tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9051438376566167582024-03-21T07:56:47.855-07:00Poetry in Motion PicturesThe Art and Craft of Writing Screenplaysbiscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-84952005175993587452011-07-21T14:20:00.000-07:002014-01-16T13:54:23.834-08:00Script Tips On Hiatus<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
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My weekly Script Tips have taken a backseat to my latest projects, including a TV Pilot that has been optioned and is in development, a short I've been asked to write, and an all-new and exciting project soon to be announced: a feature that I am producing with the help of a ton of awesome filmmakers. Official news will soon be announced at my <a href="http://www.greenchairpictures.com/">website</a>. Thank you for stopping by!</div>
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UPDATE: January 2014</div>
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What is the saying? "We make plans...and God laughs." I don't think She actually laughs at us, but She does have her own plans for us. And so here I am two and a half years later, following a long, debilitating illness that meant I had to cancel most of my projects. (And the TV series deal fell apart. Oy.) But I'm still here to tell about it. And so a new show goes on, even if I'm not exactly what my life's show will entail. But I do know it will be joyous. Cheers!</div>
biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-1413119110570852542011-05-31T09:37:00.000-07:002011-05-31T09:37:16.435-07:00All Writing Helps Your Writing<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Lest I allow May to escape sans a post, I will interrupt my incredibly hectic schedule to pen a quick tip...with a nod toward some of what's been keeping me too busy to write weekly script tips of late.</span></i><br />
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I just polished version five of my speech for next week's Concord Boys and Girls Champions for Kids Breakfast. Prior to that I was working feverishly on the script for the video that is to be shown there.<br />
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Any writing helps your writing. And with projects like these that remove me temporarily from the scriptwriting realm, I am reminded how important it is to practice your craft, no matter what the form.<br />
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I've also been catching up on thank you letters. And congratulatory notes. 'Tis the season of graduations. And now that my children are both post-high school, the graduation announcements are flying back and forth.<br />
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I have three recommendation letters to pen (and if any of the three stop by this blog, they will wonder why I am writing this post and not their letters). And I sent an apology to an acquaintance of mine (never mind why!).<br />
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Used to be I'd dash off a note as a warm-up to my daily scriptwriting, especially when I was in grad school. It was a good habit then, like stretching before a run. Perhaps I should resurrect the daily ritual. If not to hone my craft, then to at least return me to the habit of writing daily screenplay pages, especially now that I have several screenplays due for a project that I and my partners are preparing to launch.<br />
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Try it for yourself: write your mother, your friend, your Congressperson. Pen an editorial. Or simply tweet a cohesive message. Then dive into your screenplay, novel, short story, memoir, or what have you. And write on!biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-11754166359879722222011-04-28T15:31:00.000-07:002011-04-28T15:31:17.776-07:00Screenwriting as a Collaborative ProjectSome non-writer friends have asked if I'm ever lonely as a writer. Hardly! With all those characters in my head I always have a slew of on-going conversations. The difficulty is trying to hush them, especially when I need to sleep.<div><br />
</div><div>Of course admitting I hear voices may be cause for concern to some--maybe even grounds to book me in the nearest facility with a white-padded room and a chef's coat that ties in a funny way. But as a writer, if you don't hear the voices of your characters, then you should really be concerned.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The really tricky part is acting as mediator. There are always going to be active power struggles going on in your head. "Pick me!" "Write about me!" the characters invariably shout. "Listen to my side of the story!" Another bellows. "Get my story right!" Still another echoes.</div><div><br />
</div><div>And once you do--get all their stories right, that is--the voices finally quiet, satisfied with your job well done. So that when you finally hit FADE OUT, the peace begins. Until the next day when you start your newest project....</div><div><br />
</div>biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-41321658988225381362011-04-18T17:12:00.000-07:002011-04-18T21:38:17.244-07:00Seeking UnderstandingLast week I attended a reading of <i>Townie</i>, the fabulous new memoir by <a href="http://andredubus.com/">Andre Dubus III</a>. While it was wonderful hearing him read from his work, it was also enlightening listening to him talk about writing.<br />
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</div><div>One quote about writing resonated with me in particular; it was from Hemingway who said, "The writer's job is not to judge, but to seek to understand."</div><div><br />
</div><div>With that statement I felt like a window was opened in a sauna, delivering me a much-needed cool breeze. For I have been obsessively judging one of my characters in a serial drama I'm currently writing. I've even told my students, "I hate her. She's such a bitch." And because I judge her to be selfish and mean toward her fiance, I can't begin to write her properly.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Until now. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The quote completely frees me to examine this character's life and to seek to comprehend what she lives and experiences. I don't have to like her, but I do have to understand her. And through better understanding of her, I hope to empathize with her enough so that I can honestly write her story.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I'm actually already there. That one Hemingway line has illuminated my path. And reminded me of my job: to record the lives of my characters as they grow and breathe and live both in my head and, eventually, on the page.</div><div><br />
