Monday, May 31, 2010
Clint Eastwood's 80th birthday today
Happy birthday to a wonderful, actor and director. Happy 80th to Mr. Clint Eastwood!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
KEVIN SPACEY ON UNSOLICITED MATERIAL
There comes a point where [a successful actor] can't accept unsolicited material. You're told, "You're going to get sued" if you open up that brown package that arrives at the office that may have a great screenplay in it.
This [now] true of almost every [Hollywood player]: No major agency, no production company, no studio accepts unsolicited material. This is why movies like My Big Fat Greek Wedding take forever to get produced. Nobody wants to do it. [But] it would take just one person saying, "You know, I really believe in that idea" [for the project to be a success].
So I was frustrated over the years at the cutting off of a pipeline that, quite frankly, has been the basis of my career. The best material I've found is stuff that got chucked over the wall -- people who didn't have an agent, first-time, second-time filmmakers who went on to prove themselves later. I was really frustrated by the fact that I had to cut off this avenue that I think everyone in the film industry should be interested in.
This [now] true of almost every [Hollywood player]: No major agency, no production company, no studio accepts unsolicited material. This is why movies like My Big Fat Greek Wedding take forever to get produced. Nobody wants to do it. [But] it would take just one person saying, "You know, I really believe in that idea" [for the project to be a success].
So I was frustrated over the years at the cutting off of a pipeline that, quite frankly, has been the basis of my career. The best material I've found is stuff that got chucked over the wall -- people who didn't have an agent, first-time, second-time filmmakers who went on to prove themselves later. I was really frustrated by the fact that I had to cut off this avenue that I think everyone in the film industry should be interested in.
A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE STUDIOS SUBMISSION POLICY WITH THE ASSISTANT OF A DIRECTOR/PRODUCER
Here’s a recent email conversation I’ve had with an assistant working for film production company, as you’ll see this one lets slip some surprising revelations on the « unsolicited material policy » of some studios production companies and agencies and uncomfortable with my questions starts contradicting herself...
This is how it all began:
I caught this strange film on tv last week, actually the film wasn’t remarkable at all, in fact, it was boring for my tastes, but there was animation and I thought I had to contact the guy who had made it, since a friend and I recently wrote an animation screenplay.
So as most screenwriters do, I queried the DIRECTOR/PRODUCER about the script and sent him an email as I was watching the animated sequences of his film. His ASSISTANT replied to my query a few hours later.
First message the « traditional « query letter sent out to the production company:
Dear Director
I’m currently seeking a production company for my screenplay…etc…
Reply from his assistant a few hours later:
Hi Jordan,
For legal and clerical reasons we do not accept submissions at our office. Everything must go through the director’s agent at CAA. Thanks.
Best,
assistant to director
My reply a few hours later too:
Believe it or not I have heard this reply quite a few times before.
Is (his agent) accepting screenplays submissions, or is she going to retort the unsolicited material thing?
Best regards, Jordan.
Her reply a few hours later:
= Unless you submit through an agent, it's likely you'll get that response.
My question a few hours later:
Thank you for your courteous reply.
I have a blog and I'm currently debating whether the "no unsolicited material" thing is a discriminatory policy or not.
As a reminder:
Discrimination definition:
Discrimination is a sociological term referring to the treatment taken toward or against a person of a certain group in consideration based solely on class or category. Discrimination is the actual behavior towards another group. It involves excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to other groups.
If we consider that unagented writers are a category, and most often a (social) class, (most the agented writers already know someone in the film industry) isn't this policy a discriminatory policy excluding this class?
I would be happy to get your reply on this and maybe publish it, (I will remove your name and the name of your company naturally)
thank you.
Jordan.
Her reply to this:
It is indeed unfortunate that it's so hard to get something in front of an agent. But in this office's case, we're not being discriminatory because we do not accept any submissions at all, period. The director and I are the only employees at (their production company), so it would be impossible to read submissions based on time restrictions alone. Also, since he's a writer and director, he is always concentrating on getting his own projects off the ground rather than seek out new ones. And thirdly, there are people out there who will submit something, then claim their idea was 'stolen' and threaten legal action against (their production company). For those reasons we have a firm 'no submissions accepted' policy. Hope that makes sense.
Best,
JORDAN TATE NOTES:
As you see there are a lot of well known excuses in this, I bet you probably heard of this quite a few times before too! For the moment, this person still does not know if I have an agent or an attorney to represent my work, but to tell you the truth I’m not interested in working with this kind of people. People beginning their messages with « for legal reasons », as I’m speaking about a screenplay sound a little too paranoiac for me! Sorry!
