There's reading, and then there's writing.

Lew Hunter's Screenwriting 434: The Industry's Premier Teacher Reveals the Secrets of the Successful Screenplay
This is probably my favorite book for the screenwriting. I have other books, but this is the one I turn to most often. Frankly, I don't want to read too much about screenwriting, I just want to know enough to get by but I don't want to lose my voice or change my style too much to conform in ways that would make me too much like the pack. I want to DO screenwriting, not worry about what others are doing or what they think.

Learning the mechanics is like learning grammar.

Yet at a certain point, you either write the screenplay or become paralyzed because of too much screenwriting advice. I can't afford that. I may have technical issues with my screenwriting, but no one can tell my story like I can. No one else has my distinct voice.

Ah...It's coming alive

During my massage this morning, I was intentionally focused on letting my mind wander through my story in hopes of bringing a few areas of my story to life. What more could have been achieved than naming one of my key players. Names for me are not just accidental, meaningless configurations. For this character, I wanted his name to "fit" in more than just an identity, but with a name that was filled with multiple connotations.

This works. Suddenly, there's new excitement for my story...as if individuals are coming to life, becoming breathing beings. Something about naming -- it makes a difference. This character now has a substance and a "nature" that he didn't have yesterday. Creating a "being" is about the ultimate creative endeavor.

Days like today...being a writer feels powerful.

Massage = Creativity

As I'm planning out my summer and writing/study schedule, I'm now adding "massage" to the list of "things that promote good writing and creativity," joining the usual suspects: coffee, chocolate, tiramisu or a walk around the block.

This morning I had a massage and it was probably the most creative 60 minutes I've had in weeks. I was able to think about the characters and the big events. Not only did I end up relaxed, but also excited about the progress.

It was a dark and stormy night...

Storms galore tonight, but wanted to take a moment to welcome the new visitors to The Write Script. Thanks for stopping by and come back again if you want. If you can offer support while I write a movie script, all the better. My semester is almost over: another final exam next week and a research paper that needs minor revisions. After that, it's summer vacation. Time for writing.

Everyday.

Awesome.

The Writer's Journey

There's a book I've been wanting to read, The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 3rd Editionthat I've finally put into my Amazon cart. I love the semester coming to an end and I can catch up on my own leisure (ha) reading. Structure is good to know. Story telling has a structure. Academic writing has a structure.

Counting down the days. Looking forward to the journey.



I'll write a review afterwards.

Writing as process

I've done more writing today than in any one day that I can recall. Three mammoth papers coming due either this week or next week and wrapping up the research and writing has been done in marathon writing sessions. Next week will be such a relief. I love the feeling of completion. I get a lot of satisfaction from finishing what seemed like an impossible task just 17 weeks ago.

I enjoy the early parts of the process, when time seems plentiful and the research is exciting and entertaining. When deadlines approach, some of the fun is zapped from the process. For my screenplay, I have established some deadlines. My first deadline is to have a treatment done before the Fall semester starts in late August/early September 2010. Maybe it'll get done sooner, but I'm not going to force that deadline. The summer is already going to be packed. Instead of working, I'll be researching and writing my thesis and studying for comprehensive exams. I expect to graduate in December. Can I get the entire script drafted before school starts up in Fall? That's doubtful. If I put out that expectation, I'll stop enjoying the writing, the story development and the characters. I'm not doing that.

Years ago, I wrote a screenplay to enter in a contest. I had plenty of time, but the looming deadline toward the end did two things: it ensured I'd be "done" by a date certain but it also created a frenzy of writing, editing and revising that about drove me nuts. I was making copies at Kinko's and shopping for brads on the last day possible to get it mailed in time for the deadline. While the deadline got the project done, the joy in the process was lost.

This time around, I'm taking time to enjoy the process but I'm not going to be afraid to declare that process "done" when it is truly done.

That's me on Facebook

The Write Script is now on Facebook. Find me there. Be my friend. But come back and read the blog.

New day, better attitude

Today's attempt at being a grad student has been far better than yesterdays' and the "I quit!" drama and ensuing meltdown (file this under "future characters"). In fact, the day has gone well enough that I'm stopping 30 minutes early to treat myself (?) to a walk around the block.

[Note to self: Metaphysics of Screenwriting]

I'm not big on exercise. A five minute walk is about all I'll tolerate. But right now, I want to flee from the computer and breathe some fresh air. The wind has picked up, if I time this right I may not have to exert much effort.

