tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-192968142011-11-23T15:26:14.936-08:00A 'tales from the trenches' series of posts (covering the period: 1994 to the present day) chronicling the ups and downs of being a writer (films/plays) and independent producer. (Comments have been disabled due to Spam. I can be emailed at: swunderwoods[at]yahoo[dot]co[uk])Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comBlogger871100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-32461224607985468362010-05-02T12:28:00.000-07:002010-05-05T08:18:48.463-07:00

It's been a while and actually I hadn't planned to blog but I find myself on a train (with WI-FI access) having just returned from a class reunion where all of us present were, how should I put it? Of a certain age?It was a great night - but - having not met anyone there for over 30 years, I couldn't help thinking: What the ...?! Where did all those years go?! And go they did - pretty damn

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-59021043403420050832009-09-11T13:50:00.000-07:002009-11-13T06:46:06.752-08:00

In the realm of creativity life is fluid, unpredictable, messy. Conversations and activities often seemingly lead to--well--nothing. It is a veritable flux of instincts and intuition. Creativity involves people, and people are fickle, moody, capricious. Sometimes all it takes is a phone call, a face to face, some choice words, a different perspective to turn things around. In an earlier post I

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-88597785544766833152009-05-28T13:28:00.000-07:002009-06-23T03:43:06.497-07:00

Yes, I know, it's been a while. Months, I believe. Well, you know, I'm starting to see this as a bit of a 'boutique' blog. A bi-monthly/quarterly output to a small, very select clientele. ;-)Truth be told, I am trying to stick to the M.O. of the blog which is to chronicle my 'tales from the trenches' experiences as a writer/producer BUT I'm caught between not wanting to blog about every

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-91984540615802546952009-02-28T04:05:00.000-08:002009-02-28T07:23:51.125-08:00

The previous post chronicled my last (failed) campaign to find and attach a UK producer to one of my projects. I sent out a whole bunch of emails and everyone passed except a major UK distributor who seems interested--his reader loved the script and we're hooked up for another meeting. I have another round of meetings in London next week on the back of a new email/phone campaign. This time I have

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-71532233462200149202008-12-26T05:53:00.001-08:002008-12-27T05:28:50.926-08:00

Bonjour! Well, another year ticked off--another year of ups and downs, near misses, false hopes and faux-opportunities. No surprises there, right? (Show) business as usual.The good news is that I managed to overcome my bouts of pathological procrastination and serve up another 35 pages on the family comedy commission. I wasn't so convinced about this project in the beginning, I couldn't quite see

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-67127193932045008742008-12-06T03:31:00.000-08:002008-12-06T15:41:57.489-08:00

Delivered some pages to the UK producer which he loved... now have to deliver more... had some meetings in London, some positive, one bizzare... still waiting for finance funds to close (will I be saying the same thing in 10 years?)... MUST do some writing (must, must, must...)... I need to deliver more pages for the comedy assignment... I have been offered yet another historical assignment

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-45071383040428187712008-10-25T03:50:00.000-07:002008-10-27T06:27:37.656-07:00

Again, I haven't blogged for about a month. I'm not the most frequent of bloggers, although, surprisingly, I do still seem to attract a small but loyal band of readers, so, gentle readers, I thank you for that!The frequency of my blog posts tends to be linked to scenes in my life that push the writer-producer narrative forward, so, as things have been slow recently, there have only been a few

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-48894803861626514682008-09-20T06:07:00.000-07:002008-09-21T12:02:29.143-07:00

It's been a while since I blogged. I've been totally wrapped up in courseware development and training delivery on a software product I specialize on. The day job took me to New Jersey/New York for a week which was great. The weather was perfect, very warm, but not humid or stifling. I love walking the streets of New York and taking in the architecture. I was never big on photography until this

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-79369305367586881122008-07-04T05:29:00.000-07:002008-07-04T15:58:13.225-07:00

Writing, or at least the manifestation of writing into some sort of form - book, film or play - is all about jumping through hoops. The very first hoop you encounter is the 'do I actually have any talent?' hoop. After sending your work out you hopefully get the feedback that, yes, there is something there, don't give up the day job but do keep on writing.Well, I think I can safely say that I've

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-63813593383985812912008-05-22T02:08:00.000-07:002008-06-12T00:32:06.652-07:00

Just arrived back from Cannes. I was there from May 14th to May 20th. Every year is a learning experience. I still haven't got it down pat even after my 8th Cannes. Strategy-wise, clinching meetings etc I've got covered but I still haven't got the whole accomodation thing worked out. In earlier years I found this very basic, zero star hotel that was ultra cheap and was close to a very regular bus