</div><div>"Our job is not to judge, but to seek to understand." Wouldn't it be nice if more than just writers would take that mantra to heart?</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, serif, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, serif, sans-serif;"><i>{And a small note of apology to those of you who check in for the weekly scriptwriting tip: I have been battling bronchitis for more than three weeks, and it has now developed into a sinus infection. I've never had bronchitis before; I had no idea what a walloping punch it delivered. Be well. Write daily. And read twice as much. Oh, and drink plenty of fluids....}</i></span></div>biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-24294151241009643492011-03-30T15:03:00.000-07:002011-03-30T15:03:07.761-07:00Picturing Where Your Characters AreDo you know where your characters are and where they need to go? How long does it take them to travel from location to location? Do they need to take a train? An elevator? The stairs? Knowing these details helps you keep their reality in tact for them, for you, and for an audience.<br />
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The other day as I watched a TV show that only lasted six episodes, I wondered if part of the problem for the short-lived series was its distorted sense of place. Two characters left a state prison, arguing as they walked to her car. The fellow was so upset that he decided to walk back to the city's law firm. Walk? From the state pen? Which seemed to be perched in the middle of nowhere....<br />
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Not only did it take me out of the story, but it distracted me throughout the rest of the episode. Every time anyone traveled anywhere, I questioned where they began from and how they arrived to their destination so quickly.<br />
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For one of my sci fi stories I began with a hand-scrawled wall mural of the planets and galaxies included in my characters' universe, including light and heating sources, and how far each was located from the other. It was a required step as I penned the script; well, required if I wanted to maintain a legitimacy to the rules of the universe I was creating and establishing.<br />
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Now, as I pen episodes and a show bible for a spec series I'm working on, I realize that not only is the sense of place important to keeping it real for my characters, but also to help other writers and creative artists on the series get a sense of what the characters face each time they step out on the town or shuffle through their own homes.<br />
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Which is why yesterday I sat down with an artist and gave him my quickly scrawled (and probably difficult to comprehend) sketches of some of the places in the story. Hopefully he can picture where my characters are...and help me convey that sense of place to my creative team.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-78008634145928573122011-03-24T18:12:00.000-07:002011-03-24T18:12:39.229-07:00Reading AloudToday my class of 15 awesome advanced scriptwriting students and I read two scripts from a project I'm working on. We were joined by the enthusiastic and gregarious director--my creative partner in the venture. It was awesome hearing the characters come to life.<br />
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It's not the first time I've pulled together readers for my scripts. I've hosted living room readings of my pirate script with other writers and attorneys from my husband's former law firm, even providing grog and Pirate Booty. I also invited a gaggle of moms over one morning after school drop off so we could read one of my family scripts as we sat and ate brunch.<br />
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I've been helped by, and later turned around and helped the NH Film Office pull together readings of both my own and others' screenplays by seasoned local actors before an audience. And I always require my classes to read aloud each script written by students in the class. It's a fantastic way for the writer to hear what works and what doesn't quite yet convey the story.<br />
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It doesn't have to be a formal setting, nor a reading by professional actors to help you get a sense of what's working in your screen (or stage) story. But I do highly recommend hosting a reading--or finding a good friend to host one on your behalf--as one necessary step in the creative writing and rewriting process.<br />
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Recipe for a Fabulous Home Reading of a Script:<br />
- Thin, solid three-ring binders<br />
- Script for each reader, preferably with their part highlighted within<br />
- Comfy seats<br />
- Bright enough lights to read by<br />
- Snacks & drinks (genre appropriate makes it that much more fun; if it takes place around a baseball park, you might include franks & cold beer)<br />
- Optional: party favors (again, genre or script specific is more fun; for my family script - THE MIRROR PROPHECY - I sent every reader home with a decorative compact mirror in the shape of a UFO, since the story took place on several planets)<br />
- Pencils<br />
- Time for your readers to discuss the script afterwards; this is your opportunity to LISTEN. Don't get defensive, just listen to what your readers have to say. Often there are several nuggets of invaluable ideas that work their way into your revisions.<br />
- And finally: enough time to read the script in its entirety, to take a break part way through, to mingle, to eat, to visit, and to hear feedback.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-8227888408037008282011-03-09T06:31:00.000-08:002011-03-09T06:31:28.489-08:00It's in the cards...I'm working on a project that involves four or five different story lines woven into 55-60 pages of script. But how to keep track of all those plots?<br />
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Color index cards, baby!<br />
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My main storyline, or my A-story, appears on pink cards. My secondary story, or B-story, is on blue. My C-story on green, D-story on yellow, and E-story is on orange.<br />
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How did I assign each story a color? Well, that part's mostly random, though the E-story was relegated to my least favorite color in the pack, since the E-story will have the fewest cards.<br />
