As frequent readers of this blog will know, I’ve got a book length collection of short screenplays for short films. People ask me from time to time, “What kinds of film genres and scenarios do your short scripts include?” Here is the exhaustive (and somewhat annotated) list. The links take you to blog …
Traditionally, screenwriters make money if someone produces a project from the writer’s script. They are paid by the script (or draft, in some circles), and the dollar figure runs $5,000 to $50,000 as a general rule. My business model is different for the screenplays in this book. The way these …
Professional screenwriters expect their scripts to be rewritten. It’s a time-honored process. In feature films, the typical script goes through several rewrites, by several different writers. In TV writing, the process is collaborative – several people get into a room, order Chinese food, and hash out every line together. I’ve …
Working Title of the Script: “Radcliffe” Logline: This science fiction short film is set in outer space. It’s really about isolation and loneliness and being separated from the world. Locations: 7 or 8. Casting: 2 actors, 1 actress, 1 actor or actress, “various” miscellaneous persons-in-the-background, a voice over. This low …
Well, you can’t script or storyboard a real documentary until you’ve shot footage. Run the cameras now and deal with narrative structure later. I love documentaries, though. Documentary is a fun genre, and fiction films often borrow documentary language. The result? I’ve written two scripts using very different documentary film …
Working Title of the Script: “Cut the Crowd” Party Short Film log line: In this party scene, a roomful of people compete for the attention of a successful, late-arriving VIP. How will the presence (or perception) of power change other people’s actions and options – for an hour, an evening, or indefinitely? …