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-11921207357894611952008-05-10T02:28:00.000-07:002008-06-12T00:32:32.222-07:00

I'm off to Cannes next week. So far I have about 43 meetings in 6 days and more to confirm so I will be hitting the ground running. May 19th will be crazy since I have 13 meetings in one day! Yikes! When I start scheduling, which is always early, 4 weeks before, I always think that maybe this time I will have a relaxed Cannes and just set meetings once an hour but once the campaign gets going

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-37391901641227068522008-03-28T04:55:00.000-07:002008-06-12T00:32:49.230-07:00

Well, that's how they pronouce New Orleans in N'awrleans. I was there for a week with the day job and I realized that I couldn't explore such a visually interesting place as this without capturing some images so I bought myself my very first digital camera. Somehow I'd been meaning to do this for a long time but never got round to it and could never be bothered finding out how my phone takes pics

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-65219002320216398302008-03-01T00:29:00.000-08:002008-06-12T00:33:05.705-07:00

I have about four projects flowing through the pipeline right now. By pipeline I mean that extensible tube that flows through time and is of indeterminate length. Going out with a script as an independent project can be like tossing a stone in the water and watching it disappear without the faintest ripple appearing in the pond. You really have no idea how long it will take for the Courier to

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-87006442710112904222008-01-30T13:54:00.000-08:002008-06-12T00:33:24.091-07:00

I'm travelling again. In the US at the moment with day job stuff but also will be meeting up, along with the director, with the NYC producer for my black comedy. In the meatime I finished the second draft of the second historical drama assignment project. The producer wasn't so happy with the characterization on the first draft and he had quite extensive notes, pages of emails, but I carefully

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-20221746444884254172007-12-29T05:29:00.000-08:002008-02-14T15:56:53.644-08:00

I often here of writers who just love the act of writing and, I imagine, wake up every day with such raging enthusiasm to hit the keys that even a herd of wild horses wouldn't drag them away from the keyboard. In reality, I think, for many of us, this enthusiasm varies according to what particular task lies ahead of us. If you've already written your piece and are really happy with your wonderful

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-82332306572541483042007-12-10T02:35:00.001-08:002007-12-22T08:54:36.941-08:00

Haven't had the chance to blog much lately. I was in Singapore, Melbourne and Sydney. The trip was day job related, delivering software training but I slipped in a film meeting in Melbourne - a chance to meet up with the director of my rom-com and do some location scouting for what will hopefully be a shoot faking Cannes and London in Melbourne. The reason for doing this is that there's a nice

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-77720463896291367582007-11-12T03:25:00.000-08:002007-11-12T04:18:26.749-08:00

Being a writer-producer is a tricky thing and is fraught with danger, and the danger is attachment, subjectivity. I've been dealing with a number of producer/financiers and a casting director over varying lengths of time and the upshot of some of these relationships is that they were a complete waste of time.Someone once said that experience is what you get when you don't get what you want. Well,

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-30016249113500792502007-10-27T07:42:00.000-07:002007-10-27T12:37:13.923-07:00

Just got back after doing the trans-atlantic red-eye from New York. Hardly slept at all. Got a points upgrade on the way there but on the way back had to slog it out in coach. I'm knackered. How do people sleep in that position? I just can't do it so while the passenger next to me was happily sleeping away I'm reading Fade-In and Empire magazine.New developments - I received an out-of-the-blue

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-47728777305678159042007-10-18T00:32:00.000-07:002007-10-27T11:37:22.340-07:00

So, the multi-tasking continues...Still haven't locked down the play yet, after workshopping it with the actors who are also rehearsing the piece I still have a few sections to write - additions mainly, still, it's good to go through this process so everyone feels happy that it works before it hits the stage in January.I'm aiming for 4 pages a day on my historical assignment. The foundation is

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-82291661467801962382007-10-04T09:51:00.000-07:002007-10-27T11:36:57.594-07:00

So I've been doing the usual multi-tasking stuff. On top of project managing a training I'm delivering in the US to corporate pre-sales people, (basically all geeky tech IT stuff that pays the rent) I am also:1) Working with my wife on the translation of the play into German.2) Waiting for notes back on the second drama assignment3) Dealing with exec producers in the UK and the US.4) Started

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-55562728327193973972007-09-23T01:42:00.001-07:002007-10-27T11:36:42.255-07:00

The multi-tasking continues. I've been working my butt off with the day job battling with new technology, wrestling with Beta code to prepare for a training I have to deliver in the US. Because it's so intense I'm having to get the bulk of my writing in on weekends but yesterday I took the day off and chilled, just couldn't face the keyboard anymore.Positive developments: The actors gave the

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-20041548875612304332007-09-17T01:07:00.000-07:002007-10-27T11:35:30.565-07:00

