Dear Friend,

If you went to our website yesterday you may have been surprised to see that it was down for a short time.

Don't worry, it's up now, but we wanted to apologize for the inconvenience.

Here's what happened.

Due to uploading the multiple, huge video files from "The Sundance Experience" screenwriter interviews, we momentarily exceeded our hard disk space.

As a result our site went down briefly.

But we took swift, corrective measures, and the site came back shortly.

Again, we apologize for any confusion or alarm, but we were just making sure we got this amazing content to you as quickly as possible.

So that's that.

But moving on, there's plenty of fantastic information in this week's Screenwriter's Success Newsletter to share with you!

Here's what we've got for you in this week's issue:

Screenwriter Questions (Part 1): is this week's article by yours truly. In this piece I address some of the most frequently asked questions that plague screenwriters. You may find that YOUR most pressing question is asked... and answered... here...

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.

It Ain't Over Till It's Over: 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.

An Insider's Look at the Development Process: Part 2: is this week's article from Director of Development for Clifford Werber Productions, Daniel Manus. The title of his column is "No B.S. for Screenwriters — The Executive Perspective."

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 Antwone Fisher — writer of "ATL" and "Antwone Fisher"!

The Scoggins Report: is our bi-weekly/monthly spec market analysis. Use this information to see what's selling, who's buying what, and what genre you should be writing for. This information 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...

3 Ways to Clear Clutter for Contest Conquest: is this week's article from our newest contributor — 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."

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? The Shortcuts to Success — Meeting with the Masters Mentoring Program! Hollywood's only screenwriting mentoring program where Marvin V. Acuna and his network of industry contacts will help you achieve the success you desire and deserve.

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

Screenwriter Questions (Part 1)

by Marvin V. Acuna

As I considered what to share with you this week it occurred to me that there were an overwhelming number of questions that remained in the queue from my most recent teleseminar. For obvious reasons I will be unable to address every question still sitting in the queue, but I was compelled to offer my thoughts to the following which were chosen completely at random. Here we go:

What are recommended ways to establish relationships with the players in LA if you don't live there?
Personally, I'm a huge believer that the internet is an incredible tool to bridge relationships with people from all industries, in particular entertainment. Thomas Friedman wrote a book entitled "The World Is Flat." I believe the entertainment industry is flat. There are no boundaries. Christopher Brogan offers his insights on building relationships online in his book "Trust Agents." I also discuss this subject in more depth in the Art of Connecting from the Secret Weapon Audio Series. The file is located in the member's area; I encourage you to listen again.


Is attending events like The Great American Pitch Fest and Screenwriting Conference in Los Angeles this June a good idea?
Any opportunity to be in close proximity to industry professionals is a great one, but you must prepare. A few years back a 20/20-like news program followed a few filmmakers as they headed to industry events and captured the difference it made for those who arrived prepared versus the ones who just arrived. I discuss specific strategies in a number of the Power Principles on how to maximize the investment you make to attend industry events. Review them before you attend.


Do you think that a staged reading with professional actors (performing an original screenplay) is a good investment of time, energy and resources?
Opportunities that afford you the privilege to see and hear your work come to life is invaluable to your development as a screenwriter and the material. In fact, Christopher Vogler shared a process he does with Will Smith with me during our live interview back in 2009 which I found to be fascinating and immersive. The replay is in the archives if you missed the live event.


I am not the chatty Kathy type. I write. I am comfortable in my own head making things up. I am not comfortable with people. Is it even possible to get someone to represent me?
Charlie Kaufman comes to mind. However, I would highly encourage you to develop that aspect of yourself. Toastmasters International is a great organization that is available as a resource. Jewerl Ross of Silent R Management addressed this head on during our live event. Frankly, he had some very strong feelings on this subject and offered some great advice.


Is there an age limit for writers?
I bet that Doug Taylor and Antoinette Terry Bryant would both say, "Never." I sat down with them in Sundance as part of the Sundance Experience: A Screenwriters Perspective Program to discuss their picture "Splice," arguably one of the hottest films at Sundance. I look forward to sharing that video presentation with you — stay tuned. But, for the "must have more insights now" personality... you can always listen to the late Blake Snyder's thoughts on the matter which he addresses in our last live event together. You can easily find the transcript and the replay.


