About Chip Street
By day I'm a marketing writer, information architect, designer and illustrator. By night (or whenever), I'm a feature screenwriter, with a couple of options, a competition final, and a couple of produced shorts. My first 'play was optioned twice but funding succumbed to the economy... still have talent attached though. My second 'play is currently under option with Epiphany Productions. My third 'play was a finalist in the Shriekfest Screenplay competition 2009 and has been requested by a number of prodcos. I've written/directed a few shorts, art directed a few features, and been a screenplay competition judge and festival screener.
Chip Street last Commented On:
- My daily writing routine
I hear a lot of good things about Celtx - http://celtx.com - but haven't tried it. I use FD locally (a terribly old version), but Scripped.com for collaborating because it (theoretically) allows simultaneous realtime collab - though it's proven suboptimal for various reasons, it's an okay alternative.
Turns out that Google created a screenplay template to apply to a Google Doc. Simple to use, preset formatting, online everywhere for easy access when the muse hits, and simultaneous real time collab (as with all Google Docs). Haven't tried it yet either though.
Just jumped over and looked at the Goog templates. I swear there was one by Google proper, but it's not there now. I thought that's what I'd applied to my doc. Nevertheless there are a few by other sources. If anyone has a tip on the best Google Doc template to use, chime in!
- My daily writing routine
Great insight into your process and daily routine, John. Thanks. Makes me feel a little better about my 'habits'.
"You screw around a lot, then burn the midnight oil to finish that assignment." I've got the 'screw around' part nailed (I'm here!) and have used contest deadlines to force the spec finish more than once.
I still find writing on assignment gets the most productivity out of me. Sat down and pounded out 4 solid pages in two hours a couple days ago because I'd been given a scene to deliver.
Just downloaded Freedom - thanks for that tip. Not sure how well it'll serve me though, because I use online resources constantly to write (remembering names, researching, or gasp thesaurus...). Am willing to give it a try.
Looked at EverNote. Too complicated. Time to finish that writer's note app I started designing a year ago. :)
- Timely vs. timeless
I guess it's a matter of "pop-culture reference" vs "cultural reference". I don't have much to add to what's been said... a "Raiders" reference is less likely to expire than a "Cougar Town" reference (I'm guessing... time will tell. I like CT btw). Both work in their time. But I think one has more legs than the other and a shot at being timeless.
We watch both "Parks & Rec" and "Community" in my house. I like both, but vastly prefer P&R. Community is sharp and witty, but IMHO it does so at the expense of energies that could be spent on smarter/deeper/subtler character dev and dialogue. Rarely an episode goes by that a character doesn't wrap up the show with an expository "I'm sorry I acted so badly. I was just angry and feeling left out. But you've shown me you really care, and now everything's okay." It leaves me feeling like it doesn't trust me to be smart enough to get it... but then maybe it's just that it chose to spend its precious time on sharp and witty. Where P&R, on the other hand, leaves itself time to make elegant use negative space, of silence as dialogue, of a tiny glance and smile.
I enjoy Community for what it is. But for me it plays at the shallow end of the character/dialogue pool. And that's why I think it runs the greater risk of being disposable.
If P&R runs any risk of expiring, it may be for the "documentarian" style that a decade from now we'll be looking at and saying "Yeah, rememeber when all those shows looked like that? I don't miss that at all."
- Rob Corddry on getting stuff written
BTW -- Stoked to hear about the templates for Gdocs - https://docs.google.com/templates?q=screenplay&sort=user&pli=1
If Google did a simple conflation of GDocs and a thorough template and released it as a standalone collaborative screenwriting tool, they'd kill. And why not? They're already offering essentially set design software (SketchUp).
Come on, Google! Be a hero!
- Rob Corddry on getting stuff written
Scripped.com is an online screenwriting software that allows collaboration real-time. It highlights each author's changes in a unique color, and has a chat window integrated.
Zhura.com was a very similar product -- I used that in 2009 to write an entire feature with my writing partner. It was terribly buggy (I wrote a couple of blog posts outlining the issues: http://chipstreet.com/2009/04/28/why-zhura-isnt-perfect/) but still had some nice features.
Zhura later merged with Scripped, so the best features of each are now in Scripped.
They've addressed lots (but not all) of the Zhura issues. The collaboration works pretty well, but we find that it does occasionally get borked when two writers are in edit mode at once. Still, if one person logs into edit mode to make the changes, and the other just views from outside edit mode, they can refresh to see changes almost real-time. And maybe others will have better luck than us both being logged into edit simultaneously.
