writer interview/ contract lesson/ Bobbi Lou Gray

This is from www.badcb.blogspot.ca:

Jan. 14 Writer interview: Here is an imaginary interview where a host is interviewing me at a TV studio.

Host: How long have you been writing the Rain script?

Me: Since 2009.

Host: It has taken 4 yrs to write this script?  Is it done?

Me: No.  It's 43 pages long, and I would say that is the pilot.  That Episode, Part 1 is done.  But Part 2 isn't.

Host: Why is it taking so long for you to write this?

Me: I was living my life.  2009 was the Year of The Vertex Fighter.  I was working full-time and pitching my script The Vertex Fighter.  In 2010, it was the Year of Unemployment.  It's about priorities.  I was unemployed for months, and was constantly looking for a job, you got to understand that.

Host: Yes.

Me: In 2011, the Year of the Office Job Search.  I was working, and looking for an office career and going to job interviews all around town.  The priority is to make even more money.  In 2012, the Year of New Directions, I was working, looking for an office career, and working at part-time temporary jobs.

Host: So working is more important?

Me: I am results-oriented.  I want to and need to make money.  I have been writing a lot.  Don't you read my blog?  I write non-fiction and my life.

Host: What about your script/ fiction?

Me: I did some here and there.

Host: Explain.

Me: Well let's talk about the evolution of the Rain script.  In 2009, there were false starts like the script Garret which is like The Vertex Fighter with the character names are different.  Then there was Daniel, which is like Garret without the MMA.  In Rain, there was someone looking for her.  It changed to someone looking for someone else.

In 2010, there was a sister character, but got deleted because she didn't add to the story.  There was a 3rd bad guy in the crew, but he got deleted.  If you read my drafts, you can see the changes.

Jan. 15 Other script: In 2011, I did complete a 43 page script in a month.  It was for a TV producer and his show.  He needed me to write an episode so I pushed myself and I did.

The Vertex Fighter: I pitched my script to a TV production company, and they said they're interested in reading it.  I haven't did a major work on it since 2011 when I met with Edmonton Public Library Writer in Residence Marty Chan.  I talked to him for an hr and then I went home and wrote and thought about the script for 2 hrs.

Right now I'm working on the script.  I think I will have to delete 2 pages or at least rewrite these 2 pages with Shawn's parents in it.  This is exactly what happened with earlier drafts with Shawn's ex-girlfriend makes an appearance.  They don't really add to the story.

Jan. 16 3.5 floppy disk: Looks like another one of those disks stopped working.  I got this one from like 1994 or 1995.  I'll give Polaroid disk points for lasting this long.  Yeah, well at least it didn't have my script on it.  It has those short stories I have posted on my blog.

Jan. 17: I transferred one document to another disk, so I can write on it.  Now this Maxell disk stopped working.  This one is from 2005.

Computer books: I also recycled two computer books.  I had to ask my sister first if I could get rid of them because she did buy them.  One is Windows 95 for Dummies and Using Dos.  Both is from the 90s.  Then I thought about donating books to Africa, because I have read charities about it. 

Does Africa have computers?  Or they're second hand computers.  Look, I'll just recycle them.

I remember this Buffy episode where Cordelia is talking to Giles in the library.

Cordelia: I'm supposed to get books on computers.  Isn't the whole point of computers is so that we don't have to use books?

Me: Yeah.  It reminds me of college where you sometimes have to get books on computers for your computer classes.

Stage 32: I'm learning more about this social media network for filmmakers.  I got an email from them for the "Tip of the Week."  If you're trying to find work, update your location to find work in your area.

Kimberly Faye Greenberg: Stage 32 also sent me this piece about her.  She's a Broadway actress, and she is the creator of the website Broadway Blogspot.  It's a theatrical website for onstage and behind- the- scenes workers.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5200298/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

http://broadwayblogspot.com/

Contract lesson: Here's a blog post called "A Christmas Actor's Story" by Richard Wilson who is an actor/ director/ screenwriter from New Jersey.

It's this story about a actress who signs a contract to go to Denmark to make a film for a month.  She would be getting paid "per diem."  The contract is complicated and lots of questions and uneasy feelings are appearing:

"Does that mean every day that she's there or everyday that they shoot or everyday that she's required to be ready to shoot? What happens if something goes wrong and the shoot does not finish? Does she still get paid? What if the Director were to become ill and is unavailable or something like that? Who is actually writing the check?"