Plus, the messages from this company denote a terrible lack of intelligence which I really don’t need to develop my work. I need creative people, true artists, not robots delivering the legal terms they even don‘t understand themselves!
Also, since I never believe everything people tell me without a little research… I googled this company…And found out that the guy actually works on 2 movies written by other writers than himself, moreover, I found out that this company employs around 15 people, including readers (they call it interns)! So obviously they receive screenplays! Moreover, someone i know worked for them as an unpaid intern and part of his duties included reading screenplays sent by the agent to their office.
But of course…They are different, they are not being discriminatory at all! (lol)
My questions a few hours later:
Dear assistant,
In your previous messages you told me your company accepts screenplays submissions through an agent at CAA (as a reminder: Everything must go through 's agent at CAA, . Thanks.)
And now you retort your company does not accept any submissions at all? Does this mean you won’t accept my attorney to submit the script on my behalf? I’m confused…
You also retort that the director and you are the only employees at (the company) as one website actually lists your company as having between 11-50 employees.(including some people I know)
You tell me the director concentrates on his own projects... (heard this excuse quite a few times before)
On « film number 1 » the director worked on a screenplay written by someone else: two screenwriters names
On « Film number 2 » he will work on a screenplay written by screenwriter 3.
And thirdly, (I have heard this one quite often too) you are « apparently » afraid of people submitting something, then claiming you stole their ideas???
This is one of my blog threads actually, because I'm truly surprised to hear that big studios and production companies, (I think you are affiliated with Warner independent) represented by firms like CAA, and several lawyers, (moreover, studios and companies who can afford to pay the best lawyers in Los Angeles), are afraid of a few young starving writers, who can’t afford to pay a lawyer to sue the "alleged" stealer, and won’t be able to afford a trial.
Moreover, ideas can be found anywhere, especially when you use the internet, I don’t think production companies employees have stopped watching videos on you tube for instance…I don‘t think they close their eyes when they see street advertising, I don‘t think they‘ve stopped reading books or articles on the web?
So no, actually it does not make sense at all, I’m confused, to me it looks like some kind of « filter » to exclude the newcomers, and I’m not the only one thinking this way.
Thank you for your replies anyway, I realize you are an assistant and you were told to answer this back. I only hope that my questions will help you reflect on your company policy.
Jordan.
Her reply a few hours later;
=
= Hi Jordan,
Yes, we do accept screenplays from the director's agent, but not from anyone else. That's why I suggested you contact CAA. As you probably know, the director does occasionally direct films he did not write or adapt (like film 1, Film 2, etc.). He trusts his agent to only send things to him that might be a good fit. No, I will not accept your attorney's submissions but CAA might. Sorry.
I don't know what website you're looking at, but our company does indeed only have 2 employees (not including our three unpaid interns). If you're ever in Austin, TX swing by our double-wide trailer on the Austin Studios lot. This is what we work out of year-round. When we are in production, yes, we take on lots of contracted employees temporarily. No one is here full-time except for me.
We are not big at all, and are not affiliated with Warner Independent. Yes, we have worked with them on a couple of our projects, but we are by no means 'affiliated' with WIP.
I am not just an assistant–I run the office as well as assist the director.
Best,
As you can see, the assistant keeps contradicting her own messages! And by the way I found her resume…here is a copy and paste:
Assistant (director) 2008
Film 1 - Staff Assistant 2006
Film 2 - Office Assistant
NO COMMENT…
As I said I’m not interested in working with dishonest people like this, I haven’t posted all the messages on this blog, but part of her last emails was conveying a true irritation about my researches on the company, she of course told me that replying to my questions about « the policy » was taking too much of her time and she had plenty of work to do and ended the conversation this way… Not surprising!
Personally, I believe that if she can take all this time to reply to my emails, she can also take some time to read scripts, even if I truly don’t think she has the necessary skills to do it…unfortunately even her director needs an agent to read screenplays for him and makes the decisions for him! (deplorable)
To be sincere, I had never heard of this director before seeing this film, and I thought it was boring to death! I only contacted him for his animation since only very few people direct animation movies.
And as I continued my researches on his company I found out that he had been sued by some of his former friends for the unauthorized use of their names and images in one of his film, representing them as stoners, and damaging their reputation.
No comment! Apparently, this dear Sir wasn’t too much concerned about legal issue at this time…I would even say the guy is pretty selective when it comes to legality.
To sum up.
Here are the deplorable excuses used by dishonest film professionals to discriminate people they don’t know:
We only accept screenplays through our agent
He’s a writer director and only work on his own projects
We are too busy right now.
