Erick Jimenez's Lounge Discussions

Christine, sounds like you prequalified your non-industry reader and gave to a true movie buff. I can see how that would be helpful. And, I think it's great you listened to the advice of an experienced producer and were willing to keep revising it. In the long run, I think you'll see that it will be worth it. And, as I say to everyone, depending on costly your script is, don't necessarily shun going the indie route. MANY NAME ACTORS and PRODUCERS are willing to work on Indie Films. And with all the art-house theaters, online and DVD and BLU-RAY still around, there certainly is an audience for them. You'd be surprised how far any Indie can go these days. Anyway, glad to see you are so open and working so hard! Keep On Going! GOD BLESS and STAY FRESH! <3

Dan, Absolutely correct. In fact it was my cousin, Danny Aiello, the Oscar-Nominated actor, who convinced me to do a short years ago. I wouldn't listen. Then, finally, I relented, and the short played in some major festivals, won some Awards and we qualified for the Oscars. Shortly after, I was offered a chance to direct and produce another feature film - this one, by far, had been my greatest budget to date. That was nine years ago. Never looked back. We Live and We Learn.

I'm a screenwriter and also a longtime freelance story analyst. If you want a professional evaluation of your screenplay, and can't afford the services of a qualified script analyst, many screenwriting contests offer at least some kind of minimal feedback from the script reader (most of whom are pros) included as part of the contest entry fee-- though in many cases you will be waiting a long time for the feedback. Look for reputable contests to enter that offer feedback at no additional charge and have "access"/introductions to film producers or managers as the prize. Some contests offer pro mentorship to the winners. If you live near a university and can enroll in a screenwriting class there, the teacher will presumably give you feedback on any pages you're permitted to read in class-- and your fellow students may provide feedback as well. If you can afford it, taking a screenwriting class taught by a qualified teacher has many benefits. In addition, a key skill for any writer is being able to assess the quality of your own work. One way to begin to learn how to do that is to read lots of great screenplays that got produced and were successful, profitable films and also seeing the movies made from those scripts. Watching great movies and studying them like a scientist to see what makes them tick is also important. Naturally, screenwriters should always have a "day job", and that's the first order of business. Having financial stability is essential to any career in the arts. As a story analyst and screenwriting contest judge I can tell you that scripts written by aspiring writers and pros are getting better and better. So it's important to really learn your craft, get good feedback, rewrite (but only if the advice you received and your own instincts are both correct), and always assume that you have to give a script your absolute best effort-- because others will. Learning how to come up with a structurally viable concept or logline for your film, and making absolutely sure that it works before starting to write your script, is a crucial first step in the process. The concept or logline must be structurally sound and compelling (and, preferably, have at least some commercial appeal, though this is not mandatory), because if it's not working the screenplay won't work either. It can save tons of time for a writer if they never embark on a script until the logline is perfect, and a good story analyst can tell almost as much from a one or two-sentence logline as they can from reading and evaluating the screenplay based on it. Keep writing, and best wishes in your quest.

I totally understand wanting to hear someone validate what you’re working on. Especially if you tend to be inherently good at things, it can be frustrating in something like screen writing where anyone reading your work is looking for flaws. That being said, try not to put so much pressure on yourself. You’re 19 and you said you’re new to writing scripts. This isn’t like writing for any other media. Read as many scripts as you can and study them. I’d be happy to take a look at your work

Hi Andrea, screenwriting is fun. When I say is fun, I mean it gives you free room to create what you feel. But before you begin writing, I advice you to learn the rules, first thing. Sharing with you how I began.

Here you have the rules and formats: https://www.storysense.com/format/transitions.htm.

When you have that at fingertips:

Go ahead and read produced scripts as much as you can, most especially award winning. You'll be surprised how good you will be!