CEITEDMOFO
Banned
Any have any knowledge on this that they would like to share?
The Coli's Screenwriting/Filmmaking Thread [Share tips, etc]
- Thread starter CEITEDMOFO
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Veteran
you trying to break in the film industry?
Watch and analyze as many movies as you can, not just the popular stuff and even silent films.
here is a documentary that I ready like A Decade Under the Influence
Watch and analyze as many movies as you can, not just the popular stuff and even silent films.
here is a documentary that I ready like A Decade Under the Influence
steadyrighteous
Veteran
They're both different. You need to be more specific (BTW I know nothing lol)
CEITEDMOFO
Banned
anyone here ever written a script
i'm writing one right now, shyt is hard if you try to be a perfectionist
I could actually use a partner because I have several treatments I need to get started on.
but more importantly you need the plugs to sell the script, which I have too, and I know where to network, but the game is to be sold not to be told, because i invested money and time putting together the puzzle.
I could actually use a partner because I have several treatments I need to get started on.
but more importantly you need the plugs to sell the script, which I have too, and I know where to network, but the game is to be sold not to be told, because i invested money and time putting together the puzzle.
Well, I live in NJ, so I'm behind the 8 ball...
I'm not a professional by any means. This is essentially the same as someone in the Coliseum telling you how pro athletes live, but I'll pass any advice and knowledge I've learned. I've maybe... maybe... talked to 10 people worth a damn in 4 years, but I'll tell you all I know/have read/heard/been told...etc.
just read. read like a motherfukker. get the Save the Cat books, read other Amazon related screenwriting books (people will tell you the Syd Field book, but I think that's a little old school at this point.) Read as many scripts as you can.
Format, Story and concept are king. Don't think you can just write a script because you have a funny idea. I did that for a year and thought I was God's gift to comedy, but then I realized 100 jokes don't mean shyt when your story is a mess.
I have an optioned screenplay with an indie company (its no one big, don't get excited) most of my shyt gets positive feedback, and I think I'm pretty good at writing at this point. I've been doing it for ~4 years now, so I better be... but just like everything else it takes a lifetime to master. I personally think I have enough good shyt now to get noticed, maybe even get repped (although I still think my TV shyt is better than my screenplays. Haven't written a great screenplay yet. it's a long process) but I'm not a shameless self promotor and I don't live where the action is. I try to network online, but it's feeling like a road to nowhere. I plan on entering some contests this year... even though I think they are a scam as well.
But anyway, read some scripts, they're easy to find. Pick a bunch from the genre you want to write. I usually open a word document and just jot down everything I can think of for about a week or 2 -- plot ideas, character ideas, potential jokes, big scenes, how it should end, etc. This is the fun portion of writing. When you're just sitting around and a great line of dialogue pops in your head. That's why I got into writing, I love writing dialogue... to a fault. I spend too much time on that and my stories tend to suffer because of it. You'll read professional scripts and think "the fukk, that wasn't even funny," but the story will be coherent and linear and you'll realize how important that is.
Also, you want to be as original as possible... but still copy shyt that has made tons of money. I'm writing a family style Hangover comedy right now. That might not be the flavor of the week anymore, but I know at the very least, it's marketable.
So after I've jot down everything I could think of, i outline, which is really important, but kinda blows. you think you have this genius story and you realize by act 2 you have like 30 pages of crap before the next great scene. This shyt is frustrating most of the time, and takes almost as much time as writing the script.
then when I think that's solid, I start writing. You'll need Final Draft. Don't even bother trying to write in that format on anything else. I think Celtx also works, but Final Draft is industry standard.
Then, when you finish a draft, you let someone you trust read it... and it fukkin sucks, so you re-write it 10 times.
it's fun, but... it's not much fun. Still, I want to do it for a living. I know the odds are stacked against me, but for now all I'm doing is writing and writing, just throwing more shyt on the pile so when I ever get to the point where I can pitch stuff, I have a ton to show.
Feel free to ask more specific shyt and I'll try to help.
oh and as far as filmmaking goes...
they always say shooting your own shyt is a good idea. Getting some of your stuff on youtube, etc. Me personally, I have no fukkin interesting in acting or directing, and I think 99% of the youtube/funnyordie shyt comes out terrible.
I wrote this short years ago about 2 disgruntled government workers playing a mad lib (mad liberals, double meaning, clever!) and these dudes shot it for me. They actually added the opening and changed a few lines of dialogue. Don't get me wrong, it's cool and all, and it looks pretty good... but again, these videos always look like crap to me. Mad Libs from UTR and David Whitney I can't imagine a studio is gonna break my door down because my video is 77% funny! (that sucks btw)
they always say shooting your own shyt is a good idea. Getting some of your stuff on youtube, etc. Me personally, I have no fukkin interesting in acting or directing, and I think 99% of the youtube/funnyordie shyt comes out terrible.
I wrote this short years ago about 2 disgruntled government workers playing a mad lib (mad liberals, double meaning, clever!) and these dudes shot it for me. They actually added the opening and changed a few lines of dialogue. Don't get me wrong, it's cool and all, and it looks pretty good... but again, these videos always look like crap to me. Mad Libs from UTR and David Whitney I can't imagine a studio is gonna break my door down because my video is 77% funny! (that sucks btw)
My homie is graduating film school on the 26th of this month. I have taken a college course on (2 actually) on screenwriting. I know how to format a screenplay off the top of my head. How one shoulkd be written if you don't want it thrown in the trash.
There's are different types of screenplays that you can write. One is a submission draft (basically first draft for submission that might be picked up but will be changed or altered) then the production script basically the final version that will be used to film.
There's tons of things to learn but once its ingrained in your brain its second nature. You need to read tons of scripts. There are a couple of free sites for scripts, I'll link them later but a quick google will work. Its neat to read the scripts of movies you know like the back of your hand. Its a lot of work but like other things practice (continual writing and continual reading) you can get the format down correctly.
Its good to know who knows how to film so you can enter things in local film festivals and such
There's are different types of screenplays that you can write. One is a submission draft (basically first draft for submission that might be picked up but will be changed or altered) then the production script basically the final version that will be used to film.
There's tons of things to learn but once its ingrained in your brain its second nature. You need to read tons of scripts. There are a couple of free sites for scripts, I'll link them later but a quick google will work. Its neat to read the scripts of movies you know like the back of your hand. Its a lot of work but like other things practice (continual writing and continual reading) you can get the format down correctly.
Its good to know who knows how to film so you can enter things in local film festivals and such
Its a good idea to advise him (or people) about the differences between submission script and a shooting script because a lot of people will write an anecdote or note into their script like **camera pans into Roberts eyes** although they would like to emphasis that scene they don't realize that they aren't directing the movie but are giving directions
Fyi-i read your first long ass post
good shyt. Pretty much somes up what I learned in 2 classes for screenplays and script writing minus info on formatting and suchYea you learn more once you know what your reading. But for cats that don't know how to format reading a script is worthless and people do just open Word and type up funny stories and anecdotes but when its not formatted correctly it won't get a look no matter who writes it or how its written.
Its like a job application you could be Barack Obama but if you just hand someone pieces of paper with no formatting no matter what previous jobs or experiences you've had your not going to get any looks.
One thing that script auditors will do is read the the first page or 2 then skips a quarter of the way through and read a page and then again, then finally check for a couple pages toward the end. If that shyt aint looking right they'll toss it with the quickness
