Rules for Screen Writing & other stuff
August 4, 2009
Happy Birthday to my sister, Leslie! I hope it’s a good one.
I know too many people who want to make movies for all the wrong reasons; apparently I’m not the only one who feels this way. I just pulled this off
my buddy William Akers blog (http://yourscreenplaysucks.wordpress.com/) and he stole it from, well you’ll see.
“I share these six items from a talk I give called “Fatal Errors Beginning Writers Make.” Will Aldis (STEALING CARS, KEEP COMING BACK) is a staggeringly talented writer and I love his list.
Number One: trying to write what you think the biz wants you to write.
Number Two: writing for the cash only.
Number Three: writing to get laid.
Number Four: writing a screenplay because you think it sounds like a cool, hip thing to do. It isn’t.
Number Five: writing about something, anything, other than yourself.
Number Six: taking a screenwriting class from someone who doesn’t fully grasp the horror.
Keep Number Six firmly in mind when selecting a teacher, because the very last thing you want is a teacher who gives you any hint that this foolishness is easy.
It isn’t.”
This is what I have been saying for years, what we do isn’t easy, it’s damn hard work. And yet I keep meeting all of these people who think they’re going to write a screenplay or make an independent movie and they’re going to make a bunch of money and everything will be good.
Wake up and smell the coffee! If this shit was so easy there would be a lot of good movies made. The streets of Hollywood and New York are littered with the carcasses of people who think this is easy! If you are gonna make a movie do it for the right reasons: Because you have to. If you don’t make this movie you will explode! Making movies is all you’ve ever wanted to do. You don’t care if you ever sell this because if you don’t find a distributor you’ll take it on the road yourself and show it where ever possible. You think Park City, Utah is a horrible place winter or summer and you never want to see Robert Redford or Paris Hilton in person!
Make the movie for yourself and enjoy the whole process. Don’t make a movie for any of the reasons that William Akers outlines. Like I’ve said in the past, read his blog, (http://yourscreenplaysucks.wordpress.com/) it’s one of the best blogs out there.
If you still want to make a movie, then buy my book, The Angry Filmmaker Survival Guide Part One Making The Extreme No Budget Film. Which is available on my site, (www.angryfilmmaker.com) for a mere $16.95 + $3 S&H. At least you’ll have a better idea of what you’re getting in to and hopefully you won’t make the same mistakes I have.
Here’s another comment about the book.
This book is Kelley Baker’s declaration, on no uncertain terms, to reclaim and specify the definition “Independent Filmmaker”. He pulls no punches calling out both Hollywood and very specific directors for being creatively bankrupt. The author then presents his philosophy on the physical process of filmmaking with tips and advice that could only come from someone who has been there and had scars and debt to prove it. That being said, he does not hold anything back, he tells the whole story, warts and all.
Microfilmmaker Magazine
Remember,
“This business is not for the faint of heart, I don't care how much you think you know.”
from The Angry Filmmaker Survival Guide
And I have been around the block quite a few times so I should know.
On to other stuff.
I am putting together the Fall Tour so if you want Moses and I to come to your college, university, media art center, high school, theater or even to your house for dinner this Fall send me a note, angryfilminfo@aol.com.
Don’t forget to check out my tour sponsors, Show Biz Software, (www.showbizsoftware.com), Pollard Design (www.pollarddesign.com), Zoom Creates (www.zoomcreates.com), and Cheezy Flicks (www.cheezyflicks.com ). If you haven’t checked out their sites and their services, you better.
And I’m welcoming a new Sponsor, Film Slug, (www.filmslug.com) but more about them later…
As always, feel free to link to my site and you can subscribe to my blog. So what are you waiting for?
Talk later.
Kelley
www.angryfilmmaker.com
www.facebook.com
www.myspace.com/theangryfilmmaker
Happy Birthday to my sister, Leslie! I hope it’s a good one.
I know too many people who want to make movies for all the wrong reasons; apparently I’m not the only one who feels this way. I just pulled this off
my buddy William Akers blog (http://yourscreenplaysucks.wordpress.com/) and he stole it from, well you’ll see.
“I share these six items from a talk I give called “Fatal Errors Beginning Writers Make.” Will Aldis (STEALING CARS, KEEP COMING BACK) is a staggeringly talented writer and I love his list.
Number One: trying to write what you think the biz wants you to write.
Number Two: writing for the cash only.
Number Three: writing to get laid.
Number Four: writing a screenplay because you think it sounds like a cool, hip thing to do. It isn’t.
Number Five: writing about something, anything, other than yourself.
Number Six: taking a screenwriting class from someone who doesn’t fully grasp the horror.
Keep Number Six firmly in mind when selecting a teacher, because the very last thing you want is a teacher who gives you any hint that this foolishness is easy.
It isn’t.”
This is what I have been saying for years, what we do isn’t easy, it’s damn hard work. And yet I keep meeting all of these people who think they’re going to write a screenplay or make an independent movie and they’re going to make a bunch of money and everything will be good.
Wake up and smell the coffee! If this shit was so easy there would be a lot of good movies made. The streets of Hollywood and New York are littered with the carcasses of people who think this is easy! If you are gonna make a movie do it for the right reasons: Because you have to. If you don’t make this movie you will explode! Making movies is all you’ve ever wanted to do. You don’t care if you ever sell this because if you don’t find a distributor you’ll take it on the road yourself and show it where ever possible. You think Park City, Utah is a horrible place winter or summer and you never want to see Robert Redford or Paris Hilton in person!
Make the movie for yourself and enjoy the whole process. Don’t make a movie for any of the reasons that William Akers outlines. Like I’ve said in the past, read his blog, (http://yourscreenplaysucks.wordpress.com/) it’s one of the best blogs out there.
If you still want to make a movie, then buy my book, The Angry Filmmaker Survival Guide Part One Making The Extreme No Budget Film. Which is available on my site, (www.angryfilmmaker.com) for a mere $16.95 + $3 S&H. At least you’ll have a better idea of what you’re getting in to and hopefully you won’t make the same mistakes I have.
Here’s another comment about the book.
This book is Kelley Baker’s declaration, on no uncertain terms, to reclaim and specify the definition “Independent Filmmaker”. He pulls no punches calling out both Hollywood and very specific directors for being creatively bankrupt. The author then presents his philosophy on the physical process of filmmaking with tips and advice that could only come from someone who has been there and had scars and debt to prove it. That being said, he does not hold anything back, he tells the whole story, warts and all.
Microfilmmaker Magazine
Remember,
“This business is not for the faint of heart, I don't care how much you think you know.”
from The Angry Filmmaker Survival Guide
And I have been around the block quite a few times so I should know.
On to other stuff.
I am putting together the Fall Tour so if you want Moses and I to come to your college, university, media art center, high school, theater or even to your house for dinner this Fall send me a note, angryfilminfo@aol.com.
Don’t forget to check out my tour sponsors, Show Biz Software, (www.showbizsoftware.com), Pollard Design (www.pollarddesign.com), Zoom Creates (www.zoomcreates.com), and Cheezy Flicks (www.cheezyflicks.com ). If you haven’t checked out their sites and their services, you better.
And I’m welcoming a new Sponsor, Film Slug, (www.filmslug.com) but more about them later…
As always, feel free to link to my site and you can subscribe to my blog. So what are you waiting for?
Talk later.
Kelley
www.angryfilmmaker.com
www.facebook.com
www.myspace.com/theangryfilmmaker
Labels: angry filmmaker, William Akers, your screenplay sucks
posted by The Angry Filmmaker at 4:59 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home