MTV's "$5 Cover"

Patrick Goldstein provides a great background piece on a new series on MTV called "$5 Cover":

If there is one thing that every studio, network and cable channel has in common these days, it's that they are all frantically obsessed with finding the Next Hot New Thing -- i.e. a compelling pop culture concept or phenomenon that will spawn a new hit franchise. Though there are obvious exceptions -- like Universal's "Bourne" series -- most franchises end up feeling like they are far more about commerce than art, whether it's the slimy horror series ("Saw"), the heist series ("Ocean's Eleven" and its sequels) or the comic-book visual effects series ("Fantastic Four"), not to mention all of TV's endless "CSI" and "Law & Order" permutations.

But what would happen if you put the franchise reins in the hands of an indie filmmaker, gave him creative control over its content and launch, anchored it in a city's vibrant underground music scene and turned it into a new media series that would play on multiple platforms, on screens small, smaller and hand-held tiny?

Do you remember the movie Hustle & Flow (2005)? Here's the trailer:



The movie was written and directed by Craig Brewer and he's the creator of "$5 Cover":

"For me, local is the new global," says Brewer, who still makes his home in Memphis, even though he visits Hollywood when he's trying to move ahead on various film projects. "There's something incredibly satisfying for an artist to be part of a local community, but where thanks to the Web, people all over the world have a chance to peek in and see what you're doing."

Brewer says that if he'd pitched the idea of an ensemble story about music in Memphis as a feature film, with just a rough outline instead of a script, it would've never been bought, at least not without a studio insisting on prominent actors and musicians in the leading roles. By going to MTV, which had released "Hustle & Flow," he knew he could have more autonomy. The series' spice comes from the colorful characters who inhabit the local music scene, including a bewitching stand-up bassist named Amy LaVere, rap impresario Al Kapone, garage band poster girl Clare Grant and a hip-hop circus ringmaster known as Muck Sticky.

For Brewer, a key to the project was having real local musicians play themselves. "There's a generation of people growing up where do-it-yourself entertainment and amateur acting is commonplace and completely natural," he says. "Everyone knows about reality TV, everyone has a video camera. So you see a lot of films being made now that aren't bound by a script or a schedule. We're just the tip of the iceberg."

Two interesting ideas here: (1) "Local is the new global." Everybody from sociologists to cultural anthropologists to market analysts to futurists have commented on the trend toward subcultures, niche entertainment, and individuality. There's the theory of "The Long Tail". But Brewer's articulation may hit more of the 'truth' -- at least as it relates to storytelling -- than anything else I've read. (2) "There's a generation of people growing up where do-it-yourself entertainment and amateur acting is commonplace and completely natural." Boy, is that true. In the most recent non-scripted pilot we shot, I was amazed to see how much the real life participants understood about TV production. In fact, one of them kept trying to direct the scene. "Hey, why don't we shoot the monitor over my shoulder, then reverse the angle for a reaction shot?"

MTV is clearly excited about "$5 Cover":

Gale sees "$5 Cover," which cost roughly $350,000 to produce, as a much more interactive experience. "In the old days, you saw a video and you bought the record," he says. "Now you can watch the series, then see the mini-docs and background pieces, and right at your fingertips, you have a much more deep, immersive experience into the world of Memphis music. I think Craig has found a really innovative way to tell these stories in so many different formats."

Confident that the series will find an audience, either on the Web or on its channel, MTV is already moving ahead with plans to team up with another indie filmmaker who would base the next installment in Seattle. But if you ask Brewer, the real excitement comes from capturing the local flavor of his hometown.

So maybe all the hand-wringing about the demise of independent filmmaking is misplaced. Maybe indie filmmakers have an outlet desperate for new ideas: TV and new media.

For more background on the series, you can go here to their website. And here's a taste of the show:

MTV Shows

The ScriptShadow Challenge: "Medieval"

That's what The ScriptShadow and I have decided to call it - in honor of TSS's noble effort at his website - to read and analyze recently selling spec scripts. So last Friday, TSS and I offered up this challenge: A monthly call to read a spec script that sold recently for big bucks. The goal: To get you -- aspiring screenwriter -- to read successful spec scripts, so that you -- aspiring screenwriter -- can see what Hwood is currently buying and help turn you -- aspiring screenwriter -- into you -- professional screenwriter.

This month, the featured script is "Medieval" which sold in March of this year for $800K / $1.6M. Evidently the link we provided to download the script is no longer available. But such is the nature of dealing with the underworld of Spectacular Selling Spec Scripts. So if you'd still like to participate, you may contact me at:

scottdistillery@gmail.com

And we'll see what we can do.

[Wink-wink]

Tomorrow, Friday, May 1 at 12PM (Noon) United States Eastern Daylight Time, you may visit either / both this blog or ScriptShadow to see TSS's analysis and my analysis of "Medieval," then we'll open the floor for your thoughts.

Remember, one big question will be: What is it about this script that made a studio want to plunk down $1.6M bones to buy it?

Horton Foote's last movie shooting in Durham, NC

I've been tracking "Main Street" since 2004. It was supposedly going to shoot a half-dozen times, then ironically just after its screenwriter Horton Foote died, they finally started principal photography. The genesis of the story is interesting:

When Foote visited Durham five years ago, he was inspired to set a screenplay here after driving down Main Street on a Saturday afternoon and finding his vehicle to be the only car on the road.

The result was "Main Street," the story about a small Southern town that has seen better days -- specifically, tobacco days. When a stranger, played by [Colin] Firth, arrives with a controversial plan and offers to better the town in exchange for the use of the abandoned tobacco warehouses as storage for hazardous waste, tough decisions must be made in the midst of changing times.

The movie has a fantastic cast including Colin Firth, Ellen Burstyn, and one of my personal favorites Patricia Clarkson. It also features Amber Tamblyn, Orlando Bloom, and Andrew McCarthy.

A local writer and GITS reader Paul Sanford was kind enough to forward me a few more links re the movie including the blog NC Flix. There's also another Raleigh News & Observer article which focuses on the movie's director John Doyle:

John Doyle frets about plenty of things while directing his first movie. Bringing Horton Foote's final screenplay to life is not one of them.