These are good questions.  She hasn't gotten paid in 2 months, and the story doesn't really have an ending until she gets paid.  She is struggling to pay her bills.  The lesson is: "If something is too good to be true, then it probably is."  Also listen to your intuition.

http://www.stage32.com/blog/christmas-actors-story

Jan. 19 Canadian Screen Awards: There used to be a Gemini and Genie award shows for Canadian TV shows and movies.  Now, they will be merged to one award show called the Canadian Screen Awards.  Maybe it will bring more attention to our Canadian projects.

Bobbi Lou Gray: Today I was at Chapters at West Ed mall and I see a sign to meet an author.  I have met a couple there before.  I met Bobbi Lou Gray who was promoting a couple of her books.  One of them is Lunenburg Letters.  It's historical fiction.

The story is of Peter Hess and Katarina Mattern and their families who move to Nova Scotia in 1750.  They start to fall in love, but then are separated.  Here's a more detailed description here:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10454118-lunenburg-letters

Here's her official website:
http://www.bobbilougray.com/index.html
Me: So how long did it take for you to write this book?
BLG: About 5 months.
Me: Wow, that's fast.
BLG: But it took about 40 yrs of research.
Me: Because you were busy living your life?
BLG: Yes.

writer iPad Apps/ Blue Skies Poetry/ Theodora Goss

This is from www.badcb.blogspot.ca: 

Jan. 11 Writer iPad Apps: Emma Taylor sent me this article called "32 iPad Apps that Writers just Love."

#11 is a Kindle and writers have to read.  #16 is QuickVoice recorder.  I think these apps could even be used for school to help you take notes.  Lots of these apps have spell check, proofreading, help organize your writing into chapters.  It organizes your notes and ideas.

#23 is Colorful aquarium.  It's free: "Find relaxation and entertainment in this colorful aquarium. You don’t even have to clean it!"

#28 Index Card: "TV writers love this app for thinking through and organizing scripts. It has an easy to use, attractive interface that makes writing more fun."

http://www.accreditedonlinecolleges.com/blog/2012/32-ipad-apps-that-writers-just-love/

Writer's store: I had signed up for Stage 32, this social media network for film industry people.  They sent me this deal on what's for sale at the Writer's Store.

Syd Field: Here's a dvd from a screenwriter telling how you to write a screenplay.  I can learn how to write by watching Youtube videos.
http://www.writersstore.com/syd-field-screenwriting-workshop/?mr:referralID=9c882b82-5c14-11e2-97b3-001b2166becc

There's a live webinar.  It's $59 for a 75 min show/ class.

http://www.writersstore.com/ten-steps-to-break-into-the-entertainment-industry/?mr:referralID=c2caae74-5c1c-11e2-8751-001b2166c2c0

It also sells office supplies like screenplay fasteners to bind your script together.

http://www.writersstore.com/screenplay-fasteners/?mr:referralID=9c882ba9-5c14-11e2-97b3-001b2166becc

A baseball cap with the word "writer" on it.  That reminds me of Castle where the novelist Castle wears a bullet proof vest with "writer" on it when he's with the police during a sting.  It also reminds me of The Simpsons, where they go to Australia and Marge shows Lisa a cap that says: "Pobody's Nerfect."

http://www.writersstore.com/classic-writer-hat/?mr:referralID=bcc8fcb3-5c1c-11e2-8751-001b2166c2c0

Script pitch: Today I pitched my script to a TV production company.  I haven't done that in a long time.  I was busy working, looking for a job, and going to job interviews.

I could send a submission and sign a release form, but I wanted to save on time, paper, and postage.  I emailed them first with my script pitch.  They could either say they're not taking any projects right now or they will say: "Yes, send it in."

Blue Skies Poetry: I was going through my old emails and I found this from 2008.  It turns I had written about them here:
http://badcb.blogspot.ca/2012/08/magazine-consultant-script-reader-i-got_7395.html

I had submitted them 3 of my poems "Vegas", "Downtown Streets", and "Party in Downtown" which you can all read here:

http://badcb.blogspot.ca/search?q=vegas+poem
http://badcb.blogspot.ca/2008/10/downtown-streets-poem-by-tracy-au.html

http://badcb.blogspot.ca/2008/10/party-in-downtown-poem-by-tracy-au.html

Blue Skies are selling t-shirts that say: "Keep Calm and Write Poetry" for $25:

www.blueskiespoetry.ca

Euphoria poetry contest: I found this 2007 email where I sent those poems to this poetry contest. I emailed the person asking if there are still annual contests.  I half-expected that the email won't send.  It did send.   

