Monday, January 11, 2010

Do Pretty Girls Fart?

Mythbusters did an unaired episode on whether pretty girls fart or not, and you will be disappointed to learn that they do.



Pretty girls are not perfect... and neither is anyone else. We all make mistakes. We are all learning. Even the smartest person in the world does dumb things sometimes, and doesn't know everything.

What does this have to do with screenwriting? (aside from - when you are on set stay away from Beyonce's butt)?

Hey, maybe your first draft sucks? Maybe your dialogue stinks? Maybe your characters are thin? Maybe you can’t seem to finish this script or this scene... and you feel like a failure. Maybe you give the script you think is perfect to some friends to read... and they all hate it.

Hey, no reason to beat yourself up. We all make mistakes! You don't look stupid when you write something that isn't perfect, you look just like the rest of us - you were learning. It was a first draft (or a tenth draft - some of us are slow learners). You know, there is no shame in *learning*, and you have to make mistakes in order to learn.

So, don't worry so much about looking like you may not have known something - nobody knows everything. We are all still learning. The first step in learning is to realize everyone makes mistakes, and no script is perfect. Be open to that criticism. Don’t be defensive about it, don’t be depressed by it. Everyone screws up! Everyone farts. If not, they explode - and that's even worse! You think farting in an elevator is bad, exploding is worse.

It’s a new year - time to make some new mistakes and learn from them.

And, stay away from Beyonce’s butt.

- Bill
IMPORTANT UPDATE:

TODAY'S SCRIPT TIP: Conflict Driven - how every story needs a conflict, and that conflict needs to make sense... even if your name is George Lucas.
Yesterday's Dinner: Final home cooked meal from mom before I return to LA - cornbread, scalloped potatoes, corn, chicken. Perfect!


Underpants T shirt

SCRIPT SECRETS STORE
Top 10 Films About Underpants T Shirt: SALE $9.99

2 comments:

Emily Blake said...

I've known guys who would not date a girl who farts, so I decided I would not date them. I don't like a boyfriend who wants to increase my suffering.

Richard J. McKenzie said...

re: tomorrow's script secret
re: Concept Deconstruction
Volatile - "Man's impending suicide prevented by modern science"

Does Eddy Feuer (pun intended) go peacefully or Postally?
Does he accept aging and dying gracefully or does he try to take as many with him as he can? (Dick Cheney)

The Volatile logline gives me no clue whether Eddy will be a hero or cause a ground zero. I would want to know that. 'My Studio' will not make another Fight Club.

As an example of high concept, your logline and script tip is, as usual, fantastic. We old people especially admire such wisdom from such a nice young man.

eXTReMe Tracker