Screenwriting & Miracles

Later today is the showdown match between the USA & Canada in men’s hockey as the 2010 Winter Olympics come to a close. If Team USA wins it will be the first time they have one in hockey since the 1980 Winter Games. The was the famous “Miracle on Ice” when a bunch of college [...]

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Off Screen Quote #17 (Apolo Ohno)

Last night Apolo Ohno won his eighth Olympic medal making him “the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time.” It’s important to note that he’s racked up plenty of other victories and titles as a speed skater, and of course, in 2007 he won the Dancing with the Stars competition. It’s safe to [...]

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Off Screen Quote #16 (Charlie Brown)

“Clear away the insurance commercials, billboards, dolls, apparel, stickers, soap dishes and the rest, and we’re left with the real thing: the Peanuts comic strip itself, Charles Schulz’s brilliant, angst-ridden, truly funny, 50-year-long masterpiece of joy and heartbreak.” Matt Groening The Simpson creator This little off-screen section is for giving quotes that aren’t on screenwriting [...]

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Screenwriting Quote #128 (Eric Guggenheim)

That’s it, Eric Guggenheim is the final straw. Is it me or are screenwriter’s names getting longer? Today I’m officially change one of the categories on this blog from “Screenwriting Quote of the Day” to simply “Screenwriting Quote #___.” The last writer I quoted was Mark D. Rosenthal and the post heading just looked too [...]

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What’s So Unusual About Your Screenplay? (tip #33)

There is something I’ve learned about photography over the years that translates well to writing screenplays. Last Thursday my company (River Run Productions) and its sister web design company Spinutech pulled down nine awards* at the 2010 AAF-Cedar Valley ADDY Awards. Two of the awards were for photos I had taken including the above photo [...]

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Don’t Quit Your Day Job

“I was a city health inspector in Boston. Do the necessary work to pay your bills and take care of your family, and you’ll get there. Talent has a way of workin’ itself out. Hollywood will find you. Eventually.” Screenwriter James L. White (Ray) Workin 9 to 5 What a way to make a livin’ [...]

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Screenwriting & the Miracle on Ice

“Great moments are born from great opportunities.” Herb Brooks 1980 Team USA Hockey Coach Today is the 30th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice.” I remember the day well. And as big as yesterday’s Team USA’s victory was over Canada, it was a blip on the radar compared to the 1980 victory over the USSR. [...]

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Hawaii vs. Iowa

In the spirit of the Olympics, how do you think the state of Iowa would match-up against Hawaii? You may be surprised at the results. (Stick with me and I’ll tie it in with screenwriting.) In a recent article I read on Yahoo! News written by Jeanna Bryner she reported on the happiest places to live [...]

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“It’s a very, very hard business…”

Every time it’s an Olympic year there are great stories of men and women who basically sacrifice their whole lives up to that point in order to have a moment in the spotlight. It’s inspiring when they win gold. Heartbreaking when they fall short. It’s amazing sometime how close these world-class athletes are in times [...]

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18 Hours x Six Days = Denzel Washington

Once again I want to be fair and say not every writer needs to write five or ten screenplays to see their first one produced. Though that is more the norm the exception. Of course, the current jackpot winner of first scripts produced is Diablo Cody who wrote  Juno which won an Oscar. More recently, [...]

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