Screenwriting

The Plunge: Screenwriting and Why Everyone Wants to Do It

Last modified on 2011-01-12 06:34:17 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Screenplay writing might be one of the most challenging things to ever face man. Over the last two years I have been studying the craft of screenwriting. I have written one feature screenplay and several shorts. Do to financial issues I have had to suspend my writing in order to work as much as possible. I am grateful to admit that I have placed a pretty good dent in that struggle, and now my mind is focused yet again on the art of wordsmithing. Their is one dilemma; the more I study, the more I learn that I know nothing about it. Now that can be pretty frustrating. What is even more frustrating is the fact that I am competing with everyone who has ever breathed air (and seen a movie).

Please, don’t try to deny it. You know, as well as I, that you have often been watching a movie and thought to yourself ‘Pffff! I could come up with a better story!’. Let us look back to that time where you felt that desire to be a part of the motion picture industry. You know, that time when you wanted to become an alchemist of time, talent, and film in order to present your thoughts and inner desires to the world. Do not worry; we have all been there.

But I still have to think, “What the heck are you thinking Phil? Do you really think that you, of all people, will ever have a chance to live the dream of all men?” You see, there is something that you probably do not know about me: I am a habitual procrastinator and I have the self esteem of a sponge (at least when it comes to things like future success and dating). You would never guess that about me because I am also pretty dang good at putting on a show (I have often considered acting, except for the fact that I smile like a freaking idiot any time a camera is placed in front of my face).

The point I am trying to make here is that I, like you, am afraid to move forward with decisions I know will better my life. That is because I also recognize there is a lot of risk involved in those decisions. However, I implore you to do as I have: Ask yourself, “What do I really have to lose?” Our parents, because they love us, have sheltered us in one form or another. This is not necessarily a bad thing; it just means that in some areas of life we are afraid of rejection.

What is rejection? Another term for what we fear is failure. In my current employment, I do sales. One of the books I was recommended by a mentor is by Tom Hopkins. It’s called “How to Master the Art of Selling.”. In that book Tom Hopkins shares a secret I am striving to apply in my life “I will not be judged by the number of times I fail, but by the number of times I succeed. And the number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I can fail and keep trying.”

I love that. Too often in life we are shunned for being optimists. “The world is cruel,” the pessimist says, and sadly we agree. This year my goal is to achieve success in my chosen field of screenwriting. The entirety of my success will lie solely on my shoulders. This means that I have to take actual steps to succeed. As I continue my journey, I will be frequently updating this site to explain what I learn, how I learned it, and why it is important. I invite you to follow with me.

Now, this all boils down to me actually taking the plunge. What am I going to do to kick start my drive for success? Aside from making you read ridiculous information like this, I have been forced to take action. This last Saturday I read a tweet from someone I have followed from time to time on Twitter: @ScreenwritingU. This tweet may not have seemed like much, but it has had a profound effect on me. It was an invitation to listen to a free teleconference with Hal Croasman, the director of www.screenwritingu.com. I promptly signed up.

I prepared everything, with a downloadable PDF file prepared by Hal it was very simple. What happened next was a 3.5 hour dissertation that taught me more about screenwriting than all of the studying I had done in the previous year, and this was just about rewriting. As I listened to the presentation, I knew that now was the time to take action. I cannot wait another six months to learn how to write a sellable script. So I signed up immediately for his ProSeries that will go over in-depth screenwriting techniques from January 15th until July 15th of this year. And I am excited. My brief glimpse at the program showed me that I couldn’t wait. I had to take action, and I am ever excited to do just that. (He will be repeating that call in February, and I recommend anyone looking to improve their writing skills visit their website and take the course). The ProSeries starts this Saturday, he is offering a $350 discount until tomorrow night, and best of all, they finance if you can’t afford to pay it all up front. If you have ever wanted to write for Hollywood, you owe it to yourself to take this course with me.

If you are hoping to do something to improve your life, and you have thought frequently about that, I invite you to join me this year in taking the plunge. Decide today that you will accomplish the thing you want most, or seriously come closer to it. No one can change your life but you. I look forward to success with you this year.

