Lancelot Link Thursday

Lancelot Link Thursday! For those of you who buy Playboy for the articles, here are some articles about screenwriting and the biz that may be of interest to you. Brought to you by that suave and sophisticated secret agent...



1) US Supreme Court Justice Teaches Screenwriting?

2) More Movie Cliches We Love

3) WOLFMAN remake is ripoff of TWILIGHT?

4) Your Brilliant Dialogue... Subtitled!

That last one shows you why actions are more important than dialogue in screenwriting. You need to tell your story through the actions of the characters, because who knows what your dialogue will translate to when they get done with it! That clever dialogue you slaved over? Um, didn't make it through the translation process. The only thing you can be sure will make it is the picture part - so remember that what is on the screen is what is important in screenwriting.

- Bill
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
TODAY'S SCRIPT TIP: Deadlines (on screen) - a *half new* tip using TAKING OF PELHAM 123 and OUT OF TIME - both starring Denzel - as examples.
Dinner: A salad.
Bicycle: No - was supposed to have a meeting at Fox, but they postponed at the last minute and I wasted much of the day... and I get to try it all over again tomorrow! Let's hope they don't postpone it again - Century City is an annoying drive with no place to park once you get there. (okay - I parked in the mall.)

When The Unusual Becomes The Cliche

One of the difficult aspects of being a screenwriter is writing something we haven't seen before. Something that is not "used" and definitely not used so much that it has become a cliche.

Recently (Feb 14th) Joe Rogan jumped up on stage in the middle of Carlos Mencia's act and accused him of stealing jokes. In the old days of stand up, before TV, a comic might steal another comic's jokes without anyone noticing because comics were on the road, all of the country, playing in little clubs with small audiences. If a comic in San Francisco told a joke to an audience of 50 people and another comic told the same joke in Boston to 50 people, there was no problem. Even if that SF comic ended up in Boston later on and told that same joke, enough time would have passed (and the people in the audience would have changed) that it would not matter.

But TV changed all of that. Mass media not only made stealing jokes obvious, it made being a stand up comic more difficult because you *always* needed fresh material. In those pre-TV days you could travel across the country with the same rountine and never have to change it, because you might play Boston once a year, and the audience in Boston would forget the jokes you tell... and it would be a differnt audience every year. After TV, you tell a joke on the Tonight Show and the whole nation has heard it. Next time you're on the tonight show you need all new jokes! Mass media eats jokes alive, so a comic always needs to be coming up with brand new jokes... things we haven't heard.

And that is the same with screenwriters. When a movie comes out, everyone in the world sees it... and that concept and story and characters and dialogue and everything else is "used". We need to come up with something different. Something that has not been used - and it's difficult. What's more, when only a couple of movies do the same thing, it becomes an instant cliche! Something that's not just used, but used to the point of being a joke. In film, a cliche might be born within a couple of months when the same thing is used in different films that the entire world has seen. We have to stay on top of that stuff and come up with unique stories and characters and scenes... or we will be in cliche territory and that scene we thought was serious may end up funny.

In the continuing saga of Hitler having problems with stuff and losing his temper, this time he has some issues with all of those other Hitler having problems with stuff YouTube videos and that ruins his day.



- Bill
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
TODAY'S SCRIPT TIP: The haunting theme to PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN - and theme.
Dinner: cheese & crackers at the laptop.
Bicycle: Rode a little, not much.
Pages: 5 pages and I'm still working. Dust bunny attacks are fun!

Brad Pitt Part 2 On **Tuesday**!

Because Monday in America is the day set aside to honor Richard Nixon and other American Presidents, and everyone is away from their work computers - which means reading my blog would be on *their* unpaid time - I'm pushing part 2 of The Brad Pitt Guy to Tuesday.

Have a great President's Day or Day After Valentine's Day or Day 2 Of The Chinese New Year!

- Bill

Zinc Oxide And You!

Can you imagine a motion-capture version of FALLING DOWN?
Would the Academy nominate the star who did the pre-animation acting for Best Actor? Or would they be shut out like the cast of AVATAR?

Things are still happening with my bronze medal winning screenplay VOLATILE. An actual agent is reading it now, from an agency you've all heard of. Cool!

