Arkenstone

Revolving Door Etiquette...

2014-03-23T14:22:00.002-07:00

Everyone knows that it's polite and good-mannered to hold open a door for somebody, particularly if you are a male, walking through the same doorway as a female at about the same time. It must be a dying practice, because whenever I demonstrate the courtesy, I always get a very thankful reaction, more so than if it were a regularly exercised tradition. It's almost as though it is not quite expected, or at least a rare occurrence.

Whenever I hold a door to let a lady pass through before I do, I generally receive something like "Well, thank you so much!". I guess if the gesture wasn't acknowledged at all, I'd feel a bit put off too. But to me it is more ingrained as part of my upbringing. I even extend this courtesy to men, depending on the circumstances. It would be strange, I suppose, to hold a door open for a man, allowing him to pass through before I do. However, I will not let the door slam in another guy's face if he is approaching and within spitting distance of me. Also, if there is a family, say entering a restaurant or theater, I will hold the door, if my family is not completely assembled yet. It's interesting - with a man, if you enter a space that has an outer door leading into a foyer space with an adjacent door, the first man to open the door will almost always find that the gesture will invariably be reciprocated when passing through the second set of inside doors. You held for me, so I will hold for you. Actually, I find the whole dance a bit awkward.

Elevators can be awkward too. Do you allow all the women to enter/exit first? Is this determined by age/gender? Often, I think this can also be dictated by whether or not a passenger's arms are full of parcels, if they have a baby stroller, if their party outnumbers yours, and obviously if you find yourself in the back or front of the elevator. And why do so many people who enter an elevator on a floor after you've gotten on and pressed the button for the lobby, feel the need to over-press the button? It's almost as if saying, you possibly couldn't have pressed that lobby button anywhere near as well as I just did. There is really enough material here for another whole blog post. Maybe I will let that simmer for a bit, or pass it off to my good friend, Zep, the other Whine Press contributor.

Now I have to talk about revolving doors. I have no idea if there is a prescribed or proper etiquette for revolving doors. I guess when I approach simultaneously with somebody else, regardless of gender, I feel it most gentlemanly to allow that person to enter the building first. What makes revolvers tricky is that they require a little work. The courtesy here relies on who is doing the brunt of that work. Now you can seem courteous by allowing a person to go in front of you into the first open section. But this can be extremely discourteous, if you then allowed that person to push the door around, while you just kept your hands in your pockets, wishing they'd only push faster. But you can also be the first to enter and at the same time, allow the people following you to do the pushing, while you are wishing they'd put a little more back into it.

Still, I usually opt for letting the other person enter first. I think you have the most control then. And then, we have a revolving door down the street at a Marriott Hotel that has a huge tri-partitioned separation. This door is really weird because not only is each sector cavernous enough to accommodate 2 or 3 people, but it is driven by a powerful motor, activated automatically by a sensor. Again... could be another post for this baby.

Now what about public buses? Do you agree with my thinking in that if you are forced to stand for the duration of the ride, if all the seats are taken, that all standing, should be allowed to exit the bus first, before anybody whose had the luxury of being seated, texting and reading for the whole ride? Apparently, there are very different feelings about this disembarkation protocol too. It seems when it comes to buses, there is very little sense of any real protocol, courtesy or etiquette. Dog-eat-dog is the order. I've never written a post, where out of it sprang forth so much potential and new ideas for subsequent posts...
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Jim Farina's Road to Refinement...

2014-03-15T11:01:00.001-07:00

I've never made a formal pitch to a producer or agent to gain representation for my screenplay, Martin Eden. I have had a few informal exchanges via email, but these were more or less in response to a request for the material. That is nice to actually have someone ask to read the script. It is especially encouraging when the person who's doing the requesting is familiar with Jack London's novel by the same name, and which I adapted my screenplay.

I recently responded and entered a contest sponsored by The Wizard Academy, a non-traditional business school in Austin, Texas. The contest is The Quixote Windmill Challenge and it requires that entrants submit a two and a half minute video telling the story of a business idea that failed, yet a valuable lesson was gained through the experience. Here is a more specific explanation of the contest and rules:

https://wizardacademy.org/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=414

As of this writing, there are only 22 submissions, including my own - Road to Refinement. The short video turned out as somewhat of meta piece that echoes London's, Eden's and my own struggle for self-improvement, advancement and publication of our work with limited background or formal education. We are all self-educated and have a natural passion for writing.

I realized when I'd completed the video entry, that now resides on YouTube, that perhaps with a bit of editing and some refinement of its own, this could serve as a pitch to producers, agents and literary managers. Maybe not. Do people do that? It seems like a good idea to me. Anyway, it would be another avenue at least of gaining a little more exposure.

The contest closes next Sunday. The competition is getting fierce, but hey, the odds are great at 1 in 22 at this time.

Anyway, here is my video, wish me luck:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hWnTA7Arjs&index=17&list=PLfjfvigJckJa28N-sSewkU1OkcCOget-7

Mccounaughy - A Real Class Act...

2014-03-03T10:01:00.001-08:00

I thought that Matthew Mcconaughey's acceptance speech for Best Actor awarded at the Oscars last night for his role in Dallas Buyers Club was very appropriate. I love that he gave thanks to God at the beginning. I thought it was also fitting to acknowledge that all of the gifts and talents that have allowed him to succeed in his work and family, he attributed to God, saying something like no other human influence could achieve such things in him.

I thought that his speech, overall was eloquent, sincere and from the heart. I heard him on another award show - maybe it was a talk show, where he also impressed me with his sense of level-headed and articulate perspective on many points.

I used to think of Matt as a self-absorbed, narcissist type - an arrogant bad boy who might punch a photographer in the face or get caught up in some illicit Hollywood sex scandal. I put him in the same class as say a Woody Harrelson. Not that I follow the celebrity tabloids enough to know that Woody is a bad guy, but he does exude a certain air of cocky arrogance and eccentricity that would intimidate me enough, where if I ran into him in public, I would pretend that I didn't know him. I would not feel comfortable asking for Woody's autograph. Now that's how I'd always imagined Matthew to be. That is until I saw him interviewed and now after his beautiful acceptance speech at the Oscars, I hold a completely different opinion.

Now to me, Matthew is someone I'd love to have a beer with, somebody I'd like to discuss theological ideas, family, his thoughts on success. His hero, being his future self was rather interesting too. On one hand it did smack a bit of self-absorption and narcissism. On the other hand, the way he explained it as being a completely unattainable goal - sort of an ever-dangling carrot, was quit grounded and real.

I thought Matthew's speech was by far the best of the night - and you don't say things like that, honoring God and holding such objective and existentialist observations, without being well grounded and sincere.

I am now a big fan of Mr. Mcconaughey and to lift up God the way he did in a place like Hollywood, really gives me hope!

Where is Martin Eden?

2014-02-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

Where is Jim Farina for that matter? I'm still here and winter is kicking our butts here in Chicago, just like it is for almost everybody else in the country. I did get a short break in January when I joined a small team of 9 to serve our sister church in Haiti for a week. The average temperature during the day was about 82 degrees. What a way to reset your thinking and priorities in life. I think everybody who lives in the U.S. should visit a third world country, even for a short time. I guarantee that you will return with a different perspective. You will appreciate our country's benefits and opportunities in a very different way.

This was my third visit to Haiti and I have hopelessly lost my heart to the people of that country - they are so gracious and generous in spirit. I was tasked with writing a blog of my experience and have include the link, should you be interested in what my church, The Orchard, has been doing in Haiti for more than 30 years. I'm really proud to be a small part of that.

http://theorchardhaiti.wordpress.com/

Now I understand that I've lapsed in my commitment to blogging here at Arkenstone and my other blog that I share with a good friend, Whine Press. I need to think about writing more, if not daily. Every successful writer has that in common, they keep writing and never give up. I think it is a good exercise to write every single day. I believe Jack London committed to about a thousand words a day. this brings me back to Martin Eden, the 1909 novel by London. A wonderful story and semi-autobiographical account of London's own life and times. In 2009, I completed a screenplay based on this work. I know it is good and it has garnered some nice recognition from some of the more prominent competitions where this script has been entered and has placed well in at least half a dozen.

