Produced and Should-Be Produced

So, quick update on the produced script, Elle. The print should be locked soon, then off to final corrections and the March release date looks solid. I still have some issues with some of the clips I've seen, only because I didn't write them, or the tone in the shot is different than what I had in mind, but what are you gonna do? I still like the film for the most part, and, more than that, I like seeing the words on film. The next project with the same company I hope will yield a little more involvement in the realization of the script.

On to the rewrite. Posted up the first act yesterday, and I've been shooting for about ten quality pages per day. Lots of the original script has now become backstory, which I dig. It gives a lot of depth to both story and character, and I've also been pleased with the dialog.

Now, enough yammering... back to work!

Back to the Grind

After the holidays, it's time to finish a rewrite. See, the agent says that one of the scripts is more commercial than the others, but that doesn't mean it's ready. So, after dozens of e-mails and a couple of conference calls, it's time to step it up a notch. Better yet, this week is day job-free, so the plan is to finish a new draft with the discussed changes.

And what are said changes? Without specifics, the whole point of this blog is to a) keep me focused and b) provide some degree of advice to other screenwriters who are starting at the bottom. Though they liked the initial script, a horror film, the problem as the agent and development lead saw it was that it was too straightforward. They wanted some twists and turns. In short, some mystery. So, having taken copious notes, spent a good deal of time at the dry erase board, and a fair amount of time jotting notes into a word doc, we have some twists. The ending is still a bit ethereal, but I know thematically where I want to go with it, so let's see how it goes.

Done and Done... Sort Of...

So, the Australian slasher is complete, at least in terms of the first draft. There are still issues to address in the story, but it always feels good to see that last piece of the skeleton fit into place prior to the dressing that occurs in rewrites. The actor that commissioned the script has yet to give his approval n the final act, which, admittedly, went to some extreme places, but I have confidence that I'll be able to provide for his needs. I've been saying that, aside from work-for-hire situations, this will be my last foray into the slasher, at least for the foreseeable future, but it is a fun playground.

Next up, retuning to the family fare for Frame of Mind Entertainment. I'm looking forward to that one, not only because it's a good-paying gig, but also because FOME actually produces the work. It's nice to write in a vacuum sometimes, but far more fulfilling to see the work make it to the screen, no matter what changes are made in the meantime.

Also, there's still a horror film on the horizon, the first act already written and an ending I'm very pleased with on paper, but it will have to remain unfinished for the time being. So sad...

Back to Work!

So, despite my urge to dive back into my cerebral horror film about America's obsession with... well, I'll get to it. No, instead I realized there was a spec that I've had sitting around that was almost complete and the time has come to finish it.

At heart, it's a bit of a slasher, a film style that I don't really enjoy seeing, but boy can they be fun to write. And, as I mentioned, this one was almost finished anyway and I want my dozen registered scripts by year's end. This one is set in the Australian Outback and involves some kids on their way to Mardi Gras. Along the way, they meet up with a character who has spent just a bit too much time alone in the wilds and has decided that other people aren't necessarily off the menu any longer.

Sure, it's a bt mindless, although the main character has a fun arc, but it needs to be completed. I should have the first draft by week's end. More as that develops...

We Are 5 X 5...

A quick status report on all things writing. First and foremost, my script Elle is moving from the filming to post-production phase. It's interesting, as a writer, to see the molasses-slow process of filmmaking from the purchase (or commission, in this case) of a script to it's transition to the big screen (or direct-to-video screen, as this seems likely to do). Still, there are moments of intensity during rewrites, specifically working with one of the actors on the project which was both informative and a delight.

What did I learn from all this? Make the lines count. Every one of them. When an actor has to say them, make sure you have a reason for the line to be the way it is. That doesn't mean that it won;t change, but it shows you know your stuff. And be open to the collaborative process. The movie will be a better one because of these collaborations.

Also in the works, the new horror script is done through the first act, and the second is where things get creepy. I'm shooting for more of a Polanski-esque vibe on this one, and we'll see how close I get to that lofty target.

Lastly, I'm beginning the hunt for representation. There are some great notes on Chip Street about this very thing, and you can find that here... So, I'm using the contacts I've made to assist in finding someone to get me further work. All the while, I keep focused on the notion that I have to have a body of work to make anyone pay attention. As Steve Martin said, "Be so good, they can't ignore you." I'm not that good yet, but I learn every day.

And So It Begins...

After much writing, rewriting and polishing, it's time to do some self-promotion. This will be the place to promote existing scripts, discuss the writing process with others, and generally nerd out on the art of screenwriting.

As of this writing, my first produced script is filming, entitled Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale. You can see the IMDB listing for the film here, and my own here.

In the works is a new horror script, one that, conceptually, I am very pleased with and look forward o completing a first draft very soon. Additionally, I have almost a dozen registered scripts with WGAW, and more to come. Always more story than time, sad to say...

Jump in, say hello and I hope you find this entertaining and/or informative. Or, at the very least, a pleasant way to spend some idle moments.