Glenn Pratt's Lounge Discussions

Festivals are a rip off. Only exist to make money for the people who run them.

Yes Patrick, a lot of film festivals have their main preference for making money, so don't submit your film to those festivals. There's a lot of FF that doesn't ask for a fee. And yes, those festivals are crowded but if you make it in the 10:1 ratio, then you can expect some passion in return. So Melody, I think you can find in those film festivals a better place to send your work

Just make your movies with sincerity, with heart & soul and the audience (festival jury or not, it doesn't matter) will like your work. I'm sure the next future (no in fact the present) of the cinema & the art in general is on the web, not in classical festivals which are too expensive & too academic. It's up to you Melody.

I discovered filmfly.net... so I was able to submit to a LOT of festivals for a small amount of $... a lot of free ones and a larger listing with more information than withoutabox

Thanks for your message Melody. You say "filmfly.net" ? Interesting, I don't know this site, it may be cool for indie film-makers. In any case good luck for your submissions

Gigi and James, thanks for chiming in! Both of you have made great points ans have provided us with even further insight into what I believe to be such an important topic. Thank you and everyone else who have contributed here. James, do you feel that newer film directors are perhaps suffering from the lack of ability in storytelling, or do you feel that it is also a direct result of our society as Gigi and others have stated? I myself am beginning to feel as though it is a lack of the storytelling gift and instinct. Of course I could be wrong. However, spectacle and farce certainly seems to have replaced substance. Thanks for the chat, Thomas

Often there may be a time constraint, focus on the pace leading to the climax scene, or a singular focus on a theme regardless of characterization potential. I mostly deal with music videos that have all these features, but for sure I really appreciate a feature film that takes that extra footage to reveal the expressions, emotions and inner character of the people it is built upon. All power to you & cheers from Australia :)

Film directors of today are not the film directors of yesterday. I believe there is a wide gap between the two. Back then it was fairly new. They were pushing the envelope into uncharted territory. Things had not been done yet. The bar was being raised with every film. There was a drive and a desire to see what was on the other side. Almost a giddy feeling, I imagine, went through alot of them back then. What an exciting time it must have been. It invoked originality, going on instinct and thought provoking ideas that stretched the imagination. I'm not saying that it does not happen now, because I have seen some works of art, but it takes a thinker, a dreamer and the know-how to lay down substance. Today, is a time where people with cell phones shoot films and dslr shooters abound. I for one think that's a good thing, but so many think they can just shoot some stuff, edit it quick and throw it up on whatever site and call it good. With so many out there now, it takes more to weave in and out of the thorns to get to the rose. There are still talented people out there and storytellers among the fray, so don't lose hope. "Some say everythings been done...I say...it's just the beginning. - James Felt

Truth is people just want the easy way out and don't want to do the leg work. I have just completed a feature where I wrote character Bio's for all the leads, established their backstory which set their likes and dislikes, this give them personalities. Over all this I spent months researching the South Carolina dialogue and rewrote a character to suit. Just what I said, gotta do the leg work to give each character a personality. It still exists in writers who don't want to just print out a flat screenplay.

Evil Dead Remake. Budget 17 million/0 character development. Number 1 at the box office./Gross to date 35 million. Producer's job with Evil Dead 2? REPEAT PROCESS. -- Hollywood is a business. The question is: If Evil Dead had character development would the movie gross even more? I think so.

Thanks, but do those lawyers help folks outside California? I'll look them up too though I don't live there. :)

I would think so lIsa...........A contract could be faxed for them to look at and any discussions could be done by phone at the rate they charge you..yes, look them up....I'm sure they could at least point you in the right direction if they are not what you need..............

Look into "The Independent Film Producer Survival Guide" or books like it. They can give you solid advice on how many of legal reps operate and how they charge. Also network with other filmmakers that you know or have met and they can often recommend a name too. You can also talk to people who own various commercial production companies. They may not have specifically entertainment lawyers, but you can bet their reps are familiar with production or could recommend you to someone else. Best of luck.

I want to will my books and scripts to a university. Is there a general form on the internet to incorporate into my will?

Lawrence - I found my entertainment lawyer here on Stage 32. He's been a God send. Recently, he advised me to register a Pitch Document I completed for a producer with the Writer's Guild of America (East). I'm usually pretty good about registering or getting a Copyright for all my screen plays and treatments. But is had not occurred to me to register a Pitch Document. Bottom Line - There are many qualified people on Stage32 who can show you the way with regard to legal issues!

Check out Fountain developed by John August. http://fountain.io You can use any text software (even email programs) and then translate it later. Solves the iPad/mobile problem also. I like it because it allows you to focus on the writing and not the formatting. Worry about that later.

I use Celtx. The have a free package. The add-ons are extra.

I'll toss in another vote for CeltX, which I personally use for comic scripts.

Choosing the right scriptwriting software is such a crucial decision—it can really shape your workflow and creativity. I’ve found that the tools you use, whether for writing scripts or developing apps, can make or break how smoothly a project runs. For example, when my team worked on a hybrid app project https://binary-studio.com/crm-software-development/ the flexibility of the tools we used was key to keeping everything on track and adaptable to different needs. It’s kind of similar to screenwriting—you need something that fits your style but can also handle the demands of the project. Finding that balance is everything!

I developed https://youexplainit.com to turn your original screenplay into a recorded broadcastable drama podcast.