Spent the weekend researching the historical background of the drama assignment and writing out character profiles. The producer built that into the contract and even though it meets with an inner grown because my natural urge is to cut to the chase and write the script I'm glad it's in there. Writing character profiles really does help not only in terms of clearly defining characters and their

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-8195641116552121912007-09-12T15:35:00.000-07:002007-10-27T11:34:51.023-07:00

I'm really multi-tasking at the moment. The previous weekend I worked round the clock to knock out the first treatment of the second historical assignment project. This then gave me a breather as the producer took about a week to read and prepare notes. In the meantime I took the opportunity to knock out the first draft of the play which is going on in January. We actually had a play reading in

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-10760563535639435832007-09-02T04:07:00.001-07:002007-10-27T11:34:01.079-07:00

If you're still popping by and reading this blog thanks for sticking with me. At some point I will right a more comprehensive chronicle of all the activities since Cannes but I've just been too busy to blog. I'm currently working on a treatment for my second commission. I'm contracted to do 2 drafts and 2 revisions by mid-December. Then I'm contracted to start my 3rd commission in mid-December

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-38083804915915072902007-08-07T16:37:00.000-07:002007-10-27T11:33:31.573-07:00

Hello campers. Just got back from vacation and fly to NYC on Saturday so although I'm overdue with a proper literary memoir-style Chronicle piece it'll have to be a vomit-like brain dump for now.I was away in Italy for 2 weeks but while soaking the sun I got the news that our short has been selected for the Los Angeles Short Film festival. Whoo Hooh! Especially since Cannes, Flanders, Hamburg and

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-61293780780469093172007-07-13T16:55:00.000-07:002007-10-27T11:17:54.568-07:00

Oh God. I'm overdue again, 'Father, it's 2 weeks since I last posted'... someone said a blog is a bit like a puppy, all good fun and cuddliness in the beginning but when you have to take the little beast out at 1 a.m in the pee'ing rain and all you want to do is hit the sack then there is a serious temperature drop on the fun-o-meter.So again this is just an incoherent brain dump. I fly to New

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-15040407131873886272007-06-23T02:21:00.000-07:002007-06-23T03:22:23.025-07:00

This is just a quickie update since I'm in the usual post-Cannes limbo/radio silence right now - as per usual I haven't heard back from most of the people I sent my script/follow-up emails to post-Cannes. This is normal, as I've said before in previous Cannes chronicles. Some of these people will NEVER get back to me. It's just the way the mop flops.On the other hand, if things work out with the

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-26169691982690406022007-06-10T13:19:00.000-07:002007-06-11T03:20:21.497-07:00

So, this year was my seventh Cannes film festival. It's official - I'm getting older and the entropy of the universe has increased somewhat since I took those first steps down the Croisette! Pre and post-Cannes has been hectic so I'm afraid my trusty blog was the first to suffer but now that I've finally had time to sit down and post here's the jist of what went down.As usual it was a

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-58438863241807409952007-05-08T08:16:00.000-07:002007-05-13T01:15:34.385-07:00

I know, it's been a while since I've blogged. I've just been too darn busy. Along with preparing for Cannes 2007 I have 9 projects in various stages of development/production so this is a quick "I'm still here" post. I have no idea how some of these writers bang out such extensive blog posts on a regular basis, either they don't do much screenwriting or they must be permanently banging away at

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-31897073257033521902007-04-13T13:42:00.000-07:002007-04-14T05:29:26.572-07:00

Yes, even chasing is a form of procrastination. You know something's wrong when you're either too eager to check your emails or too disappointed/frustrated when no big news comes in. You're in waiting/chasing mode when you should be in creating mode. It's a trap - and, as they say - 'good news comes to you, you have to chase the bad news'.It creeps up on you this stuff, especially when you are

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-15695418204682291242007-03-24T05:16:00.000-07:002007-03-24T17:05:04.348-07:00

... and plot is difficult, that's what David Mamet said and I agree with the man. I recently delivered the first draft of an adaptation to a UK producer 2 months ahead of deadline. The good news is that the producer is very happy with what I've done and now wants to go out to directors after I polish and prepare a pitch and character biogs for the package.The underlying true-life story is really

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-79183333983535554932007-03-09T05:06:00.001-08:002007-03-10T07:55:07.269-08:00

Well, it's been over 2 weeks since I've blogged so I guess I'm overdue. I've been pretty busy writing, hence the delay (beats me how some writers get the time to write extensive posts almost every day???)I finished the 'scriptment' I was writing as part of a contracted assignment. Actually in the contract it talked about a 'treatment' but as I mentioned in the last post I always end up putting a