Well spring is coming - the thaw is upon us. It is time for me to wake from my metaphoric hibernation and begin marketing, blogging, writing another script or perhaps a short story. It is time to arise and seize the day!

You Want Me to Tell Your Story?

2013-07-21T06:53:00.001-07:00

Last week I received an email message that was from a name unfamiliar to me. The subject line just contained one word: "Inquiry". Well this could've been anything from a spam virus to a marketer attempting to sell me something that I have no use for.

So as we generally do with such messages, I proceeded with caution. It was from a Rob H. Rob explained in his message that he'd had this burning idea for a story concept and that he was hoping to find somebody with a creative mind and a flair for charter development to help him tell this story. Rob went on to explain in the message how he had shared his idea with a few book publishers. He said that one author was excited enough about his idea to base two books around it. This writer has a track record as a courtroom thriller type storyteller, in the vein of Grisham. As Rob explained it in his email to me, this already successful writer had agreed that his concept had merit and he was prepared to write a novel, or 2, based on this theme. From what Rob explains, the writer's publisher did not like the idea of his contracted author taking on the task as it was out of his regular genre of work. The publisher felt that this project might somehow hurt his established readership.

So Rob H., a bit discouraged, but not ready to throw in the towel yet, was directed to another author, where a similar roadblock had kept his story from coming to life. So the idea was shelved for a time. At some point Rob was told that he might have better luck seeking out a good screenwriter and bringing this idea to life int he form of a film. So after some time, and as Rob works as a professor at a Kansas University, the slower summer months apparently afforded him the time to begin his search for that screenwriter, who might bring his vision to life on the screen. I don't know how long Rob combed through the resumes of possible scriptwriters for his vision, but somehow he came across my profile and was impressed. This was flattering to me, as I wouldn't exactly consider myself an established screenwriter. Though I suppose the ambiguous way in which I present myself on LinkedIn could make you think otherwise.

I was intrigued enough to send Rob a message, give him a call and listen to his amazing story for almost an hour. I have had a handful of email exchanges with Rob over the past several days. I was upfront with him regarding my rather limited experience as a screenwriter. I explained that I have the one script, Martin Eden, that was adapted from Jack London's novel. I made it clear that I have not sold anything yet, but that my work has done very well in the competition circuits and has been requested by a handful of some high profile producers. I do like Rob's idea - they need quite a bit of fleshing out and development, but there's a solid foundation there to springboard from. I could use another screenplay for my resume. So, yes... I am considering going through the
process again....

Write a New Screenplay, As Martin Eden Waits for Discovery?

2013-07-14T05:46:00.000-07:00

Jack London's Martin Eden, the screenplay, is still waiting for an option, representation from a connected film or television producer, agent or literary manager. I'm guessing the best scenario for a screenplay writer would be to have a producer, who was interested in developing the project contact the writer directly and offer an option deal. At least, it seems to me, that you would cut out much of the middle-man complication. Though even with the agent/manager scenario, at least you would have somebody, who's presumably connected to the insiders who is actively working to showcase your material.

I feel good about my screenplay, Martin Eden. I am confident that it will sell one day. Maybe this year, or maybe a few years down the road, but I have no doubt in its value, which is a nice place to be for a writer. I've never had second thoughts about my work. I have faith in my work and know it is a great story that was adapted in a way that does engage readers and would make a wonderful and thoughtful film or television movie, given fair treatment. I think the fact that Martin Eden placed so prominently in 4 international screenwriting competitions is testament enough to that end.

So I will wait patiently, much like both London and Eden. I will continue to market my work, blog about it, and enter it into other competitions in an effort to gain more exposure, readership and to keep my resume current. I have entered Martin Eden in the CWA (Creative World Awards) Screenplay competition. Those results will begin posting the week of August 11, and hopefully I will have another good, and more recent placement or award under my belt to leverage.

In the mean time, I am giving serious thought to beginning a new screenplay project. A college professor, from a University in Kansas, who'd been shopping for a writer had recently come across my profile on LinkedIn and contacted me last week. He said he was impressed with my profile and that he's been looking for somebody to write a story that's been swimming around in his head for some time. It sounds as though he had actually had a New York Times' bestselling author lined up to write a book on his concept, but it later fell through, due to publisher's concern for the writer's readership, by deviating out of their normal genre of work.

The ball is now in my court. I can call this man, listen to his ideas, and decide on a course. It might be a good exercise for me, and will get me back in the saddle of screenwriting. While at the same time, I will be creating something new to add to my credit, while Martin Eden waits for the time to sail...

Summertime - A Good Time to Sell Your Script?

2013-05-18T06:47:00.001-07:00

Next week is Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial launch of summer. The summer blockbusters will hit the movie theaters, TV series take a break until the fall, or worse, get cancelled. I was wondering what all the industry people are doing during this time. Are they taking time off? Are they working harder on developing material for the fall? Are they seeking new material and reading scripts for next season's potential hits?

I have no idea. Perhaps it's a little of everything. What does this mean for writers like me who have a potential success on our hands, just waiting for the right producer to get as excited as we are about it and to find a home for our story? I wonder if the summer is a better time to ramp-up marketing efforts than any other time of the year?

Is summer is a better time to make a marketing push than fall, winter or spring? I think it might be better to just maintain a regular effort of generating awareness for our work throughout the year. I think it would be wise to always be involved in some phase of improving our work, making contacts with industry people, blogging, sending queries, revising our work and even developing new content.

I am in the process of re-working a query letter for my script, Martin Eden, which is a rather faithful adaptation of Jack London's 1909 novel. In my mind I can see it come o life on the screen. I believe, beyond any doubt, that it will find a faithful audience of both young and old alike. I see it as more of a thoughtful Indy film or series that would attract an impressive international viewership. I know it won't be the next Star Trek Into Darkness, but I am convinced that if treated well, it will make some very impressive profits.

Like many success stories through the ages, what do we hear over and over... believe in yourself (and your work) and never give up on your dream...

Martin Eden, Meet the Hollywood Screenwriting Directory...

2013-05-05T07:36:00.001-07:00

It has arrived! I just received my Spring 2013 Hollywood Screenwriting Directory from The Writers Store. This directory is said to contain more than 2500 listings for prominent industry insiders, both from studios and independent financiers for film projects. The HSD also includes how-to instructions on preparing query letters, treatments and other formatting guides.

It appears to be a very nice tool. It should be, at the tune of $49.95 U.S. In flipping through the 300+ page resource, it appears to be neatly organized. It begins with 2 pages on how to best use the directory. It then describes and illustrates very nicely, how to structure a screenplay to comply with industry standards. Though in my mind, if you don't already know this, you should not have this directory. It takes many months, even years to write a screenplay that is fit for the marketplace. If you don't know the basics of screenplay structure, by the time you craft your script and drag it through the many revisions that are necessary to get it near perfection, then a directory like this will have become obsolete. Things in Hollywood are changing constantly - industry people are moving around all the time, while new production companies emerge. I feel like much of the information in this directory will have changed by September. I suppose that is why this volume is called "Spring 2013".

Moving on through the contents is a section on writing query letters. The well crafted query letter is essential in getting your foot in the door of industry professionals. In fact most producers, agents, managers, will not even look at your script until they first see a query letter that briefly introduces you and your idea. I know this to be true as I have had a half-dozen requests for my script Martin Eden as a result of a query letter submission. I also think it helps that Martin Eden has done well in the screenplay competition circuits. Any awards or accomplishments that you or your work has achieved should be leveraged and showcased in your query letter.

Before the directory of industry insiders begins, the directory has a final section on treatments and log lines. A logline is a very brief description of your story its most bare essence - and I mean very brief, like one, at he very most 2 sentences. My last logline reads:

Martin Eden is an impoverished sailor whose ambitious pursuit of love, fame and fortune ultimately leads to one final voyage, to the very brink of his own self-destruction.

