Tag Archives: Writers

The Dangers of Casting Your Movie in Your Head

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A couple of nights ago, The Sis and I were randomly discussing the actors I would like to see cast in my first screenplay, Fate(s).  You can click the link for a quick overview.  It really is brief.  This story has a personal history, the male lead and some of the story are inspired by my own life, so deciding who should play “him” is a little hard to narrow down.  This is of course fine, because in reality, when this film is made, who I imagine or hope for will of course not be the actor chosen.

RosamundPikeSo there we were, imagining all the people who would fill these roles, when I started to laugh.  What if the powers-that-be decide they want Jennifer Lawrence for the lead when I envision Rosamund Pike.   Huge difference.  This would in turn change the whole perspective of the film.  It goes from adult to YA.

Fate(s) involves a great deal of Greek mythology, and the character of Ares, in particular, is based on the Ares from the television show Hercules.  I loved him.  Kevin Smith played the role wonderfully, and to have someone fill his shoes, yAresou need the snark of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki with the looks of a Joe Manganiello or Jason Momoa.

Do you see the slippery slope I am on?

In my head I know what the characters look like, in general.  I have some more specifically envisioned than others, but my fear is that where I am looking for women and men (and I mean “women” and “men”), I will suddenly have a teenage rom-com where the role of Ares is played by Zac Efron.  Super adorable.  Wrong.  So wrong.

It is one of the first lessons you learn in your film school screenwriting class.  Don’t cast your film.  I’ve been told it’s good to have an idea of a few actors you’d like to see in choice roles, to give the execs an idea of your “vision”, but it’s all a matter of chance and fate.  See what I did there?  Who has an available schedule?  Who’s even interested?  So many little things that may hinder the right choice.  Although, sometimes a different (let’s not say wrong) choice really comes out on top.

Tom Selleck was originally cast to play Indiana Jones.  Eric Stoltz was cast to be Marty McFly and actually shot quite a lot of footage.  Thinking back, can we think of anyone else who could’ve filled those roles better than Harrison Ford and Michael J. Fox?

So we cast my entire film, although I’m still uncertain about a few choices, then recast it according to the actors that would most likely prevail.  Obviously, I want to be a part of the Hollywood system, but when put into this perspective, I had to cringe, laugh, and try not to cry.  We’re pretty sure Meryl Streep will be Hera, in any casting choice, because as it was once stated on Modern Family, “she could play Batman and be the right choice”.

It was a fun exercise, but not one I’ll be repeating again any time soon if I can help it.  It was just a little too real and painful.

How about you, my fellow creatives?  Do you cast your stories?  Does it help or hinder your vision?

Writing Prompt #56

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Wednesday flew by before I had a chance to catch my breath and post an image…better late than never, right?!

Here is this week’s Writing Prompt – an image that stirs the imagination in a variety of ways.  Are you inspired?

Victorian

I look forward to your creations.

Happy Writing!

Writing Prompt Challenge Accepted #13 and It’s My Anniversary

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Happy-AnniversaryIn addition to finally doing some writing, I’m also celebrating an anniversary, according to WordPress.  I’ve been blogging (on and off) for two years!  I can’t believe I got off my buttocks and started this blog two years ago…?!?!  Wow.  How the time has flown.  Thank you so much for your support, my friends!

And now on to the WPC…

I had a very specific idea when I posted the image of Venice on Wednesday. Honestly, I don’t know where it came from.  Actually, I could probably guess – smutty fanfiction and one of my favorite films, Dangerous Beauty.  I decided to go a different route, as it was a bit NSFW and not generally what I write.  Venice was once known for its courtesans, and I planned to write something in regards to that.  Maybe I still will.  As for the angel, I sort of had an idea for that too right off the bat, but this one I didn’t fight.  I hope you like them, and if you’d like to share how you were inspired, please link your work in the comments, and I’ll be sure to share it on my page as well.

VeniceInMorningLight

Honeymoon

She woke up to the golden dawn gently rolling through the window, setting everything on fire in its warm glow. With the morning came the realization, the reminder of the previous night. The faintest hint of a satisfied smile crept to the corners of her mouth that she tried to bite back. She stretched languidly, her bare flesh exposed to the golden glow; her peaks and valleys casting shadows on the figure beside her.

