recent comments

 Thank you Mark, for an insightful Q & A and your love and dedication to film.  What a class act Aaron Paul is, to visit a local theatre and to speak afterwards along with the director and producer to the audience. They are the future of film, real actors and great writing and directing. We have become addicted to good writing and acting and we can thank cable for that.

Mark, you nailed it! He was so inspiring and so cool and so humble! What a great person! And a woman asked me to marry her, so he has some special kind of magic!

Fantastic, Larry - thank you for inviting me to this - more, more! 

Articles like this make me remember why Hollywood is so special.  Thanks, Larry!

Great rant, Mark.  Only problem is you write it for producers.  And they don't read.

 I thought the script was trying to cover too much and fell short in every scene.  The only thing going for it was the production and the performances.

I didn't have much hope for this since I wasn't sure AMC was going to pony up for this production. I'm glad to say that the visual look was very good. 

On the other hand the pilot did leave me wanting some more. You're also right in the sense that Deadwood didn't exactly leave tire marks from the start and had a slow but interesting build up. Maybe HoW will certainly pick up the pace further on. The dialogue was also interesting but not "pushing it" as it could have. Again maybe they're just warming up.

I do think that having "Doc" Durant be headed to the Hell on Wheels camp might add the needed "swearengeniness"  (yeah just made that up)  that you are looking for in a main evil antagonist. But I guess he'll be more of a over ruling baddie that may become an equalizer and/or antagonizer at the same time.

It's clear that the plot engine is Cullen's revenge so we'll see how far they can take.

I'm sticking around.

Everyone does miss the 'ol days... When mom cooked, dad read his newspaper with a pipe and everyone who wanted one had a  job!

Mark, I totally concur with you. I didn't finish the Pan Am pilot because it just seemed to pretty and light.

Playboy Club on the other side is a bubbling pot of rottenness (the town and shady characters) that will surely bring some interesting twists to the stories ahead. I haven't watched TV at home in long time... maybe I'll start this winter. Now all I need is a good western show and I'll be set.

 Hi Mark is you Thursday Eve Intro Class Available? My emai is robert.patnaude@yahoo.com   Thanks.  -Bob

Thanks again for getting my nerd ass through that door.  I love the cons because they're the only places where I don't have to sell myself and just be six-year-old Victor again.  

It was great fun, Mark!  

Her grace, sexuality and beauty just shine through - you can really see that the camera loved her.  I have more - wish I could put them all in the article.  I smooshed in as many as I could.  Great article BTW.

Nice article and very inspiring. I know what it is to push that rock over and over again... and the funny thing is that I like it - does that qualify me for the looney bin?

"Never give up! Never retreat!" King Leonidas - 300

You said, "Hence what I think will be a new sub-genre in animation I like to call grownupimation. The look is certainly for adults, the story is certainly for adults and as soon as some brave directors throws in a couple of F-bombs we're off to the races."

It's already been done and was done in 1972 by Ralph Bakshi based on the comics of R. Crumb starting with Fritz the Cat.

So, you're right, "Nothing that you see or will ever see in a movie theater is new."

As for Rango itself, it's a nice film, but I felt it fell into the area of neither fish nor foul as far as adults and kids are concerned.  Pixar balances this beautifully, but I felt that in Rango we had vast sections that would appeal to kids or adults but not both at the same time and they were far too long to hold the other faction's interest.  If the film had been made strictly for adults, it wouldn't have needed the long sections of sight gags.  If made strictly for kids, it wouldn't have the long sections of esoteric, Dennis Miller-like, references.  While I definitely appreciated every one of them from Rango playing with the headless doll like Donald O'Conner in Singing in the Rain to the visage of "The Man with No Name" from Fist Full of Dollars, I seriously doubt any kid in the audience would have a clue what I was laughing at.  I, on the other hand, didn't need quite so much of Rango's running around screaming for no readily apparent reason.

 Thanks Mark!

I was talking to one of my friends this week, and he recommended your class.  I looked at the description for the Intermediate class and was wondering what the film viewing/workshopping ratio was?

Not on facebook (too much procrastination temptation either that or I guess I'm "THAT" guy) -  maybe you can recommend someone lookin' to trade.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm lookin' for someone to trade scripts with.  I've got a couple specs that have gone through a couple drafts and am hoping for some notes from an objective party.  

I'm willing to read a script for a script.  I give pretty good detailed notes - I'm honest and critical, but try not to be mean.  A couple of my specs have placed in contests before, and I'm looking to better hone my craft.  

Let me know if you're up for a trade and meet. 

 Thanks for adding the pictures, Mark!  

You are the dude - anytime OCSWA needs something you're always there to help.  You're a great board member and all of us appreciate  your spirit.

 I'm passing on it too but I really don't know much about the Green Hornet to begin with (except that Bruce Lee was his sidekick) - who thought this was a good idea anyway?  

 Somehow I was looking forward to this, actually more than the new Green Lantern film. But now that you mention it Seth Rogan probably forgot to take off his "comedy hat"... Some people mentioned if you like your Green Hornet goofy it was fun but if you didn't skip it. I might check out when it's on Redbox.

This film looked D.U.M.B from the start.  

This was one of the best talks/Q&A's that OCSWA has had so far and there have been some good ones. Mr. Ellroy was entertaining and enlightening. People - especially writers and readers - would really enjoy (and learn from) the guest speakers coming to OC.

Hey, Paul, sorry I didn't get a chance to say hello today.  I saw you and then I didn't.  

James Ellroy came to us because he's a very gracious human being and because I know people from working in the business.  In the end, it's about relationships and networking as much as talent.

Thanks for coming! 

 Marc et. al. --

Thanks for putting this on.  Was enormously impressed with the get.  Can't for the life of me figure out how we were so honored for get him, but very glad you were able to pull it together.

Looking forward to the next one.

An interesting question and one I might answer differently on my deathbed than now while I still have a lot of life to live.

Am I living a long and Healthy life? In a completely mercenary tone, I must answer that I would rather be Harlan, though perhaps not quite so abrasive. I confess to a healthy envy of the man's output and general quality of writing and ideas. To be clear, I would not want to actually be Harlan Ellison. Just that successful.

But...