How can I get an agent if no one knows me?
I wrote a piece entitled, "Write a Movie Script that's Good... Write a Query Letter that's Better!" (http://tinyurl.com/yf5w9u6) which I feel offers insight into one method. Additionally, Allan Loeb, arguably the hottest screenwriter in Hollywood today, whose credits include the upcoming "Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps" starring Michael Douglas and Shia LeBouf, "The Baster" starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman, "The Escape from NY" remake, and "Your Cheating Heart" starring Vince Vaughn and Adam Sandler, discusses on the replay how he did it and the "Hail Mary" script that changed his life forever.

The Box Office Report

Lessons Learned: One Writer's Journey

It Ain't Over Till It's Over

by mc foley

I try not to be a cloying, saccharine-sweet optimist with people. Especially people who've been "at it" — whatever "it" is — for quite some time. I respect those years of sacrifice, and the battle scars people have to show for it. And I've also heard that common saying around these parts... "What do they tell you in Hollywood? One day you turn around — and you're 60."

However, I recently had a conversation with a friend facing his 40th birthday, and I thought it bore repeating...

Him: "Sucks getting old. You look around and realize you're never going to do all the things you wanted to do with your life."

Me: "There's still time. You're ambulatory, you have your health, your mind, you made it past friends I've known who died in their twenties and early 30's."

Him: "M, [groaning]... easy for you to say, you're not my age."

Me: "Do you know anything about Paula Deen? She didn't even open her first restaurant until she was almost 50."

Him: "Are you gonna start with one of those annoying survival stories? I hate those f'ng stories. Everybody always wants to tell them, like they're on some kind of self-help mission but they're all bullsh*t."

Me: "Okay but... people tell those kinda stories for a reason. At least I do. She's got a pretty cool one. And I... [sensing his growing agitation / insert nervous face here]... er... ahem... I know a bunch of other ones... too."

Him: "Fine dipsh*t. Go ahead..."

What follow are not the exact stories I relayed in that conversation... but they cover the same ground. I've never been an admirer of people who had it 'easy,' (which is a relative term anyways), or of people who hit a home run on their first time at bat. Maybe it's because I can't relate. And I can't say everyone feels this way — I'm sure there are plenty of people who love to hear about teenagers publishing novels or people starring in and producing films before they can legally drink. However, having been raised in a government/military family in the DC metro area, it was as daily as dinner to discuss things like honor, like perseverance, like hard work and sacrifice...

...to begin:

Carol Barbee had been acting for over 10 years and was in her early 40's when she got her first credited TV script on NBC's Providence. She immediately joined that writing staff — and a few years later, she was at the helm, acting as showrunner on Judging Amy, then showrunner on Jericho, and most recently, creating and showrunning CBS's Three Rivers.

After losing both parents before she was 20 and suffering from agoraphobia so severe it trapped her inside her home, Paula Deen began to recover through her great love — cooking — and opened her first business, a catering service, at age 42. Seven years later, at age 49, she opened her first restaurant. One year later, she self-published her first cookbooks at age 50. Two years later, she was introduced to Gordon Elliott and became a guest on his Doornock Dinners series on Food Network. Two years after that, at age 54, she shot her first pilot with Food Network. It didn't go to series, but the next year, at age 55, her first show, Paula's Home Cooking, premiered on Food Network. Since then, she's had two more shows, a new food line, appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and guest appearances in film.

Now collaborating with director, Doug Liman, on a film exploring the 1971 prison riot at Attica Correctional Facility in New York, screenwriter Geoffrey S. Fletcher had been toiling away at his screenwriting and filmmaking dreams since he was very young, before receiving a 2010 Oscar nomination for ‘Best Adapted Screenplay' for Precious — his first produced screenplay — at the age of 39. It was his student film, Magic Markers — made back in 1995 — that brought him to the attention of director Lee Daniels over ten years later, in 2006. Although Fletcher had been working as an adjunct Film professor at Columbia and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, it was the request from Daniels to adapt the book "Push," written by Sapphire, [now, the film Precious] that finally brought him face to face with his dream.