Page count seems inconsistent. Best bet is do your collaboration in Scripped, then export as a txt doc and import into FD for your final polishes.
We're working on another script now in Scripped... I'll write a follow up article about the experience.
- Formatting notes in a screenplay
Interesting. I can def see how that note would help with reading The Nines.
As a reader, though, I personally really don't like "we see" and "we hear", etc (assuming we're talking about a spec). Dunno why. Personal peeve I guess. Almost feels like camera direction (which I don't want to see in a spec) as it's telling me what I see.
So in your example, I'd rather it just said "the same one from the opening sequence" or "the same guy he'd seen at the taco bar".
Particularly, as in one recent spec I read, "We HEAR the SOUND of glass breaking". But that's especially egregious. (He did not get a recommend.)
There's also something about "we" -- we who? I'M reading the script. Me and the writer? That takes me out of the story, reminding me of the construct. It's almost Victorian, as in "gentle reader".
Obviously it'd done, though. So is this just me? Anyone?
- Endless producer notes
Echo. My first optioned script went through countless iterations during its lifetime, with the producer (also a writer) doing several passes himself. At one point all the genders of all the principals were reversed, and -- my favorite -- a giant flying corncob was added (yup). As much as I was excited to be optioned, and hopeful that it would lead to production, I really did not like the direction the story went. Luckily, my contract assured that rights to all iterations (even his) reverted to my control at option's end, so there's no 'alternate version' out there competing with me. (it never made production, and is back with me now)
I was at a small presentation by Sam Dickerson a couple years back, and he said [close paraphrase]: Know how to read between the feedback lines… producers aren’t writers, and they’re sometimes obtuse about communicating what they’re looking for. When they say “That’s great, but can we add aliens somewhere?” they don’t literally mean “add aliens”… but they mean they’re looking for something spectacular and unexpected, and it’s your job to understand that and to find a way to creatively provide it.
Ironically, he'd just flown in off the set of Battle LA...
Anyway, all good advice here. I'll only add this:
Building relationships in the industry isn't just about getting the script written the way you want it or getting it sold. It's also about: building relationships. What you're demonstrating to this "working producer" is that you're responsive, flexible, can deliver a draft in a timely fashion, are fun to work with (you are fun to work with, right?) and consequently will remain in his rolodex, and on his short (or maybe medium) list of people he can recommend to others. So be strong, retain your voice, but stay civil, and protect the relationship.
And I love the idea of lobbing out another deadline that'll put an end-date on your rounds of revision, along with action steps attached to draft delivery -- 'draft to you by Tuesday, so it can get to [director x] by Friday'.
- R-rated comedies to the rescue
Blurg. Wish I could edit... GA should of course be GN... Graphic Novel. #FAIL
- R-rated comedies to the rescue
Thanks for that -- I was all ready to say the same thing. Drives me crazy that so many reviewers are saying it was based on a GN, it's no wonder most people seem to think the same.
Variety had a great infographic on the history of the C&A project here: http://www.variety.com/graphics/cowboys_alienschart.jpg
The GA came 9 years after the concept was first sold, but was languishing.
I'm sure the GA had something to do with the project gaining momentum, tho.
Am considering commissioning a GA for my horror script. Can't hurt.
I wouldn't put HP or the Twilight films in Superhero. Nor Transformers. Unless you want to put The Chronicles of Narnia and Battle LA in Superhero too.
- Writing fight scenes
I remember a story -- well, actually, I don't remember the story, or I'd recount it here, but somewhere in the back of my mind there's a shadow of a memory of a story of an apocryphal myth -- about a spec script (by a woman? That seems right) that was bought and became a big blockbuster, that was made up of action scenes that ran something like "then an amazing action scene takes place unlike anything you've ever seen on the screen".
Did I make that up? Or was there such a script?
Anybody?
- Writing fight scenes
Opinions vary. I read primarily horror/thriller scripts lately, for contests, and see my share of action scenes. And I read them. I would like a sense of how long they go on, and to see (as in my previous reply) any specific elements/actions that move the story or characters. And I'd like to know if it's funny, scary, thrilling, a slugfest or an amazing kungfu wire scene.
Thus, in the spirit of the 'musical number', I'll need to know if he's a clumsy dancer, if she's happy to dance with him, if he stumbles, if he gains his confidence and sweeps her off her feet, if the crowd loves it, and if she uses the 'dip' to pick his pocket.
I'm not advocating for hyper-specificity, mind you -- click my name to see an essay on that -- but never, never, never? Surely there's room enough for something in the vein of John's example.