"He tells you in the writing what he's trying to say so I don't feel intimidated by the lack of his presence," Doyle said in an interview on the first day of filming. "And oddly, because it's all in the writing, he is very present with us. He's very much here."

There's an interesting comment that Doyle makes:

Doyle, who won a Tony for directing "Sweeney Todd" on Broadway, had been offered other films but they weren't quite right: unsuitable extravaganzas, he said, or "something I couldn't link my head to."

Finally, he chose Foote's "Main Street" for his movie-directing debut.

"Although it's a very finely crafted film script, there are proper scenes in it," Doyle said. "Often with movie scripts, there are four lines, and that's the scene. This has got speeches and dialogue and soliloquies, virtually. I'm comfortable with that because that's the world I come from."

Coming from a theatrical background, Doyle feels like a "proper" scene is one with "speeches and dialogue and soliloquies." And, of course, per Hwood mainstream movies, those would cut, slashed, and burned in the first rewrite.

The movie is Main Street, the latest in at least 20 movies that have been shot at least in part in Durham.

Daily dialogue -- April 30, 2009

"Ya know, the only trouble I ever got into was when I was TOO careful!"

-- Sally (Nancy Allen), Blow Out (1981), written by Brian De Palma

Request: "Say Anything" boombox scene

For this Friday's Great Scene, I'd like to feature the famous boombox scene in Say Anything. I've got the script section (from P.84), but other than a zillion parodies and take-offs, I can't find the actual clip on YouTube. If anybody wants to undertake the challenge of locating that scene on video, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Spec script sale: "Boss"

Disney picks up comedy spec "Boss" from writers Tony Lord and David Cohen:

The script is a wish-fulfillment comedy about a 21-year-old becoming his dad's boss when the young man gets promoted over his father.

Talk about elegant in its simplicity!

The duo is repped by ICM.

Great new web resource: "MakingOf"

One of the most enjoyable aspects I've found about blogging is the wonderful people we can 'meet' online. I'm especially gratified when someone provides a link or heads-up about resources on the web that can benefit people interested in learning more about the craft of screenwriting. Just like yesterday where Daveinla posted a comment alerting me to a new web resources called MakingOf. The site has been created by actress Natalie Portman and her longtime friend and producer Christine Aylward. Here's what Portman has to say about the genesis of the site:

When friends come to the set, they always want to know: Who are the many individuals who take part in the making of a film? What do they do? How do they do what they do? How did they get the chance to do what they do? And often: how can I do that too?

These questions led me to believe that there was a desire for this inside look, especially from the vast majority of people who don’t have friends who can take them on set. With the ever-increasing number of self-taught filmmakers, who find audiences for their films using new opportunities for video-sharing online, I thought there would be an additional audience for our content among those who want an experienced filmmaker’s advice as to how to light a certain type of scene or how to achieve a particular makeup effect, and so on.

And here's what Aylward has to say:

When I started my film development company, I became immersed in trying to translate books to screen, develop compelling characters and great stories and find the right directors. It was then that I realized the magnitude of what really goes into making movies -- and wished there were more people to give me insight and direction. Several treatments, screenplays and pitches later I met Natalie on a film set. We became dear friends and soon the idea for MakingOf was born. MakingOf's mission is to champion the art and craft of entertainment creation. Natalie and I know that so much of what goes into entertainment creation is unavailable to the people who love and consume it most. We wanted to give fans a way to experience how it’s done and learn from the insiders. At MakingOf we feel very lucky to sit and talk with the most amazing filmmakers - hear their insight, their path, and their advice. And the MakingOf team and I get to share all that wisdom and experience with you! We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. As William Goldman writes in his book Adventures in the Screen Trade "Movies help mark out our lives." We agree with Mr. Goldman and believe that in some way each of us has a deep relationship to movies. We hope that MakingOf brings you closer to your favorite movies and sheds some insight on how the world's greatest filmmakers create movies that touch our lives.

Sounds like they're coming from a great place re the site. So what's available for aspiring screenwriters at MakingOf? How about video interviews with Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Men, Charlie Wilson's War) and Don Roos (The Opposite of Sex, Marley and Me). They're both excellent pieces (Sorkin is about 10 minutes long and Roos is almost 4 minutes) and I'll be featuring them on upcoming weekend video interview highlights.

So another great resource about moviemaking (in general) and screenwriting (specifically). I've added the site to my resource links and encourage you to bookmark the site.

And a special h/t to Daveinla! Many thanks!

Video interview: J.J. Abrams

We've already featured writer-director J.J. Abrams TED video here. But I found this interview on Rotten Tomatoes and in it, Abrams list his five favorite movies:

Jaws

Philadelphia Story

Star Wars

Tootsie

Rear Window

Any of those on your top five?

If you're lost... go back to the beginning

As we all know, writing a screenplay is...
Hard.
Tedious.
Debilitating.
[Insert your descriptor here].

One of the most frustrating experiences is when you get lost.
You're stuck in the second act and can't see a way out...
You're in the middle of a rewrite and nothing is making sense...
You're writing a big scene and you can't remember why it's so big.

What to do?

You can take drugs, but that could lead to an expensive and deleterious habit.
You could sacrifice a virtual lamb, but that could get you in trouble with the virtual PETA outfit.
You could simply chuck the script, but honestly isn't our planet's landfill problem big enough already?

How about this?
Go back...
To the beginning.
Go back...
To your first instincts.
Ask yourself, What drew me to this story in the first place?

Go back in time.
Not actually...
But in your memories...
And with your feelings...
Try to put yourself where you were those first several days you played around with the initial story concept.

What's the point?
You're trying to reconnect with your story.
To feel and think what it is that first wowed you about the concept.

One of the reasons writers get lost is because they often lost touch with their first instincts.
And with all the brainstorming, character development, plotting, outlining, writing and rewriting, it's really easy to fall out of touch with that initial resonance we felt to the story.

