The Coli's Screenwriting/Filmmaking Thread [Share tips, etc]

[Kunty McPhuck]

You gotta know someone that knows scripts and will read your stuff and be honest.

Thats in my job description

 

[Conz]

Thats in my job description

bullshyt, I just imdb'd "Kunty McPhuck" and that shyt didn't even come up.

 

[Kunty McPhuck]

Make sure you do research 1st before you start writin anything.

Good idea to create the stories main characters 1st with a detailed backstory.

dont be afraid to kill scenes/characters if they're not moving the story on.

 

[Kunty McPhuck]

bullshyt, I just imdb'd "Kunty McPhuck" and that shyt didn't even come up.

I never said I was a scriptwriter tho. I work for a indie production company doin research and I do alot of the research prep for the writers + with helpin creating character profiles along with reading scripts.

 

[ghostwriterx]

any more suggestions on contests? most I see boast "$10,000 in prizes!" then you click it and it says like "$1000 cash, $9,000 worth of books and software." i dont want that shyt.

I also think my genre is often frowned upon. i bet i could have won awards with my Sunny spec 2 years ago, but I never entered it anywhere. ive read a ton of them, and most of them suck.

MovieBytes.com® Screenwriting Contests: index.cfm

good site to research that kind of stuff. The network/cable stuff is legit like I said before, but they get a ton of entrants.

 

[Conz]

I never said I was a scriptwriter tho. I work for a indie production company doin research and I do alot of the research prep for the writers + with helpin creating character profiles along with reading scripts.

see id love to do something like this. i try to look for shyt in NYC but theres nothing

 

[Kunty McPhuck]

see id love to do something like this. i try to look for shyt in NYC but theres nothing

I only have the job because its one of my best friends company

I'm more of an ideas/creative person than a writer (only because i'm a lazy c*nt)

 

[pete clemenza]

I'm long winded as fukk in this thread, but I'ma keep going...

as Strax said, write some shorts. I wrote a screenplay with my buddy first, but it was a mess. We both "dedicated" ourselves to learning and wrote it a bunch of times, but it's still a huge mess. He went off and stopped writing, I stuck with it and just keep grinding.

I wrote about 15 shorts. about 7 of which I think are pretty good.

All in total I have those shorts, 2 Always Sunny specs, 2 Family Guy specs, 2 original pilots with a second episode and bible written for each, 4 completed screenplays that are just not good enough and it kills me to say, a bunch of specs planned, and another pilot in the early planning stage, and about ... I don't even fukkin know, 12? screenplays I've started and never finished, I keep telling myself I will but I'm full of shyt. I'm keeping them in the chamber hoping that someday I can get a gig and have a producer or someone say "What about that idea you had?" and I can revisit them with a little more motivation in the form of green paper.

Everything I've written except for 2 shorts are strictly comedy. I have almost zero interest in any other genre. I mix genres with comedy, but my strength is dialogue I think, so comedy is king.

Don't stop writing breh, you're gonna get there.

me personally I have about 5 completed screenplays.. I had a one year option on one of them about two years ago with a indie. I also have a few spec half hour pilot episodes. two comedies, one animation project, and one drama. I finally have someone helping me pitch/shop projects now which is great because I'm horrible at self promotion as well. I just wrote a new pilot and I'm halfway finished with a new script. its fun but its not easy

my advice is to anyone out there is to read the screenplays that have actually made it to the big screen. watch a ton of movies, read the books that Conz mentioned. I also would say you should be into the craft of writing and films in general. That really helps in the long run cause there's so many people in the business and they don't even watch movies at all. crazy

 

[Conz]

I only have the job because its one of my best friends company

I'm more of an ideas/creative person than a writer (only because i'm a lazy c*nt)

im that AND i can write (i think). I want to write with a room, b/c I know I'd fukkin kill it in there. I got 5 notebooks full of jokes in front of me that could be worked into scripts for a fukkin decade

 

[KOTK]

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)

You got some real pros doing the sound.

 

[Captain Crunch]

anyone here ever written a script

I wrote my tv show season 1(which will be released by 2014) and I write and perform in comedy sketches w/ other people. I suggest to start networking w/ people who do what you're trying to do, hit up some Backstage | Acting Auditions, Casting Calls, Advice, Casting Directors or your local art school/film workshop to learn from others and possibly get your ideas to light.

 

[Conz]

You got some real pros doing the sound.

Like I said, I didn't have shyt to do with it. I just allowed it.

 

[TdashDUB]

Didn't read the thread, so forgive me if someone already mentioned it but..


If you're dead serious about wanting to know what you can learn about quality script writing, order this book ASAP. "Story" by Robert McKee.

This is the end all, be all of bible of scriptwriting. fukk what anyone else says or thinks. If you're not trying to make a Master P flick??? Order this book.


[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Story-Substance-Structure-Principles-Screenwriting/dp/0060391685/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1357887838&sr=1-2&keywords=story+script"]Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting: Robert McKee: 9780060391683: Amazon.com: Books[/ame]

 

[Conz]

I wrote my tv show season 1(which will be released by 2014) and I write and perform in comedy sketches w/ other people. I suggest to start networking w/ people who do what you're trying to do, hit up some Backstage | Acting Auditions, Casting Calls, Advice, Casting Directors or your local art school/film workshop to learn from others and possibly get your ideas to light.

whats your tv show and who's releasing it? are you the guy from sohh who used to post youtube clips of you and your friends?

 

[steadyrighteous]

Good info in this thread. I've been trying to write for a years now, moved out to LA and everything, but slacked off lately.


As far as breaking into TV writing.

First Move to LA (this is damn near mandatory)

When? While writing? Before writing? After you've figured/heard from respectable opinion that your stuff is good?