There were 90 script sales in August.

 

GENRE                TYPE          STUDIO               PROD CO.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Action               Adaptation    N/A                  Mandeville Films

Action               Sequel        20th Century Fox     Seed Productions

Action               Spec          N/A                  Nu Image/Millennium

Action               Sequel        N/A                  Nu Image

Action               Sequel        Columbia Pictures    N/A

Action               Assignment    Paramount Pictures   Bad Robot

Action               Adaptation    N/A                  Prime Universe Prod

Action               Rewrite       20th Century Fox     N/A

Action Adventure     Adaptation    Warner Bros. Pic     Callahan Filmworks

Action Adventure     Pitch         Paramount Pictures   Atlas Entertainment

Action Adventure     Sequel        Sony Pictures        N/A

Action Adventure     Remake        Warner Bros. Pict    Legendary Pictures

Action Adventure     Sequel        Columbia Pictures    N/A

Action Adventure     Adaptation    N/A                  Bruckheimer Films

Action Comedy        Spec          Columbia Pictures    Rip Cord Productions

Action Drama         Pitch         Sony Pictures        Apartment 3B

Action Supernatural  Adaptation    Universal Pictures   Dark Horse Enter

Action Thriller      Sequel        Universal Pictures   Kennedy/Marshall Co.

Adventure            Adaptation    DreamWorks Pictures  N/A

Comedy               Turnaround    N/A                  Alcon Entertainment

Comedy               Spec          Universal Pictures   Big Kid Pictures

Comedy               Spec          Universal Pictures   Principato-Young Enter

Comedy               Spec          N/A                  Vanguard Films

Comedy               Spec          N/A                  Montecito Picture Co.

Comedy               Adaptation    N/A                  Screen Gems

Comedy               Sequel        Sony Pictures        Wayans Brothers Prod

Comedy               Adaptation    N/A                  StudioLine Enter.

Comedy               Assignment    Warner Bros. Pic     De Line Pictures

Comedy               Pitch         Paramount Pictures   This American Life

Comedy               True Story    Columbia Pictures    Happy Madison Prod

Comedy               Adaptation    Warner Bros. Pict    N/A

Comedy Drama         Adaptation    Fox 2000             N/A

Comedy Sports        Spec          N/A                  Friendly Films

Coming of Age        Adaptation    N/A                  Focus Features

Drama                Adaptation    N/A                  Foster Productions

Drama                Assignment    N/A                  Mpower Pictures

Drama                Polish        N/A                  Overnight Productions

Drama                Adaptation    N/A                  Superb Entertainment

Drama                Spec          N/A                  Death Row Films

Drama                Rewrite       Warner Bros. Pict    Di Novi Pictures

Drama                Option        N/A                  Conquering Lion Pic

Drama                Rewrite       Warner Bros. Pict    Di Novi Pictures

Drama                Spec          N/A                  Groundswell Films

Drama                Spec          N/A                  Feet Films

Drama Action         Pitch         Warner Bros. Pict    Atlas Entertainment

Drama Bio            Adaptation    Universal Pictures   821 Entertainment Group

Drama Bio            Adaptation    Walt Disney Pict     N/A

Drama Bio            True Story    N/A                  Independent producer

Drama Bio            Pitch         N/A                  Legendary Pictures

Drama Bio            True Story    N/A                  Habourton Entertainment

Drama Bio            True Story    N/A                  Permut Presentat

Drama Crime          Adaptation    N/A                  Wonderful Films

Drama Crime          Pitch         N/A                  EuropaCorp

Drama Dark           Adaptation    N/A                  Optimum Releasing

Drama Historical     Spec          N/A                  Kingsgate Films, Inc.

Drama Music          Adaptation    Warner Bros. Pict    PorterGeller Enter.

Drama Romance        Adaptation    N/A                  Scarlet Fire Enter.

Drama Sports         Adaptation    N/A                  Greif Company

Drama Sports         True Story    N/A                  BellTower Films

Fairy Tale           Adaptation    Miramax Films        N/A

Family               Adaptation    Fox Searchlight      Ad Hominem Enterprise

Family               Adaptation    20th Century Fox     Pistor Productions, Julia 

