We just got power back on here at the Secret Mountain HQ. The two inches of rain last night blew out the entire grid for our area (does that strike anyone else as a bit hinky?).
Thank you everyone for your well-wishes on my birthday.
Feel free to send raw meat, sisters in law or nieces my way -- we neanderthals have to keep up our strength.
(cue knuckle-dragging caveman-like roar)
Ahem, well - Since we were plunged back into the prehistoric, I took out the stone knives and bearskins and hand-wrote a pitch I have scheduled for later this week. This is for a script assignment adapting a comic book. The pitch calls for my expertise in comics, horror and living in the South. If I tell you the title, you will understand why I'm perfect for this one.
I'll let you know if the producer shares my view.
If he doesn't, I'll feed him to Devil Dinosaur...(anyone remember that one?)
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Blog Fu - Mad Pulp Bastard Technique
So, a year has gone by and it's time to relive the first round of highlights from DISContent:
What’s It Called Kid?
So What’s Your Big Idea Anyway?
The Better Teacher
Marketing from the Ground Up
KISS This!
The Arkoff Formula
What’s This Contest About Anyway?
Claw
The Chimera
Something Borrowed
What’s It Called Kid?
So What’s Your Big Idea Anyway?
The Better Teacher
Marketing from the Ground Up
KISS This!
The Arkoff Formula
What’s This Contest About Anyway?
Claw
The Chimera
Something Borrowed
Saturday, February 25, 2006
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words...
which is why as screenwriters we are admonished to, "show, not tell." In that spirit, I present to you (some of) my childhood:
It explains a lot...
It explains a lot...
Thursday, February 23, 2006
From The Gallery:
"You don't learn anything until something gets made"
--- Ted Tally, screenwriter of Silence of the Lambs
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Another Sign The Apocalypse Is Coming
SCI FI Channel and Stan Lee Looking for the Next Big Superhero.
SCI FI Channel is on a nationwide search for the first ever, true-life superhero!
Who Wants to be a Superhero is a new reality series by comic book creator, Stan Lee (Spider Man, ¨Hulk¨, "The Fantastic Four,¨ and X-Men¨) about people who have created their very own original Superhero. We are looking for people everywhere who have an original Superhero concept, with intense Superhero powers, a killer costume, and a mission to accomplish.
The reward is the best reality competition prize yet: IMMORTALITY!
The winning character will star in a brand new Stan Lee comic book series and also be featured in a new original Sci Fi Channel movie!!! Requirements to be considered for the show include:
A ten minute length tape of you, as yourself first, and then as your Superhero alter ego, preferably in full costume. The better and more creative your costume, the better chance you have of being cast on the show.
A completed application, to be emailed to you after you have contacted us.
If you have a wild, creative, original Superhero inside of you, please contact our FSA Entertainment Casting Department at (310) 360-6630 and ask about Who Wants to be a Superhero.
Job location is Anywhere USA
Compensation: $1400 + comic book + movie + immortality!!!
SCI FI Channel is on a nationwide search for the first ever, true-life superhero!
Who Wants to be a Superhero is a new reality series by comic book creator, Stan Lee (Spider Man, ¨Hulk¨, "The Fantastic Four,¨ and X-Men¨) about people who have created their very own original Superhero. We are looking for people everywhere who have an original Superhero concept, with intense Superhero powers, a killer costume, and a mission to accomplish.
The reward is the best reality competition prize yet: IMMORTALITY!
The winning character will star in a brand new Stan Lee comic book series and also be featured in a new original Sci Fi Channel movie!!! Requirements to be considered for the show include:
A ten minute length tape of you, as yourself first, and then as your Superhero alter ego, preferably in full costume. The better and more creative your costume, the better chance you have of being cast on the show.
A completed application, to be emailed to you after you have contacted us.
If you have a wild, creative, original Superhero inside of you, please contact our FSA Entertainment Casting Department at (310) 360-6630 and ask about Who Wants to be a Superhero.
