Paul Mailhot: Screenwriter in Ottawa, Canada.

The Usual Suspects.

Midsommar (2019)

Birdy. Older Nic Cage / Matt Modine film. I’m assuming if you read the book it is based on, the ending wouldn’t be surprising, but it knocked me for a loop.

Cheri, go to Meetup and look for screenwriters rorups. There will definitely be some options in your area. If not, you can start one that way and reach a lot of people.

The best help is your subconscious mind .pl say positive suggestions.

You might check out this Facebook group: Scriptwrite Memphis. We're not dead just slightly dormant. An infusion of new blood might be all it needs.

I use coverage services, and I hire mentors. Someone that has produced projects and has sold to the major studios in the past. It's expensive, but it's worth it- to me. They don't have time to waste and hopefully I won't waste any time either. They tell you like it is, sometimes you cry, lol, but you get up, brush yourself off, and try again. Time is the only true currency, once it's spent, it's gone. Somethimes things cost, that's just the way it is. That's my philosophy... I'll let you know later if it works! Once I was in a conference with Loral Langmeir "The Millionaire Maker" (NYT Bestseller), and she told a story about her paying to be mentored by Bob Proctor about starting her business. At the time, she was working for Chevron as a financial analyst. She paid $10,000, but was sitting on the fence as to quitting her job, or what. She said he told her- "Don't contact me anymore until you are serious!" (and he kept the $10,000) Finally, she quit, got serious, and her business ended up doing consulting to Chevron (the same job she did for Chevron), for many times more. Then, she went on to start her huge business that is known worldwide. (Google her.) Loral taught me a couple of things: 1) Only take the advice from people who are already where you want to be. (you can listen to others, but consider the source.) 2) You gotta pay to play. Time is money, and no one on the level of where you want to be, is generally gonna baby you along. Their time is valuable. (This is where good readers and coverage services, and mentors come in.) If you have friends, family, contacts that you can tap for free- by all means, use those contacts. But I think if you have no one to give you good advice, sometimes you have to pay to play. But of course, do your due dilligence!!! I was in a screenwriting group once, it was ok- I didn't like it because everybody was emailing everybody's scripts all over the place like crazy. I didn't like that. Now I deal one on one with someone like Lee and Leonard speak about. Sorry for the dissertaion. :)

Writer friends, non-writer friends and do a read through. Read throughs really get you to notice the weaker area's of your script.

My scripts are a little to "hot" to handle. My editor, designer, and publisher is all I let see them until I'm ready to publish. As far as my screenwriting goes, I only reveal it in parts to the Characters and actors as I write it. Generally, I will share it as I go with the members of Ruby Zandra's Blue Jazz Society by authorizing them on Celtx, but the finished product after changes and editing and surprises and twists are worked in will only be revealed to the committed producer as I save the best for last as I read it myself for the first time.

I agree...Over a period of decades I have read many scripts, both good and terrible. I remember reading a script from a new television program called the X-files, shooting in town. I wasn't sure I would like the show, but reading it told me that it would feature really good characters. Recently read two awesome scripts by a Vancouver screenwriter, which really blew me away. I can't understand why they aren't being made right now! I re-read them. It's true, you learn more by reading a good script than talking or attending expensive workshops put on by people who've only written a few scripts.

Yep. Take a look at Syd Field's scant credits on IMDB.com And Joe Ezsterhas has some unflattering things to say about McKee and his teeny body of work as well. I'm not saying those guys are irrelevant - I've read both of their stuff. But you have to view it with a bit of suspicion given that both of those guys have barely had anything sold or made, ever.

Matt - point taken and of course, as I have repeatedly said and say again now, reading is important. all sorts of reading. Personally I have found that some of the most profound insights come from reading people that arent actually writing about dramatic screenwriting, but who nevertheless have heaps of interesting and relevant things to say about it (albeit unconsciously), like Martin Buber in I and Thou or Paul Tillich's The Courage to Be. One must read, but read widely, I think. I am reminded of a writing student I had during my time teaching at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School in Sydney. I remarked that her story was very like A Picture of Dorian Grey, to which she responded, What's that? You know, I said, the book by Oscar Wilde. Who? she replied, utterly oblivious to what I was talking about. And she was one of the writing students! hmmmmm...

If you're anxious to move on to your new idea, I suggest you do that. If you go back to the first script, you'll just keep thinking of the new idea. And besides, when you get a new idea, it's hard to to just let it go. You gotta go grab it! If you want though, you can work on both of them. When you take a break from your new idea, you can work on the first script. When you take a break from that, go back to the new idea. Good luck!

You wrote that first story for a reason. If you still believe in it, then sit on it until it hatches rainbows. You'll get nothing out of anything if you don't finish what you started. Polish it up until you think it's good enough to show your peers. Then post it on a peer review site like Talentville.com. You'll get thoughtful ideas on where it needs tweaked even further. Let's face it, nobody likes to rewrite, but it has to be done. Don't abandon something that you had a passion to write until you know it MUST be abandoned.

And remember, it's a screenplay not a girlfriend.Moving on doesn't mean you have to abandon it. It will always be there... It may be haunting you or calling you but it will always be there. Okay, so it may be like a girlfriend... a crazy, demented girlfriend that won't let you go.

Well look at that... a writer's group in my own backyard. I took a gander at the site and it looks pretty comprehensive. Nice job. I hope to stop by to explore it more fully in the week to come. Thanks Jennifer.

I'll have to post my script there then. Thanx!

Tough call... There's so many damn good actors... But for me, it really comes down to versatility - how versatile an actor can be in one part, how complex he/she can make the character in the defined time limits of a film. It's a delicate art, and some excels more than others. Contemplating who my favorite actor of all time is, quite a few names came up. But I'll narrow it down some. I love DeNiro, Pacino, Nicholson, Walken, all the great method actors of our time. But one actor has really stuck with me, and that is Gary Oldman. Every character he portrays has a different accent than the other. He can be the most frightening villain or the most compassionate family man. There's a wide variety of parts he has portrayed, and every one is memorable. From Dracula to Lee Harvey Oswald, Drexl Spivey to Commissioner Gordon, Gary Oldman is a master in his craft. But I feel I can't mention an actor without mention an actress... There are so many talented actresses, and I think Meryl Streep is fantastic. but I'm gonna be a little unorthodox and choose another. Kelly Macdonald. "Who?" you might say, but she's in my opinion the most gifted actress out there. Take a look at Trainspotting. Then watch No Country For Old Men. And then see her in Boardwalk Empire. Nuff said, I'll let her performances speak, since I've already written far more than I thought I was going to in this post. :-)

Johnny D, Denzel and Kevin S

Living: Ewan McGregor, largely due to Moulin Rouge, but he's often cast in either overly energetic or romanticized roles, which I like. Dead: Gene Kelly, cause nobody has ever been able to dance quite like that man could (except, perhaps, Fred Astaire).

I would suggest: An unemployed math teacher bets that he can get more YouTube views than a Russian gangster by producing videos loaded with violence and racy content.

First, unless you have permission, you might want to be careful about using "product placement". If you are writing it for experience, then go for it, if not, I wouldn't waste the time it takes to write a good script. There's my two cents! LOL! With that being said; here's a few links that may help! http://thescriptlab.com/screenwriting/script-tips/540-how-to-write-a-log... http://www.archetypewriting.com/articles/QTers/logline_MM.htm