Martin Eden is a rough, working class sailor whose ambitious pursuit of self-education and personal refinement, for the sake of love, eventually elevates him to a new class status. But Martin’s view from the top was far from what he had ever imagined.

Martin Eden is a working-class sailor whose love for an upper-class socialite and pursuit of literary fame ultimately brings him on one final voyage, to the brink of self-destruction.

I've used each of these with varying degree of success.

Lastly, the treatment is described in the same section as the logline. I have never put together a treatment and I need to look at this more closely, before I begin casting my nets. A treatment is a summary of the major themes and elements of your story. I need to do that soon... very soon.

I want to begin getting into the directory and sending out my query letters. I will likely do this in small waves. I do have a full time job as a logistics manager, I do have a family and children. And at this moment, with 70 degree temperatures finally here in Chicago, I have a backyard calling. I have a vegetable garden to plant and some clean-up yet to do...

I Think I'm an Aspie, but We Often Make Good Writers...

2013-04-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

It seems that I display an adequate amount of traits to place neatly on the spectrum for being classified as an “Aspie”. An Aspie is the affectionate term for a person having Asperger's syndrome. Asperger's syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's disorder (AD), is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development. Although not required for diagnosis, physical clumsiness and atypical (peculiar, odd) use of language are frequently reported. In short, Aspergers is a high-functioning form of autism. Most Aspies exhibit profound intelligence in selective areas, as well as the capacity to be highly creative and imaginative.

This explains a lot! And the more I explore those traits and behaviors that define and characterize an Aspie, the more that I'm convinced that I can classify myself as such. My wife and children have no doubts whatsoever in accepting my recent self-diagnosis. It was like an "Ahaa!" moment for the entire family, once I began to share my findings.

What initially prompted my exploration into Asperger’s syndrome was hearing speaker and author, David Finch at our local community college. Finch was diagnosed with Asperger’s later in life (age 35). The undiagnosed condition nearly ended his marriage. Finch wrote the New York Times bestseller, Journal of Best Practices, a memoir. My wife and I have been lately attending literary, celebrity and book signing events at the college. We’ve find it makes for an enlightening, often entertaining and relatively cheap night out and a good break from routine.

Mr. Finch’s talk was scheduled to run an hour and a half. I believe this event was free, so we decided that we would stay for some of it and bolt once it started getting boring. He ended up speaking for 2 hours and we stayed for the duration. David Finch recalled his experiences with Asperger’s from grade school through adolescence, his college years and professional career. We found him to be entertaining, while at the same time he painted a painfully close-to-home account of an Aspie who’s learned to adapt in a neurotypical world. All I could think as Finch spoke was, WOW! That is me! I could completely relate to his journey through life. My arm was bruised as my wife kept nudging me in that way as to express her thought…”sound familiar, Jim?”.

There are a couple online tests available that further reinforced my suspicion that I might be an Aspie. In the first quiz that asked 50 questions, I scored 3 points from what is considered being full-blown Asperger’s. Apparently, most who received a similar score were 86 percent likely to be diagnosed with the condition. The second test I took, the Aspie Quiz, asked 150 questions. In this test I placed more between Aspie and Neurotypical, but weighing slightly heavier on the Aspie side.

I always suspected that there was more to my peculiarities – my social awkwardness and avoidance of social interaction and frequent need to be alone with my books. This also explains much of why I found it almost impossible to focus and learn in a classroom setting, unless it was a topic that I was really interested in. This could also account for the fact that my formal education ended in 10^th grade. Most people, until they know better, naturally assume that I’ve had a college education. It’s very awkward for me when asked what university I’d attended. There was no diagnosis back when I was in school for conditions such as ADHD, ADD, ODD, OCD or Asperger’s syndrome. Everybody just thought me shy, awkward and odd, well actually, I’m still all of those things, but much like Finch, I’ve forced myself to adapt as best I could to a neurotypical world. It’s not easy, but through the years I have found coping mechanisms to help with my social anxiety.

I often find myself scripting out dialogue in my head before going to social functions, almost as if assuming a character role. Hmmm…I wonder if this is why I seem pretty clever at writing screenplay dialogue? Sometimes the use of props is helpful to me. Holding onto a pen in my pocket or fiddling with a rubber band has always been a great aide for some bizarre reason. I must always have an escape plan. A few weeks ago I attended a wedding shower for a co-worker. I care and respect this person very much and sense that she herself has had some difficulty conforming to what’s been deemed as the neurotypical model. My friends must also be intelligent, or I find little use for their company. I will force myself to engage in social situations if the person who’s the focus is someone important to me. Generally, I do well once I adjust to the surroundings, have a couple drinks and seek out a comfortable and familiar group to converse with. This particular event also had a definitive time frame, which helps. I do very poorly with ambiguity.

The party was at a house and an unfamiliar setting for me, but I’m good as long as I have an escape plan in place. When I walked into the house, the party was in full swing. I was greeted at the front door by a familiar face, the daughter of a dear friend, who offered to take my jacket. I immediately asked where she was meaning to store it. She offered to take it upstairs with all the other coats. Oh no!! Panic… I said that doesn’t work for me – so I neatly tucked it near the front entryway, in an alcove that nicely accommodated an antique chest of sorts. I never felt the need to make an escape, but I always like to know that I have the option. And as usual, I did have a good time. I always leave these situations wondering why I obsess so much at the prospect of social engagement, creating so much unnecessary anxiety.

I have a new found freedom in knowing I’m an Aspie. This is actually a positive breakthrough in understanding some of my oddities – it would fill a book in itself if I actually took the time to chronicle all of my strange do’s and don’ts, my aversion to certain noises, forcing myself to look people in the eyes, my abhorrence for small talk, my ritual practices and strict adherence to routines. I’ve learned to keep much of this stuff at home, so it is really my poor, patient and loving family that must endure the brunt of it. But at least we now have an explanation after all these years.

Next week we are going to a Q&A session at HarperCommunity College. The guest speaker is Lauren Cohan, who plays Maggie Greene on AMC’s television zombie drama, The Walking Dead. Now what revelations could that possibly bring?

^{Green Lantern Ixl Learning System Software By Fisher-Price (Google Affiliate Ad)}

Martin Eden Looking for European Producers...

2013-04-16T13:30:00.000-07:00

This just came to my email inbox. I really need to get busy marketing my screenplay, Martin Eden. This 2013 Hollywood Directory is a great start with more than 2,500 contacts and over 1000 new listings. For those unfamiliar with Martin Eden, it is a work by author Jack London. This novel was published in 1909 and is a semi-autobiographical account of London’s own life and times in the bay area of northern California.

My screenplay, based rather faithfully on London’s novel, has attracted some attention from Hollywood and has been requested by some pretty heavy-hitters in the film industry. I hesitate to provide names at this time as I would not wish to appear presumptuous or count my proverbial chickens, if for some strange reason this post fell into the hands of the prospects in question.

I think one of the biggest things that my script has going for it, is that it has placed in at least four major screenplay competitions and that’s what I intend to leverage when I begin sending out query letters to the people in this directory that would seem a good fit for my project. It’s always exciting to cast out the nets and see what responses come in. Generally, I will get something like 2 or 3 requests for having queried about 50 prospects. Yes, it’s some work, but when you consider that it only takes one interested party with the money and/or connections to get this thing done.

I have always thought that Martin Eden would do very well in European markets, but I need help locating a resource like the Hollywood Directory that covers the film exec’s in places like France, Germany and the UK. Does anybody have any advice on this for me? If you do have any ideas for me please share.

In the mean time I’m grateful to have a pretty secure gig as a logistics manager, procuring and shipping test product for a Chicago-based market research company. I think it’s pretty deplorable to be a writer without a means of gainful employment to fall back on. This is not smart, and it is lazy. Chances are slim-to-none that somebody will find your work so fascinating that they will break down your door with an offer that will get you out of your rut. Get a job, work hard at both your day job and your writing initiatives. Prove that your work is worthy by submitting to contests. Get a professional critique or coverage and by all means, make some contacts and SELL…SELL…SELL!!

