The movie Paranormal Activity continues to be that little film that does mysterious things in the dark. The sub-$15,000. budget film averaged $25,000 per theater last weekend. (The number one film in total box office revenue had just under $9,000. per.) Much has been written about the film that was shot in 2006 with some [...]
Archive for the ‘screenwriting’ Category
Paranormal Screenwriting Activity
Posted in screenwriting, tagged Oren Peli, Paranormal Activity, Rick Florino, The Blair Witch Project on October 19, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Screenwriting Quote of the Day #107 (Walter Newman)
Posted in screenwriting, tagged Ace in the Hole, Bloodbrothers, Cat Ballou, Hitchcock, Walter Brown Newman on October 17, 2009 | 1 Comment »
“You tell the audience only what they need to know—no more. And as little of that as possible. I feel that a great deal of tension can be given to any scene, any character, by keeping the information to a minimum. As Hitchcock said some time ago, ‘The one who tells you everything right away [...]
More Thoughts on Theme
Posted in screenwriting, tagged Herman Melville, Linda Seger, writing from theme on October 13, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Earlier this year I did a post called Writing from Theme (tip #20) and I just came across a couple more related quotes on the matter so I thought I pass them along.
“To produce a mighty work, you must choose a mighty theme.”
Herman Melville
“Great writers communicate theme through action and images, with good dialogue used [...]
Writing Quote of the Day #7 (Pearl S. Buck)
Posted in screenwriting on October 8, 2009 | 1 Comment »
“I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work.” Pearl S. Buck
Related post: Screenwriter’s Work Ethic
Whip It (part 3)
Posted in screenwriting on October 6, 2009 | 3 Comments »
Carolyn wrote in the comments section of Monday’s post about Whip It, “I can’t wait to see this film.” The problem is the film opened last weekend and these days that opening weekend is extremely important for a film to become a financial success. The filmmakers and studios were depending on the Carolyns out there to [...]
Michael Hauge (part 3)
Posted in screenwriting, tagged Micahael Hauge, Writing Screenplays that Sell on September 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
And my last quote from Michael Hauge’s book Writing Screenplays that Sell comes in on the inspirational side and something worth posting above your writing area.
“100 percent of the screenwriters who now have agents at one time didn’t have an agent.
100 percent of screenwriters who are now working at one time weren’t working.
100 percent of [...]
Michael Hauge (part 2)
Posted in screenwriting, tagged Denzel Washington, John Godey, Michael Hauge, The Color Money, The Dirty Dozen, The Karate Kid, The Taking of Pelham 123, Tom Cruise, Uncommon Valor, Writing the Screenplay that Sell on September 25, 2009 | 1 Comment »
The only thing wrong with Michael Hauge’s Writing Screenplays that Sell is that it was first printed in 1991 so the film references are all old. (At least that’s true of the version I have, and I don’t think it has been updated in the 30+ reprintings of the book.) But the tend to [...]
