The Athletic Nerd

Becoming A Screenwriter For Hire

jasonmckinnon — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:35:34 +0000

This week, I’ll be meeting with 17 West Producer/Director Eric Gamache to go over ideas for one of our newest projects.

The story details will remain a secret for now but I will tell you it is dark and involves an island that looks something like this:

It will become my first screenplay adapted from someone else’s idea.

This frightens me.

However, I’m actually excited to tackle someone else’s story.

There is a certain level of comfort when you are working on your own concepts and developing your own scripts.

I think screenwriting isn’t as fun if you don’t step out of your comfort zone every now and then.

How else are you going to keep things fresh and interesting?

You’ve got to challenge yourself.

So I’ll be taking notes and listening intently to my “client” during the meeting. I want to make sure I truly understand what he wants and what kind of story he wants to tell.

I’m curious to see how it turns out in the end.

We’ve spent the last few weeks tweaking another project and the results have been amazing. It’s a fantastic working relationship.

This new idea has all the makings of something fun and entertaining.

I’m looking forward to getting started.

Going The Distance… Whatever It Takes

jasonmckinnon — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:41:30 +0000

Every once in a while, a movie comes along that you can truly relate to. A movie that deals with issues and challenges you have faced or are currently trying to overcome.

Going The Distance is such a movie for me.

Over a year ago, I met the girl who would one day become my best friend. Someone who understood me for who I am. I still can’t believe I found her.

But there was a problem…

2 hours separated us.

We knew right away that our relationship was too important and exciting to throw away so we challenged ourselves to make the distance work.

Even though statistics show that long distance can’t work we knew we would beat the odds.

And we did. For a year we traveled back and forth and saw each other as much as possible.

I’m happy to report we now live together.

You can see how Going The Distance was an easy pick for a Saturday matinee. The movie isn’t the greatest romantic comedy ever made but it definitely has some funny moments. For us, it was great to see so many similarities on screen.

After being in a long distance relationship, I can definitely say that it becomes exhausting missing someone so much. Nights go by and you wish you could just live in the same city already! This was a big issue that Drew Barrymore and Justin Long faced in the film.

The movie itself had a bunch of lines that caused us to smile at each other as we realized we definitely made it work and continue to make it work everyday.

This is another reason why I love movies. They make you take stock of what you have and what you want. They connect to you on personal levels allowing you to truly relate to the story in unique ways.

The filmmakers never knew that we would sit in a theater on a windy Saturday afternoon and reflect on a wonderful year. That’s what fascinates me about storytelling.

Hopefully, my writing will connect to audiences someday. I’m going to keep working until it does. Until that time, I’m thankful for what I have and who I found one year ago. I’m happy that we did whatever it took to make it work.

I’m lucky.

Rainy Sundays: My Life

jasonmckinnon — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:00:23 +0000

My life is a fantastic movie to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

This week’s pick is a film that scares me every time I see it. Truthfully, I’m almost afraid to watch it because it makes me think about my own life and how precious every day is. At the same time, the film also makes me thankful for what I have and reminds me to embrace each day to the fullest.

My Life is the story of a man dealing with cancer and struggling to tie up all the loose ends in his life. At the same time he also struggles to stay alive long enough to watch the birth of his son.

Michael Keaton and Nicole Kidman are both outstanding in it and I couldn’t recommend it more.

Especially if you are looking for a movie to watch on a lazy day.

17W Short Film: 4 Stops

jasonmckinnon — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 00:01:32 +0000

4 Stops

One man riding a subway has a limited time to talk to a beautiful woman without being creepy. Can he achieve the impossible?

You can check out some feedback we got at the WILDsound festival below:

Gareth Edwards’ MONSTERS Is Inspiring!

jasonmckinnon — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:23:58 +0000

I came across two posts over at SLASH FILM today about how director Gareth Edwards made the upcoming alien invasion story:

Monsters

Click here to read a complete write up on the film.

Click here to learn more about how the director pulled it off.

The film is due in theaters this fall and it’s hands down one of my most anticipated movies of the year. The fact that the majority of the film was done with a minimal budget and edited on equipment I have access to is inspiring.

All I want to do is get back to cutting my latest short film, The Climb.

I want to be in my office with Final Cut Pro opened up and really create something entertaining. Monsters also has me pumped up for my new feature length screenplay that I’m planning on starting this fall.

I love the feeling of being inspired.

I was already excited about the film but then I saw the video embedded below and it pushed me over the top.

Not only that, the artwork and posters for the film are truly unbelievable. Check out the poster below! So simple. So awesome.

I can’t wait to see Monsters on the big screen.

