Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Back to Basics

Someone emailed me the other day and said, "Aren't you basically giving us the stuff that all of the other books, seminars, and conferences do when it comes to writing?"

To that I have to say a resounding," YES!"

I'm also showing you what I do, because that's what has worked for me thus far. Judging by the number of email pitches that I get, scripts I read, and verbal crap that gets shoved in my ears...
You guys and gals aren't listening to me, or to the executives or to anyone else with real experience in the industry. You are too busy thinking you're going to take Ho-wood by storm instead of learning how to have a career in a very tough industry.

Big difference between the two.

The best, most honest piece of advice I can give you is this:

If you can't hook me in one sentence, you're NOT going to hook me with 95 pages. Start small. Go from there. Simplicity is harder to craft than it looks. Those that can do it have a shot at being real storytellers...

In other words:Get back to basics.

So go on. What are you waiting for?

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I enjoy reading your blog even if it does reiterate information found elsewhere. Just thought you'd like to know.

Cunningham said...

Thanks! I want to give my perspective on the tried and true methods I use every day. I had a bad pitch day yesterday listening to reeeaalllly baaaaaad pitches from people who said this was their fourth or fifth script. I was astounded, and after awhile angry. Hence, the post.

Anonymous said...

This place is way more fun than blogs by other more mainstream screenwriters.

I just flashed through your entire posts during my lunch hour. If you rocked any harder, it would disrupt the space-time conflavium©.

I'm also feverishly running through all the other foreign trailers where you linked to Giant Robo Juice Yes Go! (my own rough translation). WTF is going on in the Far East? Everyone's a robot, or a mystic kung fu monk, or they have a pet elephant!

Makes me wish I spoke Japanasian, or could understand those nutty squiggles they write in.

Cunningham said...

The fun thing about japanese movies is you don't have to understand half of what they say - the stuff's so action packed and "designed" that the stories they tell are universal. And they don't spend a lot to do them either which really makes it good for the studios.

What kid doesn't fantasize about having a giant robot?!!!