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Lesson 1
Reply to post your assignment.
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18 Replies
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Assignment #1
David Wickenden—Project and Market
1. Genre: Thriller, Title: Defending Innocence, Concept: What would happen if a vigilante began a war on child exploitation?
2. I think the most attractive thing about the story is that most people really want to think there is justice in the world and this dark hero delivers it.
3. I think I would approach all three. If anything, it would grow my network. From the manager POV, I would love someone to guide me to becoming a professional writer. From the producer, there is the hope of being optioned and seeing my story come to life for the world to see. Finally, for the actor’s production company, I would hope to find an actor that loves the characters that I created as I do. They would make the story stand out.
4. What I learned today is…?
The difference between a logline and a concept really stood out for me.
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Tasha’s Project and Market
Genre: Horror
Title: Possession of Love
Concept: What is dating like after you’ve been exorcised?
2. The most attractive element of this story is the idea that you would have to disclose your past possession to a new suitor like you would herpes or having a kid. How would that affect your chances of finding a partner and how risky would a relationship be once you did?
3. I would first target producers to get better at the process so I could be a good collaborator with a manager.
What I learned today is that marketing my script can and should be fun and that rejection is not the correct state of mind for selling scripts.
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Horror – The Dark One
The coma victim, of a mentally ill mother, becomes a force to help and protect children and critters of abuse.
A child integrates her shadow side and saves innocents. This little girl makes predators face their greatest fears and gives them a choice to stay in their personal hell or become better.
Sci-Fi Horror – Addictive
A dystopian cyberpunk story that sets immortal Outliers against their darkest addictions in a reality game show for survival.
Children and parents are indistinguishable as everyone one looks 25 when they receive immortality. Births are outlawed, work contracts are forever, retirement doesn’t exist, and resources are almost gone. The giver of immortality now takes on the governmental goal of lowering the population through entertainment. Among his victims is a Nobel prize winning environmentalist.
Dramady -Baking Bad-1968
Married to a chauvinist pig, a Home Economics teacher finds feminism while helping her sister and friends make and sell gourmet magic brownies in Berkeley.
Two sisters burn their bras as some of their men-friends burn their draft cards during the violent, creative and transformational 60’s.
Target–Manager
I have a lot to learn and would prefer to be coached, especially after the strike. A manager that would work with me, receives payment and therefore has an interest in being forthright. An agent is usually just there per movie script, and I wouldn’t know what I did wrong, only that the door is closed.
What I learned today and during my last festival was to streamline the description. The finalist was Addictive, but during the pitches it was Baking Bad 1968 that got responses during the 5-minute pitches. I also got an idea to strengthen one of my stories.
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Tony J. Scott Project and Market
What I learned, find someone who wants to read it and someone who has the means to make it and you’re on the way to completion.
1.
· Genre: Scyfy Action Horror
· The Vatican Order
· MAJOR STORY HOOK: When the Vatican/Vampire peace terms are broken, a retired Vatican priest, Father Julian Davenport, trapped in a time loop, is ordered to murder all illegal vampires while he’s secretly being hunted by a killer monk. Can he end the time loop, save the life of his precious niece and protect his biggest secret.
2.
· The loving relationship between a retired killer Vatican Priest and his defiant vampire niece stuck in a violent time loop that he has to figure how to end before he’s forced to kill her again. She’s like the daughter he’s always wanted and the father she wishes she had.
3.
I plan to target producers. I don’t want a manager and an actor company seems self contained. Producers may have more connections. My second choice would be an actor company.
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Deb’s Project and Market
What I learned: Hal has a way of getting me excited about every aspect of the writing process. I am encouraged and focused and fighting perfectionism every step of the way. This lesson helped me understand what a “concept” is versus a “logline” and the importance of not ‘telling the story.’ Rather – to focus on finding the “hook.” I look forward to learning more about this.
Genre: Dramedy
Title: The Plastic Bag
Concept: A plastic bag passes from one owner to another and affects each life in a significant way.
My story is full of heartfelt moments that affirm life in the midst of the trials and hardships we face. It is a story that presents thorny and complex situations but also offers comfort and peace to those who seek it.
Who I will target first: An Actors Production Company
Why: I always had the actor, Mark Wahlberg, in mind when I wrote this script. Ever since I saw “Father Stu” (and subsequent interviews with him about his movie), I understood how important his Faith was to him and how he was able to bring his Faith to the screen with heartfelt clarity. I thought he might be interested in a similar project. He’s also a good fit for the “father” role in my script, which is integral to the plot.