Think of it like this.
Writing a screenplay is like the Old Testament accounts about how the Jews, after they escaped Egypt, wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.
Time and time again, they were tempted to lose faith in Yahweh.
Time and time again, their leaders reminded the Jews...
When we were being chased by the Egyptians, didn't Yahweh save us at the Red Sea?
When we were starving in the desert, didn't Yahweh provide for us manna from heaven?
When we were parched with thirst, didn't Yahweh cause water to flow from the rocks?

Much of the Exodus accounts are reminders of the Jews initial connection with their God.

So if you're lost in the 'wilderness'...
That vast daunting wilderness of Act II...
Or the rewrite...
Go back to the beginning.

Remind yourself of the joy and excitement you felt when you first began to see a story unfolding in front of your eyes.

Remind yourself of the key aspects of primary characters that leaped to mind when you were first struck by their emergence into being.

Remind yourself of the thematic elements that bubbled up into your consciousness when you scratched the surface of your story concept.

Some times when you're lost...
It helps to go back to the beginning.
And remember your first instincts.

Screenwriting 101 -- Daniel Waters

"The first draft is the one thing they can't take away from you, so revel in it. Don't let anyone tell you that the most important part is the mechanics of it all. The most important part is the initial daydream. If you write a stunningly unique personal mind-blower, you may not sell it right away, but you will get attention. Your name will go on that sanctified list of Talented People To Be Exploited."

-- Daniel Waters (Heathers, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, Hudson Hawk, Batman Returns)

Daily dialogue -- April 29, 2009

"I want to do community service; I want to teach the handicapped how to yodel."

-- Hudson Hawk (Bruce Willis), Hudson Hawk (1991), screenplay by Steven E. de Souza and Daniel Waters, based on a story by Bruce Willis & Robert Kraft

Guillermo del Toro: The Strain Trilogy

What started out to become a TV series for Fox has evolved into a book series: That's the backstory for "The Strain", a trilogy of co-written by screenwriter-director Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. Here is a teaser for the plot:

They have always been here. Vampires. In secret and in darkness. Waiting. Now their time has come.

In one week, Manhattan will be gone. In one month, the country.

In two months—the world.

And here is what del Toro had to say about the books in this brief video clip:



The money quote from the clip:

"None of this romantic, languid young men sucking the necks of beautiful people...I tried also to make the vampires as menacing and as real and as absolutely disgusting and as alien as possible. I tried to make them into a plague of creatures where you did not recognize their humanity — but our own inhumanity in them."

For more info, you can go to Del Torro Films, the official fansite for Guillermo del Toro.

"Drop Dead Fred" meets "Beetlejuice"

The remake frenzy continues unabated. Per Film News Briefs:

Universal is resurrecting “Drop Dead Fred,” this time as a starring vehicle for Russell Brand. Dennis McNicholas, one of the writers of Universal’s upcoming “Land of the Lost,” will pen the remake. Marc Platt is producing via his studio-based Marc Platt Prods. along with Working Title’s Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. The 1991 original starred Phoebe Cates as a wallflower who loses her job and husband during the course of a lunch hour. Forced to live back home, she’s reunited with her childhood imaginary friend (Brit actor Rik Mayall), who promises to help but causes more havoc. The take for the new “Fred” is to make a film in the tone of “Beetlejuice,” building a universe around the concept of imaginary friends. Brand would play the trouble-making pal.

At least with Drop Dead Fred (1991), they're remaking a not-good movie ala this commentary. To wit, Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 9% approval rating. That mean DDF is even less popular than Dick Cheney (aka Darth Cheney). So clearly there is room for improvement over the original flop.

But then there's that other note: "The take for the new 'Fred' is to make a film in the tone of 'Beetlejuice,' building a universe around the concept of imaginary friends." Excuse me, but that isn't tone they're talking about; that's conceptual. As in ripping off the idea that Fred (aka Beetlejuice) lives in a 'world' with bizarre friends. So what the suits are thinking is substitute Russell Brand as Fred and stick him (and the hapless human Protagonist) in a world that looks / feels like this:



In case you're not familiar with comic Russell Brand, here's a taste of him live in concert:

TheWrap's Summer Movie Preview 2009: Disney's 'Up,' Sony Star Power

The Wrap presents their Summer Movie Preview 2009:

A year after "The Dark Knight," "Indiana Jones" and "Iron Man" drove the box office into record territory, Hollywood thinks it has another smash summer on its hands.

Powered by a 15 percent rise in attendance overall, "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" and "Taken" were simply huge, while Disney Channel alums Miley Cyrus and Zac Efron opened their movies to big numbers. There have already been bona fide blockbusters ("Fast & Furious," "Monsters vs. Aliens"), while even genre fare like "Last House on the Left" and "Knowing" had strong opening weekends.

So does all of this guarantee a great summer? It sure helps. And even if all of the upcoming biggies feel like slam-dunks, you can always count on some major surprise speedbumps.

Here are some of the key movies slated for summer release per each major studio:

20th Century Fox

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (May 1)

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (May 22)

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (July 1)

I Love You Beth Cooper (July 10)

They Came From Upstairs (July 31)

Buena Vista

Up (May 29)

The Proposal (June 19)

G-Force (July 24)

When in Rome (August 7)

Paramount

Star Trek (May 8)

Dance Flick (May 22)

Imagine That (June 12)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 24)

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (August 7)

Sony

Angels & Demons (May 15)

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (June 12)

Year One (June 19)

The Ugly Truth (July 24)

Julie & Julia (August 7)

District 9 (August 14)

Universal

Drag Me to Hell (May 29)

Land of the Lost (June 5)

Public Enemies (July 1)

Bruno (July 10)

Funny People (July 31)

A Perfect Getaway (August 14)

Inglorious Basterds (August 21)

The Boat That Rocked (August 28)

Warner Bros.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (May 1)

Terminator: Salvation (May 21)

The Hangover (June 5)

My Sister's Keeper (June 26)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 15)

Shorts (August 7)

The Time Traveler's Wife (August 14)

Final Destination: Death Trip 3D (August 28)

Which studio do you think has the strongest slate? Any predictions who will be #1 for summer B.O.? And what movies are you most excited to see?