Sliding from the inviting warmth of the bed, her impression lingering, she moves silently to the window to take in the view. It’s almost as if she’s seeing it for the first time, it’s slightly different. Maybe it’s the early morning light…maybe it’s her frame of mind. She’d never thought to be satisfied with one person, to find happiness by saying two little words and gaining the world with a new one. She turned to take in the full form of her lover tangled in the sheets, a blush spreading from head to toe, and not from the warmth of the rising sun.

HurtAngel

The Fall

I had fallen hard. Through a roof of a suburban house. Four bedrooms, two and a half baths. It was sort of charming except for the fact that it looked just like every other one on the street. Everything hurt. I hadn’t experienced pain like this in a millennia. Not since the Great Battle of ’02, B.C. The light flicked on behind a closed door at the end of the hall, and the sliver of light grew wider with its opening. A small child holding her cat appeared in the doorway with large eyes.  On a second look, no, not a cat.

I walked towards her, hoping to assuage her fears when I had to catch myself from sliding on the hardwood. Looking down, I discovered what had cushioned my fall. Despite my entire existence as a warrior, a vessel of reckoning, I grimaced at the sight. An involuntary shudder caused the loss of a few feathers, heavy in a blood not my own, nor the demon I had been fighting. Kneeling down, I reassured the small human that all would be well. In an instant, I restored all to right. The young woman had her life returned to her, and the memory of the angel in the hallway would be nothing but a bad dream.

Happy writing and have a great week!

Quote Monday and a Big Thank You!

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Happy Monday!

I had another rejection for advancement in a screenwriting competition.  I didn’t take it nearly as hard as I did the first time, although it has caused a bit of introspection on my part, especially while I drive to a dead-end waiting job that has caused irreparable damage to a few body parts.

I’m not going to rant, much, but I’d like to be at least a little happy (not even excited) about going to work until things start happening in the writing department.  The introspection was in regards to the same thing it always is – Am I a good writer?  When I asked a professional writer-friend to read my first script last year, he suggested I make it more of a romantic comedy and completely change the format and timeline.  I gave it some thought, but that was not at all the route I was taking with the story.  I wanted it to be different, and yes, while it is chocked full of romance, it’s a drama, and I liked the format I had specifically chosen for this story.

So I stuck with my choices, rewrote the third act completely, and submitted it.  And the rejections started rolling in.  Should I doubt myself because a few readers didn’t respond to my story?  The answer is a big whopping “NO!”.  I am passionate about this story, and eventually someone will take notice and feel the same way.  So for the quote of the week, in case you’re feeling like you’re in the same boat, I offer you this:

Posted @ QUOTEZ.CO

Posted @ QUOTEZ.CO

If you’re confident in your storytelling, don’t let anyone sway you to think otherwise.  Advice does not need to be taken verbatim.  It’s meant to be helpful, to help you find holes and mistakes, but if you love your story then follow your heart!  Your passion will find itself onto the page.

300FilmGraphicAs to my BIG Thank You, I have reached 300 followers, and I would like to thank each and everyone of you for your support.  I have loved this space as an outlet to share my obsessions, geek out moments, and passions, while finding so much inspiration and creativity through your work.  Thank you for making me want to be a part of this circle; to send out positivity and get some in return.  *I couldn’t resist using this image.  😉

I apologize for my lack of interaction as of late, but I’m hoping to find some semblance of order and routine again soon.

I wish you all the very best and hope you are finding ways of working towards your goals!

xx, Rach

Writing Prompt #54

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Time to get back to back to writing! It’s Writing Prompt Wednesday, and here’s this week’s image.HurtAngel

Something about this image really struck me, and there’s a ton of possible story ideas…let’s see what you’re inspired to write.  Remember to share!

Happy Writing!

