Saturday, December 31, 2011

So Long... 2011

On the eve of a new year awakening I thought about 2011.
I wasn't all that I expected or planned, but it was a productive and prosperous year.
I kept an attitude of prosperity, gratefulness and love in all my ventures. It's surprising simple. Opportunities walk into my life that I couldn't have predicted.
I'm finishing up a adaptation of a novel to screenplay. We have a production company waiting to read the script. Whoohoo.
I am negotiating another screenplay that has two other production companies interested in the story.
I made a lot of great friends working at Caffe Mela in the middle of downtown Wenatchee - my office. Great staff and great customers.
My health is returning after 13 years of struggling. I celebrated an anniversary from my surgery. I feel great.
I have nothing but positive, productive, prosperous expectations for 2012.
It's going to be a magical year. I can't wait.
Wishing you all a wonderful New Year.
Namaste Speedo

Saturday, December 10, 2011

The Draft

I've been adapting a novel to screenplay form since August. I hold a Letter of Intent from a major production studio waiting to read my script.
This is my first adaptation. I have to say it has presented more than a few challenges. I have pulled every trick from my writer's tools bag I can muster... relying heavily on Blake Snyder's Save the Cat.
This week I finish my first rough, rough draft from fade in to fade out...
My process:
1. Go through the storyline to tighten it. I am about a quarter of the way through my first pass. It is tight, but I can make it tighter.
2.  Add emotional/action scenes to complement the story. The tighter the storyline the more I can devote to emotional character arches.
3. Add theme, subtext to every scene in order to hook the reader.
4. Include dialogue directly from the novel... tweaking to heighten flavor of the characters.
Next, return to #1
It's hard to express the excitement I have for this project.
I have been half-heartedly writing spec-screenplays for 20 years. I am finally learning my craft...
The key is to plough through, continue to learn, write, have passion for your craft and enjoy to process.
Your Movie - Your Life
Namaste Speedo