Dear Friend,

I'm sure you're well aware that screenwriting, like life, doesn't always go your way.

Sometimes it just feels like you're butting your head against a wall over and over and over again!

But every time I get aggravated or a little out of sorts, I always think of something screenwriter Mick Garris (writer of "Batteries Not Included," "The Fly II," and "Riding The Bullet") once said:

"Our complaints mean NOTHING to the complaints of people who, you know, are pipe-fitters for a job. Or, you know, working on ships, or fighting overseas in the military. You know, those guys have something to complain about.

"And to bitch about somebody making them make a change to their script, and having that give them ulcers and sleepless nights — it's just not worth it."

And suddenly, I realize things aren't so bad.

As a screenwriter (like you) or a producer (like me), we are in the fortunate position of doing what we WANT with our lives!

Many, MANY people can't say the same thing about their professions.

We owe it to them, to ourselves, and to our loved ones to continue pressing forward – no matter what.

Wouldn't you agree?

And wow, just WRITING this note to you made me feel better =)

P.S. - There is no new Scoggins Report this week, so we're reprinting last week's 2013-2014 Primetime Network Pilot Season Scorecard for your review.

Enjoy!

And with that, here's what we've got for you in this week's action-packed Screenwriter's Success Newsletter!

The Business of Show Institute Recommends: is the weekly screenwriting product or service that our staff has personally reviewed and feel you would benefit from. This week? Free video reveals the #1 secret to getting your screenplay read by top Hollywood professionals... even if you don't live in Los Angeles!

Check it out here:

http://screenwritingsuccessnow.com/bosi/

Because a Fool and His Money are Soon Parted…: is this week's article by yours truly. In this piece I give you 4 tips to dazzle an industry professional with your wit, professionalism, and polish. Experts say it takes just 3 seconds to make a first impression. Here's how to make your first impression a GREAT one...

The Box Office Report: gives you the latest feature film releases as well as the opening weekend projections, so you can be on top of this critical information.

Moot: is this week's article by mc foley. mc is an active writer and regular contributor to this newsletter. The title of her column is "Lessons Learned: One Writer's Journey".

A Legal Perspective for Screenwriters: is our column by entertainment attorney Gordon P. Firemark. To ask your legal questions, email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . If your question is chosen, it (and your answer) will appear in an issue of The Screenwriter's Success Newsletter.

Best Business Advice for Screenwriters: is dedicated to asking a top executive or successful screenwriter the absolute best advice they could give a screenwriter looking for success.This week’s contributor?Screenwriter of “Blade”, “The Dark Knight”, and “Man of Steel” –David S. Goyer!

The Scoggins Report: is our weekly spec market analysis and/or pitch report. Use this column to see what's selling, who's buying what, and what genre you should be writing for. This real-time Hollywood market intelligence is pure gold...

Digging the Well Before You're Thirsty: is our column dedicated to tracking the promotions and movements of Hollywood's Executives. Use this market intelligence wisely...

Finish Big and Leave ‘Em Breathless: is this week's article from screenwriting contest judge and author of "39 Ways to Win a Screenwriting Contest & The Nine Mistakes New Writers Make" – Sean Hinchey. The title of his column is "Insights and Screenwriting Wisdom from a Veteran Screenwriting Contest Judge".

George Lucas & Steven Spielburg: Studios Will Implode; VOD Is the Future: Moguls predict tentpole "meltdown," pricey pics and emphatic games. David S. Cohen from Variety as the full story...

That's it for this issue, but we are dedicated to making this newsletter THE resource for aspiring screenwriters.

If you enjoyed it, and would like to pass it along to friends, please have them go directly to http://www.TheBusinessOfShowInstitute.com and have them sign up there.

May Your Life Be Extraordinary,

Marvin V. Acuna

Because a Fool and His Money are Soon Parted...

by Marvin V. Acuna

Some say it's the root of all evil...

Some say it can't buy you love or happiness...

"It" is not something that's talked about much in the screenwriting world, but it's tremendously important.

So in this article I want to talk to you about money, and what it means to screenwriters in Hollywood.

Here is a brief story that will hopefully give you a realistic and practical view on money, as it relates to writers in the business of show business.

