February 2011 - The Story Department

Best o/t Web 27 Feb

February 27, 2011 by Adrian Kok

Story & Structure :: A unique angle to a genre :: The leadership of The King’s Speech :: Romcom truisms Script Perfection :: Standing on the shoulders of giants Pitching & Selling :: What you need to know about agents :: Pilot writing advice :: What do you send? Best of the Rest :: The day the movies died :: The Nicolas Cage film … Read more

The Power of Next

December 7, 2020February 26, 2011 by Karel FG Segers

‘Being in the moment’ may be a way to keep your mental sanity; it is not where you want your audience to be during the film. If they start enjoying the music or image, fair chance they’re out of the story. In cinema there’s no place for zen. The Dept Revisited – A rerun of … Read more

The Judges: Week 7

February 24, 2011 by Adrian Kok

In 2011, each week 10 judges will review two short synopses from films that are currently in development. The objective is to all (that includes us judges) learn from the exercise. Please comment on our comments! photo credit: swanksalot If you have an opinion on any of these synopses or the feedback from the judges, … Read more

Video: William Goldman

February 23, 2011 by Karel FG Segers

Last week Jack Brislee made reference to William Goldman breaking the rules.
Today we have the legend himself talking about the result of his rules smashing: $400,000, or a record fee for a single screenplay. That was forty-two years ago.

Goldman famously said “Nobody Knows Anything” and although there is some truth in this, it is not immediately the most helpful advice to any budding screenwriters. He succeeded in breaking the rules but every day a large proportion of failures can be explained because of exactly that.

Ultimately it is your call. See what you do with it.

With thanks to Louise Lee Mei and Adrian Kok.

Karel FG Segers

Karel Segers wrote his first produced screenplay at age 17. Today he is a story analyst with experience in acquisition, development and production. He has trained students worldwide, and worked with half a dozen Academy Award nominees. Karel speaks more European languages than he has fingers on his left hand, which he is still trying to find a use for in his hometown of Sydney, Australia. The languages, not the fingers.

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Making Our Stories More Original.

February 22, 2011 by Steven Fernandez

I have protested that Australian films are often atrocious from a story point of view. And have, at times, received venomous looks for breaking ranks with the local tribal myth that these films are artistically ‘special’, or have some ‘unique voice’. by Steven Fernandez It’s about time we admit that local screenwriters need to lift … Read more

Last week Jack Brislee made reference to William Goldman breaking the rules. Today we have the legend himself talking about the result of his rules smashing: $400,000, or a record fee for a single screenplay. That was forty-two years ago.

Last week Jack Brislee made reference to William Goldman breaking the rules.
Today we have the legend himself talking about the result of his rules smashing: $400,000, or a record fee for a single screenplay. That was forty-two years ago.