This marks the first of what we hope will be many articles written for you, our readers, by you, our readers. As “How to Be a Script Reader and Give Great Coverage” continues to be one of our most popular posts (according to Google, anyway), we’ve invited a script reader living deep in the studio trenches to give us a peek into the inner workings of The Gatekeeper.
140
Many aspiring screenwriters probably look upon script readers as the enemy: that bitter, soulless person whose only job is to say “no” and crush the dreams of young writers. But that’s not entirely true. A good reader can be your best friend and your most valuable advocate – if you’re a good writer.
Contrary to popular belief, we don’t read scripts solely to find problems with them; we’re desperate to discover something entertaining and enjoyable. Unfortunately, we are often are deluged with submissions from writers who have yet to learn the fundamentals of screenwriting. If you saw a script through my eyes, you’d understand. That is why I now present a “live feed” of my impressions of a recent script submission, Twitter-style at 140 characters or fewer at a time. Read on
Hey. Who are you people?
February 18, 2010
You know who we are so it’s only fair to ask, right? Who’s lurking out there in the shadowy depths anyway? Your click will help us improve the site and bring you more of what you need to get through that next blank page.
Thanks readers!
The Modern Library’s 100 Best
February 15, 2010
This may not exactly be news to the avid reader but it’s worthy of stating again, if not only for picking a nasty fight (as are all “Top Whatever” lists, no?) Here are the “100 Best Novels” and “100 Best Nonfiction” books as listed by The Modern Library, a division of Random House. Note the literati smackdown already in play between “The Board” and “The Readers”. Fun!
If you haven’t read ‘em, what are you waiting for and, if you have, which are your faves?
THE BOARD’S TOP FIVE NOVELS
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THE BOARD’S TOP FIVE NONFICTION BOOKS
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The Modern Library’s “100 Best Novels” and the “100 Best Nonfiction” books
JK Rowling Inspires Us, No Wizards Required
February 8, 2010
Author JK Rowling speaks of failure and imagination as crucial to a life well-lived.
[E]ven if you remember not a single word of mine, you remember those of Seneca, another of those old Romans I met when I fled down the Classics corridor in retreat from career ladders, in search of ancient wisdom: As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.
Read the full transcription at “The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination” at HarvardMagazine.com
On Vimeo as: “J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement“. June, 2008.
Crushing It: An Interactive Twitter Soap
February 2, 2010
Now here’s something interesting in the world of interactive storytelling. Crushing It is a comedy series/soap unfolding right now, in real time, on Twitter. How’s that, you say? Series Creator Jill Golick has dreamed into reality a setting, characters, and a hijinks-fraught storyline then turned them loose on Twitter for one week only.
“Think of this as an improv performance on the virtual stage of the Internet,” they say. We’ll think of it as brilliant. Screenwriters play the wedding-stressed characters and the audience fills in the rest.
What are you waiting for? Jump in!
CRUSHING IT
February 1 to February 5th, 2010
Only on Twitter
http://twitter.com/crushingitstory/crushing-it-story/
#cistory
Screenwriter Jill Golick’s Blog: “Running with My Eyes Closed“