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1172176168679543512007-02-22T11:59:00.000-08:002007-02-24T01:09:50.652-08:00

It's been a few weeks since I've blogged, one reason is that I'm actually - shock, horror - writing. I've been working around the clock on a biographical drama assignment after an initial period of inertia and procrastination. I started working on a treatment so the producer would have some idea of where I'm going by the time I got to script stage.The trouble is, when I start writing treatments I

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1170054780763615652007-01-29T11:04:00.000-08:002007-01-29T02:38:42.980-08:00

This is a strange business. It is very much about perception. Ultimately progress comes down to association - who is "attached" to you or your script. The actual script is what it is, but the perception of that script, or the "project" as we like to self-importantly call it, changes according to its associations.Any type of heat can make promoting your "project" easier by several orders of

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1168677198755050932007-01-13T11:52:00.000-08:002007-01-13T07:05:53.636-08:00

If there is any truth in Samuel Johnson's maxim that, "No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money", then I must have reached the very zenith of 'blockheadedness' since, having started writing, (well, not screenwriting) but 'creative writing', just over 11 years ago I haven't been paid a single farthing for my 'lovingly crafted' words. Maybe I should take it as a badge of honour, proof

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1166785694603598582006-12-22T02:44:00.000-08:002006-12-24T08:34:42.603-08:00

It's that time of year again. A time to review, ruminate, re-assess, reflect and other words beginning with R (hopefully NOT regret and remorse! ;-))It's also the time where I go through my Outlook Address Book and send out Xmas e-cards to film contacts. Of course many of the names on this list are agents, managers, producers, execs, sales agents, casting directors etc who've passed on my

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1164268417525565182006-11-22T23:22:00.000-08:002006-11-23T01:29:06.546-08:00

Well, some good news, after deciding to focus on bringing a US casting director on board (several months ago!) to attach talent to my rom-com (instead of dealing with the big 5 US agencies directly) I finally found a 'champion'.The casting director and her partner love the script and think it's very funny. She is also prepared to back that up and work on spec which is great! She has cast several

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1161447345558933332006-10-21T09:14:00.000-07:002006-10-30T13:47:45.600-08:00

Well, the first thing I learnt this week on the set of my first film, (albeit a short - 15 minutes), was that contrary to what I had always thought, people on set (at least on our set anyway) don't say "Lights, Camera, Action" but a mix of "Speed, Mark It, Set and Action".The second thing I learnt is that film making is a mixture of joy, awe, frustration, and sheer unadulterated

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1159979372740661882006-10-04T09:21:00.000-07:002006-10-04T09:39:38.713-07:00

See Red Hand's no set-up, no explanations, no excuses one screenplay page upload challengeHere's mine, just click on the screenshot below and it will come up as full size readable text:

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1159010091257024692006-09-23T03:11:00.000-07:002006-09-30T04:16:47.193-07:00

Well, isn't life interesting? Last week, in my "Is It Worth It?" chronicle I talked about possibly being offered an advanced fee against a deferred fee to re-write a biographical drama. As an indie-producer I know only too well how long and arduous it can be to set up an independent film so when the producer said that "this film will definitely get made" I grunted the right noises but inside I

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1158338914615648872006-09-15T09:27:00.000-07:002006-09-30T04:19:44.600-07:00

Last week I met up with a producer who had given me a biographical drama script to read along with some other source material. He also sent me a previous draft of the script by the same writer. After reading the material I came to the conclusion that neither of the 2 drafts worked and I explained why along with my 'take' on the project. We met in London and he told me that he totally agreed with

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1156711008130886142006-08-27T13:01:00.000-07:002006-09-06T03:30:12.116-07:00

I've just got back from the UK and I'm sitting here watching the recently released Pink Floyd DVD, Pulse, live from Earl's Court. It rocks of course. "All in all yaw just annuver brick in the wall"... Awesome vocals on The Great Gig In The Sky... Great axe work on Money ...It's starting to look as if I have my work cut out for me. A producer that I met in Cannes phoned me out of the blue and has

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1154706417576391442006-08-13T02:00:00.000-07:002006-08-13T15:33:34.870-07:00

Okay, as promised, after a week-ette away I'm back again on the Underwood (read: Compaq nw8000) ready to pump out my next installment - Chronicles 31. Unfortunately our vacation inadvertently shrank from 7 to 5 days after receiving a call that our dog was very sick and about to 'shed its mortal coil' - after much panic, prayers and hefty veterinary fees she is thankfully well on the road to

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1154175516563162832006-07-29T05:04:00.000-07:002006-07-29T09:49:48.316-07:00