Job location is Anywhere USA
Compensation: $1400 + comic book + movie + immortality!!!
What's It Cost?
I've had a couple of inquiries in the past month, regarding what it takes financially to put together the kind of movies we used to do at my old company. Certainly you can do movies for cheaper, Robert Rodriguez proved that, but not by much.
So the following is the budget topsheet for a typical low budget action movie. Remember that you can do this if you've written a script per my Low Budget guidelines. If you overwrite the script -- put in too many locations, parts, etc -- then money goes down the drain and not on the screen where it belongs.
PSEUDO ACTION MOVIE "X"
4 weeks preproduction
12 day shooting schedule
8 weeks post
CATEGORY// COST:
WRITING $2,500
DIRECTOR $4,000
TALENT $4,750
TOTAL ABOVE THE LINE $11,250
PRODUCTION STAFF $6,700
CAMERA $8,000
ART DEPARTMENT $2,500
SPECIAL FX $1,000
SET OPERATIONS $2,900
ELECTRICAL $4,600
STUNTS $2,150
EXTRA TALENT $100
WARDROBE $1,100
MAKEUP & HAIR $2,050
PRODUCTION SOUND $3,800
LOCATIONS $5,100
TRANSPORTATION $1,600
FILM & LAB $12,500
2ND UNIT $1,600
TOTAL PRODUCTION $55,700
EDITING $8,300
VIDEO POST PRODUCTION $3,700
MUSIC $1,000
POST PRODUCTION SOUND $3,500
TRAILER $2,200
TOTAL POST PRODUCTION $18,700
INSURANCE $9,150
GENERAL EXPENSES $3,500
TOTAL OTHER $12,650
GRAND TOTAL $100,000
So the following is the budget topsheet for a typical low budget action movie. Remember that you can do this if you've written a script per my Low Budget guidelines. If you overwrite the script -- put in too many locations, parts, etc -- then money goes down the drain and not on the screen where it belongs.
PSEUDO ACTION MOVIE "X"
4 weeks preproduction
12 day shooting schedule
8 weeks post
CATEGORY// COST:
WRITING $2,500
DIRECTOR $4,000
TALENT $4,750
TOTAL ABOVE THE LINE $11,250
PRODUCTION STAFF $6,700
CAMERA $8,000
ART DEPARTMENT $2,500
SPECIAL FX $1,000
SET OPERATIONS $2,900
ELECTRICAL $4,600
STUNTS $2,150
EXTRA TALENT $100
WARDROBE $1,100
MAKEUP & HAIR $2,050
PRODUCTION SOUND $3,800
LOCATIONS $5,100
TRANSPORTATION $1,600
FILM & LAB $12,500
2ND UNIT $1,600
TOTAL PRODUCTION $55,700
EDITING $8,300
VIDEO POST PRODUCTION $3,700
MUSIC $1,000
POST PRODUCTION SOUND $3,500
TRAILER $2,200
TOTAL POST PRODUCTION $18,700
INSURANCE $9,150
GENERAL EXPENSES $3,500
TOTAL OTHER $12,650
GRAND TOTAL $100,000
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Download This!
Rich Johnston has a great "Lying in the Gutter"column in this week's Comic Book Resources about Marvel making plans for their online comics. Many of the ideas that Marvel is floating forth for "downloadable comics" is based on the Apple model.
And they're both wrong.
What's really interesting about all this is that Apple, the Networks and Marvel are so blind to what downloading is - simply another method to get the content to the consumer.
Yet, they want to charge for it - even though advertising has already paid for it!
Hmmm....
For example (TV) - wouldn't you like to be able to download an episode of Grey's Anatomy or Desperate Housewives for free instead of for $.99 each episode? Keep the advertising on it, or get new advertisers for the downloads. "Desperate Housewives is brought to you by the new Ford Truck!"