At the top of 2008, a screenwriter's spec script that I along with a major agency represented was introduced to an executive for a major production company.

This particular entity wielded significant clout at the studio.

The executive responded favorably to the spec and requested a sit down with the writer.

About a month later, the executive phoned to inform us that an idea had developed internally and they felt the aforementioned writer would be ideal to execute.

They wished to discuss the idea, and a meeting was immediately set.

Following the meeting the writer was asked to draft a detailed treatment on how he would execute the idea. It should be noted this was to be done on spec.

The treatment was developed extensively with the guidance and direction of the executive.

There were many drafts. Every draft was written on spec.

Four months into 2008, the executive was thoroughly satisfied with the final draft... of the treatment.

At this point he committed to enthusiastically introduce the treatment and the writer's spec sample to his boss. You read that correctly. The boss had yet to read the screenwriter's sample. Not uncommon.

A few weeks later the executive rang to share the wonderful news: his boss was on board.

With the boss' blessing, a meeting was scheduled to pitch the studio executives.

It should be noted that the screenwriter had yet to meet the boss. And compensation had not been discussed.

About ten people were in attendance at the pitch meeting, but the boss did not attend.

He simply called ahead and expressed his strong feelings for the project.

The pitch was executed in just under fifteen minutes, followed by a few questions from the most senior executive and the meeting concluded.

About an hour later, we received THE call. The writer nailed the pitch, he was hired. Finally, deal time.

I can honestly say that to use the phrase negotiations would be a distortion of the truth.

The studio simply told us what they would pay. Take it or leave it. We took it.

A low six figure deal closed about three months later.

If you didn't know, studios do not pay until the agreement is fully executed.

For further clarity, they don't pay all at once. They pay in steps. Baby steps tied to delivery of the draft(s).

Are you following me? We're almost seven months into 2008 and the screenwriter has yet to see one red cent.

Finally, after badgering accounting at the studio, the first check arrives.

Without revealing the exact number of the total deal, for simplicity let's take a nice round number.

Let's use $100,000 as the figure to represent full payment and do a brief breakdown.

The studios pay a percentage upon signature of the agreement and a percentage at commencement of the draft.

Other steps follow.

Payment on delivery of first draft, commencement of draft two, delivery of draft two, and in some cases a polish may be included.

Traditionally, payment tiers range between fifteen to twenty percent.

For simplicity, let's assume the studio used its might and would not budge off of fifteen percent to trigger the first series of payments.

Keep in mind, he who can walk from the deal has... the power.

Therefore for this brief example, a check totaling $30,000 for execution of agreement and commencement of script would be delivered by the studio.

Be aware that agents (10%), managers (10%), and attorney's (5%) commission on the gross, not the net.

Uncle Sam does too!

Exhibit A: A basic breakdown of just the first and second installment.

There you have it.

Almost eleven months later, the screenwriter celebrates with a cool $15K for 2008.

Oh yes, one more payroll payment to make. It will be the newest member of your team... the WGA.

You MUST become a guild member upon entering your first deal (spec or work for hire) with a signatory company.

All studios are signatory. Yay!

As you can see a six figure deal isn't quite a six figure pay day.

And payment itself can be delayed for some time.

There are a few lessons one can glean from this:

• Don't quit your day job after your first sale or gig! It'll be tempting, but don't. Not immediately.


• Schedule time to write NOW. You must MASTER the discipline of scheduling time to write while you have a day job and... a life. And more importantly, before your first sale or writer for hire gig. I promise you it will come in handy.


• Reward yourself, but don't go nuts. A screenwriter I know treated himself to an ergonomic executive chair for his writing station. He'd been eyeing it for years.


• Save the rest. You never know when you'll be hired again or when you will sell a script again.

In summary, the screenwriter is no different then the entrepreneur who's enthusiastic about and committed to building their business.

Listen: It takes time, patience, discipline, and strategy to build a business that generates revenue AND, more importantly, produces profits.

Hear me: My intention was to illuminate an area in screenwriting that is rarely discussed, if ever. It's not to frighten you, but to inform you... to empower you with knowledge.

Because as James Madison, Father of the Constitution, so eloquently stated:

"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."

