by Trevor Mayes | Nov 20, 2009 | Style |
Some Definitions A spec script is a screenplay that’s written “on speculation.” That is, you, the screenwriter, write the script without any development contract or promise of payment in place, in the hopes of getting it optioned, sold, or gaining...
by Trevor Mayes | Nov 19, 2009 | My Experiences |
Recap A couple of weeks ago I wrote an article about my experience in the first round of the Creative Screenwriting Cyberspace Open writing tournament. After spending a weekend crafting a decent five page scene, I had made it to the quarterfinals. Round Two I was...
by Trevor Mayes | Nov 19, 2009 | Industry Advice, Loglines |
The Logline or “One Liner” Blake Snyder used to refer to loglines as “the coin of the realm” in Hollywood. Having a great logline is extremely important — both for pitching your script, and for making sure your story is focused and...
by Trevor Mayes | Nov 17, 2009 | Clichés, Links |
Great article today at The Bitter Scriptreader about the ol’ dream cliché: Take note, writers. There are few things you could do that convince me more of your hackitude than having a cop-out ending where everything is revealed as “just a dream.” From...
by Trevor Mayes | Nov 17, 2009 | Humor, Scenes, Style |
There’s a real joy that comes with learning an inside trick of the trade. In film school, one of the first such screenwriting secrets I remember learning was that funny things are made ten times funnier by showing reactions to them — reaction shots1. Show...
