READING About WRITING

Typically I avoid books with the phrase "101 common..." or "101 things that..." or "101 ways to...", you get the picture. I even avoid tomes with the word "dummy" in the title---not because I'm NOT a complete idiot at times, but I guess that I'm not into negative reinforcement (every time I see the cover...well, I'm a dummy).

But then, I saw this one and read the reviews. As an inexperienced screenwriter (I qualify for "dummy" status), I could definitely use at least 100 tips, and maybe even 1 more of things to avoid. I ordered How Not to Write a Screenplay: 101 Common Mistakes Most Screenwriters Make, by Denny Martin Flinn.  Guess what? You guessed it---I made and was making many of those dreaded 101 mistakes.

I like what Flinn states. He doesn't promise a magic pill that you can swallow and then write incredible screenplays, instead he makes the pledge that if you follow his plan ""you may not write a particularly good screenplay, but you won't write a bad one."

One of the more helpful pitfalls he ADAMANTLY cautions against, is the desire to be an armchair director. That is, resist the temptation to be both screenwriter AND director, by dictating camera angles, camera motions, and even acting styles (through parentheticals).

He has a very helpful section using real Hollywood scripts, and illustrating best and worst practices. It is an easy, fun read, packed with just over 100 things to look out for. I'm sure if he read my scripts, he could write a revised edition called 256 Common Mistakes Randy McWilson Made.

To order this book on Amazon, CLICK HERE.

For more about the author Denny Martin Flinn, CLICK HERE.

Denny Martin Flinn's IMDB page CLICK HERE

A SEED IS CULTIVATED...

I have let the idea for a movie about time travel sort of simmer (and maybe fester) on the back burner for the last few weeks. I'm starting to get into some overall outer and inner conflicts, and some ideas to add some complexity to the concept. I don't like sci-fi or supernatural-type thrillers that avoid giving a scientific foundation for their anomalies--I like to make events more credible, therefore better buy-in by the audience.

A more plausible scenario leads to a deeper immersion in the plot.

I've been kicking around the title: Getting Back to Normal. 
For whatever unconscious reason, I feel drawn to the town of Normal, Illinois for the story. This leads to several meanings and interpretations for the title.

Why did the main character jump back in time? And why to this one particular small town? What is the mechanism....natural or artificial? Both? There are others? Why? When? Who?

Good questions all. Pondering time, she comes.

Here is a photo of my first page of hand-written notes for this possible project:

A SEED IS BORN

Being cooped up in a car for six hours with a good friend can lead to some interesting discussions. This past week, Ron Pokracki and I headed deep within the Bootheel for a medical video interview with a patient for a local physicians group. Our in-car conversation turned to movie scripts and screenwriting. We talked about my recently complete feature length screenplays (The Date Coach, and The Linda J. Bates Affair) and Ron dropped a bomb:

"I had a dream that I think might make a good movie plot."

Well, how can you turn that down? I teased it out of him (of course, that is a joke, for those who know Ronald A. Pokracki, no conversation must be teased). He said that he dreamed about a guy, in our modern time, who basically goes to sleep and wakes up the late 1940's, and is discovered by a cop...confused and out of place. We had plenty of time to kill, and I was intrigued by the seed of an idea.

Over the remaining two hours down, and most of the three hours back, I mulled this over, and we discussed the merits and possible angles, conflict, and characters of this movie. I got home, and a few days later put some pen to paper to try and really flesh out a good overview/treatment of the concept. I hope to spend more time developing this movie idea, I have always been fascinated by story lines that involve time travel.

More to come...hopefully.