Go Into The Story by Scott Myers
Blog

THE SCREENWRITING BLOG OF THE BLACK LIST

Introduce yourself!

Posted on by

It’s the beginning of the month and occasionally I like to use that as an excuse to open up the floor to allow folks to introduce themselves. It seemed like an especially good idea today because we had a surge in traffic in January, so I’m guessing there are quite a few new friends of the site.

So why not tell us a bit about yourself. What is your background? Where do you live? What’s your interest in writing?

And while we’re at it:

* If you’ve made a short or feature length film and you’d like to promote it, please leave details and a URL where I can embed it [or a trailer], and I’ll be happy to include in our Movies You Made series. If you submitted info on a film and I neglected to post it, go ahead and post the info here, and I’ll make it right this time.

* If you have a blog or website dedicated to writing, screenwriting, TV writing, and/or movies, and you’d like me to add you to my Friends blogroll, happy to do it, just leave your info in comments.

* If you have a question about the business or craft of screenwriting, I try to answer queries every month or so. Post your question or if you’d prefer to remain anonymous, go ahead and email me.

* Speaking of email, if you have contacted me in the past and I didn’t get back to you, first off I apologize. Every Friday I try my best to go back through emails to respond to questions and requests, but I’ve been ultra busy the last month, so please feel free to get in touch with me again.

Finally I do this thing every so often when the mood strikes me: I dish out some creative juju. I don’t how this started, but I swear when I do it, I get emails and tweets from people telling me it was just what they needed, or they were stuck on a story problem, but then it magically solved itself. Heck, one writer told me after I sent him some creative juju his mother’s house, which had been on the market for two years, sold the very next day. I don’t know what that has to do with creativity, but good to know it works on sticky real estate transactions, too.

So without further ado, here is a mondo-blast of creative juju, guaranteed to put a smile on your face, fingers on your keyboard, and your words flowing with the ease and power of the mighty ocean.

As usual, thanks for supporting this humble blog. While you’re at it, you can sign in using Google Friends Connect up there on the right-hand column [which we will be migrating to Google+ in the near future].

You can follow me on Twitter: @GoIntoTheStory.

For all Hollywood lit sales [spec script, pitch, novel, non-fiction], follow: @ScreenwritingMC.

Remember one of my favorite writing mantras: “The only way out is through.”

69 thoughts on “Introduce yourself!”

  1. I’m TBBB. :)

    I wrote my first story in 3rd grade, titled The Devil’s Necklace. Drew my own artwork for it, too. The teachers were impressed (thankfully I didn’t have any problems with the need to resort to drawing rainbows.)

    I ended up doing a school tour in our city with the winners of the storytelling contest. Except where they memorized short stories and retold them to an entire school, I got to read mine (I remember the teacher pointing out the pictures to all the other kids).

    I remember how it started (Once there was a war between heaven and hell…) and how it ended (our hero stomped on the necklace, breaking it and the spell). But I don’t remember much else about it and it’s long been lost (by the school, I believe, as I don’t recall ever having it returned. Hmmm…).

    My efforts ultimately resulted in my becoming a SEEK geek. I couldn’t even tell you what that means anymore, other than we were a group of gifted students, for the lack of a better word.

    Flash forward eight years and I tried picking up writing again. I really don’t know what I was doing, but the teacher certainly enjoyed my creative use of vocabulary since it was what the assignment was centered on.

    Flash forward about eight years later… my second senior year in college (took a year off after high school and received two BA’s, one in Media Study with a concentration on interpretation and the other in Psychology).

    My last semester, I decided to do an independent study, writing my first screenplay for my skeptical professor who was the department head and also happened to edit a few books on the screenplays of Preston Sturges.

    By the end of the semester, I’d earned an A and he wrote a glowing letter (I’m sure I still have it somewhere), but it had some mighty high compliments in it. With his encouragement, that first draft of the the first screenplay I wrote, managed to be a QF at Austin Heart. Whooopie!! I made it! Yeehaaaw!!

    Yeah, right, lol. Flash forward eight years later… and probably a few more to boot, and I feel like I’m ready. I look back at that first draft and think, my God, it’s awful. Absolutely awful. But if not for that early encouragement and praise, I’m not sure if I would have continued.

    I’ve had a couple of scripts win contests, placed in the top 2% of some large ones, be a top five finalist and finalist in others… it’s all nice and points to others believing in my work as well. But those aren’t the ultimate goal, so while the achievements and recognition might be nice, I’m not satisfied.

    So I continue to press on and learn… and here I am, going into the story!

    • TBBB, “The Devil’s Necklace.” Great title. Perhaps you are related to this child?

      Glad that in your creative wanderings, you wound your way here for at GITS, we honor and delight in those who hear the Muse’s calling.

      And thanks for your insights and analysis on “The Sixth Sense.” We’ll be doing a script reading and analysis every month, so look forward to your continued participation!

  2. Hi everyone,

    My name is Mark Pallis. I’m a fan of the blog, and delighted to introduce myself.

    I am based in London at the moment and I am a former lawyer, now a writer. I got into this from a love of stories: listening to them, telling them, and a love of cinema – for me, nothing beat the excitement of sitting there in a plush seat as the curtains go back!

    I am the Story Editor of a period BBC Drama series called Garrow’s Law, which has been a fantastic experience. http://www.garrowslaw.wordpress.com

    I write features too; currently I’m tweaking my script for the British Kung Fu film ‘Iron Monk – the deeper he meditates the harder he hits”. Here is the trailer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKe5Ad2rSOI

    I also love comedy and have two rom com specs completed which are going to be hitting the town very soon.

