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Author: Mike Boas

Link of the week: Scriptnotes Live

Link of the week: Scriptnotes Live

Much like our writers group, my favorite screenwriting podcast has gone to video chat. The last two episodes of Scriptnotes have been live video shows, broadcast over Youtube. This week’s show invited budding writers to share their work. Each writer joined the show to receive their critiques.

Video link here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIt4WCjMs5Y

Read along with the submitted three-page-challenge entries here: 
https://johnaugust.com/2020/livestreaming-the-three-page-challenge

Writers Blockbusters talk Back to the Future

Writers Blockbusters talk Back to the Future

It’s a classic, but what makes the script for Back to the Future work? How many ticking clocks are there in that story, anyway?

Find out in the latest Writers Blockbusters podcast at 
https://thundergrunt.com/e/writersblockbusters-050-back-to-the-future/

Writers Blockbusters, produced by Thunder Grunt, is an exceptionally good podcast from writers and script readers who really know their craft. Check it out!

What Software Do You Use?

What Software Do You Use?

One stumbling block for beginning writers is formatting. Yes, you can write in Word, Google Docs, even a yellow legal pad, but if you want it to LOOK like a screenplay, you’ll need some software to help with that.

While many professionals use Final Draft (the most expensive), the popularity of that program has been waning. There are many cheaper alternatives that make PDF files just as well.

If you’re on Windows, I recommend the free app TRELBY. For Mac users, there are many low cost programs such as HIGHLAND, SLUGLINE, and CELTX. Web apps can be appealing, but paying their subscription rates probably isn’t worth it if you’re not a professional writer.

See our page of software links on the RWW website at:
https://www.rwwny.org/software/

How to structure an adaptation

How to structure an adaptation

Writer/Director Greta Gerwig is best known for her Oscar nominated film Lady Bird. This year, her adaptation of Little Women comes to theaters. She approached this adaptation differently than film versions have done in the past, however. Instead of telling the story chronologically, she focuses on the adult characters and has occasional flashbacks to them as girls.

Hear more about her approach in this episode of KCRW’s The Business.

Christopher McQuarrie’s Advice

Christopher McQuarrie’s Advice

Writer/Director Christopher McQuarrie (Mission Impossible: Fallout, The Usual Suspects, Valkyrie) took to Twitter recently and posted some tough love about making it as a filmmaker. Here’s how it begins…
McQuarrie’s advice is about making your own movies. By doing so, you will attract people who want to be in business with you. This is contrary to the goal of “breaking in,” which is basically asking for acceptance. See the whole thread posted at 
https://nofilmschool.com/christopher-mcquarrie-twitter-writing-advice
Outlining or Writing by the Seat-of-your-pants?

Outlining or Writing by the Seat-of-your-pants?

From the Bluecat blog: writing notecards and outlines comes from ” a different part of your heart and mind” than writing scenes. So, perhaps there’s something to be said for writing without a plan? Certainly it makes the rewrite more important — that’s where you shape your ideas into a cohesive whole.

Read more here: https://www.bluecatscreenplay.com/the-bluecat-screenplay-competition-blog/how-to-write-a-script-without-a-plan/

The topic also came up on the Write Along podcast. C. Robert Cargill refers to the non-planners as pantsers (as in writing by the seat of their pants). Ultimately, he says, both kinds of writers spend the same amount of time on the work. Without outlining, the burden on pantsers is they must exert more effort to fix what they write.

Listen here: https://writealongpodcast.com/2018/11/09/ep-2-planners-and-pantsers/

Meanwhile, over on the Scriptnotes podcast, last week’s episode touched on this, too. Craig and John have a different sense of when to stop planning and when to jump in. Craig plans it all out, John leaves more space for improvisation.

Listen here: https://johnaugust.com/2019/ready-to-write