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Post Table Read

Last night was probably one of the most surreal nights of my life. Ten actors gathered around a table sardine style to read my screenplay out loud and on camera. The incredible efforts they put in to bring it to life are more than I could have hoped for in this lifetime. I just wish I had been there to experience it. I was physically there, but I was also playing director and stage manager so my writer’s brain was caught up in reading the text on the page as they spoke rather than “listening” to the story.

If you’re planning on table read of your own work, I would suggest you hire a friend to handle the mundane details of hosting and getting every one focused and ready to shoot. It’s essential to hear your story without being on book, or worrying about whether the food you made is getting cold, as I was. Luckily, I had a great camera department and we knocked off some great close ups and great sound too. I’ll be able to listen to the story again in the near future.

Physically I was located away from the actors enough so that couldn’t see me write anything down, but I was within ear shot. I have no bearing on whether that made them happy or nervous. I would think they’d NOT want to see me scratching notes down on the script as they spoke.

Overall, I’m really pleased with how everything played out. I did cast the script well, making me wonder if I someday I might want to direct…but doesn’t everybody want to direct?

I think the perfect cap note to the evening was when the actors requested to keep their scripts and had me sign them. I signed them like I was writing a check without thinking about the fact that they were asking for an autograph. Later as it sunk in, the requests made me feel very special.

If you’re in the Dallas area, and you need some great talent, I now have a thick file of actors you will want to work with.

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On a more personal note, I found it difficult to get through this night of excitement with the heavy thoughts of two people in the entertainment industry who thought the universe would fair better without them. They will never know how much I cared for them, but their parents might. To the Koenig and Osmond families, you have my deepest sympathies for the loss of your sons. I do have a dose of experience with what you’re going through and no words will ever be able to describe or acknowledge the grief you’re going through. Only know that those who cared for them outside of your circle of family and friends are thinking good thoughts for you during this crisis.

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Cryptic details.

I don’t speak much about myself on this blog because I try to keep my writing life and my personal life separate. I’m not famous, so who the F cares. I feel like opening up.

Someone on twitter recently asked: “If you could travel through space-time to any location or time, where/when & why?”.

This is a loaded question for me.  My answer would have to be: South Coast Repertory Theatre, 1999, Costa Mesa, California.  I would leave my 1999 self a note that read, “Leave the Play-Doh at Home”.

Cryptic enough isn’t it?  Only a few people would understand the reference.

After analyzing my initial answer it made me re-think everything in a Ghost of Christmas Past sort of way.  If the clay had been left at home, connections would not have been made, muses would have been destroyed and I might not have fully realized my passion to become a writer.  Or maybe I would have in another way or another time. The one thing I now know is that ten years of occasionally brushing up against the past has created a screenplay that is quite possibly about to be produced.  Am I angry about my choices? Sometimes. Looking back I was so naive and someone took advantage of that, whether consciously or unconsciously. The burn still stings.

But from the flames, the phoenix rises once more to assign memories I want to forget to characters I’ve put down on paper.  Let them worry about the past, because what was once mine is now theirs and I no longer have to mull over it.

I guess I’m satisfied with the direction I went. It’s hard to speculate where I would have ended up if I did leave the Play-Doh at home. I can’t imagine what life would have been like otherwise.

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The Next Stage of Evolution

Read ThroughsSo. Here you are. You’re sitting with an option, and an interested producer and you’ve made a ton of changes to please the powers that be. Your script feels ready to send out to actors for casting and attachments.

But is your script really ready? How would you know? You’ve only heard it in your head, and if you’re like me, you feel like an idiot reading the lines out loud.

The next step I’m taking  is to  hold a read through of my screenplay with professional actors.   A table reading is, from what I’ve read, one of the most crucial methods of improving your work. I’m currently frozen with fear at hearing my work read out loud, but it is an essential part of my growth as a screenwriter.

When it came to planning this shin dig (currently scheduled for Feb. 27th, 2010), these are the questions that have rolled around in my head.

What kind of talent can I draw to my script read through?

While I feel like a schmuck for only being able to pay the actors the equivalent of  gas money and refreshments, I feel that offering  some money is more respectful than expecting them to come to your read through for free.  They are just as hard working as you are. They’re professionals and they’re putting in way more time than you deserve so do what you can to make them comfortable.  If you can’t afford to pay actors for a read through, you may need to lower your standards and ask friends or fellow writers to read your script out loud. This is a viable option, but my situation is  different. We’re using footage from the reading for marketing to distribution companies. (Apparently this is now done before an actor utters one word on film.)  It was important to find actors with professional experience.  If you’re well connected with an actors network, I’m highly jealous and you can probably get them to come to your reading as a favor. In Dallas, our networking organizations still operate separately around here, but that’s changing for the better.

