Sold it! My screenplay--finalized deal this week!

Hey Kyle thanks for the wonderful thread. This is a plethora of great ideas and information to be absorbed. I think that your happy because, in at least one instance you revealed that you listen to your wife, at least when she calling you for dinner! Happiness is such a slippery commodity to find and hold onto, and when it comes to what money will do for you, it might not buy happiness but it sure is nice when its time to pay the bills. Just go ask your wife. If she's happy your able to do what you love. I am glad that you are able and willing to share with us what you love to do. You have inspired many to be better and work harder and be more focused in there endeavors and this in it self should be fulfilling for you.

Thanks for the great post!
 
Writing has always been very difficult for me--the incessant fear of failure, the 6-12 month commitment to something that will invariably suck until it's reworked not just once but several times. It's great to be recognized finally--by a "sale"--and it's especially nice to receive all these kind words.

Thanks everyone.
 
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I'm working my way through your great script archive. I saw Juno just recently, then read the script, which won the Oscar this year. Quite an accomplishment for first timer Diablo Cody. It's a terrific piece of work, as was the film, which sticks very close to what she wrote.

May you be as fortunate as she, and thanks again for all the great info you've provided us in this thread.
 
Reading "Erin Brockovitch" now. Page after page of absolute brilliance. Julia Roberts should build a monument to Susannah Grant (and Richard LaGravanese, not to mention the real Ms. Brockovitch herself) for the role they created for her.

Actually she already has one...it's called an Oscar. Ms Grant was merely nominated...

HUGE characters...GREAT story....
 
Someone PM'd me a good question about the pdf manual so I thought I would share it with you guys ...

Can you explain (page 2) what exactly you mean by dramatic irony? or how to use it?

Well, that might be difficult because it's a writing technique that comes easily to some but not to others.

I'll defer to Terry Rossio (screenwriter extraordinaire of Shrek, Pirates, Aladdin, etc.) and his wordplayer article, where he does a much better job than I could ever do at discussing this elusive idea.

http://www.wordplayer.com/columns/wp48.Dramatic.Irony.html
 
a qualifier...

a qualifier...

kylekmd said:
Someone PM'd me a good question about the pdf manual so I thought I would share it with you guys ...

Can you explain (page 2) what exactly you mean by dramatic irony? or how to use it?

Well, that might be difficult because it's a writing technique that comes easily to some but not to others.

I'll defer to Terry Rossio (screenwriter extraordinaire of Shrek, Pirates, Aladdin, etc.) and his wordplayer article, where he does a much better job than I could ever do at discussing this elusive idea.

http://www.wordplayer.com/columns/wp48.Dramatic.Irony.html
Click to expand...

That article actually sparked a testy debate about what dramatic irony is or isn't within that e-community. Every article on wordplayer is worth a read but that particular one isn't without controversy.
 
To me it's simply audience superior position, as it applies to a situation or bit of dialogue, and it's essential to good screenwriting. I don't understand why someone would go ape-semantic on that and create such controversy.
 
kylekmd said:
I'll defer to Terry Rossio (screenwriter extraordinaire of Shrek, Pirates, Aladdin, etc.) and his wordplayer article, where he does a much better job than I could ever do at discussing this elusive idea.
Click to expand...

I love "wordplayer" and have read almost every bit of the huge amount of material on the site (but not all the user posts, of course). Their commentary on the subject of screenwriting is nothing short of invaluable, and I feel immense respect and gratitude for their offering of it.

But...

Have you seen the third "Pirates" movie: "At World's End"?

Maybe it's just me, but I thought the script was pretty much of a complete muddle from start to finish. They're the only credited writers IIRC.

I have a hard time reconciling all of that...
 
Ted Spencer said:
Have you seen the third "Pirates" movie: "At World's End"?

Maybe it's just me, but I thought the script was pretty much of a complete muddle from start to finish. ..[/QUOTE

I also thought POTC 3 was lousy. There's a scene where the Kracken, the great mythical beast, has washed up dead on the sand and is rotting and stinking up the beach. I thought it was a great metaphor for the movie franchise.
Click to expand...
 
Yeah, Pirates is best taken like the Matrix: ignore everything they called a "sequel" and pretend that the first exists solely by itself.
 
Erik Olson said:
And by that you mean Aliens. Which was the best of the series.

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Click to expand...

No, as I implied, I meant Ridley Scott's "Alien", the first one, which was IMO the best of the series. I liked "Aliens", but found it a little too typically a "more" sequel, like the "Matrix" ones. More action, more monsters, more violence, more flash...but less mystery, originality, character development, and so on.

It's very rare to see a sequel that tops the original. For me, "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" is one that comes to mind. "Godfather II" might be another.

BTW...I'm perfectly happy to have anyone disagree with me, but please don't try to tell me what I *meant*. That would be my job.

No offense taken, just a little self-defense : )
 
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I loved ALIENS but the original ALIEN, for me, is one of the all time greats. Ever been channel surfing and bump in to it? Draws you in every time. That artist that did the set design (Giger???), John hurt, Ridley Scot. Oh boy.

Lots of people think that original chest burst scene is the most horrifying scene ever.

Here's link to a classic 1930's short story believed to be one of the inspirations for the original screenplay.
http://www.webscription.net/chapters/0743498747/0743498747___5.htm

Okay, this thread is officially hijacked.
 
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