The best words on screenwriting...

[don patterson]

Okay. So you want TO BE a screenwriter, you ARE a screenwriter or you ARE an actor, or an all-purpose filmmaker, director, producer, etc. and etc. etc.

Great! Your in to 'it' (screenwriting or directing, acting, cinematography, etc and etc. etc.) for the money? Your into 'it' (same as above) cause you got something to say? Or/and your into 'it' (same as above) cause storytelling is an addiction (my only case for pleading insanity; "I just want to have the fun of telling story(s) -- taking an idea to script to screen while not looking to be rich or famous" blah, blah and blah -- this-is-me-poking-fun-at-myself, the I-am-a-nobody clause).

WELL.

For all that have any degree of seriousness about writing or filmmaking in general -- you must watch Tales from the Script (2009) NR... a very well done series of interviews from the those that are IN Hollywood, (or was) writers with a long list of successes and failures that really know what they are talking about (you can watch in on Netflix instant view queue).

Truly a well spent two hours.

Very enlightening. Wish I had seen this documentary forty years ago. Would not of changed anything, just wish I had seen it forty years ago...

Eye opener...

 

[Dreadylocks]

That's been in my queue for a week or so. Can't wait to watch it

 

[Buddy Greenfield]

I watched that a few weeks ago, was sweet.

Not on screenwriting, but some of the others in the Instant View I’ve seen:

Tell them who you are - Haskel Wexler doc shot by him and his son.
Overnight – Interesting doc on The Boondock Saints creator.
*Punk Rock Film School – How to make a simple music video.
Don’t you forget about me - Young film makers set out to interview John Hughes.

I watched Godard’s Breathless yesterday.

*Might not have been instant view.

-Thanks-

 

[Zensteve]

Sounds like a good one to watch, Don. I'll get that in queue.

Buddy mentioned Overnight - saw that, and it blew my mind.

Another one to add, if you want to see real tenacity, is American Movie.

 

[Dreadylocks]

Just watched Boondock Saints for the first time last night. I think maybe I should have watched it before I saw Overnight and maybe I could have taken the film more seriously. The docu itself was great but I hated Duffy by the end.

American Movie, on the other hand, while I totally pitied that filmmaker, I really loved his drive. The best was when he was doing those takes of the guys head smashing through the cabinet, but he didn't get 'breakable' wood he just cut a little slit in it. So he slams the dude's head, huge thud, no break. And instead of trying to fix the wood to break more easily he just keeps trying to bust his head through there. What a dedicated actor.

Also looking forward to watching The Outsider (http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/The_Outsider/70061693?trkid=1211018) and Light Keeps Me Company (http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/Light_Keeps_Me_Company/60022421?trkid=1211018)

 

[don patterson]

Well. Lot of suggestions! Thanks Dreadylocks, Zen Steve and BG. Seen some of those films, like American Movie when it first came out many years ago (I just can't take Borchardt seriously). Will watch the others very soon. Always extremely open to suggestions and the comments of others. I always push myself to explore and expand my horizons.

However. Tales of the Script was a tad different from your above recommendations.

You need to see the film to understand what I mean.

Tales of the Script is straight documentary through interviewed commentary. There is no humor or fluff (for the sake of entertainment) in the very frank commentaries made by some of the past and present (and yes, some very big name) established writers on the subject of film scripting (within Tales of the Script). In fact, I would have to say that this was one of the best in eye-opening honest presentations about TODAY's world of established script-to-screen 'film' industry.

I put this out there as a MUST SEE for all who have an interest in scriptwriting (for whatever reasons) and for any person who plans a future in any form of 'establishment' film making. It is a BUSINESS first to last AND while there are exceptions to the rule, those 'romantic myths of someone suddenly being discovered either in front or behind the camera', (they) are extremely rare. Tales from the Script has a way of establishing REALITY, which is why I put it out there for everyone's perusal.

My two cents. Unlike those in Tales of the Script, I am not rich or famous, just someone out there having fun making low-budget movies...