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Utilizing the color-coded cards makes each step of the outlining process easier. First, I can brainstorm in any order I choose, writing one scene per card.<br />
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Second, as I organize the 28-32 cards in five acts, including a teaser and an epilogue, laying them out on the sofa in my office, I can easily see where I may have bunched up too much A-story without a break, or forgotten to include a bit of the C-story in the second act. A quick shuffle of the cards, and my one-hour story is beginning to take on a nice look and feel.<br />
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Once I'm happy with the card arrangement, I number them in order, and sit down to write. I can quickly type up a beat-outline from the cards, especially if I need to share it with my creative partner. Or I can simply begin writing the script, using the cards to guide me.<br />
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Next time you're faced with the blank sheet of a new project, give the cards a try. Even if your story merely consists of one major story, with perhaps an ancillary tale or two tossed in, the cards will help you brainstorm your way to a well-rounded narrative...and make order out of the chaos once you've exhausted your ideas.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-7833795115706708512011-03-02T08:32:00.000-08:002011-03-02T08:32:27.830-08:00Though Shalt WriteSounds basic enough, doesn't it? If you're a writer, you write.<br />
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We all have our own habits and schedules. Some of us write our best stuff before breakfast, while others peck away at the keyboard late into the night. During grad school I wrote my most promising prose between the wee hours of 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., before the rest of the occupants in my house awoke.<br />
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But life doesn't always make it easy for us to find our writing time and space. And procrastination is too often our own worst enemy. So with all the real (and fake) demands on your time, it's important to push all else aside and just write.<br />
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In fact, rather than reading this post admonishing you to do it, go write now. And so shall I. Maybe we can meet up soon and exchange drafts and critique notes over coffee or some other plausible procrastination beverage of choice.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-4411753233427139152011-02-23T13:43:00.000-08:002011-02-23T13:43:26.278-08:00Though shall not utilize words that endeth in "ly"One of my advanced screenwriting classes used to poke fun at my insistence that they drop all adverbs. "No words that end with 'ly'!" I would shout at them.<br />
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"So we can't use only?" One would ask.<br />
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"Nor lonely?" Another would chime in.<br />
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"You know what I mean!" And I'd practice my meanest glare, while we all laughed.<br />
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But as I talked my media writing class through edit notes the other day, I was reminded of the dreaded adverb, and realized it's a lesson that can help tighten all styles of writing. Consider this example:<br />
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He walks slowly.<br />
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Now how else can you state this?<br />
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He plods.<br />
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Much more declarative. Stronger. And the extra bonus? Fewer words. Twitter folks aren't the only ones who should be concerned with shortening their posts; we can all strengthen our messages by tightening our prose.<br />
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So the next time you sit down to edit your writing, challenge yourself to eliminate all adverbs, while retaining the meaning you are trying to convey with the replacement verb. I think you'll be happy with the results.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-16185771344065341982011-02-16T17:12:00.000-08:002011-02-16T17:12:08.643-08:00Creating the UniverseSo you've decided to write a new screenplay. Or maybe a new television or web series. Good for you!<br />
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Now what?<br />
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It's time to <b><i>get your god on</i></b>...for you are about to become the creator of your own universe. (I wonder if this is how our world started; maybe we're a reality show for some creatures in a galaxy far, far away.)<br />
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Once you've decided to create this new world, you need to define it. To the smallest detail. And then make certain your characters reside within this reality, uh, <i>religiously</i>. We'll buy the world you sell us, if you set it up properly. But show us a slip, and we're out of the moment, pulled from the story like Richard Collier (played by Christopher Reeve) in <i>Somewhere in Time</i> when he sees a coin minted from his own time period. And you risk never getting us back again.<br />
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Sure, we humans can't [yet] teleport. But when we watch <i>Star Trek</i>, we buy that they do. And Buffy? She rocks! We're willing to roll with her, as we plunge into her unique and fun alternate reality.<br />
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So how do you define the rules? Start with the basic definitions first: where are you? What time period is this? Are there any super powers? If so, who has them? Why? If other characters don't seem to notice the paranormal the way the brothers do in "Supernatural," why is that? Define every last detail as you create a Show Bible for your story. And stick to it. Or at least edit back to it in subsequent drafts.<br />
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Even as I write my own alternate universes I envy you yours; nearly nothing's sweeter than creating your own rules. While you should have fun in this process, you should also keep in mind that part of the success of a well-crafted alternate reality is that we don't notice it...as we watch your characters and engage in their lives and their stories.<br />