Fantasy              Remake        Walt Disney Pictures ImageMovers

Fantasy Action       Adaptation    N/A                  Vanguard Films

Fantasy Dark         Adaptation    N/A                  72 Productions

Horror               Remake        New Line Cinema      Contrafilm

Horror               Adaptation    N/A                  Appian Way

Musical              Remake        20th Century Fox     Seed Productions

Rom Com              Assignment    Warner Bros. Pict    De Line Pictures

Rom Com              Pitch         Universal Pictures   N/A

Rom Com              Spec          N/A                  Overture Films, LLC

Romance              Spec          Columbia Pictures    Imagine Entertainment

Satire               Adaptation    N/A                  Quote-Unquote Films

Sci Fi               Adaptation    Universal Pictures   Scott Free Productions

Sci Fi               Adaptation    N/A                  De Laurentiis Company

Sci Fi               Adaptation    N/A                  Radiant Productions

Sci Fi               Adaptation    N/A                  Vanguard Films

Sci Fi               Adaptation    N/A                  Dahlia Street Films

Sci Fi               Remake        Warner Bros. Pict    Hollywood Gang Prod

Sci Fi               Pitch         Universal Pictures   Rat Entertainment

Sci Fi               Adaptation    DreamWorks Pictures  Bay Films

Sci Fi               Remake        N/A                  Creep Entertainment

Supernatural         Remake        DreamWorks Pictures  Motion Picture Corp.

Thriller             Adaptation    Fox 2000             Film Rites

Thriller             Pitch         N/A                  Phoenix Pictures

Thriller             Adaptation    N/A                  Furthur Films

Thriller Crime       Turnaround    N/A                  Time Inc. Studios

Thriller Psychologic Turnaround    N/A                  Morgan Creek Prod.

Thriller Supernat    Spec          N/A                  Film Department

Western              Adaptation    N/A                  CBS Films

 

 

Keep Writing!

Script Sales for August ’09 – By Genre and Type

Script Sales Based On Genre

 

 

Script Sales Based On Type

My take is this, if a writer creates an original script and then is hired to direct it, that constitutes a spec sale.

Keep Writing!

R.I.P. John Hughes

Another shocker. Hollywood legend John Huges passed away today from a heart attack while taking a walk. He was 59.  Mr. Hughes gave us the films Home Alone, Beethoven, The Breakfast Club, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

What a loss!

Joe Eszterhas Alert

One of my favorite screenwriters, screenwriting teachers – if you haven’t read Hollywood Animal (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Hollywood+Animal+&x=16&y=18) or The Devil’s Guide to Hollywood: The Screenwriter as God (http://www.amazon.com/Devils-Guide-Hollywood-Screenwriter-God/dp/0312373848/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249516379&sr=1-2) you really should – is writing a new screenplay, his first since 2006. Here is what Done Deal Pro had to say:

 

Title:    Untitled Guadalupe Project

Logline:  The virgin of Guadalupe, a vision that appeared to the Aztec peasant Juan Diego in 1531, is credited with helping to spread Catholicism at a time of economic and social turmoil in the country. Diego is eventually canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic church.

Writer:   Joe Eszterhas    

Prod. Co: Mpower Pictures           

Genre:    Drama 

Logged:   8/5/2009 

More:     Assignment. Steve McEveety will produce.

Anyway, looks like Joe ’still got game’.

Keep Writing!

Script Sales by Type: July ‘09

Okay, I realize there has been plenty of chatter about the state of the spec script market. My take is this, if a writer creates an original script and then is hired to direct it, that constitutes a spec sale. Consequently, I am declaring there were twenty (20) spec sales in July. Of course I could be way off base here — mileage may vary — batteries not included.

July Script Sales by Genre

July Script Sales by Genre

July Script Sales by Type

July Script Sales by Type

Keep Writing!

Script Sales : July ‘09

Okay, I realize there has been plenty of chatter about the state of the spec script market. My take is this, if a writer creates an original script and then is hired to direct it, that constitutes a spec sale. Consequently, I am declaring there were twenty (20) spec sales in July. Of course I could be way off base here — mileage may vary — batteries not included.

Genre                            Type                  Studio                                       Prod Co.

 

Action               Adaptation    Columbia Pictures          Atlas Entert

Action               Rewrite       Walt Disney Pictures       Idealogy, Inc

Action               Spec          Warner Bros. Pictures      Misher Films

Action               Adaptation    Universal Pictures         di Bonaventura

Action               Adaptation    Paramount Pictures         Revolution Studios

Action               Pitch         Sony Pictures              Arad Productions

Action               Sequel        Sony Pictures              Marvel Studios, Inc

Action Adventure     Adaptation    N/A                        Mirage Studios

Action Adventure     Pitch         N/A                        Spirit Pictures

Action Comedy        Adaptation    N/A                        Foster Productions

Action Comedy        Adaptation    N/A                        Alcon Entertainment

Action Drama         Adaptation    N/A                        Convergence Entert

Action Supernatural  Adaptation    N/A                        Valhalla Motion Pictures

