Screenwriting : Fairy tales do come true, it can happen to you... even if you live in Melbourne. by Phillip E. Hardy, Prolifique

Dear Phillip E. Hardy:

Once upon a time, I am sure living in LA was very, very helpful, and I'm sure it is still helpful today; But with how technology grows, and allows people to connect from all over, and sites like Stage32 for networking, the need to be in L.A. isn't as great as it used to be.

As your example shows, and Pete proved, the "have to" portion of writing is the writing; It doesn't matter where you are, or where you are from, all that matters is the writing.

As the Ted Mosby's of the entertainment world, Pete found his yellow umbrella of opportunity. As more people poke the skies to break through the myth, hopefully the rain comes down to bring out more yellow umbrellas.

God Bless.

Sincerely,

John German

Thanks for sharing the news, Phil. He's not the first Aussie to sign a deal and he certainly won't be the last and to all those who turn their noses up at writers who don't live and work in L.A. or N.Y; well, you probably know what I'm thinking.

That is assume news for him and there are a lot of great screenwriters from Australia.

That's nice -- when anyone succeeds. But I'm awfully happy here in Manhattan. Hi, Uncle Phil Hardy!

Phillip E. Hardy, Prolifique Melbourne, Australia has its own cultural variety. They staged one of my plays in January at the annual "Mid-Summa" in Chapel-off-Chapel, by the way.

Thanks Uncle Phil for keeping the dream alive... :)

LindaAnn, sorry I missed it but congrats on having your work produced down here.

Another great example... I'll now add it to the pile that keeps me motivated. Thanks Phil

Yes you can sell a script from anywhere in the World but if you want to make American movies, working career for 10++ years, write for big boy gigs, you have to be in Los Angeles or NY.

The article is 9 months old. Where is the Writer today and progress of his spec?

LindaAnn:

Well done.

Thanks for posting the script too. It's always good to read ones that have been sold. But I thought I'd bring up a random formatting situation I noticed while reading it. The scene headings are just one word. No int./ext. and no time of day. He made comments in the interview that people loved how easy his scripts are to read and it is very to read but does not follow script formatting rules. I would love to write like that people always bitch about formatting. Anyone have any thoughts about what this means. Does formatting actually really matter or is it fine to break the rules as long as things are clear and easy to do understand?

Theresa:

I have two of Pete's scripts. And, he doesn't do the INT/EXT, time of day on either of them. Instead, he elects to boldface the location only. Here's my take. THE GUY GOT SIGNED BY MADHOUSE ENTERTAINMENT AND VERVE. He also scored a deal with AMBLIN. However, I wouldn't go out of my way to ignore generally accepted formatting style. That being said, several forum dwellers like the learned Dan MaXxxxxxxxx will tell the you the same thing I'm going to say. If the writing is sharp, compelling, economic and easy to read, I don't think readers will get too hung up on what Pete is doing format-wise.

Addendum: There are readers that will find formatting errors and variations a distraction. However, readers will tend to overlook those more for people with a track record. Sorry, that's reality. This topic was discussed in detail in my thread about the writer of The Handmaids's Tale .

wow.. fantastic ... gobsmacked... :)

Theresa. Most screenplays that get made were written for hire and not too many people are going to hire someone that doesn't follow the "formatting rules." Not following them will decrease your chances.

Great article, Phillip. Thanks for posting it!

Thanks Phil.

Just saying, we do tend to have a lot of Oscars down here for a population just like over 26million.

Hey Uncle Phil

Here is a recent podcast with Adam K of Madhouse Ent. He explains how he works as a Manager and what he expects from a screenwriter.

http://podcasts.finaldraft.com/madhouse-entertainment-manager-and-big-br...

Craig. You are right there are a lot of talented people in Australia.

I also live in another country... I am happy for this news, thanks for posting it! But can someone sell screenplays without ever having to move to Los Angeles?:) Just curious....

Victor: Indeed. I've made money on a few options without leaving my nest in Texas. And I lived in LA for years.

Dan G, we call it the purge. Our industry is just big enough for people to get good, but not big enough for a good living. So a Hugh Jackman can get to the top of Aussie industry then go overseas. This frees up space at the top which encourages more people to strive for the top. Plus we invest a shit load in infrastructure which brings productions from the USA and U.K. down here, this brings experience and knowledge. Plus exposes our guys to overseas companies, which allows them to move on, again making space. It's a cool situation.

Hey Craig

How is the Aussie Film Industry? Are there lots of indie productions and theaters showing indie films? Film schools?

Damien

I've also enjoyed Australian movies. I remember going to see art house screenings of Peter Weir's Picnic at Hanging Rock and the Last Wave. Both of those films had such an underying, ominous tone. I think Weir also crafted one of the most interesting action thrillers of the mid-80s, when he directed Witness.

Two of my other favorite Australian films are the Whimsical Danny Deckchair, starring the versatile Rhys Ifans and the terrific Look Both Ways, which so brilliantly handles the topics of relationships and mortality.

Love Aussie films.....Muriel's Wedding is probably my favorite one, followed by the Year My Voice Broke, The Proposition, Chopper, Breaker Morant, Wake in Fright, and of course the Mad Max films. And kudos to Pete Bridges, and another success story for Virtual Pitchfest!

Bill's Tip of the Day: when in Australia, never try to pet a wild kangaroo.

Bill:

I saw Breaker Morant years ago. Like Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory, Breaker Morant is a great film about the sometimes Injustices of military Justice.

I don't live in LA and at this point don't have any intention of relocating. Anyone saying I have to, I just have one thing to say "Come at me bro...with a load of cash and a writer's agreement. Then let's sit and talk." ;)

The indie market is small here, healthy but small. Mostly because Government money is pretty easy to get, Federal and State level. Watch "Glitch" on Netflix or "Death in Brunswick" a great Sam Neil movie. Aussies can pick up work pretty easy overseas. We have a good reputation for everything except writer. When it comes to writing it is a level playing field. One good thing about things down here is no failure is ever fatal. Ever attempt is judged on its own merits, in all walks of life.

If you want a giggle. Search YouTube for Tarantino talking about how Australia shoots cars. He believes we do the best car films in the world.

Craig. I know government money is available but you have to be an Australian citizen. own the film rights to the Glass House Trilogy which I have already adapted into screenplays. If you are interested in maybe co-producing it let me know.

Cool Dan G. Let me make sure I am an asset and not a leech and I'll get back to you.

Craig. No rush. I optioned this script to a production company years ago and after they went bankrupt I shelved the script because I lost interest in the business. I will send it to an investor for funding this week but the investor is slating five movie projects so it will be a while before I hear back. As you know things usually travel at a snails pace in this business then all hell breaks loose.