For legal reasons we can not accept « unsolicited material ».
we do not take on new screenplays submissions currently.
(for agents/lawyers: we do not take on new clients at this time)
This is how it all began:
I caught this strange film on tv last week, actually the film wasn’t remarkable at all, in fact, it was boring for my tastes, but there was animation and I thought I had to contact the guy who had made it, since a friend and I recently wrote an animation screenplay.
So as most screenwriters do, I queried the DIRECTOR/PRODUCER about the script and sent him an email as I was watching the animated sequences of his film. His ASSISTANT replied to my query a few hours later.
First message the « traditional « query letter sent out to the production company:
Dear Director
I’m currently seeking a production company for my screenplay…etc…
Reply from his assistant a few hours later:
Hi Jordan,
For legal and clerical reasons we do not accept submissions at our office. Everything must go through the director’s agent at CAA. Thanks.
Best,
assistant to director
My reply a few hours later too:
Believe it or not I have heard this reply quite a few times before.
Is (his agent) accepting screenplays submissions, or is she going to retort the unsolicited material thing?
Best regards, Jordan.
Her reply a few hours later:
= Unless you submit through an agent, it's likely you'll get that response.
My question a few hours later:
Thank you for your courteous reply.
I have a blog and I'm currently debating whether the "no unsolicited material" thing is a discriminatory policy or not.
As a reminder:
Discrimination definition:
Discrimination is a sociological term referring to the treatment taken toward or against a person of a certain group in consideration based solely on class or category. Discrimination is the actual behavior towards another group. It involves excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to other groups.
If we consider that unagented writers are a category, and most often a (social) class, (most the agented writers already know someone in the film industry) isn't this policy a discriminatory policy excluding this class?
I would be happy to get your reply on this and maybe publish it, (I will remove your name and the name of your company naturally)
thank you.
Jordan.
Her reply to this:
It is indeed unfortunate that it's so hard to get something in front of an agent. But in this office's case, we're not being discriminatory because we do not accept any submissions at all, period. The director and I are the only employees at (their production company), so it would be impossible to read submissions based on time restrictions alone. Also, since he's a writer and director, he is always concentrating on getting his own projects off the ground rather than seek out new ones. And thirdly, there are people out there who will submit something, then claim their idea was 'stolen' and threaten legal action against (their production company). For those reasons we have a firm 'no submissions accepted' policy. Hope that makes sense.
Best,
JORDAN TATE NOTES:
As you see there are a lot of well known excuses in this, I bet you probably heard of this quite a few times before too! For the moment, this person still does not know if I have an agent or an attorney to represent my work, but to tell you the truth I’m not interested in working with this kind of people. People beginning their messages with « for legal reasons », as I’m speaking about a screenplay sound a little too paranoiac for me! Sorry!
Plus, the messages from this company denote a terrible lack of intelligence which I really don’t need to develop my work. I need creative people, true artists, not robots delivering the legal terms they even don‘t understand themselves!
Also, since I never believe everything people tell me without a little research… I googled this company…And found out that the guy actually works on 2 movies written by other writers than himself, moreover, I found out that this company employs around 15 people, including readers (they call it interns)! So obviously they receive screenplays! Moreover, someone i know worked for them as an unpaid intern and part of his duties included reading screenplays sent by the agent to their office.
But of course…They are different, they are not being discriminatory at all! (lol)
My questions a few hours later:
Dear assistant,
In your previous messages you told me your company accepts screenplays submissions through an agent at CAA (as a reminder: Everything must go through 's agent at CAA, . Thanks.)
And now you retort your company does not accept any submissions at all? Does this mean you won’t accept my attorney to submit the script on my behalf? I’m confused…
You also retort that the director and you are the only employees at (the company) as one website actually lists your company as having between 11-50 employees.(including some people I know)
You tell me the director concentrates on his own projects... (heard this excuse quite a few times before)
On « film number 1 » the director worked on a screenplay written by someone else: two screenwriters names
On « Film number 2 » he will work on a screenplay written by screenwriter 3.
And thirdly, (I have heard this one quite often too) you are « apparently » afraid of people submitting something, then claiming you stole their ideas???
This is one of my blog threads actually, because I'm truly surprised to hear that big studios and production companies, (I think you are affiliated with Warner independent) represented by firms like CAA, and several lawyers, (moreover, studios and companies who can afford to pay the best lawyers in Los Angeles), are afraid of a few young starving writers, who can’t afford to pay a lawyer to sue the "alleged" stealer, and won’t be able to afford a trial.