    I wrote a short called Sketch Pad as part of a 48 hour film competition last year. Here it is: http://vimeo.com/22234594

    The comp was a great experience. It was such good writing practice to come up with a story and a script in such a short time. I can recommend taking part to anyone who’s in the UK, or elsewhere if you get a chance!

    Cheers and happy writing to all.

    Mark

    http://www.markpallis.wordpress.com

    • Mark, great to make your acquaintance. And let’s see: An historical legal drama, a kung fu movie, a mysterious neo-”Saw” type short, and some rom-coms to boot. That’s some range!

      I’ve added your blog to the Friends list. And I’m happy to feature “Sketch Pad” in an upcoming Movies You Made series. If there’s any more information you’d like to include, post that here. It’s a terrific short, really works the curiosity dynamic [the viewer's] very well.

      Glad you found the place and look forward to hearing from you!

      • Thanks Scott, and thanks for featuring it.

        The other thing that people might find interesting is that one of our limitations was that we only had one room and one actor, so I had to try and get a sense of dynamism and an idea that the world was big. That’s where I came up with the idea of the POV of the “thing you don’t see”, plus the “people in the room” off camera that he’s talking to. I like how the limitations turned into a kick start for creativity!

  3. Hi Everyone-

    Been following Scott and this blog for about the past year and it’s been a real help in keeping my motivation up.

    You see, I’ve been working on a graphic novel that is to be published by Viper Comics in April and I’ve been going through a ton of rewrites based on notes from their development people… always hard to deal with a new set of notes but the project has become better for it and there is a reward in that for sure. The whole goal is to turn this GN into a film (and potential franchise) which I’m adapting into a screenplay now.

    It’s titled World War Hack and you can follow along as we reach our launch at http://www.worldwarhack.com.

    I’ve got started working in film and now advertising for many years here in NYC and this current project is my biggest break yet.

    If you have any questions, I’ll be happy to reply.

    Lastly, I’d like to personally thank you, Scott, for giving back how you do with this site and your teaching… even if the light at the end of the tunnel is just a flicker, your commitment and analysis keeps me going for sure.

    Best regards,
    Ethan

    • Ethan, great news re your graphic novel. Please definitely keep me updated on that and I’m happy to promote it when it launches. I’ve already added the site to my Friends list.

      I’m sure many readers would be most interested to learn more about the graphic novel world. If you wouldn’t mind giving us an overview of how you got World War Hack going — your inspiration, why a graphic novel, how did you connect up with Viper Comics, differences / similarities between writing a screenplay and a graphic novel — that would be great. But of course, only if you have time and if you’d care to.

      Best of luck with WWH!

      • Thanks Scott… of course I can elaborate.

        WWH came to me as a transmedia project that I wrote out on two sheets of paper mapping out three features, a graphic novel prequel and video games that filled in the blanks. I then took that to WME (I used to work for William Morris and had a connection there) and when they looked at it, they thought introducing this story via a graphic novel and creating some IP to then take to production companies made sense given the subject matter of computer hacking and how there are similar interests between that and comics/graphic novels… the same demographic and it would give us a chance to prove that people connected with the story.

        WME then gave a broader, 15 page treatment that I wrote for the first installment to the story to Viper Comics (one of their clients) and they sparked to the idea. It was a risk for them because they are more in the horror/zombie/cartoon genres but felt that the time was right for this story.

        I found it difficult to get used to writing in the graphic novel format because you really have to think of pages/page breaks, panel layouts on the page and what to include/exclude in each panel to fully tell the story. I’ve been so used to writing scripts that not being able to include sounds and movement took a while to get used to. Also, the development people at Viper are top notch and really pushed me to find the best parts of this story and tell it in the most exciting way possible… I’ve really grown as a writer from that experience. What this has also done is given me a real solid treatment to adapt into a script and since the graphic novel is 69 pages, it give me room in the script to add depth and motivation to the characters that is only hinted at in its current form.

        Thanks again for adding it to your “Friends” list and I’ll be sure to keep you in the look as the marketing efforts get underway.

        Best,
        Ethan

        • Very cool, Ethan. What you’ve accomplished is very much in the ‘spirit of the spec’ and I have no end of admiration for people who do that, follow their creative instincts and see where they lead.

          Yes, keep me in the loop. And good luck.

  4. Hi all!

    I’m Bob Lackie, a screenwriter based out of Toronto ON, Canada. I’m finishing my last year at Ryerson University for TV and Radio, and just completed my first paid work as a screenwriter (commercials, but a decent start). I’ve written ~7 pilots and 2 specs, and hopefully this year I’ll be able to write my first screenplay and snag an agent. I’m also a huge proponent of the dramatic webseries format, having dabbled in scripting a few (and having written a 15-part dramatic webseries for my big 4th-year project).

    I’ve wanted to write as long as I can remember. First short stories that never had endings, then fanfiction (which turned out to be a fantastic training ground for TV). When I was sixteen, I realised I loved television and wanted to focus on writing for it, so… now I’m aiming to get into television, first in Toronto, then LA! I’ve taken to it like a fish to water, I think.

    I write a blog that has turned out to mostly be about scriptwriting, The Diversionist. Link here: http://thediversionist.wordpress.com/ . I love writing about the craft and my experiences, and I can’t wait until I can write about the industry as well as my independent writing adventures.

    I wrote a short film for an upper-year student who hired me to write another one this year. Six Years After: http://vimeo.com/23466608

    And! I’m on Stage 32 and IMDB: http://www.stage32.com/profile/12926/bob-lackie AND http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4782570/ . If any of you like reading stranger’s scripts, I’ve got my best dramatic pilot and a webseries script both up at S32 in my portfolio.

