Donna L Hinkley: Screenwriter in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

I am starting a play and I was told the script format is the opposite of a screen script. Is this true?

So, I'm kind of a strange bird. I love novels. A lot. But I think I actually love movies a little bit more. I'm a pretty visual person. In fact, I see the stories I write as movies in my head. Camera angles, the whole works. Trying to translate that into novel format has been challenging to say the least.

What I've come to realize is that I have to take that image and find a way to get rid of the camera stuff and get to the meat of the scene from not only a visual sense, but also go deep into what the character is experiencing so the reader doesn't just see, but feel, what's happening.

I struggle with this though. I'd love to write comic books, but I can't afford an artist to do all of the artwork. It's expensive. I've done some screenplays, but to be honest, there's almost zero chance of the scripts getting made into a movie and I want to share my stories with the world. So novels are a medium that seems to work around all of those issues. Plus, like I said, I love novels. I've read 47 this year.

Anyway, does anyone else have this problem? Or advice in helping me overcome my visually minded hurdles?

Had a stage 32 script consultation on Tuesday and as we finished up the producer said "Netflix would love this. Send me your proof of concept video and Look Book."  A few minutes later she had it. I was wondering how many people have a Look Book ready?  As important as it is I was thinking people new to this process might not be aware of what they are.

You've got your sales pitch and your script ready to go, great, just to add another layer to your portfolio a Look Book can really help your project. It gives you a chance to show a producer the feel of what you are doing. It can give them more details about your project than the pitch sessions have time for. It's especially useful if you're working on bigger projects, limited series, etc. It's not quite as extensive as an actual series bible but it's step in the right direction. Photos, character notes, plot points, other things to help build the world you imagine your story would take place in.

Originally Look Books were developed in the fashion industry but have also been used in other forms of entertainment like what we do. Found this online:

Cinematography

Whilst the lookbook term has become more prevalent in recent years through fashion vloggers, lookbooks have long been associated with cinematography. Whereas a fashion lookbook has more in common with a portfolio, cinematography lookbooks will contain a collection of reference images illustrating scene layout, setting and lighting. This may be used to be shown by a cinematographer to a director to illustrate or communicate the intended result from a scene, or vice versa when the director has something particular in mind. 

Look Book or lookbook? I've noticed different places spell it differently.

Either way, just something to have in your arsenal to help you sell your work.

For the time being hoping Netflix loved like she predicted.

Good Luck.

Bill 

Hi Donna! Thanks for connecting with a fellow Mainer :) I’d love to read your stories!

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to connect with more NE filmmakers. I live in Somerville, MA and have been trying to find a good base of crew/creatives here FOR YEARS, but everyone sorta keeps to themselves, or maybe I'm just missing my opportunities.

Shoutout if you're in the area and tell me what you do and where you're located. Maybe we can get together (via Zoom, of course). I'll go first:

I'm Mel.

I'm a screenwriter and director mainly, though I dabble in editing, and I'm a recovering LP, PM, and PC. I'm also a script and production consultant. I live in Somerville, near Tufts.

Hi out there. I have been trying to find a place to talk over my scripts. I am delighted to find this community.

Hi Donna. I'm RB, Founder and CEO of Stage 32. As a screenwriter, producer, actor and filmmaker, I know first-hand the challenges all creatives face finding work, landing representation, launching projects, securing funding and simply making the connections that will make a difference in their careers. That's why I created Stage 32. Since our launch in September of 2011, the community has grown to 1,000,000+ members representing every country on the planet making Stage 32 the social network uniquely populated with the most creative people on Earth.

This is a network for you, built by you. Like most things in life, the more you participate, the greater the rewards. We ask all new members to pay it forward by inviting 5 fellow creatives to the network and by spreading the word of Stage 32 through other social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. The more creatives, the stronger the network. The stronger the network, the more opportunities.

Thanks for joining the movement and for being a part of this most talented and inspiring community. I very much look forward to your contributions.

Thanks, and have a creative day!

RB

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Hello Donna -

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