Writing question: Do you take into consideration the international marketplace when you write a screenplay?

Kiwichick (Lynette) posed an interesting comment here. And it got me thinking. The fact is that here in the States, domestic box office has generated less revenue than international sales for over a decade. I don't have the exact numbers in front of me, but I seem to recall that the typical major studio movie gets about 65% of its box office revenues from countries outside the U.S. and Canada.

Clearly, that is an important fact of life. And so my question:

Do you take into consideration the international marketplace when you write a screenplay?

For those of you who live outside the U.S., you can flip the question around:

Do you take into consideration the American marketplace (as a potential box office territory) when you write a screenplay?

Perhaps it's unnecessary to do so. Perhaps there is a universality of themes that help to make stories somehow 'transcendent' of national or cultural specifics.

However I'm pretty damn sure that Hollywood studios are well aware of the box office pie chart -- with the biggest slice being what used to be called the "foreign market."

Thoughts?

Hollywood Tales

"We wrote our first screenplay in the food court of the newly opened Beverly Center mall. Mostly because it had cheap food, rest rooms, and lots of stores to waste time in. I had found the idea for the script in the back of the New York Times--a small note about a young girl, a teenage thief, in India who was eluding police, hiding out in sympathetic villages. We turned her into a strong-willed, heroic girl from Florida and in two weeks finished her odyssey in screenplay form. I was back home in Philadelphia waiting for my father to come out of the ICU after triple-bypass surgery when my partner called and told me we'd sol this first screenplay in two days. The euphoria lasted until the night I returned to L.A., when the phone rang. It was the director who'd just been put on the project calling to say, 'I can't make any movie I haven't written myself, so you're fired.' We ended up having to sneak in line with a group of teenage girls to see a screening of our film. It took me four months to recover from what they had done to the story. Since that time I never see any movies made from one of my scripts."

-- Mark Rosenthal (co-writer with Larry Konner of The Jewel of the Nile, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, For Love or Money, The Beverly Hillbillies)

Daily dialogue -- April 28, 2009

"You're all I thought about for six months. They threw me in a jail filled with rejects from the communicable disease ward. Every wacko, drippy, open-sored low-life was in that joint, all of them wanting to hire on as my proctologist."

-- Ralph (Danny DeVito), The Jewel of the Nile (1985), written by Mark Rosenthal & Lawrence Konner, based on characters created by Diane Thomas

William Morris Endeavor

In possibly the worst kept secret in Hwood history, the William Morris Agency and the Endeavor Talent Agency voted to merge today:

The new agency will operate under the moniker William Morris Endeavor (WME) Entertainment as it positions itself as a challenger to dominate industry agency CAA.

The combination, uniting the venerable WMA, founded in 1898, and the upstart, 14-year-old Endeavor, will recharge WMA's film and TV departments. Endeavor reps a wealth of talent, while WMA will bring its strengths in music, publishing and corporate representation to the party.

Endeavor started out in the mid-90s as a boutique lit agency, then evolved into a major player. William Morris is, well... William Morris.

The coupling will require months to become official due to regulatory review. Plus, it will take time to sort out all the bruised egos and trampled souls. In fact, that process has already begun:

On the Endeavor side, motion picture agent Tom Strickler, one of that firm's founding partners, announced his resignation Monday morning. On the WMA side, motion picture agent David Lonner, who moved from Endeavor to WMA in 2003, is also leaving.

How this move shakes out with talent will be all the rage the next few months as WME attempts to fend off CAA, ICM, and UTA from poaching their clients.

Fun times in Bev Hills and Century City!

UPDATE: An LA Times article.

UPDATE #2: And a Daily Variety article to put things in perspective:

Meanwhile, the "majors" have reason to gloat. They have substantially beaten back the talent guilds. They have orchestrated major job cuts. They increasingly monopolize the key release dates. They have cut budgets of films and TV shows and sliced gross participation deals.

While production chiefs are keenly aware that the superstar talent pool is both finite and fragile, they believe they have the weapons to enforce their new cost structures.

Fear and characters

Julie Gray over at the always fine blog The Rouge Wave weighs in with a timely subject today -- "So Much Fear, So Little Time:

So what are you worried about right now? Swine flu? Money? Relationships or lack of them? Your kids? Terrorism, global warming, your health, closing factories, the government? I find the world is growing more and more alarming - and alarmist. Every day I read the headlines and I think oh man, am I getting old or is stuff accelerating in negative ways? Am I shining a rose colored light on a few years back when I was younger or is stuff happening in our world that is rising in intensity? So much to fear, so little time.

What does fear have to do with writing? I've posted about it here re the writer confronting the ever-daunting blank page. But Julie goes further, making a great point about fear as it relates to characters:

Think about what you are worried about or anxious about and how you cope with that and ask yourself what your main character feels about the news of the day. Does your main character live in anxiety or blow it off? Do they drink or smoke it away? How evolved is your main character on a personal level? How do they deal with conflict and personal management? Do they get lonely in a crowd? Do they have a savings account? Are they worried about that strange new mole? Give your character the same details that we all have.

That reminds me of the observation by screenwriter Robert Towne that one of the best ways to zero in the essence of a character is to ask them, "What are you afraid of?" Find out what they fear.

It's a great point and one that, like Julie says, can elevate a two-dimensional character into a multidimensional one. And as a big bonus, create specific, vivid moments like this one:

In a Scrubs episode a million years ago, Zach Braff coped [with fear] by being in a bubble bath, surrounded by candles and singing Toto's Africa at the top of his lungs. It was hilarious, it was specific and it was real.

So don't be afraid of... well, being afraid. Whatever fears you have, you can explore in the context of your characters -- and in so doing, open them up as flesh-and-blood people.

How many things are wrong with this voice mail?

I get voice mails. Like this one today:

Uh, yes, I was just wondering if you accept scripts. I have a 127 page script and I'm looking to sell it or... work on it, I don't really know how it works. But if you can call me back at [phone number]. Thanks.