Interesting Challenge for Screenwriters...

2013-04-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm intrigued! If you are a screenwriter who has been making an effort to market your work, then you have probably entered your script into a competition or two. You have likely found some social networks such as Talentville.com and Stage 32. These are excellent forums to connect with others in the industry and to get help and creative feedback on your projects. Inktip.com and Amazon Studios are other places where you can upload your work in the hope that a producer, agent or manager might seek it out one day and offer an option deal. I have my script, Martin Eden residing in these communities.

If you have not explored these avenues, I recommend that you take a look at some of these opportunities. My contention is, if your work isn't out there to download, nobody will ever find it. I would not rely on Facebook or Linkedin to get you much action, as they are not dedicated to the craft. And those seeking material for a new film projects are not combing through either of these places for new prospects.

One drawback to entering competitions, subscribing to screenwriting newsletters and becoming a member of the dedicated forums, which I mentioned above, is that your email box will soon get bombarded with junk related to selling, improving getting expert feedback and coverage on your script. You will receive all types of mail regarding every screenplay competition coming up, software, how to pitch your script to Hollywood, get an agent and how to write loglines that will get you in the door. It gets crazy I tell you!

Much of that junk I ignore and delete, but every now and again something comes through that I find intriguing, for example this from The Writers Store:

The Writers Store is pleased to announce that Edward Saxon, Academy Award-winning® producer of The Silence of the Lambs, has joined the next round of the Industry Insider Screenwriting Contest, which is now open for submissions!
As a principal of his production company, he has developed and produced pictures with Fox, Universal, Warner Brothers, Columbia, Paramount, and Disney as well as working with numerous independent financiers, including a multi year pact with Participant Productions. Combined, Saxon's films have grossed over $700m at the box office worldwide and garnered twelve Academy Awards®. He won his Oscar for The Silence of the Lambs, which swept Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture at the Academy Awards®, one of only three films in history to do so. He also produced Philadelphia , which won two Academy Awards®, including Best Actor (Tom Hanks); Adaptation, which was nominated for 4 Academy Awards®; and the Academy Award-nominated® documentary Mandela.

Break out your scriptwriting software and get to work, because the Industry Insider Screenwriting Contest gives you the unique opportunity to turn this idea into a solid spec screenplay that could be your ticket to Hollywood success.
The Industry Insider Screenwriting Contest is an international screenwriting competition that facilitates relationships between new writers and Industry leaders looking to help aspirants embark on writing careers.
Working from this A-list logline, you’re challenged to create up to the first 15 pages of an original script based on the given concept. Make it your own - drama, action, sci-fi... anywhere your imagination takes you.
But it doesn’t stop there. The Industry Insider Screenwriting Contest goes much further than your average competition, by providing the top 10 finalists with mentors to guide them through the entire script creation process, with the goal of completing a spec screenplay to be judged by a panel of Hollywood power players.
Here’s how it works:

Entrants write up to the first 15 pages of a script based on the logline above, provided by Edward Saxon
The top 10 finalists are chosen from the submissions, and receive a personalized letter of congratulations from Edward Saxon
Each of the 10 finalists receives a copy of Movie Magic Screenwriter to professionally format their work as they enter into a 12-week Story Specialists mentoring program, consisting of feedback for every 10 pages submitted, with the goal of completing a spec screenplay based on the given logline
After the mentoring, the finalists submit their rough drafts to our professional script readers for comprehensive Development Notes, and then have two weeks to work with their mentor and notes to complete the final draft of their screenplay for judging.
Edward Saxon and production company Benderspink judge the completed screenplays and choose a winner

The lucky winner of this scriptwriting contest receives a classic Industry experience, including transportation to Los Angeles and:

Lush Accommodations at the Chateau Marmont

The chic Chateau, conveniently nestled right off the Sunset Strip, will serve as the home base for the Industry Insider Screenwriting Contest winner. Thinking of the many opportunities to network and hobnob with the Hollywood elite that frequent this hotspot is mind-boggling!

One-on-One with Edward Saxon at The Ivy

First on the agenda? Lunch with producer Edward Saxon at Robertson Blvd.’s uber-popular bistro, known for its steady stream of celebs and location near power-agency ICM. The winner will take in some serious knowledge and know-how from Saxon, while filling up on the Ivy’s famous nouvelle American cuisine.

Meeting with Benderspink

The Hollywood treatment continues through a conference with Benderspink, a diversified management/production company with credits including The Hangover, American Pie, and The Ring. Aspiring screenwriters dream of this kind of opportunity to meet with such an influential group, a fantasy that will come true for the lucky winner!

Movie Magic Screenwriter - Professional Formatting Software

Format your script and outline it, too, with the newly redesigned Movie Magic Screenwriter 6! This award-winning screenwriting software formats movies, television, novels, stage plays and even comic book scripts, making it the only program for all types of creative writing.

The Industry Insider Screenwriting Contest can give you the tools and the resources you need to complete a saleable screenplay. But besides the experience and the mentoring you could receive, placing in this competition shows that you can take another’s idea and turn it into a winning script - a trait that’s truly valued in Hollywood, and serves as a priceless addition to your screenwriting resume.

Looking for the regulations and answers to specific questions? Check out the Industry Insider Screenwriting Contest’s Rules and FAQs.

Click here for news regarding previous rounds of the contest.

Edward Saxon

Academy Award-winning® producer Edward Saxon has been producing feature films for 25 years. As principal of his production company, he has developed and produced pictures with Fox, Universal, Warner Brothers, Columbia, Paramount, and Disney as well as working with numerous independent financiers, including a multi year pact with Participant Productions. Combined, Saxon’s films have grossed over $700m at the box office worldwide and garnered twelve Academy Awards®. He won his Oscar for The Silence of the Lambs which swept Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture at the Academy Awards®, one of only three films in history to do so. He also produced
Philadelphia, which won two Academy Awards®, including Best Actor (Tom Hanks); Adaptation, which was nominated for 4 Academy Awards®; and the Academy Award-nominated® documentary Mandela.
Currently Saxon is producing Elsa & Fred starring Shirley MacLaine, Christopher Plummer and directed by Academy Award-nominee® ...

What a great exercise and creative challenge for any scriptwriter! I like this one and I'm seriously considering the challenge...

Spring Cleaning, Clutter I Just Can't Dump...

2013-03-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

So, finally it feels something like spring here in the Chicago area. and the timing couldn't be more appropriate being that Easter is this weekend. I just completed a five day water-only fast and I feel great. I'm making an effort to usher in new and more healthful eating habits as I move forward. I'm not one of those people who can ever give up such wonderful pleasures as meat, cheese and breads, as many advocates of healthy living are urging us to do these days. I do, however recognize the need to limit some of this stuff and cut back more on snacking and sweets. We will see how long that lasts...

For me springtime also brings a sort of compulsion to get things in order, organize and clean out some clutter - "spring cleaning", if you will. I look at my yard and think about planting vegetables. I have a large packet of a salad blend seed mixture right here next to where I write. Since lettuces and greens generally do well in cool weather, I might sow some into my garden bed this weekend to pacify this need. I look at my closets, desk, bookshelves, pantries. What excess clutter can I eliminate? This need to un-clutter even goes for my computer. I like to purge all the unused downloads, icons and stale files to make room for new stuff.

Now what about my writing? Specifically my screenplay - this rather faithful adaptation of Martin Eden that I've nurtured over the past couple years? I have all of these draft copies, many different versions of loglines and synopses that I've crafted over the last couple years. I have half a dozen query letter versions. Lots of clutter. Why is it that I can motivate myself to clean out my closets, food pantries, work space, desks, outdoor grounds, but for some reason find it so difficult to let go of all those things that I've written? I find it so difficult to delete anything related to Martin Eden. Really this is true for most anything I write. I feel like there is some value in all of what I write at some level. This is not to say that everything I write is good. Much of it is pretty rotten, but still, I feel this strange compulsion to hang on to my written work, as if it will be relevant some day.