    Happy to meet y’all! Will be reading everybody’s introductions with excitement.

    • Greetings, Bob, and thanks for sharing a bit about yourself. I’ve added your blog to my Friends list.

      I’ll be happy to feature “Six Years After” in the Movies You Made series. Like Mark’s short “Sketch Pad,” you make good use of working the curiosity angle. Start the story cold, immediately putting the viewer in ‘catch-up’ mode, doling out bits of exposition here… there… as we try to stitch together the history of events that have brought these two figures together. Good stuff!

      Let me know if you’d like me to feature your short film and if so, feel free to provide any more information related to it. Other than that, keep on writing!

      • Thanks, Scott! I’m very pleased you liked 6YA, and I’d definitely be thankful it if you featured it. Not sure what details would be best, but the most pertinent, I think, are:

        Written by Bob Lackie, Directed by Howard Wan, starring Isai Rivera Blas and Candy Pryce.

        If there’s anything else relevant, it would almost definitely be on the IMDB page. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2117959/

        Thanks so much, Scott! And I’ll definitely keep writing. This Friday, I’m taking a crack at a draft of another short film for the same director as 6YA. He’s hoping to film this one over the summer, and it’s an oddity, a found footage love story. I’m looking forward to the challenge.

      • I checked out a few of the Movies You Made posts (I should have done that before!), and noticed a lot of them included a few background sentences about it. If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to add something to the spare details I included above:

        I wrote Six Years After originally as part of a three-part series on conflict for an older student in my program. He decided he wanted to create some short films for a reel, and asked me to write them, (Six Years After was the only one filmed, for time/budget reasons.) It was my first time writing a script I hadn’t come up with in the first place, but developing the story with a producer. I really enjoyed the process, and I loved being able to see my words filmed for the first time! It was filmed on a zero budget, and I think it’s a decent example of being able to create a short film without blowing your bank account. It was filmed in Toronto, Canada in 2010.

        Thanks again, Scott! Much appreciated!

        (On a side note, have been reading every introductory post, and am loving getting a sense of the great cross-section of the industry in the readership here. It’s wonderful.)

  5. Loving the creative juju there, Scott! Keep it coming!

    My name is Lea and I’m a writer/director/blogger at http://filmystic.blogspot.com/ living in Montreal, Canada.

    My goal is to create content content with depth that still entertains.

    Favourite films include “The Misfits” and “The Apartment”.

    The trailer for my short film, “Edge of the Desert” is at http://vimeo.com/5933746. It premièred at TIFF in 2009 and was shown at several festivals in the United States and Europe.

    Thanks for the chance to share!

    • Lea, so nice to meet you. I’ve added your blog to my Friends list. And to riff off Jerry Maguire,, you had me at The Apartment, my favorite all-time movie.

      That must have been exciting to have “Edge of the Desert” play at TIFF. From the trailer, it looks provocative.

      Please feel free to share more of what transpires on your creative journey. And of course, may the Muses be with you!

  6. Hi everyone! I’m Debbie Moon, a screenwriter based in mid-Wales.

    I have a children’s TV series which starts filming at the end of the month (more details to follow when there’s an official announcement). I’ve had a couple of shorts filmed, I have a feature in development with a British company, and the usual pile of other stuff I’m working on.

    I write thrillers, sci-fi, action and crime movies. I also have a blog, Never Get Off The Bus, at http://www.debbiemoon.wordpress.com .

    • Debbie, I think we’ve ‘chatted’ a bit before about your children’s TV series. Once it goes live, I’m happy to promote, so forward me links, info, etc and I’ll put the power of GITS / creative juju / my best wishes behind your project!

      I have added your blog to my Friends list.

      Isn’t it interesting that of the people to post so far today, most of them hail from Canada or the U.K.? I know the site does have a lot of fans in both, so it’s nice to get to know more creative types on the international front.

  7. I’ve been following GitS for a few years now. I’ve taken one of Scott’s online courses, and it was well worth it.

    I wrote for some blogs (unpaid), published some comics (broke even), made other people’s comics (got paid), and then moved onto screenwriting.

    I wrote movie reviews for Times Square for a hot minute, but I’d rather work on my own creations.

    I recently landed a sweet gig. Now I’m learning about the fun of producer’s notes and development.

    My blog is here: http://westcritic.blogspot.com/

    • Nick, thanks for stopping by. What is your take on the comic book industry right now? I know of several GITS readers who are in the business, have been in the business, interested in doing comic books, have projects underway. Is it up? Down? What’s the future, do you think?

      Re producer’s notes: It all depends upon the producer. Sometimes they give great feedback and even have good suggestions. Other times… not so much. It’s a learning process for writers to figure out that particular minefield, but it’s a critical skill-set to know how to work with notes. So good luck on that… and your project!

      • First off, my producer is a really awesome guy. It’s just that being a self-published comic author (and the leader of a locally successful rock band for six years) I got used to editing my own content and finding my voice. Although my producer is a great guy, he had a different take on our story. It made me stretch myself and let go of my hard-won ego.

        It has definitely been positive, but in the same way building muscle is: You don’t grow without resistance.

        Now, the comic book industry:

        My experience may be a little jaded. As I said I self published, but upon reflection, I wasn’t ready. I was lucky enough to break even and get a little more work. However, it’s a rough industry.

        Like any other entertainment machine, you have to deal with the vicious circle of needing a name before you can make something/in order to make something, you need a name.

        So I said, “fuck that,” and kicked through the door punk-rock style.

        But here’s the problem, I think it’s harder to break into comics than the movie biz. For cinema, the market is just larger and more diverse.