From the standpoint of an aspiring screenwriter trying to break into the business, how many things are wrong with this VM?

On writing

“You have to come to some arrangement with them, as it were. You have to persuade them to commit the murder or whatever you want them to do, and in return you have to concede that they will get something they want. Writing fiction is like industrial management. You’ve got this plan for this work you want done, and you’ve got a workforce that just wants to get through the job and go home and get on with their lives. Somehow you’ve got to persuade them, cajole them, bully them, bribe them, or something, to do at least part of what you want."

-- Michael Frayn on working with characters

Daily dialogue -- April 27, 2009

"Living here day by day, you think it's the center of the world. You believe nothing will ever change. Then you leave: a year, two years. When you come back, everything's changed. The thread's broken. What you came to find isn't there. What was yours is gone. You have to go away for a long time... many years... before you can come back and find your people. The land where you were born. But now, no. It's not possible. Right now you're blinder than I am."

-- Alfredo (Phillipe Noiret), Cinema Pardiso (1988), screenplay by Giuseppe Tornatore

Produced By 2009 Conference

"Spend the weekend with an unprecedented gathering of 100+ A-list producers whose credits include the upcoming Avatar, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Gran Torino, WALL-E, Iron Man, Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, The Amazing Race, Scrubs, Deadliest Catch and more." That's what the Produced By 2009 Conference says about itself, a 3-day event scheduled to take place at Sony Studios in Culver City, CA from June 5-7. Panelists include:

Darla K. Anderson, Fred Baron, Betsy Beers, Thom Beers, Lawrence Bender, Rob Bredow, Ian Bryce, James Cameron, Marc Cherry, Bruce Cohen, Roger Corman, Carlton Cuse, RJ Cutler, Debbie Denise, Lauren Shuler Donner, David Dozoretz, Clint Eastwood, Richard Edlund, Chris Edwards, Craig Emanuel, Kevin Feige, Lucy Fisher, Ron Frankel, Tim Gibbons, Shawn Gold, Demian Gordon, Larry Gordon, Mark Gordon, Nick Grad, Sarah Green, Daniel Gregoire, Davis Guggenheim, Roger Guyett, John Hadity, Clark Hallren, Marshall Herskovitz, Gale Anne Hurd, Cynthia Kanner, Kathleen Kennedy, Hawk Koch, Greg LaSalle, Bill Lawrence, Norman Lear, Paul Lee, Ali LeRoi, Michael London, Robert Lorenz, Gary Lucchesi, Mark Marabella, Lori McCreary, Alex McDowell, David Morin, Jim Morris, Kim Moses, Ted Mundorff, Jonathan Murray, Gordon Paddison, David Picker, Lydia Dean Pilcher, Ian Sander, Michael Sanders, Steve Schklair, Steve Sullivan, Ed Ulbrich, John Walker, Screech Washington, Marc Weigert, Pixie Wespiser, Douglas Wick, Sabrina Wind, Michael Wright

Looks like a great event. I'll be at the BANFF TV conference and can't attend, but how about you? You can register here. $999 general fee. $500 student. There is a "industry professional" discount as well.

For more info, go here.

Spec script sale: "Odysseus"

Warner Bros. wins a bidding war with Paramount for "Odysseus" from writer Ann Peacock:

The story centers on the legendary hero Odysseus, famed king of Ithaca, who returns to his island after 20 years of fighting the Trojan Wars, only to find his kingdom under the brutal occupation of an invading force. Odysseus single-handedly defeats every last man and takes back his wife, his son and his kingdom.

[Producer] Nunnari came up with the story and during the course of a general meeting with Liebesman told him the idea. Liebesman leaped at it, and brought in Peacock, co-wrote the director's indie Sundance thriller "The Killing Room." She wrote the script on spec.

Nunnari and Liebesman will get a "story by" credit.

The intent is to make not a sleepy swords-and-sandals epic but a bloody relentless revenge movie, something akin to "300" meets "Taken."

300 meets Taken. Talk about personal stakes!

Peacock is best known for writing "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." The scribe is repped by CAA and Principato Young.

Video interview: Michael Arndt

This is a most excellent find: A 1-hour talk / Q&A with screenwriter Michael Arndt, whose credits are Little Miss Sunshine (2006) and the upcoming Toy Story 3. There are many reasons why all of us should be interested in hearing what Arndt has to say, not the least of which is that he wrote a spec script -- Sunshine -- sold it, and had it produced.

Isn't that what each one of you wants?

Beyond everything else, this video reveals Arndt to be a really nice guy. He's got every reason to be a blowhard and a jerk. God knows Hwood has done that to nearly everyone else. But despite his success, Arndt appears to be a decent human being. And with much wisdom and insight into the craft and business of screenwriting.

So sit back, click play, and enjoy an hour with Michael Arndt. And don't forget to toast the venue, Cody's Books in Berkeley, CA, which has sadly closed its doors.

Daily dialogue -- April 26, 2009

"Do you know who Marcel Proust is? French writer. Total loser. Never had a real job. Unrequited love affairs. Gay. Spent 20 years writing a book almost no one reads. But he's also probably the greatest writer since Shakespeare. Anyway, he uh... he gets down to the end of his life, and he looks back and decides that all those years he suffered, Those were the best years of his life, 'cause they made him who he was. All those years he was happy? You know, total waste. Didn't learn a thing. So, if you sleep until you're 18... Ah, think of the suffering you're gonna miss. I mean high school? High school-those are your prime suffering years. You don't get better suffering than that."

-- Frank Ginsberg (Steve Carrell), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), written by Michael Arndt

Selling spec scripts wanted by ScriptShadow

Sure, The ScriptShadow can 'cover' Odysseus mere hours after it sells for a zillion dollars to WB. But there are other scripts he/she/it/ScriptShadow is looking for including:

• INCEPTION
• The Highest Bid
• Danny Graves' Man Cave
• Parents Weekend
• Salisbury
• Doomsday Protocol
• Orbit

Anybody has inside access to these scripts, contact ScriptShadow.