Where do I find my talent?

I was afraid to contact large agencies here in Dallas. I thought I’d be wasting their time, so I went more local and put out a casting call with a locally based actor’s networking organization. To their credit, S.T.A.G.E. of Dallas helped me cast 80% of the roles I was seeking to fill within three-four days of posting the ad. They are an amazing resource, not just for actors, but for filmmakers and writers. On a side note: if you’re casting children, you need to double your head count because at least one parent will  attend the reading.

Why am I paying for this and not the producers?

That’s a simple one. The primary purpose of the reading is for your research and reference. Hearing  your screenplay come alive will bring out all of the odd word choices and sections an actor may stumble over because well, your writing sucks at that juncture.  My reading is being used by the producers, but it’s more for me. They’re secondary to the end result. They have generously offered to pay the actors once the budget goes through, but I’ve already told the actors not to hold their breath.  Any film can sit around waiting for production.

How much does a read through cost?

If you hold it in a home, you’ll save money. I’ve spent 300$ so far and I will most likely spend a little more.  Sounds like a lot, but think about what this money is for.  It’s bringing your script to life…that’s a cheap birthing bill.  I did manage to find a hotel with a conference room for 200$/day but due to my camera package limitations, getting a room at a hotel opened up another can of worms all together.

My camera package is kindly being provided by another writer who is also a photographer/filmmaker. This has pushed my run through into a more professional realm and if you can swing a collection of cameras, lights, mics, etc…do what you need to do to make it happen.

Other places you may be able to use for a read through: a library, a college or high school theater, or a friend’s office conference room.  I would steer away from renting a room at a restaurant if you need to tape your gathering. The ambient restaurant sound will drown everything out.

What does the actor get out of this?

While I can’t authoritatively answer this completely, I do know that table readings do offer an actor excellent practice for auditions. Being able to discern a character quickly with little direction is essential to an actor’s skill set.   My actors have already received the script and they’re digesting  pages quickly and we’re still a couple weeks out from the event. They’re amazing people and I can’t wait to work with them in person.

More questions will pop up as I get closer to the date. I’ll add to this as they come. If you have any tips or suggestions, feel free to let me know.

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Day Jobs

I have this vision of answering the age old question: “What do you do for a living?” with the answer “I’m a screenwriter” and actually mean it. By definition I am, but right now as I pay my dues, put in the sweat equity, and bow down to the man, I’m still working a day job. Writing jobs are coming in, but they aren’t supporting me or my minimalist lifestyle yet.

Day jobs are nothing new for artists of any ilk. We can’t get paid until we’ve rubbed our fingerprints raw with work that will most likely never see the light of day. We have to prove ourselves to the world, and I’m not sure I disagree with that style of evolution. The strong survive to become paid to do their art and the weak go back to the drive-through and ask you if you want fries with that. I’m merely sending out props to all my hard working friends and associates that create until they bleed, and then turn around and punch a clock to pay the bills.

Here’s a list that unabashedly pimps out myself and my associates with their other jobs: (no shame in advertising)

I myself am a web designer. I’m average because I spend more energy focusing on my writing career and not my design or programming skills, but I get by on what I have. People like my work and I give them what they want within their wee little budgets. It’s a satisfying job because I can do it at home, but with the economy lately, I’ve been searching the want ads for something better.

A friend of mine is an actor in LA, he has a business that from my standpoint, totally disconnects his art from his day job. He sells large format printers,  the kind used by architects and people who need to make large illustrations.  He knows so much information about the printers too, it boggles the mind.  I recently created a daisy chain of sites for him…starting with this one.  If you ever find yourself needing a printer like this, I insist you call him because he knows his stuff and his prices are competitive.

A fellow tweeter and filmmaker has an amazing sense of color and imagery as a graphic designer but during summers he does fence construction. Me thinks his talent as a graphic designer is of better use to him as a filmmaker than web design is to my work as a writer.  Why didn’t I take more art classes? Why why why?

Another writer friend of mine works for a software company. I still don’t know what he does exactly, but it’s a decent job-job as in full time and I’m a bit jealous.

[more to come…]

I’ve also known writers who sell tupperware, knives, anything to make ends meet.  We will do anything to support our keyboard habit.