When I Google it, I got this:

2008 winner:
http://lyrielle.tripod.com/tonigiarnese.html

Poetry Foundation website.  This looks like a nice and professional website:
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poem/240836

A 2007 post about this:

http://theprojects.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=publishing&action=display&thread=1781

Jan. 12 Disks: My friend Sherry emailed me back when I was talking about 3.5 floppy disks.

Sherry: ever considered creating some CD discs of your stuff? magnetism can destroy a 3.5 but not a cd disc

Linked In: I joined some more writer groups on Linked In.  I was in two of them before and I kept getting all these daily emails from them.  The thing is, you can adjust your settings so you can get them either once a week or not at all.

It's kind of inspirational and motivational to read about other writer's opinions on how to create characters and beat writer's block.

Jan. 14 Writer blogs: Hannah Howard sent me this article called "35 Blogs for those that Aspire to Become Writers."  The first section was "Steps to Becoming a Writer."

http://www.longhornleads.com/blog/2013/35-blogs-for-those-that-aspire-to-become-writers/

Theodora Goss: I clicked on the first link and it lead me to this writer called Theodora Goss.  Her post is called "Becoming the Writer."  She says this:

"I have a theory: anything that we do on the outside has to have happened first on the inside. Before I could go to graduate school, I had to become the sort of person who could go to graduate school. I’ve always found that the internal change precedes the external one. When I tried to go to graduate school before I was ready, it didn’t work.

I think the same thing happens with a novel: in order to write a particular novel, you have to become the sort of person who can write that novel. And of course the process of writing the novel changes you as well. But you have to become the writer. The novel comes out of the writer that you are, and if you’re not ready, the novel won’t work."

http://theodoragoss.com/2012/11/02/becoming-the-writer/

Me: I have to agree with her on that.  You have to prepare yourself mentally, intellectually, and emotionally for things.  When I was in high school, I always thought it would be so cool if I was producing a TV show while I was still in school.

However, it's not until I graduate out of a 2 yr college writing program, and then was pitching my script to TV companies, did I learn that there is still a lot to learn about writing.

It's a good thing I started young, writing TV scripts since I was 14 yrs old and actively learning from watching TV, but there is a lot to learn.

Law school: It kind of reminds me of law school.  No, I didn't attend.  lol.  I heard that to get into law school, you have to have a Bachelor's degree first in something else.  It's to make sure the student is then older and more mature.  If the student is 18 and did 4 yrs of a Bachelor's, then they are at least 22 yrs old.

Can you imagine an 18 yr old entering law school?  Maybe if this person is a prodigy.

Get Him to the Greek/ The Wizard of Oz/ Devil

This is from www.badcb.blogspot.ca: 

 

Get Him to the Greek movie review

By Tracy Au

This is a buddy-comedy- road trip movie.  It stars rock star Aldous Snow (Russel Brand) and record company worker Aaron Green (Jonah Hill).  Aaron has to take Aldous to perform at the Greek Theater in LA.  They are both good comedy actors with chemistry and really bring the story to a high level.

 

The character foil of Aldous and his offbeat ramblings and Aaron’s straight-laced personality balance each other.

 

Rapper/ music producer P. Diddy plays a record company executive Sergio which isn’t too much of a stretch.  He does make fun of himself with “Chocolate Daddy.”  The story is fast-paced with a countdown to the show in three days.  The conflict is that Aldous wants to keep partying, drinking, and doing drugs as Aaron tries to get him onto the flight, and to perform.

 

It is a wild adventure as Aaron has to keep Sergio from finding out how hard it is to keep an eye on Aldous.  The party scenes are the best because it’s funny, ridiculous, and crazy.

 

There’s an emotional backbone to the story as Aldous wants to see his dad, see his ex-girlfriend whom he has a child with and Aaron’s long distance relationship with his girlfriend.

 

This is also an uplifting movie when Aaron tells Aldous: “You make people happy doing what you love to do.  That’s awesome.”

 

The highlights are the stars that make cameos like Harry Potter star Tom Felton, Aziz Ansari, and Pharrel. 

