So you Want to Write a Movie?

I attended the LDStorymakers FILM MAKERS PANEL in April and it was fascinating.

I’m a sucker for screenplays. I’ve written a couple of screenplays based on my books and two summers ago worked pretty intensely on a 20 page treatment with a professional screenwriter/script doctor who makes his living doing this and supports his family and four children while living in a small town in NM (after a 14 year stint in Europe doing movies in Germany, Sweden and Norway.)

The panel consisted of a combination of multi-million dollar movie project writers/directors, a guy who has worked for Disney, and a couple of very small budget movie makers.

Question: “What do these writers/directors have in common?”

Answer: They all want to see a story that moves them, a story they can’t stop thinking about, whether it’s a screenplay or a book with movie potential.

Remember: ALL books will be changed when it’s turned into a screenplay. A book has to be changed for the best dramatic effect. All that interior monologue and thinking and realizations need to come through action and dialogue.

Basic Definition of a screenplay: Action/Dialogue/Action/Dialogue/Action/Dialogue. You get the idea.

Question: How much can I make writing for movies?

Answer: Approximately 3% of the total cost of the movie will go to the book author. So on a small film; that total payment may only be about $5,000 - $10,000. Do the math for big budget films – of which there is a wild variety of prices and budgets and the reputation of the screenwriter comes into play here as well so you might get $50-75,000, but rarely more than six figures or millions. Unless you’re Dan Brown.

Recommended reading from the pros:











The BEST way to learn how to write a great screenplay – READ GREAT SCREENPLAYS. (Doesn’t that sound like the same advice for those of you who are writing books? Q: How do I write a great book? Answer: Read and study great books!)

Question: So where do you find great screenplays to read ‘em?

I have the answer to that, too!

Go online to: Samuel French’s screenplay store. These do have a cost attached to them – from a few bucks to about $40 bucks, but they can be ordered online easy peasy.

Drew’s Script-o-Rama –this one is a freebie and there are hundreds to browse.

Simply Scripts – another freebie site which includes television and movies never produced.

Have fun!

I survived!

A computer crash. Took hubby about 15 hours this weekend to restore things.

Loading pages is a little slow still, but I didn't lose anything permanently. Thank goodness for big 500 gig external hard drives for saving everything. (I borrowed one.)

Now I HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK ON THIS MOVIE TREATMENT before I go ballistic or explode or give up permanently. I'm running around (figuratively speaking because actually my brain feels like mush) trying to fill in plot holes and make it all work. Feels like I'm on sinking ship with only a drinking cup for bailing water.

The producer who wants to see it is in the Bahamas right now on vacation after wrapping up and editing his last film this fall - and he's looking for his next project. Hopefully it will be mine! My mentor, Brian, says we have a really, really good shot at selling my idea but I have to make it dynamite and powerful and TERRIFIC.

No pressure.

Movie Update!

I've been traveling the past couple of weeks and now I'm getting ready for some family to drop in on us for a week. I thought I'd better write a blog before I forget how!

WHAT A CRAZY SUMMER THIS HAS BEEN! Seems like everyone I talk to has had the same kind of nuttiness in their lives.

So about the movie and the producer . . . I heard back from him very quickly, unlike the book publishing business where your manuscripts get sucked into a black hole without a map.

The good news: He *loved* the story and my writing and my characters!!!

The bad news: He has a very small budget and doesn't produce historicals because they are way too expensive and mine is time-travel and involves snakes and horses and 16th century armor and guns and cannons.

The good news: He emailed again to assure me that he wants to see more treatments from me and would love to work with me - meaning he wants to buy a movie from me. Just send him a contemporary Southwestern story.

Uncertain news: I gotta come up with a new idea and write it!!! No problemo. Think, brain, think.

Good news redux: My *movie* friend has more potential producers to send the completed treatment of The Last Snake Runner to - yay! And we're brainstorming new ideas tomorrow.

More good news: I did three more revision rounds on my YA novel, IN A PARIS MINUTE - and an editor at Candlewick wants me to send it to her so she can read it during her vacation next week! Now *that's* something that doesn't happen very often!

Gooder news: The manuscript was sent today at 2:51p.m. via email attachment.

I'm trying to catch up on blogs now . . . and I'm sinking fast . . . hope you're all good though!