Archive for the 'Resources' Category

• e  9 Script Frenzy 2009

  Script Frenzy is an international writing event in which participants take on the challenge of writing 100 pages of scripted material in the month of April.

• e  97 Does a screenwriter have to be well-read?

  If I’ve only read 38 on the list of 1001 “Books You Must Read Before You Die,” does that mean I’ll live a long time?

• e  13 Picking names popular in their time

  “Paul from LA” wrote in with this link to a site I kind of remember using when we were picking a name for my daughter. It lets you type in any first name and graphs how popular it has been (in the U.S.) over the past 130 years. What’s less obvious is that if you [...]

• e  50 Were I to seek examples of the subjunctive…

  When the subjunctive shows up, there’s almost always drama.

• e  31 Script frenzy

  Script Frenzy is starting April 1st. I don’t know enough about it to endorse it, but some readers might find the faux-competitive nature of it motivational.

  Script Frenzy is an international writing event in which participants attempt the daring feat of writing 100 pages of scripted material in the month of April. As [...]

• e  14 Test screening questionnaires

  DIY audience screenings help your product and save you money. Here’s what to ask.

• e  18 The Nines, scripted

  I promised that as soon as The Nines had reached its widest U.S. opening, I’d be putting the script up in the Downloads section. That time has come.

  You can find a .pdf of the screenplay here.

• e  25 Calling on the hive mind: Writing the future

  A call to contribute to a lecture on authorship in the digital age.

• e  26 2007 Insomnia Film Festival

  Advice for hasty filmmakers.

• e  2 Filmmaking, permitted

  Update on New York City’s struggle with what to charge productions.

• e  5 Economics of Screenwriting

  Who gets paid what, when and how. Broken down.

• e  10 Interview up at cecil vortex

  Link to an interview on creativity.

• e  7 I talk with my hands

  Video links explaining how film and television writers should approach promoting themselves and their work through the media.

• e  53 Comments for Jane Espenson

  A correction for Jane’s awesome website.

• e  23 That’s a pretty expensive pad of paper

  You really don’t need fancy paper for hand-writing drafts.

• e  20 The Hollywood Standard

  All you need to know about formatting a screenplay, right here (for sale anyway). Second opinions included.

• e  2 The great big list of fictional diseases

  The Motaba virus sounds bad, but the cure — heavy doses of Dustin Hoffman — is arguably worse.

• e  25 Confessions of a genius script reader

  LC (whose email handle ThrobbingSocks is much more provocative) tipped me off to this Film Threat article by Allan Heifetz which explains some of the more significant pet peeves of professional (and unprofessional) script readers.

  Newbies also love to break the fourth wall. These fools must think they have super strength. “Hulk smash fourth wall! Aaargh! [...]

• e  5 La escritura profesional y el auge de los amateurs

  My first experience with being translated.

• e  2 No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die!

  A useful guide to super-villainy.

• e  10 Screenwriter makes, saves a million dollars

  Why it’s important for screenwriters to stay active throughout production.

• e  5 Google cheat sheet

  Everyone knows how to Google, but there are some special functions that can really help when you need specific information on, say, atheist penguins. (Yes, that was my attempt at a Google Whack. No, it didn’t work.)

  Google has a great cheat sheet with hints for finding just what you need. If you [...]

• e  9 Other writer sites

  In the share-the-love category: A growing number of writers have websites and/or blogs that you may want to check out for more information and opinions about the craft, the business and the unreality of screenwriting. Here are a few worth perusing:

  Lee Goldberg has written extensively for television, and also has several novels to [...]