In 1992, with CBS's Hearts Afire, actor/writer/director/musician Billy Bob Thornton finally landed an acting role that lasted for three seasons, and which helped him to develop a friendship with John Ritter, who would later join him in a number of notable films. At that time, Thornton was 37, and he had been struggling to make ends meet and to get some kind of traction in his film/TV/music goals since 1978. His odd-jobs included managing a Shakey's pizza, selling pens, catering, waiting tables and at one point, the lack of money landed him in the hospital with myocarditis, a serious inflammation of the heart, due to a diet that consisted of only potatoes. Five years before landing his role on Hearts Afire, in a fit of frustration, Thornton created the character of Karl Childers in an on-set trailer for a film in which he never appeared (his scenes fell to the cutting room floor). That character lead to his 1993 short film, Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade — which he adapted and turned into the 1996 film, Slingblade, in which he also starred and directed. When he accepted his Oscar for Slingblade, in the Best Adapted Screenplay category the following year, he was 41.

Of course, being in your 40's when you get an Oscar nomination is not the same as being in your 40's when you first begin to write, but a lot of these stories can be put in the "late bloomer" category. It's a category shared by names as reputable and varied as Rodney Dangerfield, Anthony Burgess and Georgia O'Keeffe.

And yes, while I'm not yet facing my 40th birthday, what I appreciate most about stories like these, and the people who live(d) them — is that I can't help but wonder if many of them faced that infamous phrase, "over the hill" and replied:

"What hill?"


by word & by deed,
- mc foley


About mc foley:
Melinda Corazon Foley was born in Cebu, Philippines, raised in Virginia and currently resides in West Hollywood, CA. In 2005, MC Foley was named East West Players' James Irvine Foundation Mentee affording her the privilege to craft a new original stage play, the result: "Down and Out." It debuted at the Union Center for the Arts. Foley was then awarded the Asian American Writers Workshop Scholarship, which she utilized to re-imagine the aforementioned play into a web based series incorporating verse, motion graphics and comic book illustrations. 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.

A Legal Perspective for Screenwriters

by Gordon P. Firemark

Question:
"My current screenwriting project is taken from the old adage to 'write what you know.' As such, it is a story from my perspective, working in a medical office. Many of the characters are either an amalgamation of patients, or possesses the characteristics of a single patient, that I have encountered over the years. The breathless doctor and his demanding wife are lifted from my perspective of the actual people as well. How much do I need to camouflage these characters in order to sell the project, make it commercially viable and not get my butt sued-off?"

Answer:
No matter how much "camouflage" you use, if the characters are recognizable as particular real people, you may be vulnerable to claims of defamation (libel), invasion of privacy, etc. If, however, they're broad caricatures, amalgamations, or 'stereotypes', and not obviously based on real people and events, then you're likely to prevail in such claims. So, ask yourself whether your script is really a work of fiction, or not. If the answer is yes...then make sure there's no implication otherwise. If it's non-fiction, then be absolutely certain that everything in the script is factually correct, and isn't revealing private, confidential information.

When you sell a screenplay, you're required to make "warranties and representations" that the work is original and doesn't infringe anybody's rights, invade privacy, etc. So, your best bet, I'm afraid, is to hire a lawyer with experience in this area to discuss your specifics and to review the script and give you a legal opinion before you go too far down the road. Be sure to remind your lawyer about your background and the situation, so he can negotiate the terms of the representations and warranties to protect you.


Thinking of producing it yourself? Subscribe to my FREE e-course "6 Ways to Finance a Feature Film" by visiting http://firemark.com/minicourse.


Have a legal question? Email them to: legalquestions@thebusinessofshowinstitute.com

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 entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles. For almost 20 years, he's helped creative and business people in the fields of film, television, theatre, music and new media achieve their professional and artistic goals. His practice focuses on negotiating and drafting entertainment contracts and business deals, film and theatre financing, corporate startups/operations, and intellectual property protection and licensing. Get more information at http://firemark.com/.

No B.S. for Screenwriters - The Executive Perspective

An Insider's Look at the Development Process: Part 2

by Daniel Manus

Last we left "Exhibit A," it was making its way through the first stages of development hell. I had found the project (the first and original draft), liked the project, met with the writer, did my first small set of notes and got a quick 2nd draft back. We agreed to move forward on the project, I gave it to Clifford who liked it, we gave the writer our second and ever-so slightly more comprehensive set of notes, and now we were about to receive her 3rd draft.

Her new draft, which we received on August 4th, had some great new visual elements and some nice changes in accordance with our notes but there were a few big story points that just still weren't working. We hadn't cracked it yet. Now every company — especially small companies — has their own preferred way of doing notes and Clifford and I found a way and rhythm that worked for us (which took a few projects to figure out and perfect).

