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

[Ghost Utmost]

Actually, the three act structure is really a defacto four act piece. Even in a three act structure the same middle point exists where the story changes direction, so act 2 is really 2a and 2b. Basically the three act was half hour for act 1, an hour for act 2 (2a and 2b), and half an hour for act 3 (more or less). The four act structure is four half hour acts. It's actually a more honest descrition of the traditional structure. I would say functionally identical.. Perhaps you need one extra place to pause to accomodate commercials.

I am already writing around commercials. My segments are all the same length such that an Adult Swim episode would use two segments, a sitcom length episode would be four segments. You could break it into two hour long dramas or one entire feature.

I have always imagined myself crafting four acts, but I am driven to break the story down to literary molecules. Quanta of "story". The smallest possible amount of the story that still counts as a story. I have decided that the Adult swim episode is the shortest story that feels satisfying by itself (let's say you have to wait a week to see the next part). I would say a comic book is about this length. Even the 11 minutes requires a sub structure of beginning/middle/end so it's still a story in and of itself. Makes outlining and all pretty simple because each heading on the outline becomes x number of pages of writing. You knpw exactly when you're done with one thing and what to switch to next.

My $0.02

 

[True Blue Moon]

Moved to LA three months ago to get into TV writing. I applied to a bunch of writing fellowships, Nickelodeon, NBC, Bill Cosby Program, Warner Bros. Didn't get into any of them but I was a finalist in the Cosby Fellowship and Top 5% in Warner Bros. It was cool because since I was Top 5% in WB, they invited me and others out to a seminar on the WB lot, which took place within weeks of me moving to LA. That was a nice little confirmation of my talent and something to help me hit the ground running with inspiration and contacts.

Right now I'm working on a new spec to submit to programs for this year (Nickelodeon is back open for submissions), going to finish a pilot spec after that and while finishing these two my boy and I (he lives in New York to do standup) are writing a screenplay. Before the year is out I also plan to write a drama spec to round out my portfolio. This is my year and I'm planning to work my ass off to be in a better position this time next year than I currently am. And sidenote, I'm loving LA so far.

 

[Wise]

To all you aspiring writers in this thread, has writing always been your number one thing in life (ie. did you major it in school, wanted to write from childhood,etc) or was it something you picked up on the side?

 

[Conz]

Actually, the three act structure is really a defacto four act piece. Even in a three act structure the same middle point exists where the story changes direction, so act 2 is really 2a and 2b. Basically the three act was half hour for act 1, an hour for act 2 (2a and 2b), and half an hour for act 3 (more or less). The four act structure is four half hour acts. It's actually a more honest descrition of the traditional structure. I would say functionally identical.. Perhaps you need one extra place to pause to accomodate commercials.

I am already writing around commercials. My segments are all the same length such that an Adult Swim episode would use two segments, a sitcom length episode would be four segments. You could break it into two hour long dramas or one entire feature.

I have always imagined myself crafting four acts, but I am driven to break the story down to literary molecules. Quanta of "story". The smallest possible amount of the story that still counts as a story. I have decided that the Adult swim episode is the shortest story that feels satisfying by itself (let's say you have to wait a week to see the next part). I would say a comic book is about this length. Even the 11 minutes requires a sub structure of beginning/middle/end so it's still a story in and of itself. Makes outlining and all pretty simple because each heading on the outline becomes x number of pages of writing. You knpw exactly when you're done with one thing and what to switch to next.

My $0.02

I've always done cold open-act1-act2-act3-tag

so they can blow me, that's basically 4 acts

 

[Conz]

Moved to LA three months ago to get into TV writing. I applied to a bunch of writing fellowships, Nickelodeon, NBC, Bill Cosby Program, Warner Bros. Didn't get into any of them but I was a finalist in the Cosby Fellowship and Top 5% in Warner Bros. It was cool because since I was Top 5% in WB, they invited me and others out to a seminar on the WB lot, which took place within weeks of me moving to LA. That was a nice little confirmation of my talent and something to help me hit the ground running with inspiration and contacts.

Right now I'm working on a new spec to submit to programs for this year (Nickelodeon is back open for submissions), going to finish a pilot spec after that and while finishing these two my boy and I (he lives in New York to do standup) are writing a screenplay. Before the year is out I also plan to write a drama spec to round out my portfolio. This is my year and I'm planning to work my ass off to be in a better position this time next year than I currently am. And sidenote, I'm loving LA so far.

and if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing for work at the moment?