Moreover, ideas can be found anywhere, especially when you use the internet, I don’t think production companies employees have stopped watching videos on you tube for instance…I don‘t think they close their eyes when they see street advertising, I don‘t think they‘ve stopped reading books or articles on the web?
So no, actually it does not make sense at all, I’m confused, to me it looks like some kind of « filter » to exclude the newcomers, and I’m not the only one thinking this way.
Thank you for your replies anyway, I realize you are an assistant and you were told to answer this back. I only hope that my questions will help you reflect on your company policy.
Jordan.
Her reply a few hours later;
=
= Hi Jordan,
Yes, we do accept screenplays from the director's agent, but not from anyone else. That's why I suggested you contact CAA. As you probably know, the director does occasionally direct films he did not write or adapt (like film 1, Film 2, etc.). He trusts his agent to only send things to him that might be a good fit. No, I will not accept your attorney's submissions but CAA might. Sorry.
I don't know what website you're looking at, but our company does indeed only have 2 employees (not including our three unpaid interns). If you're ever in Austin, TX swing by our double-wide trailer on the Austin Studios lot. This is what we work out of year-round. When we are in production, yes, we take on lots of contracted employees temporarily. No one is here full-time except for me.
We are not big at all, and are not affiliated with Warner Independent. Yes, we have worked with them on a couple of our projects, but we are by no means 'affiliated' with WIP.
I am not just an assistant–I run the office as well as assist the director.
Best,
As you can see, the assistant keeps contradicting her own messages! And by the way I found her resume…here is a copy and paste:
Assistant (director) 2008
Film 1 - Staff Assistant 2006
Film 2 - Office Assistant
NO COMMENT…
As I said I’m not interested in working with dishonest people like this, I haven’t posted all the messages on this blog, but part of her last emails was conveying a true irritation about my researches on the company, she of course told me that replying to my questions about « the policy » was taking too much of her time and she had plenty of work to do and ended the conversation this way… Not surprising!
Personally, I believe that if she can take all this time to reply to my emails, she can also take some time to read scripts, even if I truly don’t think she has the necessary skills to do it…unfortunately even her director needs an agent to read screenplays for him and makes the decisions for him! (deplorable)
To be sincere, I had never heard of this director before seeing this film, and I thought it was boring to death! I only contacted him for his animation since only very few people direct animation movies.
And as I continued my researches on his company I found out that he had been sued by some of his former friends for the unauthorized use of their names and images in one of his film, representing them as stoners, and damaging their reputation.
No comment! Apparently, this dear Sir wasn’t too much concerned about legal issue at this time…I would even say the guy is pretty selective when it comes to legality.
To sum up.
Here are the deplorable excuses used by dishonest film professionals to discriminate people they don’t know:
We only accept screenplays through our agent
He’s a writer director and only work on his own projects
We are too busy right now.
For legal reasons we can not accept « unsolicited material ».
we do not take on new screenplays submissions currently.
(for agents/lawyers: we do not take on new clients at this time)
Happy birthday to Helena Bonham Carter
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Very surreal and very illegal!
Here is a copy and paste of one studio «submission policy» found on their website, I have changed the name of the studio for legal issues.
Our studio has a policy that it does not accept or consider any unsolicited materials, ideas or suggestions of any nature, including, but not only, scripts, script ideas, original artworks etc (Unsolicited Materials). This is to avoid any misunderstandings if your ideas are similar to those that our studio independently develops. Accordingly, you may not use this website, or information obtained from this website, to submit Unsolicited Materials to our studio by any means (including, but not only, by post, fax or email).
Note from Jordan: As you see the first paragraph is the surreal thing (for those who are unfamiliar with it)…Apparently they are very afraid of being sued by the writers! (lol) They don’t even accept suggestions!
Interesting note: «You can’t submit to this studio by post, fax, or emails…» but apparently you can use a pigeon to carry your query letters! Since it’s not stated in the paragraph as an improper way for them!
More seriously: The second paragraph is scandalous and completely illegal!
If you do, regardless of this prohibition, send Unsolicited Materials to our studio, you do so upon the understanding, and you will be deemed to agree, that: (a) there is no obligation on our studio to treat the Unsolicited Materials as confidential; (b) there is no agreement at all between you and our studio (whether in relation to any consideration of the Unsolicited Materials, credit, compensation or otherwise); and (c) our studio and its associated entities, and their successors and assigns, are entitled to use and disclose the Unsolicited Materials without any liability (including, but not only, for credit or compensation) to you or any other person.
