Hello Fellow Screenwriters! What do you think is the best screenwriting software? Thanks for your feedback.
Hello Fellow Screenwriters! What do you think is the best screenwriting software? Thanks for your feedback.
There are many elements that make up a successful screenplay. Story, Structure, Character Development. What do you look to achieve when you're done and send in your $35 to US.gov for your copyright? On your marks. Get set. SHARE!
Anthony- Phew! Glad I finished my (3) copyrighted scripts on time at the old rate of $35. Now that it has gone to $55 I better just give up screenwriting and go back to being a telemarketer at Carnegi...
Expand commentAnthony- Phew! Glad I finished my (3) copyrighted scripts on time at the old rate of $35. Now that it has gone to $55 I better just give up screenwriting and go back to being a telemarketer at Carnegie Hall. Man, I can't afford $55. Oh, well. It was nice while it lasted. Thanks for bringing it to everyone's attention. I am sure that there are other "HAPPY WRITERS" that won't be happy anymore too. Would not be surprised if a lot of writers give up because of this price increase.
I don't think it's one, you have to get all of them right to some degree IMO
For me having a multi -layered protagonist with flaws to over come. Followed very closely by all the other elements. If your story is brilliant but your Protagonist is flat and shallow then it will ge...
Expand commentFor me having a multi -layered protagonist with flaws to over come. Followed very closely by all the other elements. If your story is brilliant but your Protagonist is flat and shallow then it will get tossed. The question I ask myself all the time is "Why should the reader care about my lead?"
Hey Jimmy, have you checked out Memphis' local screenwriter group: https://www.facebook.com/writeclubmemphis/?ref=bookmarks -tim
Hey Emine - thanks for the add!!!
Alrighty then, we're connected. Now what?
I've been reading a lot of scripts lately. Some of that was performed in the capacity of contest judge. I've also looked at scripts for people seeking feedback, as well as reviewing famous scripts for my own edification. Based on my empirical experience, I've come to the conclusion that damn few peo...
Expand postI've been reading a lot of scripts lately. Some of that was performed in the capacity of contest judge. I've also looked at scripts for people seeking feedback, as well as reviewing famous scripts for my own edification. Based on my empirical experience, I've come to the conclusion that damn few people are really able to tell a compelling story. That's not to say that their general writing technique is unsound. For me, they're two separate things. My point is, I review many stories and ask myself, "was this premise really worth 100 pages of screenplay?" Let's suppose that ten percent of scriptwriters are good storytellers; and five percent are great storytellers. What separates them from the pack?
Tony: A good succinct answer.
My brother has summed this up perfectly over a beer a few years ago. "You learn something from a great story. You learn about people, humanity or even about yourself. "
Cheers Phillip - I will hunt it down. I have not seen it since I was a teenager - but it has always stuck in my mind as a great story. Cornel Wilde was an Interesting actor/writer/producer. He made a...
Expand commentCheers Phillip - I will hunt it down. I have not seen it since I was a teenager - but it has always stuck in my mind as a great story. Cornel Wilde was an Interesting actor/writer/producer. He made a low budget science fiction called Death of Grass that also caught my attention when I was a kid first discovering film.
What's a good motive to rob a bank/store? lol, I know how crazy that sounds but I'm stuck. At first I have an eviction hanging over my guy's head, but to risk your life and others just to save your home, in my opinion, isn't worth it. He's not old enough to have kids, and I had a sick mother who nee...
Expand postWhat's a good motive to rob a bank/store? lol, I know how crazy that sounds but I'm stuck. At first I have an eviction hanging over my guy's head, but to risk your life and others just to save your home, in my opinion, isn't worth it. He's not old enough to have kids, and I had a sick mother who needs her hospital bills paid in another script, so I didn't want to recycle that (but I'm leaning toward it). My brain is stuck. What would motivate your characters (or you) to rob a bank?
Having worked with many at risk youth, I can assure you they often don't need very much motivation to commit a crime. If it is something that they have become desensitized to, robbing a bank can becom...
