And though 2013 has been slightly dicey so far (not only have I been sick, yesterday I dropped my keys in a Portapotty...seriously) I'm optimistic that it will be an inspired year.
Enjoy!
Screen|Play|Write|Her |
|
I thought I'd share a little visual of what I've been up to in 2012. It was a year of big changes and lots of firsts: first cruise, first soccer team, first Austin Film Fest, first screenwriting contest win. And though 2013 has been slightly dicey so far (not only have I been sick, yesterday I dropped my keys in a Portapotty...seriously) I'm optimistic that it will be an inspired year. Enjoy!
0 Comments
I've been keeping track of my goals and successes for the upcoming and previous (respectively) years since 2008. I don't have a complicated system for doing this. This year, I have two Word docs, titled "GOALS 2013" and "Accomplishments 2012." I know, I know. My goals for this year are similar to ones that I've had in the past, but I have learned one lesson: make the goals concrete. As in, if you know what you want to get done in the next year, don't list "write more." Your goal would be "write the comedy project that could star Kristen Wiig (SNL sketch)." It's also important to reflect on what you've done over the past year. Even simple things, like generating a list of story ideas, or querying one film company, can be thought of as successes, because you're moving toward your objective. It's a lot easier to stick with something if you feel like you've actually made some progress toward your goals. With these things in mind, I thought I'd share this year's screenwriting goals and successes with you. 2013 Screenwriting GOALS:
1. Rewrite drama. 2. Write (the potential) Kristen Wiig project (yeah, I was serious about that!) 3. Query 12 film companies. 4. Have three short films made. Number four might sound pretty ambitious, but I'm thinking of my work project, the short documentary my friend and I are making, and I'd love to write for the 48 Hour Film Fest this year... 2012 Accomplishments: 1. Finished Jessi Hart, Alien Photoblogger; it placed in three competitions. 2. Wrote first draft of first drama. 3. Started ScreenwriteHer. 4. Wrote first corporate screenplay for work. 5. Got my butt to the Austin Film Fest. 6. Ran PowerWriters (this is my writing group). 7. A short film that I co-wrote, The Ride, won a competition and placed in several others. Blast from the past: Goals for 2012: 1. Do website for female screenwriters (Done!) 2. Finish Jessi Hart, Alien Photoblogger (Done!) 3.Make my own short (This didn't pan out, but I did give it a try. Maybe this year, with the documentary project?) 4. Sell or option a screenplay (Didn't happen. However, notice that my goals for this year include querying? A smaller step, but probably a more concrete goal to reach for.) I hope this post will help you to set your own goals for 2013. Leave a comment, if you'd like, and let me know what your plans are! I'd love to hear about your projects and ambitions. Gift giving is one of the Five Love Languages (thank you, Dr. Gary Chapman, for your excellent book on this subject) and as such, should probably get more cred year-round than it does. But, since the holidays seem to be the one time of year when gifting is not only acceptable, but expected, I thought I'd weigh in on what a screenwriter might enjoy receiving this season. Now, you might want to check out The Writer's Store to score some classic giftables for the screenwriter in your life. (I'm partial to the b/w "Writer" ballcap, myself.) If they haven't read them already, any of these classic books would make an admirable addition to your screenwriter's bookshelf: Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder Screenplay by Syd Field The Hero's Journey by Joseph Conrad Or a subscription to Script magazine might fit the bill, too. You could also get them software (like FinalDraft), coverage, a writing class, or a trip to a conference where they can continue to pursue their dreams. Paper, highlighters, 10" x 13" envelopes, print cartridges, 1 1/2" brads and an audio recorder would all be helpful, too. The best gift, however, is reading their scripts. Honestly, there is nothing more valuable than when people take the time to read my work and give me feedback. Any success that my work has is as a result of the comments, positive, negative or off the wall, that others give me. It really is a collaboration. A gift, if you will. What's gift you'd most like to get? What makes it so special to you? This week I wrote my first corporate script! It's an educational video on different techniques for moderating small group activities. I got this task in a kind of round-about way...some other members of my team (I work at a larger non-profit) got asked to create a video as part of a grant funding project. None of them had any video experience, and when I heard that they were planning to "shoot as they went" (without a script) I staged an intervention. And got myself the job!
I've attended several classes and panels over the last several years, and there are two things that I've really taken to heart regarding script writing. The first was gleaned from Gregory Poirier (Missing, National Treasure), who gave a talk at the Northwest Screenwriter's Guild a few years ago. He recommended that you never take a screenwriting job that you aren't sure you can complete. So, even though this was my first corporate script, I looked at the basics: who I'd be working with, the length of the script, and what the story was we were trying to tell. Factoring in these considerations, I felt confident that I could deliver, and turned in a first draft yesterday. The other piece that I tend to focus on is listening. I forget who passed on this deceptively simple pearl of wisdom to me, but basically they pointed out that you cannot deliver a good script unless you are really listening to the person/people who are telling you what the script needs. This paid off for me--I think (I hope!)--this week, when I wasn't getting enough info. on what to include in the script. Maybe you've had this happen to you? You get a stack of paperwork handed to you, with some suggestions, and you have a meeting or two. But even after reading (and re-reading) and meeting (and re-meeting) I still wasn't sure what the point of doing the video was. So I asked a pile of questions, and as a result got an 11 page brain-dump of material. BINGO. Let the writing commence. So, if you're ever offered a script-writing gig, I pass along the same advice to you. Ask yourself, can I write this? If the answer is no, that's okay! Know yourself, and what you're capable of (and know that some projects aren't worth your time.) It's better for you, and your career, to turn down a project than to do one badly. And if the answer is "yes, I can do this," don't be afraid to listen to what's needed and ask questions. It will pay off for you in the end! My friend A. made this video ON HER CELL PHONE. I love it! Not only is it beautifully done, but it's proof that you can be artistic and creative without spending a ton of dough on your production. The lyrics combined with the moody black and white footage tell a unique and vivid tale, and if you're familiar with Seattle in November, you might agree that she (along with Tom Waits) has captured its essence in under three minutes. My favorite parts are the smiley face sticker stuck to the ground, the single twirling leaf, and black bird flying off into tree beyond.
Way to go, lady filmmaker A.! |
Robin BrooksFollow my adventures in screenwriting! Archives
August 2013
Categories
All
|