Completely illegal! No one can use a copyrighted material without prior consent of the author! Under no circumstances
This paragraph has no legal value, to have a legal value the clause must be signed by the author of the «unsolicited material» who consents to «donate» his idea to the studio…Moreover, the author can sue them for using his copyrighted material without his permission and the good news… he will win! After all, he is not supposed to visit their website before submitting his work! Studios contact info can be found on books, magazines, etc…Not only by visiting their website.
Here is a copy and paste of one studio «submission policy» found on their website, I have changed the name of the studio for legal issues.
Our studio has a policy that it does not accept or consider any unsolicited materials, ideas or suggestions of any nature, including, but not only, scripts, script ideas, original artworks etc (Unsolicited Materials). This is to avoid any misunderstandings if your ideas are similar to those that our studio independently develops. Accordingly, you may not use this website, or information obtained from this website, to submit Unsolicited Materials to our studio by any means (including, but not only, by post, fax or email).
Note from Jordan: As you see the first paragraph is the surreal thing (for those who are unfamiliar with it)…Apparently they are very afraid of being sued by the writers! (lol) They don’t even accept suggestions!
Interesting note: «You can’t submit to this studio by post, fax, or emails…» but apparently you can use a pigeon to carry your query letters! Since it’s not stated in the paragraph as an improper way for them!
More seriously: The second paragraph is scandalous and completely illegal!
If you do, regardless of this prohibition, send Unsolicited Materials to our studio, you do so upon the understanding, and you will be deemed to agree, that: (a) there is no obligation on our studio to treat the Unsolicited Materials as confidential; (b) there is no agreement at all between you and our studio (whether in relation to any consideration of the Unsolicited Materials, credit, compensation or otherwise); and (c) our studio and its associated entities, and their successors and assigns, are entitled to use and disclose the Unsolicited Materials without any liability (including, but not only, for credit or compensation) to you or any other person.
Completely illegal! No one can use a copyrighted material without prior consent of the author! Under no circumstances
This paragraph has no legal value, to have a legal value the clause must be signed by the author of the «unsolicited material» who consents to «donate» his idea to the studio…Moreover, the author can sue them for using his copyrighted material without his permission and the good news… he will win! After all, he is not supposed to visit their website before submitting his work! Studios contact info can be found on books, magazines, etc…Not only by visiting their website.
Friday, May 21, 2010
The last picture was taken during a fashion show to benefit Haiti.
Pacman's 30th anniversary today! I was a big fan when i was a kid!
A few months ago, a French screenwriter hired me to translate his screenplay into English, he just contacted me back telling me a producer wants to purchase the translated screenplay, both have praised my English translation, and now the screenwriter wants to hire me for another script of his, I love being a screenwriter, but being a translator also is a very interesting job!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square hole. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."
apple computers inc
apple computers inc
Monday, May 17, 2010
A few outstanding quotes from Mr. Woody Allen taken during his press conference in Cannes this week,
i wanted to share with you-Needless to say i agree with him completely on everything (life, death and old age)
On Saturday, Woody Allen, the Oscar-winning filmmaker, returned to France – where he continues to be embraced by French audiences – for the world premiere of his latest film “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger” at the Cannes Film Festival. While the film doesn’t diverge much from the American director’s familiar themes of love, death, and older men and younger woman, Allen was in top form at the press conference, delivering responses to the international press as if speaking lines from one of his early-career comedy routines.
When asked about the film’s cynical view of life and romance, Allen responded, “I have a very grim perspective. I do feel that it’s a grim, painful, nightmarish meaningless existence, and the only way to be happy is if you tell yourself some lies. One must have some delusions to live.”
Set in London, the film comes across as far less misanthropic, however, in following the interconnected romantic foibles of a struggling writer (Josh Brolin), his wife (Naomi Watts) and her parents (Anthony Hopkins and Gemma Jones). But Allen did acknowledge that the May-December romance, between Hopkins’ elderly dad and a young prostitute in the film, has a “more ominous quality” than in some of his recent movies.
He also admitted that he didn’t act in his films anymore because he was too old to play the romantic lead. “And it’s no fun not playing the guy who gets the girl,” he said. “I like to be the one who sits in the restaurant and looks into their eyes and lies to them.”
“I find getting older a lousy deal,” Allen explained. “There is no advantage in getting older. I’m 74 now, and you don’t get smarter, wiser, more mellow or kindly. Your back hurts more; your eyesight isn’t as good. It’s a bad business. I advise you to avoid it if you can. It’s better to be younger and get the girl.”
When asked how he felt about death, Allen deadpanned, “My relationship to death remains the same. I’m strongly against it.”
