Meet to Peter Chiarelli, Writer of The Proposal

Tonight the NWSG is hosting Peter Chiarelli, the writer of The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.

He'll talk about navigating the studio system and also take some Q&A. It's a great opportunity to get insight into writing, marketing and selling your script.

Doors open at 6:30 and he'll be speaking and talking to attendees from 7 to 9 pm.  If you're a NWSG member the event is free, otherwise it's $15.00.

It's held at Seattle Pacific University at Demaray Hall (the building with the clock tower on campus), 3307 Third Ave., Seattle, WA.

Tom Malloy speaks in Seattle February 19

If you're a screenwriter and looking for new ways to get your script(s) into the hands of the right people, you may want to come hear Tom Malloy speak this Friday.

Or if you've always wanted to produce your movie, but wondering how you go about finding the dollars, you'll also want to hear Tom speak.

The NWSG is hosting Mr. Malloy this Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Clear Channel Building in Seattle. Doors open at 6:45.

Tom recently published a book entitled Bankroll: A New Approach to Financing Feature Films. He's raised over $15 million in four years to finance his films and his book covers how he did it — and how you can too. So you can expect he'll be talking about that on Friday.

Personally, I'm headed to hear him talk because if he has insight into any new avenue for getting your script produced, I'd love to hear it. It only takes one person to say "yes"!

Also, there's going to be some Q&A time with Tom and I'm putting together my list of questions. If you have some you want to ask while I'm there, just let me know.

Back to the keyboard

OK, it's back to the keyboard. I'm in the middle of a rewrite and found out I need to know a lot more about the prohibition era. THANK GOD for the internet. Or maybe not. I just typed "Prohibition" into Google and it came back with 22 million pages.

Have a GREAT day!

di

Agents Rebecca Ewing (UTA) and David Boxerbaum (APA) speak at NWSG

Not sure who all is within driving distance to Seattle this Friday, but the NWSG (Northwest Screenwriters Guilds) is hosting agents Rebecca Ewing (UTA) and David Boxerbaum (APA).

These two agents have amazing resumes. They've worked for companies like the William Morris Agency and Jerry Bruckheimer Films and today work with and represent some of the top talent in the industry.

It Gets Better

Ewing and Boxerbaum will not only be speaking about the experiences, but will be taking questions from the floor for an hour.

The event is free to NWSG members and only $15.00 for non members. It will be held at the Clear Channel building, at 351 Elliot Ave. West, Seattle, WA 98119.

Even Better . . . Pitching

If you're part of the NWSG, members will get a change to sign up to pitch to these two agents on Saturday. If you're not in L.A., it's hard to find opportunities to pitch to agents like these. So, if you have a script to pitch, this would be the time to join the NWSG.

I apologize for the shameless plug for NWSG, but having tried to get scripts in front of agents for over 20 years, I know how valuable an event like this is.

Have a great week. Write hard!

Diane

Creating a Writers Group

I just joined the board of the NWSG. The topic of writers groups just came up. Members have said want to be part of one and the board is trying to see how we can facilitate that.

For a couple days emails were flying around. Everyone had an opinion on what made a good writers group:

• It should be a large group

• It should be no larger than 6 or 7

• It's chemistry, not size, that matters

• Everyone needs to be at the same level in their writing

• Everyone should have the same level of life experience

• It should cover marketing

• It shouldn't cover marketing, but focus on writing

Well, you get the idea. The group was basically describing the elements of successful writers groups they had belonged to. And, it appears, there are as many types of writers groups as there are writers.

(I think we ultimately decided to put together an evening mixer, where writers who are interested in forming a writers group can meet, talk and see what happens.)

My experience

I've been a part of the same writer's group since it began in 1988. We try to meet weekly, and we read our pages out loud and people give constructive feedback.

Today it's a rather tame group. When we started out, we were a radical bunch. We would crash other writers groups, bring in speakers, and go on road trips to conferences. We even started our own agency so we could represent each other and get our work out there (a story for another blog).

Over the years people have come and gone. Many have become produced, published and/or have full time jobs writing. And although we've had our ups and downs — like the time a woman left crying because she was there for complements not critique or when we had to get rid of the original leader — overall it's been a great experience.

I think there are several reasons why our group has been successful:

• There's a positive chemistry. We inspire each other.

• We're willing to try new things.

• We truly want to see the other writers succeed.

• We take time to have retreats, parties, etc., to breath new life into the group (In fact, the picture above is of our writers group at a retreat - minus the guys. Not sure why they couldn't make it.)

• We allow people to become the artists they need to be — even if that's not necessary a writer.

• We try to be honest with each other.

• We re-evaluate the goals of the group and let it evolve.

Life Expectancy

I've been part of other groups that have lasted as little as 1 year to up to 7 or 8 years. Groups are organic things. They change with the people. And like some relationships, they have a certain life expectancy.

One group I belonged too fell apart because the majority of the group became successful writers and didn't need the support anymore to help launch their careers. All writers groups should have such break up.

