I've been seeing these ads all around Hollywood and WeHo. (That banner is obscuring the U in "unsold," by the way.)
Thank you, Chase, for reminding me that I have absolutely no use for your ubiquitous ATMs.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
It all comes back to theme
Have you ever written a script and realized one of your characters wasn't really doing anything? No? That's only my problem? I was watching an episode of Sex and the City a few nights ago...the one in which Charlotte marries Trey and Carrie feels guilty about cheating on Aidan and wants to come clean. (I certainly picked a depressing episode for my first SATC in a while.) It was all about flaws. Aidan makes a wedding present for Charlotte and Trey - a wooden bench or something - and talks about how he likes the flaws in the wood. So Carrie thinks...maybe Aidan can accept my flaws, my bad decision to cheat, and love me anyway. Of course, it doesn't quite work out that way. Meanwhile, Charlotte discovers Trey has a sexual problem, but Trey refuses to face this flaw and do something about it. Every moment added something to the thematic discussion.
Sometimes I think when we do outlines and drafts and rewrites and we can get so bogged down in the nuts and bolts that we forget about what we had envisioned for our theme. So if you're stuck coming up with a plot, I think it helps to go back to your theme. What are you exploring and examining? What are you trying to say?
Sometimes I think when we do outlines and drafts and rewrites and we can get so bogged down in the nuts and bolts that we forget about what we had envisioned for our theme. So if you're stuck coming up with a plot, I think it helps to go back to your theme. What are you exploring and examining? What are you trying to say?
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thrifty Thursday/Fan Friday: Planet Salon
This is totally off-topic, so I apolozige to all boys and otherwise uninterested parties. But I wanted to share my love for Aveda's Planet Salon in Beverly Hills (and the amazing Brian McCombs).
Throughout my life, I have had very few haircuts I've been happy with. My hair is somewhere between curly and straight, and it takes considerable effort to make it either one of those things. When I moved to LA, I met people who would exclaim that their favorite salon "only" cost $120 a cut. Oh, LA. I figured I would just give up on an awesome cut and opt for cheap: SuperCuts. Incorrect! If you're like me, you want at least that one day of perfect hair. But SuperCuts charges a-la-carte for things like shampoo and dry hair, so if you want to walk out of the salon with perfect (dry) hair, you have to pay extra. My not-so-super cut ended up costing me like $55!
So then I started going to Floyd's, a trendy rocker barbershop for both men and women. It's a cool place that's reasonably priced (I'd definitely recommend it for dudes), but the cuts can be very inconsistent, and it's clear that they're just trying to get you in and out as quickly as possible. One time the woman cutting my hair told me that my last haircut had been done all wrong. I was like, "Uhh..you guys did it."
Finally I discovered Planet Salon in Beverly Hills. It's funky and cool and has a bit of that Aveda hippie my-body-is-a-temple stuff going on. In addition to your shampoo, cut and style, you get a head massage with vapory things, and a hand massage. It's super fun, and I really love my stylist, Brian McCombs. Plus, it's reasonable - and not just LA reasonable. Cuts start at $65, and they often have coupons (they're running a 20% off special right now).
Throughout my life, I have had very few haircuts I've been happy with. My hair is somewhere between curly and straight, and it takes considerable effort to make it either one of those things. When I moved to LA, I met people who would exclaim that their favorite salon "only" cost $120 a cut. Oh, LA. I figured I would just give up on an awesome cut and opt for cheap: SuperCuts. Incorrect! If you're like me, you want at least that one day of perfect hair. But SuperCuts charges a-la-carte for things like shampoo and dry hair, so if you want to walk out of the salon with perfect (dry) hair, you have to pay extra. My not-so-super cut ended up costing me like $55!
So then I started going to Floyd's, a trendy rocker barbershop for both men and women. It's a cool place that's reasonably priced (I'd definitely recommend it for dudes), but the cuts can be very inconsistent, and it's clear that they're just trying to get you in and out as quickly as possible. One time the woman cutting my hair told me that my last haircut had been done all wrong. I was like, "Uhh..you guys did it."
Finally I discovered Planet Salon in Beverly Hills. It's funky and cool and has a bit of that Aveda hippie my-body-is-a-temple stuff going on. In addition to your shampoo, cut and style, you get a head massage with vapory things, and a hand massage. It's super fun, and I really love my stylist, Brian McCombs. Plus, it's reasonable - and not just LA reasonable. Cuts start at $65, and they often have coupons (they're running a 20% off special right now).
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Reduced-Price Script Coverage & Notes!
I've really enjoyed getting all of your emails, and I'm glad to have shared some of the things I've learned about writing and the industry over the past couple years. However, I know that sometimes you guys are looking for more specific feedback on your individual scripts - so I'm introducing a reduced-price script coverage & notes service.
Why am I doing this? 1. A lot of you have been asking for my notes. 2. I know there are a bunch of services out there, but $600 is something that most aspirers just cannot afford. 3. It's kind of the off-season for tutoring, and I'm seriously running out of cash.