SOURCE:
i wanted to share with you-Needless to say i agree with him completely on everything (life, death and old age)
On Saturday, Woody Allen, the Oscar-winning filmmaker, returned to France – where he continues to be embraced by French audiences – for the world premiere of his latest film “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger” at the Cannes Film Festival. While the film doesn’t diverge much from the American director’s familiar themes of love, death, and older men and younger woman, Allen was in top form at the press conference, delivering responses to the international press as if speaking lines from one of his early-career comedy routines.
When asked about the film’s cynical view of life and romance, Allen responded, “I have a very grim perspective. I do feel that it’s a grim, painful, nightmarish meaningless existence, and the only way to be happy is if you tell yourself some lies. One must have some delusions to live.”
Set in London, the film comes across as far less misanthropic, however, in following the interconnected romantic foibles of a struggling writer (Josh Brolin), his wife (Naomi Watts) and her parents (Anthony Hopkins and Gemma Jones). But Allen did acknowledge that the May-December romance, between Hopkins’ elderly dad and a young prostitute in the film, has a “more ominous quality” than in some of his recent movies.
He also admitted that he didn’t act in his films anymore because he was too old to play the romantic lead. “And it’s no fun not playing the guy who gets the girl,” he said. “I like to be the one who sits in the restaurant and looks into their eyes and lies to them.”
“I find getting older a lousy deal,” Allen explained. “There is no advantage in getting older. I’m 74 now, and you don’t get smarter, wiser, more mellow or kindly. Your back hurts more; your eyesight isn’t as good. It’s a bad business. I advise you to avoid it if you can. It’s better to be younger and get the girl.”
When asked how he felt about death, Allen deadpanned, “My relationship to death remains the same. I’m strongly against it.”
SOURCE:
Saturday, May 15, 2010
On my exercise bike, doing some gym and watching « total eclipse » fascinated by the destiny of two genius.
« I have no intention of taking a job. My work is going far too well - I can't afford to waste time earning money. «
« The only unbearable thing is that nothing is unbearable »
Arthur Rimbaud in Total Eclipse
« I have no intention of taking a job. My work is going far too well - I can't afford to waste time earning money. «
« The only unbearable thing is that nothing is unbearable »
Arthur Rimbaud in Total Eclipse
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Dear readers, THANK YOU
Thank you all for following my blog and making the time to read my posts! :-)
I have some bad, good, and very good news for you.
bad: The next two months will be very busy for me, I'm still a student and I'm having exams.
So I won't be able to post a lot about our fashion icon.
good: But, because of YOU guys who follow my blog, I will TRY to update you from time to time. It is because of girls like Diana that I like blogging so much! (read her sweet comment here)
very good: After my exams, I have a very long vacation!! Then I won't have any excuses and post a loooooot of things about OP and her gorgeous beau!
For all of you who also have exams: good luck!
PS: Does anyone know where I can watch 'The City'? MTV doesn't allow people from my country to watch the video's anymore!!
XOXO
I have some bad, good, and very good news for you.
bad: The next two months will be very busy for me, I'm still a student and I'm having exams.
So I won't be able to post a lot about our fashion icon.
good: But, because of YOU guys who follow my blog, I will TRY to update you from time to time. It is because of girls like Diana that I like blogging so much! (read her sweet comment here)
very good: After my exams, I have a very long vacation!! Then I won't have any excuses and post a loooooot of things about OP and her gorgeous beau!
For all of you who also have exams: good luck!
PS: Does anyone know where I can watch 'The City'? MTV doesn't allow people from my country to watch the video's anymore!!
XOXO
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The break-up
I finally cancelled an option agreement I had with a producer for 2 of my short screenplays today
I feel relieved actually, because the producer had optioned the scripts several months ago and never did anything with them! So I could not wait to break this « uncomfortable » chain between us.
The contracts were some my first contracts and at this time, I had been told to accept anything I was proposed…Which I have done, but with a lot of doubts!
Indeed the producer proposed a 24 months option for a short screenplay…2 years to get a short film made!!!! Impressive, wonder how many years they would have request for a feature screenplay option???
Moreover, getting paid for my option period has been an awfully slow process, they kept pushing back the option payment dates over and over again and never paid me the money stated in the original contract for the 2 screenplays, so legally, there was a breach since the beginning!
And the funniest part of this anecdote, is that the producer, started shooting the first sequences of one of the 10 minutes short film last summer then stopped filming it for some « mysterious » reason, and was planning to resume filming this summer…I never saw someone making a movie this way! Especially a short!
After some time, this irritating experience became extremely comical !