Action Thriller      Adaptation    Sony Pictures              Atlas Entertainment

Action Thriller      True Story    Universal Pictures         Captivate Entertainment

Comedy               Adaptation    N/A                        Permut Presentations

Comedy               Option        Warner Bros. Pictures      N/A

Comedy               Pitch         20th Century Fox           Seed Productions

Comedy               Pitch         N/A                        Mandate Pictures

Comedy               Rewrite       Paramount Pictures         Contrafilm

Comedy               Spec          N/A                        CBS Films

Comedy               Spec          N/A                        Kimmel Entertainment

Comedy               Spec          N/A                        Lionsgate International

Comedy               Spec          Warner Bros. Pictures      Green Hat Films

Comedy               Pitch         N/A                        Mandate Pictures

Comedy               Spec          N/A                        Mandate Pictures

Comedy Adventure     Adaptation    N/A                        Relativity Media

Comedy Drama         Sequel        N/A                        Working Title Films

Comedy Road          Spec          Fox Searchlight Pictu      Ad Hominem Enterprises

Drama                Adaptation    N/A                        BBC Films

Drama                Adaptation    Universal Pictures         Original Film

Drama                Adaptation    N/A                        Caspian Pictures

Drama                Adaptation    N/A                        Smuggler Films

Drama                Adaptation    N/A                        Alfama Films

Drama                Adaptation    N/A                        Independent producer(s)

Drama                Adaptation    N/A                        Independent producer(s)

Drama                Adaptation    N/A                        Den ver and Delilah Films

Drama                Spec          N/A                        Olive Productions

Drama                Spec          N/A                        Overnight Productions

Drama                Adaptation    N/A                        EON Productions

Drama                Spec          Universal Pictures         Double Feature Films

Drama                Spec          N/A                        Our Stories Films

Drama                Turnaround    N/A                        Screen Gems

Drama Bio            Pitch         Columbia Pictures          Broken Road Prod

Drama Bio            True Story    N/A                        Gotham Group

Drama Bio            True Story    N/A                        J.A. Media

Drama Bio            True Story    N/A                        Lime Orchard Prod

Drama Comedy         Adaptation    N/A                        Matthau Company, The

Drama Historical     Adaptation    N/A                        Xingu Films

Drama Sports         Adaptation    N/A                        Red Bird Cinema

Drama Sports         Rewrite       Columbia Pictures          De Luca Productions

Drama Thriller       Adaptation    N/A                        Origin Pictures

Drama War            Adaptation    N/A                        Independent Pict (UK)

Drama War            True Story    N/A                        Lion Rock Productions

Family               Pitch         DreamWorks Pictures        Kurtzman/Orci

Family               Adaptation    Paramount Pictures         Granat Entertainment

Family               Adaptation    Universal Pictures         Illumination Entert

Family Adventure     Adaptation    N/A                        Allentown Productions

Fantasy              Adaptation    Walt Disney Pictures       Temple Hill Productions

Fantasy Action       Adaptation    Warner Bros. Pictures      Legendary Pictures

Fantasy Action       Adaptation    N/A                        Convergence Entert

Fantasy Adventure    Prequel       N/A                        Spirit Pictures

Fantasy Children’s   Adaptation    Warner Bros. Pictures      Sunswept Entertainment

Fantasy Comedy       Spec          N/A                        SBK Pictures

Horror               Sequel        N/A                        Lionsgate

Horror               Spec          N/A                        Vertigo Films (UK)

Horror               Spec          N/A                        Spectacle Entertainment

Horror Action        Adaptation    N/A                        Crystal Sky Worldwide

Horror Mystery       Adaptation    N/A                        Animal Logic

Horror Sci-fi        Adaptation    N/A                        Angry Films

Rom Com              Spec          N/A                        Relativity Media

Rom Com              Spec          Miramax Films              Rudin Productions, Scott

Rom Com              Spec          N/A                        CBS Films

Sci Fi               Adaptation    N/A                        Radical Pictures

Sci Fi               Adaptation    N/A                        Bruckheimer Films

Sci Fi Action        Adaptation    Universal Pictures         Dark Horse Enter

Sci Fi Action        Adaptation    N/A                        Atlas Entertainment

Sci Fi Action        Pitch         N/A                        Radical Pictures

Sci Fi Action        Spec          N/A                        Mandate Pictures

Sci Fi Adventure     Adaptation    N/A                        Permut Presentations

Sci Fi Fantasy       Adaptation    Warner Bros. Pictures      Appian Way

Sci Fi Horror        Adaptation    N/A                        Temple Hill Productions

Sci Fi Horror        Prequel       20th Century Fox           Scott Free Productions