My rates are:
1/2-hour pilot or spec: $65
1-hour pilot or spec: $80
feature: $100
I'll bill you through PayPal and you can pay via credit card, bank account, etc.
You can compare this with Alex Epstein, who charges $600 for TV and $850 for features, or Jen Grisanti, who charges $450 for TV and $600 for features. They've worked as professionals and I'm sure they give great feedback...but that's a lot of money.
What you'll get from me: at least three pages of notes addressing the structure, plot, characters, dialogue, format, commercial viability and writing style/voice of your script. (Keep in mind I'll probably have more to say about a feature than a half-hour sitcom.) I'll also recommend any relevant scripts I think you should read or shows/films I think you should watch. Turnaround time is one week. (If I suddenly get hundreds of scripts, I may have to change that, but I think it'll be fine for now.) If you need immediate help for some kind of deadline, we can talk about an additional fee. And if you're not sure if I'm familiar with a show you're speccing, feel free to email and ask.
But Amanda, you say, you're still just an aspiring writer too. Yes, of course. That's why I'm cheap. I haven't sold anything yet. I haven't been staffed yet. But I HAVE read dozens and dozens of scripts by aspirers and professionals. The agency I worked at didn't have freelance readers, so the assistants did all the reading. I've also listened to hundreds of phone in calls in which producers and executives talked about why they liked scripts and why they didn't, why they were willing to shell out $600,000 and why they weren't.
Here's what a few people who asked for my notes had to say:
"Amanda's critique was insightful and specific. She helped me tighten the structure of my BONES spec immensely and provided a window into how industry insiders would see my script." -Rebecca S
"Amanda put into perspective everything that was weak about our feature script, but in a very positive and constructive way. With every criticism came a helpful suggestion. She is a genius script doctor and her diagnosis was the perfect cure for our story. She definitely knows the anatomy of a script and is a very valuable resource." -John L and Ishira K
"Amanda read and gave notes on a half-hour TV spec pilot I wrote. Amanda's notes were smart, constructive and detailed which helped in the finessing of the script. The script has now been optioned by a UK TV production company who work a lot with the BBC." - Kevin L
If you're interested in my coverage service, send me an email at apendol1@yahoo.com . I will send you a release form to fill out, sign and mail or scan and email (sadly I don't have a fax machine). Don't fret about this - it's just a protective thing that happens all the time. I'm not starting this service to steal people's ideas - I have plenty of my own. :) Then I will send you a PayPal invoice, and after I see that the payment is processing, I'll start reading.
Why am I doing this? 1. A lot of you have been asking for my notes. 2. I know there are a bunch of services out there, but $600 is something that most aspirers just cannot afford. 3. It's kind of the off-season for tutoring, and I'm seriously running out of cash.
My rates are:
1/2-hour pilot or spec: $65
1-hour pilot or spec: $80
feature: $100
I'll bill you through PayPal and you can pay via credit card, bank account, etc.
You can compare this with Alex Epstein, who charges $600 for TV and $850 for features, or Jen Grisanti, who charges $450 for TV and $600 for features. They've worked as professionals and I'm sure they give great feedback...but that's a lot of money.
What you'll get from me: at least three pages of notes addressing the structure, plot, characters, dialogue, format, commercial viability and writing style/voice of your script. (Keep in mind I'll probably have more to say about a feature than a half-hour sitcom.) I'll also recommend any relevant scripts I think you should read or shows/films I think you should watch. Turnaround time is one week. (If I suddenly get hundreds of scripts, I may have to change that, but I think it'll be fine for now.) If you need immediate help for some kind of deadline, we can talk about an additional fee. And if you're not sure if I'm familiar with a show you're speccing, feel free to email and ask.
But Amanda, you say, you're still just an aspiring writer too. Yes, of course. That's why I'm cheap. I haven't sold anything yet. I haven't been staffed yet. But I HAVE read dozens and dozens of scripts by aspirers and professionals. The agency I worked at didn't have freelance readers, so the assistants did all the reading. I've also listened to hundreds of phone in calls in which producers and executives talked about why they liked scripts and why they didn't, why they were willing to shell out $600,000 and why they weren't.
