Film-making.....Screenwriting

[rklenseth]

I am wondering is anyone here is also interested in film-making or screenwriting?

I am currently writing a few screenplays or at least brainstorming a few story ideas. Is anyone interested in helping. I eventually want to take my ideas to other or film-makers. I recently learned about a group up here where I live called Upstate Independents that might help or at least see what I can do. There websites can be found here www.upstateindendents.com and here www.upstateindependents.org .

Anyone interested?

[Nick]

Creating and maintaining websites, organising Cantr merchandise, and producing CD's for friends... I confess I am addicted to the creative process.

How could I help?

[Cookie]

Just what is it you want help with? I'm going to lincoln in september to do a media production degree so yeh I'm interested.

[wichita]

I've thought about doing some writing in my spare time, but then I ran out of a lot of spare time.

I've never signed up for it, but Kevin Spacey started a website for this type of thing a few years back, if anybody is looking for another outlet to look at. It's a setup for aspiring screenwriters to submit screenplays/scripts for review by the registered users to help trade ideas and advice and provide another route to get into the process. It was a cool idea that I still haven't bothered to actually check into in detail.

http://www.triggerstreet.com

[InsaneIrony]

Ooo... The stuff movies are made of... I find it interesting, but I'm better at writing stories than scripts.
But I'd be glad to help.

[rklenseth]

Ooo... The stuff movies are made of... I find it interesting, but I'm better at writing stories than scripts.
But I'd be glad to help.

Well scripts start with the story first. In screenwriting, the writers usually write what is called the treatment first which is break down of stories. They later write the script which is pretty much adding dialogue to the story.

I have an idea. It is sort of based off Once Upon a Time in the West, Once Upon a Time in America (long, director's cut version), and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. But it is more of a modernization of Once Upon a Time in the West.

It involves an American City (probably will be fictional). The characters I have thought of so far are...

A corrupt mayor who controls everything in the city from the police force to organized crime.

A stranger who arrives to the city with unexplained motives. His motive is to get revenge on the mayor for the mayor (long before he was mayor) was involved in murdering his family. Sort of the man with no name.

A police chief who wants to do the right thing but is blackmailed by the mayor to be his minion. By the end he will redeem himself.

A widow who owns a factory of some sort in the city that inherits it after her husband is murdered ny the mayor's minions. The mayor wants to close the factory and build some expensive condos but the widow won't close and stands up to the mayor.

A street gang leader who deals drugs for the mayor and his cohorts. But now that he is getting closer to being middle aged and with a child on the way, he wants out of the business but the mayor won't let him go.

Just some of the ideas that I have so far. There are more characters but I'll let you digest them so far.

[rklenseth]

Just what is it you want help with? I'm going to lincoln in september to do a media production degree so yeh I'm interested.

What will you be doing in this course exactly? I am going to be graduating from the New School of Radio and Television soon so I'm sure it will be along the same lines as what I went through except maybe less New Studio than what I get.

Be sure to learn everything you can with cameras, lighting, and editing especially editing on a Avid Non-Linear Editing System. I don't want to use film for any movie I make since it is cheaper and just as good quality wise to use a 3-chip miniDV, DVpro, or DVcam camera.

[rklenseth]

Oh, and is anyone good with dialogue? That is one part that I'll admit that I'm not great at.

[Cookie]

Once Upon a Time in the West is a great film, didn't really like the 'America' version thoughh. That darn phone ring must have been stuck in my head for a bout a week after.

Just what is it you want help with? I'm going to lincoln in september to do a media production degree so yeh I'm interested.

What will you be doing in this course exactly? I am going to be graduating from the New School of Radio and Television soon so I'm sure it will be along the same lines as what I went through except maybe less New Studio than what I get.

We pretty much do every thing in the first year then specialise for the two after that. I went to see the place in January and it was a mile ut infront of everywhere else so I'm looking forward to it. I'm hoping I can do it alongside quite a bit of work experience though.

[Cookie]

It involves an American City (probably will be fictional).

I wouldn't make it fictional. People like things they can relate to. Thats why Spiderman is better than Batman i.e. "who cares about Gotham city?" and "who the hell is this rich ******* to save my life?"

A stranger who arrives to the city with unexplained motives. His motive is to get revenge on the mayor for the mayor (long before he was mayor) was involved in murdering his family. Sort of the man with no name.

Nice , but make sure that the audience don't 'harmonica' like character is all about. Thats what makes the big Fonda revalation duel so good.

[|william|]

*raises his hand* I too must admit of being a screen-writer/film maker
currently I work with a group of young filmmakers and we have done I have written several of their movies.