In closing, it’s important to keep your eye on the prize.  Never let any day job get in your way of your dreams.  It’s just a job, but writing is everything.

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Setting the Mood

Which camp do you belong in?

Do you listen to music or television when you’re writing or do you demand ultimate silence?

I myself find a happy medium between the two. When composing a story or outline for the first time, I almost always grab inspirational music that echoes either a character’s personality or the time frame of the piece I am writing.  For example: This week I’m working on an outline for an edu-tainment comedy script I’ve been hired to write. The main character is Southern and from Texas. She’s old school polite and I feel as if she might lock herself up in her room and listen to Patsy Cline records thereby releasing her pent up emotions from the day.  I suppose I’ll get my fill of Miss Cline by the time I’m done (if that’s possible, she was an amazing artist).

I will also listen to songs or soundtracks from other movies that set the same tone as my film and consequently, I find myself listening to Carter Burwell’s compositions [Adaptation, No Country for Old Men, Being John Malkovich, etc]. His music can be like a watercolor painting that hangs on the wall behind you. You know it’s there with beautiful muted tones, yet it doesn’t interfere with your work.

Here’s an example:  A piece from Where the Wild Things Are.  Without the film to push the soundtrack, I would still buy this album. His music moves me to write.

When I’ve reached the first draft (or second…or third), I need silence to concentrate on the story. It’s quite like taking a thread out of a knitted sweater and replacing it with new yarn without destroying the garment.  That takes concentration.

I’d like to hear what others listen to and why in regards to their writing habits. What say you?

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It’s okay to be cheesy.

Ah, the smooth sounds of Careless Whisper…yes by George Michaels, but wait, there are no words and I feel as if I’ve just taken a valium.

We’ve all been stuck in an elevator with Musak playing in the background. It’s popular to hate this easy going style of music, but I offer up reason to keep it alive.

I’m here to tell you, it’s not a sin to like Musak. Some of my favorites evoke a giddy laughter that only a good joke can muster, and that my friends, is something. Personally, I prefer the smoother and more smarmy tones of A Man and a Woman by Sir Julian, but I’ll take a Careless Whisper anyday.

When was the last time you actually stepped into an elevator that played Musak. I can’t remember when. It needs to be brought back. I’m stuck listening to it on MSN Radio. The world would be different if more Musak played in the world’s elevators.

Think about the tone of the room in the Al-Jazeera news paper offices when asked to evacuate their building because it’s being shut down again for promoting terrorism. Can you picture the staff standing there fully enshrined in Ghutras on their last elevator ride down with The Girl From Ipanema cordially accompanying them on the way down? Priceless.

Muzak is here to stay folks and I’m sorry to say it’s because of people like me. I can’t stand an uphappy world and Musak brings in da joy.

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Things I won’t write about.

Peace Love Sci-Fi T-Shirt found on Geekicorn.com

You might think the first film genre I’d stay away from as a writer would be porn, but actually it’s science fiction.   Blasphemy you cry!  We need more great science fiction in the face of a world that changes on a dime and is constantly on the brink of cultural annihilation.

I love science fiction with every fiber of my being and that’s precisely why I go out of my way to not write the type of stories I enjoy reading.

Insane, I know. But I’ve come to realize that every time I delve deeply into creating some form of entertainment I’m in love with,  a little bit of magic it once held is rubbed off never to be seen again.  Science Fiction is a fragile, jewel and gold encrusted crown to me. If I touch it, inspect it, try to recreate it, a gem may pop off or the gold might flake away.

I want to merely look at the crown and be awed.

Case in point: Theatre.  I LOVE the theatre. I’ve spent many years working backstage as a deck manager and truthfully I have enjoyed every word from back stage left.   I’ve seen the tricky magic bits that launch Scrooge’s blanket across the stage or the miraculous invisible door that Marley steps through in A Christmas Carol so many times I can’t count.

And with every opening night, with every pop of the cork, theatre glimmers a little less for me.  I can no longer sit in the audience without being taken out of the story. I will forever be wondering what the actors are talking about backstage before entering, or which fly rail brings in the backdrop or what a prop looks like up close rather than from the tenth row.

Why on this earth would I want to write hard science fiction (my favorite  sci fi), only to have it ruined for me, the eternal twelve year old sci fi junkie?  Perhaps there’s a lack of bravery in the mix. Perhaps I’m afraid of writing the next panned epic. Maybe. But I yearn to be entertained, and I want to be left thinking about the story, not the special effects or the props when I exit the movie theater.

