Feature Screenplay | The Athletic Nerd

Re-Reading Your Screenwriting Books

November 29th, 2010 | Posted by jasonmckinnon in Screenwriting - (0 Comments)

One of my favorite books on screenwriting is How Not to Write a Screenplay: 101 Common Mistakes Most Screenwriters Make.

I’ve read it at least once or twice a year since the day I unwrapped it for Christmas long ago.

Click here for my review.

Since I finished my last feature screenplay, I’ve been working a ton on my new script. I love the early development stage. Working with a clean slate and having the freedom to try different things is incredibly inspiring.

It’s also a chance to get ahead on my research and really get to know the characters I’m creating and the world in which they live.

The other day, I was in my office writing some notes and about to head to work when I glanced at my book shelf.

It’s absolutely full of screenwriting books. One in particular jumped out at me:

Real Screenwriting: Strategies and Stories from the Trenches

It’s one of the few books I’ve only read once and I decided it was time to go back and read about the craft I love. Every day I read 10 pages or so on my way to work (it’s a short commute) and I’m now addicted to screenwriting books again.

I’ve since decided to go back and read a few more. It’s a great way for an aspiring screenwriter to stay sharp especially when a story is still young and fragile.

What are your favorite screenwriting books?

Click here to check out my top 10 books on screenwriting.

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Screenwriters: Do You Have An Agent Yet?

November 25th, 2010 | Posted by jasonmckinnon in Screenwriting - (0 Comments)

Why don’t I have an agent yet?

This is a question that plagues many if not all aspiring screenwriters out there. There are some who choose to find success without the help of a literary agent but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have someone else in your corner.

I do not have an agent. I’ve never received any offers nor have I been asked to send any material… anywhere.

I suppose there are some who wouldn’t admit to that on a screenwriting blog but I’m an aspiring screenwriter. Aspiring is the operative word.

Why don’t I have an agent yet?

Truthfully, I’ve never tried to seek one out.

Before I continue, let me say that I don’t think I would definitely have one if I tried. How arrogant would that sound? I have absolutely no idea what’s out there for me because I haven’t even started to look. I’m not even entirely sure I know where to look.

The reason?

I don’t think I’m there yet. For years, I’ve been working on shorter projects for 17 West Productions. Hopefully, our next few films will truly showcase what I believe we are capable of. Through all my directing and editing challenges I’ve always wondered if I have what it takes.

However, you can’t attract an agent with only one feature screenplay and a host of shorts at your disposal can you?. I’ve written others of course but there are only a few I would consider ‘my best stuff’.

It’s time to change that.

This is a difficult thing for a writer to admit to. Why not try and send things out and see what happens? It’s a valid point but I want to truly impress when I do decide to put myself out there. To date, I’ve only entered one screenplay competition and came 4th out of more than 1200 entries. Ironically, that script happens to be The Climb. A short film currently in post production in what will probably be my final directorial effort. I’ve retired as a director for one main reason:

I want to be a screenwriter.

It’s time I write bigger and better stuff and see what I’m made of.

I finished a new feature screenplay last week. One of the central themes of the story is doing what makes you happy.

Screenwriting makes me happy.

Getting an agent would really make me happy but to me it’s all about the blank page.

I can’t do that without some killer material to match the dedication I have to this craft.

Maybe I’m setting myself up for a shock when the time comes. Perhaps I don’t have what it takes. I’m not naive. It’s a very real possibility and I’m prepared for that as well.

But I’m also scared, self conscious, alone and uncertain of where this journey will take me.

Maybe it’s that fear that caused me to delay this decision?

I suppose I’ll cross that bridge when the time comes. The beauty of working towards a goal you believe in is how much effort you are willing to put in to achieve it. No matter what set backs come your way you can always go back to the drawing board and improve.

You can always become a better screenwriter.

My new feature script is ambitious. It’s something I’ve never even dreamed of attempting. It represents a challenge I’m prepared to face because I believe it will be my best work to date.

I don’t have an agent yet. It’s time I start putting myself out there. Screenwriters have to put themselves out there to get noticed. It’s time I joined the team.

But first… That pesky blank page must be addressed.

I want to be a screenwriter.