Still think it's strange that *at least* one producer at every studio in town is reading it, but agents and managers don't seem interested. But, screw it - If there's anything I know, it's that you don't need an agent or manager to sell a script.

Hmm, do motion capture writers make crappy animation writer wages? I may have to say no to that company.

Okay, while I'm e-mailing scripts to producers from around the world, I thought I'd share this skit from KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE:


- Bill
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
TODAY'S SCRIPT TIP: Visual Contrast - showing emotions visually using images and situations... and a Hitchcock film.
Dinner: Ate really late - burgers from Carls jr.
Pages: Still too busy sending scripts to producers all around the world... so for the next 2 days I'm writing articles for Script.

Who Really Makes Money In Hollywood?

You may be wondering who makes all of the money, and how much they make... and if they are single.

Vanity Fair has an article about the top 40 earners in the biz, check out how much your favorite screenwriter made...

Hollywood's Top earners!

- Bill

I'm #3!

My script VOLATILE came in 3rd in the Script Shadow contest - over 1,000 entries and 25 finalists.

WTF?

I was sure I'd come in #24.

Hey, maybe this may get some agents or managers or dentists to the stars interested...

Congratulations to the winner and #2 script... and all of the others in the contest! There were some amazing loglines.

Thanks to Carson and everyone else involved...

And now I have to get back to work on a script.

- Bill

Sorry For This Religious Advert

I am in the middle of writing a spec with a religious background (along with armies of rats and dust bunnies that come alive) and, well, have you read a good book recently? I mean, a book that will change your life. A book that will give you the answers you seek? A book that doesn't require you to wear special magic underpants? Have I got a book for you...



- Bill
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
TODAY'S SCRIPT TIP: High Concept - and finding a unique idea.
Dinner: Subway again - blackforest ham today.
Pages: Like one and a half on the spec... pisser. After doing almost 8 pages the day before, I thought I'd do another 8 maybe and get ahead... though some of those planned 8 pages were going to be for the bad-cops script.

But I didn't sleep well last night, but felt okay today and thought I'd still get some pages done and maybe even get those 8 planned pages... but the brain just wasn't working. Should have forced it, but didn't. Instead mostly played online. Yeah, well - I'll make it up tomorrow. I hope.

Lancelot Link Thursday

Lancelot Link Thursday! For those of you who buy Playboy for the articles, here are some articles about screenwriting and the biz that may be of interest to you. Brought to you by that suave and sophisticated secret agent...



1) Yes, they are doing a Broadway Musical version of AMERICAN PSYCHO!

2) Fun Facts About This Year's Oscars!

3) GLADIAVATAR? It's like GLADIATOR meets AVATAR.

4 POCAHAVATAR? It's POCHAHONTAS meets AVATAR.

5 FERN GULLAVATAR? You know AVATAR really is the same movie as FERN GULLY.

And...
HELP SPREAD THE WORD!

The Script Secrets website is funded out of my pocket - I pay for the web hosting, I pay to keep the pop-up ads off the messageboards, I paid for an ad in Movie Maker Magazine... I pay for everything! And I do everything - from writing the code to writing the script tips to writing the script tips themselves. Since this site costs me money to run, my "payment" is in the number of people who read the tips everyday. I want to get as many people to come to the website as possible, and you can help!

1) Tell your writer friends about Script Secrets - www.ScriptSecrets.Net !
2) Mention it on writing message boards!
3) Talk about the site at writer's group meetings.
4) Link it in your writer's group's newsletter!
5) Get a tattoo on your butt with the website address and moon everyone you see!

Help me get the word out about my website! Thanks!

- Bill

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
TODAY'S SCRIPT TIP: 110 Pages - No Waiting - and why there's always an available parking space in the movies.
Dinneer: Subway sandwich - spicy Italian, if you must have all of the facts.
Movies: EDGE OF DARKNESS - review to come.

Pages: Okay, this is the "reading period" on one of my assignments, so I'm using it as a writing period on an unfinished spec from last year - 2nd Son. I wrote over 7 pages today, and 3 the day before and 5 the day before that. Took a while to get back into the story, but that is where I am now. This block of story I'm working on now is exposition and character stuff - my people have been running for a while and stop to catch their breath. One of the things I seem to do often in scripts is to have this midpoint where everyone questions what they are doing and it turns into a debate about what is the best plan of action and who should lead and is the guy who is the protagonist on the right track or a complete idiot who is going to get them all killed. That's the scene I just finsihed up. I'm feeling great because I'm writing a script that is *mine* and I don't have to worry about weird notes and ideas from some guy in marketing that suck. And the script is fun - I keep forgetting how *fun* it is to write.