To be remembered like Harper Lee is remembered is an awesome thought. Likely To Kill a Mockingbird will be discussed long after Repent Harlequin said the Ticktock Man is relegated to the "quaint" section of the digital libraries of the future.

Am I dying this month? My answer is Harper Lee.

Jeff Michaels

This was a great experience, wasn't it?  I don't know if I've been to a better inaugural event.  I can't wait for next year.

Shyamalan should stick to producing.

Dude, hurry up and write a book on this stuff.  You're just gonna kick yourself in the ass later if you don't do it.   

Keep burning that blue flame, Rudy.  You're going to accomplish whatever you want to accomplish as long as  you want it badly enough.

Mark,

Thanks for posting this.  You're a star in your own right, by providing inspiration to people wanting to make it in this industry.  This is something that I needed to hear.

In addition to the book, people should also watch the DVD that goes along with it.  It's available on Netflix streaming.  www.netflix.com/WiMovie/Tales-from-the-Script/70131177

Anyone that wants to know why screenwriters don't get the recognition they deserve needs to revisit the first few chapters of William Goldman's book Adventures in the Screen Trade, which I think ought to be required reading before anybody is allowed to take screenwriting 101.

It's simply dreaming to think Hollywood is going to change at this point.  They don't have to and it's to their advantage to control the situation as much as possible.

Consider this; there are three dogs that have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: Rin Tin Tin, Lassie and Strongheart.

I defy you to find a single one given to "just" a screenwriter.  Screenwriter/Directors?  Sure.  Screenwriter/Producer?  Sure.  "Just" a screenwriter?  I defy you to find it.  The one for Budd Schulberg?  Nope, that's for his father.  Who's Budd Schulberg?  Shame on you.

Like I said, it's not going to change.

If you want respect as a screenwriter, TV is a slightly better way to go.  TV is a beast that needs to be feed a regular diet of ink on the page.  Scripts for movies, however, are simply an appetizer at the cocktail party.  The meal doesn't even begin until the talent sits down at the table.

hahaha - 

Dude, she's truly not my type.  Now Katy Perry...

But my comment was about her being the hope of scriptwriting.  No way.   

If Diablo Cody is our only hope then I'm checking out now.  Gack! 

Rudy, your passion for this work and the excellent job you did for us at the Newport Beach Film Festival (and beyond) has made you an invaulable piece of The Orange County Screenwriters story.  

We asked you to be on the board of directors after your fantastic work at NBFF and we are the richer for it.  I didn't know you were going to write this article and you didn't know I was going to comment on it but dude, the feeling is mutual - we at OCSWA support you as much as you support us.  Live your dream - we're here to help in any way we can.

I really like your method of teaching too.  I think it's very smart of you to have your class be a workshop where everyone helps each other instead of relying on just the instructor.  

As much as I would love to emulate your methods, I like my method as well.  I like simulating my class as myself as the producer and all of my students as writers for hire.  That way they get to experience first hand what it's like to get notes and critiques from someone who could be a complete ass at times, by someone you still have to respect.  

This method does bury me with work galore but I do think it gives my students a very practical experience.  You and I have been in those shoes many times in our illustrious (sarcasm) careers.  

Maybe you and I should join forces and I suggest my students take you and you suggest your students take me so that they get the full spectrum of the art that we practice.  

This was a very informative read, Mark.  I think we have to remind our students that nothing in life ever goes the way you plan it so in order to succeed, one must be adaptive and flexible.  

Writers, and anyone else in a creative field, have to learn the difference between rejection and failure.  A rejection doesn't mean a failure.  It simply means whatever you're pitching or selling isn't right for the moment or the situation.  That's not an excuse to not work harder and improve your work.  And I firmly believe that failure is only failure when you give up.

Good article, dude - and your daughter and GF are living dolls.

But I DO NOT suck at RPG's!!!!

Thanks, Vic

Well, I'm excited. I sent my first query letter out today for Borderland and the producer wanted to see it. Cool.

Nicely done, Victor.  I'm going to get that last line printed on a t-shirt. 

Thanks for the nice words about the article.  I 'm just happy that I didn't close myself out of the experience by being a jerk.  Honestly, those kids made me smile and made me happy and made me feel good about myself.   But that's what I've come to appreciate the last few years - the amazing mysteries and joys of life.  Synergistic and serendipitous are two words that have described my life the last few years - and I hope will continue to define it for years to come.

Wouldn't it be cool if OCSWA started throwing our own conventions? 

Wow.  Fleeing OC to avoid energy drink swilling rich white homophobes named Chip?  What an interesting filter you look though.  Possibly accurate in terms of regular exposure and increasing your odds of bumping into someone other then Chip (though Chip may have just signed a deal with CBS) at Sprouts.  Still, pretty phobic take.

Got this from Screenwriting Manifesto.  It's from a pen pal of John Hughes and mentions his need to move out of Hollywood...  http://wellknowwhenwegetthere.blogspot.com/2009/08/sincerely-john-hughes...

As TJ once said "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." ....even in the oft vilified OC.  Mike

My oh my -- road trip!

Now I feel dirty too

Great post...I couldn't agree more.  In my classes at the community college, I've met people born and raised in the OC who don't really get what it's about.  Sure they want to become the next great director, writer, producer, news anchor, news producer, etc...but don't understand three things...what this business is really about story telling and making it as real as possible, the hours and sacrafice really needed to make it, and thinking about different or other ways to make money in this business.  Instead, they focus on the glitz, glam, and fashion which is something that they can already get in the OC.

A great man also admits when he needs help and to your credit, you see the value in the strength Jeanette brings to your life.  You're lucky to have found her - and of course, she's lucky to have you.

Nicely done. 

This is for Screenwriters and Filmmakers...right?  I assume Filmmakers encompasses everything related to the film industry and if so, as a writer (hopeful) count me in! 

Sterling

I see a time, and location...

Hi Regina,

Just wanted to say congrats on getting your movie picked up by cable. Was just flipping through the channels this weekend and I stumbled across your movie on Starz4. When I saw it, I did a double take cause the movie looked familiar until a couple of seconds later it hit me that this was your movie.

So congrats. Hope they play it a lot.

The "big" secret to writing is to ... write (and rewrite and rewrite)? That can't be right?