        Here’s what happened to comics (in the simplest terms):

        1) It was an artistic medium to tell stories that was for decades seen as childish.

        2) In the 1980s, people realized comics could be adult oriented and compelling.

        3) The 1990s publishing boom! Comics sell more than ever and millions of fanboys are created. The big companies decide to market their comics as “collectibles.”

        Therefore (for the most part), story suffered while paychecks soared.

        This leads to the asshole comic book store owner (think Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons). Little kids walk into a comic shop, are yelled at for touching the “collectibles,” and head to the video game store instead.

        Comic sales take a dive.

        (Also, many other factors such as Diamond becoming a monopoly on comic’s distribution, I could go on and on…)

        4) Despite many talented creators currently making comics, sales have never recovered. Despite Batman and Iron Man movies, no one goes into the comic shop but fat old white guys (like myself).

        The market is dwindling.

        The industry has been talking for years on how to revive their dying business model.

        Some see iPads and such as the saviors. The debate goes on.

        Comics are essentially in limbo right now. The most successful creators usually write multiple titles each month and sell stuff to Hollywood in order to make the big bucks.

        There’s more, but I’ll shut up now.

        • Thanks for that, Nick. There’s a lot to be said for preparation. I know I made a lot of mistakes after I first broke into Hollywood, many of which I’m recounting in the Business of Hollywood series. It’s one of the reasons I think we need to focus not only writing a great script, but also learning the tools of the craft. Because at the end of the day when a writer sells a spec and starts working in Hollywood, they have to feel confident they can deliver a professional quality script, time after time, on a deadline. Or else their screenwriting career will be short-lived.

          It will be interesting to see what transpires in the comic book world. If you have any insights on that down the road, please keep us informed. And good luck with that script project!

          • Nick, you have got to you use that quote as dialogue in a story. Hell, that is a great jumping off point for a movie’s central theme!

          • So there I was, just telling a story…

            And out of nowhere Scott Meyers challenges me to write a new spec script based off of something I’ve always taken for granted.

  8. Hello

    When I was six years old my father asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. Every day was something new; hockey player, police officer, astronaut or cowboy. My father finally got tired of me changing my mind. So one day he told me that if I really wanted to become all of the above, I needed to work in the movie business. “Because that is a world where everything is possible”. To hear there is a dream world when you are six years old is very dangerous, my father didn’t think more of it. But my life was forever changed.

    My name is Filip Benko, and I am a 25years old actor/writer from Stockholm, Sweden.
    I stumbled upon this blog by luck a month ago. I was so frustrated about my script, and that I was stuck. I searched on Google: “Why can’t I write my goddamn screenplay” and it took me to GITS. I believe it was fate.
    Since then I finished my first draft and hopefully this week my 2nd draft will be done. This is all thanks to you Scott and the inspiration you provide.

    This is my first spec script that I will send out and hopefully it will get made. I will keep you posted here in comments.

    Other than that I’ve been acting in movies and television a few years here in Sweden.
    If anyone is interested you can check these links.

    http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1815281/

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filip_Benko

    Why do we do what we do?
    This is a question I frequently ask myself, and the answer is really simple.
    We are all artists and we are in the dream delivery business. We all have stories to tell, a story that will move, affect and possibly change people’s lives.
    Every time I realize that I get so happy and excited and then I’m struck with a huge responsibility feeling. This is no game, dreams are not a game.
    What we do is a privilege!

    “A culture is only as great as its dreams, and its dreams are dreamed by artists.”

    Glad to make your acquaintance GITS!

    Greetings from a very cold Sweden

    Filip Benko

    • Filip, people normally send me notes thanking me for inspiring them. Well, my friend, your comments inspired me! I love that line: “What we do is a privilege!” Yes! We writers are, as you say, in the “dream delivery business” and to dance with dreams every day on the printed page, what an amazing thing.

      We lose sight of that, don’t we? Especially when it’s a struggle. But then if we look for it, and sometimes even if we don’t, we have a sudden creative inspiration, like typing ““Why can’t I write my goddamn screenplay” into Google.

      So thanks for your words of inspiration, all the way from Sweden. And let me end with this: You are smart to take up writing. What better way for an actor or director to be involved in a story for which they have passion than one they write themselves.

      Please stay in touch. Here’s a special splash of creative juju to get you through that second draft.

      Swooosh!!!

  9. I’m Zach, a screenwriter/director living in the Twin Cities — that’s Minneapolis and Saint Paul for those out of the know.

    I’ve been writing for years with screenplays always my primary focus. I’ve won local awards and been a semi- and quarter-finalist in larger screenwriting contests. I’ve sold a few short scripts as well.

    I love films of every ilk and just love the world of cinema. I’m also a rabid Oscarologist/Academy Awards historian — I can name every major catergory winner of the 83 year history of the Oscars. It’s not as fun as you might think it is…

    I have a blog that I’m tryin to keep updated at least once a week:

    http://f—nobuttheresaposter.blogspot.com/

    Visit and leave whatever comments you see fit. I try to go for a more analytical look at films with the blog, but might slip some gossip and trivia here and there.

    I come to Go Into the Story every day and have learned so much. Between reading scripts, watching movies, writing pages, this blog, and my classes, I can see the improvement in my writing.

    I don’t tend to comment on anything much, but I’m here and will say something if the urge touches me so. But usually everything covered, so there’s not much to add.

    Okay, I’m rambling and my “loopy-head” medicine is kicking in.

    Thanks for the blog. Great job.