The Box Office Report

Lessons Learned: One Writer's Journey

Moot

by mc foley

I can—

—network all I want. Watch the current flicks and know who's developing what or what executive moved to what network or which agent to which agency and what writers won what January awards,

all — I — want.

But it's moot — if I can't write.

It's all an enormous waste of time if I can't create compelling loglines and stories and then execute them effectively — with discipline — over and over again — on the page.

Who cares if I know this person or I've been to that party or I've got a friend who's boyfriend is an agent at CAA. I can go ahead and send him that half-realized script I've been half-working on and see what happens then.

I don't suggest that the networking, research and knowledge of current events part of the equation is worthless — but rather, that the most important element — the foundation on top of which everything else is balanced — is the writing.

People get on shows — and pushed off shows — because they can't re-create the quality of the spec or the pilot they submitted to the showrunner in the first place. People work on features and are just as swiftly re-written because something's not working. True — sometimes these cases are more about politics, or a once-clear vision of a film that's become convoluted by too many brains and too many egos.

However — I deeply believe — and will always argue—

That it's about the craft, the skill, the well-honed ability to put 26 symbols on a page that can suck in a reader and hold them from fade in to fade out. It's about the ability to consistently deliver. Not that everything a writer creates will be brilliant — in fact, a lot of it will be garbage or mediocre at best. But that's where rewrites and dedication to clarifying a vision come in.

And so...

Okay, maybe I'm not the best at dialogue. I can be phenomenal at structure. I can know where I'm weak and where I'm a goddamned superstar, and I can push that edge. Maybe, if I'm aiming at TV, and I'm not the best at slamming out a polished script, I can know that I'm good at punching one up. Or that I'm an expert in story.. I can know what part of me rises above the rest, what part would be an immense contribution to a team, and I can sell that.

Whichever way I choose — it's still — about the writing.

That is: either the ability to write an entire, fully realized, unique and compelling feature, pilot or spec. Or the ability to show and to sell my singular skill in one select part of the craft. Like a field goal kicker. Or a goalie. I can focus on one extremely specific element, dedicate myself to it, and be the best. And know it, and show it, each and every time I'm tested. Because I've practiced. Because I've put in the work.

Because I've focused on the most important element:

The writing.


- mc foley

About mc foley:
MC Foley was born in Cebu, Philippines, raised in Virginia and resides in West Hollywood, CA. After winning a poetry slam competition in Oakland, CA, Foley toured as a performance poet, doing shows across the U.S. and overseas. Foley then wrote/acted lead in "The Coconut Masquerade," a play written in verse and produced by Bindlestiff Studio in San Francisco's SOMA district. Segments of "Coconut," were featured in theaters around the country including the national Hip Hop Theater Festival and LA's Greenway Court Theater. Now in LA, MC Foley is an active novelist, screenwriter and weekly e-columnist. Recently Ms. Foley completed work on a debut YA novel, The Ice Hotel. The novel is a fantasy adventure written especially for readers experiencing the profound pain of loss. In the book, a family, reeling from their eldest son's death, escapes to the Ice Hotel, where an age-old, arctic magic connects this world to the next. The Ice Hotel is now available at Amazon. Order your copy here.

A Legal Perspective for Screenwriters

by Gordon P. Firemark

Question:

"I have written a multi-award-winning screenplay and feel, after many rewrites, it's getting close to being pretty good.

"My question is about ownership: The screenplay was based on my novel, partly coauthored by a friend, who did about 10% of the work and storyline creation. How would my friend be compensated, and would I be doing the right thing by signing an agreement saying I own the rights to this screenplay?"

Answer:

When co-authors join together to create a single work, it's called a work of "joint authorship." Ordinarily, Joint Authors are equal owners of the work, and share equally in the proceeds from exploitation of the work. So, absent some other agreement, the co-authors are each entitled to half of the rights fees paid in relation to the book.

So, while it's true that you own the rights to the screenplay, the screenplay is based on the underlying novel, in which you're only a half-owner. Now, if you try to sell your screenplay, you can probably allocate some portion of the money to the 'underlying rights' (i.e., the novel) which you'll share with your co-author, allocating the balance to the screenplay, but your co-author may not agree with your allocation, and could make trouble for you in the form of a lawsuit, or just embarrassing calls to the producers, etc.