Americans are obsessed with having a miracle solution to everything.  You're too fat?  Take this pill.  Your penis is too small.  Take this pill.  Can't write a screenplay?  Read this book!  

People are too lazy to do the hard work and actually develop the skill needed to succeed themselves.  Which is fine with me because that just means less competition for me.  

Trust me, buddy.  I'm in the same boat.  I constantly complain to my girlfriend about how I've been writing and drawing my entire life, but can't even buy a new honda with what I'm paid for my work.  It's bull but know you have kindred spirits out there who are suffering through it with you.   

I like your video.  Good use of my trance/techno collection.   

We had a really great event yesterday.  I think we should keep the momentum going (no matter how much it'll kill us) and keep on putting events of this caliber.   

Honestly, you non-board members have no clue how much hard work goes into setting one of these events up.   

Now I hate blue people too

I really like Movie Magic a whole lot because you can add Movie Magic Budgeting and Scheduling which I don't have yet but will in the future. I like Movie Magic because the Oscar winner writer Paul Haggis uses Movie Magic screenwriting software. I have also heard that Celtx works fine as well. Just use a screenwriting program that your most comfortable with. And remember one tip NO description of where the camera goes which I see in alot of beginning screenwriters screenplays. I'm still a beginner at best and still learning the craft but I know not to put camera descriptions on my pages.

The Master... 

I agree film noir usually has the femme fatale. Two of my favorites, The Big Sleep and, as mentioned, Double Indemity, has them. But my all time favorite, Touch Of Evil, doesn't. I suppose I associate "film noir" as a film shot in b&w, albeit with many shades of grey, or a muted color pallette in sepia or bluish grey like Shutter Island. The film direction will be influenced by the German expressionist style, which Scorcese has shown an affinity for.

Good comment!  I liked "Shutter Island" even though for some reason some one told me the twist, but in my mind it's a thriller.  Film noir has a femme fatale, like Kathleen Turner in "Body Heat", Faye Dunaway in "Chinatown" or Barbara Stanwyck in the classic "Double Endeminity."  That's why "The Square" qualifies in this particular genre in my opinion, you've got the dame pushing the hapless hero over the edge!

I thought Shutter Island was good b-movie film noir.

My favorite part of OC is that we're close enough to LA to enjoy all of its attractions yet we're far enough to not deal with the 101 traffic at any time of day.   I'll definitely come to next year's Monsterpalooza.  

Hey folks, someone should contact the OC Weekly or OC register to see if they would like to cover this event. Maybe even volunteer to write the article so they wouldn't have to send someone out. Worth a shot.

This is a marvelous group! Mark's smiling face is the one I connect with it and thus think of him as "Fearless Leader". I am aware (and here's the shout out) of the work it takes and all the worker bees that contribute to get this kind of guest speaker. Thanks to everyone who contributes to creating these powerful presentations here behind the Orange Curtain.

Hmmmm. If the others are worker bees, does that make Mark the Queen? Nah!

Fantastic! I have followed his work since Babylon 5. The man is not only a consummate professional, he is also a damn good storyteller. I look forward to this eagerly. Thanks to Mark Sevi for creating this and so many other great opportunities.

Everyone! Pass the word!

Thanks, Vic.  I know you're one of those people who just doesn't understand quit - it's one of the traits that makes you such a valuable member of our org. and will lead to as much success as you can handle.  

Mavandenberg,

I'm sorry to disappoint, but you really have your work cut out for you.  Screenwriting is a craft -- a serious profession requiring many years of practice and study.   Your lack of competence with grade-school grammar and sentence structure does not bode well for your ability to do expert-level work.

You don't just decide "I wanna go be an astronaut!"  "I wanna go be a prima ballerina!"  "I wanna go be a concert pianist!"  and then express your wishes on the internet, leading to a phone call from NASA, etc.  You have to train for many, many years and make many sacrifices to climb to the top of a highly competitive field. 

The same goes for a career in screenwriting (or novel writing, or any writing field).  There is, unfortunately, a misconception that anyone who's seen a few movies can bang out a script.  This is simply not the case.  This misconception stems from a general ignorance regarding the lengthy and circuitous development process, which frequently destroys scripts that were initially brilliant.

To be frank, your posts demonstrate a very low level of writing proficiency, which tells me that you need to work on basic writing mechanics before you can even begin to think of doing more advanced work.  If you want a job that only one in a million will ever qualify for, you will have to work VERY hard.  Practice, practice, pratice, and maybe after you've written ten outstanding scripts you can begin to seek an agent. 

Raising Arizona wins out for me. I think it is the funniest of all of them and for me laughing trumps tragedy. Fargo is great and Lebowski? Well, The Dude abides. Hudsucker Proxy is a good film though not great, but has funny bits I like.

Arizona just has more great lines.

Hayseed in the Pickup: Son, you got a panty on your head.

FBI Agent: Sir, we discovered you were born Nathan Huffheins.
Nathan Arizona Sr.: Yeah, I changed my name. What of it?
FBI Agent: Can you give us an indication why?
Nathan Arizona Sr.: Would you shop at a store called Unpainted Huffheins?

Gale: Why ain't you breast-feeding? You appear to be capable.
Ed McDonnough: Mind your own bid'ness.
Evelle: Ma'am, you don't breast-feed him, he'll hate you for it later. That's why we wound up in prison.
Gale: Anyway, that's what Doc Schwartz tells us.

H.I.: Edwina's insides were a rocky place where my seed could find no purchase.

H.I.: I tried to stand up and fly straight, but it wasn't easy with that sumbitch Reagan in the White House. I dunno. They say he's a decent man, so maybe his advisors are confused.

Nathan Arizona Sr.: Dammit, are you boys gonna chase down your leads or are you gonna sit drinkin' coffee in the one house in the state where I know my boy ain't at?

The last two comments are a joke, right?

Right?

Perhaps it's much too late to reply to this post, but I found the article fascinating. As an aspiring screenwriter, I will still ask people to read my ****ing script. However, as a former script reader, I will also ensure that the script at least demonstrates a grasp of the English language first.

