I’m just curious if anyone else does screenwriting. I just got into it last semester… and now I’m writing a screenplay for my year-long thesis… which is coming along okay, I just need to have a draft done by the end of January, which is hard to think about
No wonder January is being dedicated to my thesis.
The basic premise is that there’s a Grandma who’s dying, and she wants to have the whole family together one last time. Different characters have secrets, and all these secrets come out at their little family reunion.
I hope that at the end of the screenplay, the people in the family realize that family is what’s important, and they need to support each other and love each other, despite their issues. Of course, I don’t have a solid draft yet, just a few scenes here and there, so who knows what will happen through the course of this writing process!
With three Kristens, I was wondering if this was going to happen.
If anybody’s keeping score, this Kristen is formerly Zzilly14.
And Aims = Godzilla
And Cali Amy = Hopelives
Ok…
Yes, I’m interested in screenwriting! Unfortunately, I have a lot more interests than hours to pursue them. But for the past ten years or so I have been taking notes on the crazy things that happen at my job--stuff that shows the quirkiness of working for the government. Every time one of my bosses comes out with something really interesting, I give them a knowing look and take notes and they say “Oh no...that’s going in the movie, isn’t it?” Keeps em on their toes.
The film will be called “Bureaucrat” and will be in the vein of Spinal Tap, Strictly Ballroom and Best of Show.
Kristen, I’d really like to hear more about your screenplay. Can you keep giving us updates on it and on the twists of the plot as you’re writing it? I’m a real novice with screenwriting so I’d love to get some tips from you.
Kristen, I’d really like to hear more about your screenplay. Can you keep giving us updates on it and on the twists of the plot as you’re writing it? I’m a real novice with screenwriting so I’d love to get some tips from you.
Sure, Nancy, I’d love to! I’ll definitely be working on it a lot in January. Although I know the basics, it’ll be nice to have it all figured out and put into a [rough] draft!
Are you writing your project for film or television, Kristen?
It’s a feature-length screenplay, so it’d be a movie.
There’s actually a screenwriting fellowship done by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (yes, the same one that does the Academy Awards), and their deadline is May 1st… I’ll probably have my final draft done by then, so I could send it off and see what happens
Winners get $30,000 to spend a year working on another screenplay. Previous fellows include the writers of “Akeelah and the Bee” and “Finding Forrester.”
I won’t fully depend on this as a job - there are only five winners per year, and the past few years there have been about 6,000 entries. But I think it’d be fun, and who knows?
I have a friend from back home who reads scripts for a living. He’s the first filter I guess, then he passes on what he thinks might be good to the folks above him. Cool job.
I have another friend, a close friend from high school, who has written a couple screen plays but never sent them in to anyone. I’ll let him know about this thread and maybe he can post some of it and get much needed encouragement...or a very hard kick in the pants.
Shaun, if you had looked up a couple of posts, I said what it was about
Kristen - 08 December 2006 07:39 PM
The basic premise is that there’s a Grandma who’s dying, and she wants to have the whole family together one last time. Different characters have secrets, and all these secrets come out at their little family reunion.
I hope that at the end of the screenplay, the people in the family realize that family is what’s important, and they need to support each other and love each other, despite their issues. Of course, I don’t have a solid draft yet, just a few scenes here and there, so who knows what will happen through the course of this writing process!
That’s cool about your friend who reads scripts. How did he get into that? That’d be a fun job, and I’m interested in editorial work and all that.
Your other friend, I’d love to help him with screenwriting. Not that I’ve had much experience in it, but it’d be nice to exchange ideas and critiques and help out one another in our writing!
Kristen, have you seen the film “Little Miss Sunshine?” If you get a chance, rent the DVD, watch the film and then rewatch it with the directors’ and screenwriters’ commentaries on. And have a notebook handy, especially for the screenwriter commentary. They do a wonderful job of explaining how and why they chose certain shots, the role of the editor in creating the final story, subtleties of acting and scriptwriting nuance.
I just about always listen to the commentaries on DVDs but these are some of the most instructive ones I’ve come across.
Kristen, have you seen the film “Little Miss Sunshine?” If you get a chance, rent the DVD, watch the film and then rewatch it with the directors’ and screenwriters’ commentaries on.
Yes, I actually just saw it during my Christmas break with a couple of friends. That was a really cute movie (although I wish they could’ve done less language). I didn’t get a chance to watch the commentaries though… but if I ever buy the movie for myself or get a chance to rent it I’ll definitely check that out.
Nancy Tyler - 03 February 2007 07:27 AM
How is your project coming? I’m praying for you.
It’s coming along! I have about 45 pages beginning-wherever I am, lol. It’s over a third, but not quite halfway. My thesis advisor said it didn’t feel like halfway yet. So it’s going to be a little bit longer, at least, than the usual 1 1/2 hour movie. (scripts are usually 90-120 pages, give or take some on either end, and you figure a page=minute). But yeah, it’s coming along ok. I was hoping to have more finished by the end of J-term but if I can write 45 pages in a month, I’ll be fine next semester (which starts Tuesday!)
Thanks for the insight and the prayers! They are much appreciated
Good news! I have a rough draft of my screenplay (it’s around 99 pages, which is a good length, not too long). And I overcame the hardest part last night - coming up with a title! Yesterday during my thesis meeting, my advisor and I were sitting, pondering title ideas. It was difficult. But he said “it’s in the screenplay somewhere” so I read through it last night, and I found it!
Now I just need to go through, revise it, and print out three copies (two on nice paper to turn in, one for myself).
I’m in the process of printing my thesis! It’s at 100 pages (plus the title page). This is taking a LONG time though! I have 50 pages printed of copy one out of two. I’ll print my personal copy (and the one I’ll submit to the Virginia Screenwriting Competition, that my advisor suggested I enter) later next week - and at least they don’t have to be the best quality ink on thesis paper!
I got a call from my mom yesterday. Apparently a letter arrived from the Virginia Screenwriting Competition. Unfortunately I did not make it through. But my mom read the letter and the one-page critique. At least they didn’t hate it, and gave me some pointers to improve. And I can resubmit it next year… and the next and the next, if it comes to that! lol.
I was a little disappointed, but I realize that this is my first submission to a screenwriting competition and with writing, there are usually many rejections before you make it (or win a competition in my case).