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Rushing To Finish Your Screenplay

November 8th, 2010 | Posted by jasonmckinnon in Screenwriting - (4 Comments)

I’m almost finished.

After months (or years in the case of my latest screenplay) of work, I’m finally almost finished.

My little side project has gone through quite the development process over the last little while. I’ve seen each page evolve as I have as a screenwriter.

I think when I look back 10 years from now, I will look back at this script as a turning point in my screenwriting career.

Why?

Mainly because I promised myself once and for all that I wouldn’t start another feature script until I completed this story.

Now I can see the finish line. I know where I’m going with the story and the scenes are laid out in front of me. The characters are working and the emotions are there.

You can imagine how excited I am to finish it. I’ve been filled with an overwhelming sense of anticipation all week.

Yet this morning I had to take a step back.

I didn’t want the finish line to blur the pages I have to write before I get there. They have to be great.

So with 15-20 pages to go, I took the morning off from writing new pages and went back to page one.

I wanted to go over every single detail and make sure I was ready to finish my story properly.

It was a fantastic decision as I wound up eliminating 2 scenes and an entire character. I’ll miss the material I created but the story is better for it.

The process actually inspired a new scene in the second act that may or may not be my favorite of the entire script.

It wouldn’t be possible if I rushed through the final pages simply to get it done. That’s not enough.

You can’t take short cuts.

There’s nothing better than finishing a screenplay but it means nothing if you feel like you didn’t dedicate yourself completely to every single page.

Sometimes, the lure of the finish line can cause you to miss the little details and revelations that make a script great.

Don’t fall victim to this trap.

Tomorrow, I’ll know that I’m 100% ready to reach the end.

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Era 7: A Screenwriter Evolves

September 1st, 2010 | Posted by jasonmckinnon in Screenwriting - (0 Comments)

September 1st.

My personal screenwriting year end.

It’s an extremely important date on my calendar because it gives me a chance to reflect on what I’ve accomplished and set some goals for the new year.

This will be the seventh anniversary of this holiday and I consider it a new era.

Era 7 has begun.

It sounds strange to number each era but I feel like each year should be a leap forward.

New year. New goals.

It’s time to evolve.

Like every September 1st, I go back and review literally everything I’ve written as well as everything I didn’t. This year is especially important because I really didn’t write that much. I spent a lot of the last year and a half being a director with Playing Through completed and The Climb in post.

Sadly, directing those films in addition to my career left me with little to no time to write.

Until a few months ago when we wrapped The Climb.

I suddenly realized I had regained my free time. Screenwriting had returned and with it, a new focus.

Era 7 is going to be my most productive to date. You can only truly call yourself a writer if you shut up, sit down and write screenplays.

Before I get to next year, it was time to reflect on the previous 12 months.

Like I said, I didn’t write much but that doesn’t mean I wrote nothing at all. I finished a number of short film scripts and put a serious dent into my latest feature script. I also went back and rewrote some old scripts to get them ready for potential competitions.

It’s been a while since I entered a screenwriting competition and it’s time to put myself out there again.

I’ve spent the last few weeks finishing up old projects and I started writing a series of shorts I’m thinking could work well as a web series.

Now it’s time to focus more on my feature screenplays. I haven’t finished one in a while and it’s time I fixed that problem.

Era 7 will be the year of the feature screenplay. I couldn’t be more excited.

I’ve got 3 stories I’m planning on writing this year and I’ve never been more committed to creating entertaining scripts.

My goal for Era 8 is to be able to look back on my accomplishments and be proud of the work I’ve done this coming year.

There’s a lot to do but I feel like I’m a screenwriter again.

When it comes to being passionate about something, it doesn’t get any better than screenwriting for me.

Bring on Era 7.

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Screenwriting, eBooks, Final Cut, Photoshop & Super Mario Galaxy 2

What do Screenwriting, eBooks, Final Cut, Photoshop & Super Mario Galaxy 2 have in common?

That’s how I spent my afternoons over the last few weeks.

It seems like a lot and it got me thinking:

Is it better to split my time and work on multiple projects or focus only on one?

Where do you stand?

