This morning as I hit the treadmill for a jog and listened to a mixture of rock tracks I noticed that I was doing something that I should blog about, no not exercising, that sucks I recommend it to nobody! I was planning, and what I was planning was my film (which I have not written yet, simply outlined) being screened at Sundance! Why Sundance? Well all of my favorite directors have a history with Sundance and I want to be part of that list, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, Kevin Smith, Dave TheScreenwriter... that list sounds good to me.
Now before any says "oh, you were daydreaming", I wasn't I was actually planning the shoot, organizing the timing of the post, trying to figure out who will play the sexy journalist and where I'll shoot the break up scene. When I had finished with the treadmill I hit the net to find out the late deadline for submissions to Sundance(Sept 26th) and then figured out that due to my current geographical difficulties I would have to finish the final cut by September 10th... which is 7 months away.
So 7 months to write, cast, rehearse, film and cut a feature length movie? Crazy? Watch me do it! You see you may have noticed that I'm kinda driven, focused, determined, obsessed or whatever you want to call it... If I can shoot an eight minute short in one day just nine days after it was written then I can pull of the Sundance miracle! BUT I need help, funding is the problem with getting these things done fast look to the side of this page and you will get more info on my funding proposal or just click on this link http://www.indiegogo.com/3projects1year?a=88034&i=addr .
I know that I'll be standing in Park city come Sundance next year, (submission accepted or not I'll be there!) and I know I'll be in Cannes this year (yeah I made the decision) and I'll be standing at both of these festivals with my head held high, knowing that I belong. The reason I know I'll be there and belong is that for a long time it has been my focus, my goal to make myself a valuable part of the movie industry and now that focus and drive is paying off.
So fix yourself a goal, focus on it, drive towards it, become obsessed and stride to where you truly belong. A big factor in being a film professional is focus, it has to be the one thing you have to do and everything you do should be for the end goal... focus, focus, focus.
Don't forget that you can email me for any reason especially if you want to ask for a certain topic to be covered in a blog post.
Write On!
Dave The Screenwriter
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Screenwriting... activate!
Are you waiting for something to happen or are you MAKING it happen? People have said to me in the past that it's not as easy as making your mind up and suddenly it's done. Well that may be true but does anyone really think that simply calling yourself a screenwriter is all it takes to have a successful screenwriting career?
Personally I work on many projects at a time, I call people, attend evens, write a blog, connect with groups via Facebook, twitter and email. If you are simply writing then you're only doing half the job. As I write this I'm contemplating bringing my latest short film to the Cannes Film Festival and finalizing the edit of that film and trying to promote http://www.indiegogo.com/3projects1year ... to me that feels like three full time jobs, did you notice that I didn't mention writing in that?
Writing is something that I simply do, I couldn't live without it and without it I wouldn't be doing any of the other things I'm doing. Oh and just to let in in on a secret, I have a "real" job too! I've told you before about how I extended my waking hours to include more writing time but now I find that my writing time has become "Film project time" that could be writing, editing, contacting, pitching or learning (Yes, even the great Dave the screenwriter still tries to learn something new EVERYDAY).
And so the point of this mini blog entry: Screenwriting is just the start, the beginning of something much bigger that includes much more work. Of course you can disregard that if you never want anyone to read your scripts! I love the work, I love the industry, I love the people I know within the industry. I dream about the big room at Paramount, the Jack Wolf building at Universal, the large Bugs Bunny outside the Warner Bros. If you don't like the work, the people, the industry or the way it all fits together then maybe you are not a writer... maybe you're a producer!!
Write on!
Dave The Screenwriter
Oh and please check this out and help us if you can http://www.indiegogo.com/3projects1year thanks!
And another thing ... email me about anything dthescreenwriter@aol.com
Personally I work on many projects at a time, I call people, attend evens, write a blog, connect with groups via Facebook, twitter and email. If you are simply writing then you're only doing half the job. As I write this I'm contemplating bringing my latest short film to the Cannes Film Festival and finalizing the edit of that film and trying to promote http://www.indiegogo.com/3projects1year ... to me that feels like three full time jobs, did you notice that I didn't mention writing in that?
Writing is something that I simply do, I couldn't live without it and without it I wouldn't be doing any of the other things I'm doing. Oh and just to let in in on a secret, I have a "real" job too! I've told you before about how I extended my waking hours to include more writing time but now I find that my writing time has become "Film project time" that could be writing, editing, contacting, pitching or learning (Yes, even the great Dave the screenwriter still tries to learn something new EVERYDAY).
And so the point of this mini blog entry: Screenwriting is just the start, the beginning of something much bigger that includes much more work. Of course you can disregard that if you never want anyone to read your scripts! I love the work, I love the industry, I love the people I know within the industry. I dream about the big room at Paramount, the Jack Wolf building at Universal, the large Bugs Bunny outside the Warner Bros. If you don't like the work, the people, the industry or the way it all fits together then maybe you are not a writer... maybe you're a producer!!