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Assignment #1
Sheila Rinear Project and Market
1. Genre: Historical Drama
Title: Sons of Treason
Concept: What would happen if a woman vindictively but unsuccessfully maneuvered her two sons’ betrayal and murder of one another so that she alone might govern the thrones they each would have ruled? [The Hundred Years’ War maybe?]
2. Most attractive: After two brothers play into their mother’s manipulations trying to ruin each other, one brother discovers the truth and saves his brother’s life at the cost of his own.
3. I’d first like to target managers because they might better know which producers to approach with this story. But I’d also like to approach Producers and Actor’s Production Companies because I want to know how to do it all.
4. Today I learned a ton of great info but the biggie: the difference between the logline and the concept/hook.
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Assignment #1
Genre: Dark comedy, Sports Title: Enola Concept: If you work so much for something, and it’s your life’s mission, would you be willing to do anything to get it?
The most attractive thing about my story is my lead character Enola’s journey, working/practicing so intensely, falling for a dangerous pre-game ritual, developing that habit, and then attempting to confess to her tone-deaf supporters.
I would approach Producers first, however I would be eager to work with a manager for development of my career and other projects, but also working with an actor and/or director to add their vision to my project would be great.
I learned today that I have under-estimated the marketing needed to sell a project, and that’s why I took the class. Hal answered this with his great discussion of concept, hooks, building a network, and developing a strategy. Thanks Hal.
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Ron’s Project and Market
Genre: Action/War
Title: Mosquito Squadron
Concept: a young PT boat captain learns how to “break things and kill the enemy” during WWII in the Solomons. He goes from being a boy to a man by facing death and avoiding it.
What’s attractive: few movies about the PT boats – “They Were Expendable”, “PT109” (not so much about the boats but focused on JFK), “McHale’s Navy” (a comedy TV series). And my protagonists are compelling! They were, pound for pound, the most heavily armed warships of their era, although lousy torpedoes made their utility suspect until Japan stopped using destroyers in the Solomons. As the war changed around them, the PTs became gunboats and came into their own.
I think I’ll start with major producers – Hanks and Spielberg, perhaps (“aim high”) on the grounds that productions like Band of Brothers or the Pacific or (coming soon!) Masters of the Air take enormous resources to produce. No point in going to smaller outfits, I don’t think. Even if they like the script, they will struggle to get the resources required to do this movie really well, and if I can’t do it well, I don’t want to do it at all.
What I learned in today’s lesson: there is a separate expertise in getting one’s script made into a movie. The program here is built to teach us how to acquire those skills (who to target for presentations, how to present, etc). Can’t wait.
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SUBJECT: Monica’s Project and Market
What I learned today is to ensure I have a high concept and to identify the target I want to focus on.
1. Give us your Genre, Title, and Concept.
Title: TRAFFICK/STOP
Concept: An undercover cop infiltrates a human trafficking ring to take down the main trafficker in order to discover what happened to her sister who disappeared in his company several years previously.
Genre: Action/Adventure
2. In one or two sentences, tell us what you think is most attractive about your story.
I think the story is relevant and has a high concept. The script is very well written.
3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — managers, producers, or actor’s production company — and why you picked that target.
First – Producers – because they seem most accessible
Second – Actor’s production companies
Third – Managers (still not sure what these guys really do!)
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Genre: Family comedy
Title: Pilgrim Phil
Concept: When a down-on-his-luck cranberry sauce maker wishes on a Thanksgiving wishbone that the holiday had never been created, he finds himself flung back in time to 1621 Plymouth Plantation, where he must re-invent the holiday so he can make the wish that will take him back home.
What is most attractive: There is a need in the market for a perennial, feel-good Thanksgiving-themed movie, and this story aims to fill that need with a heartwarming, four-quadrant comedy.
Who I will target first: I will first target producers because I know quite a few personally, and I believe with the right pitch I’ll be able to get many of them to agree to read the screenplay.
What I learned today is to have a success mindset, and that there are no rejections, only opportunities to learn and improve.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Robert Cain.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Robert Cain.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by
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Linda’s Project and Market
What I learned today is this exercise pushed my vistas about what I thought was possible.
Genre: Biopic
Title: Ticket to Life
Concept: What if a troubled ex-cop and an abandoned dog have such similar wounds that they heal each other in ways beyond belief? Adapted from my NYT bestseller.
Most attractive about the story.
NYT bestseller should help. It’s a true story of parallel experiences—both an ex-cop and a rescue dog have PTSD – and the power of their love and understanding. The story opens new vistas beyond what is usually thought possible in relationships, healing, and communication between humans and animals.
Target FIRST:
At this point it’s an actor’s production company. The actors I have in mind for the two lead roles are A-list and publicly devoted to caring for rescued animals. I think they’ll get this story. They’re the right age and both of them have production companies.