I will never use one of my old drafts of Martin Eden. So why this need to hang on to everything related to the process? Perhaps it's something like watching your own child grow over the years. Parents will keep all types of papers, artwork, articles of clothing and all kinds of trophies and memorabilia as a reminder of different and wonderful stages of their child's growth over the years.

Perhaps it is the same with my screenplay. This is like my baby and I find it difficult to part with any reminders of conception and birth, the rough, yet fascinating period when she began to walk and talk. The time and investment that it requires to watch her grow through adolescence, and eventually to full maturity. And all the while, knowing that they will one day leave to begin a life of their very own. I know I will be proud one day, knowing that I did the best I could...

Waitng for Springtime...

2013-03-24T07:54:00.002-07:00

Ugh... will this winter never end? it has not been a particularly brutal winter for Chicago, but when it is officially spring, as of March 20th, the expectation, and usual temperature trend about this time should be in the upper 40's or low 50's. or around 10 Celsius. As of this writing on March 24th, the temperature is still about what we would normally get in January/February. What makes it even more of a slap in the face, is the fact that the sunlight reflects that of spring, in terms of brightness, the suns position in the sky and length of day. Also the birds are singing as though it were springtime. Yesterday we spotted a yellow finch, a bird that migrates north during the warmer months. Now I understand that more snow is in our forecast for this evening. I'm sure it won't be on the ground too long, but still...

I was wondering if writers are more productive during the winter months? On the one hand it would seem to make sense that most writers would be more prolific when there is not much to do outdoors and most folks are housebound during the darker and colder months of the year. On the other hand, during the warmer times of the year, us writers can get out, exercise and find more ideas to write about as we get out more into the natural world. We can go for long walks, while at the same time letting our creative energies go to work. it is also pleasant to sit outdoors and create, before it get too hot and buggy.

I wonder if there is a survey that exists that measures the creative cycle for a writer over the year? Maybe this is something that is too hard to measure as answers would vary too radically from writer to writer, the same as it does for those who are natural morning people and those who are at their best at night. I think that could be interesting to measure. I feel that for myself, the warmer months might inspire more material to write about, but that perhaps more actual work is produced during the cold winter months. I suppose it has much to do with the individual, as I mentioned. Just something I am pondering as I wait for spring to arrive. Does anybody have thoughts or data on this topic?

Any Advice for an Aspiring Scriptwriter Looking for Representation?

2013-03-17T07:49:00.001-07:00

When I created the Arkenstone blog, my intention was really to chronicle my journey as a scriptwriter. Scriptwriter? Not sure yet that I can say that with complete confidence yet. I can say with a good measure of confidence, however, that I have written a very good and rather faithful adaptation of Jack London's classic novel, Martin Eden.

I know, I know... who am I to pay myself such a big compliment on my own talent as a scriptwriter? It doesn't really come off as seeming very humble. Well first of all, I can say that my screenplay version of Martin Eden is well done because my opinions are not subjective, rather I am merely echoing the objective praise that the script has garnered over the past couple years from the competitions where I have entered it. Second of all, how many people connected with the film industry are considered to be humble?

As a matter of fact, my first award for Martin Eden was a second place place spot in a competition out of NYC, The Inkwell Opportunity. With that recognition, I was sure that I would receive some opportunities for representation from an agent or management company. At least this was my hope. It was an amazing thing to watch week-after-week as results were being posted on the Inkwell Opportunity website. I couldn't believe it when I saw that Martin Eden had made it in the top seven! and then it made the cut to the top three! That alone was enough thrill for me, especially when I Googled the names and accomplishments of some of the other competition that were in my company. Many were published authors or had multiple script credits and past awards. Since then my script has placed in 4 other major competitions, including Sundance Film Festival's Table Read my Screenplay's Top 100, Scriptapalooza's top 10 percent, Fresh Voices' as a finalist.

I have also had requests for Martin Eden from some very impressive Hollywood producers. The most recent request was last fall - I feel that there is still some hope there as I've maintained some contact with this producer and I get a sense that he is considering possible development. It's one of these delicate positions where I don't want to be in his face or make a pest of myself, yet I want to maintain just enough contact where I will not be completely forgotten. What a balancing act.

Still, I wonder if it might be better to focus on getting myself an agent, literary manager to represent my work? Does anybody have advice for me? I try not to think about this stuff too much, I keep writing and contributing to both Arkenstone and The Whine Press blogs, while keeping very busy at my day job as a logistics manager for a market research company in Chicago. But I always have this fantasy that one day i will receive a message from somebody who will see potential in my work and take my life on a different course. I believe it's very possible and it's really the hope that keeps me going...

Gliding From Writing Project to Project...

2013-03-02T08:10:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it is already March. As a writer, I find that I impose, upon myself, writing tasks and deadlines that I feel I must meet. It's a bit strange that I would put demands on myself, outside of the many demands that I already have with working as a logistics manager, procuring and moving consumer products all over the country for testing. I was just involved in shipping 3400 frozen pizzas for a new client to residential addresses all over the country. All of our taste test respondents should've received their product, nicely preserved, thanks to the miracle of dry ice and a warm-mark indicator to ensure the product has been adequately maintained at a frozen state during the 2 day shipping.

I care about my role in this. I like my position as a logistics manager and I'm hoping everything goes well with this project as this is a new client with potential for much more work for our company down the road. The other responsibilities that claim my time are my many family and home obligations - this is most important to me. And just because I mention home and family obligations after my writing assignments and my obligations to my company, does not mean that it falls third on my priority list. This is simply how my thoughts are flowing as I sit and think where I am really going with all this.

I guess my original point is really to do with the self-imposed expectations we, as writers, often put on ourselves. I feel the need to produce a certain level of written prose in order to feel satisfied. Is it just me, or is this a common malady for most writers? I sit here, living in the Chicago area, glancing out the front window of my home occasionally to marvel at the snow on the ground. It's only been the second really measurable snowfall of the winter - very strange weather for Chicago. I'm thinking I need to grab my cross-country skis and head out to the nearby woods and take advantage of this 8 inch blanket of snow - for by next weekend it could very well be gone. But yet I feel the need to crank out this blog for Arkenstone before I can feel like I've earned my right to play.

And still, hanging over me, is this need to complete, or at least make a good headway on two other writing obligations before this weekend is out. I feel that I need to post to my other blog, The Whine Press. Now that I'm writing this, I can post a blog relating to cross-country skiing in the nearby woods. This will provide me with the permission to carelessly glide through the woods and knowing that I can use this solitary, healthful and invigorating time as a topic for The Whine Press.

Two assignments down and one to go! I recently returned from a mission trip to Haiti. I've committed to writing a recap, article, piece about my team's experience, work projects and spiritual aspects that were both a blessing for the people of Astruc, Haiti, and our team. This is intended for our supporters and to generate more awareness for the people at The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in Arlington Heights, Illinois. But I'm also hoping to to craft this in such a way as to seek publication beyond the church. I have until March 17th. That is when we present to our mission board and supporters. So, I need to get busy...

See what I mean? All self-imposed. I can say no to all of it as I really have nobody to disappoint, but myself. And I just realized that I got through this whole post without even making a reference to my award winning screenplay, Martin Eden... Whoops!

"And the Oscar Goes to Jim Farina for Martin Eden..."

2013-02-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

Here it is, the night before the biggest show in Hollywood, the Academy Awards. I am predicting the movie Argo as this year's winner to receive the coveted Oscar for Best Picture. I believe every writer who has a completed script, whether it is in the marketing phase, making the contest circuits, is in the hands of some agent, manager or producer, has the same dream. I know that I am not the only scriptwriter to have fantasies about one day sitting at the Academy awards. My fantasy goes beyond just being an audience participant.