 

 

 

The Wizard of Oz movie review

By Tracy Au

I have seen countless parodies of this movie, and this proves that a 1939 movie still has a major influence on pop culture today.  It starts off in a brown and white world where Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto gets caught up in a tornado.  The house she is in is blown into a magical land that is in color.  

 

She goes on an exciting adventure where she meets interesting people like Glinda the Good Witch (Billie Burke).  She tells Dorothy to go see the Wizard of Oz (Frank Morgan) if she wants to go home.  She meets the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), and the Tin Man (Jack Haley) to get what they want.  A brain for Scarecrow, courage for the Lion, and a heart for the Tin Man.

 

The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) puts obstacles in front of them as she wants Dorothy’s red slippers.  

 

It has an imaginative plot, amazing sets and costumes, good special effects for a movie produced in the 1930s.  It has a happy and creative ending.

 

If you like old movies, musicals, fantasy, and adventure, you’ll enjoy this one.

 

MADtv: Here's the parody of the alternate ending to The Wizard of Oz.  However, it is offensive because it's kind of sexual, and crude language.  Viewer discretion is advised.

 

Nicole Parker plays Dorothy and she does a very good voice and accent.  Stephanie Weir plays Glinda the Good Witch, and her voice is exactly like the actress in the movie.

 

I did find this Youtube comment funny: 

 

RockMegaBarbie: Glida was a Soiciopath! She may act sweet & charming but she knows she saw Dorothy only as a mere Opening to gain more Power! Giving Dorothy the Slippers not to help her, but to Simply Anger the Witch & make her chase after Dorothy while Glinda sat back, relaxed & let Dorothy do her dirty work! Dorothy unknowingly made Glinda the Greatest source of Power in Oz. As the Wizard unkowingly just made the Scarecrow Glinda's political Puppet to Control! Now thats what I call EVIL!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6exm2Hi28Xw

 

Devil movie review

By Tracy Au

The story is by Sixth Sense writer M. Night Shyamalan and the screenplay is by Brian Nelson.  It is a scary movie with the creepy supernatural feeling.  It has good filming and editing.  

 

Detective Bowden (Chris Messina) has a dark past about how he is still trying to get over the pain and anger of his wife and son being killed in a hit and run.  He and his partner Markovitz (Joshua Peace) are then called to investigate a suicide.  It leads to a business building and the elevator with five strangers who are trapped in there.  

 

They are the Mechanic (Logan Marshall- Green), an Old Woman (Jenny O’Hara), a Young Woman (Bojana Novakovic), Security Guard (Bokeem Woodbine), and a Salesman (Geoffry Arend.)

 

As Bowden tries to solve the suicide and help the five people, one of them is murdered.  The security guard Ramirez (Jacob Vargas) believes that one of them is the devil after he sees the elevator security camera footage.  It turns into a compelling and suspenseful murder mystery.  The entire time you’re watching it, you are trying to figure out who is going to get killed next and who the devil is amongst them.

 

The characters are delved into more instead of them being stock characters.  There is a deeper reason why these five people are trapped together.  There is a surprise plot twist towards the end.  The ending was good and bittersweet.

 

Roadie books/ Journey in Distribution/ Jane Espenson

 This is from www.badcb.blogspot.ca:

Dec. 27 Roadie books: On Dec. 15, 2012, I was reading the Edmonton Journal, and there was an article about Faith Farthing's house.  She has her own editing business called FinalEyes Communications and Publishing business Roadie Books. 

http://www.facebook.com/FinalEyesRoadie

New directions: The Year of New Directions continues.  One email talked about my office job search.  Here's the one about the writing.

TV production: I passed out my resume to every TV production company in Edmonton.  I finished after a month.  Then I applied to radio stations.

I did job interviews at TV companies and met with producers.  I was on Linked In to connect with them.

The Golden Vanguard: I had my movie reviews published on their website this year.

Edmonton Journal: Yesterday I had a blurb about eating at the Old Spaghetti Factory published in the Edmonton Journal's food section.  In the newspaper, they were asking readers for their favorite meals, movies, and books of 2012.  I showed it to my family and told it to my friends on Facebook. 

Dec. 29: I've been very productive because there's nothing on TV and not much job postings.  I turned to my TV production.  I started reading my Great American Screenwriter email newsletters.