For example (comics) - wouldn't you like to get the latest Marvel comics onto your laptop while you're on vacation or a business trip? Keep the advertising! If the stories and the art are cool enough, the online editions serve as a great advertisement for the trade paperback.
But you're out there saying, "It'll never work, Bill!"
It already does.
Example (newspapers) - The Los Angeles Times has one of the best print and online editions of their paper in the country. They are world-renowned. The online edition is free.
Example (magazines) - Variety has a print and online version. You can read any article in the online edition that you can in the print if you watch the ads before the article. If you want to use Variety's market data then, you have to be a subscriber.
It's even gone to the point where Video Business magazine is free (both in print and online) because...
Advertising pays for it!
If you want to revolutionize comics and television, and make them accesible by anyone anywhere...
Then start selling ads. Quit making people pay subscriptions or fees to online comics or tv shows.
Oh, wait. It's already happened! (Dark Horse's Megatokyo)
Now all it takes is an entrepeneurial producer and/or network to do the same for television.
And they're both wrong.
What's really interesting about all this is that Apple, the Networks and Marvel are so blind to what downloading is - simply another method to get the content to the consumer.
Yet, they want to charge for it - even though advertising has already paid for it!
Hmmm....
For example (TV) - wouldn't you like to be able to download an episode of Grey's Anatomy or Desperate Housewives for free instead of for $.99 each episode? Keep the advertising on it, or get new advertisers for the downloads. "Desperate Housewives is brought to you by the new Ford Truck!"
For example (comics) - wouldn't you like to get the latest Marvel comics onto your laptop while you're on vacation or a business trip? Keep the advertising! If the stories and the art are cool enough, the online editions serve as a great advertisement for the trade paperback.
But you're out there saying, "It'll never work, Bill!"
It already does.
Example (newspapers) - The Los Angeles Times has one of the best print and online editions of their paper in the country. They are world-renowned. The online edition is free.
Example (magazines) - Variety has a print and online version. You can read any article in the online edition that you can in the print if you watch the ads before the article. If you want to use Variety's market data then, you have to be a subscriber.
It's even gone to the point where Video Business magazine is free (both in print and online) because...
Advertising pays for it!
If you want to revolutionize comics and television, and make them accesible by anyone anywhere...
Then start selling ads. Quit making people pay subscriptions or fees to online comics or tv shows.
The rule in business is to always ask yourself, "Where is the money in this venture?" The money in online downloading isn't in fees and subscriptions (except for data) but it's in advertising. The web provides accessibilty. It allows advertisers to get their message outon your "programming" and for you to advertise your brand and merchandise based on said brand (the trade paperback mentioned above).
There is coming a time when comics will be on the web first, then printed in a trade paperback form for collectors. They will be free on the web and appropriately priced at the bookstore.Oh, wait. It's already happened! (Dark Horse's Megatokyo)
Now all it takes is an entrepeneurial producer and/or network to do the same for television.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Happy Anniversary!
So this weekend was my first anniversary. One year ago Saturday, I became wedded to this blog.
Wow! This is cool. I've been married for a year and the Honeymoon isn't over. I have someone who listens to me and when needed, "schools me proper" (that sounded dirty didn't it?). Like many people I didn't know what the hell I was doing when I married my blog, but now I can't think of life without it.
(Okay, this metaphor has gone too far. I sound...sad.)
To celebrate take a look at the archives. This week I'll be pointing you toward some of the more (in)famous discussions we've had about breaking into the business through independent film.
I'll cap the week off with something cool on Friday. Maybe a couple of things.
To all of you who are new to the world of the "mad, pulp bastard", welcome. To those who have been here since the beginning, thank you. I hope I've helped...
I know you've helped me.
Wow! This is cool. I've been married for a year and the Honeymoon isn't over. I have someone who listens to me and when needed, "schools me proper" (that sounded dirty didn't it?). Like many people I didn't know what the hell I was doing when I married my blog, but now I can't think of life without it.
