Mike Donald's Lounge Discussions

Susie Kahlich
New to site

Hi everyone, I'm an American screenwriter living in Paris, France. I work with European and Asian productions developing and/or adapting scripts into American story structure and dialog to expand finance opportunities and the distribution base. I also work with US an UK productions, of course, and l...

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Leslie M. Greene

Hi Susie {{waving}}… Awesome occupation, sounds interesting.

Geveryl Robinson

Sounds great! Welcome, Susie!!

Dan C. Corley

I have been to Paris and will still take my home on the shores of Lake Eufaula, in a valley between two peaks of the Kiamichi Mountains, but I wish you well and hope you are a great success.

Dan C. Corley

Oh! By the way if you are not familiar with the southeastern portion of the USA, Lake Eufaula is the largest man made lake in the US and is located in Oklahoma,

Jack Kenna

hello Susie :)

Scott Clarke
How to Convey a Concept

Hi guys, I recently posted that I had a concept for a film but I didn't know what to do next with it. A screenwriter very kindly said he would take a look at it and I brain-dumped my idea onto my keyboard as best I knew how. I did make it clear I wasn't a writer. He came back telling me apart from t...

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Dale A. Swanson

HI Scott. In the book writing world we have something called the elevator pitch. Short enough to spark interest and make them ask for more. If I were to solicit material I would want that pitch as a b...

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Ivan Alexei Dominguez

Dear Scott; I would like to properly know regarding that concept of you, but ... Observe the idea and see that within the same must exist: Setup, confrontation and resolution. Of course, important is...

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Mike Donald

Send it to me and I'll have a look and see what I think you are trying to say. I would advise breaking it up into four or five line paragraphs. mike: touchwoodpicturesltd@hotmail.com

Donna L. Rentz Ceo

I would suggest getting a NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) before you continue sending your idea to anyone; #copyright #trademark

Kevin Kato Hussein

Great advice, Donna. How do you get that any way?

Matt Holmes
Camera Angle Notation? To do or not to do in your script?

So as I look at a variety of scripts for films that I respect in artistic and mechanical terms (in various draft stages) I see that some scripts seem to include camera angle detail for each action sequence where as others just frame character motivation and movements. Now working on my 2nd and 3rd s...

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Ed Tasca

Thanks, Cecil. That seems to be the consensus.

Ivan Alexei Dominguez

Dear Matt... Simplifies your work as a writer. Your job is to create the script (writing) dialogues, actions. Let others be part of your job by doing their job. the use of angles, camera is a technica...

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Ivan Alexei Dominguez

Good luck and best regards, Ivan

Hank Isaac

To some extent, this depends on what the screenplay is for. Is it a spec or are you writing this for either yourself or someone who has commissioned you to write it? In other words, you're already on...

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Matt Treacy

At the risk of repeating myself, at no time ever should you include camera angles. Even POVs are irrelevant. Unless you are funding, producing and directing the film, then your ONLY job is to tell the...

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Shaun O'Banion
RIP, Sarah Jones

If you've been following the news lately, you've likely heard about Sarah Jones, a 2nd AC who was struck and killed by a train while working on the new Allman Brothers biopic. Over the past few days, more and more information has been coming to light, and I wanted to weigh in as a producer. I should...

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Mike Donald

Well said...the pressures today are far greater than ever...and sticking to your guns should be paramount.

New writer needing advice

Hello all!! I am an Actress based in London but have really been enjoying writing scripts recently. I now have 3 Short film scripts I am happy with that I would love to actually make. My first question is do I need to copyright them before I show them to anyone? Also does anyone have any tips on get...

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James Drago

Do both and email yourself (or someone else) a copy. An electronic trail can help.

James Allen Brewer

Hello, again, Angela - The bottom line regarding protection of your intellectual property is monetary. Whichever party has more money to pay his/her attorneys wins. I had my intellectual property stol...

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Dan MaxXx

this post is 5 freaking years old. If she can’t figure out how to shoot a short movie in 5 years, it’s pointless. Nobody is stealing a short movie idea and rushing into feature production.

Dan MaxXx

Buchwald sued for distribution money, not copyright

David Liberman
The Harsh Reality or Ignorant Bliss?

Basic Math. in excess of 10,000 scripts written per year. 1,000 optioned/purchased (tops). 400 Movies made. You hear these numbers over and over again, but we often forget some bigger truths behind them. Of the 1,000 scripts that are purchased, at least 9/10ths of them are written by already produce...

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Padma Narayanaswamy

Cherie I also agree with you. I am waiting SAI to bless me with his grace

Mark Ratering

The "Net" has really made it much easier to live away from L.A. What was impossible before is now possible.

Cherie Grant

Basic Maths. Mathsssssss.

Padma Narayanaswamy

Dan thanks for writing such optimistic posts. The odds are very much against me . I am a non English writer and I write crossover but still I hope to be produced. As you say it is a passion.I have wri...

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Thedia Samara

I was with you until I got to F) Dan ;). I read an article mentioning the same things you did many years ago. It equated selling a screenplay as a beginner or unknown, to winning the lottery. I think...

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