Autumn 1999 - Hitting Hollywood2 years after Cannes '97 where we pitched the VP at Columbia Tri Star along with execs at Fox, USA films and other prod. co's our script was ready. It had taken us some time to actually create a draft we felt was 'market ready'. This was for a number of reasons:Very soon after Cannes '97 my friend, who at that time was struggling to get work even in non-salaried

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1153566273000389052006-07-22T03:45:00.000-07:002006-10-30T14:53:31.730-08:00

This blog starts out with Chronicles 1, the moment of conception of my rom-com in the year 2000, however, my adventures in the 'screen trade' and writing 'career', (don't laugh), started in 1994 with the first 6 pages of my great unfinished novel, (still unfinished - eat your heart out Prof. Grady Tripp!), then a short story, an unfinished play (it sucked), a full length play (unproduced), 2

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1152920381892638932006-07-15T15:42:00.000-07:002006-07-15T06:18:37.020-07:00

So, today is July 15th and I flew back from Cannes on May 26th. I had about 50 meetings in Cannes and sent out many copies of my script after the festival. Now, some of these meetings have already developed into something reasonably concrete, well, let's just say it's still in the mixer. I found a producer for my short film who actually committed to the project and has met with the director and

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1152360220326946222006-07-08T04:05:00.000-07:002006-07-13T02:50:20.386-07:00

I've met a number of screenwriters either in person or on-line who have told me that they "love writing", are "passionate" about writing etc., who's very idea of an ideal day is to be stuck in a room for 8 hours doing their 'scrivener thang'.I always feel a pang of inadequacy, insecurity and guilt when I hear this. Why? Because more and more as time goes by I feel that writing is the LAST thing I

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1151749676243925312006-07-01T02:41:00.000-07:002006-07-01T07:37:11.213-07:00

As an independent producer you are always in begging mode, even if the begging is re-packaged as a 'request to enter into a partnership' or a quid pro quo, a "you scratch my back and I will scratch yours (once the finance is released and the movie is greenlit") - a deferred scratch as it were.In the meantime you find yourself alternating between positions of weakness and strength in this beggar/

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1151264071470477752006-06-25T23:36:00.000-07:002006-06-25T22:00:07.863-07:00

So, after a long period of procrastination I'm returning back to tackle my comedy heist script. What I now have is a very rough, unsatisfactory first draft where the protag's goals and characters are not yet fully defined. The side-effect of this is that the script lacks conflict and dramatic tension. Since we are dealing with 5-6 characters who are taken out of their ordinary world into the

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1150918761960073072006-06-21T12:37:00.000-07:002006-06-23T01:35:55.766-07:00

A trip down to Cannes as an indie-producer usually involves a sojourn over to Jetee Albert Edouard in The Cannes Port where you will see a wonderful array of yachts all bearing colorful banners. This is where the gold is. The dosh, or partial dosh that will help finance your movie. Any meeting with a financier will normally take place on one of these yachts where for a pre-arranged meeting you

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1150457709802819862006-06-16T02:07:00.000-07:002006-06-23T01:40:57.626-07:00

Just got back from London for a post-Cannes mopping up operation i.e. I bagged meetings with people like Icon, Pathe, Weinstein Company, Content Film, Lions Gate and a couple of prod. co's etc who I couldn't nail down in Cannes. On the whole it went quite well, one major sales agent with a very good reputation has read and liked the rom-com script and thinks it will fit well into their slate. Of

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1148738677107712312006-05-27T06:20:00.000-07:002006-06-23T01:44:02.976-07:00

Hi there! Just got back from Cannes after an enduring 50 meetings in 6 days. Phew. I need a holiday after this. I'm all pitched out! Still, on one level I think it was my best Cannes ever. I got to see mostly everyone I wanted to see - banks, financiers, prod. co.'s, sales agents, distributors and some indie-studio labels such as Miramax and Fox Searchlight. A couple of companies cancelled but I

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1147699116450086412006-05-15T06:09:00.000-07:002006-06-23T01:46:58.440-07:00

The Cannes campaign is going well. So far I have 41 meetings in 5 days lined up. Just bagged 2 with Fox Searchlight and Miramax. Of course it's quality not quantity that counts but after looking at my itinerary for last year things seem to be looking a lot better on the quality front.This time I have meetings with some serious prod. co.'s, sales agents, distributors and financiers. Interesting,

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1146307063523874182006-04-29T03:02:00.000-07:002006-06-23T01:50:18.280-07:00

So, guess what? He passed. Who passed? The A list mega comedy star who was reading my script. That's who. The one that would have greenlit the finance and got me studio distribution. That one. I wish him the worst with his future projects ;-) Only (half) joking. Who knows if he really read the script. You never know.I picked up my mobile phone and got a message from the agent's assistant. There