Final Thought

I could go on about writers groups all day, so I'll make this brief. If you are considering putting a writing group together, just make sure:

• it's a group that respects each other,

• that you all agree on the same goals, and

• you're willing to put in the time.

A writer's group is only as effective as its members. The ones that work are ones that ascribe to the old adage . . . it isn't what the writers group can do for you, but what you can do for your writers group.

Thoughts?

Do you belong to a writers group? I would love to hear how yours works and any insights you may have.

Talk to you later!

Christmas is a time for Networking

For anyone who was thinking about coming to the NWSG's (Northwest Screenwriters Guild) Christmas party, you better decide fast — it's tonight. Get your RSVP in ASAP at rsvp@NWSG.org. It's free for members and $4.00 for guests.

I'm a HUGE fan of Christmas. (When your birthday's the 23rd, you can't really help it.) Over years I've discovered that the season is not only a time for giving, but also a time for networking.

Bad Networking

Networking is not going out there, hunting down people who can help your career and sucking up to them. That's anti-networking.

Good Networking

Real networking is about going out and meeting people, learning about them and making human connections. In short — becoming friends with people. And because friends tend to do nice things for their friends when they can, healthy networking is born.

There are a variety of ways to meet people and make friends — going online, attending conferences, participating in events, etc. — but during the holiday season, networking becomes amazingly easy. There are parties galore, folks are happy, and (in my opinion) in the mood to make friends.

In fact, you'll be networking whether you know it or not. While you're drinking eggnog at the next company party and talking about about Bad Santa, you'll actually be networking. How easy is that? No swapping cards and awkward moments — just good ol' fun. Networking the way it was meant to be.

So get out there network folks — and drive safely.

Give the Monkey a Banana

Last Friday, producer Tracey Becker, spoke to the NWSG (Northwest Screenwriters Guild) members. (She was one of the producers of Finding Neverland, staring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet.)

Tracey had a lot of great stories about her experiences as an actor and producer. One piece of brilliant advice stood out for me — "Give the Banana to the Monkey".

Simple but True

The advice is simple, give the audience/producers/industry what they want. Don't try to sell them stories they don't want or can't sell.

If they are looking for character driven, high concept stories, give them those. Don't try to sell them your story about three women in a restaurant talking their divorces — it doesn't matter how dripped in drama those divorces are.

Value Proposition

I'd heard this advice before, but it was in a corporate environment. They called it the Value Proposition.

When I was writing for the Weyerhaeuser Company a few years back, the leaders hit upon this novel idea — instead of inventing products and then trying to convince customers they needed them, why didn't they ask the customers what they needed and create those products.

I wrote countless articles on the topic, trying to convince people this was the way to go. The articles were filled with phrases like "the sum total of the benefits the customers will receive as a result of the relationship".

I should have just written . . . GIVE THE MONKEY THE BANANA!

But MY Story is Great

You might have that amazing story that isn't high concept/genre based/[you fill in the industry need], but one you know they will LOVE if they just read it.

You can try to sell it. It'll be tough though — maybe impossible.

Tracey's advice, see if you came make that amazing story look like a "banana". Could the divorce drama told in a restaurant be retold as a thriller? A romantic comedy?

There are tens of thousands of books and scripts being written each year. The competition is fierce. We would do ourselves well to get the bananas to the monkeys.

Growing the Big One

Hi,

Short post today. Heard back from my agent today that the movie I wrote will start filming the end of August and then through September and October — knock on wood.

It's a romantic comedy about couple growing giant pumpkins called Growing the Big One.

This picture isn't a shot from the movie — it's actually a giant pumpkin in a smashed a car. I think after these guys grow these 2,000 pound mutants, they're sometimes hard pressed to come up with something to do with them. :-)

Anyway, getting the script this far has been a long process and I'm off to the NWSG meeting tonight, then it's time to celebrate.

di

Pitch Sessions in Seattle

Hi,

If you're a screenwriter here in the Northwest and you live within driving distance of Seattle, you should consider joining the Northwest Screenwriter's Guild. Or at least attend one meeting and see what you think.

Why do I think you'll like it? Every month you get a chance to pitch your scripts to LA producers looking for material!

Learn about the Producers

It works like this.  The group meets once a month on Friday evenings. At each meeting NWSG brings up a producer from L.A. to speak. Last night they had both Producer, Sean Sorensen of Motion Theory and Literary Manager/Producer Robyn Meisinger from Madhouse Entertainment.

For a couple hours get to know these producers as they discuss screenwriting, their in-house processes, and future projects they're interested in. You even get to ask them any burning questions.

Pitch Your Stuff

That's not the best part though. The following Saturday you can pitch your scripts to these individuals!! And with the knowledge from the night before, you aren't walking in cold. You know what they're interested in, so you can better hone your pitch. 

Of course, there are a couple hoops to jump through before pitching. You have to be a member of the NWSG. You need to be approved to pitch by the NWSG (they basically have to see that you can write a script -- they don't just want any shmoe pitching) and you have to sign up to pitch at the meeting in person. But if you're serious about screenwriting, those are pretty hoops.

See you at next month's meeting on June 5.

Di