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What are you waiting for? You have a universe to create. And seven days may be too long before your next deadline!biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-17595197357215943282011-01-28T14:16:00.000-08:002011-01-28T14:16:58.104-08:00Oh story, where for art thou?As a writer I am often pitched ideas for possible stories. Some days, like today, I hear the kind of story that makes my blood boil...and I know for certain there's something special about this one; it's the kind of tale I can devote hours, days, weeks, even years of my life to.<br />
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And other times I'm tossed back into that old 80's commercial, wondering, "where's the beef?"<br />
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So how do you know when you have a story that is not only worth the time investment to write it, but also worth the time of the cast and crew needed to bring it to cinematic life?<br />
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I could be flip and answer simply, "you just do." And while that may be true, it's not an answer that actually helps anyone. So here are some of the questions I ask myself when considering whether or not to tackle a story idea and attempt to capture it in script format; hope it helps you:<br />
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1) Is this a story that MUST be told?<br />
2) Does this story stir strong emotions? For example, does it bring tears to your eyes? Or does it make you seethe with rage? Are you laughing so hard you may wet yourself?<br />
3) Do you want to tell others about this story? Do you find yourself already sharing shards of this story with others?<br />
4) Do you daydream about this story?<br />
5) Do you armchair cast this story?<br />
6) Can you hear the characters beginning to regale you with their story, clamoring to jump out of your head and onto the page?<br />
7) Do you see the trailer? Or the opening shot? The closing shot? That clip that will be shown during the Oscars ceremony?<br />
8) Is this a story that you can live with for the next two years of your life?<br />
9) Is this a story that YOU must tell?<br />
10) Will you sleep if you don't tackle this tale?<br />
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Hope this list helps you. It's just helped me. I'm finally ready to turn down one story idea. And I accepted the other story pitch the moment I heard it, only a couple hours ago; now here's hoping the originator of the tale will want to work with me too.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-48024595352526264232011-01-13T13:36:00.000-08:002011-01-14T04:35:57.324-08:00Can You Write a Character Reference for Your Characters?I'm working on a script. No surprise there. And I'm also writing a character reference for a colleague that's due next week. And the thing I'm realizing is: the two are remarkably similar.<br />
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Okay, so my character reference has to be two pages, while most of my TAGS (or the character descriptions) are a few sentences at most, and only a few words for secondary characters, if even that. Though when I'm working on longer projects, from feature film specs to spec teleplays, I develop well-rounded character descriptions that can include everything from a character's favorite color to what influenced him in his childhood to make him the adult he is today.<br />
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In the colleague reference, I have been asked to detail the past few years of accomplishments and the reasons why I am nominating this person for an award. In collecting all my information, I have been asking and answering similar questions that I do when developing a character: what is her motivation? How did she get to where is she is today? What does she hope to achieve next?<br />
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I've even looked into the small details I know about her, things that will make the nominating committee understand that I know this person about as well as one can know a colleague (and, I'll admit, a friend). And hopefully, with my carefully crafted words, I will elicit empathy for her, and persuade them to pick her among all the nominees to be honored.<br />
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It is this empathy I am also hoping to evoke with my audience for my characters. Whether or not you agree with my character and his actions, you can still feel an empathy for his situation and his choices...as long as I've done my homework and gotten to know that character as well as any author can know those she writes about.<br />
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So...how well do you know your characters? If you can write each of them a two-page character reference, then I'd say you're on the right track.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-11813240089333145042011-01-03T14:59:00.000-08:002011-01-03T14:59:18.247-08:00Carving Away the Excess to Discover the StoryToday I met with a fellow female film artist to help her find her story. From her long, intriguing narrative we carved not one, but three possible shorts. More than that if you count the twists and turns that can be added to any one of them. It was gratifying to participate in the process, and to discover that somehow I innately knew the steps to take to coax the story forward.<br />
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All we needed was some blank paper.<br />
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As she talked I jotted scene after possible scene down, each on a separate sheet of blank recycled paper. Once we carved away the myriad of details from her memory and research, and blew away the dust, we found the story that she wants to tell.<br />
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Of course it's not done yet. This is just the beginning. Or rather it's my beginning, and her continuation on this long journey. Art is more than just a final work; it's a process.<br />
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So don't fret if you haven't yet found your story. Begin carving away at the tale scene by possible scene. At the end of the process you may just find yourself as fortunate as we were today when we discovered that one third of our scenes will likely make it to the next stage: the script outline.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-78727121547023671362010-12-27T16:18:00.001-08:002010-12-28T06:29:24.791-08:00Do Your Characters Have Something to Say to Each Other?I'm writing a stage play for two characters, each with equal and opposite goals. Neither can stand the other. So I put them in a room together. And I'm trying to determine what keeps them each in that room. I have two possible answers; either will work. But my real question is:<br />