Quote Monday

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Last week was the craziness that is GiShwHeS (I’ll post more about it this week).  In addition to working a scattered six day work week, early mornings and closing shifts, I discovered, not that I needed a reminder, that I am not 22 anymore, and that this type of schedule wreaks havoc on my body and sleep cycle.  I was unable to get to the computer to do anything more than upload photos to get scavenger hunt points, so no blogging.  The house is in shambles, the kitchen looks like a bomb went off, and my poor pups have been rather ignored.  Thankfully, I have today off to get back to normal, or my version of normal anyway.

I’m still in zombie mode as I write this, but since getting the new job, I’ve been terrible about getting on any sort of schedule.  No more.  Here’s this week’s quote, partially inspired by GiShwHeS (yes, I’m writing it this way on purpose, we were told to).  One of the items on the scavenger hunt was to: Post messages of love or support on or in lockers of students that you think might need it.  We could all use a few words of inspiration now and again, and that’s what I want to put out in the world.

Believe In Yourself

Have a great week, my friends!  Best of luck to you in all of your endeavors!

 

World Building, Character Creation, and Knowing When to Start Writing Part I.

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OriginI have started drafting (actually that’s too precise a word…more like mapping) my sci-fi pilot, and as much as I love research mode (that’s not sarcasm, I really do!) at what point do you know enough to start writing?

As a screenwriter, there is often much that is left in the hands of others.  Our screenplays are blueprints from which all other departments create our vision – this new world.  Obviously in the case of historical time periods there is plenty of opportunity to do research and find the “right” look or aesthetic, but in the case of science fiction and fantasy, where much of the idea is in the writer’s head, how much information are you supposed to give in order to allow the reader to see the story as you do?

I’ve been doing research on show bibles and how to create one (Bang2Write has a great article), and much of that information can be included in that, but as a screenwriter, you need the script to engage your reader with all those details, but be easy to understand so that they can visualize the story, and yet not get burdened down by too much description.  And therein lies the fine line.

Tentatively titled, The Demeter, my story is about two sisters who are picked up by the cliché version of aliens (you know the ones), experimented on, and then readied for sale within the galactic slave trade.  The younger is sold and the elder escapes to try to get her back, but upon nearly getting recaptured, the elder sister finds herself aboard a ship with a crew of interesting characters that will teach her a variety of things and help her try to get her sister back.  Of course there will be romance, because that was one of the first scenes I had in my mind when I decided to write this story.

Not a convoluted tale, a sort of fish out of water-search & rescue kind of thing, but here is where it starts to get tricky.  In my head I have all these great scenes and moments, and I thought writing a pilot wouldn’t be too difficult, until I sat down to start plotting the story.  I thought it would be, not to sound ignorant, but easier because it’s just a snippet of the overall story.  A teaser.  I’ve written five full-length features, so writing a beginning to a greater story arc seemed like a simpler endeavor.  Not quite.

First off, there are a ton of questions I can’t answer yet, such as why these girls?  Why are these different characters on this ship?  Secondly, I have no idea what I want the aliens to look like, Pinterest has been my friend – see here – or even what they should be called.  Like this little guy.  How cute is he?!  Whoever created him…well done!Adorable Alien*

There are a number of space themed films, TV shows, and video games, and anything I come up with that even remotely sounds like something I’ve heard elsewhere goes right into the bin.  There’s that phrase of, “there are no original stories”, so I’m trying to stay clear of any similarities, even if it’s something I like the sound of.

There have been a number of influences for this particular idea, some may even seem odd.  I don’t want all my aliens to be a variant on human physiology – two arms, two legs, etc.  Obviously there’s Star Wars, but shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer showed us a number of characters that didn’t all walk on two legs.  Men in Black and Galaxy Quest were great for that too.  I liked a lot of the ideas within the show Farscape, and they made great use of puppets from the Jim Henson Company.  I liked that.  There’s the video game Mass Effect 2 which is so much fun and has some great stories.  And then there is Doctor Who.  No explanation necessary.

There are many things to consider, and this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.  I will continue more specifically with some of the information I’ve found in another post soon.  These are just a few things to consider, if you’re like me, in the beginning stages of writing a pilot as TV has reached a new golden age and you’d like to be a part of it.

I’m off to discover all the whos, whats, and whys.

Best of luck to you in your writing endeavors!