Repeatedly, I have  started and restarted a science fiction television series, but with every page I write, I feel as if each page is a grain of sand passing through a hourglass which is consequently glued to the shelf.  Irrationally, I believe that if it is a great story, and I am successful with this, the love and worship I have for it (and science fiction) will be torn away.

Can a writer (or anyone else behind the scenes) be entertained like the average movie goer? By virtue of profession have we already broken the magician’s wand?

Am I fooling myself into thinking that the magic hasn’t already left in conjunction with years working backstage or on the set?

What do you think?

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Where to read and be read.

You’ve written your first screenplay. Now what.

Most likely you’ve handed your 150+ page epic to a trusted friend who isn’t in the industry. They’ll provide some grammar notes here and there, but all you’ll get in the way of feedback is a gentle pat on the back.  Fist pumps won’t improve your writing. You need to get out there and share with other writers.

Here are three methods I use to improve my stories and my screenplays.

  1. In person writing groups
  2. Online peer to peer writer’s groups
  3. Paid coverage via contests.

I use the first two most often and the third very rarely. I say rarely because my wallet does not give me permission to hire people very often.

In Person Writing Groups

In Person Writing Groups Forming or joining a writing group in your area is one of the single best ways to improve your writing and story telling abilities.  The trick is to find the right group that fits your needs. Some groups may be ahead of you or some may leave you  feeling like you’re the sole expert in town. You need to strike the right balance and choose a group where you are challenged yet able to provide feedback to green writers without sacrificing yourself.

In other words, if you spend your entire time explaining the basics, how can you expect to get constructive authoritative feedback on your own material by other members? Also, be prepared to leave a group you have surpassed because they will slow you down and it does not serve you or your writing….unless you have a penchant and time for teaching.

The best place to find a screenwriting group that meets in person is Meetup.Com.  Almost every major city has a screenwriting group and if your city does not,  you can form your own.  I guarantee you, members WILL come out of the woodwork when you form a screenwriting group because  everyone and their mother wants to write a movie.  Click here to read an in depth article about how to find the right group.

Online Peer to Peer Review

I’ve used a couple places to read and be read by other writers.  In order of preference they are Triggerstreet.com, Zoetrope, and Screenwriter’s Utopia.

All of them operate the same way:  Read other screenplays to earn credits that you can apply to your own screenplay and have it reviewed.  This method provides a balanced way to make sure everyone gets their chance to receive objective and constructive criticism  on their screenplays.

The system isn’t perfect because big surprise, it runs on human ego.  Some people cannot take criticism. These are people you should avoid at all costs and if you are one of these people, get counseling. People who rail against every note they get are not writers and they are participating to have their egos stroked.

Every writer must give and receive objective feedback on stories to challenge the writing and not the writer. If you can’t do that, you don’t belong in this industry.

The trick with peer to peer reviews on sites like Triggerstreet is to look for repetitive notes or critiques.  If three people have wildly different reviews on your script, pick and choose the notes you feel might improve your story. Just as you do not like certain film genres, the same can be said of your own film. You can’t please everyone so don’t try.  However, if two or three reviews come up with the same note about a plot point, chances are you have a problem in your story that must be fixed.

On a side note regarding Triggerstreet:  I’ve learned over time that if you submit your screenplays on Thursday night, you stand the chance of earning the highest number of reviews per credit you spend.  The psychology behind doing it that way is people will have their weekends free to read scripts.

Paid Coverage via Contests

I have never paid anyone for coverage at this point in my career. They serve a purpose, but I have not yet needed them. At some point, I’m guessing I will, but so far I’ve had excellent feedback from industry professionals without having to fork over the equivalent of rent to have it done.

An alternate way to get feedback that is completely anonymous is through various contests.  Not all contests provide written feedback and unless they are the cream of the crop, I don’t enter them without this addition.  Contests are expensive enough as it is, and I don’t feel it’s over the line to expect the smallest amount of feedback in conjunction with my entrance fee.

BlueCat Screenwriting Competition is a great place to enter your script, because they are one of the few that do provide professional critiques of your work in exchange for the contest fee.  I have entered this contest and felt their feedback was professional and quite useful.

In a future post, I’ll discuss my overall distaste for contests, but I will acknowledge here that they serve a purpose at some point in your career.