Movie Magic Screenwriter 6: This costs $250.  It has templates like Final Draft.  This page compares it to Final Draft, and it talks about how Movie Magic is different.

http://www.screenplay.com/p-29-movie-magic-screenwriter-6.aspx

Final Draft Software: This is a cool software program to help write your script.  I use Microsoft Word.  There's even a "Text to Speech" component where you can hear the computer read your script out loud with different male and female voices.  That's so cool.  It's for $169.  I'll stick with Microsoft Word and paper and pen.
http://www.writersstore.com/final-draft-screenwriting-software?source=g-fd-international?cid=1820&gclid=CJa96ZvbwLQCFYN_Qgod-yMAGw

Indiegogo: I recently discovered this from reading that newsletter.  This is where you can raise money for your campaign.  There's no fee or application process.  It's kind of like Kickstarter, but that is for creative projects.  I wrote about it on my blog before.

This seems like an interesting and good site.  It says" You can raise money for anything, including for-profit ventures, creative ideas or personal needs."  It's located in San Francisco.  There's a picture of a sunglasses frame that says: "Go fund yourself."  lol.
http://www.indiegogo.com/

http://thevertexfighter.blogspot.ca/2012/05/kickstarter-job-interview-goal.html

Journey in Distribution: In the newsletter, there was this long article by Signe Olynyk about distribution and what she went through when she was getting her film Below Zero made.

She discusses the difference between a sales agent and a distributor.  A sales agent is the middle man who is supposed to connect you with the distributor.  A distributor "are companies with the means to get your film into the world.  They often work with Sales Agents or Aggregators, and sell the rights they have to your film to VOD, DVD, cable, etc for a percentage."

http://thevertexfighter.blogspot.ca/2012/12/a-filmmakers-harvest-journey-in.html

Flashback: I'm kind of putting the cart before the horse right now.  I'm not in production right now for my The Vertex Fighter, but it's good to know some things in this industry.  It's kind of like that time when I went to the U of A for this "Salary negotiation" seminar in 2011.  I was going to all these job interviews, and I should learn something about salary negotiation because money is discussed during the interviews.

Videoblocks.com: Also I got this newsletter about this website called Videoblocks.com.  It "is the first subscription-based resource for downloading royalty-free stock footage, motion backgrounds, production music, sound effects, After Effects templates and more."

I saw some of the footage, and they're really good high production value.  This could inspire me to write something.
http://www.videoblocks.com/

Stage 32: From the newsletters, I discovered Stage 32.  It's a social networking site for people in the TV or theater industry.  It's a pretty good website if you want to connect with other people in the industry for your projects.  However, I'm going to stick with Linked In and my TV contacts there.

http://www.stage32.com/blog
Jane Espenson: I was on Stage 32, and it lead me to Jane Espenson's website.  She's a Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel writer.  She's now writing for Once Upon a Time.  I thought it was cool. 

On her Aug. 11,2010 post:

"One of the specific questions I'm asked is 'do you ever change the show to appeal to the audience, now that you have such immediate access to what they do and don't want.' The answer I give to this is that I consider myself to be the audience I'm writing for. I write what I would want to see. Often, people are surprised by this. Not only am I saying I ignore all those fans who are desperately telling me what they want, but I'm also saying I'm writing for one very specific person who may not be at all representative of who is actually watching. Well, when you say it that way, it does sound crazy."

The post delves into it more.  I would agree with her.  I will admit at times I have written something, and then I would ask myself: "Would you want to watch this?"  I would say no.  If I don't want to watch it, then who else would?

http://www.janeespenson.com/

Pitching videos: I then found this old email where I did watch these videos on how to pitch your script.
http://www.sceneplay.net/pitch-fests-geof-troy/

Then I searched my blog and it turns out I did write about them before back in Sept. 2012:

http://thevertexfighter.blogspot.ca/search?q=sceneplay

Dec. 31 Published: I got published in the Edmonton Journal twice.  On Dec. 26, 2012, in the Food section, they published my blurb of the best meal I had this year.  It was at the Old Spaghetti Factory.

I also said the best movie of 2012 was Snow White and the Huntsman on Dec. 28, 2012.

Jan. 3 Song: I was going through my notes and I had written down "Bonecracker" by Shocore.  It's a heavy metal song.  I think it could be used for The Vertex Fighter during a fight scene.

I first heard this song back in 2001.  It was on an episode of Smallville called "Leech."  Shawn Ashmore (Ice man from X-Men movies) guest-starred in the ep.  He gets in a fight with a jock.

I don't like heavy metal, but I like this song.  You can dance to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fyh2sM2ZGv0