Getting Everything Wrong
That’s what I did last year, at least on the predictions front. Boy, I really thought we were all going down the tubes, didn’t I?
This year, I’m not much in the mood to make predictions. Indeed, the larger world seems to have rather receded in the last year for me, in favor of the “little world.”
For myself, on the writing front, my main goal this year is finishing the screenplay I’m currently working on and writing at least one other, and hopefully getting some real interest in one or the other (or both! dream big!). I picked a heck of a time to try to break into the movie business, but heck, it beats Wall Street.
But it’s just conceivable that somebody out there is still looking for me to writing something on this blog. If so, what might that be?
You know, I’d like to hear how you decided to write a script, whether you taught yourself or had help, how you approached the treatment and/or outline, the steps you’ve taken since, things you’ve learned, things you would avoid next time, procedural tricks, software used, etc.
Because I’m trying to not be a lawyer.
— Kristoffer V. Sargent · Jan 6, 09:51 PM · #
i enjoy your perspectives on religion, fwiw.
— razib · Jan 6, 09:52 PM · #
Still would love to hear about your thoughts on urban politics in America.
— Freddie · Jan 6, 10:20 PM · #
I second KVS.
— Erik Vanderhoff · Jan 6, 11:17 PM · #
KVS: simple answer: I came up with the idea this past spring, dithered for several months, then finally signed up for a class at NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Education in October. It was an interesting class, and helpful, and I’m planning to do another this semester.
Wrote a 4-page character bio of the protagonist, paragraph bios of some of the other characters, and a very sketchy outline.
The most helpful thing of all is I found a friend who’s a movie nut who’s willing to spend endless hours brainstorming with me and letting me bounce ideas off of him. Really, I couldn’t have written the thing without him (and, actually, I haven’t finished it; I’m about 80 pages in at this point, so mostly done but not quite there).
I’ve been using Final Draft because that’s what everybody says to use.
I haven’t written a treatment – tried doing that back in the spring, but didn’t know what I was doing, honestly. I’ll plan to write a new treatment once I’ve got a draft I’m comfortable showing around to “real” people – i.e., people who can actually advance its prospects, not just people who can give me feedback.
I haven’t been at this long enough to give anybody any kind of advice.
And from what everybody says, this is a ludicrous way to make a living, not to mention the worst time in history to get into the business, so don’t quit your day job unless you can afford to.
— Noah Millman · Jan 6, 11:23 PM · #
Freddie: yes, I owe you that. Tried to write it a few times, didn’t get much of anywhere with it. At some point.
— Noah Millman · Jan 6, 11:23 PM · #
razib: my views on religion have rather . . . evolved since my last foray in that direction. But now we’re getting personal . . .
— Noah Millman · Jan 6, 11:24 PM · #
Noah, thanks. More than advice I was interested in how you approached it, what you thought about it, etc. Good luck with it.
Yeah, not quitting my day job anytime soon. But since I’m deadset on being lucky-like-Carruth, I’m not quitting my night job either.
— Kristoffer V. Sargent · Jan 7, 12:05 AM · #
More on the structured finance market in 2002!
— Mike · Jan 7, 02:24 AM · #
Noah, your views on religion may be personal, but so are your views on politics, your dinner menus, and your burgeoning screenwriting career. Why are you putting religion into a special category that is off limits for discussion? I second Razib’s motion, and based on the consistently stellar quality of your past blogging, I really hope you will reconsider and give your audience a the chance to read what you have to say.
If you do decide that your views on religion are too personal for a blog, perhaps you could blog about your “view on views on religion” as an intensely private category of “views”? One can only hope.
All the best.
— Jay Daniel · Jan 7, 02:43 AM · #
Noah, you quit your day-job, really? I am impressed, man! You can blog about anything you like, but at least, one blog-post a week, please! Maybe something on financial regulation?
— scritic · Jan 7, 05:50 AM · #
Please keep writing about anything that strikes your fancy, and as often as you can.
— PEG · Jan 7, 01:24 PM · #
I’d like to hear whether this decision to write a screenplay has motivated you to finally get a television. I always thought screenwriters loved TV, and find it hard to believe you want to write a screenplay but have no interest in watching TV.
— AJ · Jan 7, 04:24 PM · #
Write about those big-ass books I made us read at your suggestion.
Specifically, write a few Dos Passos-esque short-form biographies of contemporary public figures of your choosing.
— Matt Frost · Jan 7, 05:58 PM · #