Sincerely – Phil Hudson

Screenwriting Help

Last modified on 2010-07-31 05:05:10 GMT. 3 comments. Top.

Well let’s just start off explaining what business I have even having a screenwriting section on my website. My name is Phil Hudson, and I’m trying to be a screenwriter. That means that I sit in front of my computer for hours on end, studying formatting techniques, learning story telling techniques and sorting out the jumble of stuff in my head that might not make any sense to anyone else. So in the last year and half, as I’ve tried to figure out how to be what everyone else wants to be also, I’ve stumbled upon a few things that might help anyone looking for guidance in the world of screenwriting. So here’s a list I have (that will be updated as more come along) and my review of the websites and the authors.

www.wordplayer.com – This is a website run by Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio, two working screenwriters who have done most of the movies I grew up with. Movies like Pirates of the Caribbean 1-4, Godzilla, Zorro 1-2, Alladin, etc. (They have a complete list on their website, and trust me it will blow you away). The reason why I love this website the most is because it’s the first real website I found that taught me how to really write marketable screenplays. These 2 are the 2nd highest box office grossing writers in the history of film, next to George Lucas (and probably James Cameron now that Avatar is #1). What that means, is the things they tell you to do, are tested and proven to work. They will make people lots of money, and if people make lots of money, you do too, and that means they will hire you to write more. Also, they have free download able copies of their work, free articles, books, and lists of things that will help you as you approach this frightening field. One last thing to check out, they have an awesome forum where other screenwriters share their own experiences and viewpoints with frequent visits from other working writers.

I find there are a lot of writers who won’t write “marketable” screenplays because they don’t want to sacrifice their “artistic liberties and vision”. They refer to this as “selling out”. Well, as much as I appreciate the art form and personal expression that screenwriting can grant you, no money means no time to write because you are flipping a burger or cleaning a toilet. We all have to pay our dues, but in the end working experience and practical use of proper technique will show people you know what you are doing, and give you those opportunities to truly express yourself in Courier pt 12.

www.wordplayer.com

www.johnaugust.com – John August is a wonderful working professional. This man has done so much in his time writing. He wrote Big Fish, Charlie’s Angels 1-2, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, etc. This website has over 900 articles on screenwriting, and you can tell that the man loves the work. I recommend reading the suggestions on the right column and scrolling to the bottom where he has all of his articles organized by topic. I’ve learned so much since I’ve discovered this website. I also recommend you follow him on twitter, @johnaugust. His tweets, whether professional or personal, are always important and have a purpose. Also, contrasted against Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio, he has done a great job of expressing himself in his own personal style without “selling out” (Not that Ted or Terry have) and his work is very unique.

All in all, I think these two websites, coupled together will give a new/amateur screenwriter over a year of great study material. They coincide greatly, and as they both recommend, take what works for you and leave the rest behind. You need to gain your own style. Try everything, if it works great. If it doesn’t, leave it alone. You’ll learn your style in no time.

Books

There are several books that I would recommend. Here are the ones that I have personally read and how they helped me.

Screenplay by Syd Field – This is the go to book for learning to write properly and in proper format. Syd Field revolutionized screenwriting when he wrote this book. Everyone who has ever written a book on screenwriting references this book. It literally teaches you everything you need to know to get running. I recommend this as a first read. It’s invaluable.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Screenwriting by Skip Press – This book is wonderful. I had to sacrifice my pride when I bought it, but in the end it helped me have that burning desire to learn all I could about screenwriting. It has a great section on film history, coming up with an idea, formatting, technique, proper presentation, and how to sell your screenplay. It helped me a ton and led me to www.wordplayer.com.
Adventures in the Screentrade by William Goldman – First of all, few screenwriters have had as much of an impact on the world of screenwriting as William Goldman. The man is a legend. Any of you who grew up in the same era as I did know his work, mostly from “The Princess Bride”. He’s done everything from “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, to “Marathon Man” and many many more. Most of his films have won Academy Awards. Needless to say, he knows his stuff. This book is awesome because he walks you through the many experiences he has had on film sets around the world. He has great advice for screenwriters of all ages, and his insights into what was truly the “golden age” of film, make those films more enjoyable.