Thriller             Adaptation    Warner Bros. Pictures      ROOM 101, Inc

Thriller             Adaptation    N/A                        Tannhauser Gate

Thriller             Pitch         N/A                        Radical Pictures

Thriller             Remake        N/A                        Summit Entertainment

Thriller             Spec          N/A                        Oxymoron Entertainment

Thriller             Adaptation    N/A                        Inferno Distribution

Thriller             Adaptation    N/A                        Do-Over Productions

Thriller Dark        Spec          N/A                        Alcon Entertainment

Thriller Dark        Remake        Sony Pictures              N/A

Thriller Spy         Adaptation    N/A                        Working Title Films

Thriller Spy         Adaptation    Universal Pictures         Imagine Entertainment

Western              Adaptation    N/A                        Panther Entertainment

Keep Writing!

Check out my latest script

On my script page you will find the first Act, more or less, of my latest screenplay: CARDINAL SIN. Please take it for a test drive, give it a spin, let me know how she handles.

Keep Writing!

Interviews Worth Watching

Stumbled upon a pretty cool website – FilmNut on thestream.tv – interviews with the movers and shakers of all aspects of film making. Check it out here: http://www.thestream.tv/series.php?s=3

One of my favorite interviews — Oscar Winning Co-Writer of “Crash” Bob Moresco
Check it out here: http://www.thestream.tv/watch.php?v=302

Let me know what you think, and

Keep Writing!

Evolution of a Screenwriter

Do you remember when you first decided to become a screenwriter? I can. I saw Birth of a Nation during its first release back in….

No, not really… I’m old, but NOT that old! No, I first fell for screenwriting when I took an Introduction to Screenwriting class at the local community college back in ‘02. 2002, not 1902.

I had a passion for writing fiction – even had some short stories published – and I had taken all of the fiction writing classes at Wake Tech and the only writing class available was, tada! Introduction to Screenwriting. The goal of the class was to complete an Act I first draft and the rest, as they say, is history.

From there it was just a matter of consuming every screenwriting book I could find, read tons of screenplays, etc. My writing philosophy was strictly Sid Field – three act structure, plot points, mid-points by the numbers, by the page, ad nauseam. Slowly I discovered other screenwriting gurus: Mckee’s Story – devoured that book several times; ran across Jeff Schechter’s Four Act Structure; Hal Ackerman’s Write Screenplays That Sell: The Ackerman Way; Inside Story by Dara Marks – loved it. And last, but not least, Unk over at The Unknown Screenwriter. You get the idea….

No longer am I an old school three act kind of guy. Now I plan my screenplay as Four Acts:

  • ACT I: (Orphan, Loner, Disunity) – The protagonist finds herself in a new situation that leaves her alone, orphaned — sometimes physically, sometimes psychologically—and surrounded by chaos/disunity.
  • ACT II: (Wanderer, Explorer, Deconstruction) – The protagonist wanders / explores / deconstructs her new world learning the rules of this new world from mentors, friends and, yes, even her enemies.
  • ACT III: (Warrior, Activist, Reconstruction) – The protagonist now knows how to fight the opposition, becomes more active in trying to reconstruct her world.
  • ACT IV: (Martyr, Death, Unity) – The protagonist dies – metaphorically – she has martyred her old self in order to bring unity back to her world and in the process – hopefully – is reborn a better person.

When the first draft is complete I print out my screenplay in ten (10) page sequences, then edit/rewrite each sequence with the intention of ending each sequence with a cliff hanger and/or transition into the next sequence.

Put the whole thing back together and make another pass concentrating on character, action description, and plot. Now I should have a screenplay I won’t be embarrassed to show to other screenwriting friends and/or send out to story analysts.

This is where I am today – in the months ahead I may be somewhere else, hopefully as a better writer. Let me know how you do it – we can all learn from one another.

Keep Writing!

Question on Spec Script Sales

I’m in a dilemma. In a pickle. In between a hard place and a harder place. And you, my loyal reader, can help.

Here’s the deal. Each month I post script sales here on ye ol’ blog and I am not ashamed to inform you that I get my data from Done Deal Pro. Their details on script sales are – well, shall we say – not very consistent. Anyway, here’s my dilemma – pickle – hard place: If a writer/director makes a sale and the source of the material is not identified as an adaptation, assignment, true story, or a pitch… can I safely assume that the screenplay is a spec? I mean, after all, it is original material and as original material can it be declared a spec?

Let me know what you think because if I am wrong, my stats on script types – adaptation, assignment, pitch, remake, etc. – are skewed. Tell me what you think.

Keep Writing!

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