In your first ten pages, show us something we’ve never seen before. It doesn’t matter if it’s a tentacled star-beast or simply an original joke. Just give us something different.
One of the most recommended advices for aspiring screenwriters is “Write what you know”. Which makes sense because when you write what you know there is a chance that it will be authentic - and authenticity is a good thing (most of the time). But there is a problem with that advice and it’s that it might not be interesting at all and that’s at least as bad a being not authentic.
The better advice is obviously (which is pretty similar to people that invent products and services) to write the movie you want to see but doesn’t exist. Chances are that if you want to see that movie others want to see it as well. Pitfall of this advice is that the story might not be authentic or that you have to do lots and lots of research that can be a pain in the ass or even worse let the project become a never-ending story.
But there is a third advice that has worked for me pretty good so far and that is to combine these advices. That’s actually what successful writer-directors such as Martin Scorsese do: “Write the movie that you want to see by using what you know”. This increases chances that the movie will be interesting and authentic at the same time.
But don’t get hung up with what you know. There is probably still the need to do research and expand you experience and knowledge along the way. What you wanna see definitely trumps what you know.
(via irrationalrealm)
(via directingfilm)
- The Opportunist: I smell a webserieeees!
- The Artist: Character arcs are too mainstream
- The Student: I like to say I'm influenced by the works of Tarantino and the Coen Brothers
- The Director/Producer/Writer: So I need you to give me money so I can win all the Oscars myself
- The Realist: You want me to write a made for tv movie about an estranged father learning to repair his marriage in the face of a mutant cabbage patch doll apocalypse? Well I do feel like eating this week
Schizophrenia.
It’s a problem.
- Hollywood: Screenwriters need to be sensitive to the human condition. They need to hibernate in a lonely apartment for weeks on end, interacting with fictional people. They need to be in touch with themselves, their souls. They must be isolated so they can look within themselves and deliver us the perfect movie that speaks to audiences worldwide.
- Screenwriter: Sure! Writers are naturally introverted because--
- Hollywood: OH! But you also have to go to like a zillion meetings and sell us your script in a high stakes pitching environment and be bubbly and interesting and roguish and have all these exciting anecdotes! You have to make contacts! Be a people person! The James Bond of writers!
- Screenwriter: But what if we like to keep to ourselves?
- Hollywood: hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha HA! Pick a different business.