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1145637523966896632006-04-21T08:59:00.000-07:002006-06-23T01:53:11.306-07:00

At 1:40 a.m. in the morning!!! Mmmh...yesterday was...intense, to say the least. Read on....Remember that producer I told you about who was enthusiastic about coming on board? Well, seems like his business partner didn't quite share his enthusiasm, so, even though they see the commercial potential of the project...I'm afraid it's not something...blah blah blah...anyway, they pass.Having faced so

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1145467746179083472006-04-19T10:04:00.000-07:002006-06-23T02:02:12.506-07:00

Up to Lexington 125...oops wrong blog.So where am I? Currently waiting back from the producer who was interested in 'coming on board'. I called him. He said he'd call me back. He didn't. He then emailed saying he would call - shortly - he hasn't. I call him. No answer. Mmmmh...Received an email from a UK agent that her client - huge megastar whose veritable nod would thrust this movie into

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1145296475722221212006-04-17T10:26:00.000-07:002006-06-23T02:04:59.046-07:00

Well here we are again - we're heading for Summer 2006 which is 6 years after I first conceived of the idea for the rom-com. Did I mention that the film business doesn't do 'quick'?See Chronicles 1-17 (Summer 2000-April 2006) below for the whole story.So here's the latest on the rom-com:January 2006After a few months in development the director finally signs off on the latest draft of the rom-com

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1145294757975374402006-04-17T09:51:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:24:54.603-07:00

January 2005So here we are heading for 5 years since the idea of the rom-com was first conceived. In 2005 I had already given up on the UK agent. He did his best but there wasn't much he could do for me. He'd tried to get it set up at some major UK prod. co's but with no luck. He also had some near misses on the animation projects.I had hoped that on the wave of setting up the rom-com I could

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1145292674200351322006-04-17T09:19:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:25:14.030-07:00

At the end of 2003 my UK co-producer met with a director who had read and liked the script. I watched her movies. I really liked her work. She was a strong possibility. We went out to another director who later passed. The choice was made for us. I liked her. I didn't want to send the script out to anyone else.I went to the AFM in February 2004. We met with sales agents at the AFM and I had some

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1145290705800062632006-04-14T08:53:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:25:43.596-07:00

So it's November 2003, over three and a half years since conceiving the idea for the rom-com.I'm driving down the 405 Freeway on the way to my next meeting. Things are going well. I've been offered representation on my family-comedy by a respectable boutique agency. I have a meeting set up with a big 3 agency to discuss attaching top talent to my rom-com and I've had a great response so far from

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1145287049907174022006-04-13T07:43:00.000-07:002006-06-23T02:48:05.616-07:00

So the romantic comedy concept was conceived in the Summer of 2000. In November 2002 I had a UK co-producer and a one-man-band not-so-connected UK agent behind the project. I had pitched a number of studios my animation projects with a positive response. I had also had meetings with a number of people like Dream Works, New Line, Mirage and handed over a copy of the rom-com.Not bad. Let's see what

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1134334911195472652006-04-12T13:00:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:26:46.816-07:00

November 8th 2002It was Friday. The day I was flying home. On the whole, it felt like a successful trip. I'd had a great response to my pitches. The meetings went well. I had opened a lot of doors that would make future project submissions easier. Maybe something would come of all this. Maybe.A friend of mine invited me to The Ivy. I told him about all my exploits and he said, "I'm sure it will

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1134311309018689242006-04-11T05:56:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:27:31.866-07:00

October 28th 2002I check into the Hilton hotel in Woodland Hills. Not the coolest location in LA since it's, "in the Valley", but, luckily I've still got some reward points left over from my Cannes trip so I manage to stay there for nothing. They even upgrade me to a friggin' penthouse suite! Great! I feel like I'm some big-shot Hollywood player. I'm not, of course. I'm identifying with an

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1133727495824261372006-04-10T11:58:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:04:01.076-07:00

October 15th 2002The phone campaign is moving ahead. I now have 5 meetings booked in LA including Sony, Disney and New Line.16th October 2002The list is growing. I have meetings with a number of animation production companies as well as studios and some live-action production companies - for my rom-com. I secure a meeting with Universal animation! Things are looking up! Get a meeting with Fox

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1133643506072115802006-04-09T12:57:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:05:04.323-07:00

June 21st 2002Get an email from one UK producer saying that he would like to option the rom-com. He hasn't produced a feature before so I'm not so sure. Still, encouraging!June 24th 2002Receive another email from this same UK producer. He read my other co-written script, said it was very well written and wants me to offer me a write-for-hire contract. Great! Well, not really, nothing ever came of