Clifford and I do our notes separately on 2 different scripts and then come together and go through them page by page, note by note, often disagreeing and working through those arguments before we talk with the writer. Not all producers or bosses are willing to admit they are wrong or are able to let some of their notes go, and sometimes Clifford is no different, but when bosses have a real trust in their executives and their connection to the project, the genre and the demographic, as I like to think Clifford has in me, it becomes a really collaborative and equal process. And it's actually pretty fun. Then I take both drafts with each of our agreed upon notes and combine them onto a clean master draft which we give to the writer along with an accompanying top sheet with the larger general notes listed. Okay, it's not environmentally friendly, but it's effective.

At a studio level, it's not like this most of the time. The president of the studio usually doesn't do notes on scripts unless it's a high profile project and if they do, it's not usually at this early stage. Chances are, a studio would have sent the script to a reader or given it to an intern since it was found at a pitchfest and therefore, is of lesser importance. And at a studio, that second or third draft of notes usually comes from quite a few people, often causing contradicting notes. At smaller independent companies, it's a different process.

Now notes are also a test of the producer. First, producers should get their notes to you in a timely manner — not overnight, but not more than a month later. If they are giving you notes that completely change your whole script or story and you completely disagree, then you have a choice to make. If you think they are good notes and will make the story better, then do them. You can certainly fight a few points, but choose your battles carefully. Fight too much, push too hard, and they may lose interest. Bend over too much and producers will think that they can take advantage of you or you aren't passionate about the project — you just want a quick sale. Walk the line carefully. Luckily, our writer was so collaborative and upbeat, it was a pleasure doing these drafts with her.

Chances are, especially if you are new to the process, you will probably go through 6, 7, 10, 12 drafts before it's good enough to be seen. How many should you do? As many as it takes as long as you're happy with the direction it's taking and your relationship with the exec or producer is a positive one. Chances are, if a studio options or buys your script, you will only get one or two more committed drafts and then they will go off and hire new writers to re-write it (and pay them a shitload more then they pay you). At an indie, chances are you'll stick around a while longer because they don't want to have to pay another writer and you're free.

Sometimes, you will get to the 4th draft of a script and you'll find a note to change lines that have been there since the beginning. And you'll wonder — why is this problematic NOW? Well sometimes, we just don't catch it the first 3 drafts. We can look at the same line 100 times and then all of a sudden want to change it.

And then there are other times that while going through a script I already love, I will discover a whole new direction that the writer never thought of — and all of a sudden it clicks. And that's exactly what happened after Draft #3 of "Exhibit A." The combined notes draft we gave our writer was by far the most extensive set of notes so far. We suggested changes to the climax, the catalyst for the story and changing the set up, and lots of dialogue. But the biggest and most drastic suggestion was a whole new ending. At some point during our notes session, Clifford and I had cracked what was missing — we found that big scary twist ending moment — but we were worried that our writer might not be on board. Basically, we wanted to change the ending so that our protagonist turned out to be the killer. It was a big change.

We sent her the combined notes draft, she read it over, and we had a conference call between all three of us two weeks later. This was the first time Clifford and our writer had spoken. The 3-hour conference call went well and to our delight, she LOVED the new ending idea. Whew! So, she got to work and about 10 days later, we had Draft #4.

Clifford and I followed our same process and got her a new set of notes about three weeks later, which included a reconfigured opening scene. I know three weeks feels like an eternity to writers, but you have to keep in mind that we are also working on 10 other projects at the same time and we're not making a dime during this process either. Studio execs usually work on 25-50 other projects concurrently. This is part of why development takes so long.

But anyway, changing the ending and the first scene caused some other story changes that needed to be tracked, and we got Draft #5 less than two weeks later. We made more notes which mostly dealt with dialogue and tracking themes, had another conference call, and on November 18th, two weeks later, we had Draft #6. We went through it that day, made a few dialogue and typo changes, and on November 19th, we had our final draft. Locked and loaded. The actual writing-development process was over...for now.

We were pitched the project on May 28th, and 6 months and 7 drafts later, we had a developed script we were all happy with. I should point out that this was actually one of the quicker development processes we've ever had — and there are only TWO of us giving notes. Imagine if it was 10 people! Now we had originally hoped to have a final draft a month earlier so we could go out with it the week of Halloween when everyone was in the horror/thriller mindset. But that didn't happen, so we had to come up with a new plan and strategy.