Why optioning a script when you know you won’t find the money to make the film? Why optioning screenplays when you know you’re not a producer!
I know screenwriters rarely make any money with short movies, and I haven’t been writing short scripts in years now, so to tell you the truth, I had completely forgotten about the projects, and completely neglected them. I’ve had some short movies made in the past and several completely vanished with their directors, who eventually gave up their film making dreams. None of them deserve a line on my resume.
If you’re reading this blog entry, you probably are a screenwriter interested in learning more from other screenwriters mistakes.
So here are a few advices you’ll learn from mines.
Always ask for money upfront when you get a screenplay option proposal. (especially for a short script) Otherwise, You’ll rarely make any money with short movies.
Moreover, it is a good test. If a producer can’t pay screenwriters for their work, then they’ll probably be unable to do the film! No one can make a movie without money.
And if you’re good at something, never do it for free!
A screenplay option should not exceed 12 months! (less for a short script) If a producer can’t make something happen in 6 months, then they’ll never do it…Moreover, you might be wasting money/time if someone keeps your screenplay for months (especially if it‘s a feature), and doesn’t do anything with it! Because you can’t pitch it to other producers who might be able to really produce your work during the option period.
Ask as many questions as possible, if a producer sounds evasive about the making of the film, the cast, the crew, then all of these people probably never existed! Believe me producers love to talk about the movie they’re working on! The actors they’re hiring, their crew, etc…
Finally keep working! There are a lot of amateurish, so called producers, directors out there, but also many passionate artists, it only takes a good dose of luck and a lot of work to finally get to meet them and create your dream project!
Jordan.
I feel relieved actually, because the producer had optioned the scripts several months ago and never did anything with them! So I could not wait to break this « uncomfortable » chain between us.
The contracts were some my first contracts and at this time, I had been told to accept anything I was proposed…Which I have done, but with a lot of doubts!
Indeed the producer proposed a 24 months option for a short screenplay…2 years to get a short film made!!!! Impressive, wonder how many years they would have request for a feature screenplay option???
Moreover, getting paid for my option period has been an awfully slow process, they kept pushing back the option payment dates over and over again and never paid me the money stated in the original contract for the 2 screenplays, so legally, there was a breach since the beginning!
And the funniest part of this anecdote, is that the producer, started shooting the first sequences of one of the 10 minutes short film last summer then stopped filming it for some « mysterious » reason, and was planning to resume filming this summer…I never saw someone making a movie this way! Especially a short!
After some time, this irritating experience became extremely comical !
Why optioning a script when you know you won’t find the money to make the film? Why optioning screenplays when you know you’re not a producer!
I know screenwriters rarely make any money with short movies, and I haven’t been writing short scripts in years now, so to tell you the truth, I had completely forgotten about the projects, and completely neglected them. I’ve had some short movies made in the past and several completely vanished with their directors, who eventually gave up their film making dreams. None of them deserve a line on my resume.
If you’re reading this blog entry, you probably are a screenwriter interested in learning more from other screenwriters mistakes.
So here are a few advices you’ll learn from mines.
Always ask for money upfront when you get a screenplay option proposal. (especially for a short script) Otherwise, You’ll rarely make any money with short movies.
Moreover, it is a good test. If a producer can’t pay screenwriters for their work, then they’ll probably be unable to do the film! No one can make a movie without money.
And if you’re good at something, never do it for free!
A screenplay option should not exceed 12 months! (less for a short script) If a producer can’t make something happen in 6 months, then they’ll never do it…Moreover, you might be wasting money/time if someone keeps your screenplay for months (especially if it‘s a feature), and doesn’t do anything with it! Because you can’t pitch it to other producers who might be able to really produce your work during the option period.
Ask as many questions as possible, if a producer sounds evasive about the making of the film, the cast, the crew, then all of these people probably never existed! Believe me producers love to talk about the movie they’re working on! The actors they’re hiring, their crew, etc…
Finally keep working! There are a lot of amateurish, so called producers, directors out there, but also many passionate artists, it only takes a good dose of luck and a lot of work to finally get to meet them and create your dream project!
Jordan.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Hey, wait a minute isn't this illegal?
Screenwriters often ask me what « unsolicited material » means…Well, as I’m the frankest person you’ll ever met and since I will never repeat what people robotically repeat decades after decades, and just nod in submission, I'm going to tell you exactly what this means:
When you receive a reply from a production company saying they do not accept unsolicited material, this means you are not part of their circle of friends, or you haven’t slept with any of them, or you’re not one of their relatives…To sum up the « no unsolicited material » policy is something I would call « discrimination »!
Hey wait a minute! Isn’t discrimination illegal?