Ten Worst List - Empire Magazine

Here is Empire Magazine's list of the 10 most disastrous movies ever made: (http://www.empireonline.com):

1. "Batman and Robin" starring George Clooney, Alicia Silverstone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Uma Thurman

2. "Battlefield Earth" (2000) starring John Travolta, Forest Whitaker

3. "The Love Guru" (2008) with Mike Myers

4. "Raise the Titanic" (1980) with Jason Robards, David Selby

5. "Epic Movie" (2007)

6. "Heaven's Gate" (1980)

7. "Sex Lives of the Potato Men" (2004)

8. "The Happening" (2008) with Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel

9. "Highlander 2: The Quickening" (1991)

10. "The Room" (2003)

Somehow, I missed making the list... and missed seeing SEX LIVES OF THE POTATO MEN. I own two of these movies on video.

- Bill

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
TODAY'S SCRIPT TIP: Show The Goal - and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.

TWEET DEALS!



ALL SIX CLASSIC SCREENWRITING CLASSES!
Why break up a set? Get all of the Classic Classes on CD for one low price - and save on postage, too! SIX CDs packed with information! From IDEAS & CREATIVITY to WRITING INDIES to WRITING HORROR to the 2 part WRITING THRILLERS to GUERRILLA MARKETING. These classes used to sell for $15 - for a total of $120 with postage & handling. Buy the whole set on this TWEET DEAL and get 'em for only $50 plus postage and handling (USA). Ends Today.

The OSCAR Nominess Are...

And the 82nd Annual OSCAR Nominees are....

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

“District 9” Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
“An Education” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
“In the Loop” Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
“Up in the Air” Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Writing (Original Screenplay)
“The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boal
“Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
“The Messenger” Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
“A Serious Man” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
“Up” Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

Best Picture

“Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
“The Blind Side” Nominees to be determined
“District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
“An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
“The Hurt Locker” Nominees to be determined
“Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
“A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
“Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer
“Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

Actor in a Leading Role

Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”

Actor in a Supporting Role

Matt Damon in “Invictus”
Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

Actress in a Leading Role

Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”

Actress in a Supporting Role

Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Animated Feature Film

“Coraline” Henry Selick
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson
“The Princess and the Frog” John Musker and Ron Clements
“The Secret of Kells” Tomm Moore
“Up” Pete Docter

Art Direction

“Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
“Nine” Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
“Sherlock Holmes” Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
“The Young Victoria” Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

Cinematography

“Avatar” Mauro Fiore
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel
“The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd
“Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson
“The White Ribbon” Christian Berger

Costume Design

“Bright Star” Janet Patterson
“Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
“Nine” Colleen Atwood
“The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell

Directing

“Avatar” James Cameron
“The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow
“Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels
“Up in the Air” Jason Reitman

Documentary (Feature)

“Burma VJ” Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
“The Cove” Nominees to be determined
“Food, Inc.” Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
“The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
“Which Way Home” Rebecca Cammisa

Documentary (Short Subject)

“China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill
“The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner” Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
“The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant” Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
“Music by Prudence” Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
“Rabbit à la Berlin” Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

Film Editing

“Avatar” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
“District 9” Julian Clarke
“The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
“Inglourious Basterds” Sally Menke
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Joe Klotz

Foreign Language Film

“Ajami” Israel
“El Secreto de Sus Ojos” Argentina
“The Milk of Sorrow” Peru
“Un Prophète” France
“The White Ribbon” Germany

Makeup

“Il Divo” Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
“Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
“The Young Victoria” Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

Music (Original Score)

“Avatar” James Horner
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” Alexandre Desplat
“The Hurt Locker” Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
“Sherlock Holmes” Hans Zimmer
“Up” Michael Giacchino

Music (Original Song)

“Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
“Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
“The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Short Film (Animated)

“French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert
“Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell
“The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia
“Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin
“A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park

Short Film (Live Action)

“The Door” Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
“Instead of Abracadabra” Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
“Kavi” Gregg Helvey
“Miracle Fish” Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
“The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson

Sound Editing

“Avatar” Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
“The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson
“Inglourious Basterds” Wylie Stateman
“Star Trek” Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
“Up” Michael Silvers and Tom Myers

Sound Mixing

“Avatar” Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
“The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
“Inglourious Basterds” Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
“Star Trek” Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson

Visual Effects

“Avatar” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
“District 9” Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
“Star Trek” Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton

The official destination for the 82nd Academy Awards:
The Oscars

Okay - who do you think should win? Why?