And in two weeks, in part 3 of the series, I will go through that strategy, packaging, and how we go out with a script. But next week is the Oscars and you know I've got an opinion, so stay tuned for that next week!


About Daniel Manus:
Daniel Manus is the Director of Development for Clifford Werber Productions (Cinderella Story, Sydney White). CWP recently set up a family fantasy/adventure project at United Artists which Daniel is attached to co-produce. He is also attached to produce several projects independently including "Dreams of an Aspiring Romantic," starring Emily Osment and "Strange Fruit," written by J.S. Cardone (Prom Night).

Daniel recently started his own script consulting company - No BullScript Consulting, which can be found at www.nobullscript.net. He has been a freelance script consultant for years, working for companies such as ScriptShark and Script Coach and teaches courses to writers at conferences around the country.

Daniel was previously Director of Development for Sandstorm Films, which had a first look deal at Sony Screen Gems and a development deal with Top Cow Comics. Raised on Long Island, NY, he holds a BS degree in Television with a concentration in Screenwriting from the Ithaca College Park School of Communications.

Best Business Advice for Screenwriters

Antwone Fisher, writer of "ATL" and "Antwone Fisher" — on his best business advice for screenwriters:

"You have to know how to read the people you're with. It's like a dance — you have to know who your partner is. And you have so many dance partners. It's just like a night on the town. And you're going to this ballroom and you're going to dance with all these people... and, you wanna dance with them. But when it's time to switch partners, you know, you can't get nostalgic."

The Scoggins Report

by Jason Scoggins

If you've been keeping an eye on the www.itsonthegrid.com blog lately, you know there's been quite a bit of positive activity in the spec market already this month, including several sales. While it's far too early to tell how this buying season will compare to the first half of 2009, I'm optimistic, and I'm looking forward to writing my first Spec Market Roundup of 2010 next week.

In the meantime, I thought it would be instructive to update the OWA Scorecard summary grids from my last article in this space. The below grids are a comparison of that same big agency's OWA Grid from early December 2009 to early February 2010. If you're interested in my methodology, read the introduction to the first installment of the 2009 OWA Scorecard here.

This will be the last OWA-oriented article in this space until mid-year when the Spec Market goes on hiatus for the summer. The full 2009 OWA Scorecard will remain available for another few weeks to anyone who signs up to receive it at http://blog.itsonthegrid.com.


OWA Scorecard Overview — December 2009 vs February 2010

As you review the below numbers, keep in mind they are based solely on snapshots of one big agency's OWA grid. As with the full 2009 OWA Scorecard, what's most interesting here (to me, at least) is the scale of the numbers and the comparison between the companies, as opposed to the raw numbers themselves.

Obviously, the above totals don't add up because MGM fell off the grid between December and February, which I think says a lot about what the community thinks of that studio's fate. Interestingly, Miramax is not in the same category despite being on the block at Disney. The agency even added a project to the grid by February ("The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency").

Millennium Films/Nu Image didn't have any OWA activity on the grids in 2009 until very late in the year ("Bangkok 8" and the remake of "Conan the Barbarian" popped up in October), which is why the company didn't appear previously on the 2009 OWA Scorecard Overview. The addition of their numbers and the subtraction of MGM's accounts for the discrepancy in the totals, below.

About The Scoggins Reports:
The Scoggins Reports are terribly unscientific analyses of the feature film development business (in particular, spec script and open writing assignment activity) based on information assembled from a variety of public and non-public sources. The numbers in the reports are by no means official statistics and should not be relied upon as such. Past editions of The Scoggins Reports can be found in the archives of The Business of Show Institute as well as on Jason Scoggins' website: http://www.lifeonthebubble.com.

Details on each person, project and company in the Reports can also be found at http://www.itsonthegrid.com, a database of feature film development information [subscription required] including active open writing and directing assignments in Hollywood. Click here to explore the IOTG blog, which includes daily posts of new and updated spec script, OWA, ODA and other film development information.

About Scoggins:
Jason Scoggins is a partner at Protocol, a literary management and production company. He manages writers, directors and producers of film and TV alongside Protocol's founding partners Brian Inerfeld and John Ufland. Follow him here: http://twitter.com/itsonthegrid.