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Do they have something to say to each other?<br />
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My follow-up question:<br />
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Is it enough to sustain the storyline and keep the audience intrigued for ten or so minutes?<br />
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And finally:<br />
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Is it compelling and dramatic?<br />
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I'm writing specifically for a production next spring. It's a subject I've flown to Maryland to investigate. After an intriguing interview with a fellow who has worked in Baffin Bay along the Arctic Circle (as well as numerous other cool places around the globe) this is the story that most sticks with me. It's probably not the story he'd first tell you if you asked him about his adventures in Nunavut. But I find it intriguing. And disturbing. And even quite dramatic. Well, it's dramatic when I twist the basic story into a fictionalized "based loosely on real life" tale.<br />
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Still, if I choose this as my story for a short play that will be stage read at the Audi in Concord, NH, and later produced in Boston (part of my <a href="http://playwrightsink.blogspot.com/">Granite Playwrights, Ink</a> writing group's workshop-to-production series this spring and summer) then I have to care about my characters enough to spend several months with them. And enough to make you, the audience, care about them.<br />
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So while I strive to answer my own questions, I invite you to explore your characters. It's not enough to find their individual voices, you've got to compel us to want to stay and listen to them. Good luck!biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-75025001680091602942010-12-21T05:49:00.000-08:002010-12-21T05:49:45.924-08:00How important is writing everyday?Very.<br />
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And that's what I've been up to. Which is why my blog posts have fallen off considerably. A tip a week. What's so difficult about that? Apparently everything.<br />
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And so I'm back. After meeting an important deadline yesterday. And with no time to dive into the rewrite of my one-act play "Hills Like White Baby Shoes" (title still subject to change), I decided it's high time to return to the tips.<br />
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But you didn't surf here to read about my difficulties in keeping up my blog. You have your own procrastination issues to resolve. After all, here you are: reading me, when you should probably be writing.<br />
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Am I right? You know I am.<br />
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How do you face the blank page each day? Or the next chapter, the next act, the next scene? When the page is blank--when I'm beginning a new project or starting over an old one from scratch--I like to begin with a warm-up write. Sometimes it's a 60-second or two-minute free write exercise: a vomit of words from brain to fingers to page. From the insignificant stuff like, "I don't know what to write...what can I possibly write about next?...which story do I really want to write next?" to the occasionally brilliant. (Notice how I have no examples of this illusive occasionally brilliant prose.)<br />
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When it's the next scene or act, it's "easy." I re-read what I wrote the day before, or even from the beginning of the screenplay or stage play, and I continue from there: writing as fast as I can to keep up with my characters' voices when I'm lucky enough to hear them, or placing them in situations that further the plot, seeing what their reactions are, and writing that, kind of like following rats around a maze and recording their actions and words. If rats could speak, that is.<br />
<br />
So there it is: this week's tip. Write everyday. So what are you waiting for? Write on!biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-56204705551606509822010-10-20T05:10:00.000-07:002010-10-20T05:10:35.589-07:00How important is story?Very.<br />
<br />
Once you've lured us into a darkened theatre, it's your job to entertain us. Unless you specifically advertise that, "No Storytelling Shall Take Place, Only Pretty Images and Disconnected Themes," you're wasting our time. Or at least mine.<br />
<br />
I've attended a number of film festivals, screened several independent filmmakers' films as potential movies to use in my classes and workshops, and watched countless hours of films in theaters and in my living room. And if there's one thing that drives me crazy, it's trying to determine the story when the filmmakers clearly had no clue what their narrative was.<br />
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Which means that we have a job to do as scriptwriters. We need to tell a compelling story about our character. Returning to an earlier post, we're examining what our character wants and what she'll do to get it. And we're not just tossing random obstacles in her way, but weaving in an equal and opposite-minded antagonist whose own goal will make it difficult or potentially even impossible for our protagonist to achieve her mission.<br />
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We also need to know what's at stake; what is the character willing to give up in order to chase her dream? There better be huge risks, or you may bore us. Please don't bore us.<br />
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So, how important is story? You tell me. But please make it interesting.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-47197981080900749482010-10-17T18:14:00.000-07:002010-10-17T18:15:50.459-07:00Show, Don't TellWhat does this really mean?<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Consider that we're writing for a visual medium, and answer this: would you rather have one character tell another character about an accident that just happened, or would you like to see that accident unfold on the screen? You can substitute accident for another event, and you still have the same idea. Do you want to be told how two lovers met, or do you want to see it happen?</div><div><br />