Hi! I'm from Sweden. I loved Teenage Dirtbag! Really loved the intense feeling in it. Will you be doing a sequel or something ? It could be interesting :)

This is a pretty shameful request, but... there's this novel I read called Demon in my view. It kinda has the same feeling Teenage Dirtbag had, but without a "sad" ending... it's more of a "so what happens next?"... so I kinda wish.. if you someday could make this novel into a movie? I think it would turn out good :) anyway...

Loved your movie! <3

Laura

Clark Jones is awesome at what he does.  If it wasn't for him I wouldn't even have a career.   

Well said, my friend.

And the truth is, no matter where someone goes for knowledge... in the end, it's all about the individual.  You get back what you put in to your career.  And most of the top dogs in Hollywood were destined to make it no matter where they went to school.  It's that 'fighting spirit' that guarantees your foot in the door.  All the other knowledge and skills comprise your tool box once you're in.

About the movie. I pretty much agree. I liked the opening and bar scene but not much else.  About Quentin. Well, I liked Pulp Fiction but I think, creatively, he blew his wad and hasn't made anything of real value since.

I took my sisters to go see Up in 3D.  I was very thankful that we were wearing 3D glasses because I cried my eyes out during first montage.  At the end of the movie, when I took the 3D glasses off, all of the tears flooded out since they have collected.

I'm surprised it didn't touch you.  Maybe you're made out of tougher stuff than I am.   

Here’s a take from someone who is going to OCC, and doing a bunch of other stuff. Both arguments have their points.  However, after working some people who have master’s degrees, professional licenses, and “managers”...I’ve come to care more about skills, talent, attitude, and drive more than anything else.  

After deciding that I should go back to school for “this TV thing,” I started doing a lot of research schools in the area, what do I really need to do to start doing this now, do I really need a degree, etc.  When I talk about “this TV thing,” I’m focusing on a job behind the scenes of a newscast.  It takes the same amount of drive, persistence, strength, etc. to make it in both film and the news business.

So, I looked at the universities first.  Yes they were expensive (and still are), and good programs, but a lot of them lacked the combination of what I wanted to do.  I was looking for some way to combine film/TV/journalism.  Then I started looking at the community colleges.  I’ve taken some classes at other community colleges to learn different skills for my engineering gig fast.  My first point, the community colleges are good for learning specific skills quickly.  Sometimes with a university, you have to take some other classes before you can focus on what you really want to learn.  OCC allowed me to do a film/video certificate, take some journalism classes on the side, and some classes to improve my engineering skills.  It allowed me to work on my skills, develop my talent, and improve my current job.

With networking, I will agree that the universities can provide a very strong network, and name recognition.  So how can an OCC student compete?  Well, these big universities usually have an e-mail blast where jobs, internships, gigs, get posted by both alumni and other companies.  Sometimes, an OCC student like me just has to ask to be placed on that list, and presto!  Some networking with the “big boys” done.  Go work on their student projects, and network with them.  Trust me if they like you, they’ll ask you to come back.

That’s actually something OCC doesn’t do yet (or that I haven’t heard about), but maybe sometime in the near future.  If they do set up an email blast, you heard it from me first.

Through my classes, I heard about projects, internships, companies to check out, speakers, and I went to the ones that interested me.  Sometimes, I tried to get other students to go with me, but it almost always ended in failure.  That’s something that’s starting to bug me, but that will be for a different day.

I applied for an internship at a small media outlet, and got in.  Now, I will be covering a portion of the Toshiba Classic in Newport Beach alongside the mainstream media.  Now how’s that for an OCC student?

OCC is a great program, but I wish they would integrate a few things into their program.  These are just suggestions.  Hate me for it if you want.

First, I wish that instructors would give students a realistic picture of what it takes to really make it, and how crappy it can be in the beginning.  I see so many students not really knowing what film/TV/news/journalism is really about...telling and focusing on the story.  Instead, I see students wanting to be the next Giuliana Rancic, or Speilberg and having all the glitz, glam, and fame that comes with it.  There’s nothing wrong with that, just understand what it really takes to make it there.  I’ve been very lucky to meet and talk with people to tell me what it’s really like.  And I’m glad they did.

Second, I hope that OCC would stress the importance of the “hustle.”  Going to see speakers, going to talk to people in the industry, going to get your first PA/intern gig, being a professional and showing up on-time, whether it be to class or seeing a guest speaker, doing what your teacher says, and doing what your higher up says even if you don’t want to do it.  And doing all of this while you’re still in school, and okay to make mistakes.  Ever since I started seeing myself as “only a professional” amazing things have started happening both with my engineering gig and “this TV thing.”

I suppose that’s it.  It’s really up to the individual.  OCC is definitely a great program for the right student, and yes there’s always something better they can do, but for right now...it’s good enough for me.  Will the future hold a graduate degree for me at a big university for me?  Possibly, but for right now...it’s OCC.

Just for the record, when I first posted the article about OCC's film program, it was intended merely to boost awareness within our screenwriting community that there is a viable film school right down the street, since many people don't know OCC's film program exists.

And the truth is, many of our students transfer to places like UCLA and USC after doing their 2-years at OCC anyway (for much less $), so their alma-maters cover both sides of this discussion.  But right now, in a bad recession, where not even grads with BAs and MAs are getting jobs very easily... why spend 2 or 4 more expensive years getting a degree in an industry that doesn't usually require them?  That time and money could be better spent interning, meeting people, or pounding the pavement in Hollywood (IMO).

Currently, news stories abound about students with 6-figure debts who are still looking for work.  So, why not have a 3-figure debt and 2 or 4 extra years of job searching?  That's my main point.  Not everyone who gets a "U" on his/her jacket becomes an Oscar-winning director.  And for all the other hundreds or thousands who work on a blockbuster film or TV show, it's still talent, drive, attitude and connections that get them in, none of which are exclusive to big Universities.

I'm sure both community colleges have great instructors and students that have gone on to do wonderful things.  That doesn't change the fact that the big film schools (USC, UCLA, AFI, NYU) still offer more than any of the community colleges can ever.  Trust me, I teach at a community college so I do see where you guys are coming from, but it's because I teach at a community that I know its weak points.  

I'll just use UCLA alone to prove my example.  On top of the great networking and mentorship program (see what I said about USC in my previous comment), the big schools also have the ability to have their classes taught by people with names.  Eden Wurmfeld and Nicole Laglogglia (producers of a film called Swingers, maybe you heard of it) teach at UCLA.  Greg Graffin (lead singer of Bad Religion) teaches at UCLA.  

