Nora Ephron on Screenwriting

'The screenplay is the big plain pizza, the one with tomatoes and cheese. And then the director comes in and says "you know, it's needs mushrooms." And you put mushrooms on it, and the costume designer throws peppers on. And pretty soon you have a pizza with everything. Sometimes it's the greatest pizza of your life and sometimes you think 'that was a mistake, we should have left it with only the mushrooms.'

-Nora Ephron

Sleepless In Seattle, You've Got Mail, Julie & Julia

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No Fantasy

We're locked in, numb. We don't love enough. We don't risk enough. We don't fight for things.

That's where films come in. They paint our lives in all the colours we don't quite see.

We were better when we were kids. That's why we keep watching. We know It's in us.

Maguire. Brockovich. The Tramp. Gump. They're us. We see ourselves. We see our dreams.

Maguire took the risk. Brockovich fought the man. The tramp kept his curiosity, and Gump talked to strangers. They're the us we wanna be. The us we pretend to be.

We don't talk when we sit next to each other on a bench. We don't take the risk. And we don't fight the man and the injustice he perpetuates, we just write tweets about it.

Films show us the road to our better selves. They're all the parts we keep locked up in our broken hearts and resentful minds. The world fucked us over, again and again. Didn't get the job, didn't get the girl, didn't get to change the world.

Films are not unrealistic. They're not fantasies. They're more real than the bullshit that leaves us at home, all alone, complaining about everything the world did wrong.

Watch your favourite movie and then take that feeling, that essence, that thing that resonates with you and use it in your life.

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New Permanent Sections On The Blog

I have added three permanent sections to the blog. Industry Interviews, Inspiration, and Short Stories. I hope you check them out. If not now, then you'll be able to find them forever more on the top left of the blog. 

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What Projects Are You Currently Working On?

I do this occasionally here -- just a chance for us all to share a little bit of ourselves. You are more than welcome to share links but, more importantly; I'd like to hear from you personally on your creative projects. What are you working on or considering working on? What is inspiring you? What obstacles are you facing? 

Share anything you'd like to share about your projects in the comments section; It'll be great for everyone to read, and hopefully very inspiring. It doesn't have to be film based -- and, it doesn't have to be something big; maybe you have a poem you've been working on for a few months, or maybe you're about to start designing birthday cards, or maybe you're writing a screenplay for a studio and you're struggling on the third act. 

Whatever it is you're focusing on, or thinking of focusing on, or struggling to keep momentum with--- tell us about it! I look forward to hearing from you all!

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Twitter Disagreement

Earlier today there was a Twitter conversation between a well known film producer and a very talented screenwriter. I have kept the names anonymous for their privacy, and also because they're fictional.

Producer: Great redraft, but why did you kill the elephant on page 8?

Writer: The film is called 'Kill The Elephant'

Producer: We just got endorsement from the Foundation Of Large Animals. 20 million dollars. The elephant lives.

Writer: But page 9 to page 119 are about getting revenge for the elephant murder. What do you want me to do?

Producer: Sounds good.

Writer: What does?

Producer: Go for it. Keep it alive. Trust me. Need new draft, by lunch time. No rush.

Writer: If the elephant lives nothing makes sense anymore! How can Tasha end up with Andrew if the animal lives?

Producer: Kill Tasha. Kill Andrew. Must get elephant drinking Pepsi.

Writer: You want me to kill the main characters?? WTF. This is going to Fuck up movie!

Producer: lolz

Writer: I'm serious!

Producer: We'll save it in the edit.

Writer: I quit.

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