Master Class in Filmmaking

[Roderick Usher]

Originally Posted by Papillon Noir

This is off-subject, but out of curiousity, where did you learn to write screenplays? Did you go to film school?

I learned by doing. No film school, no writing classes. I had been a songwriter, so I was used to being efficient and working in a three act structure. But I started writing because I was an actor constantly auditioning for and reading bad scripts.

I knew that I could do better, so I started writing. The first 3 scripts were pretty bad, but I optioned the 4th and that gave me the confidence to continue.

[bwind22]

Was the 4th one that you did well in a contest with?

And what happened to the 1st 3? Are they just sitting on a shelf somewhere or have you sold them since the 4th one got optioned?

[Roderick Usher]

Originally Posted by bwind22

Was the 4th one that you did well in a contest with?

And what happened to the 1st 3? Are they just sitting on a shelf somewhere or have you sold them since the 4th one got optioned?

No, the 5th placed in a screenplay competition, which allowed me to show the 4th one around. The first 3 were no good at all.

I've now written 18 spec features. 4 feature assignments (3 of which were produced by SciFi Channel - 1 was never produced) and 3 spec television pilots.

Of the specs, 2 have been optioned, 1 is being retooled and is about to go into pre-production, another one has sparked some interest. Amongst the others maybe 2-3 of them are good enough to get made but the old ones are really just the stepping stones which have gotten me here. Looking back to them isn't helpful, it's important to keep moving forward and growing as a writer.

[bwind22]

Here comes another stupid (very novice) screenwriter question...

When you say spec, I am under the impression that is the title given to scripts that are not adaptations or a project assigned to you. Basically, your own original idea. Is that correct?

(Sorry, I told you it was a stupid question.)

[Papillon Noir]

Originally Posted by bwind22

Here comes another stupid (very novice) screenwriter question...

When you say spec, I am under the impression that is the title given to scripts that are not adaptations or a project assigned to you. Basically, your own original idea. Is that correct?

(Sorry, I told you it was a stupid question.)

There are no stupid questions, only stupid people. :p

All kidding aside, remember that you can't go from a Novice to a Master without asking questions. ;)

Anyway, in response to your question:
A spec (speculative) script is one where the writer writes it without being paid and shops in on the open market, as opposed to an assignment, where a script is commissioned to be written by a studio or production company.

As to whether a spec script is original vs. adaptation, I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter, as you don't need to be commissioned by a studio to write an adaptation, all you need is permission by the author (or whoever owns it currently) unless it's in public domain, then anybody can use it.

[Roderick Usher]

From an interview with John Carpenter on suicidegirls.com:

DRE: I heard about this his project that you might be doing next, L.A. Gothic.

John: Well, I’m involved in a couple of things right now. I just don’t know. The script for L.A. Gothic is very good. I’d like to tweak it a little bit, but we’ll see. When it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, there’s always basketball.

There was a link to the interview from Ain’t it Cool News. The whole interview is here:

http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/John%20Carpenter/

Still rolling along. Will be meeting again today.

[bwind22]

Rod, Can you feel you star rising right now?

Like do you walk up to a club with a long line and the bouncer moves people out of your way and sends you in... "Right this way, Mr. Keller. We saved you a table right next to Brad and Angelina." ?

Or not quite to that degree yet? :D

In any event, I, personally can sorta sense that your star probably IS rising right now, just wondering if it's to a degree that you've noticed any changes in your day to day life yet.




And thanks Pap. So 'spec' just means that the writer wrote it in hopes (speculation) that they may be able to sell it. Is that correct?

When a spec script does get sold, is it then refered to as something else? Does it go from being a spec script to a different titled script?

[Roderick Usher]

Originally Posted by bwind22

Rod, Can you feel you star rising right now?

Nope.

Still broke. Still struggling, or rather "paying dues."

Some days it still fells like I'm never going to get anywhere, but those are the days you have to really knuckle down and get to the reason why I do what I do...love of cinema.

BTW my other flick has been put on hold again. Rough patch of luck on that one, but it'll be back together soon **fingers crossed**

[Papillon Noir]

Originally Posted by bwind22

And thanks Pap. So 'spec' just means that the writer wrote it in hopes (speculation) that they may be able to sell it. Is that correct?

You got it. :)

Originally Posted by bwind22

When a spec script does get sold, is it then refered to as something else? Does it go from being a spec script to a different titled script?

I don't know if the script if gets a special title when you sell it other than "sold". I have never sold a script myself. :o At least not yet :p

Before you sell a script, they are sometimes "optioned", which means that a production company has just reserved your script (for a specific amount of time) until they decide whether or not they want to produce it. You cannot option or sell your script to anyone else during this time.

After the studio buys your script it will sometimes go into "development hell" where there may be rewrites and they are trying to get the budget together and the cast and crew aboard. When they are ready to start production, it becomes a shooting script and usually accompanied by a shot list.

Let me know if you want to know anything else about filmmaking. :)

[bwind22]

Thanks Pap. I do have another question regarding dialect in describing scenes and actions. Please tell me which, if any, of the following examples would be acceptable.

1- The sun is setting at the end of a dusty road beyond a western town. In the distance, two men on horseback are riding in with the sun at their backs.

(It is my understanding that this option is probably the one I should be using, but every now and then I get the urge to write stuff like the following examples. I just want to know which is correct or incorrect.)

2- We see a western town at sunset. A solitary dusty road runs through the center of it. In the distance, we see two men on horseback riding in to town with the sun at their back.

(Pronouns. Is it inappropriate to use terms like "we see" in a script?)

3- The camera pans along the horizon until it settles on a quiet western town. At the end of a dusty road, two riders on horseback approach the town.

(Camera direction. Should it be included or not. I've read that a writer is not supposed to do the director's job for them, but I've also read that a script is supposed to act as an instruction manual for everyone working on the film. Is it inappropriate to use camera directions in a script?)

Thanks.