Writing A Screenplay: What Happens Next?

jasonmckinnon — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:58:34 +0000

I’m working away at my new feature script and I’m nearing the end quickly. I’ve reached the point where I definitely know the I want the story to go. I just needed a good great way to get there.

My outline has provided me with a fantastic road map but I’ve never been a fan of writing every single detail in advance. I like to discover the little details of a story as I write.

So I asked myself…

What happens next?

It’s one of the most exciting questions a screenwriter can ask. The question causes you to lean back in your seat and answer:

What does happen next?

The question can be intimidating but I find it exciting. I can make up whatever I want and if I don’t like it? I can make something else up.

The trick is to follow up What Happens Next with:

How can I make my script more interesting?

More entertaining?

So I left my office and retreated to my living room couch with my notes in hand. I knew the broad strokes to the remaining 30 pages or so. I just needed to iron out the little details.

It was time to answer the question.

The process is inspiring. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about these characters and the decisions come naturally now. I know their motivations and no choice I made conflicts with who they are.

Within an hour I had no longer had to answer What Happens Next…

It’s time to challenge myself to make my screenplay as interesting and entertaining as possible.

Back to work.

Movies That Changed Everything: There Will Be Blood

jasonmckinnon — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:09:57 +0000

I’m an aspiring filmmaker. Like every filmmaker out there, I have a lengthy list of films that have inspired me along the way. This series will examine twelve of the films that changed the way I looked at movies forever. Films that have greatly influenced the filmmaker I hope to become someday…

There Will Be Blood

Character is king.

If you can create a character strong enough to carry a film practically alone you are a gifted and talented storyteller.

This is what I strive to be.

It’s easy to set your goals high when you have movies like There Will Be Blood to turn to for inspiration. Paul Thomas Anderson created an incredible screenplay based on (what I’m assuming is) an equally incredible novel.

There Will Be Blood feeds my constant need to feel inspired. To be excited about telling stories.

It’s addictive.

Daniel Plainview is a fascinating character and thanks to Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance, he will surely go down as one of the best characters in film history. However, the story doesn’t rely only on it’s main character. The entire world is unique and interesting. I love the quiet pacing of the film and the way it portrays the oil industry. Everything about this movie is inspiring in subtle but profound ways.

I truly feel like an amazing group of artists got together and created something legendary with this film.

The perfect storm.

Yet it’s the character that I keep coming back to.Watching Mr. Plainview descend deeper and deeper into darkness is an unreal journey to witness. Every single time I see it, it makes me want to sit down and create something new and original. It makes me want to be a better writer.

It makes me want to really put the work in and develop a complex character.This is no easy task. Still, continually putting in the effort is inspiring enough. Just the thought of creating someone like Daniel Plainview keeps me going. It keeps me typing. It keeps my imagination running wild. The possibilities are endless.

It’s easy to say There Will Be Blood changed the way I looked at movies. This brilliant film literally changed the way I think about film and my entire approach to writing interesting characters.

Effort. Creativity. Fun.

These are the elements that keep me glued to the screen.

Blank pages beware.

Era 7: A Screenwriter Evolves

jasonmckinnon — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:39:26 +0000

September 1st.

My personal screenwriting year end.

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

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

Era 7 has begun.

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

New year. New goals.

It’s time to evolve.

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

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

Until a few months ago when we wrapped The Climb.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bring on Era 7.

10 Flicks: Character Driven Movies

jasonmckinnon — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:57:20 +0000

Character studies. Character analysis.

Character driven movies…

Movies that explore one character’s rise and/or fall fascinate me.

Movies with interesting and iconic characters that reasonate are incredible achievement. Every movie fan has a different connection to these powerful characters and that’s what makes them unique.

Everyone relates differently. Everyone has a favorite.

At the end of the day, movies that focus on one character’s life and the challenges they encounter are truly works of art.

Here are 10 of my favorites:

Cast Away

Chuck Noland

Into The Wild

Chris McCandless

Scarface

Tony Montana

Click image to view trailer

Taxi Driver

Travis Bickle

Rocky

Rocky Balboa

Forest Gump

Forest Gump

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

R.P McMurphy

Kill Bill

The Bride

There Will Be Blood

Daniel Plainview

Jerry Maguire

Jerry Maguire

Dexter & Screenwriting

jasonmckinnon — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:56:44 +0000

I’m currently reading the first DEXTER novel by Jeff Lindsay: Darkly Dreaming Dexter.

It’s a fantastic book.

I’ve already got the second installment on standby and I can’t wait to read more about one of my favorite characters.

Obviously, I’m also a gigantic fan of the Showtime series based on the beloved serial killer.

