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Tips and Advice?

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joeld42 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 19 Jul 2006 at 11:16am
Anyone who has done this before have any tips and advice for us newbies about what to do and what to avoid? Do you write one short and revise it over the week or write a few and go with the best? How do you deal with a uninspiring genre/topic? What do you wish you had done differently?
 
Thanks!
Joel
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Chris Messineo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Messineo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jul 2006 at 1:10pm
Originally posted by joeld42 joeld42 wrote:

Do you write one short and revise it over the week or write a few and go with the best?
Writing more than one short is beyond my ability.  I rewrite endlessly instead.
 
Originally posted by joeld42 joeld42 wrote:

How do you deal with a uninspiring genre/topic?
Complain bitterly and then do the best that I can.
 
Chris
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wenonah View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wenonah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jul 2006 at 3:45pm
The first year I wrote two right away and then picked one to focus my rewrites on (made first runner up) Last year I made a critical mistake and that was to not follow my genre like I should have. It's essential to stay within the boundaries of the genre you are assigned ... I wandered. I think my script was pretty good too. My "method" is to just let everything simmer in my head for a full day - I don't write a word, I just do my thing and somehow, someway the idea comes. It's best not to worry about it too much and just rise to the challenge and do your best. The time between getting the genre/subject and the time when the idea actually starts forming is absolutely my favortie part in this contest ... just waiting for an idea to arrive like sitting at a bus stop is so delicious! Smile

Good luck!

wenonah
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jadeph View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jadeph Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jul 2006 at 4:48pm

Wenonah that is very good advice! I think everybody has their own different style. Write one, scrap it, write another, or write one and rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. This competition is a great way to find your style when you're down in the trenches. Remember "don't be boring". I have this written as a sign on my wall and everything I write I look at through the "don't be boring" lens.  As far as genre even if it something that is totally not your thing, hey, this is a gift, a chance to really pull it out, you know? Go for it! Good luck to you, Joel.

Joan 

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Rainy Night View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rainy Night Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jul 2006 at 6:18pm

I write with a partner, we each wrote a script over the weekend and then picked the one we thought was best and spent the rest of the week re-working it.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ABEAR111 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jul 2006 at 6:06am
Originally posted by wenonah wenonah wrote:

The first year I wrote two right away and then picked one to focus my rewrites on (made first runner up) Last year I made a critical mistake and that was to not follow my genre like I should have. It's essential to stay within the boundaries of the genre you are assigned ... I wandered. I think my script was pretty good too. My "method" is to just let everything simmer in my head for a full day - I don't write a word, I just do my thing and somehow, someway the idea comes. It's best not to worry about it too much and just rise to the challenge and do your best. The time between getting the genre/subject and the time when the idea actually starts forming is absolutely my favortie part in this contest ... just waiting for an idea to arrive like sitting at a bus stop is so delicious! Smile

Good luck!

wenonah
 
That "not writing for a full day" could be problematic in the finals...
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Scott McKenzie View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Scott McKenzie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jul 2006 at 6:12am
Last year I waited a couple of days before even starting to write anything and I'm planning on doing the same again this year.  I usually find that my first ideas are pretty lame but after thinking about them for a while, something half decent emerges.

I think a week is plenty of time to put together a screenplay of <20 pages when you've got an idea you believe in but never enough if you're forcing yourself to write something you don't like.
Scott McKenzie
www.DVDactive.com

Read my blognovel Rebirth at http://rebirthnovel.blogspot.com/
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Messineo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jul 2006 at 7:42am
Last year, I spent the first 5 days desperately trying to compe up with an idea for a script.  Then with 2 days to go, it finally came to me.  I wrote the first draft in a day and then spent the last day tweaking it.
 
Chris
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gmercer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jul 2006 at 7:45am
Last year, I spent days cursing the heat I was in and then days trying to convince myself to even participate and then about 5 hours writing the thing. I like to think I was practicing for the finals.
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Chris Messineo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Messineo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jul 2006 at 7:48am
Originally posted by gmercer gmercer wrote:

I like to think I was practicing for the finals.
Smile  The finals are crazy.  That whole day was a blur.
 
Chris
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