Do not listen to those few (political correct and hypocritical ) people who will claim studios do this to avoid being sued if a movie similar to the idea you sent is made! It’s bullshit! Studios have million dollars to pay lawyers to defend them and win the trials! Young screenwriters don’t! Are they really afraid??? Nonsense! Thousand of comparable ideas are shopped around Hollywood everyday! Just look at their films! Sometimes, 2 or 3 films are made on exactly the same subject every year!
Do not listen to the people who will tell you you’re getting this reply because you’re not represented by an agent, it’s completely false! if the producer's best friend, just has finished a screenplay he wants his buddy to read, then, believe me, the producer won’t give a damn about his friend being represented by an agent, he won’t even ask! Same goes for their sexual partners! Or relatives!
So once again, this policy is a discriminatory policy that all screenwriters need to combat vigorously!
Just dissect the word: « unsolicited » what does it mean??? This means, they have to solicit (to ask for) your ideas…Well, and how do they do this with someone they do not know??? In that case, you have to be the friend of a friend, or a boyfriend/girlfriend, or their relatives…Then once again, how do you call this?
It's up to you to make your mind!
But I truly believe that once screenwriters will dare, and will consider these policies under this new light, then studios and production companies will better be afraid of them, because of course, one rebel screenwriter isn't that dangerous, but a thousand ones who realize they've been victims of a discriminatory policy can decide to actually sue them for this!
All it takes is courage!
Jordan.
When you receive a reply from a production company saying they do not accept unsolicited material, this means you are not part of their circle of friends, or you haven’t slept with any of them, or you’re not one of their relatives…To sum up the « no unsolicited material » policy is something I would call « discrimination »!
Hey wait a minute! Isn’t discrimination illegal?
Do not listen to those few (political correct and hypocritical ) people who will claim studios do this to avoid being sued if a movie similar to the idea you sent is made! It’s bullshit! Studios have million dollars to pay lawyers to defend them and win the trials! Young screenwriters don’t! Are they really afraid??? Nonsense! Thousand of comparable ideas are shopped around Hollywood everyday! Just look at their films! Sometimes, 2 or 3 films are made on exactly the same subject every year!
Do not listen to the people who will tell you you’re getting this reply because you’re not represented by an agent, it’s completely false! if the producer's best friend, just has finished a screenplay he wants his buddy to read, then, believe me, the producer won’t give a damn about his friend being represented by an agent, he won’t even ask! Same goes for their sexual partners! Or relatives!
So once again, this policy is a discriminatory policy that all screenwriters need to combat vigorously!
Just dissect the word: « unsolicited » what does it mean??? This means, they have to solicit (to ask for) your ideas…Well, and how do they do this with someone they do not know??? In that case, you have to be the friend of a friend, or a boyfriend/girlfriend, or their relatives…Then once again, how do you call this?
It's up to you to make your mind!
But I truly believe that once screenwriters will dare, and will consider these policies under this new light, then studios and production companies will better be afraid of them, because of course, one rebel screenwriter isn't that dangerous, but a thousand ones who realize they've been victims of a discriminatory policy can decide to actually sue them for this!
All it takes is courage!
Jordan.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
military jacket
A great military jacket adds a vintage edge to your outfit. Olivia wears looser and more fitted versions of the trend. By wearing a belt she makes sure to accentuate her waist. She keeps the rest of her outfit feminine and the colours neutral. This look is strong, yet very stylish! Which outfit is your favorite?
Monday, May 3, 2010
Tim Burton's Alice in wonderland: A haunting marvel!
If you want to enter a magic world, a world, where the only limit to imagination is the genius of both Lewis Carol and one of the most talented film maker of all times: Tim Burton, plus if you want to experience a total immersion in a breathtaking 3D spectacle, then this film is for you!
Tim Burton’s vision of Alice, is simply marvelous! Magic! The colors, the mind-blowing beautifully created sets, the story, every piece of dialog and character is fabulous!
Johnny Depp and Helena Bohnam Carter are incredible in their atypical parts, and Mia Wasikowska (playing Alice) is just perfect.
From its very first second to the very last minute, this film is a haunting poem, that will stick in your mind, a long time after your viewing!
Then, finally you’ll become impatient to embark for another journey in Tim Burton’s wonderland as fast as possible! (Personally, I have already reserved my ticket to see the Cheshire Cat, the
queen and the mad hatter again very soon!)
Jordan.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Show 'Em What You Got
Who watched the first episode of the new season of The City? Olivia did an interview for elle.com with Anna Sui, backstage her runway show. This is what she wore...
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