My suggestion is to have a candid discussion with the co-novelist now... and work out the percentages on both the novel, AND your screenplay. You'll definitely need to have a formal, written contract drawn up to memorialize things. Otherwise, you will find it very difficult to sell your screenplay. Producers always insist on a "clean" chain of title... so you'll need to clear this up as soon as possible.

This situation is the reason that it's so important to have a collaboration agreement in place before you begin working in earnest with another writer. The collaboration agreement could have addressed this very situation, or at least the "what if my co-writer doesn't pull his share of the weight?" question. An experienced entertainment lawyer can draw up a collaboration agreement very quickly. It's well worth the investment. Fixing these situations after-the-fact is always more costly and time consuming.


Have a legal question? Email them to: legalquestions@thebusinessofshowinstitute.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The foregoing is intended as general information only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship with Mr. Firemark. This information is not a substitute for a private, independent consultation with an attorney selected to advise you after a full investigation of the facts and law relevant to your matter. Neither Mr. Firemark nor The Business of Show Institute will be responsible for readers' detrimental reliance upon the information appearing in this column.

About Gordon P. Firemark:
Gordon Firemark is an attorney whose practice is devoted to the representation of artists, writers, producers and directors in the fields of theater, film, television,and music. He is also the publisher of Entertainment Law Update, a newsletter for artists and professionals in the entertainment industries. His practice also covers intellectual property, cyberspace, new media and business/corporate matters for clients in the entertainment industry.

Mr. Firemark serves on the Boards of Governors of The Los Angeles Stage Alliance (the organization responsible for the annual Ovation Awards for excellence in Theater), and The Academy for New Musical Theatre. In the past he has served on the Board of Governors of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, where he served as liason to the Association's Entertainment Law Section (of which he is a former chairman).

Mr. Firemark holds a B.A. in Radio, Television and Film from the University of Oregon, and earned his law degree at Southwestern University School of Law. Before opening The Law Offices of Gordon P. Firemark, Mr. Firemark was a partner with the Business Affairs Group, a boutique entertainment law firm in Los Angeles. He has also worked in the legal and business affairs departments at Hanna Barbera Productions and the MGM/UA Worldwide Television Group, and started his legal career as an associate at Neville L. Johnson & Associates, a West L.A. firm specializing in entertainment litigation.

For more about Mr. Firemark, visit http://firemark.com/.

Best Business Advice for Screenwriters

David S. Goyer– Screenwriter of “Blade”, “The Dark Knight”, and “Man of Steel”– On his best advice for screenwriters:

“What if your script doesn’t sell? Most of them don’t. Doesn’t mean you should give up. Writing involves a long learning curve. Most scripts or early novels suck. Usually, it takes three or four tries before some kind of talent and structure begins to emerge. It’s frustrating to think that your initial efforts might be just that — early, learning efforts. But the truth is, most of the time, that’s what they will turn out to be. That said, scripts can have a long shelf life. I’ve had at least three scripts sell years and years after I initially wrote them. In one case, I sold a script a decade after I wrote it. Sometimes, it’s just a question of timing — the area you’ve chosen to write about isn’t in vogue, but becomes so at a later date. Or sometimes, your particular stock goes up and a producer will ask if you have anything else in the drawer. The other thing about scripts is that they can be wonderful calling cards — even if they don’t sell or don’t get made. It took 4 years from the time I wrote Blade until the day the cameras rolled. During that time, that un-produced script probably netted me a half-dozen jobs because it worked as a writing sample.”

2013-2014 Primetime Network Pilot Season Scorecard

by Jason Scoggins & Cindy Kaplan

Welcome to the 2nd annual Pilot Season Scorecard edition of The Scoggins Report. The networks’ upfront presentations a week and a half ago were like Christmas morning for Cindy, who’d paid very close attention to development and pilot seasons again this year so we (which is to say, she) could deliver Scoggins Report-style year-over-year numbers for each of the five broadcast networks. Because there’s simply nothing we like better than year-over-year numbers.

We followed last year’s format again this year, starting with this season’s raw, overall numbers of script, pilot and series orders in each format (half hour and one hour) at each network. The rest of the document is the deep dive into each network’s development and purchase patterns, separated into comedy and drama categories.