 

[True Blue Moon]

and if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing for work at the moment?

Sure. I'm a freelance writer, doing web content, blogs, ads, anything you can think of. Not all that fun, but it pays the bills and allows me to work from home, which frees me up to write or do whatever I need.

 

[Ghost Utmost]

To all you aspiring writers in this thread, has writing always been your number one thing in life (ie. did you major it in school, wanted to write from childhood,etc) or was it something you picked up on the side?

I'm one of them intenet rappers. Writing is kind of second nature so I just apply the same process to longer stories that I apply to verses. I wouldn't say that I have done anything in the past to call myself a writer - talking being paid for writing not writing for fun - but I am almost always cooking up a new project, so I have written a decent amount.

Just a sci fi fan who thinks I can write a cool flick one day. Done a ton of what are basically comic strips. Completed one Screenplay and am working on a series of movies. Sixteen to be exact.

 

[storyteller]

To all you aspiring writers in this thread, has writing always been your number one thing in life (ie. did you major it in school, wanted to write from childhood,etc) or was it something you picked up on the side?

Haven't gotten cracking on this yet, though the thread has really inspired me to go deeper into it. I been writing short stories and fiction since middle school. English Major in college with all the creative classes I could take. I'm gonna outline a few story concepts I never got around to putting on paper/word documents while I study the whole script-writing process and figure out what differences are most important. Then I'm definitely giving it a go.

In HS I got a few poems and essays published in anthologies but nothing actually notable or bragworthy. Just honorable mentions in some contests where they try to get you to pay for a book of a thousand poems/essays by kids in each age group that you happen to be one of.

 

[Conz]

Sure. I'm a freelance writer, doing web content, blogs, ads, anything you can think of. Not all that fun, but it pays the bills and allows me to work from home, which frees me up to write or do whatever I need.

i wish i could do shyt like that.

 

[2 Up 2 Down]

Nobody directing or cinematography, or aspiring to?

 

[yoyoyo1]

Sure. I'm a freelance writer, doing web content, blogs, ads, anything you can think of. Not all that fun, but it pays the bills and allows me to work from home, which frees me up to write or do whatever I need.

where do you find these type of jobs? just basically internet sites?

 

[Conz]

seriously, I have nothing to offer them other than writing samples, but i think i can do that. I always look at shyt in NYC but they never even reply to my fukkin emails. next one that doesn't is getting a nasty email.

 

[Rekless Youf]

Hey I'm an aspiring cinematographer but I usually work as a gaffer or in G&E. I do sometimes work in the camera department but I prefer lighting as it is more creative to me. My passion is shooting my own documentary films but they don't really pay the bills. My girl is a writer so what I would say is the best thing to do is do script coverage for an agency. The big four are really hard to get into but give it a shot and also try for some smaller ones. They won't pay you probably at first and when they do it won't be that much. That's the best way to do it unless you want to write and shoot something yourself. Also if you can try interning but once again it's unpaid. If you go to school they pick alot of students and give them credit. You're not going to get any traction as a writer without a literary agent. That's why you want to get into development. If you are a minority the have a handful fellowships and internships. If you have any questions about the industry I can help out. I'm not Deakins or Storaro but I've done okay for myself and my fiancee knows the ins and outs about writing even though she works on a reality show (go figure a writer in reality tv).

 

[dangerranger]

Few questions:

How did you guys make connections and network with people in the industry? Was it mutual friends? Your actual writing?

What jobs do you suggest someone who has recently gotten into screenwriting pursue? I want to meet the right people and
surround myself with people knowledgeable about what I should be doing? Is this most likely only the case for people who live in
Cali b/c I live on the east coast. I'm new to this whole screenwriting thing, I started about 3 years ago.

 

[StraxStrax]

To all you aspiring writers in this thread, has writing always been your number one thing in life (ie. did you major it in school, wanted to write from childhood,etc) or was it something you picked up on the side?

I've been writing non-stop since I was 16 years old for blogs, newspapers and my own music.

Nobody directing or cinematography, or aspiring to?

I'll be directing my second short film in end of may. This is a movie I was an assistant director on (it's in icelandic and no subtitles)


Rejúníon - YouTube

Few questions:

How did you guys make connections and network with people in the industry? Was it mutual friends? Your actual writing?

It may be easier for me since I'm in film school but most of my teachers have made feature films (writers/directors) and next summer I'll be a PA for a director that's been making Nike and IKEA commercials