For some readers.
- Writing fight scenes
Agreed. They're not always right, but I like 'em. Thing is, sometimes it's that extra syllable I need to lose, or to make a line a few characters shorter so I don't have some lame one-word orphan wrapping to a fourth line (and I've exhausted all other character edits). So if it's a choice between "BANG!" and "A shot rang out", which both mean the same thing, I have to go with "BANG!"
I wrote a horror script where the slowly dwindling bullet supply was a story point. Had the character define the number of bullets left, then found myself counting BANGs thru the script. Mebbe a touch overly anal. But it seemed important at the time... ;)
@ JA -- thanks for the reply. I see your point about diluting the other ALL CAPPED moments.
- Writing fight scenes
Thanks so much for the insight. Great timing. We're working on a script right now that's got lots of fight scenes -- some large battles with dozens of participants. We've wondered long and hard about how much is too much.
The ALL CAPS minislugs (UNDER THE BED, THE THIN MAN) are great for moving around the environment without disrupting momentum with full slugs (INT EXT etc).
Curious: Why not slug the entire series with INT. APARTMENT and then move around with minislugs like IN THE BATHROOM, IN THE KITCHEN etc?
Curious also about this aside: "Alex may not be much of a cook, but she’s great in the kitchen." It sets the light tone, says something about her character, but seems to be a bit of a gear stripper in terms of the flow. How do you gauge the value of what it brings to the presentation vs how it affects the flow?
In our project, we don't want to direct/block/choreograph from the page, but at the same time we needed to show each player, how they were faring, any physical set pieces that were story critical (the loss of a critical Gatling gun nest, or the acquisition of a McGuffin) etc.
So we found listing those 'must have' elements, then making them as succinct and dynamic as possible, was what we needed.
@ #3 Ben: I'm personally a big fan of sound effect -- BANG, SMACK, etc -- if the suddenness is important, as in John's example.
Once again, thanks John! Sometimes it's like you're in my head.
- Best commenters on the internet
I'd appreciate this site if all I got to do was read the posts. Add to that the truly intelligent and civil discourse they generate, and it's a double win. Layer on the privilege of contributing in whatever small way I can, and it's an embarrassment of riches.
I'll abide by those living room rules any time.
- Suing to get an agent, cont'd
sigh This does start to feel a bit like piling on. And it's clear that Justin isn't hearing any of it. So what's the point?
The point is, what's coming out of it is a huge benefit to the future Justins who need to hear this before they (a) start their careers, and (b) start destroying their careers with lawsuits. All in one place, from 100's of people, where perhaps volume can overcome denial.
86Stu : "Don't get bitter; Get better." Love it. In a nutshell, that's the ticket. That's how you write a screenplay - take the reams of information and distill them down to something poetic. Good on ya!So, @ Future Justins: "As for PA positions, whether office or field, in my experience doing them puts you nowhere near the producer. You’re directed by the production manager or coordinator, or one of their assistants. This whole set up keeps you away from the producers, who don’t want to be bothered by would be screenwriters, actors, or whatever."
-- Building your career, and your rolodex, takes place over years. During those years, those Production Managers, Coordinators, Assistants (or as #99Kevin Arbouet accurately corrected, AD, 2nd 2nd, etc) HAVE BECOME the Producers. And, having proven yourself a patient hard worker who MAINTAINS relationships (rather than dropping them and them planning to 'get back in touch' on your return to LA), you'll already know them. I promise you this is true. We all know them. I could name two who started as PAs who are now producers with multiple TV shows on the air and a documentary in contention for an Oscar, a mere 5 years later.
-- It's true the Producer doesn't want to be "bothered by would be screenwriters" while she's busy MAKING A MOVIE. But what's also true is neither do the AD, the 2nd 2nd, Coordinators, Assistants, etc etc, because they're all busy MAKING A MOVIE.
So to the future Justins, it takes a long time. The people on the top were once people on the bottom (PAs, etc). As such, today's PAs are the people on the top 5 years from now. Could be you. Could be someone you know. The cream (that means the really talented hard working people who SHOW UP and don't complain [or sue]) rise to the top.
It comes to this:
Be patient. Write amazing stuff. Be fun to work with. Don't be a dick. Then be patient some more.
Oh. And don't get bitter, get better. :D
** For the record, I am a white guy who has not been handed the secret key to Hollywood, but who has worked on films (for free), written scripts (for free), developed relationships, written good stuff, and tried very very hard not to be a dick.