I'm sure community colleges have great instructors who teach awesome material, but do any of them have names? What the UCs give you are professors who have names.  You get taught material by people you've actually heard of before.  And the great thing is, if you haven't heard of them, you can look them up on IMDB and see exactly how legit they really are.  It's amazing!

And all of the people who you mentioned the college got jobs through internships, what are their names?  Would these names be recognizable if you started listing them off right now?  I don't think OCSWA has the bandwidth if I want to make a list of names that have come out of the university system (cough*Spike Lee*cough*Coppola*Lucas*cough).  And let's face it, most community college instructors have little to no IMDB credits, and the few credits they do have usually are below the line credits from obscure projects no one has ever heard of from 1995.

It's the same thing I tell people who want to get into fighting.  You don't want to get trained on how to fight by some dude you never heard of.  You want to be trained by the best in order to become the best.  Same rule applies to filmmaking.  You want people you've actually heard of before to teach you how to achieve their same level of success, so down the road you too will have a name.  

So I always make sure my students know their options, would you rather pay more money and get taught by people you actually heard of and get put into a network where every alumni will do everything they can for you; or would you rather pay less money and get taught by someone you never heard of and will have to swing for yourself and hope for the best?  

The choice is yours.  

Plus, I already wrote articles on this stuff for OCSWA in the past.  Here are the links:

www.ocscreenwriters.com/

www.ocscreenwriters.com/

Have to agree with the OCC program comments.  No one with a brain in his or her head should give a rat's ass about where the degree has come from for film work--they should want to see what you have put in the can. 

I can also speak as to the quality of the film program at Saddleback College--there are innumerable graduates of that program who have gone on to major careers with production and technical houses around the country; the Comm Arts Dept is filled with instructors who are current working professionals--the majority of them are part-time instructors, so you know they've got other projects going for them on the side.  Frankly, I'd rather have a well-trained and hungry community college student on my payroll, than some schlub who owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition, is trained in reams of theories, but can't produce a film short in 48-hours.  OCC and Saddleback regularly kick ass in the Newport Beach fest.  I've seen some of the stuff currently coming as submissions to the festival--projects that cost thousands of dollars to put together, from major universities, that are still lacking technical care, and good storywriters.

Vic,

That comparison may be true for small, unheard-of, trade-schools in the Midwest.  But it's not true for OCC.  Orange Coast College is different in that the instruction AND attention to the student's post-education careers and networking is very similar to the big 4-years... and at $26 bucks a unit, not $26000 per semester. 

Through OCC's internship program, I've placed students at Mandate Pictures ("Juno", etc.), Stan Winston Studios ("Terminator", "Predator", "Avatar"), Dreamworks SKG, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, as well as tons of local production companies.  In addition, OCC students have that same Alumni-strong networking that the big boys have.  Our students, whether they transfer to 4-years or go out into the industry after their 2-years here, do keep in contact and end up hiring eachother later on. 

Our presence in the Newport Beach Film Festival since 2004 (when it was just USC and OCC in the college running there) has gained students major exposure to industry professionals.  The attendance at OCC SHORTS has been consistently 300-500 every year, almost filling the historic Lido Theater, whereas most college programs bring in 10 to 50 at the most.  Our students may not get the same "status symbol" on their jackets as a "U" school brings, but with the right determination, our students have the same chance as any to make it in this industry.  And they have. 

Degrees are way over-rated (especially in the current economy).  Drive and motivation are not.

 Hi Scott,

I like what you had to say about OCC but I have to put in my 2 cents about what peole don't tell students about film school.  I always mention this to all of my students so they're well equipped when they're at that crossroads in their lives.  

You're right.  There are a lot of great film schools out there that aren't in the university system.  That is very true.  They teach you great things with real equipment.  They teach you the principles of imagery and great story telling methods.  

But as we both know, it's not what you know but who you know.  What the film schools outside of the universities can't offer is the amazing networking you get by going to one of the well-known film schools: USC, UCLA, AFI, or NYU.  

When you go to one of those major ones, you have more chances to make friends who will eventually have careers in the industry.  And when they grow in positions they usually take you with them.  At community colleges, you're more likely to make friends who will be excited about doing this stuff at first, but will eventually change their minds and decide to do something else because they realize making it in this industry is way too hard.  

And something USC does that it's known for is this: every alumni of USC film school who works in the industry will do everything in their power to ensure that you make it too, just because you went to USC.  No film school outside the university system offers that.  None whatsoever.

So I always make sure to tell my students how it really is out there.  I let them know to use community college as a transitional phase, but aim to get into one of the big name schools.  I always make sure to tell them to work in the industry and go to film school at the same time so they make contacts and get real-life experience.   

Your buddy,

-Vic

Good article but.. Dude, Lady Gaga and John Sayles in the same sentence??? Is there nothing sacred anymore???

One of the female fighters from my team called me and asked me to go to the Lady Gaga concert with her.  I told her that she's taking the gay best friend thing way too far! 

Yep, the expo scenes are tough … terrific examples you gave. I’ll add a couple that I think work well. In TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, Scout asks her brother Jem about their deceased mother. Instead of watching them talk to each other, the camera focuses on their father Atticus (Gregory Peck) silently listening to them as he sits on the porch. In SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, we discover learn the basic situation as Fennyman tortures theatre-owner Henslowe for non-payment of his debts. One of my favorite expo scenes is in NETWORK when programming exec Faye Dunaway tells news exec William Holden her plans while talking non-stop as they’re making love.  

Loglines are a funny thing; trying to sell 110 pages with about 30 words.

I think I've seen maybe 327 different formulas for writing one.  Each formula seems to contradict, at least in part, another formula written by an equally successful and well known writer.  Classes are taught at the big film schools and in LA for the sole purpose of crafting the perfect logline.  There are logline contests where it's the only thing you submit.

To me loglines are kind of like the screenwriter's equivalent of diet advice.  In order to be successful, you absolutely need to have some sort of way to control the beast, but from what I can see nobody has the absolute, sure fire, 100% proven one that guarantees success.

