Hope you had a great Labor Day Weekend. Three days off from work — way not enough time off 
Spent most of Labor Day revising another script and coming up with a new title. Titles, I am finding out, are important when sending your material out to be read. The title has to grab your reader. Make them WANT to read your logline, then read your script. To illustrate my point I will share with you how I have changed my titles.
TURNABOUT is a thriller in the vein of Day of the Jackal. But, the title kind’a just sits there. Now TURNABOUT is BOOMSLANG. What’s a Boomslang? Ask for the script and find out.
Another example, another thriller. METAMORPHOSIS is in the vein of Falling Down. How an average guy turns into a lethal killer. Again, the title is not very interesting. Now METAMORPHOSIS is titled: SCORPIO CRUISE.
How do you handle your titles? Do they describe your story? Are they mysterious? Do they evoke curiosity? Let me know. Titles are important.
Keep Writing!
September 8th, 2009 in
screenwriting | tags:
titles |
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It’s 11:35 AM on a Sunday morning and I have just finished rewriting my latest spec, CARDINAL SIN. And I gotta tell ya, I could sit here all day and write.
I’m at my local Panera Bread – got here when they opened at 07:30 AM – in my favorite booth. Seems writing away from home works better for me. Can’t say why for sure. Too many distractions. Too many interruptions. But somehow – when I’m here – I’m in ‘The Zone’.
Where do you write? Why do you write where you do? Are you productive?
And with tomorrow being a holiday – five more hours of uninterrupted writing time. Tomorrow I will start another rewrite. This time on my spec, QUMRAN, now titled THE TOMBS OF QUMRAN. More on that later.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend and,
Keep Writing!
September 6th, 2009 in
screenwriting |
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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!
September 2nd, 2009 in
Uncategorized |
No Comments
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!
