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!

An Historic Writing Day

This morning I emailed off a 20 page screenplay treatment and resume to a REAL, LIVE MOVIE PRODUCER who WANTS TO READ IT!!!

My treatment (which is another word for a very long developed synopsis with character development and all the plot twists and turns and climax and resolution written in present tense) was subbed to this producer with a recommendation from a writer this producer knows well. Which is even better.

It all started about a month ago . . .

Well, maybe 6 years ago when I thought, hmm, my book, The Last Snake Runner, is certainly a visual, exciting war story and love story. Maybe I'll try my hand at a screenplay just for kicks. I read a few screenplay books, then sat down and wrote it in about two weeks. Very fun experience, but what do I do with it? Screenplay gets shelved in my files. After all, I don't know a soul in the movie business and neither did my agent at the time.

Zip Fast Forward: A few months ago I met a screenplay writer who newly moved here and has sent the last 15 years writing his own or developing ideas or fixing screenplays for various producers. I mentioned I'd written one based on my novel and he said he'd like to read it. He thought it was terrific and the writing was wonderful.

Him: Are you sure this is your first screenplay?
Me: Yeah. I promise!
Him: It's so well done. You've got all the special formatting down, great dialogue, good descriptions, action. I'm impressed. I think I may know somebody who would like to see this.
Me. You're kidding.
Him: Nope, let me help you do a treatment.
Me. Sure!!!

After an intense month of brainstorming, writing, revising, adding many more cinematic elements, a new beginning, a very dramatic, magical climax, it's done. Got resume put together, was introduced to said producer who WANTS to do a movie set in New Mexico with Native Americans. (He's German after all, and Germany LOVES Native American stories) and it's off across the Atlantic.

Best part is: Producer said he's got a two week window to read it and I'll know what he thinks very soon. Not in 8 months. Like some editors and agents I know. Not naming any names . . .

Second best part: He actually has some funding - one of the biggest hurdles to a movie actually getting produced.

Third best part: If it's a go, the movie will be produced and distributed in Europe AND the U.S.

Me: WOW. JUST WOW.

Now you know where I've been the past month of absentee blogging . . . and I'm almost done with final revisions on my novel, In a Paris Minute, too. Can't wait to mail it out! But I'm just a little tired . . .