Over on the Save the Cat Forums, there's an entire forum devoted to refining loglines and beat sheets.  The folks over there are very helpful in giving critiques on works in progress.

There's a quote by someone somewhere that said something about, "You have to love the film industry, because it sure as hell isn't going to love you."

I'd agree with that.  Almost nobody in the business really does anything to help new people out besides get them jobs as unpaid interns and PAs.  Well, at least until they reach a certain level of success.  At that point, the sycophants come out in droves.  Well, at least as long as you're still on the way up or on top.

I think Joan Jett said it best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8eE6QRFRjk

I will say it's why I appreciate what Mark is doing here so much.

quade

most definitely Haley's Guerrero was the most intriguing character on the show ... I'll watch at least one more episode to make up my mind about it

Eh . . . it's all part of the game.  It's a complete numbers game.  The more you submit, the more rejections you get.  The more you submit, the more chances of getting noticed.   

One small note.  The use of the term "full resolution" is somewhat subjective and in this case also not exactly correct.

DVDs have a native resolution of 720x480.  Yes, even the 16x9 stuff.  Additionally DVDs are compressed rather heavily.  While it's more than possible to get workable footage from a DVD and into Final Cut using various pieces of software and methods, it's virtually impossible to reconstruct "full resolution" footage from them.  It's a little like taking a icon or thumb nail and trying to enlarge it to make a 8x10.  It's certainly possible, but the compression process lost valuable information that can never really be recovered.  Additionally, "full resolution" for today's projects usually means 1920x1080 and even Blu-ray is compressed from the original 4:4:4 HD stuff most DVDs and Blu-rays are currently made from.

I always recommend producers attempt to go back to source material rather than just pulling it from a DVD.  However, sometimes a DVD is the only copy you have access to.  I know a lot of folks that worked on stuff years ago, want to build demo reels and it's the only thing they have.  In that case, this kind of information can be a lifesaver.

Another piece of open source (free), multi-platform (Mac or PC) software I find helpful is HandBrake.

http://handbrake.fr/

 Natalie,

Your blog entry is like you - funny, tentative at times, and insightful.  Your process is different from everyone else's but at the same time we all share those amazingly difficult moments.  It's nice to share that with others so we all can all say - "hey, I went through the same thing."

Thanks for this.

Mark 

That was pretty touching, Natalie.  A lot of times I'm faced with ridiculous deadlines (on the last film I wrote on assignment, the director literally dropped his script onto my lap and said he wanted a new script within 24 hours) and forget about the feeling of satisfaction that writing gives someone.   

 You had me at Jakesully

It should also be noted that a spec screenplay is formatted slightly differently than a shooting script.  If you're taking your formatting cues from scripts you find on-line, make sure you understand the difference.

Further, different readers have different quirks about certain conventions.  For instance, a page completely filled with either action lines (description) or a single character's dialog will frequently be an automatic trip to the round file.  In fact, some readers have difficulty with dialog that extends beyond three standard dialog lines.  Same for action.  You might want to find a way to break that up unless it's that one incredibly amazing piece of dialog that just makes the entire story fall into place.

I know Victor mentions it, but it is worth repeating, 99% of all CUT TO and similar transitions can simply be cut from your scripts.  They waste a ton of space and unless they're absolutely required for emphasis, add nothing to the readability of your script.  You can also eliminate just about every CLOSE ON or other screen direction you might want to add to your action lines.  They're not only not required, they might even be considered to be an insult to a lot of directors.  There are more artful ways of writing as well.

You might be able to "get away" with being unconventional in your exact formatting if your initials are either QT or JC, but otherwise it's best to not give the reader a reason to toss out your script before he or she has even gotten past the first page.

A GREAT book for formatting reference is The Hollywood Standard.

Dances with Wolves in space

. . . We've come a long way but still have a long way to go.   

An interesting collection of films, but with the exception of Apollo 13, I think an argument can be made that the stories have nothing to do with space at all, but space is simply used as a background location.  The Star Wars series is classic hero's journey myth told with a background of space, but really has nothing to do with it.  The Alien series is a monster in the house.

My point is this, I think it's a potential mistake to simply assume location (or any other gimmick) is the answer to a writer's problems.  How many really bad "space movies" did we have to suffer through in the years immediately following 1977 and the release of Star Wars?  My answer is; "A LOT."  People incorrectly assumed that if you set any pile of poop story in space the audience would follow.  How many really bad animated CGI films came on the heals of Toy Story?  Again, people confusing a unique element with the reason for a film's success.

I predict that in the next year or so we're going to see the exact same thing happening with vampire films.

And thank you. I feel good about my novels and short stories. A couple years ago, a screenplay that I co-wrote with a good friend was optioned by a production company. We were paid option money but unfortunately the film was never made. It was a pretty-good I thought creature feature. Oh, well, that's the breaks. We have a new creature feature screenplay being read by another production company that looks promising. We'll see what happens.

You made me laugh with the Sega Dreamcast reference. I laughed because you made me feel a little old. You see, I would've said "goes the way of the 8-track tape."

Thanks for the props, Chris!  I'm currently raising money to shoot another horror film.  Any filmmaker will tell you that raising money is the hardest and most daunting part of the journey.  

I looked you up on amazon.  It seems like you've done pretty well for yourself in the horror publishing world.  

It's always great to know there are my horrorphiles out there other than myself.  It saddens me every time I'm at Borders and I see the horror shelves shrink and the Twilight shelves getting bigger.  

Hopefully if horroscribes like us keep up the good fight we won't have to see the day that horror literature goes the way of the Sega Dreamcast.  

 I like the vampires you bring up with Barlow and Near Dark.  At least the authors/filmmakers tried to do something interesting with the mythology.  Meyer changed things around just to appeal to a wider demographic and make money.  

I'm sure the Twilight fans don't even know who Louie or Barlow are.  

