Write your World 3

Once I’ve gotten my informative writing out of the way for the time being, I promise to return to Marglish style musings.  I have a few good ones brewing, so stay tuned!

Write your World Part II

I would tell you how many more parts there are to go, if I myself knew.  I guess we’ll find out together.  Stay tuned for more.

Check it out here: Write Your World

There is more to come in the series also.  So now my nose will be to the grindstone of article writing.  Hopefully I’ll be back to my pensive rants at some point soon.  In the meantime I’ll keep you all on top of my other works.  Speaking of which, while you’re here why not also check out the new preview for one of the short films I designed.

Passengers of 7D

There will be more goodies where those came from, so stay tuned!

Lucky for you, I have these convenient links right here:

The Well – Page 1

The Well – Pages 2-10

For your reading pleasure, I’ve decided to post the next 7 pages.  Those pages also happen to contain the ever controversial “title scene.”  Screenwriters occasionally seem to find incorporating the title of a film gracefully into the screenplay, to be a nearly impossible task.  We’ve all seen just as many groan worthy attempts as we have winners.  Remember all of these?

So give my pages a read and let me know how you think I did.  Graceful or groan worthy?  Of course, a really good title contains several meanings.  So what else do you think “The Well” could possibly mean?  I’ll be looking forward to those comments. Hint hint.

The Well – Pages 11-17

When The Well was still in outline form, I intended for one of the four characters to be my protagonist.  Then when I started to actually write, another character emerged as the one with a more intriguing story.  Now as I iron out my arcs, I find myself wondering which path to follow.  So this is your chance to tell me.  Weather you’re fellow writers, filmmakers, family or friends, I’d like to hear your opinion.  Take at look at these pages and tell me who you think the hero is.

“The Well” Pages 2 – 10

I will make this one small disclaimer: unless you actually start writing it for me, I don’t intend to share royalties.

You can read more of my screenwriting on Immmagination.com.

Technology Making Better Television – By Margaret M. MacDonald

I already feel professionally obligated to watch movies, not that it’s a burden or anything.  Looks like I’m also becoming professionally obligated to watch television.  Poor me.  :-)

Today’s segment comes from an unfinished screenplay titled The Well.

Logline: Four childhood friends share one last great adventure together before the responsibilities of adult life pull them in separate directions, but after they perform a wish granting ceremony at a mysterious ancient well, they discover the true price of their desires as each wish comes true.

I’ve picked this screenplay not only because it’s one that I plan to work with over the next . . . well, however long it takes, but also because it contains a lot of screenwriting experiments.  To being with, the first page, the first minute of screen time, contains no dialogue at all.  I’ve chosen to introduce all of my main characters without giving any of them a single word to speak.

So what do you think?  How much do you know about my characters after just one minute?  Do you want to know what happens next?  Maybe you’ll find out.  Stay tuned for the next publication.

So that’s why I don’t entirely understand a phenomenon I have experienced since I became a screenwriter; everyone wants to read my scripts!  When you hear the first person request a gander, there is no better feeling.  You’ve poured an elaborate ensemble and a full story, arced like a rainbow, out of your head and into the tangible world.  You can’t wait for someone else to experience it and then, of course, tell you it’s just as amazing as you think it is.  But it only takes a few e-mails sent into the abyss of “never heard from again” before you realize how few people actually mean it.  There are those constant readers, and by that I mean the ones you are actually related to.  You have enough history with family to guilt them into giving you a read and review.  But it’s almost a guarantee that no one else, even the best of your friends, will ever read your script.   Even on the rare occasion that they find time in their busy lives that is not already occupied by Facebook to scan through your heart and soul in paper form, they will never tell you what they thought of it.

I’ve learned my lesson.  Let them ask.  Let them ask again.  See if they actually send you an e-mail about it.  Tell them that if you send your script, you’ll want to know what they thought.  Add the caveat that it need not be more than a few sentences, basic reactions, less words than one would utter when leaving a movie theater.  Tell them over and over again that a bad review will not mean the end of your friendship.  We all learn from our mistakes.  Tell them to take their time, we all have full lives to manage.  Forgive their first few “I just haven’t had time yet” responses.  Continue to be that good friend and communicator that you are.  But it won’t matter if you get a thousand yeses and words of good intention, they are not going to read shit.

So your creative mastery floats out into the internet ether.  Drafts one through thirteen have been sent to someone at some point, and could have been bounced around to any other human sharing your electronic cloud.  And all you hear is crickets chirping.  I know that when one of my films actually gets made, I will only get reviews from those paid to publish them, and those who think it’s their duty to share their opinion in all CAPS on every comment stream they come in contact with.  But it won’t matter.  My script will be a fucking movie!  The people who want to see it can drive their asses to the theater and pay (what will probably be a good $45 by then) for a seat.  You won’t have to ask me.  You won’t have to ask me again.  You won’t have to make promises you can’t keep.  You won’t have to feel the guilt of having broken those promises.  Just buy me a cocktail and all is forgiven.  Then go see my fucking movie.  You’ll wish you had read the script.