QUESTION OF THE MONTH
Through my own efforts my screenplay is being read by a studio. Yet, when I called an agency for representation, this seemed to make very little difference to them. They told me that I could have the people at the studio (who are reading my script) call them if they're interested in the project. What gives here? I thought I was doing the agent a favor by already getting my script read and that they would welcome me with open arms. Please help me out - what's going on here?
ANSWER
What's happening is this--lots of writers claim the big studio read is in their horizon. Sometimes it's true. Sometimes it's not (or it just doesn't pan out).
So the agency will hedge its bet.
If it's true and it pans out, you can claim to have an agent, and, in a way you do. If it doesn't work out then the agency is not "stuck" with a client they may not want. I'd consider the whole thing a STEP UP. You've got something going! (Success is when you trade in one set of problems for a better set of problems.)
Tips:
1. The moment you throw something in that doesn't belong in your story, solely for the sake of appealing to some imagined reader who you think wants a bit more sex or sentimentality--at that moment, your story dies a little and becomes a little more of a lie.
2. Don't start with a mystery and end with the hero finding great love. End by solving the mystery.
3. EXPERIMENT: take a couple of pages out of your script. Are your characters distinctive enough that, if you REMOVED THEIR NAMES from the pages, you could tell who they are JUST FROM the dialogue? If not, you need to do more work.
4. Don't mix forms to "cover" all bases. If you're going to do a movie where people throw pies, then let them throw pies. Save your Oscar winning love scene for another script.
5. Rule of thumb: get into scenes as late as you can and get out early. Forget about the "glad to meet you's" and the "what would you like for dinner's." "How can I start a scene as close to the end as possible?"
6. Rule of thumb re dialogue, less is better.
7. Before writing anything, you should be able to tell someone the story (and have it worked out so smoothly) that it's practically ready to write itself.
GETTING STARTED--start keeping a journal of your story ideas, insights, inspirations, things that make you laugh, stuff that you notice, bits and pieces etc. Keep doing this. Your creative consciousness will begin to grow. "It" will know that you mean business. Ideas for screenplays, scenes, juicy characters etc. will begin to manifest and "spin" off these little pieces of gold. "Grow" these ideas on a regular basis. Keep files. Treat each notion as if it were a separate business.
In all of your creative endeavors, try to stay EMOTIONALLY CONNECTED rather than academically. Ultimately, entertainment is about FEELINGS.
Also, remember that the story is the engine. Do you have a story to tell? Does it have a beginning, middle and end. Does it have twists and surprises? Is your hero steeped in conflict? Do you put him/her through the ringer?
There are lots of books that can give you direction on process (ie: structure, character development etc) but it's all there to SERVE the "art." Don't let "IT" become more important than ideas that burn in your heart.
IT'S HARD TO FAIL WHEN YOU'RE WORKING AT SOMETHING ALL THE TIME.
DON'T INVEST IN WRITER'S BLOCK. "What you give energy to, you empower."
WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW or about what truly fascinates you. These are areas of experience and interest for which you are the sole proprietor! This will give you an automatic leg up in your writing. However you will inevitably need to shape and dramatize the material in order to make it entertaining for the rest of us. (It doesn't have to be based on 100% of the truth. It's enough that the truth is your inspiration and catalyst).
Remember there are certain things that you've been researching for your whole life.
CLUSTERING
Try "clustering" (get into your right brain). This means-- quickly, without thinking about it, write down a piece of dialogue or "piece of business" whatever and put it in a circle. Next, real fast, draw a line from that circle and quickly write down whatever comes into your mind. Circle that and keep going. Don't censor what you write. Just do it. This technique is like a word association thing designed for you to get out of your head and into your flow.
THE RIGHT TIME TO FIRE AN ABUSIVE AGENT
The question about keeping an agent can be very tricky. Yes, "any old port in a storm" philosophy has a certain validity. It just depends on how "stormy" things are. It's nice to have an agent but it hurts to have an ineffectual rep when you have a dynamite product and nothing is happening. This can easily become a form of abuse (by silence and inaction).
My advice, get your product right first. Get it to a point where you KNOW it's kickin butt. Then, if you're not getting action (and respect) from the agent, you may have to take a big breath and move on, believing that there's someone out there who will like your work. One big tip, no matter who your agent is, never sit around waiting for her/him to "do it for you." That doesn't mean that you should interfere with the agent's efforts, it just means to constantly be working on plan B and C.
PROPAGANDA
"Persuasive writing only works when it doesn't feel like propaganda."