(Okay, this metaphor has gone too far. I sound...sad.)
To celebrate take a look at the archives. This week I'll be pointing you toward some of the more (in)famous discussions we've had about breaking into the business through independent film.
I'll cap the week off with something cool on Friday. Maybe a couple of things.
To all of you who are new to the world of the "mad, pulp bastard", welcome. To those who have been here since the beginning, thank you. I hope I've helped...
I know you've helped me.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
What I Want to Know...
We all know Dick Cheney shot a lawyer. Big whoop. Wouldn't be the first barrister on the business end of a shotgun.
What I want to know is -- Did Cheney reload?
What I want to know is -- Did Cheney reload?
Friday, February 17, 2006
Those Damnable Scots!
In response to Denis McGrath's post about the not-so-funny Scotsman up in Canada:
Here's the reason we find the Scots (and golf) so funny...
Here's the reason we find the Scots (and golf) so funny...
It's a Bad Combination When...
It's Friday. It's early. I haven't had enough coffee yet (that little man inside my head is doing the stabby-stabby), and the world is filled with idiots (myself included).
Lots of things are going on and yet there's nothing I can announce - do you know how frustrating that is? Pulpy cool things that get in between your toes like the mud on the riverbank. The work of hours of phone calls and emails. Yet your hands and mouth are shackled together and not even The Escapist can help you. (If you don't know who The Escapist is, read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay).
I just had a major story breakthrough for The Knightmare, which in the grand scheme of things means a major rewrite. As much as you embrace the joy of discovering something new about your script, it is completely balanced by the wrath you unleash on your ego by saying, "Why didn't you think of this before, ee-dee-ot!"
We've got idiots over on The Engine (or at least in the comics retailing community) saying that they should raise the price of Fell (by Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith) from $1.99 to $3.99. Let me be a voice among many to say this:
I opened up a vein and bled all sorts of story ideas for a new DVD project. Let's just say that I'm a nutbar on this one and it could be the biggest coup or the biggest flop ever in DVD. The more I think of it, the more I know it has to happen -- the market forces are swirling in this direction like a hurricane, but like a hurricane it may not leave much behind. (I'm being cryptic - I know).
God, I love my life. Even on days like today.
End rant.
Lots of things are going on and yet there's nothing I can announce - do you know how frustrating that is? Pulpy cool things that get in between your toes like the mud on the riverbank. The work of hours of phone calls and emails. Yet your hands and mouth are shackled together and not even The Escapist can help you. (If you don't know who The Escapist is, read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay).
I just had a major story breakthrough for The Knightmare, which in the grand scheme of things means a major rewrite. As much as you embrace the joy of discovering something new about your script, it is completely balanced by the wrath you unleash on your ego by saying, "Why didn't you think of this before, ee-dee-ot!"
We've got idiots over on The Engine (or at least in the comics retailing community) saying that they should raise the price of Fell (by Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith) from $1.99 to $3.99. Let me be a voice among many to say this:
You want more readers in comics? Don't raise the prices.
(Simply the first step in a much larger scheme, but a step in the right direction)
I opened up a vein and bled all sorts of story ideas for a new DVD project. Let's just say that I'm a nutbar on this one and it could be the biggest coup or the biggest flop ever in DVD. The more I think of it, the more I know it has to happen -- the market forces are swirling in this direction like a hurricane, but like a hurricane it may not leave much behind. (I'm being cryptic - I know).
God, I love my life. Even on days like today.
End rant.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
I'm CONvinced...
That if I were married I would have to have a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card for this lovely lady right here. This is Jaime Murray from series 1 & 2 of Hustle...
(photos courtesy of the BBC website here)
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
A Big "IF"
Patrick Goldstein has an extremely interesting interview with Samuel L. Jackson in today's Los Angeles Times.