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Lin Fuentes Project and Market
Genre: Biodrama
Title: The 26th Apprentice
Concept: Breaking the gender bias in 1974
The most attractive thing about my story is the grit of the protagonist.
My first target are producers who generally have access to studio executives.
What I learned today was that a logline is not how you start a pitch. You have to hook them with the big picture.
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Terrell’s Project and Market
Title: The Darkness
(cultural folkloric) Horror
Concept: Western men flock to the Philippines for the women but experience mystical encounters with the underbelly of SE Asian folklore.
I love folklore, it’s like horror with real roots in the culture. I wanted to pit western thought against eastern folklore, if the folklore was all true, however ridiculous it seems to the western mind.
I’m thinking of approaching producers, because the thought that I could write something that potentially could put dozens or hundreds or if big enough maybe thousands of people to work makes me very excited. The Producer seems the fastest way to that.
What I learned is concept = major hook.
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Richard Pierre Project and Market
1. Genre: Supernatural thriller
Title: Wake Up
Concept: What if you were an African American pursued by a monster that you can only see if you’re Black?
2. I think what’s most attractive about this concept is that it’s a socially conscious high concept horror film. <div>
3. I think indie producers are the best group to target because they’re the most likely group to option the material and get the project into production. I also have dozens of contacts in my existing rolodex, many of which would potentially be well suited to partner to execute this concept.
4. What I learned today is that you should practice on low-level producers first as a test of material.
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THE TAKEDOWN ARTIST: John’s Project and Market.
1.
GENRE: Neo-Noir Thriller.
TITLE: The Takedown Artist.
CONCEPT: A recently retired MMA fighter resourcefully uses a mixture of skills to steal a priceless masterpiece from a notorious broker of black-market art who stole it from a Russian mob boss. Our anti-hero allies with the art broker’s estranged young wife who claims her depraved and controlling psychopath hubby intends kill her and flee to Europe with the priceless masterpiece and their eight-year-old daughter. As the duo battles a bevy of vile pursuers, dire consequences build, and the couple falls in love. But can the lovers truly trust each other when the tie that binds is murder?
2. In one or two sentences, tell us what you think is most attractive about your story.
The Takedown Artist has an intriguing title. The quality of the lead roles will attract high-level male and female actors a la Basic Instinct. The film involves a mixture of fascinating Los Angeles underworlds complete with MMA fight fixers, Russian mobsters, and a stolen masterpiece that is both priceless and cursed.
3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — managers, producers, or actor’s production companies — and why you picked that target.
We will target FIRST actors’ production companies, because the lead roles should attract actors with box-office clout.
4. I learned to emphasize the project’s market appeal in all material used to attract producers, actors, agents, and managers.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by John Woodward.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by John Woodward.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by John Woodward.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by John Woodward.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by
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Liz Janzen Project and Market
Genre: Drama
Title: Safe Conduct
Concept: When a U.S. Special Forces operative briefly encounters an American medical doctor during the civil war in El Salvador in 1981 he is convinced he has found his soul mate. But after she returns stateside he is unable to locate her until, four years later, he finds her on the eve of his deployment to another war zone.
Most attractive thing about the story: It’s a perfect date movie. Women will fall in love with the main character; men will want to be him.
First target: I’m torn between wanting to pursue a manager with this script because I think it could open the door to developing a long-term relationship, or approaching actors’ production companies with it, knowing there are two strong roles in both the male and female lead characters.
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Archer Project and Market- Catching Up!!
Dramedy/Crime- Still Deciding Title- – True crime: Harder than it looks on TV-The humbling journey of a self proclaimed expert
This humorous take on true crime tropes subverts expectations by pairing an overzealous armchair detective hungry to prove her skills with her naive friend, their comedic dynamic representing an atypical representation of female relationships in crime stories as together they must look past surface assumptions, biases, and each other’s blindspots to unravel a deception hidden in plain sight.
Will target FIRST — Not sure yet, but likely producer’s and production companies
“What I learned today is…?” I need to think more about who to target, of course probably do a mix but this opens up some further contemplation about what I want my career to look like
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Bob Kerr
1. Genre: True women’s sports story. Title – With All Their Might. Concept – The challenges of young women building the first rowing team and coming together to become champions.
2. The setting of Wichita, Kansas for the first rowing team to be coached by a world champion as the women overcome every struggle imaginable to become winners.
I will target producers working with streaming platforms. This is because I have already been contacted by such a producer who has requested my script.
What I learned in this class is it is all about moving forward and either selling or learning with the marketing of my script.
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