Cape Town, South Africa—2005
TomCruise.com / the official blog
Back in 2004 I gave my first all day screenwriting seminar for a group called Word Weavers in the Orlando area and the concept for Screenwriting from Iowa came a couple years later when I spoke at The Hearst Center for the Arts in Cedar Falls, Iowa, but it wasn’t until late 2007 when the idea for this blog started to gain momentum.
I was looking for a way to bring all my production notes together under one roof and began to write a book. These are notes I began gathering while in film school and have built upon for the past 20 plus years as an award-winning video/tv producer (River Run Productions), photographer and filmmaker. (Three of my short films for the 48 Hour Film Projects in Des Moines have won “Best Cinematography” awards to go along with many Aurora, Telly, Communicator, Addy and Emmy Awards.)
Before moving to Iowa in 2003 I lived in Miami, Los Angeles and Orlando and along the way have produced & shot national TV programs, shot hundreds of interviews including a couple Holocaust survivors for Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation, and have produced, directed, written and/or shot documentaries, teaching videos, youth videos, corporate videos, infomercials and web videos. In 1994 I launched and produced the national radio program Renewing Your Mind with R.C. Sproul.
I’ve also written nine unproduced feature screenplays. (Success is a poor teacher they say. And I keep reminding myself that Oscar-winning writer/director Oliver Stone said he wrote 10 or 12 scripts before one was produced. Oscar-nominated Sheldon Turner —Up in the Air— said he wrote 12 scripts before he even showed one to anybody.) But many of my notes are gathered from top screenwriters and directors in the field with the hope that they will give a sense of direction to those wanting to write screenplays and make movies—especially those in unusual places.
Toward the end of ’07 I began talking to a book publisher in a deal that ultimately fell through but like a good protagonist I forged on. This blog was born in January 2008 after seeing Diablo Cody’s Juno. The fact that she went to college in Iowa, wrote a distinctly Midwestern screenplay while in Minneapolis, and was discovered while blogging seemed like enough synergy and inspiration for me to jump into the blogging world. Toward the end of 2008 Screenwriting from Iowa won a Regional Emmy in Advanced Media from The Upper Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. (In 2009, I won another Emmy for location lighting.)
2009 Regional Emmy Award (Minneapolis)
Scott W. Smith @2010 StephenHolmFilms.com
Various productions over the years have taken me to all 50 States and to five continents and I believe there are many great stories waiting to be told outside of L.A. And while you may dream of seeing your work on the big screen, keep in mind that the Internet is bringing many opportunities for the little screen. I hope this blog (and eventually book) helps you tell those stories and encourages you, especially if you feel like you live in an unusual place in the middle-of-nowhere. (And for the record, that includes West Des Moines, West Africa, or even just a few miles east of the Hollywood sign in West Covina.)
I welcome your input and suggestions. You can reach me at info@scottwsmith.com .
Twitter: @scottwsmith_com
Website: www.scottwsmith.com
Waterloo Courier article on Screenwriting from Iowa
Shout out from the official Tom Cruise website & blog
Listed #7 in 60 Best Blogs for Aspiring Screenwriters
New York City—2009
Thanks Scott.
I’m writing a script at the moment and I’m just finishing Act 1. Loved reading your blog and will be back time-and-time-again to read your notes. I’d love for you to stop by my blog whenever you get the time: http://chencenter.wordpress.com
But back to scripting… can’t wait to read more. I’ve got a possible blog post for you though. How does the whole Hollywood Writer’s Strike affecting us as writers… really? Does it mean that studios aren’t buying, or that writers aren’t selling? at the same time… movies and shows are being made. what’s the deal?
best regards.
Michael Joyce
Hello Michael,
There are a few writers in LA who I am talking with to get their perspective on life after the strike and will post them in the coming weeks.
But the main thing for writers (both union and non-union) is always be writing.
Check out the post called “Screenwriter’s Head Back-to-Work” where I address this in more detail.
Scott
Just discovered your blog, but it is inspiring. You give us Iowans, who dream of working in some capacity of the film industry, hope! With all the recent film productions in Iowa, I’ve always dreamed that maybe Iowa could be the next Australia … “in where Hollywood plants its’ stakes for new studios and movie development.”
Fox built a state of the art facility in Australia, and I’m sure one could be built for less money here!
I enjoy your posts. Keep up the good work. I am glad there are other screenwriters in Iowa trying to make it a go!
I am in WDSM and of the Iowa Scriptwriters Alliance in DSM.
We’re trying to do great things ourselves.
Have a great weekend!
Scott,
Great seeing you at Jon’s birthday bash tonight.
Let me know if you want to run by the P2 workflow again.
I live way outside of L.A. in Alberta (ever heard of it? Yes, that’s Canada) I’m very impressed by your blog. Presently I’m learning screenwriting, and am half way through my first script. I’m very curious to know though what’s ‘Renewing Your Mind With R.C. Sproul’. Glad I’ve stumbled upon your wonderful site! Will definitely return to learn more from you.
“Renewing Your Mind With R.C. Sproul” is a radio program that is an extension of Ligonier Ministries in Orlando, Florida. Sproul is a theologian who has written more than 60 books and focuses on philosophy, history and Christian thought.