The outspoken actor has been through quite a bit in his three decades in the business and this interview contains many words of wisdom for the film industry. Let's all hope they don't turn a deaf ear. In a time when we argue over the possesory credit, perks and royalties and day and date distribution models we forget that Hollywood is a unique animal that doesn't follow the normal rules of the business jungle.
More's the pity.
Because if Hollywood was more like a business:
- people would show up to work on time and be prepared.
- people would be expected to eat breakfast at home instead of having the company provide it.
- instead of royalties we would have stock options and performance bonuses.
- we wouldn't change the schedule in the middle of shooting because the director "got a bright idea" and deviated from the script.
- the investors of the movie would be paid back first.
- there would be performance reviews every six months and you could lose your job if you don't keep pace with your peers.
- The art of show business would be done in the design phase (development) and the production phase of the job would be what it really is - manufacturing.
- accounting practices would be simplified so that one could see where the money was really going.
Aw, well...
The outspoken actor has been through quite a bit in his three decades in the business and this interview contains many words of wisdom for the film industry. Let's all hope they don't turn a deaf ear. In a time when we argue over the possesory credit, perks and royalties and day and date distribution models we forget that Hollywood is a unique animal that doesn't follow the normal rules of the business jungle.
More's the pity.
Because if Hollywood was more like a business:
- people would show up to work on time and be prepared.
- people would be expected to eat breakfast at home instead of having the company provide it.
- instead of royalties we would have stock options and performance bonuses.
- we wouldn't change the schedule in the middle of shooting because the director "got a bright idea" and deviated from the script.
- the investors of the movie would be paid back first.
- there would be performance reviews every six months and you could lose your job if you don't keep pace with your peers.
- The art of show business would be done in the design phase (development) and the production phase of the job would be what it really is - manufacturing.
- accounting practices would be simplified so that one could see where the money was really going.
Aw, well...
Monday, February 13, 2006
Do The Hustle
Because I deal with DVD - what's good what's bad, what's mine - I point the finger to those shows, movies and the like that I think every writer can learn from (especially me) . In this case it's the fascinating, bubbly, slick, sophisticated and all-out fun that is...
HUSTLE.
This is a series from Kudos, the company that gave us MI-5 (Spooks) and Life on Mars, and comes to us courtesy of the BBC and is now showing on AMC here in the states.
What more can I say except that I am in love with this show. It's fun, different and has a momentum that I haven't seen on British TV in a long time. This show moves and takes you along for a wild ride.
(Ash, Albert, Mickey, Stacie and Danny)
The show takes place in London and centers on Mickey Stone (Adrian Lester) and his crew of con artists who will lie, cheat and grift their way to the top of the "long con". Mickey is aided by Albert Stroller (Robert Vaughn who is a nice surprise) , Ash Morgan (Robert Glenister) and the gorgeous lady inside and out Stacie Monroe (Jaime Murray be still my heart). To these grifters, it's not just about the money, it's about taking their marks down with their own weaknesses. It's about being one step ahead of the cops. It's about the chess match that is every con game ever invented.
Add to this team the cocky Danny Blue (played by Marc Warren), a grifter who's only played the short con, but has potential to be as good as Mickey if only he would shut up and not try to think so much.
What's good:
1. The fact that cons are our heroes. They don't work for the police (ala' some sort of 70's tv show), but are in it for number one. They live and work by their own code, and anyone be damned if they cross them.
2. The dialogue is crisp, poetic and filled with the raw emotion that makes this pulp writer envious down to his gin-soaked marrow.
3. The look of the series is fast and fun. This is the pace that Life on Mars or Eleventh Hour ought to be edited at - crisp, with momentum even in the most static of scenes. There isn't a moment wasted in this first batch that I've watched.
4. When the series stops for a second and addresses the camera, I was fearful of a major disconnect there, but truly whenever the show freezes, we learn as much about the characters as we do the con they're playing.
What's Bad:
1. That I didn't write this. Aw hell, who am I kidding? I couldn't write this. It's (as Denis McGrath puts it) "the cream".