For 4 years now, I’ve been completely engrossed in that show. It’s unbelievable how good it is if you have yet to see it. I know I don’t have to explain how amazing it is to those that have.

It literally gets better and better with each successful season. I’m still shocked at how season 4 ended.

It was one of the most entertaining hours of television I’ve ever seen!

This blog is normally slanted more towards the film industry and the movies that inspire me but there is no shortage of inspiring tales on the tube. The last 5-7 years have been especially gratifying with shows like Lost, Prison Break, True Blood and Mad Men grabbing a stranglehold of my imagination.

Dexter is number 1 on that list.

For me it’s all about the writing. The writing on that show is incredible. Each new episode is so unique, original and clever. It’s just damn good writing and I have a high level of respect for that team.

They are constantly challenging themselves to write Dexter into corners and lead him into inescapable situations. Just when you think they can’t think of a plausible way to get out of it they hit you over the head with a solution you never even thought of. That group of writers must love going to work everyday.

I’m thankful Dexter exists.

Last week, I was riding the subway on my way to work reading my Dexter novel. I had a moment of inspiration just like I would if I were watching the latest jaw dropping episode. Except this time it wasn’t the ideas and the execution (pun intended) that inspired me.

It was the language, the subtleties and the detail.

The world of Dexter is so well developed that it’s hard not to marvel at the genius of it.

It got me thinking more about word selection and precise and interesting descriptions. I started thinking about the newest short screenplay I’ve been rewriting the last few weeks.

In that moment, as I sat on that train, my book lowered and I made a decision.

This week, I’ve challenged myself to improve the language of my screenplay. So I’ve decided to print it out and write from scratch keeping only the absolute best of the previous draft. The story is out there but now it’s my responsibility to make sure that it’s well told and as entertaining as possible.

I live for moments of inspiration.

Whether it’s a novel, a television series or a film, I’m always on the look out for hidden moments that kick start my need to write.

And I love to write.

PS: I’m beyond excited for Dexter Season 5!

M. Night Shyamalan’s ESCALATION Is Funny?

jasonmckinnon — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:09:05 +0000

M. Night Shyamalan has been taking a beating lately.

It seems everyone has jumped off the bandwagon and he’s become public enemy number one.

After the disastrous, The Last Airbender people just don’t care anymore. (Many stopped caring long before that.)

However, even though he was recently replaced by Christopher Nolan as my favorite director, I still have high hopes for his future projects.

DEVIL

You know things are bad when people laugh at the very sight of your name in the credits. M. Night Shyamalan’s Devil is merely his concept. The film was written and directed by other filmmakers. Yet Shymalan’s name seems to be a hindrance to the film.

Has it really come down to this?

The movie actually looks decent.

Not bad right?

Today, I read a story over at Slashfilm that included a trailer M. Night Shyamalan made called Escalation. It seems Mr. Shyamalan has a sense of humor about all this. This fake trailer pokes fun at himself which, to me, shows that he’s at least aware of his public image. In the past it seemed as though he didn’t care what people thought.

I really hope his new project will turn his career around.

He’s too talented to go down like this.

Here’s the trailer for Escalation.

All Time Worst: Movie Theme To Get Stuck In Your Head

jasonmckinnon — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:16:38 +0000

I got a song stuck in my head the other day.

It was the Dewey theme from the Scream movies.

You know the one:

don DON don DON… ting ting ting ting ting ting don DON don DON…

I may as well just show it to you. The song is actually the theme from Broken Arrow by Hans Zimmer.

Note: There’s your fun fact of the day.

Here it is:

I’m not saying I dislike the song. I’m just saying it was stuck in my head for the entire day and lets face it, any song will grow old eventually.

That’s how I feel.

I’m thankful it’s gone. Hopefully it doesn’t get stuck in your head now.

17 West Productions in 2010

jasonmckinnon — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:38:21 +0000

17 West Productions is about to get a big boost in the coming months.

You might say that things appear to be quiet these days. Today, I’d like to explain why.

Updates have been few throughout the summer but that doesn’t mean we aren’t working hard behind the scenes

Everything will make sense before 2010 wraps up.

Essentially, we are gearing up for a ‘relaunch‘ of sorts this winter with a ton of updates on the way.

It will begin with:

17west.ca

A complete redesign is in the works and construction got underway a few weeks ago. Preliminary designs are looking sweet and I can’t wait to show off our flagship site’s new look. I’m pretty excited as the current design is well over 2 years old.

Those who have been keeping track on this blog have probably noticed that I began migrating all of the articles and features from 17west.ca to The Athletic Nerd. The blog will serve as the central source of information for 17 West’s projects.