</div><div>In my Introductory Scriptwriting course at the <a href="http://www.unhm.unh.edu/">University of New Hampshire at Manchester</a>, each student is required to pen a dialogueless short screenplay of one to three pages. There's no better exercise than to write an all-visual script. It's also a strenuous task.</div><div><br />
</div><div>For playwrights, the challenge tends to be how to describe what's happening in the scene. For novelists and even short story writers, the difficult task is often how to reduce the amount of description while writing on the page what will occur on the screen once the script is filmed.</div><div><br />
</div><div>If you want to try this, you might attempt to write a scene between two people who each want the same thing, but only one person can have it. Want more specifics? Fine: Two seven year olds. Twins. One brand new bike. What will each do to get the bike?</div><div><br />
</div><div>Here's another exercise: try to take a scene from a favorite story and write it without dialogue. I'm picturing the fence-painting scene in <i>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer</i>. How can Tom get the other kids to paint the fence for him without using any dialogue?</div><div><br />
</div><div>Finally, stop and notice next time there's a scene in a film where no dialogue is exchanged, yet the story is clearly advanced. Or did the lack of dialogue not work? If not, why do you suppose that is?</div><div><br />
</div><div>Until next time, write on!</div>biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-44407407678240478262010-10-04T18:05:00.000-07:002010-10-04T18:05:37.313-07:00What does your antagonist want?Opposites may attract, but in good storytelling they repel.<br />
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However, a well-rounded antagonist does not simply seek to quash every forward movement of your protagonist. In fact, from your antagonist's point of view, if she is written well, she will consider herself the hero of the story. That's because to her, she is the hero of her particular tale.<br />
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As I sit and watch the New England Patriots take on the Miami Dolphins in Monday Night Football, I'm reminded of the best example of equal and opposite forces, trying like heck to get what they want: to win the game. From the Pat's point of view, they deserve to win; yet Miami feels they deserve to win. But there can only be one winner. And do we viewers care? Judging from the cheers and jeers from the fans, I'd say we're vested in the outcome of this particular tale.<br />
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So not only must you make sure your audience empathizes with your protagonist, but you must give your antagonist more than just a two-dimensional personality, so that even if for only a moment, we can see from the antagonist's point of view. We may not agree with your antagonist, but perhaps we can comprehend his actions and his do-or-die goal.<br />
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Storytelling is about keeping us absorbed in your tale. Developing good, well-rounded characters is a sure bet that we'll care...and we might even stay with your story till the final FADE OUT.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-22931279065106816642010-09-27T16:57:00.000-07:002010-10-04T17:48:34.975-07:00What does your character want out of life?A character's wants and needs drive the plot.<br />
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Before you argue that plot precedes character development, let's focus on <i>how</i> a character's wants and needs can drive a plot forward.<br />
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Today I watched WALL STREET again. I know this probably makes me a sucker since I am also planning on watching the sequel to see where Gordon Gekko picks up once he's a free man. And though I hate explanation as a story element, since I don't see Bud Fox in the character list for the 2010 film, I hope they'll tell us what became of him.<br />
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So let's focus on Bud Fox for a moment. What did he want? He wanted to be a powerful player on Wall Street, and he did everything he could to become that player. First he cold called Gekko's office 59 days in a row, trying to score just five minutes with the legend. Then, on May 6th -- Gekko's birthday -- he personally delivered a box of Cuban cigars to him. For his effort, Fox was invited to wait (for three hours!) to finally gain his five minutes with Gekko.<br />
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At first Fox acted like I might have given the same opportunity - he was tongue tied and nervous. After all, this was WHO Fox wanted to be. Or at least who he wanted to mentor him. But by the end of the five minutes, Fox makes a decision: he divulges insider trading information for the chance to work with Gekko, while at the same time selling a piece of his soul.<br />
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And it works.<br />
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Fox continues to drive the plot forward by chasing his wants and dreams, even though more pieces of him are dying off in the process. But it isn't until his actions nearly cause massive destruction to his father and his father's friends and co-workers, that Fox realizes he's chasing the wrong dreams. And so the third act becomes about him seeking his redemption.<br />
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Do we care? I think we do. We might not agree with all the choices Fox makes, but we empathize with his reasons, and understand that for him, this really is a do-or-die goal. But I'll also admit I am happy redemption seeps in at the end--that Fox ultimately turns out to be his father's son and not a Gekko II. Whether or not you enjoyed the 1987 movie, or liked the characters, you can see how the character's single-minded wants drive the story forward. It's an unstoppable train that carries the viewer on a ride.<br />
