Donald Dominguez: Screenwriter, author and musician in Orange, California.

So I submitted a script to Amazon Studios for the first time in a while and it was nice to see it not go to the "deciding" phase within hours, so I guess the logline and synopsis must have grabbed someone there. My guess is that if someone likes it 2 readers check out the script and I'd say if they like it then it goes to someone who can actually make a decision. I am under NO delusion and hold no hopes but it's nice to see it at least passed the gatekeeper. My last 2 didn't. Who knows, while I'm typing this someone could be clicking the dreaded "deciding" button.

I thought AS killing off the forums would be a bad thing but the AS forums were filled with such ridiculous negativity and trolls it's better they're gone. Maybe those sad souls who practically lived there got their lives back? These forums are actually moderated which is great.

I have submitted a synopsis to three different producers/content people on Pitch Sessions at $30 a pop. Same synopsis to all three. One liked it but passed, one felt it needed work and passed, and one said he found it offensive, and of course, passed. This one made me chuckle. All in all, I found it to be a waste of $90, but I'm not complaining, I just wanted to see what would happen and $90 was what I was willing to lose. I don't know if a skype pitch would do any more good than a synopsis, but I have the feeling it would be the same results. Just wanted to see what others have experienced from these Pitch Sessions?

Since someone asked the difference between tone and theme in the forum,  I thought my answer would make a good thread. Uncle Phil has recently addressed both of these topics in the forum. Theme and tone are both key components to writing an engaging script. 

Allow me to use the film Taxi Driver as an example. The theme of the film addresses main character Travis Bickle battling his loneliness and as one critic put it, predetermined fate versus self-directed fate. And there are other lesser themes including including sexual repression, violence and social interaction.  Taxi Driver has a very definite dark, violent tone that nearly oozes out onto the pages of the screenplay: Take this excerpt.  

CAMERA continues to PAN, examining TRAVIS' apartment. It is unusual, to say the least:

A ratty old mattress is thrown against one wall. The floor is littered with old newspapers, worn and unfolded streets maps and pornography. The pornography is of the sort that looks cheap but costs $10 a threw - black and white photos of naked women tied and gagged with black leather straps and clothesline. There is no furniture other than the rickety chair and table. A beat-up portable TV rests on an upright melon crate. The red silk mass in another corner looks like  a Vietnamese flag. Indecipherable words, figures, numbers are scribbled on the plain plaster walls. Ragged black wires dangle from the wall where the telephone once hung. 

                         TRAVIS (V.O.)

            They're all animals anyway. All the

            animals come out at night: Whores,

            skunk pussies, buggers, queens,

            fairies, dopers, junkies, sick,

            venal.

                   (a beat)

            Someday a real rain will come and

            wash all this scum off the streets.

Hopefully these examples from Taxi Driver paint a clear picture that theme is the message of your story and tone is the atmosphere you set when telling it.

Introducing myself to this forum. I'm looking forward to collaborating, learning and working with all of you. I'm currently working on my first web series where I'll be taking on the many tasks of screenwriting, producing and directing. My hope is to create something high quality on no budget (or the little budget coming from my paycheck).

I also dabble in Graphic Design, Motion Graphics, editing and web design. Take a look at my in progress website RebelliousRecordsENT.com for some of my work (website and graphics designed completely by me).

Looking forward to connecting!

Hi Everyone, I am a narrative designer and audience engagement consultant to the film industry. I have a PhD in the science of storytelling and have developed a specialist skill synthesizing data from my PhD research with cinematic filmmaking through a creative process to optimise audience engagement. You can see my 3rd article published by stage32. com on Friday 17th November https://www.stage32.com/blog/How-to-Maximise-Audience-Engagement-Consist... or see my website www.receptivecinema.com

Hi All! I am located in Orange County, CA and have directed a documentary that is out on Amazon and wrote and produced a short filmed on the Warner Bros Studio lot this past summer. That was a dream come true. I have two features and a Television pilot I am developing. Looking for partners and collaborators. Scripts and reels are on my page and our website is www.elestialproductions.com I enjoy the magic of making films!

Looking for a potential collaboration with someone near Nashville on an idea regarding an ancient map idea.