THE STORY SPOT

Extraordinary cuteness aside, I wanted to share this with you. You, storytellers. You, weavers of imaginary worlds. Little Capucine reminds us of the sheer pleasure there is in allowing stories to appear right before our eyes, without forethought, software, or seminar-approved paradigms and definitely without straining for the best word. Sometimes the thread is all there is and it is good.

Without further adieu, I present Capucine! Via the blog of my cherished friend, novelist Susan Taylor Chehak.

As you know, dreaming up worlds and the characters who inhabit them is work done mostly in the company of one’s self. For those moments when our creations become vivid in our minds, it is just us and the page — even when working in a writers’ room or a collaborative partnership. So I thought I’d offer this post up to you to share some of the places where writers gather to let off steam, ask for advice, chat about the weather, or just lurk secure in the knowledge that there are other oddballs out there holding imaginary universes aloft and alive. It’s a bit LA-centric so I’m counting on the rest of you to fill it out!

• SheWrites. “A new social network where women writers working in every genre—in every part of the world and of all ages and backgrounds—can come together in a space of mutual support.”
• InkCanada on Facebook. For “Canadian Screenwriters & their sketchy friends (all are welcome).”
• The AWP Writers’ Circle. An online forum from the Association of Writers and Writing Programs.
• Los Angeles Poets & Writers Collective. “The Collective is made up of hundreds of Los Angeles poets and writers who have studied at one time or another with Jack Grapes. We hold readings, writing classes, seminars, retreats, dramatic productions, and sponsor the publication of books, anthologies, and literary journals.”
• AltScreenplay. Writers and actors gather to read Indie scripts and documentary treatments.
• Wordspace. Brenda Varda’s Los Feliz venue “providing space for creative development & collaboration while developing partnerships between writers (& writer/performers) and producing organizations.”
• Book Party! A lively reading series and cocktail hour in Culver City brought to you by Emily Benz and Liz Anderson.
• Rhapsodomancy. The five-year-strong reading series and cocktail hour hosted in Hollywood by Wendy C. Ortiz and Andrea Quaid.

It would be a good thing if we could build this resource together and make it as international as you all are. If you are part of a local or virtual community of writers, why not post the info in the comments and share the love?

This seems to be ideal for you LA-based novelists out there who have asked about learning screenwriting or for someone entirely new to the game who wants a bit of low-stakes experience.

From the Mandy.com Weekly Production Job Alert:

SCREENWRITER ASSISTANT – Buce Films, Silver Lake.
Starts: Possibly Monday the 14th Sept (About three months.)

I’m a professional Italian screenwriter who is looking for a screenwriter assistant. The candidate needs to be a native English speaker with a MFA in Screenwriting or Creative writing. The perfect candidate would be someone who has recently graduate and he is looking for experience.

The script we’ll be working on is an original drama with a flavor of Once. You’ll write on my laptop connected to a big screen using Movie Magic Screenwriter. I’ll dictate to you actions and dialogues. I will retain the copyright and full credits for the script.

I’m looking for someone for at least 20 hours per week during the morning or early afternoon. The perfect time would be between 9AM to 1PM. If we work well together, I will pay you hourly based on your experience and attitude. Please email me your resume at bucefilms@gmail.com and I’ll get back to you.

Please note that THE STORY SPOT simply passes these tidbits of info on to you as they are found. We have not verified any of the information nor do we vouch or anyone connected to it. Use your own best judgment and please do not respond to us about positions posted. Thank you all and good writing.

Lance Weiler, an American filmmaker, writer, and director, tells Ireland’s ScreenDaily.com about the ways story forms are adapting as audiences change. We don’t often cover “new media” here on THE STORY SPOT but, as always, old is new again…

The tools I use are no longer simply cameras ― they are mobile and feature real-time web apps. Storylines, characters or scenes now exist beyond one screen or format. My stories spill out into the real world and guide audiences from one experience to another.

While the human need to share experiences in an engaging way endures, the ways we do so continue to evolve with society. Reality television, alternate reality gaming, Twitter fiction and other new forms may all feel vastly different from telling tales around a campfire but remember that the heart of each form remains people sharing what it is to be human. The ways we do that well will never change.

Read “Why audiences are key to cross-media creation” at Screendaily.com
Visit Lance Weiler’s blog, “Culture Hacker“