    • Zach, greetings! My brother and his family have lived in Minneapolis for nearly 40 years. In fact I was just there in May for my niece’s wedding up in Ruttgers. And of special note to you, there’s this: Nick Schenk to script RoboCop. Schenk wrote Gran Torino in Minneapolis, I believe, at his neighborhood bar, using the bartender as his sounding board.

      I’ve added your blog to the Friends list.

      “I can see the improvement in my writing.” If you can say that every week, then that’s progress. Keep at it, stay in touch, and thanks for venturing out of the shadows to say hello. I appreciate it.

      • Nick Schenk is kind of hero around my school — at least to those in the program who know about him. My screenwriting advisor at Metro State tells his (Schenk’s) story at the beginning of every semester: “It doesn’t matter where you write your scripts, just write. Look at Nick Schenk. Wrote a script here in the Cities and Clint Eastwood made it a movie.”

        Diablo Cody, too, is an inspirational local. Both she and Schenk are screenwriters to admire and strive to match in talent and ability — especially for us living so far away from L.A., way up in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

        • And your instructor is absolutely right to mention Schenk. Outsiders can and do make it in Hollywood. I’m an example of that, a complete outsider who sold a spec script. So as long as the odds are against success, the fact is every year many writers manage to bust down the door and charge in as new screenwriters and TV writers. And yes, Diablo Cody is another great example of that.

  10. Hello! I’m DJ Holloway, a writer and director in Orange County, California.

    I started writing as an independent study project in 8th grade, writing my first “novel.” (50 pages, single spaced! :)

    I transitioned to writing and making movies in high school, completing a 40 minute and a full length movie my junior and senior year. Post graduation, I made three more full-length movies and countless shorts as I also got my English degree from the University of Oregon. Go Ducks! (sorry, that’s a requirement of the program)

    Then I moved down south to pursue the career. I teach at a high school in Fullerton, and was lucky enough to be next door to a fellow filmmaker named Sun Kim. He runs the Talent One Media Film Festival, and invited me to make my first professional short a few years ago.

    I made the award-winning (!) Pie & Coffee and followed up with Sunset and Stormdragon in the subsequent years.

    Last summer I got to check off a HUGE goal of mine, to direct a feature film, and made Innocence Blood with Sun.
    It’s a drama that follows a retired police officer into his past when his son is kidnapped. His only hint from the kidnapper is to “do it right, this time.”

    Currently, I’m trying to work my way into TV writing – I’ve written a Castle spec and an original pilot, and I’m breaking my story for a Justified spec.

    I’m also outlining a new novel and preparing to write a full-length script with Sun Kim this summer as a potential “next step” if (when) our film is successful.

    Innocence Blood site and trailer:
    http://www.innocenceblood.com

    Stormdragon movie (action/comedy):
    http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi3384870425/

    Glad to meet you!

    • DJ, a pleasure to meet you as well. If you don’t mind, I’ll feature your films in the Movies You Made series.

      It sounds like you’re doing what you need to do: staying focused, being aggressive in terms of your writing, and keeping your edge.

      So keep on keeping on, DJ. And do stay in touch about what transpires for you professionally.

  11. Hi Scott,

    My name is Mehran Torgoley. After over a decade in the video game industry, I made the jump into film/video. I’m now an independent writer/director based in southern California. I’ve worked on a number of short films and music videos over the past few years.

    Even though I had written a few short scripts, your site was a great help to me last year when I was really getting my hands dirty figuring out the ‘proper’ way to write a script. In particular your recommendations on the best scripts to read have been very helpful and gave some structure to my personal film studies.

    Below is a link to a trailer of my last short film, and well as a link to my website’s video gallery.

    Room Enough Trailer
    http://vimeo.com/16074848

    video gallery
    http://www.numbir9films.com/#film-commercial

    Thank you,

    -Mehran

    • Mehran, great to meet you. If you don’t mind, I’ll feature your short film in the Movies You Made series [I'll probably get that together some time in February].

      For inspiration, try going here and scroll down to the Q&A I did with F. Scott Frazier. He was in the videogame industry for about a decade, then quit to pursue his dream of becoming a screenwriter. Scott has sold 4 spec scripts, a pitch and landed a big writing assignment, all within about the last 2 years.

      Which is to say, it can and does happen!

      Thanks for taking the time to say hey. Please stay in touch!

  12. Hi, I’m Amos.

    I’m a New York-based writer-director, gearing up to shoot my first feature, which I co-wrote, on a low budget. I also just finished a coming of age comedy script, although at 137 pages, I have a ways to go. Under Scott’s supervision, I’ve been working toward the outline for a new comedy spec.

    Scott was also nice enough to feature my short Perspective, which you can see here: http://vimeo.com/20561213

    And in my script reading days, a disgruntled moment inspired me to write and direct this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PrARU7ZufU

    Nice to see the diversity of people in the GITS community. I love the site and am glad others do.

    • Hey, Amos, great for you to drop in. Your “Perspective” short is terrific and I encourage people to watch it [I featured in the Movies You Made series]. I’ll check out your disgruntled video. Sounds interesting.

      Good to hear about your first feature. Can you give us any more details or do you have to keep it pretty much under wraps?

      • It’s a New York-based romantic-dramedy. I can fill you in on other stuff as details emerge, but we’re going to shoot on a three week schedule in a couple of months. It’s about a relationship between a fading pop star and a never was DJ. You know how Donnie Brasco was the first movie to be about the really low, unglamorous levels of the mafia? We’re the rom-com version of that. My producer may have crossed your radar at one point. She’s the assistant who made an Xtranormal short about working for Gavin Polone (with his blessing and to his amusement). She was also assistant to Steve McQueen on Shame. We’re in the throes of casting right now.

