Joss Whedon on Writing

Here is a excellent post on Joss Whedon's thoughts and advice for anyone interested in writing,  Full article here.

(via Trevor Cunningham)

Jim Henson's Red Book Now Online

Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets et al, was obviously a prolific creator and he would often jot down notes and ideas into a notebook which was later nicknamed "The Red Book".  It was a book that he kept updating with ideas and whatnot up to his death.  

Now after all of these years, The Henson Company has been kind enough to start posting segments of The Red Book in a blog format for all of us to see, not to mention learn from.  The best part is that it's all for free! 

Go here to see The Red Book.

(hat tip to Puppetvision)

A Interview with Save the Cat author Blake Snyder

As some of you may know. Blake Snyder, the author of the immensely helpful screenwriting book Save the Cat, passed away one year ago.

In honor of Snyder his website has posted a full 45 minute audio interview that Snyder had done Robin Mizell, before his passing, for an article she was writing for Screenwriters and Playwrights Market.

Go here to read more about Blake Snyder and to download the interview.

No Budget Commandments

Good Machine has listed a series of rather brilliant commandments of making a low budget film that most of us should strive to follow.  Go here for the full list.  (h/t to The Frugal Filmmaker)

Productivity Hacks: The Pomodoro Trick

This week I'm trying to increase both my writing and creativity output by using a method called The Pomodoro technique. 

The idea is that you give yourself only 25 minute intervals to focus on one single task, in my case writing or crafting a prop, then after time runs out you leave the task and give yourself five minutes of fun.  Sounds a bit weird, I know.  Yet I have to say that so far I have to say that it works well.

 It is a better way of doing things than most techniques or tricks I have tried in the past.  I'm generalizing on how Pomodoro works and what needs to be done but please go to Lifehacker for the full details and vidoe instructions which can all be found here.

12 SECRETS TO PROLIFIC SHORT-STORY WRITING

Lots of good advice here which can be used for screenwriting or even a pulp novel or twelve. Go here for the how-to.

FOR FIFTY BUCKS...

I've long forgotten where I discovered this story so you will have to forgive me for not giving credit where credit is due. And even though I am sure I've shared this tale before, I read something that made think of it and I want to share it with you again.

The story goes as this; During the filmming of a film, a producer wanted to know how much it cost to do a visual effect shot of the Red Sea parting. The fx person thinks it over for a moment and says well for a million I can part the whole sea. For fifty-thousand I can part just one side, and for fifty bucks I can have a guy look at something off screen and say, "holy crap, the Red Sea is parting!"

Take from this story what you will.

SASQUATCH MOUNTAIN

Do you want to know what a script for the Sci Fi Channel looks like? Well after digging around on the intertubes I have found one. It's for the film DEVIL ON THE MOUNTAIN which aired on the channel as SASQUATCH MOUNTAIN.

Here is the link to a pdf version of the script. (big tip of the hat to Sci Fi Scripts).

If anyone is interested in writing for the Sci Fi channel check out their screenplay structure found here.

Also if anyone out there has any links to any more Sci Fi Channel scripts drop me an email at kidschlocko (at) yahoo.

FIVE-STEP ENDING

Mickey Spillane always worked on the ending of his novels before even starting the beginning. His reasoning was that the ending should always kick ass making both the beginning and middle of the story worth the effort of reading.

Any story, no matter the genre, should always have that big pay-off. It's the reward given to a reader or audience member. Believe me, a bad ending can leave a bad taste in one's mouth and word spreads quicker than a wildfire around these parts of the internets. Have a kick ass ending, 'nuff said!

Blake Snyder has made a five step finale beat sheet that you and I should and need to follow. It's done in a way far better than I could ever come up with. Click here for the full details and fix that damn ending!

WRITING ACTION SEQUENCES

One of the things that I constantly am researching and try to practice, when it comes to screenwriting, is writing out action sequences. I stumbled upon this post today over at The Working Screenwriter which sums up how to write action far better than I can. Check it out.

CAST IRON BUTT

This is probably one of the best adages when it comes to just sitting down and writing that screenplay that has been kicking around in your head for many years now:

"It is not a bubbling brain but a cast iron butt that wins the race." - John Oak Dalton

True that!

SCREENPLAY BEAT CALCULATOR

It has been quite some time since I posted any screenwriting tips or tools around here, so I thought that I would mention this cool device: I came across a fantastic beat calculator for screenplays.

You input the amount of pages your screenplay into the calculator and it breaks the script down to where your beats should be. Give it a whirl and see if it helps you on your next project.

Also, can anyone tell me who created this calculator? I would like to give proper credit where it is due.

BACK IN THE SADDLE-AGAIN

I got a new hard drive and things have improved a great deal in the post production side of things. So I am jumping back in the saddle and digging out old scripts and reworking them along with a new idea that I am kicking around.

Posting here might be a bit sluggish, but I have not forgotten this blog nor you schlockheads. I'll post all of the groovy DIY stuff as always yet not at the same rapid pace as before.

In the meantime, since I'm speaking of screenwriting, refresh yourself with these great links on improving your writing skills:

Do you think you can do better? Writing for the Sci-Fi Channel
Chain Writing: How to Write the Seinfeld way.

MINIGOAL #1 MET - SORTA

I did indeed write five pages this week as I wanted too. But it was just not on one project. It was all over the map. I wrote half of a film review, three pages to one script, and two in another. So I did write, but didn't really accomplish much. Next week I am going to have less time so my minigoal is to crank out three pages or more. Stay weird!

WANNA BUY A SCRIPT FOR $550,000.00?

Are in search of a supernatural flick to direct or produce but don't have the time to write the script? No problem! Apparently someone on E-Bay is selling such a script at the reasonable price of $550,000.00 It even includes free shipping! And they say you can't find bargains on E-Bay anymore. What a steal!

If $550,000.00 is a bit too rich for you, then there is another that can be had for only $500 which is actually far more reasonable and has the marketable title TURN ME ON DEADGIRL. To be honest the plot seems even more durable and easy to sell on a audience than the first does.
(tip of the hat to the awesome blog Your Video Store Shelf)

I just can't help but to wonder if the pricing of the script was done by mistake. I really hope for the sake of the writer it is.

Speaking of selling scripts on E-Bay has anyone ever tried to do the same and what were the results?

HOW TO BREAK OUT OF A INTERGALATIC PRISON IN SIX EASY STEPS

I'm on page five nearing the sixth page mark of the "weird sci-fi" project. At the moment I am just calling the project GLASSHEAD although it has really nothing to do with the title-or does it?

Anyway, the aim has been to write a series of scripts in these 10 minute marks. The problem is that for the first script I am half-way to the finish line and my main quasi-hero is still in prison attempting to shoot his way out.

As I stand back I can see the problems that I have created. There are too many of these "this will be frigging brilliant" scenes in the script and really I just need to bust him out and get to the rest of the story. Perhaps I could cut the fat sorta speak, but then I would feel as if the script is not snazzy enough to grab the audience's attention. Does any of this make sense? What I need is a script buddy.

NUFF SAID

(via DISContent)

Get your own sign here.

Get the real scoop on this whole writer's strike business here.

HOW TO BREAK INTO SCREENWRITING

From the upcoming doc Dreams on Spec

DAVID S GOYER ON SCREENWRITING

A bit dated but still groovy. (via TheDialogue)

BE STRANGE

Here is a nifty article written by Terry Rossio about why your script should be strange or unique when it comes to having a brilliant concept. A helpful read for everyone from beginners (me) and pros out there.