Research
When you get a great idea for a story, but you don’t know much about the setting of the story, like the medieval times, how do you go about writing it? How do you gain enough information about a certain setting or place so that it sounds genuine (like Fargo) and not fake or phony (the basketball scenes from Finding Forrester)?
–Henry
You do research. Right now, I’m in the process of writing a show for ABC about murder in Alaska. Before I started working on it, I knew very little about State Troopers, the provincial government structure, the Russian Orthodox Church, tribal corporations and bush planes. I’m certainly not an expert on any of these subjects now, but I know enough to write the pilot.
In my case, I started by reading books and Googling a lot of different Alaska websites. The second round of research involved a lot of time on the phone, calling the various people who actually have the jobs I’m writing about. Finally, I’ll be making a research trip up to Anchorage to interview these people in person, and investigate a lot of intangible details. (Such as, do Alaskans carry over any of the strange Canadian pronunciations, like "SO-ree" rather than "SAR-ree"? When Alaskans refer to non-Alaskans, is there a term they usually use?)
If you were researching Medieval times, you would obviously find a lot of your information in books about the period. But it would also behoove you to find some experts in the field, and even visit some authentic sites to get the most possible verisimilitude.
Just remember that no amount of research can substitute for good writing. Knowing the exact shade of ochre in the king’s bedroom is pointless unless you have a fascinating scene taking place there.
And keep in mind that audiences carry with them certain misconceptions about places and times that make certain details less than crucial. For instance, most audiences think of horses having saddles, and saddles having stirrups. So when we see Russell Crowe and his men charging in on horseback at the start of GLADIATOR, sandals in stirrups, we think nothing of it. Yet as many historians (and Internet nit-pickers have pointed out), stirrups were invented centuries later. Maximus’s advice to "keep his heels down when riding" is impossible.
Also, in A KNIGHT’S TALE, the people wouldn’t have been singing along with Queen’s "We Will Rock You."
Are jokes public domain?
What’s the proper protocol in terms of writing a joke into your script? I frequently hear jokes in movies that I’ve heard from friends before the movie came out. Is it public domain and it needs no clearance or should it still be researched just in case it has roots from a standup comic’s copyrighted routine?
–Anup
Stand-up comics write their material, and written material is subject to copyright. But at a certain point, some jokes circulate out in the popular culture enough that I would argue they’re essentially public domain. But then again, I’m not a jury, so don’t take my advice as gospel.
If you can’t find a source for a joke, and you’ve heard it enough times and enough different ways that you feel it’s graduated to cultural meme status, you can probably get away with putting it in your script. Then the only question becomes, if you’ve heard it so many times, is it still original enough to be worthy of your script? Nothing is less funny than a joke that’s been played out.
Agency papers
Any struggling new writer would jump at the chance to be represented by an agent, any agent. But what is the downside to taking the first "lifeline" offered? If a contract is signed by both parties for a period of two years, can it be broken if things don’t work out?
–Huerfano
The contracts you’re talking about are called agency papers, which are relatively common at smaller literary agencies, which tend to be the companies that represent newer writers. Basically, the document defines the relationship between the writer and the agency, stating that the agency receives its commission on any work it finds for the writer, for a set period of time - up to two years, but sometimes only a year.
The contract mostly protects the agency, which is worried that the writer will suddenly jump ship to a bigger agency upon selling a script for hundreds of thousands of dollars. You can understand why the agency would be nervous. Not only would it lose a client, it would lose its commission.
Not every agency requires its writers to sign agency papers, and truthfully, a lot of people never bother signing them. Frankly, I’ve never even seen them. But you shouldn’t freak out if an agent asks you to sign them.
That said, before you agree to work with any agent, you need to do a few things:
First, do your homework. Ask to talk with one of the agent’s current clients, preferably a phone call with just the two of you. What work has the agent gotten the writer? How quickly does the agent return phone calls? Better to ask the hard questions now, than wish you’d asked them earlier.
Also, check that the agency is a WGA signatory (or whatever equivalent guild if you’re outside the U.S.). Even if you aren’t a WGA member yet, you want to make sure that the agency you’re dealing with has an agreement with the WGA, which sets basic working rules and can offer you a lot of protection, including the ability to drop an agent who isn’t getting you work.
Finally, trust your gut. If an agent makes you uncomfortable, don’t work with him. While it’s hard to pass up an opportunity for representation, just remember that if one agent liked your stuff, another one will as well.
9/11 - the movie
Do you foresee a market for some kind of human interest story with September 11 as a backdrop, or will this "day of infamy" be completely off limits?
–Robert Baker
As many people have pointed out, both Pearl Harbor and the Titanic were real-life tragedies before they became blockbusters, so never say never. But I’d be surprised if any major movie deals directly with the World Trade Center attack, at least in the near future.
The biggest difference between what happened in New York and what happened in Pearl Harbor or on the Titanic is that every American actually saw the planes smashing into the towers. Because of television, we all watched as the buildings fell, and knew we were watching thousands of people die in front of us. We’re all traumatized witnesses. Personally, I can’t imagine trying to re-create that horror, since it’s so indelibly marked on all of us.
You’re more likely to see movies that deal with the perimeter of the event: either inspirational stories about people coping with loss, or dramas focusing on the hijackers’ lives within the U.S. I’m certain there are interesting and worthy movies to make that involve some of the events of September 11. The challenge is to find compelling stories that don’t simply milk the tragedy.
Sold a script, next stop: agency
I just sold my first screenplay to an independent production company. I have no agent, so I’d like to get one off of this, if I can. I have other completed screenplays, one of which this company is going to help me set up as a director. What else can I do to best leverage this situation?
–Eric
First, congratulations. Second, thank you for proving a point I often stress when talking to aspiring screenwriters: an agent is not mandatory. You sold your script without one, as have many other writers.
You’re right in assuming that setting up your script will help you get an agent. My advice is to sit down with the executives at the production company, and other smart Hollywood friends you have, and make a list of which agents and agencies might be a good fit for you. (Generally, newer writers tend to be served by newer agents, who are looking to expand their client list.)
We usually think of agents selling to producers, but it works the other way too: see if the producers would be willing to call the agents they’re friendly with, and send them your script. If you have an attorney, he or she may also be able to help.
If there are any other agents you’re interested in, but don’t have any easy connection, simply write them a letter. Explain that you’ve sold a script and are about to set up another, and that you’re looking for an agent to help represent you.
Some agents will pass on you. That’s life. But in general, agents want writers who work. That’s you.
Index cards
Do you use the "index card" method when preparing to write a script and if so do you find that your screenplay fleshes out in the same order as you wrote it in the index cards?
–Ruble
For those who don’t know about index cards, it’s a technique a lot of screenwriters use. Each scene or sequence is given its own card. Then the cards are layed out, pinned up or otherwise arranged to figure out the best structure for the movie.
While I always outline scripts, for me it’s 50/50 whether I use index cards or not. For the CHARLIE’S ANGELS sequel they were a big help in pitching the movie, partly because each card had funny stick figures (e.g. "Car Wash Angels get the evidence"). I also used different colors for different types of sequences: action was always on purple cards, while narrative was blue. When you looked at the whole movie layed out on the table, it was easy to see the pacing. In discussing an individual scene, you could point at it.
For a lot of scripts, particularly those without action sequences, index cards might be a waste of time. A better bet would be to write up an outline or a treatment that lets you get a sense of the feel of the movie, not just the big beats. Whatever technique you use, remember that scripts develop their own logic. Use the cards or the outline as a map, not a Bible.
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