*If you have info on sites to visit, boards on Pinterest, etc. where I can find ideas for races, worlds, ships, and what have you, please share!

Dealing with Rejection, Badly.

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EverythingIsGoingToBeAlrightI have been rather busy the last couple of weeks, and many things have been pushed to the back burner, causing a bit of stress.

In an effort to pay it forward, The Sis and I agreed to allow a friend from out of town stay with us for a bit while he got back on his feet (my best friend and like-a-sister let us stay with her when we first returned to town). In a matter of weeks it has quickly become a source of contention, especially where the furkids are concerned. My girl doesn’t really seem to like him and hasn’t warmed up to him at all, so there’s a lot of noise, at all hours.

There’s more to be said on the subject, but we’ll leave it at that.

We had family in town, and amidst all that, I have been on the job hunt.  Regardless of the fact that I was applying to a lot of jobs that were actually looking for people, I never received a response from any of them.  Not one.  And I’m quite qualified for what I was applying for.  I applied for positions online that had questionnaires and psych evals upward of 120+ questions.  Ridiculous.  It’s a bartending job, not working for the government.  In a last ditch effort I walked into a local bar with my resume and they gave me a call the next day.  So yay.  I got a new job, but this is where it all starts to go wrong, so to speak.

The same day I got the job as a server by the way, not a bartender (because beggars can’t be choosers), I got my rejection letter from the Nicholl Fellowship.  My script was not advancing to the quarterfinals.  Although one of my scores was high, it wasn’t high enough to push it forward for a third read which would have given me a chance to proceed within the competition.

I took it hard.  I still sort of am.  Yes, I know about accepting rejection and moving on – I’m sure I’ve even discussed it here.  All writers face rejection, often many, many times.  It is the perseverance to continue that provides us the success we desire.  I know that.  Doesn’t make the rejection any easier to bear initially.Fall Seven, Stand Eight

I didn’t necessarily need to win one of the top five spots offered, but I wanted to advance enough to use that as leverage as I send out my script to agents, etc., and yes, the money would’ve been nice.  I try to be positive in this space, but sometimes I just need to vent and hope it helps alleviate the stress because my life is so far from where I want it to be. The combination of becoming a server again (at my age) and not feeling like my screenwriting career is going anywhere is really affecting me in general at the moment.

I just don’t ever feel like I’m getting ahead.

Now, I realize I haven’t hit the market with all the fervor I should have by now (I only just recently got my first script to a point I was happy with), so my feelings of inadequacies are completely unfounded, but they are there nonetheless.  I don’t want to think that I should perhaps choose a different life, become a “responsible adult” and take care of all those things I want to by settling – leave the creative life behind…

I want to be a writer.  Dammit, I am a writer.

The last two mornings I’ve had to stare at myself in the mirror and remind myself that rejection is a part of the so-called “game”, that this is just a bump in the road, a lesson to be learned, blah blah blah.  Even in the letter I received from The Academy, they tried to reassure the rejected by saying the following:

A lack of success here may not have any bearing on your reception in the marketplace where a sale is the ultimate measure of success. I’ll even venture a prediction: several non-advancing writers will become professional screenwriters in the near future.

That only mildly soothed the pang of rejection.

I have two more opportunities I’m waiting to hear back on, Final Draft’s Big Break and the NYWIFT Writer’s Lab, so here’s hoping for something positive.  Not to sound dramatic, but I almost need a little something, an external force to remind me I’m on the right path.

When I read the rejection letter, The Sis immediately responded with, “Your writing is really good.” and “Are there any words of encouragement I can offer?” Oddly, that almost made me feel as bad as the rejection itself.  She has been so supportive of my career choice, and we take care of each other.  This has been one of my driving desires to succeed, so I can help her achieve her own goals.

Ugh.  I’m not sure I feel any better yet, and she’ll read this in her inbox later this evening and offer me some more encouraging words, and I’ll probably feel a bit worse again, but thanks, Sis, in advance.  I know you’re trying to help. 😉  I know I’ll be determined to “show ’em” in a few days, but for now it is what it is.

How have you handled rejection, my fellow creatives?