Weekend Funny: I Am Legend (Sweded)

You can find it here.

"On the 'Ground Floor' at UTA's 5th Floor"

My buddy Tom Benedek provides some insight into the world of talent agencies in this column at The Wrap:

In the entertainment industry for the long haul? You had better be nice to the person who answers the phone.

More specifically, if you are calling someone at United Talent Agency, the person you are speaking with may be the person you are trying to reach very soon.

I was told this very same thing by Tom's brother Peter, who was my first agent back at Bauer & Benedek: Be nice to assistants because some day, they'll be your boss. Want proof? Tom cites these numbers re UTA:

At UTA, the long road to agent usually culminates after years on an assistant’s desk on any one of four floors at 9560 Wilshire Blvd. -- a fertile training ground for agency (and industry) personnel. Over 65 of UTA’s nearly 100 agents (including partners Andrew Cannava, Dan Erlij, Wayne Fitterman, Lisa Jacobson, David Kramer, Larry Salz and Jay Sures) all made the jump to agent off of assistants’ desks at the agency.

There are all sorts of stories about how the moguls of today got their start in agency mail rooms yesterday. I remember reading about how Barry Diller took what was supposedly the worst entry level job at WMA: Working in the Xerox room. But Diller wanted that gig. Why? Because left all alone, he could while away the hours studying every contract and deal memo that funneled through his work space. That's how he educated himself in the art of the deal.

Interview: Quentin Tarantino

This is an interview from Screenwriter's Monthly (Feb. 2004) with Quentin Tarantino tied to the release of Kill Bill: Vol. 1. Tarantino's writing credits include Resevoir Dogs (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994), Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004).

The interview delves a lot into the decision to split up Kill Bill into two parts, but more interesting from a screenwriting standpoint are these excerpts:

How did Kill Bill originate?

It's coming from, in it's basic form, all of these different revenge genre movies that I was jumping off from. The Bride could easily be this cowboy character from this spaghetti western. She could easily by Angela Mao character Deep Thrust or Broken Oath. There's two characters that Japanese actress Meiko Kaji played. One was a character named Scorpion. She did about four movies with that, and she did a great revenge samurai movie called Lady Snowblood. She could be that character. You could keep going down the whole list, but she falls in that whole long line of hell bent for revenge characters.

How much did you revisit these movies when you were writing?

Well, they had a tremendous amount of influence because I own all of those movies. Not these beautiful, Technicolor restoration prints, but like, my seventh generation bootlegs from New York's 42nd Chamber of Shao Lin in Time Square. That's where I had them all, and when I was writing this movie, I had the fortunate fun of being able to watch at least one Shaw Brothers movie a day, if not three, and the reason I was doing it is that I wanted to immerse myself so much in that style of filmmaking so that the things that they did would be second nature to me. It would be my style of filmmaking as far as this movie was concerned. I wouldn't have to think about it. I wouldn't have to be self conscious about it. I would've just known exactly how they woulddone it and I would decide do I want to do that too? Get that comfortable with the zoom because no one does zooms anymore, not like that. I wanted to get that comfortable with it and it worked so well that, to me, during that entire year, the movies that were coming out of Hollywood were like these weird artistic, fringe movies. I was like someone who lived in Hong Kong in the ‘70's. When you thought of movies, you thought of Kung Fu movies. The Shaw Brothers, the Shaw Scope Logo and then, the Feature Presentation thing which I grew up watching, I always hear that tune before a movie starts. That just lets you know right away where I'm coming from and just sit back and have a good time and know from whence this came.

Tarantino is one entertaining dude. Check out the interview. Fun read.

Daily dialogue -- April 25, 2009

"As I said before, I've allowed you to keep your wicked life for two reasons. And the second reason is so you can tell him in person everything that happened here tonight. I want him to witness the extent of my mercy by witnessing your deformed body. I want you to tell him all the information you just told me. I want him to know what I know. I want him to know I want him to know. And I want them all to know they'll all soon be as dead as O-Ren. "

-- The Bride (Uma Thurman), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), written by Quentin Tarantino

To all those folks...

...whose script pages I've been reading, I apologize about the length of time for my response, but as things have turned out, I have been insanely busy with my 'real' job this last several weeks.

I am targeting mid-May to get back with my feedback.

Writing question: Is this story a screenplay or a novel?

Have you ever come up with a story that you started out to write as a screenplay...
but realized that it would work better as a novel?

It happens.
Sometimes the writer has to ask:
Is this story a screenplay or a novel?

If you've confronted this question, what are some of the narrative elements that tipped you off you had a novel on your hands?

Length is certainly a consideration.
If you've written 100 pages and you're still in Act One, your story is probably better suited as a novel...
Or if it's a mess, tossed into the trash can!

If your story has extensive things happening in the Internal World, complex personal histories and memories...
Unless you can find a way of externalizing those elements, you might be looking at a novel.

What other things tip you off you'd be better off writing a novel, rather than a screenplay?

Friday movie reviews

Earth (Disney)

Daily Variety (Todd McCarthy)

Hollywood Reporter (Stephen Farber)

New York Times (Jeannette Catsoulis)

Fighting (Universal)

Daily Variety (John Anderson)

Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt)

Los Angeles Times (Michael Ordona)

Obsessed (Sony)

No reviews available

The Soloist (Paramount)

Daily Variety (Todd McCarthy)

Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt)

Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan)

New York Times (Manohla Dargis)

Recently selling spec script reading challenge or whatever

As hinted at here, let us proceed with the initiation.

[coughs up globule of phlegm and clears throat]

I...
State your name...
Do solemnly swear...
Every last Friday of every month...
To download a copy of a recently selling spec script...
And read it.

I shall find the link to said recently selling spec script...
At the blog Scriptshadow...
Or Go Into The Story...

I shall have an entire week...
7 days...
144 hours...
10,080 minutes...
60,480 seconds...
To read said script.

At which time I will return to Scriptshadow...
Or Go Into The Story...
Where I will read analysis provided by...
The Scriptshadow...
Or The Go Into The Story Guy...
Er, Scott Myers....