  13. Also, LA people, the guy with glasses in my short Art Film is performing his really, truly delightful one-man, ’90s sitcom-inspired show Sertainly Seth at the UCB theater on February 24th. It’s really great. Can’t stress this enough.

  14. Hi. My name is Janna Gummo. I am an independent Exec. Prod, Producer and Screenwriter out of Calgary, AB, Canada

    I love to tell stories. Screenwriting is just the easiest medium for me. I love the site and all the wisdom. Definitely drop me a line or harass me on twitter @jannagummo should you feel so inclined.

    • Janna, perhaps I passed by you a few years back when I attended the Banff TV conference, my first time flying into and out of Calgary.

      It’s amazing how many GITS followers hail from Canada. Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Winnipeg, and Alberta as well. Just saw an article today about how Canada had a record year in terms of TV and film production dollars last year. Good to hear

      Thanks for dropping in to say hello. Best of luck on all your projects.

  15. Hi Scott and all,

    I try to keep up with GITS and a few other screenwriting bloggers as much as I can but life often gets in the way and I fall back for periods of time. Scott does a great job here, as is evidence by his recent promotion to the black list website too, and I always get something out of the articles.

    My story is that I’ve been playing on the fringes of creative writing in some form for over 20 years (I turned 30 this year). I wrote dozens of shorts at uni, had a million other half-formed ideas, wrote a potboiler thriller novel that will live in a box forever, wrote half a supernatural heist movie that I gave up on when I realised that I didn’t really love writing books or shorts anymore – largely influenced by the fact that I found it impossible to read books due to time constraints.

    Time constraints, otherwise known as “excuses excuses” are the big thing in my life, as I have a fairly high-powered senior-management position and on top of that I’ve got two young kids, a wife who works and we’re on the other side of the planet (Australia) from our family (Scotland). So… it’s not just an excuse!

    Regardless, I have had a deep and abiding love for cinema since I was a child. I’ve been an obsessive and voracious consumer of film – I have a terrible memory in general but I have vivid recollections of lying on on the living room floor as a child enraptured by Jaws, Back to the Future, Star Wars trilogy, the first two Indiana Jones so much that I drove my family mad and can still recite streams of dialogue when bidden. My first cinema experience was Who Framed Roger Rabbit and from that day forth, I was infected by the magic potential of cinema. I’m rabid about it… when the lights dim I’m electric with anticipation and I live for those moments where the hairs on the back of my neck stand up from experiencing something so thrilling, inventive or suspenseful.

    My writing had always been described as very “visual” and every piece I ever wrote came from the storyboard in my mind – always like this, movies playing and me scrambling to capture the images. So I decided to stop trying to translate the imagery into prose and instead capture the essence of my stories in screenplays.

    I only began this journey 3 or 4 years ago and am still coming to grips with the craft. I get through at least one script per week and try to participate in discussion while filtering the learnings through my own projects, like a percolator bubbling away.

    Screenwriting seems a bit like golf – there is an excrutiatingly steep initial learning curve and then it’s a tooth-and-nail incremental process of improvement from there.

    I’ve got a blog, which is about various things not just movies and my lack of writing, here: http://www.howdoiblog.com

    • Greetings, Chris. So let me get this straight: You’re from Scotland and you live in Australia. I’m trying to imagine two countries further apart, certainly aren’t that many!

      You’re probably sick of hearing this, but whenever I think of Scotland and movies, I think of Local Hero, one of my favorite films, just a gem.

      I like your comparison of screenwriting to golf. The thing about golf, as compared to baseball, soccer, basketball, and all the rest, you could, if you chose, stand over the ball all day long… and still flub the shot. Same thing with writing. You can stare at the screen all day long… and still get it wrong. Both can be maddening!

      But then nothing like hitting the ball / nailing that scene, the experience of that sweet spot.

      Glad you’re here and please stay in touch. I added your blog to the Friends list.

  16. Hi Everybody and Scott!

    My name is Dan, I live in Melbourne, Australia, I’m studying screenwriting and GITS has been my home page for nigh on 18 months. As well as scripts, I write short stories and articles for local industry magazines.

    I’d just like to say what a wonderful resource and inspiration I’ve found GITS to be. It’s literally – I wake up – turn on my laptop – read what you’ve put up – carry on with the rest of my day. Superb!

    Along with my writing, I’m also the Social Media Coordinator for an upcoming Indie Feature Film called ‘Wail Away’. It was made on a shoestring budget – without any government funding (which is very rare for an Australian film) and shot in 8 days.

    It’s a psychological horror/ thriller about a young man that discovers his euthanised grandfather was a Nazi and tries to replicate concentration camp conditions – COMPLICATIONS ENSUE!

    Here’s the trailer:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-qLjG-sxM0

    In another unusual development, Mark Lipkin, the film’s writer/ director/ producer has decided to forgo a theatrical release and go directly to international DVD and VOD sales.

    Anyway, just thought I’d FINALLY say hello and say how much I adore this beautiful website and appreciate all your work Scott.

    Cheers,
    Dan
    danjamallan@gmail.com

    • Cheers to you, too, Dan. And congrats on your involvement with “Wail Away.” I’ll be happy to feature in the Movies You Made series, if you’d like. Send more particulars and I can assist you in your Social Media Coordinator role!

      Thanks so much for stepping out of the shadows and introducing yourself. I really appreciate getting to know folks who visit but don’t post. Nothing wrong that at all, just nice to hear folks’ stories.

      • Thanks Scott – That would be great! I’ll send over further details via email. If you ever make it over to Australia, I’ll take you to a game of cricket – lock it in!

        Once again – CHEERS! (raises glass)

  17. Greetings Scott and GITS Fans,

    I’ve been following GITS for about 2 years now.