I believe every scriptwriter, with a halfway decent script and the hope of one day having their script optioned or sold has the same fantasy: Your movie has finally been made after several re-writes and revisions. The production team has been put together - executive producers, directors, actors, musicians, wardrobe people, film crew, set designers and the countless other technical geniuses, gaffers, sound experts that need to come together to bring a script to life on the screen. I'm always inclined to think "The Big Screen", but that is always part of the fantasy too. I, and I'm sure every other script writer would be equally thrilled to see their work find a place on the small screen. Though by today's television standards, those screens are not so small anymore.

The fantasy continues with the film quickly gaining popularity, becoming a hit, and possibly even gaining recognition in other countries overseas. Next, enough money rolls in, affording you that dream of quitting your day job and dedicate your time to write even more blockbusters. The fantasy continues... Holly wood is seeking you out to collaborate on some projects, affording you even more exposure. All the while you are telling your friends and family that you will remain grounded and down-to-earth - not letting all this instant success change who you are at your core. At some level you know this is a lie.

The fantasy continues... your film is nominated for the Oscar awards. You are invited to the great event, sipping champagne, looking cool in your tux, or evening gown and tasteful jewelry selection, rubbing shoulders with all of the Hollywood elite. It doesn't matter what category your work is nominated, best picture, best original or adapted screenplay works best for my fantasy. I have my speech prepared in any event. The moment finally arrives while sitting in breathless anticipation, the envelope is being torn open after my face has shared the monitor with all the others in my category. I hear those words: "And the winner is...
Jim Farina for Martin Eden! Or is it only me that has these type of fantasies?

New Horizons...

2013-02-17T12:16:00.001-08:00

It's been too many weeks since Arkenstone has seen a posting. I have another blog too, The Whine Press, which has had a similar span of neglect. I have just returned from Haiti, where I volunteered for a short-term mission trip. Much of the time during and following the holidays had me focused on preparation for this trip. This included planning meetings, gathering of supplies and raising funds to help offset the cost of related expenses.

The trip went well and much was accomplished for the people in the villages near La Cayes, on the southern peninsula. I returned a bit tired, but am now ready to jump back into the routine of work and writing. I've entered my screenplay, Martin Eden, into another competition. It's been more than a year since entering this script in a contest and I took some time over the holidays to also revise and tighten up some of the dialog. I also took the advice of some talented members of the Talentville.com online community to refine my script and trim some of the fat. I am quite pleased with the most current version of the screenplay and I hope that the contest judges will be equally pleased with the outcome. I understand this particular competition attracts a good deal of industry professionals. But don't they all?

I think I will continue to blog about the status and efforts that I'm employing in order to get my script some attention. In the meantime, I need to also look for a new focus. I need a project that will both keep me writing and help to promote my work. I'm thinking of something in the way of a short story or article that I can add to my repertoire. I think that if I focus on a short piece and get it to a point where I can seek publication, this would keep me engaged and challenged while I have my other irons in the fire. It's good for a writer to have several projects going. As you get to a point where you feel the need to step back for a time from one initiative, there is always a new project to dedicate some energy.

My next project has come to me by a most natural, or perhaps even supernatural means. I will write a story, article about my experiences in Haiti during the firs week in February. I also spent a week there a year ago. This will also be a good exercise in the process of short prose. This project will benefit me, personally, but my hope is to somehow raise awareness for the people In Haiti, to attract more attention from our supporters and to help with the sponsorship of school aged children.

This means, possibly a new blog, some strategic marketing initiatives and a whole new audience for my work. Arkenstone is here to stay, The Whine Press is alive and well! Now on to a new horizon... a small insignificant place in the Caribbean.

New Year for Writers...

2012-12-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

Here it is Christmas Eve and I sit with a bit of a writer's block as I post to Arkenstone. Going into a new year is especially a good time for writers. I think because if we are busy and committed to our craft, we have something already that can be dedicated to resolve going into a new year.

I think for a writer, we are really never at a loss to make resolutions regarding our work, whether that is an already completed work needing revisions and a breath of new life, a new work that we're contemplating, an aggressive marketing plan to promote our material, new networking relationships to explore and nurture. There can be any number of changes we can make to move forward and enhance our efforts.

As with any new year's resolution, I think we need to be realistic with our goals. I mean, for somebody who is grossly overweight, it is probably more realistic to make the goal to be more physically active in the new year and to maybe walk 4-5 times a week for 45 minutes, than to say, I'm going to lose 50lbs by spring. It should be the same for a writer. Let's not make our goals so ambitious that we set ourselves up for certain failure.

For me, personally, I can focus on my already existing screenplay, Martin Eden, which has already placed in several competitions and has been requested by a good handful of Hollywood Industry executives. Or I could resolve to begin another screenplay, maybe write a short story and get it into circulation with the contests and editors. We as writers have so much we can resolve to do. I think I will begin by taking another look at my existing screenplay and take the advice of some thoughtful critiques that I received from reviewers on the site Talentville.com. I think that will be a good start for me. And then perhaps I will either begin work on a new script. Perhaps I will adapt again, as this seems to be a strength for me. And there are thousands of stories in the public domain in which to draw ideas from and not worry about securing the copyrights. I also like the idea of trying my hand at a short story.

In either case, it is the sense of accomplishment and the ever-present hope of recognition and possible discovery that I think keeps me writing. I've come to a realization that financial reward is not what drives me to write. If that were true, I would not spend the time maintaining two blogs. I have the Arkenstone and The Whine Press.

I'm not quite at that point where I feel that I can say, without complete reservation, that I, Jim Farina, am a writer. However, I have been referred to as a writer in introduction to strangers: This is Jim Farina, he's a writer. Really? Am I? When is it that you can say you are a writer? Is it upon publication of a work (or several works)? Must we be making a comfortable living at it? Is there a certain degree of public recognition that designates us as such? Or is it simply enough to have a passion for the craft and an insatiable need to continue to write?

Game of Thrones, Spartacus, Rome and Maybe, Sons of Priam?

2012-12-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

I had mentioned a couple posts back that I've been reading scripts on the Talentville.com community. A site devoted to screenplay writers and industry professionals who are looking for new talent. I mentioned a script that I read that is a concept for a series. This particular script, Sons of Priam, by writer, Jonathan Dick is an historic drama based on the Trojan Wars period. It feels much like a Game of Thrones or Spartacus type epic. Jonathan is a very talented writer who did a wonderful job of bringing to life such legends as Hecuba, Achilles, Paris and Hector against a colorful backdrop of 12th century Greece.

It appears that Jonathan has written at least 3 episodes, all which rank high in terms of review submissions on the site. Last week Jonathon had a very interesting stroke of good fortune. I happened to be reading my weekly email from another site that is devoted to screenplay writers and agency professionals seeking new material. The site is Jerol Lebaron's Inktip. The InkTip site sends members regular emails with a listing of specific projects that producers are currently seeking. Some are very specific in terms of genre, setting character specifics, budget and so forth. Some even go as far as specifying writers from a specific country or origin.

As I was perusing last week's newsletter from InkTip, I saw that a certain company G was looking for a series concept that was exactly inline with Jonathan Dick's concept. I believe the query stated something like: "...similar to Game of Thrones or Spartacus". What was even more interesting is that they were only looking for Canadian writers. Jonathan just happens to reside in Ontario, Canada. So I couldn't believe this was all falling in line for Mr. Dick. First, he has a great highly rated handful of scripts, perfectly fitting the criteria that this producer was looking for, but the fact that he is also Canadian was too much for me to not alert Jonathan to this amazing series of alignments. This all fit so much like a glove, that I quickly logged into Talentville.com and contacted him to pass on the good stroke of fortune. Jonathon thanked me for the lead and said he himself belonged to InkTip and knew about the query. He later sent me a follow up message saying that he had contacted the mystery producer and that they had asked for his script.

How exciting for this writer! I am excited for him too. The next best thing to getting your own work requested and read, is sharing in another writer's triumphs. I so hope this works out for Jonathan. And It would be nice if we as writers watched out for each other and helped to cross-promote our respective work and look out for opportunities that might help boost a great work, even if it isn't our own.

Final Draft, Martin Eden and Confessions of a Software Thief...