Then I will post my own commentary on the script...
For the general edification of all those who visit screenwriting blogs for...
Well...
Edification.

When I read said script, I will ask myself This Big Question:
What is it about this script that made a Hwood studio want to buy it?

In the process, I will be very, very, very happy that I am learning something of value.

Amen.

Now swat your bottom with whatever is handy and...
There.
You're initiated.

[Scott shakes his head... the initiation thing seemed like a good idea at the time]

Seriously, reading scripts is one of the best ways you can learn the finer points of screenwriting.
Reading spec scripts that sold recently is an even better way.

Our inaugural spec script of the month...
As chosen by The Scriptshadow is...
"Medieval."

For those who need a reminder of this script's sale...
Here is my post on it dated March 5, 2009:

New Regency goes deep into their pockets to procure "Medieval", a spec script from Endeavor-repped writers Alex Litvak and Michael Finch:

While Regency or Fox, with whom Regency has a distribution deal, would not comment on the sales figure, sources say it was $800,000 against $1.6 million, a colossal payday not seen in some time in the spec market.

The script's story line plays like "The Dirty Dozen" in the age of castles, plagues and serfs, which the studio hopes to spin as a hyper-realistic action movie in the vein of "300."

After a slow February, the spec market seems to be heating up. And 800K / 1.6M are extremely nice numbers.

$800K versus $1.6M.
That's a lot of reasons to read this script.

Go here to download the script.

If you have any problems, email me at scottdistillery@gmail.com.

Come back next Friday at 12PM EDT / 9AM PDT.
There will be posts at Scriptshadow and GITS with my analysis and The Scriptshadow's analysis.

Then you are invited to post your own comments on the script.

And we'll be doing this every month.

Because we will all benefit from reading recently selling spec scripts.

Now...
Start reading.
You have 60,480 seconds...
60,479 seconds...
60,478 seconds...

[Scott shakes head again... the seconds things seemed like a good idea at the time].

P.S.: The title "Recently selling spec script reading challenge or whatever" isn't really all that catchy. Open to suggestions.

UPDATE: The initial download link didn't work. I found another one and replaced it, so it should work. Go here to download PDF of "Medieval".

Great Scene: Thelma & Louise

A great ending to a movie is (in my view) the only ending it should have. Oh, a movie could have multiple endings, but a well-constructed plot should lead to the story's only real ending. And when that ending is both logical and shocking, then you have the makings of a great scene -- like the climax of Thelma & Louise (1991), written by Callie Khouri.

Think about it: What other ending could T&L have? They turn themselves in? That would have been a false choice, going against everything these two women had been doing and saying for the bulk of the movie. Clearly the idea of turning themselves in is sparking through their minds as they look at "each other really hard," but both of them know they can't turn back now. They've gone too far and learned too much, about each other, themselves, and life.

The movie's ending was a critical component, too, in the movie's box office success because everybody talked about it when it was released.

I read this story somewhere along the line. Can't find a link or a source, so you'll just have to trust me. Maybe if you meet Khouri someday, you can ask her how true it is.

Khouri wrote the script. And she knew somebody who knew somebody who worked at Scott Free Prods, home to Tony and Ridley Scott. So the script went into Scott Free. Several days later, Khouri heard that Ridley was going to be reading her script. So she waited nervously for the phone call we all dream about. And in this case, she got it: "Mr. Ridley would like to meet with you."

Cut to Khouri as she enters Ridley's office. Imagine everything that must have been going through her mind. And now imagine her response when the first thing out of Ridley's mouth were these words: "Well, first off, the ending has got to stay."

Right then, Khouri knew two things: (A) Ridley 'got' her story, he wasn't going to wimp out and demand a happy ending; (B) Ridley was going to make her movie.

Here's the scripted version of the ending to Thelma & Louise:

             INT.  CAR - DAY

             Louise and Thelma are looking at each other.

                                   POLICE (O.S.)
                            (over loudspeaker)
                       Turn off the engine and place your
                       hands in the air!

             EXT.  DESERT - DAY

             Hal is about to crawl out of his skin.  He can't believe
             this thing is getting out of control.  He jumps in front of
             Max.

                                   HAL
                       Max!  Let me talk to 'em!  I can't
                       believe this!  You've gotta do
                       something here!

             Max goes around Hal and continues walking.  Hal jumps in
             front of Max again and blocks his way.

                                   HAL
                       I'm sorry to bother you, I know you're
                       real busy right now, but how many
                       times, Max?  How many times has that
                       woman gotta be fucked over?  You
                       could lift one finger and save her
                       ass and you won't even do that?

                                   MAX
                            (grabbing Hal)
                       Get a hold of yourself!  You are way
                       out of your jurisdiction, now come
                       on!  Calm down!  Don't make me sorry
                       I let you come!

             Max lets go of Hal's lapels.

                                   HAL
                            (under his breath)
                       Shit!  I can't fucking believe this!

             Hal walks along with a look of total disbelief on his face.
             He's shaking his head.  Slowly he breaks into a trot and
             starts heading toward the front line.

                                   MAX
                            (shouting)
                       Hey.  Hey!

             Hal is running now and clears the front row of cars.

             There is a lot of confusion among the officers on the front
             row.  Some shout, some lower their guns to look.

                                   ARIZONA COP #1
                       What in the hell?!

                                   ARIZONA #2
                            (lowering his rifle)
                       The son of a bitch is in my way!

             INT.  CAR - DAY

             They are still looking at each other really hard.

                                   THELMA
                       You're a good friend.

                                   LOUISE
                       You, too, sweetie, the best.

             SHOOT WITH OR WITHOUT.

             MUSIC:  B.B. King song entitled "Better Not Look Down" begins.
             It is very upbeat.

                                   LOUISE
                       Are you sure?

             Thelma nods.

                                   THELMA
                       Hit it.

             Louise puts the car in gear and FLOORS it.