Write on!
Dave The Screenwriter
Oh and please check this out and help us if you can http://www.indiegogo.com/3projects1year thanks!
And another thing ... email me about anything dthescreenwriter@aol.com
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Which one will be for you?
There are literally millions of ways to approach a film career, but first you need to know what you really want to be. Ok so you want to be a writer? What kind? For who? Are you happy writing for a low budget company that will keep coming back to you or are all of your scripts "tent-pole events"?
I know this touches on branding a little bit but it is important to know your exact goal. Don't worry you can change your goal at any time, but if you don't have one other than "I want to sell a script" then something is wrong. So what's so wrong with wanting to sell a script? Nothing, its a great idea but once you've done that what happens? I'll give you an example: A soccer player signs for Barcelona, he's always wanted to play for Barcelona but is that the en of his goal? No, he wants to score goals, win cups, break records etc etc etc. So what about you, do you have more goals that just making that one deal?
I've spoken to a lot of writers who say that they want that first deal and when I ask "then what?" they just say "I'll do it again" or "and then see what happens". Now personally I've just changed my goals, the path my career is on is about to take a huge change in direction but the ideas I've had have always been along the lines of: Sell a script - work with the producers to make a great movie - write on assignment - write newer and better scripts - get a manager and agent - make the manager's/agent's work EASY by being professional and easy to work with - get a higher level producer on board - make a better movie - become a respected pro - keep climbing the industry ladder - write for a tv show - create a tv show - direct a movie - become a studio's go to guy - get a star on the Hollywood walk of fame. At any point in my plan can you see a mention of money, buying a big house or a fancy sports car? No, and the reason is because my job is to write... nothing else!
So that's today's blog, and the advice is to be yourself, find your own way and do it you own way. For the sake of yourself make a plan, you don't have to follow it and you can change it whenever you like but simply "do it all again" is not enough.
Remember if you fail to plan you plan to fail - crap I'm starting to sound like my Dad!
Write On!
Dave The Screenwriter
I know this touches on branding a little bit but it is important to know your exact goal. Don't worry you can change your goal at any time, but if you don't have one other than "I want to sell a script" then something is wrong. So what's so wrong with wanting to sell a script? Nothing, its a great idea but once you've done that what happens? I'll give you an example: A soccer player signs for Barcelona, he's always wanted to play for Barcelona but is that the en of his goal? No, he wants to score goals, win cups, break records etc etc etc. So what about you, do you have more goals that just making that one deal?
I've spoken to a lot of writers who say that they want that first deal and when I ask "then what?" they just say "I'll do it again" or "and then see what happens". Now personally I've just changed my goals, the path my career is on is about to take a huge change in direction but the ideas I've had have always been along the lines of: Sell a script - work with the producers to make a great movie - write on assignment - write newer and better scripts - get a manager and agent - make the manager's/agent's work EASY by being professional and easy to work with - get a higher level producer on board - make a better movie - become a respected pro - keep climbing the industry ladder - write for a tv show - create a tv show - direct a movie - become a studio's go to guy - get a star on the Hollywood walk of fame. At any point in my plan can you see a mention of money, buying a big house or a fancy sports car? No, and the reason is because my job is to write... nothing else!
So that's today's blog, and the advice is to be yourself, find your own way and do it you own way. For the sake of yourself make a plan, you don't have to follow it and you can change it whenever you like but simply "do it all again" is not enough.
Remember if you fail to plan you plan to fail - crap I'm starting to sound like my Dad!
Write On!
Dave The Screenwriter
Monday, February 21, 2011
Make it happen
Let me ask you this simple question... who has the key to Hollywood for you? Is it Christopher Nolan? If you could only get your script to Natalie Portman would you be straight on the A list? Do you also believe in the tooth fairy? Bottom line, you are the only person who can make your dreams come true.
Easy to say right? The biggest problem I see with "aspiring" writers is that they expect that Hollywood will hunt them out, will knock on the door and hand them a check, simply not gonna happen bub! Being a screenwriter is NOT a get rich quick scheme, it's not a lottery ticket but so many people think that it is.
Last week I was handed a story by a guy I would call a very casual acquaintance, he told me that I was going to love it and that it was amazing. He later went on to tell me how we were going to make this film and distribute it worldwide all by ourselves and make 100's of millions of Dollars, alarm bells were ringing in my head. So I took the story, more out of courtesy than anything else and despite it looking like a twelve year olds homework I read it. I read a page and I was already struggling, there was no story it was as if he'd sneezed every idea he had onto a page and handed it to me in the hopes that I'd make his movie career.