- Bill

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
TODAY'S SCRIPT TIP: Making Hollywood Connections - part 2.

TWEET DEALS!



ALL SIX CLASSIC SCREENWRITING CLASSES!
Why break up a set? Get all of the Classic Classes on CD for one low price - and save on postage, too! SIX CDs packed with information! From IDEAS & CREATIVITY to WRITING INDIES to WRITING HORROR to the 2 part WRITING THRILLERS to GUERRILLA MARKETING. These classes used to sell for $15 - for a total of $120 with postage & handling. Buy the whole set on this TWEET DEAL and get 'em for only $50 plus postage and handling (USA). Ends Wednesday.

And The Nominees Are....

The nominations for the 30th Annual Razzie Awards, honoring the very worst films made by Hollywood, have been announced! Here is your complete list!

Worst Picture of 2009

All About Steve - 20th Century-Fox

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra - Paramount / Hasbro

Land of The Lost - Universal

Old Dogs - Disney

Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen - Dreamworks/Paramount

Worst Actor of 2009

All Three Jonas Brothers - JONAS BROTHERS: THE 3-D CONCERT EXPERIENCE

Will Ferrell - LAND OF THE LOST

Steve Martin - PINK PANTHER 2

Eddie Murphy - IMAGINE THAT

John Travolta - OLD DOGS

Worst Actress of 2009

Beyonce - OBSESSED

Sandra Bullock - ALL ABOUT STEVE

Mylie Cyrus - HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE

Megan Fox - JENNIFER’s BODY and TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN

Sarah Jessica Parker - DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS?

Worst Supporting Actor of 2009

Billy Ray Cyrus - HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE

Hugh Hefner (as Himself) - MISS MARCH

Robert Pattinson - TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON

Jorma Taccone (as Cha-Ka) - LAND OF THE LOST

Marlon Wayans - G.I. JOE

Worst Supporting Actress of 2009

Candice Bergen - BRIDE WARS

Ali Larter - OBSESSED

Sienna Miller - G.I. JOE

Kelly Preston - OLD DOGS

Julie White (as Mom) - TRANNIES, TOO (TRANSFORMERS 2)

Worst Screen Couple of 2009

Any Two (or More) Jonas Brothers - THE JONAS BROTHERS 3-D CONCERT EXPERIENCE

Sandra Bullock & Bradley Cooper - ALL ABOUT STEVE

Will Ferrell & Any Co-Star, Creature or “Comic Riff” - LAND OF THE LOST

Shia LaBeouf & EITHER Megan Fox OR Any Transformer - TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN

Kristen Stewart & EITHER Robert Pattinson OR Taylor Whatz-His-Fang - TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON

Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel
(Combined Category for 2009)

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Land of The Lost

Pink Panther 2 (A Rip-Off of a Sequel to a Remake)

Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen

Twilight Saga: New Moon

Worst Director of 2009

Michael Bay - TRANNIES, TOO

Walt Becker - OLD DOGS

Brad Silberling - LAND OF THE LOST

Stephen Sommers - G.I. JOE

Phil Traill - ALL ABOUT STEVE

Worst Screenplay of 2009
(Bill's note: Lots of adaptations this year, just like the Oscars!)

All About Steve - Screenplay by Kim Barker

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra - Screenplay by Stuart Beattie and David Elliot & Paul Lovett, Based on Hasbro’s G.I. JOE® Characters.

Land of The Lost - Written by Chris Henchy & Dennis McNicholas, Based on Sid & Marty Krofft’s TV Series

Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen - Written by Ehren Kruger & Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, Based on Hasbro’s Transformers Action Figures

Twilight Saga: New Moon - Screenplay by Melissa Rosenberg, Based on the Novel by Stephenie Meyer

Worst Picture of the Decade
(Special Category!)