As soon as I am done with highschool the plan is to go to LA to attend the filmschool there and then go from there, writing scripts and being able to tell stories in the way of a film is my strongest passion (next to playing cantr)....

[|william|]

Ooo... The stuff movies are made of... I find it interesting, but I'm better at writing stories than scripts.
But I'd be glad to help.

Well scripts start with the story first. In screenwriting, the writers usually write what is called the treatment first which is break down of stories. They later write the script which is pretty much adding dialogue to the story.

I have an idea. It is sort of based off Once Upon a Time in the West, Once Upon a Time in America (long, director's cut version), and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. But it is more of a modernization of Once Upon a Time in the West.

It involves an American City (probably will be fictional). The characters I have thought of so far are...

A corrupt mayor who controls everything in the city from the police force to organized crime.

A stranger who arrives to the city with unexplained motives. His motive is to get revenge on the mayor for the mayor (long before he was mayor) was involved in murdering his family. Sort of the man with no name.

A police chief who wants to do the right thing but is blackmailed by the mayor to be his minion. By the end he will redeem himself.

A widow who owns a factory of some sort in the city that inherits it after her husband is murdered ny the mayor's minions. The mayor wants to close the factory and build some expensive condos but the widow won't close and stands up to the mayor.

A street gang leader who deals drugs for the mayor and his cohorts. But now that he is getting closer to being middle aged and with a child on the way, he wants out of the business but the mayor won't let him go.

Just some of the ideas that I have so far. There are more characters but I'll let you digest them so far.

the story sounds like it should take place in the '50s and probably somewhere in New York or Chicago (as mentioned, it would be better to use a real city for the connection purposes to the audience)

and your characters would seem to fit more into that kind of setting.

[Nick]

Ooo... The stuff movies are made of... I find it interesting, but I'm better at writing stories than scripts.
But I'd be glad to help.

Well scripts start with the story first. In screenwriting, the writers usually write what is called the treatment first which is break down of stories. They later write the script which is pretty much adding dialogue to the story.

I have an idea. It is sort of based off Once Upon a Time in the West, Once Upon a Time in America (long, director's cut version), and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. But it is more of a modernization of Once Upon a Time in the West.

It involves an American City (probably will be fictional). The characters I have thought of so far are...

A corrupt mayor who controls everything in the city from the police force to organized crime.

A stranger who arrives to the city with unexplained motives. His motive is to get revenge on the mayor for the mayor (long before he was mayor) was involved in murdering his family. Sort of the man with no name.

A police chief who wants to do the right thing but is blackmailed by the mayor to be his minion. By the end he will redeem himself.

A widow who owns a factory of some sort in the city that inherits it after her husband is murdered ny the mayor's minions. The mayor wants to close the factory and build some expensive condos but the widow won't close and stands up to the mayor.

A street gang leader who deals drugs for the mayor and his cohorts. But now that he is getting closer to being middle aged and with a child on the way, he wants out of the business but the mayor won't let him go.

Just some of the ideas that I have so far. There are more characters but I'll let you digest them so far.

Main character? Romantic lead?

[rklenseth]

Once Upon a Time in the West is a great film, didn't really like the 'America' version thoughh. That darn phone ring must have been stuck in my head for a bout a week after.

Watch the Director's Cut Version not the crappy Studio Release. It'll make a huge difference.

Nice , but make sure that the audience don't 'harmonica' like character is all about. Thats what makes the big Fonda revalation duel so good.

That is what I'm planning. You won't know until the end why this nameless stranger wants the mayor dead, hell they might not even know until halfway through the movie what the strangers purpose is.

I wouldn't make it fictional. People like things they can relate to. Thats why Spiderman is better than Batman i.e. "who cares about Gotham city?" and "who the hell is this rich ******* to save my life?"

Point taken. Then what city should be used?

the story sounds like it should take place in the '50s and probably somewhere in New York or Chicago (as mentioned, it would be better to use a real city for the connection purposes to the audience)

and your characters would seem to fit more into that kind of setting.

I was thinking present day. I think it will be easier for people to relate to a modern piece as well as the cultural shock that something like this could be happening. Also period pieces cost a whole lot more to make and then people have problems when it doesn't fit historically into the era for example "Gangs of New York" which was fictional while at the same drew from true historical events and people.

And, Angelus, are you good with writing dialogue?

Main character? Romantic lead?

All the characters are more or less leads. There isn't any true main character which the story centers but is rather a story that centers on a number of characters, their relationships (not meaning romantic though) toward each other, and the events that occur because of those relationships. That is what Once Upon a Time in the West is about.[/quote]

[|william|]

some times I am good with dialogue; though that is not my strongest point in writing, most of the times I can pull off fantastic dialogue but it always goes through about six different rewrites before it turns out good.