We know the bulk of our readers focus more on features than on TV, but since we absolutely love the TV business we get a kick out of putting this Scorecard together. We hope you find our annual TV one shot interesting and enlightening as well.

There are lots of interesting contrasts going on in the above grid, but here are our favorite year-over-year takeaways:

• Collectively, the networks bought 27% fewer comedy projects last Summer than the previous development season...


• ...but then picked up a handful more to pilot this Spring than in 2012...


• ...and ended up ordering 38% more half hours to series than in 2012.

As you can see, the dynamics for one hours were similar to half hours, though in slightly different ways: Fewer scripts ordered (-10%), but way more pilots picked up (+32%), and even more one hours ordered to series (+52%) than the previous year.

When you combine the half hours and one hours, the extremes from 2012 to 2013 are even more apparent: All in, the networks bought over one hundred fewer scripts this development season compared to 2012’s (-20%), but picked up 17% more pilots than than the previous year, and ended up ordering 46% more new scripted series than the year earlier.

Only one of ABC’s 7 new dramas from last season made the cut this year – Nashville – and considering the network axed the weakening Private Practice as well as sophomore Body of Proof, it’s no wonder it ordered 7 new one hours this year, up from 5 in 2012. Joss Whedon’s much buzzed about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., is joined by Lucky 7, planted spin-off Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Betrayal, Resurrection, Killer Women and Mind Games.

On the comedy side, while we’re devastated by the loss of Happy Endings, we’re open to the idea that one of ABC’s 5 new comedies might replace the void it will leave in our…hearts. (We were about to say “DVR,” but it bounced around so much this season, even we die-hard fans couldn’t keep track.) Eulogies for the ah-mah-zing show aside, ABC’s 2013-2014 lineup includes 11 comedies, with new titles The Goldbergs, Super Fun Night (rolled over from last year’s development season), Trophy Wife, Back in the Game and Mixology. ABC’s lineup is rounded out by non-scripted staples Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelor, Shark Tank, sophomore The Taste, and newcomer The Quest.

Armed with the strongest schedule of all five networks, it’s no surprise that CBS renewed the majority of last season’s shows. That said, it’s worth noting that only one of its new series from the 2012-2013 season made the cut for renewal — Elementary — and one, Friend Me, never aired, possibly due to the tragic death of its creator, Alan Kirschenbaum. Veteran Rules of Engagement, which had been on the bubble throughout its 7 season run, was finally put to pasture, but at least it made it into syndication territory.

All of the Tiffany network’s other shows return, to be joined by new dramas Hostages, Intelligence and Reckless and new comedies We Are Men, Mom, The Millers, The Crazy Ones and Friends with Better Lives. As you’ll see below, CBS is leveraging its strengths in multi-camera comedy and one hour procedurals to test “alternative” (for CBS) formats this Fall: Two single camera half hours are in the lineup — We Are Men and The Crazy Ones — as are two serialized dramas, Hostages and Reckless.

Fox axed three of its five new 2012 series — The Mob Doctor, the adorable Ben and Kate and the promisingly smart Goodwin Games. (Are we biased? No…) Also leaving the schedule are veterans Fringe and The Cleveland Show as well as sophomore drama Touch. Still, there wasn’t that much room on the schedule, which made it fairly surprising when Fox’s ordered 250% more shows this year than last.

The lucky 10 new shows include 6 comedies — Dads, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Enlisted, Surviving Jack, Us & Them and the animated Murder Police — and 4 dramas — Sleepy Hollow, Almost Human, Rake and Gang Related. The House That Non-Scripted Built (farewell, Mike Darnell) will also bolster its Gordon Ramsey franchise with Junior MasterChef.

Of NBC’s 12 new shows for 2012, only three are returning, and they’re all dramas: Hannibal, Chicago Fire and Revolution. In fact, only 2 of NBC’s 13 half hour shows from last season will return this fall: Community and Parks and Recreation. Last year’s comedy crop was blighted — Animal Practice got clipped almost immediately, Save Me is being burned off this summer, and Next Caller Please didn’t even make it to air — and we’ve been forced to say goodbye to the underrated (in every way) Go On, Guys with Kids and especially Whitney. (Yes, we’re nearly alone in this sentiment. No, we don’t care.)