Expand commentHaving worked with many at risk youth, I can assure you they often don't need very much motivation to commit a crime. If it is something that they have become desensitized to, robbing a bank can become as routine as going to the store is for you. Most juveniles that fall into trouble commit crimes of opportunity. So if the opportunity presents itself, they will act first and think later... Later being after they've been caught. And even then, their thoughts may only be "What could I have done better so that I wouldn't get caught." Hope this helps, and good luck!
Adrenaline junky is a great motivation. Just the thrill of actually doing it.
Singularly nothing to me would make me go that way but make a downward domino effect and it might push me over the edge. Throw in a partner who nags, shredding my self esteem to nothing, the depressin...
Expand commentSingularly nothing to me would make me go that way but make a downward domino effect and it might push me over the edge. Throw in a partner who nags, shredding my self esteem to nothing, the depressing effect of drinking too much and I could see that as a viable thing to do. Like WTH..why not. Or I'll show them I'm good for something. Or maybe life is so bad maybe the character sees prison as a relief from problems.
Hey Linda, I'm the CTO and lead developer at Stage32.com. Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback about the site. I'd love to hear your comments!
What kind of research do you like? Just curious.
I know ... because I am male ... how easy it is to be sexist. Today a man can be by his woman’s side as she gives birth to their children. He can hold her hand. Give her ice chips. Help her with the focusing, the breathing, the pushing part, the not-pushing part. He can see his child enter this worl...
Expand postI know ... because I am male ... how easy it is to be sexist. Today a man can be by his woman’s side as she gives birth to their children. He can hold her hand. Give her ice chips. Help her with the focusing, the breathing, the pushing part, the not-pushing part. He can see his child enter this world while her eyes are shut tight with that final exertion. But, despite this wealth of experience, understanding and empathy men don’t have a clue as to what it’s like to give birth. And it’s in those kind of little gaps ... ones we can never fully understand ... where sexism resides. Fortunately... or ironically ... that one thing that makes us different also brings us closer. That being said let's call a trope a trope because it's done all the time with so many characters of all sexual persuasions, all races, ages, physical types ... you name it. Sometimes it's in the writing. Sometimes in the acting. Sometimes in the directing. I had to sit through a table read of one of my screenplays where the actress/reader decided the character needed to be 'sultry'. NO! NO! NO! It was a cold read so I couldn't/wouldn't/shouldn't and didn't complain. Still it made my ears hurt. Not that there's anything wrong with sultry except for the slowness of it all. Everyone else was going 70 mph and she was cruising along at 20 mph.
That's a tricky situation, Tim. I think you did the right thing not to complain.
You don’t have to read all this. I just need to get this off my chest, because it’s driving me crazy. Either there’s a handful of people targeting me who don’t understand what loglines are, or I’m missing something right in front of my face, and I don’t understand what loglines are. Let me explain....
Expand postYou don’t have to read all this. I just need to get this off my chest, because it’s driving me crazy. Either there’s a handful of people targeting me who don’t understand what loglines are, or I’m missing something right in front of my face, and I don’t understand what loglines are. Let me explain. Now, from what I’ve read and been told, a logline needs three key points. 1) A basic understanding of the protagonist, 2) the protagonist’s goal and 3) what’s standing in his or her way. Is this wrong somehow? Because one of my loglines has gotten criticism for not containing things that go much deeper than the aforementioned three points. Here’s a logline for one of my scripts, called Daytime Noise: “When a hard-partying rockstar is kicked out of his band due to a drug addiction, he starts giving guitar lessons to fund his habit.” Now, in my opinion, this fulfils the three points of what’s necessary for a logline. We get an idea of the who the protagonist is. We know what his goal is: to feed his addiction. And what’s standing in his way is also his drug addiction. Anyone with a basic understanding of addiction can tell you that it’s both your highest priority and your biggest obstacle in anything you try to do. But apparently neither the goal nor the obstacle is in that logline, according to the fine people at logline.it, where I posted my logline. They also posted criticism such as “This is a situation not a story” or “This is not a plot. A plot is when critical circumstances change, forcing the character to change in some way.” Where to I even begin on these criticisms? I mean, god damn. Again, maybe I’m missing something that’s staring