(ie)--"No amount of philosophizing about the rights of dolphins will have as much effect on readers as the simple story of the life of one dolphin, his birth, upbringing, family life, playfulness all leading to his senseless drowning after being caught in a tuna net." (source unknown)
QUOTATIONS OF THE MONTH
Most of us spend half our time wishing for things we could have if we didn't spend half our time wishing." Alexander Woollcott
"I knew I was supposed to be a writer; I had made that declaration in the closet of my soul." Padgett Powell
"Fantasy abandoned by reason produces impossible monsters; united with her, she is the mother of the arts and the origin of their marvels," Francisco Goya
Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow that talent to the dark place were it leads." Erica Jong
(Above quotations came from Walking on Alligators by Susan Shaugnessy)
HOLLYWOODSCRIPT.COM
As most of you know already, my name is Craig Kellem. I'm a transposed Hollywood professional. I've been an agent, studio development exec, producer and writer (WGA member). I now have a script consulting service. I help people improve their scripts and seriously prepare their material for the marketplace.
Most of my clients are really happy with my work. (They almost always send me revisions and subsequent scripts). And, unlike many so-called "script doctors" and "readers" out there, I have real-world credentials and references.
Whether your script is "finished" or "almost there," I can help you. I have writer clients who are very grateful they made one more stop before marketing their material. Good notes can make a huge difference.
Check out my site -- http://www.hollywoodscript.com -- You can also E-Mail me at craig.kellem@valley.net or call me at 603-795-4323.
My price is very fair, $150.00. If you want me to read the revision, I'll give you a third off.
What I believe I do well--
- *I have a natural sense of story (the "mathematics," if you will of a script). I can sense it strongly when a story's off.
- *My notes are carefully rendered. I'm very aware how bad notes and mis-cues can mess a writer up.
- *I'm close to my feelings. If there's something to be felt, I'm probably going to feel it. I also know when emotional scenes etc don't register.
- *I like writers and I like material. I feel a deep responsibility in being entrusted with your dreams.
TUTORING
I teach screenwriting at various colleges in my local area. But I tutor people (outside of the area) via telephone and e-mail. If you're interested, let me know. (tutoring can include helping writers set up their scripts and help them through the writing process).
THE ECLECTIC WORLD OF SCRIPT NOTES
*Several months ago I received a screenplay from a first time writer. It was sent to me by an agent with whom I consult. He said that although he liked this comedy-drama, something was wrong with the script. He couldn't put his finger on the exact problem. He wanted to know what I thought. It was an easy script to get into; I could see why he thought it had potential. I found myself enjoying the read. However, about half way through, it began to dawn on me what the problem was. Although the writing was delightful, I was no longer liking the heroine. I knew that this was a serious problem--I mean you really need to like your protagonist. So I thought about the character. I realized that I had liked her (at first) because she was quirky and fresh and especially because she was uncompromising. She wouldn't sell out.
But then she did.
It was a subtle transition camouflaged in nuggets of comedy but it happened nevertheless. And even though everything turned out well in the end, I knew that readers would have been disenchanted with her for almost 1/2 of the script; much too long! On a conscious or unconscious level our heroine would not have been forgiven. This would definitely affect the viability of this script.
I believe that many "experts" would have put this script in the out-box proclaiming that "it just didn't work." (This happens all the time). But I knew that this script was promising. In fact it only needed one fix--one that was simple but yet profound--she (the character) would have to find a way to tell us, at the time of her moral departure, that she needed to "play the game" (ie compromise) but that she still was very much who she had always been.
The writer took the note. Now, when she "sells out," the reader feels like a co-conspirator. The script works.
*Another script featured a fairly shaky premise. Without spilling the beans, suffice to say that it was vaguely like that Robert Redford movie where he offers some poor guy a million bucks to sleep with his wife (not my favorite kind of idea). But guess what, after the setup (in act one), this script was stunningly effective. But what to do? The premise itself was faulty. And because of this, the characters never really recovered from being tainted by a seemingly unworthy situation. How do you salvage an otherwise solid project? Would you declare it DOA? Some would. But what a waste.
I viewed this as a fairly familiar problem, one that writers and producers face all the time. How can you take a high concept notion which has a flaw and stretch it enough to serve as an effective catalyst for an otherwise effective script? The remedy was just that--maximize the feasibility of the premise and invent sympathetic justification for the characters involved in this situation. (We needed to like them). The majority of my notes concentrated on "finessing" the original premise, actually the first 15 pages.
To be honest there was no perfect way to do it, but knowing that upfront saved us a lot of struggle. Our energy was saved for what COULD be done. The notes helped the writer push the project "over the finish line" --it became very submittable. It was a good piece of surgical and strategic script-tweaking.
*Another script also had real potential but the writer had sloppy work habits. It was very hard to read. She employed a kind of stylistic short-hand, thus the script was littered with things that were irritating to read and also confusing. The script would not have sold.