More importantly, though, the Peacock’s two most culturally-relevant comedies of the past decade — 30 Rock and The Office — each had their series finales this year. While neither show was ever a ratings juggernaut they were both among the smartest comedies on TV and thus will be difficult to replace. The six contenders are Welcome to the Family, The Michael J. Fox Show, Sean Saves the World, The Family Guide, About a Boy and Undateable.

NBC’s new dramas are the highly anticipated The Blacklist, Chicago Fire’s delightful planted spinoff Chicago PD, Ironside, Dracula, Believe, Crisis, Crossbones and The Night Shift. The schedule is rounded out by summer series Crossing Lines and Camp plus three new and one revived non-scripted series: American Dream Builders, Food Fighters, The Million Second Quiz and The Sing-Off.

The CW let go of two of its most recognizable shows this year — Gossip Girl and 90210 — but held on to 3 of its 5 freshman series from last season and placed one last order of Nikita. Predictably, then, the network ordered five new dramas for the 2013-2014 season. Unlike the previous development season, not a single dollar was wasted on comedies, though they may test those waters this season with unscripted comedy Whose Line Is It Anyway?

For now, the network is sticking to its knitting — which is to say, soapy and/or supernatural teen fare. This year’s flavors include Vampire Diaries-spinoff The Originals, Reign, The Tomorrow People, The 100 and Star-Crossed. Also airing this Fall will be the new unscripted show Famous in 12 and veteran America’s Next Top Model.

About The Scoggins Report:
The Scoggins Report is a terribly unscientific analysis of the feature film development business based on information assembled from a variety of public and non-public sources. The numbers in the reports are by no means official statistics. Caveat emptor.

Check out the newsletter’s beautiful new home on SpecScout.com.


About Scoggins:
Jason Scoggins is a serial entrepreneur and senior entertainment industry executive whose 15+ year career includes stints as a TV literary agent and feature literary manager. His most recent venture, SpecScout.com, which soft launched at the beginning of December 2012, is his second web-based entertainment industry start-up. Previously, he'd founded the film development database company ItsontheGrid.com. In addition to guiding Spec Scout, he continues to provide consulting and management services to his clients.

Digging the Well Before You're Thirsty:

Tracking the Movement of Hollywood's Executives

What do you do when a friend gets promoted or moves to a new position? You congratulate them right?

What else might you do? You might send them a card telling them how excited you are for their new position. Later, you might follow up with that person to see how they're settling in. Then, you might send them an interesting article once in a while.

Why would you do this? Because that's how relationships are nurtured and developed. (They're not developed by asking for favors before the relationship has matured)

So we'd like you to help us in congratulating the following executives who have just been promoted or moved positions.

The Business of Show Institute Congratulates the Following Executives in Their New Positions:

Jason Weiss
SVP Production, Myriad Pictures

David Flynn
Chief Creative Officer, Endemol UK

Christopher Erb
EVP Brand Marketing, Legendary Entertainment

Ellen Stone
EVP Marketing, Bravo

Andrew Davis
President of Production Administration, Columbia Pictures

Ira Rubenstein
CEO, MeeMee Media

Ron Schwartz
President of Home Entertainment, Lionsgate

Finish Big and Leave 'Em Breathless

by Sean Hinchey

The judge has made it to the very end of your screenplay. For the past ninety or so pages, their focus has been on your script, your story. This is your chance to wow them so that your place will be secured in the winner's circle. Something happens, your story is dumped into the recycle bin! What happened?

It's tragically simple really, you let them down. You didn't deliver the goods you promised. Your story ended, but not in a manner that allows the judge to walk away with your scenes still dancing in their mind. Your script was good, until it wasn't.

A screenplay has to be excellent all the way through. It's a high-octane race to the end. This is not to be confused with a high-octane movie, not every script has to be about explosions or car chases. Your characters have to be propelled through the entire story, by the use of scenes and dialogue, right to the finish line. Don't let up. Don't let your characters rest until after the final punctuation mark.

You can't have significant details in the story and not use them. To paraphrase Anton Chekhov, if there's a rifle hanging on the wall, by the end of the story it must be fired.

