we hear that phrase all the time.
if any of you read wordplayer.com's essays written by indypros, there's an article by Nina Jacobson, an exec at Buena Vista: www.wordplayer.com/pros/p....Nina.html
she writes about how there are tons of crappy scripts out there, and how she has to persevere and have hope that there are needles in the haystack...and then she recounts how she found a needle titled "when trumpets fade" by w.w.vought. she was so impressed, she asked spielberg to read it (she was at dreamworks at the time). he was impressed. they flew the writer in from the midwest, talked a bit, and then offered him a contract for a blind assignment.
naturally, i was impressed and thought i could learn a lot from the script. i was given half of the script. better than none. and there are elements that i think are stylistically incorrect...
i thought i'd copy sections word for word and i could get opinions from our little group to see if i'm just whacked...
1. Int. Demolished Church - Day
...Without warning, Manning breaks the window with the stock of his Thompson machine-gun. Everyone in the church turns towards Manning. Manning is unaware that he is being watched. He is still staring at the broken window. He feels better now.
2. Ext. In the Forest - Day
Sitting and laying in the woods are the soldiers of Lukas' platoon. They are exhausted. Many are asleep. There is no hope here. Just men waiting for their turn to die.
3. Ext. The Demolished Church - Day
...Our attention stays with the Lieutenant Colonel. Once alone, his facade drops like a lead weight. He suddenly looks exhausted. In his eyes there is a hint of something we haven't seen before. Fear.
I think in each of these sections, there are "unshootable" elements. I've been striving to never write like this...but then if you read Jacobson's article...it's kudos all round. Am I just being too anal? Comments please.
if any of you read wordplayer.com's essays written by indypros, there's an article by Nina Jacobson, an exec at Buena Vista: www.wordplayer.com/pros/p....Nina.html
she writes about how there are tons of crappy scripts out there, and how she has to persevere and have hope that there are needles in the haystack...and then she recounts how she found a needle titled "when trumpets fade" by w.w.vought. she was so impressed, she asked spielberg to read it (she was at dreamworks at the time). he was impressed. they flew the writer in from the midwest, talked a bit, and then offered him a contract for a blind assignment.
naturally, i was impressed and thought i could learn a lot from the script. i was given half of the script. better than none. and there are elements that i think are stylistically incorrect...
i thought i'd copy sections word for word and i could get opinions from our little group to see if i'm just whacked...
1. Int. Demolished Church - Day
...Without warning, Manning breaks the window with the stock of his Thompson machine-gun. Everyone in the church turns towards Manning. Manning is unaware that he is being watched. He is still staring at the broken window. He feels better now.
2. Ext. In the Forest - Day
Sitting and laying in the woods are the soldiers of Lukas' platoon. They are exhausted. Many are asleep. There is no hope here. Just men waiting for their turn to die.
3. Ext. The Demolished Church - Day
...Our attention stays with the Lieutenant Colonel. Once alone, his facade drops like a lead weight. He suddenly looks exhausted. In his eyes there is a hint of something we haven't seen before. Fear.
I think in each of these sections, there are "unshootable" elements. I've been striving to never write like this...but then if you read Jacobson's article...it's kudos all round. Am I just being too anal? Comments please.
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