I could see that there was something of real value in her work obscured by what I considered to be more of a clerical problem than a problem with art. So, in addition to a phone conference, I gave the writer very detailed notes (on audio tape; page by page). Cleaning up the script was an absolute necessity because I know that everytime someone has to stop reading (in order to figure something out (logistical), the magic is compromised.
Since its been a while (since the last newsletter), I'm including a few items from the last one that I think are important for new subscribers.
Tips
1. If the story doesn't work, then the script won't work. If at any given time, your reader is not wondering, "What's going to happen next?"--you've got a problem.
2. 2. Author Julia Cameron says, "The singular image is what haunts us and becomes art." Think about that! At last "a place" to put all of your little insights, moments of truth, fascinations and unique experiences hat previously lacked a "file." If you access that "file" while preparing your script and use these hot little tidbits as springboards for scenes, your script is going to be buzzing with honesty and life. This is what audiences crave.
3. There is no such thing as a throwaway or a transitional scene. Scenes should not only add value to the overall story but also need to possess intrinsic entertainment value as well.
4. Writing a script is relatively easy. The real work is in preparing, building and "arc-ing" out the story and defining the characters. Once the "blueprint" is in place, the writing itself is usually a welcome enterprise. Many writers have trouble being patient enough with this process and it can cost them dearly in the long run.
5. There are many "techniques" for creating and developing characters some of which are effective. However, the single most important thing you can do is to have a strong emotional connection with your character. Intellectual platitudes and techniques are OK, but audiences want characters who are alive. Find your most visceral emotional connections. Don't settle on a character until you do.
6. Remember those POW movies where the prisoners tried to escape by digging a secret tunnel? Then they'd get rid of the dirt by putting it nto the cuffs of their pants and spread it around the camp? That's how exposition (ie: info that the audience needs to be told) should be handled. Hide it. Spread it around. Keep it as invisible as you can and always try to convert it into ammunition (ie: action).
7. Subtext is the name of the game. Potential lovers nervously conversing about train schedules (when you know their real underlying "conversation" is about their aching desire for each other), is usually more compelling and effective than the same twosome spilling every thought in their head. In Casablanca the entire relationship between Rick and Renault was completely subtextural. (Rent the movie and see what I mean).
8. When it comes to dialogue, less is better. Pick up the most successful screenplays and you'll notice great economies when it comes o words.
9. "Who is your hero? What is his/her goal? Who or what is preventing her/him from reaching that goal?" (Intense pressure on your hero in a atmosphere of conflict will help keep your story mobile and entertaining).
10. If you have to stretch reality, do it judiciously and surround it with a bedrock of credibility and truth in other issues.
11. "Layer" your scenes. One of the most effective strategies writers use (like, for example, Quentin Tarantino) is to add extra juicy tidbits and mini-subplots within scenes, while the main story continues to unravel.
12. Make room for surprises. Audiences love them.
13. Surrender to this fact: writing is rewriting.
14. Have another (nice) way of making a living while you're trying to make it as a writer. This will give you space to grow and create without going nuts. Waiting by the telephone is a prescription for despair.
GETTING READ
Getting read is the $64,000 question. It's a question that doesn't have an easy answer. Producers, agents and studios receive so much material that they can't possibly read it all.
They're also very scared of lawsuits. Thus so-called "unsolicited material" is usually sent back unopened. So where does that leave you and how do writers' break through?
Lots of ways is the answer. Sometimes a writer knows someone who knows someone. Who do you know? Rack your brains. Sometimes the writer takes a course or a seminar and the teacher is "connected." Getting this instructor to read your script is the first step. Another method is to send a query letter to agents and producers.
Also you can call the various agencies (and studios) and try to get the
names of the newer agents/recently promoted young turks--people starting out who may be "hungry" for new blood. Schmooze with receptionists for a name. Scan the "trades" for announcements of these kinds of promotions. There are also contests one can enter. Hollywood is always impressed with contest recognition.
Check out various screenwriting websites concerning these contests. Pick up some writing magazines as well for this info. In these same magazines there are often articles where Hollywood pros are interviewed. You can find out what's on their mind. Then you can write to them personally and refer to what they said in the article. Get back issues of these magazines as well.
Here's another method that could produce interesting results: write to the director and/or star who you'd like to participate in your movie. Make it like a fan letter. Make a convincing creative argument as to why your script is right for them. Draw analogies with work they've done. Often these artists have offices on the various "lots." You might be able to find their studio addresses through the various guilds (DGA, SAG, WGA). Consider the whole effort like good detective work. Pursue he hell out of it!
Someone will read your script. But the script's gotta be "cherry." That's where I come in.
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Copyright 1999 Craig Kellem |
