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sometimeaftertwoam

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Everything posted by sometimeaftertwoam

  1. Anyone else make it into Nicholl quarterfinals?

  2. Can anyone explain why my Final Draft (8.0) saves scripts as nearly 2MB PDF's? They should be 350KB at most. Any help?

  3. What age did you start writing? I mean actually writing scripts, in screenplay format?

    1. Show previous comments  5 more
    2. mebishop2001

      mebishop2001

      About 20 in college - a SEVEN ripoff :)

    3. benskelly2

      benskelly2

      Wrote short stories and "plays" as a kid, but first wrote a screenplay when I was 17, a senior in High School. My English teacher, a nun, hated it.

    4. David Fakrikian

      David Fakrikian

      Late comer, I started at around 29. I completed a full script and then it sold immediately.

  4. How surprising is this: "Jackie" has only grossed $13M and is now in RedBox, so I assume that means they don't expect to see more. I know the script was heavily praised when it first went out. On Rotten Tomatoes, 89% Critic score, 64% Audience. I tend to side with the audience meter more often than not. Discuss.

    1. Show previous comments  4 more
    2. sbbn

      sbbn

      Interesting to hear that my suspicions that this was just old hat, more of the same, confirmed. A much more interesting take on it would have to tell how Jackie orchestrated the hit after JFK threatened to cut off her personal coke supply that she was smuggling back from Vietnam on Air America and put her in rehab. True story.

    3. Writer

      Writer

      @sbbn, Jackie O? More like Jackie BLOW, amiright?

    4. egerst

      egerst

      They advertised it like a bio pic about a certain incident on her life but it really wasn't. It was a bit odder and darker and tried to get into her mentality after the assn so it played more like a tone poem feeling through those few days and less structured. If they went the more conventional route about how strong she was and moving on with her life prob more audiences would have come out, but really it was just a showcase for Portman's internal performance

  5. Finally saw "The Founder" last night. Thought it was a total dud. Anyone else see? Agree/disagree?

    1. Show previous comments  1 more
    2. Penelope

      Penelope

      Thought it was okay. Performances are better then the film.

    3. pygmyzombie

      pygmyzombie

      Concept was better than the execution.

    4. Jarrean

      Jarrean

      Not all that thrilling. Not sure what could've made it better.

  6. I'm looking for a great one-sheet. I know we have a thread for treatments and bibles, but does anyone have a really great one-sheet template? P&T

  7. Has anyone read this years BlackList winner "Blonde Ambition"? Thoughts?

    1. Show previous comments  4 more
    2. Scott Crawford

      Scott Crawford

      @sbbn Ha! So true... if you're name's Sorkin. And there have been scripts like The Libertine which did well (on the Black List) but the odds are always on the more fast paced scripts. Social Network (indeed, most scripts based on good true stories) had a lot of stuff to get through. i've read amateur scripts where it's quite clear from the first ten, fifteen that the writer doesn't have enough story to fill the pages. There are always exceptions... but in the main what...

    3. sbbn

      sbbn

      @Scott, I generally lean towards smartass, but I do overall agree with you that a lengthy dialogue more often leans towards rambling and directionless. But man alive, you get a script from someone that can write great dialogue and those scenes can be amazing.

    4. lauriestark

      lauriestark

      It's the script the script reading club this reading this week, though no one's weighed in yet: http://forum.tracking-board.com/index.php?/topic/16264-script-reading-club-blonde-ambition-by-elyse-hollander/ (I haven't gotten around to it yet - biopics almost always bore me. Give me fiction any day, I get enough real life in real life.)

  8. For no particular reason, I just uploaded a biopic script I wrote a few years back into the "Works In Progress" category. The title is "The Wife & Death of Hank Williams Sr." and the script centers around Hanks wife and manager, Audrey Mae Sheppard. Further explanation is in the thread.

  9. Congrats to Peter Limm for his TB Recommends. If anyone has The Ardenworth Files I would love to read. Please PM me.

    1. Mr. Marbles

      Mr. Marbles

      Same here. Send me a PM if you have The Ardenworth Files.

       

      Congrats to Peter!

    2. zkendall
  10. Is there anyone who has experience uploading multiple voices into Final Draft for use in the read back feature? I've tried the ways suggested online and it seems there's no cut and dry method. Any help?

  11. I'm sure I'm in the minority here and will probably get crucified for this, but I honestly do not get the hype for Stranger Things. It seems like the more people hype a show up all over social media the more let down I am by it when I finally get around to watching. Props to the writers for getting it going but I just was not engaged. Discuss.

