[MacDV] Format... long reply

[Matthew Guemple]

Chris:
There are all kinds of ways to go about this. If you are looking for a  
producer... ie executive producer meaning someone that will put up the  
money, you may just want to do a treatment first to see if there is any  
interest at all in the project. It will also help keep you on track  
when/if you do decide to go ahead and write the screenplay.

You could also shoot a short or low budget version of it yourself and  
then use that to sell the idea for a big money feature. Christopher  
Nolan is a good example in this regard. If you look at his first film  
(his film school thesis) "Following", you can see a lot of the themes  
that eventually turn into Memento. But you'd have to write the whole  
screenplay to do that.

If your interest is really just directing and you don't desperately  
crave the "auteur" moniker... ala Christopher Nolan, maybe you should  
find something already written... a book, a play whatever and then get  
a screenwriter or producer to develop it with you once you have secured  
the rights to it. That way you can get to the meat of the matter and  
you have the added carrot of bringing a new property to a producer.

The whole thing is a rather daunting endeavor on par with writing a  
novel... I'm sure you know that by now. There are tons of books, and  
twice as many opinions about how one should go about it. I know a lot  
of people that have spent literally years working on one script. I know  
others that have spent weeks. Some sell, some don't. It's a crazy,  
senseless business, based on connections, reputation, whims (both those  
of the producers -and their psychic abilities when anticipating the  
fickle tastes of the marketplace - and more importantly on the fickle  
taste of the consumer) and in most cases sheer luck.

But if you've really got it into your head that you want to write a  
screenplay check these out:
http://library.thinkquest.org/10015/data/info/reference/production/pre- 
production/screenplay.html

http://www.hollywoodnet.com/Nelson/columns/treatments.html

http://members.tripod.com/~e-luttrell0/story.html

http://www.filmmakers.com/features/screenwriting/treatment.htm

For a quick taste... then figure out which way you want to go. All of  
my friends who write screenplays say the "software" is a waste of  
money. Just set the format up in Word, - you can probably find one on  
the web - and get a decent book that tells you what page which plot  
point should happen and then start writing.

I'll tell you though. Learning how to write screenplays (and actually  
doing it)  is as much work as learning how to directing, or will  
require the same "front end" learning curve.

What is most important is whether or not you have a story. The format  
is just that, a format, but the most important thing is the story.

Personally I'd probably just concentrate on one or the other...

> The screenplay is a work of fiction that I am writing with the intent  
> of myself Directing. I have studied and am learning the proper  
> screenplay format as I eventually will need to find a Producer and DP.
>
> Any more tips you can give me?
>
> Chris

________________
Matthew Guemple
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