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Next time we'll look at the equal and opposite viewpoint of the antagonist who works against the protagonist to cause conflict, raise tension, and keep our attention.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-81194427374432435622010-09-27T16:22:00.000-07:002010-09-27T16:25:54.620-07:00Writing Your StoryAn interesting article on writing the story inside you by Screenwriter and Playwright Catherine Ann Jones; check it out at <a href="http://www.scriptshark.com/script-journal?detail%2FC17%2Fthe-way-of-story-the-craft-soul-of-screenwriting">ScriptShark</a>.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-59666394268646165612010-09-20T12:51:00.000-07:002010-09-20T12:53:14.572-07:00Backstory: Knowing it is important; knowing when to share it is keyHow well do you know your characters?<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Chances are you've done your homework and you know what they ate for lunch, where they ate it, and with whom. You also know if their parents are alive, what their parents' occupations are or were, and whether they lived happily as a married or divorced couple. But just because you know that your character prefers Prada to Levi's, or vice versa, doesn't mean you have to share every scrap of backstory with the script reader.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Author <a href="http://twitter.com/jamesscottbell">James Scott Bell</a> (<i>The Art of War for Writers</i>) talks about actively adding backstory to your writing (page 145). While Bell is writing to novelists, the same logic applies to screenwriters: tell us what we need to know to actively keep the story moving forward. In his example, from <i>The House of Sand and Fog</i> by novelist <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1164318">Andre Dubus</a>, Bell notes how Dubus cleverly inserts backstory into dialogue. It's not a character running off her mouth, listing her characteristics: "I'm twenty-seven years old, a pisces, was born in Bermuda during a hurricane, had my tonsils removed," etc., but rather pertinent information that helps define who the character is and what his dreams are. It helps the reader (or film viewer) begin to understand the character's goals.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Another great bit of wisdom to keep in mind when uncertain about how much backstory to present is delivered by Director <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001486">Sydney Lumet</a>. In his book <i>Making Movies,</i> Lumet describes the early years of filmmaking when, about two-thirds of the way through a movie, someone describes the psychological truth that made the character who he was. He writes that he and Writer <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0154665">Paddy Chayefsky</a> named this, "the 'rubber-ducky' school of drama: 'Someone once took his rubber ducky away from him, and that's why he's a deranged killer'" (page 37). </div><div><br />
</div><div>So while it's important that you know your characters inside and out, backwards and forwards, it's also important to know how to judiciously share relevant, character-building details that drive the story forward, not derail it completely.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Next blog post, we'll discuss how the character's wants and needs drive the plot forward. </div></div>biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-66660037538944784542010-09-10T12:37:00.000-07:002010-09-10T13:29:32.932-07:00Writing Dialogue: It's about listening.Yesterday as I sat and talked script notes with a director friend of mine, I scribbled down every suggestion he had for me. It didn't mean that this morning as I edited I used his notes verbatim, but it meant I had the essence of his vision, which is so close to mine that sometimes he and I can't even recall whose idea a favorite line of dialogue originally was.<br />
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But he said something else to me during one of our breaks. He told me about two people he chatted with who didn't listen to him. The experience, he said, has made him a better listener since he has a new appreciation for just how important the skill is.<br />
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The scriptwriter must be an acute listener, for not only must she hear what a director or producer is saying in a notes session, but she must hear her characters speaking to each other. If a character asks a question of one character or makes an observation, then the next line from the other character needs to be in response to that (unless the character is known for his easily distracted tendencies).<br />
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As I revise some of my scenes today, I am also conscious of how each character speaks. The three buddies in my story each have a unique voice, and a distinct manner in which they interact with one another. You know you've nailed the dialogue when you can cover the name of the character and still discern who is speaking. If you can't hear the unique voices of your characters, it's time to go back and make sure you know who they are, and how each fits in with the others.<br />
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Listening in on everyday conversations is another skill the adept writer needs to embrace. I tell my students and workshop participants to listen in on their own conversations as well as dialogue around them. I have a slight hearing problem, so when I can overhear a conversation in line at the movie theatre, then I consider it a public conversation, inviting people like me to listen in and learn how different people speak with each other. It's become a hobby of mine that helps my writing, especially when I discover a new speech pattern or a unique dialect.<br />
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So...you wanna be a scriptwriter? First rule (repeated from an earlier post) -- listen.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-87568600991863593892010-09-08T12:05:00.000-07:002010-09-08T19:31:45.002-07:00So You Want to Write a Screenplay? (Take Two.)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">You’re not alone.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This semester 15 students enrolled in my Intro Scriptwriting course at the <a href="http://www.unhm.unh.edu/">University of New Hampshire</a>. It’s a three-hour class that meets once a week. During that time we read scripts, talk films, screen movies, and discuss story-telling techniques and screenplay rules.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">As a reader of screenplays submitted to various competitions over the years, I’ve grown to appreciate the scripts penned by writers who have obviously studied their craft. The tales that jump to the front of my queue are the ones that have compelling characters with clear and defined do-or-die goals. Where they are up against believable odds, and find logical solutions to their problems. The best screenplays also share one major trait: they adhere to proper screenplay format. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">If you’re going to write a screenplay, it’s important to study screenwriting. Just as an architect must study for years before being able to create comprehensible plans for contractors, a screenwriter must learn the intricacies of the art form in order to pen a solid screenplay that can serve as a blueprint for a director and her crew.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">There are many great books* and programs available to students of any age. I first studied in the <a href="http://www.filmprograms.ucla.edu/">Online Professional Programs at UCLA</a> and later earned my MFA in Creative Writing with a focus in Screenwriting via the low-residency program at <a href="http://www.goddard.edu/">Goddard College</a>. In addition to classes at UNH and at <a href="http://www.nec.edu/">New England College</a>, I’ve taught workshops ranging from two hours to two days for the <a href="http://www.nhfilmfestival.com/">NH Film Festival</a>, the <a href="http://www.film-festival.org/">RI International Film Festival</a>, and the <a href="http://www.nhwritersproject.org/">NH Writers’ Project</a>. So you see, there are countless programs to choose from.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">So…you want to be a screenwriter? Second rule: study your craft.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">*One excellent reference book is Paul Argentini’s<i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_451540699"> </a></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elements-Style-Screenwriters-Essential-Screenplays/dp/1580650031">Elements of Style for Screenwriters: The Essential Manual for Writers of Screenplays</a></i>. Read that and as many screenplays as you can.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-48641295282399846102010-09-04T11:33:00.000-07:002010-09-04T11:36:12.344-07:00So You Want to Write A ScreenplayWho doesn't these days?<br />
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A friend of mine, a screenwriter who landed the post of a WGA writing intern at a popular TV series, told me the story of his cab ride from LAX to the studio -- in which the cabbie pitched him a script! It's an often retold story, so I rarely tell anyone on a flight to LA or nearby Long Beach that I'm a screenwriter.<br />
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But then it happened to me yesterday on the phone. I called a printer in another major metropolis where studios reside to get a quote on photocopying the Top Three Screenplays in the <a href="http://www.nhfilmfestival.com/">New Hampshire Film Festival</a> Screenplay Competition and delivering them to our judge's office. When the guy on the other end of the phone pitched me his script, I scratched his company off my list. I was not about to give him the job...so he could pitch to our judge upon delivery too. I didn't care how good his prices were. (Actually he was going to charge me more than the service I eventually hired.)<br />
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Knowing when and where to pitch to someone is as important as knowing how to pitch. I'll give the guy credit: he had his pitch down cold. But when he asked, "Is this something your company would be interested in?" I could only repeat what I had told him at the beginning of our conversation -- that I am the Director of the NHFF Screenplay Competition, and that he is welcome to submit his script in next year's competition via <a href="http://www.withoutabox.com/">Withoutabox</a>, but I'm not a company. Rather, I'm just a screenwriter who, like him, would also be interested in finding a studio interested in acquiring my script.<br />
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Like great dialogue writing, pitching needs to be about listening first. If he had listened to me when he initially asked, he would have heard that I was not a person he should be pitching to. Or even if I was, I was not interested in hearing his pitch at that moment. I felt like I had dialed into a telemarketer. Resisting the urge to tell him, "Take me off your list!" and hanging up, instead I removed him from my list when I hung up.<br />
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So...you want to be a screenwriter? First rule: listen.biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905143837656616758.post-54465665957578489412010-09-01T08:32:00.000-07:002010-09-01T08:32:05.197-07:00Short Film<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">How do we attract the super short (and the tall) filmmakers as we attempt to launch the New Hampshire 7DayPSA Competition?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The deadline’s tomorrow. Yet as of today we only have—gulp—one team registered. Yes. You read that correctly. One team. And seven fabulous New Hampshire non-profits are interested, three of which are prepping materials for this year’s competition. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What to do?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Get the word out like never before. And start advertising the one-week late, extended deadline now.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Okay, so here it is:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The New Hampshire 7DayPSA Competition deadline is tomorrow—Sept. 2, 2010. Teams can register for $120 (or $100 for Student Teams).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Or Teams can Register up to one week after the deadline—by Sept. 9, 2010—for the Late Registration Fee of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$135 per Team (or $110 per Student Team).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Note: <a href="http://www.48hourfilm.com/newhampshire/">NH 48-Hour</a> Filmakers may deduct 10% off of their Registration Fee.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Information is available at the <a href="http://nh7daypsa.blogspot.com/">NH 7DayPSA</a> blog; registration forms are available courtesy of our host organization, <a href="http://www.redrivertheatres.org/pdf/7daypsa_registration.pdf">Red River Theatres</a>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Questions? Contact <a href="mailto:danabiscotti@gmail.com">Dana</a>. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Thanks!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><!--EndFragment-->biscotti danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193580185167350665noreply@blogger.com0