2. That it's going to take me awhile before I can get my hands on series two.
GET. IT. NOW.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Weekend Update
Been feeling a little like this lately...
I am working on a lot of projects at this point and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, so I'm going to take the weekend to reorganize and get a plan together. I've got to find a balance between the paying work and the spec stuff. The paying stuff has hit and hard, but it has left precious little time to move forward in the other writing. It's either sleep or writing and quite frankly, the s-word has been winning.
In other news, I have now joined the rest of the 21st century and seen the following:
Episode 5 of CHARLIE JADE (ethereal)
2 episodes of LIFE ON MARS (Damn good fun)
and I am preparing to watch the first episode of ELEVENTH HOUR.
Is there anything out there I am missing? let me know. I tried watching REGENESIS but there was something wrong with the...uh...you know.
I have a few things out there that I would love to make announcements on, but despite the "I love its" - no paperwork. Especially the paperwork with the zeroes on it.
Anyway, have a good weekend. I'm going down to the Lab for coffee...
I am working on a lot of projects at this point and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, so I'm going to take the weekend to reorganize and get a plan together. I've got to find a balance between the paying work and the spec stuff. The paying stuff has hit and hard, but it has left precious little time to move forward in the other writing. It's either sleep or writing and quite frankly, the s-word has been winning.
In other news, I have now joined the rest of the 21st century and seen the following:
Episode 5 of CHARLIE JADE (ethereal)
2 episodes of LIFE ON MARS (Damn good fun)
and I am preparing to watch the first episode of ELEVENTH HOUR.
Is there anything out there I am missing? let me know. I tried watching REGENESIS but there was something wrong with the...uh...you know.
I have a few things out there that I would love to make announcements on, but despite the "I love its" - no paperwork. Especially the paperwork with the zeroes on it.
Anyway, have a good weekend. I'm going down to the Lab for coffee...
Sunday, February 05, 2006
The Final Treatment (Then Rinse)
The best treatment I can find online that really sells a motion picture is this one here -- Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
Go ahead and look at it and print it out. I'll wait...okay, good.
What's really good about this treatment is:
1. It sells the movie.
2. It's short. There's nothing there that doesn't need to be there. Anything else is trimmed away.
3. It's for a high concept studio-level movie. In other words - this is what they will accept as being a professional treatment.
4. As much as it delves into the action - the treatment gives us clues to the characters we will be seeing and (hopefully) relating to.
In fact, I'm looking at this treatment right now and seeing techniques that I can use for my own treatment, Bug-Eyed Monsters (B.E.M. for short).
Just so we all start off on the same foot:
1. A treatment is not a pitch.
2. A treatment can change based on the pitch right up until that time when the pitch is sold.
3. A treatment is not a synopsis, a scriptment (Hate that word! Damn you, James Cameron!) or anything else other than a treatment.
4. A good treatment sells the movie that you (or the producers) want to make - it doesn't just relate the story of the movie.
A good way to think of a treatment is in terms of art. A treatment is a thumbnail sketch of what the final picture is going to look like. You can see the outline of the figures, the action and the tone of the piece.
You can't (and shouldn't) see the brush strokes...
Take a look at it, send in your comments, questions, quips, quotes and conundrums and we'll go from there. I look forward to picking this one apart...
Go ahead and look at it and print it out. I'll wait...okay, good.
What's really good about this treatment is:
1. It sells the movie.
2. It's short. There's nothing there that doesn't need to be there. Anything else is trimmed away.
3. It's for a high concept studio-level movie. In other words - this is what they will accept as being a professional treatment.
4. As much as it delves into the action - the treatment gives us clues to the characters we will be seeing and (hopefully) relating to.
In fact, I'm looking at this treatment right now and seeing techniques that I can use for my own treatment, Bug-Eyed Monsters (B.E.M. for short).