I produced and edited the show for seven years and am sure learning about Augustine, Kierkegaard, Calvin, Luther, Aquanis, Nietzche, Sartre has greatly shaped my thinking as much as my film school and production background.
An interesting sidenote is Sproul is probably the only contemporary theologian ever quoted in a vampire film. In the Abel Ferrara directed film “The Addiction” written by Nicholas St. John, the Annabella Sciorra character says, “Now, R.C. Sproul said we’re not sinners because we sin, but we sin because we are sinners.” (The film also stars Christopher Walken and Lili Taylor.)
Who knows, maybe the screenwriter or director heard that line one day on a radio program I produced. Circle of life stuff.
Hi Scott,
I found your blog when I was looking for famous quotes from movies made in Iowa. I’m an IA Motion Picture Assoc. member and on both the Marketing Committee and Membership Committee. Andrew McDowell, a poster here from August, is also a member of the Membership committee.
We’re working on a membership recruiting brochure and I thought using some ‘famous’ or ‘infamous’ quotes from movies, hopefully made in Iowa, might be fun and eye-catching. We want to try to appeal to businesses and companies who can benefit from another industry in Iowa; one not related to agriculture or insurance.
Do you have any quote suggestions, besides the obvious one from Field of Dreams?
Thanks much.
Jean–Let me think about that this weekend and get back to you.
Scott ~ I found you through Arti, who commented above. She’s been greatly encouraging of my efforts since I began my blog, The Task at Hand.
I’m not in film nor interested in screenwriting, but I am a writer, and the same lessons apply, particularly this one: if you want to succeed, then write, write, and write again.
I look forward to exploring your blog and learning from it. I’ve found much here already which reminds me of the stellar advice offered by photographer Chase Jarvis. Basically, his point is that if you want to succeed in any of the arts, keep creating art, share what you create and sustain yourself however you must until you can sustain yourself by your art (if that is your choice).
It does work. My readership has increased dramatically over two years, I’ve published six articles and had poetry included in a published anthology. Best of all, I know I’ve touched lives. That is the best reward of all.
And finally – I grew up in Newton, Iowa, went to college in Cedar Falls and Iowa City, and still get misty-eyed over the sight of a silo. And the best writing advice I’ve ever given myself is a paraphrase from Kierkegaard: purity of prose is to write one thing.
Best wishes for continued and increased success.
Shoreacres–Thanks for reading and commenting. Newton, Cedar Falls, Iowa City, Chase Jarvis– we’re crossed the same territory. Best wishes in your own writing & blogging.
Really enjoyed your blog!
I loved growing up in Iowa.
In fact, loved it so much, my first feature was filmed there.
Hope you and your readers will come out and see it.
http://16tolifethemovie.org
Best wishes and keep on writing!
Let the world feel your art.
Hi, nice to meet you !
Hey Scott,
I really am enjoying your blog. My writing partner and I just finished up our first script and are using your advice to polish it up a bit.
We are from Muscatine, Iowa (not the filmmaking Mecca that is Cedar Rapids) and we are in the process of writing the treatment of our second script which we want to film ourselves.
Having no official film school training, learning the “how to” is a huge process. Just wanted to thank you for your time and effort with this blog! It’s inspiring to hear about Iowans who have found a solid footing in this industry.
We have given ourselves a year to plan for the shoot and so far it’s been a lot of fun!
Keep up the good work!
Hey Chris,
Thanks for the note. Muscatine, as I’m sure you know, has an interesting history so I expect good things from you guys.
“And I remember Muscatine—still more pleasantly—for its summer sunsets. ” — Mark Twain (who lived in Muscatine for a while.)
Phil Vischer, the co-creator of Veggietales is from Muscatine and I believe writer Max Allan Collins (The Road to Perdition) still lives there.
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Hey Scott –
I re-read your bio and thought you might know my old boss, Jim Banister. Im not sure what he did on it, but I always had the impression he was an integral part of post production for Shoah… just curious if this is another on those small world stories.
Keep up the great work on your screenwriting blog. I keep toying with the idea of starting a filmmaking blog on a domain I bought, filminginiowa.com, but after all the scandals the last couple of years, not sure Id have that much to talk about. I think my SAG card would have more use if I put it in a frame and hung it on my wall than it does in my wallet.
Keep up the great blog, would love to talk more some time.
Troy Rutter
Troy–I shot two interviews of Holocaust survivors and it was one of the most memorable days of my life. When I last checked they did a total of over 50,000 interviews. So it took a large team of people to pull off. I don’t know Jim, just that I have a certificate of thanks signed by Spielberg,
There are rumors of the film office here in Iowa kicking back up, but for the record this blog really uses Iowa as a metaphor. It’s about writing screenplays in places seemingly far from Hollywood. It’s a niche, but a broad niche.
[...] About Emmy-Winning Blog [...]
I stumbled across you blog and it’s great to see the insights of a successful screenwriter. I’m gonna stop by often to get tips on screenwriting
http://ogletterhead.wordpress.com/
Thanks, but at this point in the game, I think it’s safe to say I’m a more of a sussessful blogger than screenwriter. Successful screenwriters don’t tend to have much time (or even inclination) to blog. But thanks for stopping by.
Great blog, love your insights. Keep up the good work.
I just discovered your blog. I’m into film making as well. I thought I’d drop you a note to say I enjoyed checking out your blog posts.