Two weeks to go.

One of those days...

Today was one of those days. Discouraging. I think it is something that comes with grad school, some essential quality about it that makes you feel at a certain point each semester several things: grad school can really suck at times and grad school is a lot of work that sometimes doesn't seem worth it. Today, it doesn't seem worth it. I'm ready to quit.

The feeling will pass. Or at least I'll get past it and continue on. December will come soon enough.

Boffo!

Last night I watched "Boffo! Tinseltown's Bombs and Blockbusters" and I am still thinking about it. There were several quotes about scripts that I'm going to have to write down. I was hoping to find them on IMDB, but no luck. It's going to be one of those DVDs I watch over and over.

How to tell if your scene is "a crock of shit."

On writing drama. Quotes from David Mamet:

ANY TIME TWO CHARACTERS ARE TALKING ABOUT A THIRD, THE SCENE IS A CROCK OF SHIT.

ANY TIME ANY CHARACTER IS SAYING TO ANOTHER “AS YOU KNOW”, THAT IS, TELLING ANOTHER CHARACTER WHAT YOU, THE WRITER, NEED THE AUDIENCE TO KNOW, THE SCENE IS A CROCK OF SHIT.

DO *NOT* WRITE A CROCK OF SHIT. WRITE A RIPPING THREE, FOUR, SEVEN MINUTE SCENE WHICH MOVES THE STORY ALONG, AND YOU CAN, VERY SOON, BUY A HOUSE IN BEL AIR *AND* HIRE SOMEONE TO LIVE THERE FOR YOU.

If grad school has taught me anything, it's reading a very long article and finding the few sentences that are the most important as take-aways. In this article, however, there were quite a few. This one is my favorite.

The Power of Idealism

Here's some words from "Idealism Wins at the Oscars" @ EBT Screenwriting:

Pixar won the 2009 Oscar for Best Animated Feature with Up. All seven Pixar films released since the creation of the category have been nominated. Five have taken home the Oscar: Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, WALL-E, and Up. Three of those five Oscar winners— Up, The Incredibles and Ratatouille— are Power of Idealism films.

A character driven by the Power of Idealism wants to stand out from the crowd, to be extraordinary, unique and special. Power of Idealism stories are about youthful rebellion, heroic sacrifice, loss and transcendent love.The protagonist in Power of Idealism film wants to stand out from the crowd, to be unique or special or to live an extraordinary life. These characters often play the role of the rebel, the romantic, the outsider, the iconoclast, the artist, or the maverick. Power of Idealism stories are about rebellion, loss, longing and transcendent love.

I've added the emphasis on the points I want to remember.

Clichés in Film

This is a hilarious article, over at Living the Romantic Comedy. Clichés can sneak into our writing pretty easily, but it's funny once you realize how common certain situations in film are perpetuated in spite of having no basis in real life. Read "10 Screenwriting Clichés That Refuse To Die" and enjoy.

OK. Back at it.

Useless Information

During this nearly a year of conceptualizing my movie, I've thought quite a bit about what appears to be useless information. I hear from lots of undergrads the aggrevation of having to take courses outside their interest or major area. Our typical response is that a University's goal is to give students a broad range of general information and knowledge along with more specific knowledge in a single subject area. As we progress further in academia, to a master's and then the PhD., we are increasingly specializing by continuing to narrow the subject area.

I was there, too. When I had to take a lab science before I got my B.A., I chose geology. It seemed so outside my interests, but at least I could rationalize the choice by a) having a son, I thought that by knowing rocks I'd be the cool mom, and b) political science and geology are forever united in issues such as water, climate change and other policy issues. I was more interested however in attaining the cool mom status. A turning point with my son was picking up a chunk of gypsum and, knowing it only ranks a 2 on the Mohs hardness scale, I easily broke it into two pieces. He thought I was a super human. He knows better now.

Anyway, in spite of the poli sci/geology connection, I did pick up a lot of (seemingly) useless information along the semester. And not only geology...so many classes which at the time felt needless and dull and insignificant are today finding their way into my movie. Crazy how that works. One grad class that has caused so much brain damage has been philosophy of science. I won't go into why it frustrates me to no end, but it was during this class that I found the key to making my movie concept plausible. I still have the reading that triggered the inspiration and someday I will frame it. So much for useless classes. From now on, I'll just take whatever classes I'm told to take and then say thank you.

Stepping down from soapbox.