Battlefield Earth (2000) - Nominated for 10 RAZZIES® / “Winner” of 8 (Including Worst Drama of Our First 25 Yrs)

Freddy Got Fingered (2001) - Nominated for 9 RAZZIES® / “Winner” of 5

Gigli (2003) - Nominated for 10 RAZZIES® / “Winner” of 7 (Including Worst Comedy of Our First 25 Yrs)

I Know Who Killed Me (2007) - Nominated for 9 RAZZIES® / “Winner” of 8

Swept Away (2002) - Nominated for 9 RAZZIES® / “Winner” of 5

Worst Actor of the Decade

Ben Affleck
Nominated for 9 “Achievements,” “Winner” of 2 RAZZIES® DAREDEVIL, GIGLI, JERSEY GIRL, PAYCHECK, PEARL HARBOR, SURVIVING CHRISTMAS

Eddie Murphy
Nominated for 12 “Achievements,” “Winner” of 3 RAZZIES® ADVENTURES of PLUTO NASH, I SPY, IMAGINE THAT, MEET DAVE, NORBIT, SHOWTIME

Mike Myers
Nominated for 4 “Achievements,” “Winner” of 2 RAZZIES® CAT IN THE HAT, THE LOVE GURU

Rob Schneider
Nominated for 6 “Achievements,” “Winner” of 1 RAZZIE® THE ANIMAL, BENCHWARMERS, DEUCE BIGALO: EUROPEAN GIGOLO, GRANDMA’s BOY, THE HOT CHICK, I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY, LITTLE MAN, LITTLE NICKY

John Travolta
Nominated for 6 “Achievements,” “Winner” of 3 RAZZIES® BATTLEFIELD EARTH, DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE, LUCKY NUMBERS, OLD DOGS, SWORDFISH

Worst Actress of the Decade

Mariah Carey
The Single Biggest Individual Vote Getter of the Decade: 70+% of ALL Votes for Worst Actress of 2001 GLITTER

Paris Hilton
Nominated for 5 “Achievements,” “Winner” of 4 RAZZIES® THE HOTTIE & THE NOTTIE, HOUSE of WHACKS, REPO: THE GENETIC OPERA

Lindsay Lohan
Nominated for 5 “Achievements,” “Winner” of 3 RAZZIES® HERBIE FULLY LOADED, I KNOW WHO KILLED ME, JUST MY LUCK

Jennifer Lopez
Nominated for 9 “Achievements,” “Winner” of 2 RAZZIES® ANGEL EYES, ENOUGH, GIGLI, JERSEY GIRL, MAID IN MANHATTAN, MONSTER-IN-LAW, THE WEDDING PLANNER

Madonna
Nominated for 6 “Achievements,”“Winner” of 4 RAZZIES® DIE ANOTHER DAY, THE NEXT BEST THING, SWEPT AWAY

For more information, and to get an official ballot and *vote*, THE RAZZIE AWARDS.

- Bill

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
TODAY'S SCRIPT TIP: The Balance - and those TERMINATOR movies... all 4 of them.

TWEET DEALS!



ALL SIX CLASSIC SCREENWRITING CLASSES!
Why break up a set? Get all of the Classic Classes on CD for one low price - and save on postage, too! SIX CDs packed with information! From IDEAS & CREATIVITY to WRITING INDIES to WRITING HORROR to the 2 part WRITING THRILLERS to GUERRILLA MARKETING. These classes used to sell for $15 - for a total of $120 with postage & handling. Buy the whole set on this TWEET DEAL and get 'em for only $50 plus postage and handling (USA). Ends Wednesday.

This Is Not Conflict, Nor Drama

Monty Python's I'M HERE FOR AN ARGUMENT...


You know how many screenplays I've read that have scenes like that? How many movies I've seen that have scenes like that? Not comedy scenes - I'm talking about scenes that were supposed to be dramatic. You don't want junk conflict, you want conflict that is part of your story and moving your story forward.

- Bill
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
TODAY'S SCRIPT TIP: The Balance - and those TERMINATOR movies... all 4 of them.
Yesterday's Dinner: Burgers at Burger King.
Pages: Saturday - 5 rockin' pages on an old spec I want to get finished and Sunday - 3 pages, but I'm still going!