Here's what a few people who asked for my notes had to say:
"Amanda's critique was insightful and specific. She helped me tighten the structure of my BONES spec immensely and provided a window into how industry insiders would see my script." -Rebecca S
"Amanda put into perspective everything that was weak about our feature script, but in a very positive and constructive way. With every criticism came a helpful suggestion. She is a genius script doctor and her diagnosis was the perfect cure for our story. She definitely knows the anatomy of a script and is a very valuable resource." -John L and Ishira K
"Amanda read and gave notes on a half-hour TV spec pilot I wrote. Amanda's notes were smart, constructive and detailed which helped in the finessing of the script. The script has now been optioned by a UK TV production company who work a lot with the BBC." - Kevin L
If you're interested in my coverage service, send me an email at apendol1@yahoo.com . I will send you a release form to fill out, sign and mail or scan and email (sadly I don't have a fax machine). Don't fret about this - it's just a protective thing that happens all the time. I'm not starting this service to steal people's ideas - I have plenty of my own. :) Then I will send you a PayPal invoice, and after I see that the payment is processing, I'll start reading.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The New TV Black List
Well, that was quick. James has started a new TV Black List, and is accepting votes from anyone and everyone. So far he's thinking of calling it "The Gray List" or "The Runway" (for pilots that haven't taken off yet). To be eligible, a pilot must have been written in the past year but never shot. You can email your votes to tvpilotblacklist@gmail.com - and there is no limit to how many pilots you can vote for.
Happy voting!
Happy voting!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Black List - New & Improved!
I remember walking in the agency one morning last December with my friend Nate, a fellow feature lit assistant. "I'm so excited," he said, bounding up the concrete steps, messenger bag full of scripts slung across his crisp shirt and tie. "It's Black List Day!"
From the official site: The Black List is a snapshot of the collective taste of the people who develop, produce, and release theatrical feature films in the Hollywood studio system and the mainstream independent system.
An annual list of Hollywood's most liked unproduced screenplays published on the second Friday of December each year, The Black List began in 2004 as a survey with contributions from 75 film studio and production company executives. In 2008, over 250 executives contributed their opinions.
Since its inception, dozens of screenplays that appeared on the list have been optioned, produced, and released, many to great commercial success. Two of the top three screenplays on the inaugural 2005 list - JUNO by Diablo Cody and LARS AND THE REAL GIRL by Nancy Oliver - went on to be nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 2008 Academy Awards, with JUNO winning the Oscar.
It's no wonder that The Black List has spurred plenty of other lists, like The Brit List (writers from the UK), The Brown List (scary executives) and The Blood List (horror writers). I'm still waiting for an enterprising TV assistant to create a version to recognize beloved unproduced pilots.
But the Black List is the original and most widely known. Even though it's industry-specific, the legend of the List reached the mainstream last year with Entertainment Weekly's feature about creator Franklin Leonard. He's excited to announce that his famous Black List has some new features this time around:
1. The Mailing List - There will be some BIG announcements about The Black List's evolution coming in 2010, stuff that non-industry execs are going to be interested in. By signing up for the mailing list, you'll get all of that information - and other general Black List info - first.
2. The Black List Blog - A one stop shop for new Black List info and past Black List scripts. (Get reading!)
3. Cover Art Submissions - The Black List is exploring not designing their own cover this year, and have opened up submissions for cover design to anyone who'd like to submit. So if you've got an inner graphic designer, have at it! There's no prize money or anything, but your work would get seen by most of Hollywood.
From the official site: The Black List is a snapshot of the collective taste of the people who develop, produce, and release theatrical feature films in the Hollywood studio system and the mainstream independent system.
An annual list of Hollywood's most liked unproduced screenplays published on the second Friday of December each year, The Black List began in 2004 as a survey with contributions from 75 film studio and production company executives. In 2008, over 250 executives contributed their opinions.
Since its inception, dozens of screenplays that appeared on the list have been optioned, produced, and released, many to great commercial success. Two of the top three screenplays on the inaugural 2005 list - JUNO by Diablo Cody and LARS AND THE REAL GIRL by Nancy Oliver - went on to be nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 2008 Academy Awards, with JUNO winning the Oscar.
It's no wonder that The Black List has spurred plenty of other lists, like The Brit List (writers from the UK), The Brown List (scary executives) and The Blood List (horror writers). I'm still waiting for an enterprising TV assistant to create a version to recognize beloved unproduced pilots.
But the Black List is the original and most widely known. Even though it's industry-specific, the legend of the List reached the mainstream last year with Entertainment Weekly's feature about creator Franklin Leonard. He's excited to announce that his famous Black List has some new features this time around:
1. The Mailing List - There will be some BIG announcements about The Black List's evolution coming in 2010, stuff that non-industry execs are going to be interested in. By signing up for the mailing list, you'll get all of that information - and other general Black List info - first.
2. The Black List Blog - A one stop shop for new Black List info and past Black List scripts. (Get reading!)
3. Cover Art Submissions - The Black List is exploring not designing their own cover this year, and have opened up submissions for cover design to anyone who'd like to submit. So if you've got an inner graphic designer, have at it! There's no prize money or anything, but your work would get seen by most of Hollywood.
From Twitter to TV Show
CBS is developing a sitcom based on the Twitter feed “Shit My Dad Says” by Justin Halpern.
Suddenly Tweeting doesn't seem like such a waste of time. Like the blog that resulted in a book deal and the movie Julie & Julia, I think they key is a very specific focus.
Suddenly Tweeting doesn't seem like such a waste of time. Like the blog that resulted in a book deal and the movie Julie & Julia, I think they key is a very specific focus.
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