Each morning, I wake up more and more determined to reach the ambitious goals I’ve set for myself. Every day before work I have about 4 hours or so to work on various projects and I like to think I’ve been productive.

Personally, I like having different types of projects on the go. I like the variety. I still focus and prioritize but it’s nice to take a break and work on something else too.

For example:

I’m still hammering away at my latest feature screenplay. It’s been getting in the way of some exciting new ideas for far too long and it’s time to finish the story.

I don’t mean to suggest that I just want to get it over with. I simply operate under the theory that you shouldn’t start a new project before you finish the old one.

Before you accuse me of being a hypocrite rest assured I only have one feature screenplay in the scripting stage. I can’t bring myself to start a new one without wrapping this one up.

I can’t wait to print it out.

The idea has been in my head for nearly 5 years now and I’m extremely happy it’s almost done.

So what are these other projects?

I’ve been working on a top secret eBook that consists of 32 chapters and a February-March target to release.

Can I pull off one chapter a week? Do the math. Probably not but I’m definitely going to try.

There is still a lot of work to be done to meet that deadline. This week, I finally moved passed the intro and broke some ground on the first few chapters. A lot of it will come together quickly as I’ve already finished the design and overall style of each page. It’s just a matter of filling in the details.

Next up on the daily to-do list involves 17 West’s latest short film, Final Cut Pro and me!

It’s been over two months since we wrapped shooting on The Climb and editing is well under way. It’s an exciting project because for the first time I’ll be handling most of the post production process myself.

Hopefully it turns out.

Forgive the pun but editing is a nice change of pace in my daily routine. Even though my television career revolves around editing, it’s still nice to slow things down and cut a film instead of faster paced sports highlights.

Next…

I love Photoshop!

It’s a great way to let your brain relax while still being creative. While I love messing around with the program, I also had a few assignments to finish. First on my list is a poster for The Climb as well as a top secret web series I’ve been developing for a while now.

I like to design posters for screenplays I’m working on. It’s a good way to really hammer out a tone for the film.

It also gives me a chance to think about the story before writing begins. I firmly believe that Photoshop as a hobby has helped my writing immensely.

Lets go back to that web series…

Final Draft makes a second appearance in my daily routine as somehow, I managed to write the first two chapters of a new horror story I’m calling AFTER.

I’m having a blast with the new characters and setting up cliffhangers between each chapter.

I’ve always wanted to write a series of short scripts to see how I can pace the different episodes and develop characters over time. It’s a pretty exciting experiment.

I’ll have more on that series soon.

What else?

I also make time to eat, watch movies and play the odd video game.

Currently, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is dominating my spare time. I can’t get enough of that game. It’s incredible.

I think it’s vital to give your brain a rest every once in a while. It’s a tough lesson I learned long ago after I burnt myself out one too many times.

Sports. Video games. Outdoors. Trips.

General life type stuff should never come second.

The Important Question

The beauty of this routine is that my deadlines are self imposed so I really can take my time with each. I love working on these projects. (I haven’t even mentioned working on this blog!)

It’s important to keep an eye on the finish line and find a good balance so you are constantly making progress.

But I still wonder if it would be better to drop everything and focus on one project.

Do you focus on one project or pick away at a few?

Personally, I think it depends on the person.

I like to switch things up to keep my mind working. So far, the system has worked pretty well.

We will find out soon enough if this momentum I’ve generated pays off!

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Re-Reading Your Screenwriting Books

What are your favorite screenwriting books?

Screenwriters: Do You Have An Agent Yet?

Why don’t I have an agent yet?

The reason?

It’s time to change that.

Screenwriting makes me happy.

Maybe it’s that fear that caused me to delay this decision?

You can always become a better screenwriter.

But first… That pesky blank page must be addressed.

Rushing To Finish Your Screenplay

You can’t take short cuts.

Era 7: A Screenwriter Evolves

September 1st.

Era 7 has begun.

It’s time to evolve.

Screenwriting, eBooks, Final Cut, Photoshop & Super Mario Galaxy 2

Is it better to split my time and work on multiple projects or focus only on one?

Where do you stand?

So what are these other projects?

What else?

The Important Question

Do you focus on one project or pick away at a few?

The Latest:

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