It’s past midnight on Sunday here in the UK, and I’ve just been counting the votes, and re-reading the quite exceptional comments that have been pouring in on this blog over the last month.
There has been so much fine conversation going on that it simply has to continue. I’ve set up a forum at http://www.screenwritinggoldmine.com/forum and I’ll be running a monthly scaled back version of this contest over there for the indefinite future. There’s details in the forum welcome message so make sure you have a look.
OK. Get to the point.
So although there were many many people who came along, had great conversations, and added so much of interest to this blog, there were two who had an overwhelming number of comments.
That’ll be… AMZ, and Deirdre!
Both very close to each other, with about 100 comments each, way more than their nearest competitor – and all highly relevant and on the ball.
They will be receiving their fully boxed up copy of Final Draft just as soon as the post office can deliver.
With regard to the prize for the best comment, well, there have been so many good things said, for a time it seemed like a very, very hard choice.
In the end it was simple.
Success at screenwriting is all about opening yourself up, taking risks, and taking action.
Both actually daring to write from the heart, and getting that writing out into the world.
With that in mind, I’m going to award the prize for the best comment to Gary, for his comment that kicked off the story scratchpad – that group writing project that so far has turned into 30 very readable pages of real screenplay.
Not only was he brave enough to step forward and expose himself by actually WRITING the very first – very striking – image, he also proposed a few of simple rules which, I think, have provided great parameters for the whole thing and helped make it such a great success.
So well done Gary. You don’t get anywhere unless you actually write. And your Final Draft is in the post.
Thanks to everyone who joined in, and let’s keep this community going. I can see writing relationships forming already, and, remember, this business is all about networking (That is, making friends in the business.)
Come to the forum and talk, and meet people, and exchange ideas. You never know where it might lead.
How To Write A Screenplay
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow! I don’t know what to say. Thank you Philip. What’s been really amazing is the interaction with some really great and talented people on this site. That said, Amz and Deirdre so deserve it. They contributed so many insightful and constructive entries that it’s hard to measure. And without them that story on Scratchpad wouldn’t be what it has become. So congratulations to both of you and thanks for you insight!
Oh I am delighted, I cannot deny it. Muchly.
Thank you Philip for sponsoring this, congrats Amz and Gary (awesome choice!) and yow, so appreciate everybody else too who kept the conversations going. Looking forward to an ongoing communication, thanks.
I’m a lucky girl.
xo
Congrats to Amz, Deirdre, and Gary! I hope you each enjoy your software! Make sure to stop back and tell us how it’s working for you. I’m still thinking about saving up some cash purchasing it myself since I’ve heard such rave reviews about it.
Okay. The party is not over!!!!!!
Philip — what’s next?
You got the momentum going…
Looking forward to CNN.COM doing a special of the this web page…..”best screenwriting” blog in the world. That’s my forecast.
What’s next, Philip….
I got “my bastketball shoes on”…
Regards
Ben
Congrats to AMZ and Deirdre! I enjoyed reading your comments.
Thanks, Phil, for the contest!
I have really enjoyed the discussions here with everyone. Thanks Phil for having the initiative to get this happening. And congratulations Deirdre and Gary, I’ve appreciated both your contributions (and I’m having so much fun with the scratchpad).
Hey is that hurry along music I hear???? lol
Phil thanks for creating a forum where I am interacting with honest and open minds.It surely will enrich me.There is lot more I wish to share in time to come..and as Phill says, I don’t know where it will lead me to.
I am so happy for Amz , Deirdre and Gary for winning Final Draft.Congratulations. Things would sure be lot more easier for them now. I wonder how it compares with Moviemagic Screenwriter that I use. Amz, Deirdre and Gary, I am sure you would share your experience with us.
Phil,
Could you tell us what exactly is the role of an Art Director in overall scenario of feature film making.
I met an assistant art director the other day and what he has told me means that it is limited primarily to set designs.Is that so ?
Where the roles of different creative members gets overlaped and who is/should be the final decision maker- Director, cinemetographer,Art Director, in case of conflicting opinion. I am not realy very clear.Have you mentioned this in your ebook ?
I am trying to get involved with some projects right from begining to end..so that I may have first hand experience from a close quarter of film making… but it is not happening..I have been primarily concentrating to just learning the techniques of writing from the experts, but reading a lot about direction as well. But I believe a screenwriter must know a little bit of all aspects of film making, shouldn’t he ?
A friend of mine,producer and Director, with about 300 advertising films to his credit and many TV episodes..especially children based, has emailed me the other day couple of concepts for feature films, for my comments and to write its logline and pitch. He intends to do presentation to some major production house and wants me to suggest him how to write logline and pitch..I find some of them with tremendous cinematic posibilities and would love to be involved in its development and script writing. I hope it happens and would share my experiences, if it does.How I wish I am able to afford at the earliest your ebook Screenwritinggoldmine..
Hi Amit,
YOu’re right – the more you know about the way the shooting process happens the more you’ll feel involved in the whole thing, and it will help you make choices about scene staging.
It’s not strictly necessary for writing a script though and it’s not something I cover in the book – that is really dedicated to the ideal process of writing a screenplay away from production considerations.
You’re pretty well right in your analysis though – the Art Director is responsible for conceiving the overall look of the thing – set design and furnishing, with input into choice of props, costumes and so on.
The Cinematographer/Director of Photography points the camera, handles the lighting on set, and the Director supervises all that and works with the actors to get the best performances out of them.
As with all matters in this game, final control is a delicate negotiation, and also depends where you are in the process. Usually the producer is the boss, as they employ the Director, and the Director would have last say on what the Artistic Director and the DoP do – though of course it’s always more flexible than that in practise and strong characters will have their say at every level.