    1. Show previous comments  16 more
    2. CastorTroy16

      CastorTroy16

      I loved it. I thought the last episode lacked conflict and could have been much better but I liked the series and will check out a season 2

    3. PJMAC

      PJMAC

      Count me in the love it camp. I was almost ready to give up after the third episode but after that I was hooked. So was the family.

    4. Reader George

      Reader George

      Thought a few episodes dragged on but overall glad I stuck with it. That said, there's a fine line between suspense and "deliberately vague." Aside from the multiple homages to other IP, it most reminded me of that SyFy series Eureka, which was a bit uneven for me.

       

  12. I know everyone is different and everyone has their go-to coverage analyst, but I really wanted to show some love for www.scriptexaminer.com. I have used everyone from Black List to TB and several independents and Ashish coverage is THE best out there for the money. My last round of coverage resulted in 3 thorough pages of notes and I can't say it wasn't his suggestions that got my script in the shape it needed to be in to land me a manager. Just a friendly tip to those in need.

    1. Show previous comments  5 more
    2. palostick

      palostick

      Ashish is a/the notes maestro.

    3. CastorTroy16

      CastorTroy16

      Awesome guy. Gives great notes.

    4. sometimeaftertwoam

      sometimeaftertwoam

      Btw, I am by no means dogging TB's coverage. They remain the finest true studio coverage on the market and I will continue to use them for all scripts once I'm to that point. Just wanted to recognize Ashish for being the finest 'budget' coverage I've seen.

  13. Curious if anyone here ever attends the free BlackList mixers in LA at the Umbrella Company? Anyone planning to attend the July 6th one?

    1. babybruck2

      babybruck2

      Planning to, never been before.

    2. Breeze24

      Breeze24

      I'm heading out there

  14. There's a widely accepted structural perimeter, or axiom in screenwriting that generally insists on character arc. "In what ways is your character different in the end from in the beginning?" Consider Anton Chigurh in No Country For Old Men and Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood. I see no arc in who they are as people/characters. Yes, the story itself has an arc, but how are either of these characters different in the end from the beginning? Other examples of such?

    1. Show previous comments  6 more
    2. paleyellow

      paleyellow

      Yes, this is a pet peeve of mine. Character arc is a tool. It's a means to story, not the ends. Usually the protagonist changes. There are internal obstacles he faces and he must grow to overcome them. But the key is the OBSTACLE, not the change. In some stories, the obstacle the hero faces is tremendous pressure to change, and to succeed he must resist that pressure. Usually his resistance to change and his strength in this scenario causes OTHERS to change around him. Han Solo becomes mo...

    3. drb000

      drb000

      I think in any movie, either the character has to change, or their circumstances have to. Like in "The Pursuit of Happyness" - his character doesn't change much, but by the end he has a job at Dean Witter. In "There Will be Blood" Daniel Plainview is in a much different place at the end of the movie then he was at the beginning.

    4. sometimeaftertwoam

      sometimeaftertwoam

      But he's the exact same cunt in the end. If not bigger. That's my point.

  15. Does anyone have any history / experience with the Emerging Screenwriters competition they'd like to share?

  16. Could use help from someone who actually knows and has done it, how to properly print from the index card feature on Final Draft. I am in the index card summary mode (two across) and can see all my cards, but when I print preview (or print) I see nothing.

    1. LeftyJones

      LeftyJones

      I've used it - and know what you mean about it not showing up on Print Preview -- what I do is use a separate PDF printer (not FD's) to print first... Then I can see it as a file and print the PDF for a hard copy if I want.

       

      When you go into print screen under layout it has "index cards" checked. I change it to custom - then set how many cards across/ down I want... Print with a PDF writer and it's good to go.

       

      You can also print directly to printer th...

    2. sometimeaftertwoam

      sometimeaftertwoam

      Unfortunately when I "Save as PDF", even though I am in the Summary mode where I can read all scene headings and all summary text, it saves the file in "Normal view" where only the headers are shown on the PDF. I am looking to save these in actual note card size so I can print the note cards. Immensely frustrating.

    3. LeftyJones

      LeftyJones

      Yeah - Save As doesn't work - I use CutePDF - but there's others like Nitro, etc... So I'm actually PRINTING it to PDF using software outside of FD. Shit workaround, but it works for me.

       

  17. The ONE biopic that's never been written or produced that should be. GO.

    1. Show previous comments  5 more
    2. Nic.Lishko

      Nic.Lishko

      Truthfully? Mel Blanc. You do it or I will.

    3. sometimeaftertwoam

      sometimeaftertwoam

      This was more just a fun topic of discussion. Wasn't looking for script ideas.

    4. joe_gillis

      joe_gillis

      Paul Robeson but maybe it's going to happen now.