In conclusion,  those are the few ways I use to get feedback on my stories. I also rely on trusted friends in the industry, but you won’t earn those immediately.  I spent several years in the film industry under a different job umbrella so my collection is larger than the average writer starting off their career.

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Attitude Adjustment

I don’t expect this entry to move mountains, but I do expect it to squeak a bit.

One of the biggest challenges a new writer faces  is perception. How are you perceived as a person? Do people want to work with you?  Skill keeps you employed, but attitude and perception nails the job.

You have probably read or heard famous writers or celebrities mouthing off to their heart’s content. They spew their opinions into the public without consequence and perhaps you think that’s okay.

It is okay… because they’re famous.  You are not. Yet.

The bottom line is, if you’re famous, your opinion is not necessarily connected to your monetary value. Case in point: Rainn Wilson. The man is a card and he isn’t afraid of expressing himself. Maybe he has a few less followers on Twitter after a brief interlude of insane posts, but in the end, the products that rely on his abilities (The Office, films, etc) aren’t going to suffer as a result of his dark sense of humor.*

You on the other hand are a budding new writer/talent. You may have opinions, but those thoughts and ideas can CRUSH potential networking opportunities. If you slam a film or a director, or a producer (have mercy) and then find yourself in a financial position that screws you out of a job as a result of that opinion, it was your fault.

Until you’re famous and raking in the cash, keep your pie hole  zipped.

“Don’t tell me what to do, lady.”

I’m not giving orders, I’m saving your butt.  I’ve met a lot of bitter mean writers (and filmmakers) along my travels to success and they may get work but from what I’ve seen, they don’t get repeat business. No one wants to work with an ass.  If you want the big bucks you have to act like a professional to become one.   I am a perfect example of a person who needed a positive attitude adjustment. I’m a nice person, people have always met me and been happy with my work, but my faults use to lay in wearing my heart on my sleeve. Once someone pointed out to me that I was overly emotional about insignificant issues, I realized my mistake and manned up.  I’m not a softy anymore and my outlook and perception has been exceptionally positive ever since.

You may be different. Maybe you’ve had too many ‘thanks but no thanks’ in your career and it grinds you up to no end. So what. Chin up, eyes forward, keep typing.  There’s no whining in screenwriting.

I’m not telling you to stifle creativity or to not write opinionated material, but I am saying that success will come faster if you the person are perceived as creative, open-minded, smart, professional, and positive.

Save the people bashing for when you’re established….or better yet, rise above it.

* Celebrities do face consequences occasionally. Rascist commentary is a full proof method of getting your ass smoked over the coals. There’s no room for those kind of idiots in the biz.

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I smell the blood of a new screenwriter.

If you came here for expert advice, I apologize ahead of time.

I myself am a “new” writer entering a new era in which my day job is being phased out in favor of writing full time and I may not be able to answer all of your burning questions. I thought it was important to put my evolution on trial for you experience because if I can save you a step or prevent mistakes my mission is complete with this blog.

I’ve been writing since the tender hormonal age of twelve. Epic space adventures and fan fiction were my modus operandi back then but late in my career as a theatrical stage manager a reader of my work told me I should be writing for the public. Since then, I haven’t looked back . I am now a screenwriter/day job and not the other way around.

If there’s one crucial piece of advice I can give any parent with a child who is a gifted writer, please for the love God, encourage them. Don’t let them pen their epics under your pessimistic eye. I would be farther along in my career, financially stable and a lot younger if my parents had pushed me harder and a lot sooner in life. They were very encouraging parents, but not necessarily with my innate talents.

I say this with accusatory disdain: Children can become writers and do other things in life.

I use to think writing was like masturbation. Do it in private and don’t tell anyone you do it because it’s a dirty thing that while natural, isn’t a public activity. Writing science fiction will get you nowhere, writers are poor and fill in the blankevery negative stereotype about writers you can list. It’s possible I’m imagining this sentiment from my past, but regardless, that’s how I perceived my choice to write when my peers were sneaking out to drink or party.

Encouraging children to improve their writing as they grow is not going to bankrupt them financially later in life. If you approach their talent as something that will accent any thing they choose to do (or have to do), you’ll give them the leg up I never had. People who can communicate their ideas through the written word excel in any profession.

So here I am, braving the difficult, heart breaking world of screenwriting. Thousands of scripts enter the market every year, very few are purchased and yet I still write. That will be my subject over the next few posts. Attitude is everything in this business. If you let the pessimists bring you down and believe me I still face it from those close to me…you will fail.

I will not fail.