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1133566678122203952006-04-08T14:53:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:05:54.463-07:00

May 2002I Cannes-do this!The Cannes film festival is the biggest and most glamorous film festival in the world.There are various, parallel universes of activity taking place almost simulataneously in Cannes.On one level you have the producers pitching their projects to financiers, sales agents and distrbutors.You then have sales agents who are there to sell flms to distributors from all over the

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1133269384006628492006-04-07T04:10:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:07:23.106-07:00

December 16th 2001I had just finished the final flourishes on my second draft, hit the print button and was about to invest some money into Her Majesty's Royal Mail service. It was time to query UK agents.I don't really know what I was expecting from an agent, (a miracle perhaps?). The UK film industry is not like Hollywood where an agent can send a 'spec' script 'wide' to 60-80 production

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1133223545153350952006-04-06T15:49:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:29:24.143-07:00

Backing up a bitSo I got the idea for this script in the summer of 2000 and by September 2000 I had a few scenes and a collection of research material and ideas. Not much.Why did I want to write this thing anyway? I knew it was going to be hard work with all the research and I wasn't sure if I could write comedy, least of all a romantic comedy.I had written comedy before but it was mostly black

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1133221673123710262006-04-05T15:35:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:09:44.373-07:00

The Second DraftOkay, the script consultant's notes didn't turn out to be the superfical tweaks and the fine polish job I had somehow hoped they would be. Oh, poor, deluded me.No, this wasn't a polish, this was a rewrite, a new draft. This is what I call a new draft anyway. I had about five different versions of my first draft. Versions that I'd tweaked and honed. That's polish work. It didn't

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1133194946534319322006-04-04T08:02:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:10:51.876-07:00

The Script ConsultantSomewhere around the:5th October 2001I sent out a polished, first draft to my trusted script consultant. I had used him on a previous, (first ever), screenplay and, on that script, I had made the mistake of sending it out too early. That first-time script got me meetings in Hollywood but the feedback that I got mirrored the feedback that I got from the script consultant. The

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1133119337687048972006-04-03T11:40:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:45:23.153-07:00

The OutlineOkay, somehwere around:Spring 2001I started putting an outline together. I was approaching the point where I felt I could write authentic rich, upper-class characters and describe their world in vivid detail. It was no longer this fuzzy, out-of-focus realm with cliched, stock, 2-D characters. These characters might actually have something interesting to say.I needed to build some sort

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1133118599867623202006-04-02T11:40:00.000-07:002006-06-23T03:46:42.386-07:00

Research, research, researchSo, the idea was conceived in the:Summer of 2000I have some sort of half-baked, mutant, treatment/script/idea file thing dated:12th September 2000 I also have another script-ment,(a fusion of a script and a treatment) dated:17th April 2001Then another script/treatment from:13th June 2001This one seems to have a lot more research source material in it. That probably

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1133118180190070992006-04-01T11:39:00.000-08:002006-06-23T03:49:47.416-07:00

Adventures in the (indie) screen tradeIt's not about the destination, it's about the journey...yeah, right.Okay, as promised some real-world tales from the trenches. This series of chronicles focuses on the the creation, development, production and distribution of one of my projects - a feature length romantic comedy. However, I do mention other animation and live action projects along the

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1132912840973884482005-11-25T03:56:00.000-08:002005-11-25T08:44:27.206-08:00

This expression derives from Jack Warner, the co-founder of Warner Brothers.This was his derogatory term for writers. A basic translation would be: Idiots with typewriters :-)

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1132930227164584602005-11-25T03:55:00.001-08:002005-11-25T07:10:10.520-08:00

Here is a funny and painfully accurate extract from Rob Long's new book - Set Up, Joke, Set Up, Joke:When a writer gives you his script to read, he usually says something totally dishonest like, 'Hey, let me know what you really think, okay?'. In other words, he wants you to be honest. He can take it, he says. 'I know there's some rough spots in the seond act, he may say, 'so just give me your

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1133017305001555522005-11-25T03:54:00.001-08:002005-11-26T07:07:20.776-08:00

Before earning over $50 million at the box office in its opening weekend, Mr. & Mrs. Smith began as a treatment written by then-unproduced screenwriter Simon Kinberg as a part of his graduate thesis project at Columbia University's film program.Read the on-line treatment here:Mr. and Mrs. Smith Treatment

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1132932655383534972005-11-25T03:54:00.000-08:002005-11-25T10:17:44.816-08:00

James Joyce's Ulysses has been labeled dirty, blasphemous, and unreadable. In a famous 1933 court decision, Judge John M. Woolsey declared it an emetic book.Hey, whatever - this is an extract from Episode 13 - Nausicca - in my mind one of the most beautiful passages I've ever read in English literature. Like all great art it hits all the right spots, poetical, emotional and spiritual. Sublime!