For producers, actors, and directors, IMDB can be a nice aid.  It's a tremendous source of information.  But, for screenwriters...IMDB doesn't list scripts that were sold, but not produced.  I believe screenwriters like Babaloo Mandel were multi-millionaires via selling prior to ever seeing their work on-screen.  I've sold more than a dozen scripts, but only five have been produced (and one of those films isn't even listed).  As a Producer-Director, I noticed someone who worked on one of our films was wonderful at "padding" his non-existent credits.  I went into a meeting to fire the fraudulent Criminal Hollywood Wanna-Be and all his Lawyer could come up with as a defense was, "But did you see his list of IMDB credits?"  I laughed out loud, pointed out that a majority of those credits were probably bullsh*t, too, and got rid of the jerk.  Now... it's up to us to ask the nice people at IMDB how to delete his "credits."  "Credits" which he himself posted on IMDB without our approval or knowledge during pre-production.  Like any tool or resume, IMDB can be good, bad, and sometimes ugly.  So, IMDB can sometimes be a poser filter.  Or, it can become the Poser's best friend (however shallow).  The ways of the dark side are strong, Skywalker.

They say on the News Stars don't go Online, how do they know these things are Online then?

Now I believe that's some of them probably do look Online. 

I get it now Online when you say don't etc it means yes.

Just like no means yes.

I thought well if you don't try you'll never know cause after reading about one Guy that put his Script and Film called "Panic Attack" that only lasted for Five Minutes Online that he wrote his own Script for it and he got accepted just through putting it Online.

If that is really true what I read about it and saw of it then there is a chance elsewhere Online.

Big Hollywood isn't going to be watching this web site very closely to find a script, if at all.

What they do watch are film festivals and the major script competitions.  Not Joe Schmoe's film festival, not your Aunt Tillie's script competition, but the major ones.  Want them to notice you?  Enter and make it through a few rounds of the Nicholls.  Your phone won't stop ringing.  But you better have that quality of script, another one waiting in the wings and a third you're just starting on; each one better than the one before it.

Nobody said this was going to be easy.

"Evilman" is on Scriptwriting on Orange Country Screenwriters Association attached to  I Will Not Read Your Fucking Scripts!

Kind Regards,

M.A. Vandenberg

I'm not saying that liberal use of IMDB Pro won't help you suss out the folks that are actually listed on it, however, I think it's a mistake to discount, ignore or judge people simply because they aren't listed.  There are plenty of folks listed on IMDB that are less than what they appear to be and plenty of folks in the industry that have worked on significant projects but for one reason or another aren't credited to them; in particular screenwriters!  There are people that have made fairly decent livings for showing up, doing a pass on a script and never being listed in the credits and that's even part of the deal; not to be listed.

I think a far better attitude to take is to go into every meeting with an open mind and look at what the person is brining to that particular situation.  Absolutely do your homework and if IMDB says a person's worked on "Awesome Movie 5," then mention it, but don't judge what they bring to "Your Project: The Beginning" to be anything other than what they're bringing to the table right at that moment.  There's really no way to know if what you saw as brilliance in the previous project hasn't been blown away by a new coke habit or the stripper / pole dancer you're talking to isn't the next Diablo Cody.

Like her or not, she's got an Academy Award and I know I don't!

You could IMDB "THE ROBOTARD 8000" all day long and you'll never find him, but whoever that guy is, he has a script on The Black List 2009 which again, is way more than I can say for myself.  It's also how the previously mentioned Diablo Cody was discovered and how "Juno" got made.

Solid, dude.

Mark 

Great event and Kevin Sorbo was very personable. Surprising so.

Hope he wants to debut some of his new movies coming out next year with us.

Keep up the great work OCSWA.

Spot on, Regina.  But tell those friends of yours who are writing that it really shouldn't take a year to rewrite - get thee to a writing class (mine, for example) and we'll shorten that to three months - max.

Thanks for your fine words.

Mark 

Cool Chinese Braveheart lotsa arrows

Sort of like kabuki with a bad attitude.  Very fun.

 Totally awesome alternate soundtrack with an example scene.  The movie makes far more sense this way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wMhd5S7jJo

Hello Kasia,

Wonderful to hear from fans in Poland!! I am happy to answer your question. First, we are in the process of bringing Teenage Dirtbag to the rest of the world, and hope to have distribution there soon. But it is a slow process (which I'll be blogging about next), and I don't want you to have to wait. Unfortunately, Ebay is full of bootleggers (people who unlawfully burn copies of the movie and sell them), which is of course stealing from us (more to blog about). The best place to buy a the film  is Amazon, and Amazon UK ships to almost every country in the world!  LINK:  www.amazon.co.uk/Teenage-Dirtbag-DVD-Michael-Bradley/dp/B002665I94/ref=sr_1_2   This way you know you will be getting an honest copy, that will be guaranteed high quality, plus they have a great return policy if anything should be wrong with your DVD.  Thank you so much for checking out OC Screenwriters. Please stay in touch and let us know how you like the film!

Regina
 

Something very wrong with you - just my kind of guy.

Welcome to the website.

Mark 

I remembered using this: http://www.mindjet.com/

It might be what you need - but there are probably several open source versions of this type of collaborative software.

Good luck,

Mark

Regina,

You blog like you make film - with wonderment, breathless anticipation, and good humor.  Welcome aboard - OC Screenwriters is honored to have you.

Mark

Eh...I still don't buy it.   Like you said, they set these characters up to so careful and conniving and then...

Well it was a hell of a good movie anyway.

It was the ultimate thrill ride!  I find it interesting that the girls' decision to go to Playland at night, after demonstrating ultimate survival skills and know-how, was almost sleight of hand.  Instantly a break from the reality and the characters the screenplay had created, it went down so smoothly we almost didn't care.  In other plots it would be disatrous to setup the story and characters one way then betray that toward the end for no particular reason.  Given the film's genre and playfulness, I think they got away with something that other films wouldn't.  I found that particularly interesting.  Afterwards, of course.  It was hard not to just watch the movie and be along for the ride.

 So, what I really like about Zombieland is that in addition to the zombie-comedy aspect is that it is still a story about human relationships.  It would have been very easy to just have gone down the path of making a funny zombie movie with lots of gross out humor, but we actually feel for these characters.  We learn one thing about Tallahassee and his relationship to his past and assume it's one thing, then later find out there's a deeper meaning he wasn't able to communicate verbally.  I thought that was simply beautiful.

Alejandro,

It means what it's always meant.  The business is constantly evolving.  What remains true is that good stories will always get told.  Stay focused - eyes on the prize.  Talent tells.

