Seven6 Productions, LLC

I went to a table reading session last Wednesday. There were about 10 people there, no one who actually sold a screenplay to Hollywood - at least I don’t think so - that would have been a nice brain to pick. We read each others script pages and critiqued them. The comments were constructive for me and I took what I felt I could use and discarded the rest. That’s how it should be - you are the writer and you should write “your way”. There is no exact format to follow - nothing written in stone. If you took a look at many scripts that were huge hit movies - you would see format sometimes flies out the window. If the concept and idea is good - it’s good no matter if you capitalize the wrong words or have too many … dot, dot, dots or even exclamation points!  I will try to write correctly though - it’s the perfectionism in me.

I’m trying to make every table reading and bring current things I’m writing (nothing earth shattering). One thing I did notice is that when the screenplays are read - many people cannot grasp them. I’m wondering if that is common … or maybe … the intense concentration of trying make sure your read your character has anything to do with it. It’s a question I’d like to find the answer to because many people just didn’t grasp the ideas presented. I know that I was more interested in making sure I didn’t flubb my character than actually listening to the screenplay.

That’s all for now …

I will sell a screenplay to Hollywood!!!

Being involved in a writing/film group really does get your writing juices flowing. Since I’ve been involved, I’ve written and finished several shorts. Plus, I wrote another 15 pages of my feature script. And I’m seeing ideas everywhere. Although everyone has ideas, getting them written and finished that is the trick. I suggest anyone interested in screenwriting who is stuck or fairly new to the medium, seek out a writer/film group.

Finished:

Heat Lightening - Short

The List - Short

Dryer Conversations - Short

Heads-Up - Short

I’ve got a couple more shorts in the works. Most of the finished ones are on the order of Twilight Zone - not sci-fi - but strange happenings.

Until next time …

I wrote a six page short recently about a man playing headsup Texas Holdem poker and his life depends on winning. I have it up on Inktip.com. No takers yet. I’m thinking its because it needs to be animated. The character near the end is pretty impossible to create in real life - making it look real - without a lot of expense involved. So, the reason for animation. I’m looking for someone who can do flash or CGI in the “comic book hero” style. The short is somewhat dark in nature so that type of animation will lend itself well. I think it could really be a good short film. Keeping fingers crossed on this one.

My mind is whirling with ideas. There was a challenge put out by the PIFMG for a 3 minute short. Lots of ideas came to my head and I’ve got several going. One in particular is finished and I really like it. Its about marriage, cheating, murder! all in three minutes. LOL

I went to the PIFMG meeting on the 17th - the goup was small and we really didn’t talk about much. Amanda Melby was there from IFP and ScreenWars. Her talk was interesting. She was promoting her group, ScreenWars, and the Phoenix Film Festival. I think I’ll be attending the festival. It’s really very inexpensive with after parties, etc. 

I started the Phoenix Screenwriters Connection on Meetup.com. We have quite a few members and lots of interest in screenwriting. It is the best way I can think of to get in contact with other writers. We’ll be having a meeting of this group on April 14, 2007. Tomorrow is the Table Readings in Mesa and I’ll try to get there.

Still need to work on my feature film screenplays, but finishing a short was is very satisfying. 

We went to the Arizona Screenwriters Association monthly meeting. The place where it is held is kind of a maze. I almost gave up and went home. But we walked around the building one more time. Although the group this month was small - it was a really good evening. We did 4 table reads of scene challenges. Out of the 4 - 2 I got, 2 I didn’t. I enjoyed hearing the scenes read aloud. The writing sounds very different read aloud. We also found out about a web site that lets screenwriters list their work. They charge a fee for long screenplays - and shorts are free to list. The site is called: InkTip - http://www.inktip.com 

Tonight, I want to go to the table reading group in Mesa. 

** March 1st - Thursday - I went to the A3F festival. There were 453 people in the theater to watch the Top 20 submitted films. They were are very good. The quality of filming was good as were the scripts. After we watched the Top 20 short films, we voted our favorite top 3 and they gave out awards. In the picture, you can see boxes stacked. Inside those boxes were cakes! One restaurant sponsor gave the tops 20 filmmakers cakes. It was a fun, interesting evening.

** March 3 - Saturday - I went to a Screenwriting seminar at the Peoria Film Festival. Prof. Richard Walter from UCLA film school was the speaker. He was excellent and personable. He will be a great contact for submitting my screenplays. I purchased his book and had him sign it for me. He also has a seminar (day long) in CA in April. I want to attend it.

After the screenwriting seminar - I listened to a distribution seminar. I’m not at that point yet, but it was interesting. I then watch several short films. They were okay but really need further work. I give them all the credit in the world though for even trying.

I’m seriously thinking of starting a Screenwriters Meetup Group. There seems to be a lot of screenwriters out there. We need a group so we can urge each other on, critique our scripts, and learn from each other. There was a guy at the last Phx. Indie Group with a list to start a group, but I think I was the only person on it. He didn’t want to pay the membership fee at Meetup.com. I’ll pay the membership. That’s not a problem. I may post a message on the Phx. Indie Group and see who’s interested. We could do a combined meeting with them and possible a table reading meeting. It might work.

I’m not sure about the AZ Screenwriters table reading group. Their site seems to be lacking activity. Their forum is stagnant so I’m worried the table readings will be small too. I wrote someone at the site about the table readings and so far, no answer - it seems par for the course looking at the site. I’m thinking the group possibly was doing well for a while and has now wained in participation. I’ll check their meeting out this Monday and see what’s going on. Will post here about what I find out.

An idea popped into my head last night and I wrote a 6 page short film. It’s called “Headsup”. I think it would be a funny little short film. I may have problems with costuming and may do it in animation. I’d like some others to read it and get their opinion.

Last night I re-read two of my screenplays that have been sitting on the shelf for a few months. Amazingly, they still read pretty fresh. There is a group, Arizona Screenwriters, that does “script readings” of 10 pages of your screenplay and critiques them. They take the parts and read aloud so that you can hear how your screenplay actually sounds live. I think I want to do that. They meet every Wednesday night in Mesa. That link is - http://arizonascreenwriters.org/