                                                                  CUT TO:

             EXT.  DESERT - DAY

             Hal's eyes widen for a moment at what he sees, and then a
             sense of calm overtakes him and he mouths the word "alright."

                                   B.B. KING SONG (V.O.)
                       I've been around, I've seem some
                       things, People movin' faster than
                       the speed of sound, faster than a
                       speedin' bullet.  People livin' like
                       Superman, all day and all night.  I
                       won't say if it's wrong or I won't
                       say if it's right.  I'm pretty fast
                       myself.  But I do have some advice
                       to pass along, right here in the
                       words to this song...

             EXT.  DESERT - DAY

             The cops all lower their weapons as looks of shock and
             disbelief cover their faces.  A cloud of dust blows THROUGH
             THE FRAME as the speeding car sails over the edge of the
             cliff.

                                   B.B. KING SONG (V.O.)
                       Better not look down, if you wanna
                       keep on flyin'.  Put the hammer down,
                       keep it full speed ahead.  Better
                       not look back or you might just wind
                       up cryin'.  You can keep it movin'
                       if you don't look down...

                                                                 FADE OUT

                                       THE END

And here's the movie version.  Sans B.B. King and with slightly different dialogue
between Thelma and Louise:

Daily dialogue -- April 24, 2009

"Oh, Eve."

-- Wall-E (Ben Burtt), Wall-E (2008), screenplay by Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon, original story by Andrew Stanton & Pete Docter

Spec script sale: "Forever 21"

Looking to pump up its comedy slate, DreamWorks purchases "Forever 21" from writers Mike Culbert and Mike Pellettieri. Plot kept under wraps.

This is the first screenplay sale for Culbert and Pellettieri, who are repped by CAA and Underground Management.

"You took my kid, motherf*cker, and you're going to pay"

That's the enlightened position of one "top studio exec" in this Hollywood Reporter article on why Taken did over $200M at the box office and other smart adult movies like State of Play won't come near that mark. Yes, you're right. Here we go again, angsting over adult moviegoers:

Pricey, star-driven thrillers and dramas will struggle for profitability as the recession intensifies a trend toward youth-dominated openings.

That's the consensus after the weekend's soft opening for Universal's Russell Crowe starrer, the latest in a series of misfires by adult-oriented releases. Investigative-journo thriller "State of Play" rung up just $14.1 million over its first frame, meaning the Americanized adaptation of a British miniseries must overperform dramatically overseas for the $60 million production to break even.

The pic's travails reflect this rude awakening in Hollywood: Older demos may be resisting the recent enthusiasm for moviegoing. Certainly it's been months since anything has caught fire at the arthouses.

It's not just that we adults are avoiding movies, we're also damn hard to reach per marketing:

"Adults are a harder audience to motivate, and the problem with some adult movies is compounded by their not being high-concept films that you can boil down to 30-second spots," a top studio exec said. "With 'Taken,' it was, 'You took my kid, motherfucker, and you're going to pay.' "

Let me say, as crass as this exec is, I get their point. I call it "emotional resonance" and I preach it all the time in the classroom. A writer has to create characters and a plot set-up that generates (A) identification with the main characters, especially the Protagonist, (B) sympathy or at the very least empathy with the characters, and (C) engagement with what's at stake in the plot. With Taken, the audience's resonance is personal:

"The success of 'Taken' has a lot to do with the audience rooting so hard for Liam Neeson to find his daughter in the picture," Fox distribution president Bruce Snyder said. "The audience involvement is great. That personal involvement doesn't happen often with these kind of movies. It's more common in the younger movies, but that emotional note is important to hit."

By this measure, a movie like All the President's Men, the real life story of two Washington Post reporters, Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman), would likely not work in today's cultural environment because the reporters' involvement isn't with a person, it's with concepts: You know, little things like democracy and the Constitution.

Compare to the new Star Trek. The Protagonist, young James Kirk (Chris Pine), discovers that his father, a Star Fleet captain for twelve minutes, was a hero. "He saved eight hundred lives... including yours," Kirk is told by Capt. Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood). "I dare you to do better," Pike says. There you go. (A) Guilt over his father's death. (B) The shadow of his father's heroism. (C) The challenge to "do better." All that is personal -- but do we really need to risk laying it on so thick?

Hwood's current CW suggests that movies can't just have emotional resonance, that connection has to be deeply personal. In other words, something like "You took my kid, mofo, and you're gonna pay." Agree or disagree?

"Movie Makers Appeal to the Crowd, for Money"

The NY Times reports three British teens have come up with a new way to finance their movie:

The credits at the end of a movie generally roll for a few minutes. If “Dardentor” gets made, they could take as long as a half-hour.

That is because tens of thousands of people will have been responsible for bankrolling the movie, the project of three British teenagers who are championing a novel approach to film financing. On the Web site buyacredit.com, people can purchase the right to have their name added to the list of credits, for a minimum of one pound.

Adrian Bliss, Benjamin Robbins and Toby Stubbs say they have already raised upward of £100,000, or about $149,000, from more than 10,000 donors, on their way to a goal of £1 million. That is what they say they need to make the film, an adaptation of a little-known novel by Jules Verne, “Clovis Dardentor.”

“We knew we had to do something really special to get the money, otherwise it wouldn’t come about,” said Mr. Bliss, who is 18, like Mr. Robbins. Mr. Stubbs is 17.

First off, kudos to these young fellows for knowing about "Clovis Dardentor." I've never heard of it. Second, clever idea for financing.

And their cleverness doesn't end there. Check out the Wikipedia page for "Clovis Dardentor:

Although remaining unpublished in English for over a century, the novel's awareness is beginning to resurface with the announcement of its movie adaptation "Dardentor". A British film currently in development through buyacredit.com.

Three British film producers are currently in the development stages of "Dardentor" a £1M adaptation of "Clovis Dardentor". The film's production is being funded by the general public through buyacredit.com. Award Winning writer, Lizzie Hopley has written the screenplay for the movie.

Background on Lizzie Hopley here and here.

And here is the Buyacredit.com website, complete with a teaser video with the three lads inviting us to become part of "cinema history."