my right in the face. But I figured that the logline says enough about how the character would be forced to change. I mean, it’s a rich rockstar becoming a guitar teacher. Why do I have to spell out the way a person would need to change from that alteration in lifestyle? Surely the change in circumstance could tell you how a person needs to adapt? Let’s look at the Die Hard logline: “A New York City cop travels to Los Angeles to reconcile with his wife but learns she’s been taken hostage by terrorist in a skyscraper — and he struggles alone to save her.” The logline implies how the protagonist must adapt and change to overcome the situation. He has to go from average cop to hero. But apparently, people can’t understand the change of rockstar to guitar teacher, and how a person would have to adapt to that change in lifestyle? And that Die Hard logline is a “situation”. A building is taken hostage by terrorists, and the cop has to save the day. Just like my story is a situation. The rockstar is fired, and has to give guitar lessons to get drug addiction. Situations are stories to any storyteller worth their salt. I dunno. I figured that the logline was the hook. A little taste of what the story is and what it could be so that people would want to read/watch it. I don't want to give away the progression of the story and the character development of my protagonist. But according to the criticism I've received, I have to explain the protagonist, his goal, the inciting incident, the obstacles in his or her way, and the character development that must occur in order for the protagonist to reach his or her goal. I’ll say it for the third time: I could be missing something huge and fundamental here. Is my idea of what a logline should be completely missing the point? I feel like the goal and obstacle in my logline are made clear to anyone who’s able to put two and two together in relation to drug addiction. But do I actually have to spell it out? Do I have to spell it out in a medium that relies so heavily on subtext?
Happy New Year!
It is fine but needs to go further. For example: “When a hard-partying rockstar is kicked out of his band due to a drug addiction, he (starts giving) GIVES guitar lessons to fund his habit AND DISCOVE...
Expand commentIt is fine but needs to go further. For example: “When a hard-partying rockstar is kicked out of his band due to a drug addiction, he (starts giving) GIVES guitar lessons to fund his habit AND DISCOVERS THAT HIS STUDENTS HAVE LESSONS TO TEACH HIM.” Let me know if you ever need a script doctor.
I find it very difficult to write a logline because, it's hard for me to sum the story up in a few lines.
So I am asking fellow Stage 32'ers to share one word that describes you.. Mine is Unique.
Determined
Resilient
Funergetic....=fun energetic
What do writers do to stay connected and relevant to younger generations as they age. I think everyone can relate to the human condition, but the issues of 20 somethings are not the same as 50 somethings. And are there really issues of style? How do people stay connected and relevant?
I can identify with that "observer" feeling, yet I'm also very involved. Odd disparity.
Date women who are half my age... well, that's the plan at least. Hasn't worked so far.
William: A lofty goal.
you should check out the line up at: http://nashscreen.com/ It a great and intimate venue. I'm planning on being there.
Hey Tim, thank you for the tip. It looks great. Alas, L.A. is my second home and I lived there between 05 and 10 when the bottom fell out of Hollywood Studios producing anything but a world production...
Expand commentHey Tim, thank you for the tip. It looks great. Alas, L.A. is my second home and I lived there between 05 and 10 when the bottom fell out of Hollywood Studios producing anything but a world production of Comics and Mythology. They are no longer interested in anything but! Drama is welcome in television. Horror and even Romance now are mostly Indie Money. What's happening now? Little film production companies are forming--right here off Stage 92--magically these talented souls are finding each other to collaborate on good scripts by first doing a fifteen page teaser to try and entice funding. Something to think about. Mary Ellen/MEg
Hi All, I recently read «MAKING A GOOD SCRIPT GREAT» by LINDA SEGER. It was brilliant and extremely helpful, only problem is that it was in a foreign language. Wondering if you could help me find an English version. Would really appreciate it. Thanks a million. Hil.
It is interesting reading all the varying responses on this thread. Most people read the title but not the question. Hilary was looking for an english language version of Linda Seger's book.
You need the screenwriter 's Bible written by David Trottier
Zombie thread, lock them.
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I use writerduet. Is it the best? who knows? But its not the software that gets you a deal! As long you find it user friendly and has the features you like then write.
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These Zombie posts never die.
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I suggest you use writer duet.