I have read countless screenplays where the writer goes to significant lengths to expose certain characteristics or played up a location; only to have it not pay off. For example, one script had the protagonist taking some flight lessons and showing a general interest in aviation.

There wasn't a single part of the story, particularly in the final act, where that skill came into play. Would you want a judge to say, "Wait, how come he never had to fly the plane to save someone's life or get themselves out of jeopardy?"

Don't show the gun if it's never going to get fired.

Another problem with endings is that the actions aren't in proportion to the rest of the story. For example, you can't have a mild-mannered office manager suddenly become a raging serial murderer by the end, unless that is what the story is about. This worked in Falling Down because that story was about a man slowly coming unglued.

But would it work with Wall Street or Boiler Room? Most likely, no. The outcome of the entire story has to make sense in relation to the rest of the script. Don't get caught up in trying to have a big, flashy finish at the end. In Little Miss Sunshine, the fact that she loses the contest makes you realize, that's not what their journey as a family was all about.

Finally, recognize that your story could've suffered because it didn't end when it should've. What does that mean?

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, comes to mind. And when I speak of LOTR (see, I was into them, I even know the shortcut for the title), I confess that seeing those films was an epic movie experience. However, can anyone really argue that the ending of the final film in the trilogy went on for a bit too long? And by "a bit too long" I'm being kind.

Don't flog the story to death. There comes a point where you've had your chance to enrapture the judge. You've dazzled and amazed them. At some point, it gets to be too much and you have to recognize that your story has ended.

This happens a great deal in movies offering a stand-off. The good guy and bad guy have matched wits and they offer pithy exchanges and slick one-liners before the good guy finally gets the upper hand and barely wins the fight.

Tell a great story all the way through. Remember, the Third Act is the most important act in the entire script.....except for the First Act, and the Second Act. Get back to writing, we all want to see your name as the winner of the next screenwriting contest.


Have you really instilled a great want or goal in your character? Without something any judge can root for, your script doesn't stand a chance. A Good Want is Hard To Find. Recognize that what your screenplay lacks, may be keeping you from being a winner.

About Sean Hinchey:
Sean Hinchey has been a script consultant for International Creative Management (ICM), Miracle Entertainment, Nash Entertainment, and Viviano Entertainment. He's also read the preliminary drafts of Michael Crichton's best-selling novels, State of Fear and Next and has performed extensive research for the stage plays and screenplays of writer/director Floyd Mutrux (American Hot Wax, Million Dollar Quartet).

Sean's expertise has made him a highly sought after judge for such prestigious screenwriting contests such as: The Big Break Contest, The Miramax Open Door Contest, Artists and Writer's Contest, Energy Contest, Smart Contest and The Chills and Thrills Contest. Throughout his career, Sean has read over two thousand scripts, giving him an insight into what it takes to become the winner of a screenwriting contest.

Three of Sean's screenplays have been optioned and one was a finalist in the Film in Arizona Screenwriting Competition. He won an award for his first non-fiction book, Backpacking Through Divorce.

Drawing from these experiences, he's written a book, 39 Ways to Win a Screenwriting Contest & The Nine Mistakes New Writers Make, set for publication this year.

George Lucas & Steven Spielberg: Studios Will Implode; VOD Is the Future

by David S. Cohen

Moguls predict tentpole "meltdown," pricey pics and empathetic games.

Looking into their crystal ball, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg predicted the imminent arrival of a radically different entertainment landscape, including pricey movie tickets, a vast migration of content to video-on-demand and even programmable dreams.

Speaking on a panel at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Spielberg and Lucas took a grim view of the future of the majors and predicted theatrical motion pictures will become a niche market.

“They’re going for the gold,” said Lucas of the studios. “But that isn’t going to work forever. And as a result they’re getting narrower and narrower in their focus. People are going to get tired of it. They’re not going to know how to do anything else.”

Spielberg noted that because so many forms of entertainment are competing for attention, they would rather spend $250 million on a single film than make several personal, quirky projects.

“There’s eventually going to be a big meltdown,” Spielberg said. “There’s going to be an implosion where three or four or maybe even a half-dozen of these mega-budgeted movies go crashing into the ground and that’s going to change the paradigm again.”

David S. Cohen from Variety has the full story...