And so a few days later I bumped into this "writer" again, he asked me what I thought of his story and as I told him that it wasn't ready to be a movie, that he needed to work on it for more than five minutes. His smile changed to a frown right in front of my eyes, I thought he was going to cry but instead he went on a rant about how I don't know a good thing when I see it and that he'd sue me if I ever made a film from the story that he wrote.
As I tried to encourage him and tell him that if he wants to be a writer that I would teach him the basics but that he would have to commit to it and work very very hard. He told me to "get lost" but in less nice terms and then proceeded to tell me that he really thought that I would have told him that it was great and that we'd go into production and make millions!
So the point of this blog? I see something like this nearly every week, people who see the film business as a route to fame and fortune within a very quick timeframe. Well it just isn't like that, this is a business and in order to make the big money and have the big profile you need to work hard, work hard and work hard. As the great A.C Lyles told me at Paramount recently "To make it in this business you need to be three things, obsessed, obsessed, obsessed!"
So please, don't think that this is a get rich quick scheme, it's a business and like any business the harder you work the more you'll get out of it.
Write On!
Dave The Screenwriter
OH and BTW on the right you'll see an ad for my crowd funding project, if you have a couple of spare bucks then check it out and become part of independent film history!
Good Luck.
Easy to say right? The biggest problem I see with "aspiring" writers is that they expect that Hollywood will hunt them out, will knock on the door and hand them a check, simply not gonna happen bub! Being a screenwriter is NOT a get rich quick scheme, it's not a lottery ticket but so many people think that it is.
Last week I was handed a story by a guy I would call a very casual acquaintance, he told me that I was going to love it and that it was amazing. He later went on to tell me how we were going to make this film and distribute it worldwide all by ourselves and make 100's of millions of Dollars, alarm bells were ringing in my head. So I took the story, more out of courtesy than anything else and despite it looking like a twelve year olds homework I read it. I read a page and I was already struggling, there was no story it was as if he'd sneezed every idea he had onto a page and handed it to me in the hopes that I'd make his movie career.
And so a few days later I bumped into this "writer" again, he asked me what I thought of his story and as I told him that it wasn't ready to be a movie, that he needed to work on it for more than five minutes. His smile changed to a frown right in front of my eyes, I thought he was going to cry but instead he went on a rant about how I don't know a good thing when I see it and that he'd sue me if I ever made a film from the story that he wrote.
As I tried to encourage him and tell him that if he wants to be a writer that I would teach him the basics but that he would have to commit to it and work very very hard. He told me to "get lost" but in less nice terms and then proceeded to tell me that he really thought that I would have told him that it was great and that we'd go into production and make millions!
So the point of this blog? I see something like this nearly every week, people who see the film business as a route to fame and fortune within a very quick timeframe. Well it just isn't like that, this is a business and in order to make the big money and have the big profile you need to work hard, work hard and work hard. As the great A.C Lyles told me at Paramount recently "To make it in this business you need to be three things, obsessed, obsessed, obsessed!"
So please, don't think that this is a get rich quick scheme, it's a business and like any business the harder you work the more you'll get out of it.
Write On!
Dave The Screenwriter
OH and BTW on the right you'll see an ad for my crowd funding project, if you have a couple of spare bucks then check it out and become part of independent film history!
Good Luck.
indiegogo
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Sunday, February 20, 2011
Just do it
Yesterday I stood on the set of my third short film, exactly one year ago to the week I shot the first of my short trilogy. The thing that stood out yesterday for me, aside from how great my cast were was that I was finally getting the hang of this directing thing. Before I shot the first short I would have told you that I was no director, that I was merely a writer and that I didn't really have it in me to direct anything.
On set of the first shot (which I also played a small part in) I was nervous, unsure of my actions, scared to give proper direction... I was a writer who was trying to be a director. That film "Needs" went on to screen at just one film festival where it was nominated for best international short... needless to say I danced all around the house and did a cartwheel or two when I found out about the nomination.
So second time around I was much more confident and had a clearer idea of how to direct the people I had into giving the performances I wanted. It went well, everything turned out as I wanted and the shoot was easy as pie and even though I had what was pretty much a lead role I felt like I was now not just a writer directing, I was a writer/director.
Then came yesterday's shoot... more actors... more scenes... more headaches! This time though I was not playing a part, I had my director hat on (I don't really have an actual directors hat, donations of such are very welcome!) and I felt so confident. I positioned the cameras, positioned the actors, walked them all through what I wanted and I got the results. As I stood behind the camera and watched the action unfold I couldn't help but feel that I was finally a director, I was no longer just a writer who tried to direct.