  18. Nobody knows of a single script written by a former prison inmate? Really?

  19. Question for those who read scripts on Kindle. Some scripts will hold my page on the Kindle, and some won't. I either download scripts directly from the tracking board on the device, I have them emailed to my email account by someone, or I email them directly to the Kindle using my @kindle.com email address. So why do some scripts save my place and others start back from page 1 every time I reload?

    1. Show previous comments  4 more
    2. adlocke

      adlocke

      and i guess the logic behind this is that computers render pdf's in different ways. what one company does, doesn't necessarily work for another in the coding process, so it shows up how you're getting it. same same but different. you just gotta get used to it!

    3. sometimeaftertwoam

      sometimeaftertwoam

      There are non scanned one's that do this as well. I was actually looking for someone who could provide a specific, educated answer on why this does this. That doesn't appear to be you.

    4. joe_gillis

      joe_gillis

      Might not help you but I run all pdfs through Briss before e-mailing them to the Kindle and don't have your problem. http://sourceforge.net/projects/briss/

  20. Best scripts with narration? Looking for a true masterclass in how narration should be executed. Prefer examples that are actually available here but whatever. Bring it!

    1. Show previous comments  8 more
    2. rwe15

      rwe15

      DOUBLE INDEMNITY - Wilder, Chandler, Cain on the same script.

    3. Nic.Lishko
    4. specwriter

      specwriter

      Million Dollar Baby

  21. So Blacklist has been running their "Featured Scripts" for a good many months now. Can anyone shed any light on any progress with any of these scripts be it development of the script or the launch of the writers career in another aspect?

    1. Show previous comments  7 more
    2. Scott Crawford

      Scott Crawford

      Spec_Writer, no, I'd not heard of any success from Inktip. Do you have the names of any of the films (I'll accept that they might not be studio releases)?

    3. specwriter

      specwriter

      Sure, Scott. Here are pages on their site, not sure how up to date these credits are but they are numerous. Deals made: https://www.inktip.com/main_total_deals_closed.php Produced Films: http://www.inktip.com/main_films_produced.php?cat=&sub=credits

       

      Sites like The Blacklist and Stage 32 are getting all the coverage these days but Inktip is still chugging along, doing their thing and facilitating deals for screenwriters. :-)

    4. sometimeaftertwoam

      sometimeaftertwoam

      It is interesting that Blacklist gets so much exposure when, at first glance, it does appear that Intip far out distances them in actual success stories. The Stage 32 process for connecting writers to producers appears a little different than the aforementioned. Anyone have any experience there?

  22. Nice freelance piece about the brutal world of a struggling writer. Haven't seen any of his films but I do respect the man. http://badassdigest.com/2015/03/02/from-hollywood-to-homeless-the-writer-of-jason-x-and-drive-angry-on-screenw/

    1. Show previous comments  4 more
    2. Escapist

      Escapist

      Brutally honest, which makes fellow writers not feel so alone in this...

    3. mebishop2001

      mebishop2001

      Dude should totally write it. The West Coast version of PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS

    4. sankofa

      sankofa

      terrifying but ultimately so very powerful to read....

  23. Call me a hater, but I have ZERO idea how on earth Maggie Gyllenhaal has ever landed even one role in her life. It simply defies the mind.

    1. Show previous comments  1 more
    2. Taragel

      Taragel

      She was great in Secretary, which I think was her big launch

    3. FrankTJMackey

      FrankTJMackey

      Great in Secretary, Sherrybaby, Happy Endings, and Crazy Heart, among others. I think she's very talented.

    4. StringerBell

      StringerBell

      Soooo good in Secretary. What a great, underappreciated movie.

  24. What is the best written feature length legal drama (produced or unproduced) in the last 5 years?

    1. Show previous comments  3 more
    2. Reader George

      Reader George

      Seems to me there's a reason the best legal dramas are on TV.

       

    3. palostick

      palostick

      Michael Clayton

    4. DonKasparoza

      DonKasparoza

      Better Call Saul

  25. Does anyone know how to LOCK Final Draft into a certain color so that it doesn't change? If one were making edits in red, is there not a way to make sure it stays on red until you manually adjust it to return to black?

    1. LeftyJones

      LeftyJones

      You just put it in revision mode and set your color under the Revisions setting - when you want a different color you change the "active revision set" and you can keep same color or change it.

    2. LeftyJones

      LeftyJones

      So if you're going from 1st Revision to 2nd Revision (or whatever) and you want it to stay red - you go to the revision on the list, highlight it - then over to the right where it says "revised text appearance" you can change the color. So you can keep going with the same color or make it different.

       

    3. sometimeaftertwoam
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