2012-12-02T07:23:00.000-08:00

Since last week's post I've had a another review on my script, Martin Eden and a message from the founder and CEO of Talentville Inc., Ben Cahan. As it turns out, Mr. Cahan also happens to be one of the creators of Final Draft, the most recognized screenwriting software in the industry. If you are writing a screenplay and attempting to format it yourself, without the aid of a software such as Final Draft, then you need to download their free demo version and give it a whirl. I promise you will be completely sold and never go back to the old ways. Martin Eden would never have been possible without the use of Final Draft. You can then purchase the full version for less than $200. I have seen it on Amazon.com for around $169.

So after getting 3 reviews and a rather lengthy, but encouraging message from Mr. Cahan, I've decided that two things need to happen before going into the new year:

1.) I need to do a bit of revising on my script
2.) I need to purchase version 8 of Final Draft software package

Some interesting observations have come to light from reviewers of my script. This is why a community where screenwriters can share their work is so beneficial. Scriptwriters, many seasoned in the art, can offer tips, fixes, and insightful suggestions. It's good to get input from friends and family members, but these will be mostly biased and from the perspective of an untrained eye. Not to say that these people have nothing to offer, in fact, I believe that this is probably a good place to begin. Friends can read through and let you know if generally your story flows and makes sense, pick out typos and glaring mistakes and offer their first impressions. After the friend and family circuit is complete, I would then put your work out to the Talentville community or a similar site where work, ideas and suggestions can be exchanged.

After a good handful of thoughtful reviews, you could find that the same comments might come up. In my case, for example, it had come up with all 3 reviewers that I had too much description distracting from the dialog and that much of my dialog could be tightened up a bit more. There were some other observations common amongst the reviewers that I will look to address in a revised version of Martin Eden. I can begin doing much of this work with the demo version of Final Draft. But my first priority is to purchase the most current, version 8 of the software.

I have a confession to make too, which has bothered me as both a Christian and a man of much integrity. My award winning script was developed by illegal means. A friend of mine had offered that there was a key to unlock the demo version of the software, thereby giving me full access to Final Draft 7. I'm not that technically savvy, so I allowed this friend to do all the dirty work. This further helped alleviate my conscience of any direct guilt in the matter. Once I realized how amazing this software was, I swore that I would pay these people and always felt a nagging sense of guilt about this.

I have since lost the bootlegged software, due mostly to my aforementioned ineptitude in technical areas. But this is just as well. I will purchase version 8 legally, spend some time over a much needed break over the holidays and focus on some revisions. Martin Eden is a very good script as evidenced by the 4 competitions it placed in. Now on it's way to greatness...

Reviewing Screenplays on Talentville.com

2012-11-23T08:30:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the review, Jim...and now it's my turn...

So I have read through some screenplays on this up-and-coming community site for screenwriters, Talentville.com. The first feature script that I read was pretty good. The writer adapted the story from an award winning juvenile novel. I appreciate adaptations, knowing something firsthand about the process, having adapted Jack London's novel, Martin Eden for the screen.

The way that the Talentville community is structured is pretty simple: you read scripts from others in the community within a designated time period, generally about a week. Once you complete your reading assignment, you can post your review, comments, ratings and suggestions to the author for all to see. Once your review is posted, you receive payment in the form of Talentdollars, which can then be exchanged to purchase reviews from Talentville members of your own uploaded script.

It seems to all work very well and this really is a good means of fine-tuning your work as other people provide valuable feedback, suggestions, while also highlighting some errors, format mistakes and typos that you have overlooked. Of course, this all depends on the reviewer. I find some tend to be over critical and amateurish, while others are thoughtful and seasoned script writers. I have experienced some of both, so you must also decide for yourself those suggestions that are of real value and those that you must disregard.

The difficult part is how you handle an assigned script that is not very good. The first two scripts that I was assigned were a pleasure to both read and to provide reviews for. As I said earlier, the first was an adapted feature, the second was a one hour episode: sort of a Game of Thrones or Spartacus type of drama about the Trojan Wars. The story and characters were great and I enjoyed it very much. My third assignment was a raunchy, poorly written "comedy" that was agonizing to get through.

This is when it gets tricky, at least for me. How do you write a review for something that is not very good and poorly executed, while at the same time, remaining positive and trying not to deflate the author's pride? I had to really apply my skill as a writer here. I mean, as poorly as I believe this script was, this is still every bit as much an effort to complete a 100+ page screenplay as it was for anybody. This is a work that the writer is very close to and has invested much thought and many long hours to complete.

I thought I was honest, but generous in my overall assessment. I did offer thoughtful suggestions and did give higher rating for the writing itself, as I believe the author had some genuine talent. It was really just the story, characters and pacing that were poor. So I posted my review, shared a few friendly back-and-forth email exchanges with the writer, earned enough Talentdollars to exchange for reviews of Martin Eden. Well as it turned out, this particular author had recently had knee surgery, affording him all kinds of time during his recovery to read scripts and post reviews. And guess whose script he decided to hunt down?

So Martin Eden got a bit of a blasting. I knew that the motivation here was part retaliatory, but still...my first review! I didn't take it too badly though. I graciously thanked the reader for his feedback, and took the opportunity to show him how well Martin Eden did in the 4 competitions it was entered. The next review of Martin Eden came from a seasoned professional in the industry somebody who'd actually sold his work. He gave Martin Eden very high marks and referred to it as "brilliant". So I am fine. All I need to do is read more scripts, purchase more reviews and accumulate more positive feedback like the last one to negate that slam I took.

I was tempted to ask that first reviewer - Did you get a message from a highly credited Hollywood producer last week asking you who you envision playing your lead character? I did! And this is the truth!!

Reading Other People's Screenplays...

2012-11-11T13:38:00.000-08:00

So in the last post I talked about the screenplay social community known as Talentville.com. I've been more active on Talentville this week than I've ever been. This is due mostly to the fact that I now have a little bit better understanding how the community works.

You can become a member of the community in one of 2 ways - either as a Tourist, which is a free membership with limited benefits. Or you can purchase a Citizenship status starting at $39 for a 3 month period. $59 for a 6 month term, or a one year term for $99. I am considering a citizenship status at the 3 month term as a trial. One of the benefits of Talentville citizenship is that you have the freedom to choose the script that you would like to read written by other members in the community and submit a review.

Reviewing scripts and submitting ratings and reviews are an essential means to getting your own script submissions read by community participants. The goal is the hope of getting enough favorable reviews to boost your ranking to a point where industry professionals, also part of the community, will take notice of your work. Every screenplay that you read and post a review gets you a designated amount of Talentdollars. Talentdollars can then be used to purchase reviews of your screenplay by community participants.

The limitations with having only the free tourist status is that you don't get to choose the scripts to review, but you are assigned them. I have read 4 scripts since last weekend - all of them assigned. There is also a time period given, I believe about 7 days to read and post a review. The first script I read was adapted from a juvenile novel, something in the vein of Rob Reiner's Stand by Me. I did enjoy it and thought the writer did a nice job. That review was easy. The next assignment I received was the second installment of a 60 page episodic series, based on the Trojan wars. This was something akin to Game of Thrones or Spartacus. I found this script quite compelling and very nicely written.

Yesterday I finished a script that was a 98 page disaster. it was said to be a comedy/drama about an all gay soccer team helping their straight coach with a baby that he was trying to gain custody of after the mother abandons both, "presumed" father and baby. This was difficult for me because I wanted to be fair to the writer in giving my honest assessment without deflating him completely. I had to call upon all of my writing skills and sense of diplomacy to provide the most constructive feedback, without bruising the author to badly in the process. I think was successful. Once you submit your review, you are able to then see everybody's reviews on the same work. I must say I felt much better about my post, as some of the others were quite harsh in conveying their opinions of the troubled work.

Now I have accumulated enough Talentdollars to purchase 2 reviews for my own script, Martin Eden. One of the two should be coming in very soon, as I believe it was assigned last week. I think it is a fine script, but then doesn't everybody think the same of their own work? Anyway it is fun, but it would be kind of nice to choose a genre and a script that I might be interested in. I'm not much for horror, sci-fi, animation or sitcoms... all in the realm of possible assignments with my current Tourist status.