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1132934202740360522005-11-25T03:53:00.000-08:002005-11-26T09:53:05.096-08:00

Here is another sublime, goose-pimple-creating extract from James Joyce. Simply awesome!This extract is taken from 'The Dead', also an excellent film directed by John Huston in 1987.Read, 'The Dead, on-line at:The DeadEXTRACT FROM 'THE DEAD' by JAMES JOYCEThe air of the room chilled his shoulders. He stretched himself cautiously along under the sheets and lay down beside his wife. One by one,

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1132936518287058902005-11-25T03:52:00.000-08:002005-11-25T10:46:34.480-08:00

"People don't talk in full sentences. There's subtext in real dialogue. I would cite something like this: You're in a restaurant, you're waiting for a guy who's really late and you're pissed. When they walk through the door, you don't give them a big speech about how late they are. Usually they say, 'Oh, sorry I'm late,' and you just say, 'It's OK,' but it's not OK. In a movie there are a lot of

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1132938987851168532005-11-25T03:51:00.000-08:002005-11-25T10:48:03.163-08:00

This is an extract from a post on the Done Deal forum:Done DealFUNDAMENTALS Checklist Here are ten great questions you should ask yourself about your script/story while you are developing it, writing it, and when you are finished. 1) What do you want to say with your script or story about...? The state of the world? Relationships? Governments? Religions? Life in general? People? 2) How will

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1133028480289796282005-11-25T03:50:00.001-08:002005-11-26T10:29:18.066-08:00

An interesting insider's view on sellng v. getting assignments from ICM agency's story analyst Chris Lockhardt: See Chris's site here:Two AdverbsSince only a small amount of spec scripts arepurchased a year, the likelihood of receiving a"pass" is about 99%.So, IMO, a "pass" is not a good litmus testfor whether or not the script "sucks."You want the script to earn you - at least -meetings.If you

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1132948590680474202005-11-25T03:50:00.000-08:002005-11-26T06:22:25.583-08:00

More descriptive gems from Joyce's Ulysses:From Episode 1 - TelemachusWoodshadows floated silently by through the morning peace from the stairhead seaward where he gazed. Inshore and farther out the mirror of water whitened, spurned by lightshod hurrying feet. White breast of the dim sea. The twining stresses, two by two. A hand plucking the harpstrings merging their twining chords. Wavewhite

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1132916335998577952005-11-25T03:46:00.000-08:002005-11-25T06:15:02.690-08:00

Here is a summary of feedback I gave recently on a first time screenwriter's first draft. By the way, in these feedback posts I've edited the parts where I actually praised the writing since that wasn't really relevant here. The upshot of that is this feedback sounds a bit harsh. Just remember it is out of context!The writer was complaining that she couldn't get read. She lives in LA and has some

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1132919097900300532005-11-25T03:38:00.000-08:002005-11-25T05:48:18.560-08:00

Here is a collection of feedback I've given on a number of different first time screenwriter's scripts. A useful reminder for ME! when I start writing my next script.FEEDBACKI think you can get more out of what you've got by just working the description (to make it more of a suspenseful read) and sharper dialogue so you bring out the conflict and tension and avoid easy situations for the

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1133354827961474252005-11-25T03:33:00.000-08:002005-11-30T04:59:12.066-08:00

Here's an interesting post on chasing agents from:Done DealI haven't posted on the board recently, but I am a Top 5 repped writer that has worked for studios for seven years. Production just wrapped on my first "real" (read: 20mil+ budget) film, helmed by an Academy Award nominated director.I have many friends and even more acquaintances who want careers as screenwriters. The passion for that

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1132919422705983662005-11-25T03:30:00.000-08:002005-11-25T10:13:06.386-08:00

Here is a real-world overview on writing from working Hollywood screenwriter Bill Martell who I met at the Word Player get-together in LA, June 2005:See Bill's web site at: WC Martell1) Your deal usually includes a couple of rewrites and a polish. A rewrite in Hollywood is when they read your sci-fi script and ask "What if they're cowboys?" - and then you rewrite the script so that your starship

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19296814.post-1132919831877906692005-11-25T03:20:00.000-08:002005-11-25T10:22:25.960-08:00

A query letter is a letter or email that you write to an agent, manager or production company requesting that he or she reads your sparkling masterpiece.The majority of query letters/emails are ceremoniously met with an underwhelming, well...nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zero response.The better the query, the higher the response rate.Here is an extract on Query Letters from:Crafty ScreenwritingCRAFTY

Schmucks with Underwoodsnoreply@blogger.com