the right distribution in place that's going to maximize exposure and revenue....that's probably even harder....judging by all of the great low-budget films I've seen that got lost after distribution and couldn't find audiences. Then...of course....it's the marketing. Maximizing exposure....on a shoe-string budget or on a $200 million marketing budget....and measuring those results (ie, revenue). Even with great marketing budgets...some films are still financial disappointments for the investors and for the studios. It's just like any other biz, though, in those areas. Some great products make it to market and succeed, and some don't. But getting a script financed...and then produced...and then distributed...and then marketed...and then being able to consider it as being successful....whew.....that's quite an accomplishment - from ULB to LB to MB to Big Budget.
Well said Bill! That's REAL man...I think then, and of course, this is just my opinion, you have to really believe in your art from your core. or..you know how to feed the frenzy and make a buck.:-)
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Rachel: yes...that is certainly a reality....art vs. commerce...sacrificing art vs. commerce to get things to market....that goes across all art forms. Only within someone's truth...do you know their stances on things. I'm sure the degrees can vary at times for some people. My easiest artistic times were when I was selling paintings. Inspired by Andy Warhol's Factory, I would make three or four of the same paintings, but change the colors. One person who bought one said "I love the juxtaposition between peace and anger," and bought it. I said "I'm glad." Another person said "look honey, it matches the couch," and bought it. I said "I'm glad." I had a lot of "art" in my core during that period....but I also had a lot of "commerce", too. It's nice when you can strike a happy balance between the two, and the marketplace responds to your balanced liking. Phillip E. Hardy is a serous Writing God, I might add. Not many approach writing with the same amount of determination and hard work as Phillip does. I have been rooting for him since I got to know him last year. Phillip should be an inspiration to everyone who is trying to break into this business, or who is already in this business. If anyone deserves to sell one, two or six scripts this year....it truly is Phillip E. Hardy.
Im writing blindfolded. Certainly a challenge.
yes, Bill, likened to lassoing the wind perhaps.... :-)
Erik: With the new screenwriting programs in Braille, that's not as hard as it used to be. And some would be better off blind folded.
1) Within the last year or so I wrote a screenplay about something I felt wouldn’t make a good film. I took a risk of changed a lot of things I was told to write and hoped the producer wouldn’t hate it. After I turned it in the producer called and said he loved the script. 2) After that I did two rewrites to and get them ready for production. One of them was a one-page rewrite and the other was a script written by a first time screenwriter. The story was good everything else was bad. 3) Then more recently a producer contacted me and asked me to write a screenplay for his company. I almost didn’t take it because I was too busy but I like the project and I agreed to do it. The biggest challenge was that the producer wanted the script in 30 days. 4) I am writing a one-hour crime drama television series. I wrote a lot of crime drama feature film scripts but never a television series. 5) Getting projects through the development stage and into production is an ongoing challenge but I love that part of the business and I see daylight at the end of the tunnel now.
That's a nice story in and of itself, Dan, as your own gifts are only enhanced by the freedom to share them and make something great together! Me thoughts anyways...! Happy for you!
Received great coverage from two producers, a coverage firm and an agent. Minor rewrite on a script that's won awards. Take it all in and just do the rewrite. Love to see if Warner Bros picks it up.