Just so we all start off on the same foot:
1. A treatment is not a pitch.
2. A treatment can change based on the pitch right up until that time when the pitch is sold.
3. A treatment is not a synopsis, a scriptment (Hate that word! Damn you, James Cameron!) or anything else other than a treatment.
4. A good treatment sells the movie that you (or the producers) want to make - it doesn't just relate the story of the movie.
A good way to think of a treatment is in terms of art. A treatment is a thumbnail sketch of what the final picture is going to look like. You can see the outline of the figures, the action and the tone of the piece.
You can't (and shouldn't) see the brush strokes...
Take a look at it, send in your comments, questions, quips, quotes and conundrums and we'll go from there. I look forward to picking this one apart...
Friday, February 03, 2006
Parting the Digital Fog
Great little streaming video series from the folks at Variety.
While these experts are talking about broadcast tv shows and how the consumer is king in terms of choices - how the content is delivered, when the content is viewed, how advertisers fit into this new paradigm - we all have to think about these ideas when it comes to movies too.
We've also had a lively discussion over at The Artful Writer on the significance of the marketing of the Steven Soderbergh movie Bubble.
The times they are a changin'...
While these experts are talking about broadcast tv shows and how the consumer is king in terms of choices - how the content is delivered, when the content is viewed, how advertisers fit into this new paradigm - we all have to think about these ideas when it comes to movies too.
We've also had a lively discussion over at The Artful Writer on the significance of the marketing of the Steven Soderbergh movie Bubble.
The times they are a changin'...
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Are You Being Served?
Steven Grant has a great Permanent Damage column in this week's Comic Book Resources.
Steven theorizes it's better for a comics company to find a niche and stick with that rather than expand for the sake of growth. It got me thinking about the DVD industry and what genres are out there, and more importantly - what isn't and could be.
Your thoughts? What are you missing from DVD?
It also got me thinking about the library of scripts I have which is rapidly aging. I need to get on the stick and finish up my rewrite of The Knightmare, rewrite The Skull and turn some of these pitches I have into actual scripts. I also have a bit of stuff to do for that thriller that I haven't quite cracked yet.
Re: treatments - I know I still have to do the final post on this subject, but I am loathe to put my ideas out there in a format where anyone can riff on them. I am going to post some links here soon of treatments which we can pick apart. This way we can both learn from our betters.
I have recently had some expert advice from several colleagues ( several writers, a manager, a development executive and two producers) on a pitch/treatment I've been developing and it has been enlightening to hear their notes on what goes (and what doesn't) into a treatment. I had my own set of experiences from the indie side, and they had theirs from the studio side. I think you'll enjoy it.
In related news:
Steven theorizes it's better for a comics company to find a niche and stick with that rather than expand for the sake of growth. It got me thinking about the DVD industry and what genres are out there, and more importantly - what isn't and could be.
Your thoughts? What are you missing from DVD?
It also got me thinking about the library of scripts I have which is rapidly aging. I need to get on the stick and finish up my rewrite of The Knightmare, rewrite The Skull and turn some of these pitches I have into actual scripts. I also have a bit of stuff to do for that thriller that I haven't quite cracked yet.
Re: treatments - I know I still have to do the final post on this subject, but I am loathe to put my ideas out there in a format where anyone can riff on them. I am going to post some links here soon of treatments which we can pick apart. This way we can both learn from our betters.
I have recently had some expert advice from several colleagues ( several writers, a manager, a development executive and two producers) on a pitch/treatment I've been developing and it has been enlightening to hear their notes on what goes (and what doesn't) into a treatment. I had my own set of experiences from the indie side, and they had theirs from the studio side. I think you'll enjoy it.
In related news:
Tomorrow is another Scribosphere get-together at 8pm at the Velvet Margarita Cantina in Hollywood. All are welcome to join us and revel in booze and b*llsh*t.
(What? You were expecting meaningful discussion? In Hollywood?)
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