Talentville is A Good Place to Get Your Screenplay Attention

2012-11-04T07:03:00.000-08:00

There are scores of different ways to promote your script, some of them I've mentioned in previous blogposts. I talked about how I've had some success entering Martin Eden into competitions. This is a good way to find out how your work stands amongst the vast competition. Though this is not to say that just because your work doesn't win or place, in a competition, that some producer out there won't fall in love with your idea and put some money behind it. Though I still think it's a good idea to enter 3 or 4 competitions as the process is really still somewhat subjective. A good thing too, about screenplay competitions is that they categorize the submissions by genre: drama, romantic comedy, romance, horror... Television and series scripts have their own category. This way your work is really standing up in a category amongst work of the the same type.

I also mentioned script delivery services such as SellAscript or InkTip. Services like this are good for exposure as they help get your work in front of the eyes of industry producers, agents and managers. I have had some good results from these services as they allow you to create your own selling message. The industry professionals then shop around and can contact you if they like what they see. and I have had at least half a dozen interested producers ask for my script, Martin Eden. Keep in mind, this is an extremely slow moving business, so it could take several months before you hear anything back. I think it is smart to send a very brief email to these interested parties on occasion, just to let them know you are still there and to give them a little nudge. Often times they have every intention of reading your script, but in their busy lives, it can easily fall to the wayside. I usually wait a good 6 to 8 weeks before contacting a producer who has asked for my script. I feel any more frequency than this might have them start thinking that you are becoming a nuisance.

I'm hoping that this blog, Arkenstone could be another means to attract some attention to my work. I figure it couldn't hurt, and it's a good way to exercise my writing. Though I'm not a big social network type, I do have a Facebook and Linkedin account that are active. I just don't spend enough time with them to consider a viable avenue to promote my work. For others who really know how to get the most from these sites could probably do very well with going this route.

I've recently come upon a site, Talentville.com. Talentville is a site dedicated to showcase the work of scriptwriters. Talentville is a social community where you can upload your profile, script, logline and summary allowing others in the community to read and submit a review. I think it's a unique and interesting concept (at least it is to me). The way Talentville works is that you can become part of their community as either a "Tourist", which is my current (and free) designation, at least until I find my way around a bit more. You can also become a "Citizen" of Tanlentville - there is a 6 month or 1 year option that requires a fee. But with that fee comes many benefits and privileges that are not available at the Tourist level. I will review those privileges and talk more about that in the next post. So far I'm enjoying the benefits that I'm realizing as a Tourist.

The means at which you can get your script noticed in the Talentville community is to request assignments. This means that you are given scripts to read and review within a given period of time (about a week). By submitting your review, along with others' reviews, you can accumulate points or "Dollars" that can then be cashed in for purchasing a review of your submitted work (or works). I have just read and posted reviews on 2 scripts this week, earning me enough Telentville dollars to purchase a review of Martin Eden.

Somebody in the Talentville community will be reading my script this week and offering their critique. The more favorable reviews that a writer gets, the more notice you will get from producers and other industry professionals, who are also part of this community. I'm excited yet nervous to get my first review of Martin Eden. I just hope whomever is assigned my screenplay is as thoughtful and kind as I felt that I was in the works that I was assigned. We are all in this to grow, to learn and hopefully to profit.

Selling a Screenplay? The Waiting is the Hardest Part

2012-10-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

I think if a screenwriter takes away nothing else from the experience of having come up with a great idea for a screenplay, writing a kick-ass script, marketing your effort to the decision makers, it is learning to be patient.

When I consider that I wrote Martin Eden... well, what I mean to say is, adapted the screenplay from Jack London's 1909 novel, back in 2009. I think it's pretty cool that I completed that work exactly one hundred years from the date of its publication. And here we are just weeks away from 2013, and still waiting on some action. When I say action, I suppose I'm referring to something in the form of representation, an option deal or an outright sale. I guess I can say, in truth, that my screenplay has seen much action when you consider the recognition Martin Eden has received from various screenplay competitions. I must also say that my efforts to market my work has been rather encouraging, when I have had at least a dozen requests from some high-profile executives in the industry for this work.

Funny, when I first completed this screenplay and I felt it was ready for the eyes of Hollywood producers, I was convinced, as I'm sure are many other first-time script writers, that once I cast my script out to the ocean of hungry Hollywood sharks, they would all be clambering over each other for obtaining the rights from me. It is a great fantasy, imagining that your work is in such high demand as to inspire ruthless bidding wars among the film industry elite. A screenwriter will quickly learn that this notion of immediate success and recognition couldn't be further from the truth. The reality is, even having written an amazing and valuable work, it could take years to get an option deal. The reality, is you might never get an offer.

I have learned to be patient, to wait...to keep trying. I have relaxed on the notion that Hollywood will be breaking down my door. I have come to the realization that I may never see a dime for my efforts. But we keep on trying don't we? We continue to come up with creative ideas to get our work out there. We continue to cast our nets. We sift through all those emails related to pitching and selling your script in the hopes of discovering that one magic door to riches and fame. And we all know that most of these companies have little success rate, given the mounds of desperate clients, all convinced that they've just penned the next Hollywood blockbuster. We know they too are in the business of making a buck. So we learn to wait... we console ourselves with the idea that we only need one person who is crazy about our script idea, who also has the means to get our project made.

I know that Jack London's works are very popular in European markets. This will be my next focus. So you people in the UK, Germany and Russia who are reading this blog, look out 'cause here we come!

Adapting Screenplays from Books...Pros and Cons

2012-10-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

I adapted Jack London's book, Martin Eden for a few reasons, with the foremost reason being that I believe this to be a great story and that a faithful film version needs to be produced to do it justice. There was a film version produced in 1942 starring Glenn Ford. The film was poorly done and bore little resemblance to London's 1909 novel.

Another reason that I chose this book is the fact that it is now in the public domain. As of January 2012, any copyright material published before 1923 is considered public domain, unless the copyright is renewed. This means that the rights to borrow from that material are fair game and you do not need to purchase said rights. Once I discovered that I could use Martin Eden without having o purchase the rights, I Googled to see if there were any screenplay versions currently existing of this novel or plans already in the works for production.

I could find no plans for any future productions and I could find only one screenplay in existence by Hollywood writer, David Michael O'Neill and partner with Carolina Films. I actually contacted Mr. O'Neill regarding his script. It seems he too had made a great effort some years ago to shop his screenplay around. He did get as far as getting an option and as I understand it, there were even some actors in place. Charlie Sheen in the title role? It's a little hard to imagine now.

There are some benefits to adapting an already existing book. The crux of your story is already in place, it is then a matter of finding creative ways to transfer it to a visual medium. This is not as easy at it sounds. With Martin Eden, I read through the book several times. The first time, I read simply for enjoyment, though I had read the book some years earlier and a big fan of London. I then purchased an old copy that I could mark up and make notes. All-in-all I probably read through the book a half dozen times or more. The big problem that I struggled with was that much of what Martin Eden experiences is processed in his own mind. And being that the novel is also a semi-autobiographical account of Jack London's own life and times, it is written with an introspective viewpoint. I think that I handled these challenges very well. I am very pleased with the outcome of the script, as apparently are some of the contest judges that awarded me various placement in their contests.

This brings me to some of the cons of adapting. Many of the competitions that I looked to enter have rules that preclude any screenplay submissions that are not original works, that is to say that they will not accept any screenplays based on another author's material. This was a little disappointing as some of the highest profile competitions, such as the Nicholl Fellowship, a very prestigious flagship in the contest realm, will never get this script. A placement in Nicholl is a huge deal and garners much attention from film industry giants.

Of course, there are many competitions that do accept adapted works (see previous blogpost), so be sure to read the contest rules of any competition that you are considering. I like the idea of adapting and I'm considering a another project for the new year. I think it's always a good idea to have more than one iron in the fire.