The new design incorporates the blog everywhere so you’ll always be up to date on our latest films.

The new look features a brighter and cleaner design with better graphics and a lot more functionality.

However, the redesign doesn’t stop there…

Our Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages are also scheduled for upgrades to reflect the new look of 17west.ca.

One network. One style. Tons of work.

Why the redesign?

New movies!

The new design is due to go live around the same time we announce our next short film. For now, I’ll simply call it Eric Gamache’s dark tale.

We are hard at work developing the script and getting pitch materials together for the impending search for funds. The new film is truly going to raise the bar for us. Eric is a talented director and the material we are working on has us both pumped to move forward.

What else?

I’m also hoping to unleash the first trailer for The Climb, our latest short film we shot back in May. Post production will continue into the winter and I’m hoping to have the film completed and ready to go in Spring 2011. Why so long? I’m handling all the post myself. (Basically what I’m saying is, I have a lot to do.)

However, I still plan to have a trailer and possibly a clip or two ready for the relaunch of the site.

In the mean time, check out the poster we unveiled a few weeks back. Thoughts?

We will also be upping our coverage of Strings. A project we are co-producing in Sudbury, Ontario. Strings has been quiet lately but I assure you it’s on the way and we’re all excited and eager to proceed with the music/love story.

We are also beginning to develop our future projects to keep this momentum going once every thing launches in a few months.

To summarize, we are coming back in a big way!

Looking for updates?

Keep checking The Athletic Nerd for complete coverage on each of these projects. You’ll find all the details here with daily updates and original features. I’m also preparing for the Nerd’s 1 year anniversary with an entire week of posts dedicated to the milestone. I’ll also be previewing what you can expect as the site evolves in the future.

Back to work.

Sports & Movies: It’s All About Stories

jasonmckinnon — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:23:19 +0000

What makes an Athletic Nerd?

You can easily separate my professional life into two distinct categories:

Sports
Movies

Essentially, I’m a professional editor working for a sports network and an independent filmmaker. It’s a perfect combination. An athletic side and a nerdy side.

Whether I’m watching the game or the latest blockbuster, I’m surrounded by compelling stories on a daily basis.

I can’t get enough.

Recently, I witnessed Blue Jays pitcher Shaun Marcum almost pitch a no hitter. It was the second close call in a week with Brandon Morrow coming within one out of the feat. (17 strikeouts more than made up for it though.)

The energy in the studio during these moments is unreal. It’s the reason I’m excited to go to work every day.

I fell the same way when a movie is about to begin.

It’s a craving.

In this way, there really isn’t a huge difference between a hardcore sports fan and a film buff. It’s the stories that fascinate us.

For every Lebron James there is a Luke Skywalker. For every championship team there is an Oscar winning performance. There are bench clearing brawls and incredible action sequences.

We witness underdog stories on both sides and marvel as iconic heroes and villains put everything on the line every single game and film.

It’s the stories that keep us coming back for more.

Every single day, I watch sports and movies and I’m still completely fascinated by the events that unfold. It’s also challenging being in a position to tell these stories on a daily basis. I could be editing a highlight package or writing a screenplay. Either way, I’m being creative and loving every second of it.

Sports and Movies.

Athletes and Nerds.

Stories.

PS: I almost feel bad for calling myself a nerd because I love film but I remind myself that being a nerd these days is a badge of honor. I’m proud to be a nerd.

Movies That Changed Everything: Pan’s Labyrinth

jasonmckinnon — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:56:33 +0000

Pan’s Labyrinth

How did Pan’s Labyrinth change everything for me? One word:

Imagination

Guillermo Del Toro has one of the most original and artistic imaginations in the world. The pic above is a perfect example of this.

Pan’s Labyrinth was one of those movies that looked so amazing that I bought it without having seen it.

I literally left my apartment, purchased it and watched it that night. Fantastic decision on my part.

Pan’s Labyrinth essentially reignited my love of fairy tale movies. I was blown away.

It’s such an original and dark story set in essentially TWO worlds I’ve never seen before. The first being Spain during a civil war and the second being the fairy tale world.

The movie is a perfect balance of the two and overflowing with imaginative characters and imagery. Above all else, the director ties everything together with incredible characters and a story that has stuck with me every since.

It’s strange saying this but I can never make it through the movie in one sitting. I mean that as a compliment as I always end up stopping it and writing for a while before returning to finish the film.

I’m extremely thankful of every film that gets me in front of a computer to write. Especially one with so much originality and imagination.

Pan’s Labyrinth makes me want to be a better writer. It makes me want to create better characters and stories. It makes me want to work harder and set my goals higher.

It’s definitely a movie that changed everything.