And the point? Well a year ago I was a writer... now I'm a writer director with an award nomination behind me for what I consider my least well made film. If you can challenge yourself to do something and face that challenge head on, really embrace it and do your best at it then you too can improve leaps and bounds. Whether it be screenwriting or directing or painting fences if you want to get better at it then do it more often. JUST DO IT!
And if you think that you could never direct, you don't have those skills, you're a writer and that's fine with you... A year ago I felt the same, now I'm a confident writer/director who is getting ready to take on the world... are you going to come with me?
Finally, here's my advice to you: If theres something else you would really like to do but feel that you could never do it TRY IT ANYWAY. What is the worst that could happen? You never know you might just be discovering your calling in life, your hidden talent or you could simply be making yourself more marketable. Either way have fun doing whatever you do.
Write On!
Dave The Screenwriter
On set of the first shot (which I also played a small part in) I was nervous, unsure of my actions, scared to give proper direction... I was a writer who was trying to be a director. That film "Needs" went on to screen at just one film festival where it was nominated for best international short... needless to say I danced all around the house and did a cartwheel or two when I found out about the nomination.
So second time around I was much more confident and had a clearer idea of how to direct the people I had into giving the performances I wanted. It went well, everything turned out as I wanted and the shoot was easy as pie and even though I had what was pretty much a lead role I felt like I was now not just a writer directing, I was a writer/director.
Then came yesterday's shoot... more actors... more scenes... more headaches! This time though I was not playing a part, I had my director hat on (I don't really have an actual directors hat, donations of such are very welcome!) and I felt so confident. I positioned the cameras, positioned the actors, walked them all through what I wanted and I got the results. As I stood behind the camera and watched the action unfold I couldn't help but feel that I was finally a director, I was no longer just a writer who tried to direct.
And the point? Well a year ago I was a writer... now I'm a writer director with an award nomination behind me for what I consider my least well made film. If you can challenge yourself to do something and face that challenge head on, really embrace it and do your best at it then you too can improve leaps and bounds. Whether it be screenwriting or directing or painting fences if you want to get better at it then do it more often. JUST DO IT!
And if you think that you could never direct, you don't have those skills, you're a writer and that's fine with you... A year ago I felt the same, now I'm a confident writer/director who is getting ready to take on the world... are you going to come with me?
Finally, here's my advice to you: If theres something else you would really like to do but feel that you could never do it TRY IT ANYWAY. What is the worst that could happen? You never know you might just be discovering your calling in life, your hidden talent or you could simply be making yourself more marketable. Either way have fun doing whatever you do.
Write On!
Dave The Screenwriter
Friday, February 18, 2011
practice what you preach
As you know I talk a good game! I tell everyone to work hard, sleep less and work more etc etc ... but do I practice what I preach? Yes is the simple answer. Right now you may be alarmed to know I'm working on lots of projects, I have this blog that I want to service at least once a day. I have a feature script that is soooo close to being ready that I have to fine tune, I have a graphic novel that I'm writing, a tv pilot and I'm not even done with that much. I also have a very ambitious three project crowd funding plan http://igg.me/p/19428?a=88034&i=shlk which I'll be running the campaign for over the next two months, and finally I have a short film in production that I'm writing and directing that will be shot tomorrow.
Oh and I have to enter film festivals and competitions too, all while staying active on the phones to people, keeping my online presence up. It can be hard work to find the time to work on all of these projects but I simply do, I don't let little things distract me away from the work. I find that if you believe in your ability to fulfill the goal then you can get there.
The point I'm trying to make in a round about way is that if you say you're going to do something then do it, even if you only say it to yourself. Wake up in the morning and say "I'm going to write ten pages today" and don't stop until they're great. And if you have to get up at page five and make dinner then do so, but don't forget to come back and finish what you started.
And with my apologies that is the end of today's blog because I have so much prep to do for the shoot tomorrow.
Write on... oh and donate to this awesome project : http://igg.me/p/19428?a=88034&i=shlk
Dave The Screenwriter
PS: normal service will resume on Monday... hope to post a small blog tomorrow at some time too
Oh and I have to enter film festivals and competitions too, all while staying active on the phones to people, keeping my online presence up. It can be hard work to find the time to work on all of these projects but I simply do, I don't let little things distract me away from the work. I find that if you believe in your ability to fulfill the goal then you can get there.
The point I'm trying to make in a round about way is that if you say you're going to do something then do it, even if you only say it to yourself. Wake up in the morning and say "I'm going to write ten pages today" and don't stop until they're great. And if you have to get up at page five and make dinner then do so, but don't forget to come back and finish what you started.
And with my apologies that is the end of today's blog because I have so much prep to do for the shoot tomorrow.
Write on... oh and donate to this awesome project : http://igg.me/p/19428?a=88034&i=shlk
Dave The Screenwriter
PS: normal service will resume on Monday... hope to post a small blog tomorrow at some time too
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