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:

Chris Linn
Executive Vice President, Production, MTV (New York)

Risa Shapiro
Manager, The Schiff Co.

Insights and Screenwriting Wisdom from a Veteran Screenwriting Contest Judge

3 Ways to Clear Clutter for Contest Conquest

by Sean Hinchey

I know, this may seem like a departure from the usual articles about winning screenplays for contests. But I often have people tell me that they find it hard to write because of other commitments or they don't have a clear place where they can escape to write. Don't you feel like running away from writing when your desk gets so cluttered? There is a connection between a chaotic desk and a muddled mind. Reflect on all the times when you feel overwhelmed, confused or unproductive.

Chances are, your desk was a mess — the physical manifestation of a frenzied brain. We've all been there. The sticky notes, pages with random ideas on them, stacks of writing magazines — all the elements of putting together your next screenplay. Sometimes all that mess can actually slow you down. It does for me when I'm trying to write my next article.

How do you put everything you have into some sort of order so that you can not only get back to work, but actually find something when you need it? It's easy, and although it may seem like it'll take a lot of time, it won't be all that bad. Keep in mind, you're doing this to be more productive so that you can get your script polished in time to meet the deadline of that upcoming screenwriting contest.

Here's what you'll need: some tabbed file folders, a pen and an empty garbage pail. See, I told you it would be easy! Let's get started. In just Three Simple Steps, you'll be back to completing your contest winning script with a clear mind.

Step 1: Clear an area on the floor near your desk. It doesn't have to be a huge area, but makes sure there's no spilled soda or coffee on the floor from those late night writing sessions. The reason you will be using the floor is to be able to stand over your new piles of material as you clear your desk.

The idea is to create new, organized files, not just another large mess. It also gives you an "eagle's eye" view of everything you will be saving, thus speeding up the process of organizing.

Step 2: Keep in mind that you are going to only touch each piece of paper once. Do not — and this is very important — do not pick up something and set it back down with the intention of organizing it later. Now is the time to handle it.

Here are two simple questions to ask yourself to make this entire process easier and quicker.

Why was I saving this? You should know right away why that item is taking up space on your desk. If you forgot why you had it on your desk, you can probably throw it away. If you do remember why you were saving it, then ask yourself:

Do I need it? It's amazing how much stuff we accumulate that we don't need — pld notes from script changes we made, ideas for a new screenplay that you opted not to write. If you don't need it, chuck it.

If you are saving an entire magazine for only one article, cut it out and throw away the rest of the magazine. Reduce everything down to the bare essentials.

OK, you're more than halfway done with the process, only one more step to go!

Step 3: Take those file folders and begin to label the tabs. Start with the first item that you see on your desk. Perhaps you have a piece of paper that has some ideas about a great character you want to develop. Write "Characters" on the tab, place the open folder on the floor, and set that piece of paper inside it.

See, you're already on the way to cleaning up your mess. What's the next piece of paper that you see? It could be notes about one of your scripts that you need to incorporate into the next draft. Write "Feedback" on the tab of another file folder and set it on the floor. Place that paper inside. Write "Articles" on another file tab for those magazine articles you're saving.

As you keep going, you'll find that the folders will rapidly fill up with the random pieces of paper cluttering your desk, and your mind. Keep working through the pile. By the time you are done, everything on your desk should either be neatly tucked away in a fresh folder, or in the waste barrel.

Now with a clean desk you can get back to the important task at hand: finishing your script so you can make that contest deadline. Should you need to find any of that information you filed, it'll all be at your fingertips. Just make sure everything gets put back when you're done, otherwise you'll have to start from scratch with this process!


In a previous article, Great Beginnings, we talked about how to grab the attention of the judges. Next week, we'll talk about how to keep their focus riveted to your screenplay in Great Journeys so your screenplay takes its rightful place at the top!


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 in Spring 2010.

The Business of Show Institute Recommends:

After mentoring dozens and dozens of successful screenwriters over the past 15 years, I can honestly say that you're probably just 1 good contact away from achieving the screenwriting success you desire.

Just one good contact who can introduce you to the right network of people, and finally help you penetrate the infamous Hollywood "Insider's Club"... even if you don't live in Los Angeles!

And if you let me, I'd like to be that contact for you.

HERE'S what this is all about...