    I contract to the visual effects industry, working on such shows as Fringe, Raising Hope, Outlaw, Flash Forward, Pushing Daisies, Lost and Alias. I’ve also worked on a couple of movies, both made-for-TV and theatrical.

    But I really want to make a break into screenwriting. I want to write the scenes for those shows and movies for a change.

    I’m self-taught, using books and the Internet as my classroom. I taught myself visual effects this way and figured I could take the same route to screenwriting.

    I’ve always been a fan of film. I try and watch at least one movie every week, and break down the story elements as I watch. I’ve probably seen thousands of films. As a kid I would make my own Super8 movies. I often wonder what I would have done if I had access to the same kinds of technology that kids have today. It’s inspiring.

    I wrote my first script in 1997. It was quite an accomplishment at the time. Ten years pass and I dig out this screenplay and reread it. I even get some outside critique. It is terrible, as all first screenplays are. I do a page one rewrite on it and surprise myself with a much better screenplay.

    I now have completed three feature scripts, all of which have been through the rewrite process numerous times, and have ideas for a few more. I had the good fortune to meet a professional writer/producer who has been kind enough to read and give notes on my scripts. It’s been really great. And thanks to Scott and GITS and all the information he shares, it’s finally getting to the point where I can actually see myself breaking through.

    It hasn’t happened yet, but it will. It’s just a matter of time and screenplays. It’s slow going, with a day job and a family, but I am making progress.

    Thank you for GITS, Scott. It has made a great difference in my life.

    All the best,
    Lee

    http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1601873/
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QQwITqUa6U
    http://frankenscript.com/

    • Hey, Lee, all these years on Twitter and now I can put a name to a T-Handle! Thanks for that.

      It’s great that we have so many people involved in the entertainment industry as folks such as yourself can shed light on the many aspects of what’s involved in TV and film production.

      For example, when you say visual effects, would you mind breaking that down for readers a little bit more. What specifically are your areas of focus? And how has what you do with your work influence how you approach your screenwriting?

      Three scripts, eh? Apart from three being my favorite number (per Aristotle on story: Beginning, Middle, End), K-9 was my third script so I generally recommend to writers to knock out three scripts before you start to think your stuff is awesome. We all need time churning out pages to develop the prerequisites of what it takes to be a working screenwriter.

      Great to hear from you and please stay in touch! See you on Twitter!

      • Visual effects is a huge encompassing term, and covers so many things, but always involves computers, as opposed to special effects, which are physical (like explosions, miniatures, things you can touch, etc.)

        I’ve done a little bit of everything, including modeling (creating 3d objects), texturing (digitally “painting” 3d objects), lighting, matchmoving (matching camera movements so 3d objects fit seamlessly into a shot), and compositing (layering images to get a final shot; think Photoshop, but over a sequence of images instead of one). You would be surprised how many shows use visual effects to reduce their budgets (if done correctly that is). I have focused on matchmoving and compositing. My role has been special since I have worked independently from a home office, uploading and downloading shots and materials to visual effects companies managing the production. Many studios prefer to keep it all in-house, but more studios are opening up to this new work paradigm.

        This affects my screenwriting in a couple of ways. First, I am aware how visual effects can expand a movie’s budget and can account for that in the script. On occasion I get to read the script describing the shot(s) I work on. It’s amazing how few words in a script can create a mountain of visual effects work. But one of the most important aspects is the self-discipline required and the ability to work under pressure. It’s a lot like the “hurry up and wait” scenario. I’ll finish a “first draft” of a shot and I get notes back, revisions, polishing, then it’s out. I rarely hear back. However it’s a lot more fast paced, especially with the compressed production schedules of TV. Deadlines come fast and furious, and time management and creative problem solving are vitally important skills. There’s no time for “blank page” frustrations. So when I impose a deadline on myself or a pages-per-day quota to meet and I’m feeling blocked, I’ll just write through it, because in the real world, you can’t miss a deadline. If you cross that line, you’re dead.

        I hope that helps explain things somewhat.

        Keep up the great work!

        All the best,
        Lee

  18. Reading some of these intros is as intimidating as I thought it might be, but glad to see someone else from MN. (Though I be more distant.)

    I wanted to say hi as a representative of those of us who are still totally new to this. (I can’t be the only one.) Still working on that first or second story. Still finding our voice. Still trying to muster the courage to even tell others what keeps them up at night.

    I have been following for about 1 year now and hope to someday be able to re-introduce myself and say “remember when”.

    Finally, my new writing mantra:
    “It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop.”

    • Adem, greetings. A quick word to put things into context for you: Every writer started off as a new writer. I hope you get a chance to do a “remember when” post here, too!

      Keep on keeping on!

  19. Hi! I’m Michael Seidelman. I work in Online Marketing in Vancouver, BC (Canada) and while screenwriting may not yet be my day job, it’s something I’m very passionate about. I’ve written five feature scripts and co-wrote a sitcom pilot with a friend. So far I’ve mostly focused on comedy and horror and plan on writing an action script next.

    I wrote a sequel to Spider-Man 3 (titled Spider-Man 4…clever, huh?). Unfortunately, you won’t see it in theatres this summer but I’ve posted it online – http://www.ifiwrotespiderman4.com. I’ve had thousands of views to the PDF and lots of great feedback from readers. I’d love to hear what you think!

    Feel free to follow me on Twitter too! @mseidelman

    • Michael, the blog has a ton of followers in Vancouver, not surprising seeing as it’s such a hotbed for film, TV and commercial production. I also know they have a lively screenwriting group. Are you familiar with it? Please stay in touch and best of luck to you in all your creative endeavors!