Mark 

You're right. Silence is the absolute worst critique.  Tell me you like it, you don't like, or even tell me that you're forming a lynch party to get me for daring to put that story on paper. I can handle all that. But don't say you want to read my story, novel, or screenplay then turn mute.

Spot on, Deb.  But I thought the main problem was the lack of a cohesive structure and storyline that made sense to the character.  We're never settled into this story - there are at least four openings:

1) His youth and montage of all the wars he fights.

2) His work with the weird Striker squad.

3) His lumberjack days (BTW, maybe if Jackman had done the "I'm a Lumberjack" song by Monty Python we could have had some needed comic relief.)

4) His Adamantium transformation as Weapon X (who thought that one up?)

Even when Wolvie gets focused on something, i.e. killing his brother, it turns out to be a fake.

What a mess.  Any of these story openings would have made a good story,  Just pick one - or two - or even three - but 4-5?  Oy vey.

Plus, the mythology of these mutants being from the 1800's is questionable.  I hate when comic book companies "re-invent" these characters for the purposes of movies. 

Mark

Well, it's not 100 words (not even close) but it is about the structure, characters and the things that should be important to a writer.  Perhaps the most important thing to mention is it tanked at the box office so not even teenagers went to see it in quantity.

Nice job, Deb.

Mark

Mark, I was sitting there watching the crowd and you trying to make your way through it.  It looked like you hand your hands full pretty much all of the time shaking the hands of others.

Interesting mix of folks and a lot of them too.  I stopped counting around 50, but I'm pretty sure there were more.  They were vocal enough out in the lobby, but for writers, they sure do seem to be quiet here!

It may have had to with permissions and the processing to your new account.

Anyway, problem solved.

Admin 

The, by: Raymond Obstfeld isn't visible?

I am currently finishing up a script that has a central piece of sci-fi technology in it.  I have a wonderful backstory for it.  Have the basic theory of how it could work not only worked out, but vetted with some incredibly smart people.  That said, when it comes to actually using it in the script, nobody cares.  The one take away I got from writing the script is the story isn't about the technology.  Even if the piece of technology is the title of the movie, it's not about the technology.  Even if there is no point at all to the movie without the chunk of technology, it's not about the technology.  It's about the human relationships in dealing with it or the situation it puts them in.

Think about it.  Does anybody really care how the Enterprise can zip from one solar system to the next?  Not the vast majority of folks.  Over the course of 40 years, single lines of dialog have slipped out that make it appear as if there is a huge amount of detail in the Star Trek universe, but in any single episode, not all that much and in the movies, even less.  When James T. Kirk wants to go somewhere, we don't need to get a lesson from Scotty on how warp drive works.  Kirk just says "warp six" and zip; off it goes.  What do we really know about the "flux capacitor" other than if it's working and goes 88 mph, BANG, time travel?  Do we care about the details?  Not really.

Ok, so what if you "really, really" have to explain something?  Rather than have a talking head of one of your main characters doing it, take a look at how it was handled in both "Jurassic Park" and "The Rocketeer."  In both cases, it's handled as a little movie within a movie showing how the technology came to be.  Show, don't tell.

I think it fails on a couple of levels. Mainly it does it by mixing sub-genres in a way that doesn't really work for either of them. 

There's a great big world filled with people that like stories that have a point to them and conversely, there are a lot of people that like special effects and just want to see stuff blowing up. 

Act 1 sets up what I see as good classic science fiction; take a premise, change ONE key thing and see how that applies to the current situation in the world. It doesn't have to be "preachy" to do that either. This was done very well in books by Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. For example War of the Worlds which is about Victorian imperialism, social fears and racial prejudice. In the 1953 film this gets turned into fears of Soviet invasion. Great stuff really and District 9 had set itself up for a potential discussion along the same lines. 

Unfortunately, the end of Act 1 changes everything and devolves into a mess of a shoot-'em-up based of people trying to use something the aliens have to control other things they have that simply don't make sense in that context. If the aliens have and can use these things, they should, by all rights, have much greater power over the people that are trying to oppress them. It would be as if Jews in Auschwitz always had the ability to fight the Nazis and in fact had MORE power than them, but simply choose not to. 

It doesn't make sense. 

Layer on top of that a search for a mysterious third thing which could solve everyone's problems but is being kept a secret for no reason whatsoever and all you're left with is a special effects movie made for no particular reason that has huge plot holes in it. 

Are the special effect great? Yes. 
Is it shot and edited well? Yes. 

Does the story work? No. Not at all. 

I think that pisses off the guys that just want the special effects and stuff blowing up AND pisses off the guys that want a classic science fiction story that makes sense and has a point to it.

 Is there a schedule? I'll be an hour late, I'd like to know what I'm missing.

Thanks alex

I loved the movie and I agree with many of your points. Most of which I didn't pick up on.

In my future writing endeavors I will keep these things in mind, however, Inglourious Bastards is and will likely remain one of the 20 or 30 films on my top 10 list.

Thanks alex 

Yes, the screenplays will be available. 

As a working outdoor writer I am constantly challenged by the same circumstances as Victor.

Fishing a remote area such as Tioga Pass and having to turn in a story by deadline can be a real difficulty.

I don't have access to the internet while on the road other than wifi at the motel. Sometimes that can be a questionable connection at best.

Maybe it's time I synced up with the real-time benefits of wireless internet access one way or another.

Gnosses

I really enjoyed your reviews. I always watch the credits, you never know when something extra is going to be thrown in. 

In a word "Snarky". You have it pegged. 

 Good luck, Sabine.  Let us know how it turns out.

Mark

What is interesting is that the McGuffin creates a unity of action for all characters in a story. Every one wants to obtain the McGuffin, but it need not be obtained. It can be eternal life, what ever directs the attention and actions of every single character in that direction.

Maltese Falcon obviously is not an interesting object, but the passion and pursuit of it made every one behave in such a way that motivated them in to action. It is like the mechanical rabbit being chased at the dog tracks. The dogs will never get the rabbit, but it makes them run the race.

Most important, it is less important as an object as it is a plot-device.

Hope this helps.

Is 10:00am-12:30pm not to your liking or understanding?  Tell me what's troubling you, grasshopper...because it ain't clear from your comment.