  20. Hi from Lancashire in the UK. Let me introduce myself I’m Liz – I am working on a feature film project – I am a new writer trying to learn the craft. At the moment I am working on the first draft of my project – I am not sure if I am writing the script in the correct way – I am at this moment just getting the story down – and not focusing on any other aspect. Can I ask how other writers handled the first draft? Thank you.

    • Liz, welcome! Re your question: If you mean format, that is pretty easily resolved by using some sort of screenwriting software, such as Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter. You can go to Celtx.com and use their software for free.

      If you’re referring to screenplay structure, that is more complex. You can check out my approach — what I call Narrative Throughline — here.

      If you’re talking the actual process of writing, you can check out my 10 part approach here.

      The main thing about a first draft is just to get the thing done.

      One thing you can do to help further your understanding of the craft is to read scripts and watch movies. We do a script reading and analysis every month here. I encourage you to participate the next session which will be the last week of February.

      Good luck!

      • Hi Scott, Thank you so much for taking the time to reply I really appreciate your response. I have final draft so I am getting to grips with format. My problem is – should I try and get everything right before I move on or just power through and then go back to the beginning at the end of the first draft, but it won’t really be a first draft I suppose – maybe if I view this part of the writing process more as an exercise in getting to know my characters and then write the first draft – so this draft will be a pre-first draft – draft. Oh that sounds ridiculous. Thank you. Liz

  21. Hey Scott,

    I’ve been following for about a month now and enjoy the frequent posts popping up in my Google Reader feed throughout the day. They’re often a good excuse to take a break from some other task and learn something more/new about screenwriting and the business.

    Anyway, I’m a producer foremost, but write when time permits and projects require. Living in L.A., originally from Chicago.

    I’ve got a few features I’m working developing with other writers, but we also just wrapped post on our short film GATEWAY. If you don’t mind sharing, I’ve got a trailer that’s public (the short is headed to the festival route so we can’t post it online just yet). We also just received the first draft of the feature version of GATEWAY from the writer/director. Exciting times.

    GATEWAY: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbUUjhJQ_xc

    GATEWAY on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gatewayfilm

    And I’m on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PlucharC

    Thanks for all you do and I look forward to more of your creative juju in the future!

    Take Care,
    Chris

    • Hey, Chris, glad you found the site. I’ll definitely feature the trailer for “Gateway” in the upcoming Movies You Made series. How do you like LA as compared to Chicago? The latter is a terrific city. But I’m partial to LA, no other place quite like it.

      Good luck with your film projects!

  23. Hi Scott! I stumbled across your blog with the rest of the surge in January or so. Thoroughly enjoying your posts so far. My name’s Kevin, I live in LA and after several years here I’m pleased to report I love the city. I’ve been dabbling in screenwriting since I was 13 but pursuing it wholeheartedly for a slightly shorter time. Always experimenting with new methods to ideate and complete feature scripts, and I’ve got a pile to my credit now, though a few of them are unreadable, educational “burners.”

    I’ve written/directed and edited a number of shorts, but my favorite is still A Cut Above, which was my undergrad thesis at USC. Have a look-see!

    http://vimeo.com/5534768

    Beyond that, a light googling would lead any curious person to some comedy and miscellany to which I’ve put my name, much of it far too crass for a classy forum like this one. Look forward to being part of this site’s community!

    • Kevin, greetings! And this would be you? Great to have you aboard. And I’m thinking I’ll have to include
      A Cut Above in the Movies You Made series. Always great to have someone into comedy around. I did stand-up for 2 years. That’s like one of those special ‘clubs’ in life (e.g., serving in combat, becoming a parent) where you have to have done it to really understand what it’s like. Look forward to hearing from you and best of luck in all your creative endeavors!

      • Ha! Though I’ve done some comedically dangerous things and a fair amount of improv, standup remains a great fear of mine. Not sure if I should embrace by doing or wisely stay away. It’s a tempting siren, to be sure. Yes, the imdb link is definitely me (have yet to encounter another Kevin Oeser in life). I’ll try to chime in more on some of these posts in the future, thanks for replying!

        I actually noticed on your homepage that you teach at UNC Chapel Hill. A musical play I wrote is going up in the theatre program there in a couple weeks, called The Milford Project. It’s funny!

  24. Hi Scott,

    First of all, thanks for all your work on this blog. I’ve been following for at least two years it has been immensely helpful.

    My name is Jordan, currently living in LA, and getting paid by the government to write (i.e. living on unemployment). I’ve had a passion for films since I was younger and for the written word for just as long. It took me a while to put the two together and truly make a commitment to the craft but once I did so I noticed my level of happiness and enjoyment of life increase exponentially. With help from a friend, I ended up finding work in Los Angeles in 2010, made the big move, and have been loving it ever since.

    I’ve been writing a variety of projects, from features to web shorts, and most recently have found myself really focusing on TV writing (big shout out to Nerdist Writer’s Panel podcast for that).

    In March, I’ll begin production on a short film I wrote (and our company funded through Kickstarter) called “UPLDR”.

    It’s near-future sci-fi thriller about a rogue scientist that takes his self-experimentation too far, with grave consequences not only for himself and those around him but humanity as a whole.

    You can find more about movie and watch a trailer here:

    http://www.upldrmovie.com

    We have been maintaining a blog detailing all the behind the scenes aspects of getting it made, from incorporation to casting, funding, and pre-production, at http://www.sentientcinema.com.

    Our company is on Twitter @sentientcinema and I also tweet @BeingJordanM . We also have a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SentientCinema.

    Cheers,

    Jordan

Leave a Reply

Connect with: