Paul Picerni. Steps to Stardom: My Story. Albany, Ga.: Bear Manor Media, 2007.
This autography describes actor Paul Picerni’s life and steps towards acting stardom. It also provides lessons to beginning actors with lessons learned in life while acting. The author, born Harold Picerni, would undergo a few name changes until reaching fame as Paul Picerni.
The book tells how, at age 14, Paul Picerni’s school principal told his family that he was a “born actor” after appearing as the lead in his school play. He states he instinctively knew from then on that he was an actor and that a career in acting was his goal.
Paul Picerni, at age 17, first appeared in a play “Me, Him, and I’ at the Annandale Payers in Annandale, N.Y/ He then joined the Wyncote Players in Wyncote, Pa. and, under the stage name Henri Duval, appeared as the male lead in a series of plays.
While in the Army in 1943, Paul Picerni auditioned for and was accepted to the Special Services theatrical group, the Pine Tree Bandstand. He performed a new show every week. Later in the war, he flew in 25 combat missions as a bombardier. He would help destroy the famed bridge over River Kawi. He also describes his shock when he learned after the war that one of his bombs also killed 55 American prisoners of war who were imprisoned near the bridge.
Paul Picerni learned an industry lesson early in life when a friend was fired from NBC. The lesson is to watch out for untalented managers who fire talented people beneath them in an attempt to hide their lack of abilities.
After the war, the author attended Loyola University, performed the leads in college plays, and became their first Drama major.
Paul Picerni became the halftime and pre-game Master of Ceremonies for the Rams football team when they moved to Los Angeles in 1946. He could continue this position for 29 years. Among the innovations he helped create was including baton twirling routines into the shows. These have since become a sport staple nationally.
Advice the author gives is that it helps to know the right people to make connections as well as to be prepared to grab opportunities when they arise. This happened to him when he was offered a movie role if he could obtain a Screen Actors Guild card and it was a priest involved with the film who was able to make that happen.
The author’s works in plays led to movie roles. Having been a bombardier in real life helped him get the role of a bombardier in “Twelve O’Clock High”. That led to a larger role in the movie “Saddle Tramp”. He then received his acting breakthrough in an apt title movie “Breakthrough”. He auditions for a small role, agreed to read for a larger role that had already been cast during subsequent casting, and wound up getting the larger role that had been previously cast. He notes his memorable scene where his character talks about how death is what war is about was cut but the studio head, Jack Warner. The Army had assisted in the making of the movie and Warner feared the Army might think the scene was inappropriate as the nation was then involved in the Korean War.
Fortunately, that role led to Paul Picerni being placed on contract at Warner Brothers. He began work at $250 a year and worked there for seven years with a final year income of $1,500 per week.
The author’s first movie while on contract was “Operation Pacific”. On that picture, he learned to accept the reality of inevitable rewrites as he watched his role downsized to build the role of the star of the movie, John Wayne. He realized this made sense as the viewing public wishes to see the hero be a hero and not the secondary cast. He learned a lesson that he passes on which is to “give the star his due”. Never hold it against an actor when he gets his due.
Contract actors then usually worked 40 weeks a year and were then laid off for three months. Paul Picerni, though, was never laid off during his Warner Brother years.
A tip the author provides is, whenever a group shot is taken, to stand to the right and let others stand to your left. That way, when publications list the names of the people in the photograph, since they usually list the names from left to right, the person on the left of the group shot will be listed first, or will receive “top billing”.
Paul Picerni appeared in “Force of Arms” that used real combat film from World War II. Of course, the actors had to replicate most other war scenes.
One of Paul Picerni’s favorite roles was in the movie “Mara Maru” with Errol Flynn. Paul Picerni writes how Errol Flynn arrived everyday without wearing underwear and socks, would get these items from wardrobe, and then wear them home. Once he ever wore a suit home. Paul Picerni asked him what he did with all that extra clothing. Errol Flynn replied “nothing. It just gives me pleasure to steal from Jack Warner.” During the filming Errol Flynn received a note reading “It’s been brought to my attention that your phone bill has exceeded $5,000. Please take care of this ASAP. Jack Warner.” Errol Flynn wrote back “I’m willing to forget about this is you are.”
An acting tip that Paul Picerni passes along is one he learned from observing Karl Malden. Madden arrived on sets ahead of time and reviewed his use of props. Paul Picerni adopted this extra effort of preparation into his acting.
A filming tip that the author provides is to have the crew working in sync. During the taping of a car going off a cliff and then exploding, the usual procedure is the assistant director yells “roll ‘em” followed by the cameramen verifying the cameras are up to speed by yelling “speed” and lastly the directly yelling “action” for the action to begin. The prop people once thought their scene began with “roll ‘em” and the car went over the cliff and exploded without being filmed.
The author filmed “House of Wax” with his head being placed into a working guillotine where it was carefully time to drop just after he removed his head.
Television was forcing movie studios to cut costs, including the expenses of contract actors. He was the next to last contract actor, with Doris Day being the last, to be let go by Warner Brothers. Fortunately, he quickly found work in a series of movies.
Paul Picerni appeared in “To Hell and Back” with Audie Murphy. He notes that Audie Murphy did so many remarkable things as a soldier in World War II that they had to tone down his movie scenes for the viewing public. This movie was Universal’s largest grossing film until “Jaws”.
The author appeared on the TV show “Dragnet”. Jack Webb had a unique manner of handling actors. He didn’t want them to memorize their lines. He wanted them to read their lines from a teleprompter. This created the unique robotic line delivery that became a “Dragnet” trademark.
Paul Picerni did a number of TV shows. Some were shown live, which was a problem when mistakes were made in front of 50 million viewers. He recalls the terror of forgetting his line of a live “Red Skelton Show”. Fortunately, his career survived despite his initial panic that it was over. Thus, he advises actors to never fret mistakes. They happen, and people should learn to move on.
Paul Picerni also advises actors to be both brave, but smart. He had to do a fight scene where the actor attacking him used a real knife. He had to do a scene with a lion and was forewarned the lion would swipe at him if he didn’t keep looking into the lion’s eyes. An actress he was working with accidentally threw a knife into her own toe while filming “Rawhide”. Recalling how some actors have died during shoots, he advises taking sensible risks.
Paul Picerni’s most famous role was starring in the second lead as Lee Hobson on the TV series “The Untouchables”. The show involved 12 to 14 hour working days, six days a week.
The author learned he got the role because various Italian American groups disliked the portrayal of people of Italian descent on the show were portrayed as being violent criminals and they feared stereotyping of all Italians. In addition, some did not like there were no Italian actors playing Italian roles on the show. Pall Mall cigarettes was a sponsor of the show and Italian American leaders of the longshoremen’s union were refusing to let Pall Mall cigarettes pass through the docks. Mobster Johnny Roselli asked Desi Arnaz of Desilu Studios “how ‘bout getting an actor like Paul Picerni”. Thus, instead of getting someone like him, they brought him onto the show on the second season.
An acting hint Paul Picerni mentions is to realize there are many different ways an actor can perform a role. He advises an actor not to impose one’s interpretation of how to do a role onto another actor. That will only upset your fellow actor.
“The Untouchables” was a rating hit but a financial loser. ABC paid the Desilu production company $65,000 an episode yet it was costing $65,000 an episode to make. Desilu intended to make its profits on syndication, yet ABC would not allow any episodes to be syndicated until it was off the air. After four seasons, it was canceled and sent into syndication.
Paul Picerni offered to allow his residuals to be bought out by Paramount, who bought the rights to “The Untouchables” from Desilu. Paul Picerni, in retrospect, is glad they turned down his offer, as the show was so successful in syndication that he eared five times more than what he offered to accept.
After being a series regular, an actor faces the problem of being typecast. Paul Picerni found work on episodes of a few series and then was cast on the soap opera “The Young Marrieds”. The show was live. After each show, the actors received the script to be memorized for the following day. He did around 250 episodes over two years. The author notes the show was cancelled because ABC needed their soundstage for a new show, a Joey Bishop evening talk show. Ironically, after the show was cancelled, ABC decided to shoot the Joey Bishop Show elsewhere.
Paul Picerni notes while filming several episodes of the TV series “O’Hara, U.S. Treasury” that Universal Studios padded the costs they charged producer. One example was a heater than cost around $900 an hour.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Mouse Tracks: The Story of Disney Records by Tim Hollis and Greg Ehrber
Tim Hollis and Greg Ehrber. Mouse Tracks: The Story of Walt Disney Records. Jackson University Press of Mississippi, 2006.
This is the only book (as of circa 2006) on the history of the division of Disney that produced records. Many of the records were taken from Disney movies. Included in the history are tidbits about the personalities in the Disney music world, including Walt Disney. When novelist Ray Bradbury suggested Walt Disney run for Mayor of Los Angeles, Disney replied “why should I be Mayor when I’m already king?”
The book credits Disney’s successes in multiple fields with their hiring talented people and then inspiring them to succeed. Brothers Walt and Roy Disney continually sought to conquer new challenges. They successfully took black and white cartoons, added color, then added symphonies, then added special effects, and continually sought new methods of creativity. The Disneys had good business senses, and they tied merchandising of products to their movies.
Early Disney movie music was licensed to established record companies. Some record companies hired Disney talent to record versions of Disney movie music and others used their own talent. In 1936, Disney and RCA Records became the first venture to release the actual film soundtracks from several Disney films as records. Even then, it remained more common until the late 1940s for a record to re-record its own versions of music from moves. In 1938, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” became the first feature film to release a soundtrack album.
The music rights to early Disney music were sold to the Bourne Music Company. Funds from this sale helped raise money to complete the movie “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. Bourne Music Company continues to hold the rights to these songs, including “When You Wish Upon a Star”.
The Walt Disney Music Company was established in 1949. Merchandising, including records of “Cinderella” was released ahead of the movie’s release in hopes of raising interest in the movie. Roy Disney separated Disney studios from its merchandising operations. Jimmy Johnson was the first President of the Walt Disney Music Company that resulted from this corporate restructuring.
The decision to release “Cinderella” before “Alice in Wonderland” changed the course of Disney history. “Alice in Wonderland”, when first released, was a commercial failure. The studio would have been financially troubled afterwards if prior profits from “Cinderella” kept it operating. Fortunately for Disney, “Alice in Wonderland” would appear in theaters off and on for 23 years and eventually became very profitable. The next Disney feature release, “Peter Pan”, was a commercial success.
Disney and ABC Television invested in creating Disneyland. ABC added the TV show “Disneyland” to its lineup in 1954. Disney launched the TV show “Davy Crockett”. Disney Music released a record “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” that sold a million and a half copies in two weeks. A second version sung by series star Fess Parker almost sold a million copies.
Walt Disney Records grew with various recordings from Disney movies and TV shows. The Official Mickey Mouse Club records were created. This was followed by Disneyland Records. Walt Disney recorded a non-soundtrack record “Walt Disney Takes You to Disneyland”.
Several Mouseketeer TV stars released solo albums. Darlene Gillespie released the first solo recording by a Mouseketeer. Jimmie Dodd ultimately released the most.
The album “Old Yeller” was the first album to contain both music from the movie and story narration by the star of the film, Fess Parker.
Sterling Holloway provided narration to Disney’s “Winnie the Pooh” film as well as several Disney records. His “Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes” was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Disneyland Records released numerous records as a label with no connections to a movie or TV show. Releases were intended for adult audiences included collections from the operetta “Parisian Life” as well as the children’s and family markets. “Walt Disney’s Christmas Concert” performed by Ludwig Mousensky and the All Mouse Orchestra was released in 1957 for the family and children’s markets.
Rising production costs made Disneyland Records a financial loser in 1957. This upset Walt Disney as he was this as lost money that could have been invested in movies and TV production. Walt Disney recommended leaving the record business.
Disney remained in the record business. It created Buena Vista Records for its recordings for adults. Buena Vista is the name of the Burbank street where the Disney Studio exists. Buena Vista would also become the movie label for Disney films for the adult market, such as “The Big Fisherman” released in 1959. The first Buena Vista album was a studio cast version of the movie “Say One for Me” that mixed more traditional music with a pop sound meant to appeal to the teenage market.
Mouseketter Annette Funicella, who had never sun before, was pushed to try singing by Walt Disney. She recorded successful records for both Disneyland and Buena Vista Records in addition to appearing in Disney films.
Selections from Disneyland albums were released on the Little Gems label as 45 and 78 singles.
The album of music from the 1961 Disney movie “The Parent Trap” was nominated for a Grammy for Best Soundtrack. It lost out to “West Side Story”.
Disneyland Records, in the early 1960s, developed many recordings for children that had no ties to Disney movies or TV shows. “Western Songs for Children” and “A Rootin’ Tootin’ Hootenanny” were among the most successful of such recordings.
The soundtrack album of the Disney movie “Mary Poppins” was a very successful Buena Vista Records release.
Disneyland released its first interactive recording in 1965 with “A Happy Birthday Party with Winnie the Pooh”. Accompanying instructions told of games that could be played coinciding with songs.
“The Jungle Book” story and soundtrack from the movie was a Gold selling Disneyland record in 1967.
The Mike Curb Congregation had several hit Buena Vista records in the early 1970s.
Disneyland/Buena Vista Records made an agreement to release albums from some Rankin/Bass Production television specials and with the Peanuts TV characters. The Charles Brown Records was created. A “Star Wars” read along album was released even though the movie soundtrack was released by competitor Twentieth Century Tox Records.
“Mickey Mouse Disco” released in 1979 was a surprise success, achieving Double Platinum (two million sales) level. This album spurred the company to release more original music without a film connection.
The soundtrack to “The Black Hole” in 1979 was the first digital soundtrack ever released.
Read-along records of the movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “E.T.” were successful, which led to more movies producing read along album versions.
The Charlie Brown Records section of Buena Vista released several book and record sets from Charlie Brown television specials and one movie, “Snoopy, Come Home”. An album from the TV special “It’s Flashbeagle. Charlie Brown” became a Gold record.
Disneyland Records became Walt Disney Records as compact discs (CDs) emerged. Several previous vinyl hits and movie soundtracks were released as CDs. The CD storytelling of the movie “The Little Mermaid” was a hit.
In 1994, the soundtrack to “The Lion King” became the first animated movie soundtrack to reach #1 on Billboard charts.
Hillary Duff appeared on the Disney Channel TV series “Lizzie McGuire” and her recordings on Walt Disney Records reached #1 on singles, albums, and music video charts.
This is the only book (as of circa 2006) on the history of the division of Disney that produced records. Many of the records were taken from Disney movies. Included in the history are tidbits about the personalities in the Disney music world, including Walt Disney. When novelist Ray Bradbury suggested Walt Disney run for Mayor of Los Angeles, Disney replied “why should I be Mayor when I’m already king?”
The book credits Disney’s successes in multiple fields with their hiring talented people and then inspiring them to succeed. Brothers Walt and Roy Disney continually sought to conquer new challenges. They successfully took black and white cartoons, added color, then added symphonies, then added special effects, and continually sought new methods of creativity. The Disneys had good business senses, and they tied merchandising of products to their movies.
Early Disney movie music was licensed to established record companies. Some record companies hired Disney talent to record versions of Disney movie music and others used their own talent. In 1936, Disney and RCA Records became the first venture to release the actual film soundtracks from several Disney films as records. Even then, it remained more common until the late 1940s for a record to re-record its own versions of music from moves. In 1938, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” became the first feature film to release a soundtrack album.
The music rights to early Disney music were sold to the Bourne Music Company. Funds from this sale helped raise money to complete the movie “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. Bourne Music Company continues to hold the rights to these songs, including “When You Wish Upon a Star”.
The Walt Disney Music Company was established in 1949. Merchandising, including records of “Cinderella” was released ahead of the movie’s release in hopes of raising interest in the movie. Roy Disney separated Disney studios from its merchandising operations. Jimmy Johnson was the first President of the Walt Disney Music Company that resulted from this corporate restructuring.
The decision to release “Cinderella” before “Alice in Wonderland” changed the course of Disney history. “Alice in Wonderland”, when first released, was a commercial failure. The studio would have been financially troubled afterwards if prior profits from “Cinderella” kept it operating. Fortunately for Disney, “Alice in Wonderland” would appear in theaters off and on for 23 years and eventually became very profitable. The next Disney feature release, “Peter Pan”, was a commercial success.
Disney and ABC Television invested in creating Disneyland. ABC added the TV show “Disneyland” to its lineup in 1954. Disney launched the TV show “Davy Crockett”. Disney Music released a record “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” that sold a million and a half copies in two weeks. A second version sung by series star Fess Parker almost sold a million copies.
Walt Disney Records grew with various recordings from Disney movies and TV shows. The Official Mickey Mouse Club records were created. This was followed by Disneyland Records. Walt Disney recorded a non-soundtrack record “Walt Disney Takes You to Disneyland”.
Several Mouseketeer TV stars released solo albums. Darlene Gillespie released the first solo recording by a Mouseketeer. Jimmie Dodd ultimately released the most.
The album “Old Yeller” was the first album to contain both music from the movie and story narration by the star of the film, Fess Parker.
Sterling Holloway provided narration to Disney’s “Winnie the Pooh” film as well as several Disney records. His “Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes” was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Disneyland Records released numerous records as a label with no connections to a movie or TV show. Releases were intended for adult audiences included collections from the operetta “Parisian Life” as well as the children’s and family markets. “Walt Disney’s Christmas Concert” performed by Ludwig Mousensky and the All Mouse Orchestra was released in 1957 for the family and children’s markets.
Rising production costs made Disneyland Records a financial loser in 1957. This upset Walt Disney as he was this as lost money that could have been invested in movies and TV production. Walt Disney recommended leaving the record business.
Disney remained in the record business. It created Buena Vista Records for its recordings for adults. Buena Vista is the name of the Burbank street where the Disney Studio exists. Buena Vista would also become the movie label for Disney films for the adult market, such as “The Big Fisherman” released in 1959. The first Buena Vista album was a studio cast version of the movie “Say One for Me” that mixed more traditional music with a pop sound meant to appeal to the teenage market.
Mouseketter Annette Funicella, who had never sun before, was pushed to try singing by Walt Disney. She recorded successful records for both Disneyland and Buena Vista Records in addition to appearing in Disney films.
Selections from Disneyland albums were released on the Little Gems label as 45 and 78 singles.
The album of music from the 1961 Disney movie “The Parent Trap” was nominated for a Grammy for Best Soundtrack. It lost out to “West Side Story”.
Disneyland Records, in the early 1960s, developed many recordings for children that had no ties to Disney movies or TV shows. “Western Songs for Children” and “A Rootin’ Tootin’ Hootenanny” were among the most successful of such recordings.
The soundtrack album of the Disney movie “Mary Poppins” was a very successful Buena Vista Records release.
Disneyland released its first interactive recording in 1965 with “A Happy Birthday Party with Winnie the Pooh”. Accompanying instructions told of games that could be played coinciding with songs.
“The Jungle Book” story and soundtrack from the movie was a Gold selling Disneyland record in 1967.
The Mike Curb Congregation had several hit Buena Vista records in the early 1970s.
Disneyland/Buena Vista Records made an agreement to release albums from some Rankin/Bass Production television specials and with the Peanuts TV characters. The Charles Brown Records was created. A “Star Wars” read along album was released even though the movie soundtrack was released by competitor Twentieth Century Tox Records.
“Mickey Mouse Disco” released in 1979 was a surprise success, achieving Double Platinum (two million sales) level. This album spurred the company to release more original music without a film connection.
The soundtrack to “The Black Hole” in 1979 was the first digital soundtrack ever released.
Read-along records of the movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “E.T.” were successful, which led to more movies producing read along album versions.
The Charlie Brown Records section of Buena Vista released several book and record sets from Charlie Brown television specials and one movie, “Snoopy, Come Home”. An album from the TV special “It’s Flashbeagle. Charlie Brown” became a Gold record.
Disneyland Records became Walt Disney Records as compact discs (CDs) emerged. Several previous vinyl hits and movie soundtracks were released as CDs. The CD storytelling of the movie “The Little Mermaid” was a hit.
In 1994, the soundtrack to “The Lion King” became the first animated movie soundtrack to reach #1 on Billboard charts.
Hillary Duff appeared on the Disney Channel TV series “Lizzie McGuire” and her recordings on Walt Disney Records reached #1 on singles, albums, and music video charts.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Film: A Concise History by Andrea Gronemeyer
Andrea Gronemeyer. Film: A Concise History. London: Laurence King Publishing, 1999.
Thomas Edison presented the first Kinetography movie in 1891. It could be seen by one viewer at a time.
The Skladanowsky brothers presented the first general public viewing movie, what they called “living photographs” in Berlin on November 1, 1895. The Lufilmiere brothers followed in France on December 28, 1895 with the first Cinematographe movie whose quality was so much better than many credit the Lumiere brothers with the first modern movie technique.
The first Lumiere movie showing attracted an audience of 35 people. Positive newspaper reviews sparked the beginning of movie showings.
George Melies, an actor, decided to create movies that showed fairy tales, comedy, and magic tricks. An accidental shutter jam led to the discovery of the first use of trick photography.
What are called the Childhood Years of movies lasted until World War I. Movies then ranged from one minute long to full length features. They were shown mostly in pubs and cafes. In the United States, Nickelodeons showing films lasting 10 to 15 minutes were shown for five cents admission.
The United States reached a totally of 10,000 Nickelodeons, which were more than existed in all of Europe. Chase films were popular Nickelodeon fare.
Nordisk in Denmark formed in 1906 and Cines in Itary were among the first large movie producers. Nordisk’s 1907 film “Lion Hunt’ showing the actual hunting and killing of two lions generated protests. The protests brought the film publicity and the movie sold 260 copies. Nordisk’s full length film “The World Slave” was one of the first erotic films ever.
Companies that could afford and use better filming equipment turned out to be more successfully. The film production industry shifted from selling movies to renting them. The shift drove out many small companies out of business.
The Compagnie de Films d’art arose in 1907 in France to produce films that were more theatrical. Unfortunately, many theatrical gestures struck audiences as being comedic.
The Brighton School filmmakers in England sought to bring more expression into films.
Independent Italian filmmakers from 1903 to 1914 focused on presenting historical events. Giovanni Pastrone was the first filmmaker to use artificial lighting in movies.
Early American film producers were entangled in numerous legal suits between MPPC, Thomas Edison’s company, and numerous rivals. The rival independents produced feature length comedies and epics. They also introduced the stay system where leading actors were featured in many films of the same studio. Edison’s company focused on Westerns. In 1914, half of all films distributed internationally were produced in the United States.
David W. Griffin produced films that, for the first time, combined shots at different lengths, had insert cuts, and introduced the use of establishing shorts for introducing scenes. He was also the first filmmaker to use a crane while shooting.
In 1917, the German government partially owned and directed Universum-Film AG. This company produced movies for German audiences in 2,000 theaters.
The first World War divided the European film market, which hurt the European film producers. The United States became the leading film producer in 1916 and has maintained this position of the world’s leading movie producer ever since.
During World War I, many European films had political content. American films had more commercial appeal. The largest studios were the Big Three: Paramount, Loew’s, and First National, followed by the Little Five: Universal, Fox Film Corporatobn, the Producer Distribution Company, the Film Booking office, and Warner Brothers.
Mack Sennett gained fame for slapstick films. Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Laurel and Hardy were early comedy stars. Their comedic spontaneity was not as successful in later scripted sound films.
American film sales became so large that many European companies decided it was better to distribute American films instead of making their own movies. Still, a number of European avant garde films were produced and aimed towards the intellectual audience. A number of French and German impressionism films, showing dreams, thoughts, memories, etc. arose. Cimera pur or “absolute film” arose, using abstract scenes and surrealism. The Soviet Union produced a number of avant garde and montage films with political themes.
Alfred Hitchcock’s “Blackmail” in 1929 was one of the first films to use music as an element of the film.
The economic crisis and Depression that began in 1929 hit the film industry later than most other industries, as movie entertainment remained a low cost diversion for audiences. “The Jazz Singer” was the first generally distributed movie with sound. It was released in 1927 and audiences developed an interest in more sounds films. The costs required to create sound films were high and silent films remained competitive for several years. The changing industry led to their being five major studios: Paramount, MGM, Warner Brothers, Twentieth Century Fox, and RKO as well as three minor studios: Universal, Columbia, and United Artists.
England responded by placing a quota system to guarantee that a minimum number of films shown to British audiences were produced in Britain.
German films often had various political messages. When the Nazis began regulating films in 1933, films had to meet their criteria or be censored, or else they were prohibited from being shown. A number of German film personnel left Germany.
French filmmakers in the 1930s made use of deep focus shots with movable camera to create “poetic realism”.
British filmmakers in the 1930ss found value in producing documental films. Several social ills were explored, although financial backers of these films arrange to mute some of their criticisms.
American filmmakers continued successfully producing commercially successful films. Audiences during the Depression appreciated musicals with dancing scenes, gangster films, horror, and screwball comedies.
A number of anti-Hitler films were produced in America in 1939 to 1941. These were designed to awaken audiences to the emerging threat of Nazism.
Television emerged as a major media source in the 1940s. Privately owned networks emerged in the United States. England and West Germany adopted publicly owned networks.
After World War II, a number of neorealist movies were produced in Italy. These films intended for the audience to be analyze characters and to distance themselves from the characters. This was different from the typical films then that sought for audiences to build empathy with characters. Many of these films sought to criticize the Italian Fascism that had existed just a few years prior. Italian audiences desiring entertainment and to forget the past turned more towards viewing American films.
Film noir films began being produced in 1946. These films were pessimistic about society and focused on crime and murder.
Femmes fatale films gained popularity. Female characters displayed erotic tendencies towards male heroes. These films were designed primarily for male audiences.
The U.S. Supreme Court found movie studios were illegally monopolizing ownership of theater chains. The studios had to divest themselves of their interests in these theaters. Studios also were no longer allowed to book block groups of films to independent theaters where sold of the films were presented to them sight unseen.
American tax law set lower tax rates for independent films that then were sold to film distributors.
Alfred Hitchcock emerged as one of the most notable film directing careers in the 1950s and for all time. He was known for creating suspenseful films.
Color movies gained prominence during the 1950s. This increased the importance of the costume designer. Film noir films, which capitalized on the use of visual darkness to display storyline darkness, faded away along with most other black and white films.
Two thirds of movie attendees in the late 1950s were aged 17 through 23. Movies thus were targeted towards this audience.
Numerous distinctive film directors emerged in the 1960s. Federico Fellini of Italy directed films that often had themes centering around male sexuality and conflicts over Catholicism. Michelangelo Antonioni of Italy directed films on complex relationships. Ingmar Bergman of Sweden directed films exploring psychological issues in characters. Jacque Tati of France directed satires of obstacles met in everyday life. Robert Bresson of France directed films on environmental challenges to people and often used non-actors. Akira Kurosawa of Japan was the first Asian director to have films become popular in Western markets. Satyajt Ray of India directed films that achieved crossover success in Western markets.
National academies produced many technically taught filmmakers who arose in prominence in the 1960s and afterwards.
The journal of film theory “Cashiers du cinema” emerged. Director Francois Truffaut observed that many film directors had noticeable trademarks. Director Jean Luc Godard was known for his unconventional plot cohesion and jumps in continuity. Truffaut and Godard were among the directors classed as Nouvelle Vague. In 1968, Truffaut and Godard split with the Nouvelle Vague movement with Truffaut becoming more mainstream while Godard became more politically revolutionary.
The British Film Institute of the 1960s produced films that attempted to be socially relevant and critical of working class conditions.
West Germany provided subsidies, tax credits, and tax relief to filmmakers. 26 German filmmakers in 1962 declared in the Oberhausen Manifesto that Germany would produce more modern movies. Several films dealt with the youth movement, reactionary parents, and broken marriages that were then part of the German culture. The New German Film Movement emerged in the late 1960s with politically leftist films.
The 1960s saw the emergence of auteurs, who both wrote screenplays and then directed their films.
The 1970s saw many films presented for the youth market. The general press became more aware of independent filmmakers, some of whom found commercial success from the increased audience awareness of their market.
The 1970s were also known for the blockbuster films that were among the most commercially successful of al time, such as “The Godfather”, “Star Wars”, and “Jaws”. “Jaws” launched the career of director Steven Spielberg, who is one of the most influential directors ever.
The 1980s saw the rise of younger movie stars in youth oriented movies, some of whom were labeled “movie brats”.
Computer animation which arose during the 1990s introduced new abilities in presenting movies.
Thomas Edison presented the first Kinetography movie in 1891. It could be seen by one viewer at a time.
The Skladanowsky brothers presented the first general public viewing movie, what they called “living photographs” in Berlin on November 1, 1895. The Lufilmiere brothers followed in France on December 28, 1895 with the first Cinematographe movie whose quality was so much better than many credit the Lumiere brothers with the first modern movie technique.
The first Lumiere movie showing attracted an audience of 35 people. Positive newspaper reviews sparked the beginning of movie showings.
George Melies, an actor, decided to create movies that showed fairy tales, comedy, and magic tricks. An accidental shutter jam led to the discovery of the first use of trick photography.
What are called the Childhood Years of movies lasted until World War I. Movies then ranged from one minute long to full length features. They were shown mostly in pubs and cafes. In the United States, Nickelodeons showing films lasting 10 to 15 minutes were shown for five cents admission.
The United States reached a totally of 10,000 Nickelodeons, which were more than existed in all of Europe. Chase films were popular Nickelodeon fare.
Nordisk in Denmark formed in 1906 and Cines in Itary were among the first large movie producers. Nordisk’s 1907 film “Lion Hunt’ showing the actual hunting and killing of two lions generated protests. The protests brought the film publicity and the movie sold 260 copies. Nordisk’s full length film “The World Slave” was one of the first erotic films ever.
Companies that could afford and use better filming equipment turned out to be more successfully. The film production industry shifted from selling movies to renting them. The shift drove out many small companies out of business.
The Compagnie de Films d’art arose in 1907 in France to produce films that were more theatrical. Unfortunately, many theatrical gestures struck audiences as being comedic.
The Brighton School filmmakers in England sought to bring more expression into films.
Independent Italian filmmakers from 1903 to 1914 focused on presenting historical events. Giovanni Pastrone was the first filmmaker to use artificial lighting in movies.
Early American film producers were entangled in numerous legal suits between MPPC, Thomas Edison’s company, and numerous rivals. The rival independents produced feature length comedies and epics. They also introduced the stay system where leading actors were featured in many films of the same studio. Edison’s company focused on Westerns. In 1914, half of all films distributed internationally were produced in the United States.
David W. Griffin produced films that, for the first time, combined shots at different lengths, had insert cuts, and introduced the use of establishing shorts for introducing scenes. He was also the first filmmaker to use a crane while shooting.
In 1917, the German government partially owned and directed Universum-Film AG. This company produced movies for German audiences in 2,000 theaters.
The first World War divided the European film market, which hurt the European film producers. The United States became the leading film producer in 1916 and has maintained this position of the world’s leading movie producer ever since.
During World War I, many European films had political content. American films had more commercial appeal. The largest studios were the Big Three: Paramount, Loew’s, and First National, followed by the Little Five: Universal, Fox Film Corporatobn, the Producer Distribution Company, the Film Booking office, and Warner Brothers.
Mack Sennett gained fame for slapstick films. Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Laurel and Hardy were early comedy stars. Their comedic spontaneity was not as successful in later scripted sound films.
American film sales became so large that many European companies decided it was better to distribute American films instead of making their own movies. Still, a number of European avant garde films were produced and aimed towards the intellectual audience. A number of French and German impressionism films, showing dreams, thoughts, memories, etc. arose. Cimera pur or “absolute film” arose, using abstract scenes and surrealism. The Soviet Union produced a number of avant garde and montage films with political themes.
Alfred Hitchcock’s “Blackmail” in 1929 was one of the first films to use music as an element of the film.
The economic crisis and Depression that began in 1929 hit the film industry later than most other industries, as movie entertainment remained a low cost diversion for audiences. “The Jazz Singer” was the first generally distributed movie with sound. It was released in 1927 and audiences developed an interest in more sounds films. The costs required to create sound films were high and silent films remained competitive for several years. The changing industry led to their being five major studios: Paramount, MGM, Warner Brothers, Twentieth Century Fox, and RKO as well as three minor studios: Universal, Columbia, and United Artists.
England responded by placing a quota system to guarantee that a minimum number of films shown to British audiences were produced in Britain.
German films often had various political messages. When the Nazis began regulating films in 1933, films had to meet their criteria or be censored, or else they were prohibited from being shown. A number of German film personnel left Germany.
French filmmakers in the 1930s made use of deep focus shots with movable camera to create “poetic realism”.
British filmmakers in the 1930ss found value in producing documental films. Several social ills were explored, although financial backers of these films arrange to mute some of their criticisms.
American filmmakers continued successfully producing commercially successful films. Audiences during the Depression appreciated musicals with dancing scenes, gangster films, horror, and screwball comedies.
A number of anti-Hitler films were produced in America in 1939 to 1941. These were designed to awaken audiences to the emerging threat of Nazism.
Television emerged as a major media source in the 1940s. Privately owned networks emerged in the United States. England and West Germany adopted publicly owned networks.
After World War II, a number of neorealist movies were produced in Italy. These films intended for the audience to be analyze characters and to distance themselves from the characters. This was different from the typical films then that sought for audiences to build empathy with characters. Many of these films sought to criticize the Italian Fascism that had existed just a few years prior. Italian audiences desiring entertainment and to forget the past turned more towards viewing American films.
Film noir films began being produced in 1946. These films were pessimistic about society and focused on crime and murder.
Femmes fatale films gained popularity. Female characters displayed erotic tendencies towards male heroes. These films were designed primarily for male audiences.
The U.S. Supreme Court found movie studios were illegally monopolizing ownership of theater chains. The studios had to divest themselves of their interests in these theaters. Studios also were no longer allowed to book block groups of films to independent theaters where sold of the films were presented to them sight unseen.
American tax law set lower tax rates for independent films that then were sold to film distributors.
Alfred Hitchcock emerged as one of the most notable film directing careers in the 1950s and for all time. He was known for creating suspenseful films.
Color movies gained prominence during the 1950s. This increased the importance of the costume designer. Film noir films, which capitalized on the use of visual darkness to display storyline darkness, faded away along with most other black and white films.
Two thirds of movie attendees in the late 1950s were aged 17 through 23. Movies thus were targeted towards this audience.
Numerous distinctive film directors emerged in the 1960s. Federico Fellini of Italy directed films that often had themes centering around male sexuality and conflicts over Catholicism. Michelangelo Antonioni of Italy directed films on complex relationships. Ingmar Bergman of Sweden directed films exploring psychological issues in characters. Jacque Tati of France directed satires of obstacles met in everyday life. Robert Bresson of France directed films on environmental challenges to people and often used non-actors. Akira Kurosawa of Japan was the first Asian director to have films become popular in Western markets. Satyajt Ray of India directed films that achieved crossover success in Western markets.
National academies produced many technically taught filmmakers who arose in prominence in the 1960s and afterwards.
The journal of film theory “Cashiers du cinema” emerged. Director Francois Truffaut observed that many film directors had noticeable trademarks. Director Jean Luc Godard was known for his unconventional plot cohesion and jumps in continuity. Truffaut and Godard were among the directors classed as Nouvelle Vague. In 1968, Truffaut and Godard split with the Nouvelle Vague movement with Truffaut becoming more mainstream while Godard became more politically revolutionary.
The British Film Institute of the 1960s produced films that attempted to be socially relevant and critical of working class conditions.
West Germany provided subsidies, tax credits, and tax relief to filmmakers. 26 German filmmakers in 1962 declared in the Oberhausen Manifesto that Germany would produce more modern movies. Several films dealt with the youth movement, reactionary parents, and broken marriages that were then part of the German culture. The New German Film Movement emerged in the late 1960s with politically leftist films.
The 1960s saw the emergence of auteurs, who both wrote screenplays and then directed their films.
The 1970s saw many films presented for the youth market. The general press became more aware of independent filmmakers, some of whom found commercial success from the increased audience awareness of their market.
The 1970s were also known for the blockbuster films that were among the most commercially successful of al time, such as “The Godfather”, “Star Wars”, and “Jaws”. “Jaws” launched the career of director Steven Spielberg, who is one of the most influential directors ever.
The 1980s saw the rise of younger movie stars in youth oriented movies, some of whom were labeled “movie brats”.
Computer animation which arose during the 1990s introduced new abilities in presenting movies.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
STORI Telling by Tori Spelling
Tori Spelling. sTORI Telling. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2008.
The author, an actor and daughter of producer Aaron Spelling, tells of her awakening to Hollywood life when, at age 12, her mother she’s look pretty “when we get your nose done”. She discovered that her life was in the public domain beginning from having a role on show her father produced, “Beverly Hills 90210”.
Of the most notable rumors about her, Tori Spelling confirms it was true her father at Christmas made snow with a snow making machine (and he did so on two Christmases), corrects that she didn’t live in the large former Bing Crosby mansion until she was 17 years old, and explains the rumor she was “disinherited” was exaggerated.
Tori Spelling grew up being given many collectible untouchable dolls while wising for a doll house with which to play.
Tori Spelling tells how she wanted to act beginning when she was five years old. She denies being pushed into acting while recognizing her father did help her career, including providing her with acting lessons. She had bit roles in some of her father’s shows before “Beverly Hills 90210”.
Tori filmed the pilot for “Beverly Hills 90210” while in 10th grade and began filming the series with in the 11th grade. Tori writes of how getting a role through her father’s connections made the cast and crew dislike her from the start. She generally had just a few lines and there was some negative press about being the producer’s daughter in a role with little significance. She states she had a talent for comedy while allowed her role to include visually comedic touches that allowed her role to increase over time.
“Beverly Hills 90210” lasted ten years. There were tensions on the set, especially between Shannon Doherty, who had starred in a TV series and movies prior, versus Jennie Garth, who had worked her way in smaller roles up into a role in the series. The tensions even led to a fistfight.
Tori’s career expanded as she performed on TV movies during when the series wasn’t shooting. She notes that she was often typecast as a woman being stalked, as happened in several movies.
Tori Spelling had some bad relationships. She writes how she used a year’s salary to pay off the gambling debts of a boyfriend.
Tori spelling claims the writers didn’t seem to care about the writing quality of the scripts during the tenth season of “Beverly Hills 90210”. The actors began rewriting the scenes. Tori left the show. The Fox Network, which broadcast the series, threatened to cancel the show if she refused to return to the show. Tori thought they were bluffing and insisted she was not returning. The next day, Fox cancelled the show.
Tori got a professional break being cast in the movie “Scary Movie 2”. Her father was not affiliated with the movie and she won this comedic role on her own talent. She was allowed to improvise lines. There were some tense negotiations when Tori refused to do a nude scene or allow the nude scene to use a body double. Her father warned her that this stance could get her cut from the film. Her character’s nude scene was cut from the film. Yet, her role was edited from a starring role to a cameo.
Tori was boosted when she turned to acting in theater and received good reviews.
NBC, UPN, and WB bid on the pilot of Tori Spelling’s show “So NoTORIous”. Tori chose NBC only to have NBC not pick up the series after the pilot. She went to UPN and WB and learned that networks don’t like to be turned down and they rejected the series. Fortunately for Tori,VH1 picked up the series. When she met her costar, Dean McDermott, she writes that it was love at first sight. She admits she cheated on her marriage with Dean but observes the connection between them was so strong she didn’t regret it. Tori also notes Dean has a cute and perky nose since “he’s Canadian, and Canadian men have the best noses”.
Despite good ratings, VH1 canceled “So NoTORIous” after one season. It cost a million dollars an episode of “So NoTORIous” when an episode of a reality show could cost $200,000.
The book provides a fascinating fact about her father, Aaron Spelling. While serving in the Air Force, Aaron Spelling developed the flu before taking a flight and was grounded by the flight surgeon. The plane he missed crashed and all aboard were killed.
Tori’s next TV series was “Tori & Dean Inn Love”. It was a reality show about her and now second husband Dean McDermott running a bed and breakfast.
The book provides an honest description of key elements in Tori Spelling’s life including being raised by a nanny, having a distance mother and the strained relationship she and her mother have. Tori concludes what she has been seeking in her life is a normal life with a loving husband and child. She has found her “normal”.
The author, an actor and daughter of producer Aaron Spelling, tells of her awakening to Hollywood life when, at age 12, her mother she’s look pretty “when we get your nose done”. She discovered that her life was in the public domain beginning from having a role on show her father produced, “Beverly Hills 90210”.
Of the most notable rumors about her, Tori Spelling confirms it was true her father at Christmas made snow with a snow making machine (and he did so on two Christmases), corrects that she didn’t live in the large former Bing Crosby mansion until she was 17 years old, and explains the rumor she was “disinherited” was exaggerated.
Tori Spelling grew up being given many collectible untouchable dolls while wising for a doll house with which to play.
Tori Spelling tells how she wanted to act beginning when she was five years old. She denies being pushed into acting while recognizing her father did help her career, including providing her with acting lessons. She had bit roles in some of her father’s shows before “Beverly Hills 90210”.
Tori filmed the pilot for “Beverly Hills 90210” while in 10th grade and began filming the series with in the 11th grade. Tori writes of how getting a role through her father’s connections made the cast and crew dislike her from the start. She generally had just a few lines and there was some negative press about being the producer’s daughter in a role with little significance. She states she had a talent for comedy while allowed her role to include visually comedic touches that allowed her role to increase over time.
“Beverly Hills 90210” lasted ten years. There were tensions on the set, especially between Shannon Doherty, who had starred in a TV series and movies prior, versus Jennie Garth, who had worked her way in smaller roles up into a role in the series. The tensions even led to a fistfight.
Tori’s career expanded as she performed on TV movies during when the series wasn’t shooting. She notes that she was often typecast as a woman being stalked, as happened in several movies.
Tori Spelling had some bad relationships. She writes how she used a year’s salary to pay off the gambling debts of a boyfriend.
Tori spelling claims the writers didn’t seem to care about the writing quality of the scripts during the tenth season of “Beverly Hills 90210”. The actors began rewriting the scenes. Tori left the show. The Fox Network, which broadcast the series, threatened to cancel the show if she refused to return to the show. Tori thought they were bluffing and insisted she was not returning. The next day, Fox cancelled the show.
Tori got a professional break being cast in the movie “Scary Movie 2”. Her father was not affiliated with the movie and she won this comedic role on her own talent. She was allowed to improvise lines. There were some tense negotiations when Tori refused to do a nude scene or allow the nude scene to use a body double. Her father warned her that this stance could get her cut from the film. Her character’s nude scene was cut from the film. Yet, her role was edited from a starring role to a cameo.
Tori was boosted when she turned to acting in theater and received good reviews.
NBC, UPN, and WB bid on the pilot of Tori Spelling’s show “So NoTORIous”. Tori chose NBC only to have NBC not pick up the series after the pilot. She went to UPN and WB and learned that networks don’t like to be turned down and they rejected the series. Fortunately for Tori,VH1 picked up the series. When she met her costar, Dean McDermott, she writes that it was love at first sight. She admits she cheated on her marriage with Dean but observes the connection between them was so strong she didn’t regret it. Tori also notes Dean has a cute and perky nose since “he’s Canadian, and Canadian men have the best noses”.
Despite good ratings, VH1 canceled “So NoTORIous” after one season. It cost a million dollars an episode of “So NoTORIous” when an episode of a reality show could cost $200,000.
The book provides a fascinating fact about her father, Aaron Spelling. While serving in the Air Force, Aaron Spelling developed the flu before taking a flight and was grounded by the flight surgeon. The plane he missed crashed and all aboard were killed.
Tori’s next TV series was “Tori & Dean Inn Love”. It was a reality show about her and now second husband Dean McDermott running a bed and breakfast.
The book provides an honest description of key elements in Tori Spelling’s life including being raised by a nanny, having a distance mother and the strained relationship she and her mother have. Tori concludes what she has been seeking in her life is a normal life with a loving husband and child. She has found her “normal”.
Breakfast with Sharks by Michael Lent
Michael Lent. Breakfast with Sharks. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2004.
This book seeks to guide screenwriters through the processes required to survive the movie business. Movies are an industry where talent is important, yet so it finding the correct allies who help guide projects to fruition. There are many projects that fall apart and die along these processes, and people have to be prepared to cope with all kinds of situations.
scr
There are (circa 2004) 2,500 film schools with 30,000 students. The competition for movie employment is harsh. Many try to find jobs and give up. The author, Michael Lent, recommends persistence as a key to finding success.
Movies are created through an established process that works for the industry. Movies tend to be deeply personal stories with mass appeal.
Success in Hollywood requires effort (which for screenwriters should be continually writing), access (learning how to interest decision makers to read and buy the written material), and timing (seizing opportunity when it emerges). Michael Lent recommends making contacts with industry personnel at screenings and premieres. Screenwriters should keep updated on ongoing projects and what the market seeks. When awarded writing jobs, make all deadlines. When mistakes are made, analyze them and learn from them.
The screenwriter must be prepared to handle rejection, as it happens frequently, even to established writers. Rejection of a screenplay should not be taken personally. One should learn patience, rewrite, and improve scripts, take on challenges that make a writer passionate about work, turn that passion into excitement by others, and learn to use criticism to improve work.
A screenwriter needs a voice, which means the script has to have an important point or view or style.
A screenwriter needs patience. It takes three to four years for many projects to move from script to screen.
A script needs an agent. The agent’s job is to get a production company or studio story editor to accept a script. The story editor assigns the script to a script reader to read and cover, or write an evaluation of, the script. Scripts with favorable coverage are presented to a creative executive, also known in some studios as the Director of Development. Scripts that pass this stage go to the Vice President of Development. If the script is accepted at this stage, it is purchased. Guild rules guarantee the screenwriter shall be hired for one rewrite. The studio provides input into the rewrite.
A screenwriter with two hit movies can insist on directing the next script in order to get a studio to buy the script. Usually the screenwriter will be offered more money not to direct it.
Low budget straight to video operates generally by raising the $350,000 to $3 million upfront from foreign distribution rights based on the marketability of the entertained appearing in the movie. Most of these are horror, martial arts, and action films. Scripts for these movies sell in the on-union range (circa 2004) of $20,000 to $40,000.
Spec screenwriters are original screenplays not created under contract. Few of these sell. Assignment screenwriters draft scripts for studios from previously developed ideas. Contracts are important to obtain and keep. A screenwriter should have several script ideas to discuss. Screenwriters should ask what the studio personnel are working on and take note of the type projects that do sell. Screenwriters should offer to work on dialogue for those projects. This can create an opening for work. If the screenwriter doesn’t have an agent, the screenwriter should ask for a recommendation. Many are willing to provide recommendations.
When pitching a script idea, Lent recommends a screenwriter beginning with a one sentence description of the “high concept” of the film. The major parts of the film should be describable in three minutes. This pitch should be prepared to include expanded discussions for up to 20 minutes depending on the occasion. A screenwriter should wrap-up discussing the script if it is detected there is a loss of interest in what is being stated. In sum, be prepared.
A screenwriter should consider what studio executives seek. They wish for screenwriters who are open to story suggestions, who are upbeat, passionate about writing, are optimistic, are willing to work hard and make deadlines, and who have a limited ego.
Screenwriters should have an attorney who specializes in entertainment law who may be hired to review any contract offered.
Screenwriters should mentally prepare themselves for studio notes on their scripts. Many screenwriters perceive their scripts as functional scripts. It may take an adjustment to accept another’s views on how the script should be.
A screenwriter should recognize the code word if a script is described as “intelligent”. This is code for a script that appeals to a small market.
Michael Lent recommends a method to obtain professional coverage of a script. Pretend to be a producer (under an assumed name) and ask a literary agent to recommend a freelance reader. Nearly all professional readers at agencies desire extra freelance work and money. Submit the script. The professional reader will return the script with professional comments meant for a producer. If the coverage is excellent, the screenwriter should send the script to the literary agency that has already received the script.
Screenwriters who deal with directors must realize directors also have to deal with producers, studio executives, actors, and lots of people with egos.
If one wishes to observe agents, Lent recommends eating lunch at the pricy Kate Mantilini’s on Wilshire Boulevard. Many agents eat lunch there (circa 2004). He also informs that if an agent or producer invites a screenwriter to lunch, the screenwriter is expected to pay. Before accepting a meeting with an agent, check who the agent represents on whoRepresents.com. (Note there is an approximate $13 a month fee for this site circa 2008). Don’t wear a tie or jacket to the meeting.
A screenwriter should work with an agent. A screenwriter should inform an agent of producers, executives, directors, and actors the screenwriter believes might be interested in a script. A screenwriter should write productively and frequently. A screenwriter should send thank you notes after meetings with executive. A screenwriter should not criticize others.
Lent’s observation is that 5% of scripts in screenplay competitions are actually completed. Most submitted scripts have errors in plot and basic story elements.
A screenwriter should be prepared to describe a script in a two sentence logline.
If a screenwriter doesn’t have an agent and a producer is interested in a script, the screenwriter should declare being in between agents and inquire if the writer’s attorney would be fine. This should work most of the time..
Agents generally take three to eight weeks to read material. Agents should be called a after a week to verify receipt of the script. A screenwriter should not request to speak with an agent for at least two and a half weeks.
A manager is hired to keep a screenwriter productive.
Script consultants cost about $400 (and range from $100 to $1,000). (circa 2004)
76 minutes is the minimum length for a movie to be considered a feature film.
Michael Lent recommends screenwriters speak briefly during pitch meetings. Too many such meetings last too long and only the listeners.
Lent advises that only brilliant screenwriters can break the screenwriting rules.
The average Writers Guild member earns approximately $80,000 annually (circa 2004).
While developing a screenwriting career, many writers take jobs as script readers, working as a writer’s assistant, working a film editor’s assistant, etc.
This book seeks to guide screenwriters through the processes required to survive the movie business. Movies are an industry where talent is important, yet so it finding the correct allies who help guide projects to fruition. There are many projects that fall apart and die along these processes, and people have to be prepared to cope with all kinds of situations.
scr
There are (circa 2004) 2,500 film schools with 30,000 students. The competition for movie employment is harsh. Many try to find jobs and give up. The author, Michael Lent, recommends persistence as a key to finding success.
Movies are created through an established process that works for the industry. Movies tend to be deeply personal stories with mass appeal.
Success in Hollywood requires effort (which for screenwriters should be continually writing), access (learning how to interest decision makers to read and buy the written material), and timing (seizing opportunity when it emerges). Michael Lent recommends making contacts with industry personnel at screenings and premieres. Screenwriters should keep updated on ongoing projects and what the market seeks. When awarded writing jobs, make all deadlines. When mistakes are made, analyze them and learn from them.
The screenwriter must be prepared to handle rejection, as it happens frequently, even to established writers. Rejection of a screenplay should not be taken personally. One should learn patience, rewrite, and improve scripts, take on challenges that make a writer passionate about work, turn that passion into excitement by others, and learn to use criticism to improve work.
A screenwriter needs a voice, which means the script has to have an important point or view or style.
A screenwriter needs patience. It takes three to four years for many projects to move from script to screen.
A script needs an agent. The agent’s job is to get a production company or studio story editor to accept a script. The story editor assigns the script to a script reader to read and cover, or write an evaluation of, the script. Scripts with favorable coverage are presented to a creative executive, also known in some studios as the Director of Development. Scripts that pass this stage go to the Vice President of Development. If the script is accepted at this stage, it is purchased. Guild rules guarantee the screenwriter shall be hired for one rewrite. The studio provides input into the rewrite.
A screenwriter with two hit movies can insist on directing the next script in order to get a studio to buy the script. Usually the screenwriter will be offered more money not to direct it.
Low budget straight to video operates generally by raising the $350,000 to $3 million upfront from foreign distribution rights based on the marketability of the entertained appearing in the movie. Most of these are horror, martial arts, and action films. Scripts for these movies sell in the on-union range (circa 2004) of $20,000 to $40,000.
Spec screenwriters are original screenplays not created under contract. Few of these sell. Assignment screenwriters draft scripts for studios from previously developed ideas. Contracts are important to obtain and keep. A screenwriter should have several script ideas to discuss. Screenwriters should ask what the studio personnel are working on and take note of the type projects that do sell. Screenwriters should offer to work on dialogue for those projects. This can create an opening for work. If the screenwriter doesn’t have an agent, the screenwriter should ask for a recommendation. Many are willing to provide recommendations.
When pitching a script idea, Lent recommends a screenwriter beginning with a one sentence description of the “high concept” of the film. The major parts of the film should be describable in three minutes. This pitch should be prepared to include expanded discussions for up to 20 minutes depending on the occasion. A screenwriter should wrap-up discussing the script if it is detected there is a loss of interest in what is being stated. In sum, be prepared.
A screenwriter should consider what studio executives seek. They wish for screenwriters who are open to story suggestions, who are upbeat, passionate about writing, are optimistic, are willing to work hard and make deadlines, and who have a limited ego.
Screenwriters should have an attorney who specializes in entertainment law who may be hired to review any contract offered.
Screenwriters should mentally prepare themselves for studio notes on their scripts. Many screenwriters perceive their scripts as functional scripts. It may take an adjustment to accept another’s views on how the script should be.
A screenwriter should recognize the code word if a script is described as “intelligent”. This is code for a script that appeals to a small market.
Michael Lent recommends a method to obtain professional coverage of a script. Pretend to be a producer (under an assumed name) and ask a literary agent to recommend a freelance reader. Nearly all professional readers at agencies desire extra freelance work and money. Submit the script. The professional reader will return the script with professional comments meant for a producer. If the coverage is excellent, the screenwriter should send the script to the literary agency that has already received the script.
Screenwriters who deal with directors must realize directors also have to deal with producers, studio executives, actors, and lots of people with egos.
If one wishes to observe agents, Lent recommends eating lunch at the pricy Kate Mantilini’s on Wilshire Boulevard. Many agents eat lunch there (circa 2004). He also informs that if an agent or producer invites a screenwriter to lunch, the screenwriter is expected to pay. Before accepting a meeting with an agent, check who the agent represents on whoRepresents.com. (Note there is an approximate $13 a month fee for this site circa 2008). Don’t wear a tie or jacket to the meeting.
A screenwriter should work with an agent. A screenwriter should inform an agent of producers, executives, directors, and actors the screenwriter believes might be interested in a script. A screenwriter should write productively and frequently. A screenwriter should send thank you notes after meetings with executive. A screenwriter should not criticize others.
Lent’s observation is that 5% of scripts in screenplay competitions are actually completed. Most submitted scripts have errors in plot and basic story elements.
A screenwriter should be prepared to describe a script in a two sentence logline.
If a screenwriter doesn’t have an agent and a producer is interested in a script, the screenwriter should declare being in between agents and inquire if the writer’s attorney would be fine. This should work most of the time..
Agents generally take three to eight weeks to read material. Agents should be called a after a week to verify receipt of the script. A screenwriter should not request to speak with an agent for at least two and a half weeks.
A manager is hired to keep a screenwriter productive.
Script consultants cost about $400 (and range from $100 to $1,000). (circa 2004)
76 minutes is the minimum length for a movie to be considered a feature film.
Michael Lent recommends screenwriters speak briefly during pitch meetings. Too many such meetings last too long and only the listeners.
Lent advises that only brilliant screenwriters can break the screenwriting rules.
The average Writers Guild member earns approximately $80,000 annually (circa 2004).
While developing a screenwriting career, many writers take jobs as script readers, working as a writer’s assistant, working a film editor’s assistant, etc.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Have Belly Will Travel by Tanya Lemani
Tanya Lemani. Have Belly Will Travel. Baltimore: Publish America, 2007.
This is the autobiography of Tanya Soleimani, a Russian born in Iran who came to America and knew from a young age she wanted to be an entertainer. She learned as a little girl she could gain attention by being entertaining. Her first love was ballet. When she sought employment dancing ballet, she instead first found work as a belly dancer at a Las Vegas hotel. While she took dancing and acting seriously, she realized that belly dancing would become that which distinguished her.
Tanya danced in Pinky Lee’s show, even dancing laughs when she once accidentally ruined his hair piece. She danced at the Iranian Embassy in Washington and was proposition by the Ambassador, earning an early lesson in life that some men make presumptions about belly dancers. Tanya also learned early on that “the show must go on”, as she once continued a play after tearing off a toe nail and fainting from the blood.
Tanya tells of several traumas in her life. She had to cope with her father’s suicide, being the victim of date rape, and unplanned pregnancy and abortion.
Moving to Hollywood, Tanya found work modeling furs and wigs. Her first interview at the Hal Roach Studios was conducted with the interviewer requesting she sit on his lap. She was hired to be a stand-up for Barbara Luna. The studio shortened her name to Tanya Lemani. Tanya discussed the sexual harassment she faced from a director who exposed himself and propositioned her. She lost that job yet was moved to another film.
Tanya found an agent and from that more work appeared. Her dancing skills helped her find employment at MGM Studios. She hired a publicist, Dick Bernstein, which was a great career move for Tanya. Her name appeared in Reporter, Variety, and other papers. She got to work with Gregory Peck in the American Cancer Society campaign and appeared in such TV shows as “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”, “I Dream of Jeannie”, “Burke’s Law”, “The Wackiest Ship in the Army”, “McHale’s Navy”, “My Mother the Car”, and “Gambit”.
Tanya continued belly dancing at various clubs and appearing in plays. She again learned “the show must go on” while appearing with Mickey Rooney and observing Rooney continuing appearing in the show after his wife was murdered in a murder-suicide with her lover.
Tanya worked in a movie with Rod Taylor. She credits Rod Taylor for grabbling the collar and telling off a man who had propositioned her on the set.
Tanya appeared in “Star Trek”. The show’s cult following has included Tanya as a cult star.
When Tanya’s agent announced he was tired of the movie industry and was quitting, Tanya feared her career would suffer. At the same time, she also thought, incorrectly, that she had an unplanned pregnancy. She admits the combined stress caused her to have a nervous breakdown. She credits Dick Bernstein for helping pull her through and for getting her work on “The Johnny Carson Show”. She unfortunately found a schizophrenic agent from which she was once again rescued by Dick Bernstein. She states she finally learned to relax, overcome past traumas, and enjoy life and love, with assistance from William Shatner.
Tanya found work in The Monkees’ “Head”, Elvis Presley’s 1968 television special, in “Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice”, and “The Flying Nun”. “The Flying Nun” incorporated several pregnant nun jokes as the actress portraying the series’ lead nun, Sally Fields, was pregnant in real life.
Tanya mentions a director while casting who exposed himself and propositioned her. She turned him down. She mentions she still won the role and the two of them worked together without ever mentioning the incident.
This is the autobiography of Tanya Soleimani, a Russian born in Iran who came to America and knew from a young age she wanted to be an entertainer. She learned as a little girl she could gain attention by being entertaining. Her first love was ballet. When she sought employment dancing ballet, she instead first found work as a belly dancer at a Las Vegas hotel. While she took dancing and acting seriously, she realized that belly dancing would become that which distinguished her.
Tanya danced in Pinky Lee’s show, even dancing laughs when she once accidentally ruined his hair piece. She danced at the Iranian Embassy in Washington and was proposition by the Ambassador, earning an early lesson in life that some men make presumptions about belly dancers. Tanya also learned early on that “the show must go on”, as she once continued a play after tearing off a toe nail and fainting from the blood.
Tanya tells of several traumas in her life. She had to cope with her father’s suicide, being the victim of date rape, and unplanned pregnancy and abortion.
Moving to Hollywood, Tanya found work modeling furs and wigs. Her first interview at the Hal Roach Studios was conducted with the interviewer requesting she sit on his lap. She was hired to be a stand-up for Barbara Luna. The studio shortened her name to Tanya Lemani. Tanya discussed the sexual harassment she faced from a director who exposed himself and propositioned her. She lost that job yet was moved to another film.
Tanya found an agent and from that more work appeared. Her dancing skills helped her find employment at MGM Studios. She hired a publicist, Dick Bernstein, which was a great career move for Tanya. Her name appeared in Reporter, Variety, and other papers. She got to work with Gregory Peck in the American Cancer Society campaign and appeared in such TV shows as “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”, “I Dream of Jeannie”, “Burke’s Law”, “The Wackiest Ship in the Army”, “McHale’s Navy”, “My Mother the Car”, and “Gambit”.
Tanya continued belly dancing at various clubs and appearing in plays. She again learned “the show must go on” while appearing with Mickey Rooney and observing Rooney continuing appearing in the show after his wife was murdered in a murder-suicide with her lover.
Tanya worked in a movie with Rod Taylor. She credits Rod Taylor for grabbling the collar and telling off a man who had propositioned her on the set.
Tanya appeared in “Star Trek”. The show’s cult following has included Tanya as a cult star.
When Tanya’s agent announced he was tired of the movie industry and was quitting, Tanya feared her career would suffer. At the same time, she also thought, incorrectly, that she had an unplanned pregnancy. She admits the combined stress caused her to have a nervous breakdown. She credits Dick Bernstein for helping pull her through and for getting her work on “The Johnny Carson Show”. She unfortunately found a schizophrenic agent from which she was once again rescued by Dick Bernstein. She states she finally learned to relax, overcome past traumas, and enjoy life and love, with assistance from William Shatner.
Tanya found work in The Monkees’ “Head”, Elvis Presley’s 1968 television special, in “Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice”, and “The Flying Nun”. “The Flying Nun” incorporated several pregnant nun jokes as the actress portraying the series’ lead nun, Sally Fields, was pregnant in real life.
Tanya mentions a director while casting who exposed himself and propositioned her. She turned him down. She mentions she still won the role and the two of them worked together without ever mentioning the incident.
Monday, July 7, 2008
A Practical Manual of Screen Playwriting by Lewis Herman
Lewis Herman. A Practical Manual of Screen Playwriting. Cleveland: The World Publishing, 1963.
This book, originally published in 1952, is considered perhaps the earliest of screenwriting “text books”. The author Lewis Herman was upset over screenplays of that day with their violent jump cuts with characters suddenly leaving and returning in a confusing manner. He also saw television emerging as a new medium and writers familiar with movie length scripts were having trouble writing shorter scripts. Lewis Herman decided a book providing for advice on “screen playwriting” was needed.
Screenwriting is presented in this book as mostly a collaborative effort. A finished writer’s script then was often changed by a director, actor, or just about anyone in the room during shooting. Ironically, screenwriters were almost never present during shootings to join in final word dialogue discussions.
A screenplay is for an audience to view and not to be read, Herman advises. Many great writers have written great readable screenplays, yet the intriguing dialogue often fails when presented on the screen. This is why many great novelists failed as screenwriters.
Back then, there were 1,500 Screen Writer’s Guild members. Only about a quarter wrote screenplays. Many wrote only ideas and situations or only polished scripts with new scenes and additional dialogue. Some writers only came up with jokes to insert into films. This reflected the strong studio system of that time when many movie personnel worked full time directly with a particular studio.
The author recommends a screenwriter use creativity in developing a good story. The writer should imagine how the characters relate to the story and how the story should progress to a good conclusion.
A writer should observe people and events and consider how these observations may improve a screenplay. A writer should bring inner emotions into the open in stories yet do so in a believable manner.
A story must progress at its correct speed. This must be accomplished with continuous dialogue.
In the early years of movies, one person usually wrote, directed, filmed, and edited the entire movie. Formal screenplays were hardly ever written as shooting a story was done extemporaneously.
As movies became more complex, writers were hired. Vaudeville actors and comedians were often hired to write funny scenes. Separate writers often wrote the words on the title cards in the silent films.
As movies became even more complex, writers with various specialties constructed movie scripts. Idea writers created plots. Situation writers wrote title cards. A general writer coordinated all the writings into a finished script.
Many playwrights failed as movie writers. Plays often take advantage of lengthy dialogues and speeches that can work on the stage. Movie audiences tend to desire faster paced action on the screen.
Screenwriting was a process that often involved first selling an idea or an original work that often was designed as a vehicle that could best feature a particular star. Then a script would be written. As the costs of purchasing rights to ideas increased, more studios turned directly to screenwriters for ideas. Movie scripts involved story conferences with producers and writers and sometimes directors. The screenwriter would create a script that met the production requirements of costs, talent, etc. A treatment be approved by a supervising producer and then by the studio hierarchy. Treatments would be revised and resent through this process. Different writers were called in to replace previous writers. Back then some studio executives thought that scripts improved each time an additional writer became involved.
The author makes a strong point that a screenplay must have motion. It must have a story that moves.
The author also mentions the “radical departure” of the “Amos and Andy” television show using recorded applause. He “shudders” to think others may also use this technique.
Lewis Herman advises screenwriters to make observations in notebooks, select the best ideas, and develop them into stories. He advises considering twists on stories. Some idea may require further research.
Herman recommends the screenwriter to write a basic situational first act, use the second act to gradually develop the action to a climax, clarify and resolve the story situation, and then conclude the story in the third act.
The screenwriter needs to create characters that are neither perfectly good nor perfectly evil. Characters should have complexities that create conflicts. Herman argues while all stories are contrived, a screenwriter needs to create the least contrived story possible.
Characters should have opposing situations or be involved in problems that create conflicts. The problems should be credible while also posing a universality with which the audience identifies. The audience should feel empathy towards the character and the character’s problems.
Herman believes then that American films emphasized action and plot whereas European films emphasized character. Herman states the plot is the main component of a film over character.
Herman states there are nine general plot patterns. They are love, success, “Cinderella”, love triangle, return, vengeance, conversion, sacrifice, and family. Paying attention to plot pattern, character, and action can produce a good script.
Minor characters are also important. They have to be human with natural motivations.
Subplots are important. They should be integrated into the main plot.
Minor characters can be used as foils to the main plot or for comic relief or in a number of ways. A screenwriter should pay close attention to the use of minor characters.
Emotions shown in films have to be related to and motivated by action. They should have a shock value that creates a reaction from the audiences. There should be dramatic values caught in a dilemma. At all times, these factors need to occur in a coherent fashion. Herman warns against telegraphing upcoming events such that their dramatic values are diminished.
Herman explains that scripts creating suspense must show uncertainties that make an audience curious and anxious, yet empathetic, to learn the outcome. To achieve this, the audience needs a hero with whom they sympathize. Herman warns against withholding too many clues or else the audience will feel uninvolved and cheated. Herman recommends some tricks to cause suspense, such as having an unexpected character enter, a messenger in danger by a casual delay, ignoring an important item that otherwise would help, a vehicle’s tire blowing out, etc. Suspense can be created when a hero has to achieve a goal within a time frame and when the hero is being chased.
Herman states that plot gimmicks that change plots can be used in surprising an audience. He warns they are overused and can ruin a film if it doesn’t fit into the storyline.
Information useful later to a plot can be planted into early scenes. This information should not draw undue attention, must appear a normal part of the story without telegraphing its more significant means, should not be so obscure the audience will not later recognize its importance, and needs to reach its payoff without gimmickry.
Running gags can be used. Comic relief aids some scripts. Comic relief should be done by minor characters and be part of the natural flow of the script.
For humor, the wisecracking character often works best. Humor should seem a real part of any story.
Flashbacks can be effective but pose serious problems. They disrupt the natural flow that an audience is following and disrupt the audience’s desire to learn what will happen next by going in the wrong direction.
Avant-garde expressionist films can make good use of flashbacks if use properly and infrequently.
Herman recommends properly repeating character traits and important facts to keep an audience’s attention. He advises against quick conversation. Dialogue must be realistic.
Herman warns that many American semi-documentary movies contact too many facts and don’t pay proper attention to the story.
Screenwriters should watch out for holes in their stories.
Herman warns that a problem facing most films is they end happily and the audience expects such an ending. They are not surprised by the happy ending nor are they deluded by attempts to convince them that the hero might not achieve an objective. The star system of that day often foretold to audiences that the good guy star would achieve his reward.
Herman discussed shot directions. These are not standardized. One director would consider a medium shot from the hips up while another would consider a medium shot from the knees up.
A full shot, also called an “establishing shot” indicates a frame of reference, such as a location, where action will occur.
Film axiom is to use a full shot, a series of medium shots, close shots, close up shots, and then a full shot.
A medium close shot tightly shows the heads of two people.
Extreme close-ups can be effective but need to be used infrequently.
A moving shot should be used only when necessary. A panoramic, or pan, shot should follow the action. Pan shots should not be overused. A reverse pan shot that goes back and forth destroy continuity and should be used sparingly.
A dolly shot moves in or out onto the scene.
Camera angles or image sizes should be altered between shots.
Reverse angle shots can show emotions.
Close-up shots show the main action. Cut away shots show the related secondary action.
Continuity must be preserved when using time lapses and transitions.
American montages are a one sequence of multiple flash shots, usually to quickly demonstrate the passage of time.
A screenwriter should consider the tempo and rhythm of the script. The overuse of verbal clichés should be avoided. A screenwriter needs to remember to write verbal dialogue and consider if characters have dialects. Monologues should be used rarly and only in reply to a character still onscreen.
Herman warns that cigarettes are overused as props by actors who don’t know what to otherwise do with their hands.
Background composition is an important part of movies. It helps creates moods. Music and background sounds are important components in setting moods.
This book, originally published in 1952, is considered perhaps the earliest of screenwriting “text books”. The author Lewis Herman was upset over screenplays of that day with their violent jump cuts with characters suddenly leaving and returning in a confusing manner. He also saw television emerging as a new medium and writers familiar with movie length scripts were having trouble writing shorter scripts. Lewis Herman decided a book providing for advice on “screen playwriting” was needed.
Screenwriting is presented in this book as mostly a collaborative effort. A finished writer’s script then was often changed by a director, actor, or just about anyone in the room during shooting. Ironically, screenwriters were almost never present during shootings to join in final word dialogue discussions.
A screenplay is for an audience to view and not to be read, Herman advises. Many great writers have written great readable screenplays, yet the intriguing dialogue often fails when presented on the screen. This is why many great novelists failed as screenwriters.
Back then, there were 1,500 Screen Writer’s Guild members. Only about a quarter wrote screenplays. Many wrote only ideas and situations or only polished scripts with new scenes and additional dialogue. Some writers only came up with jokes to insert into films. This reflected the strong studio system of that time when many movie personnel worked full time directly with a particular studio.
The author recommends a screenwriter use creativity in developing a good story. The writer should imagine how the characters relate to the story and how the story should progress to a good conclusion.
A writer should observe people and events and consider how these observations may improve a screenplay. A writer should bring inner emotions into the open in stories yet do so in a believable manner.
A story must progress at its correct speed. This must be accomplished with continuous dialogue.
In the early years of movies, one person usually wrote, directed, filmed, and edited the entire movie. Formal screenplays were hardly ever written as shooting a story was done extemporaneously.
As movies became more complex, writers were hired. Vaudeville actors and comedians were often hired to write funny scenes. Separate writers often wrote the words on the title cards in the silent films.
As movies became even more complex, writers with various specialties constructed movie scripts. Idea writers created plots. Situation writers wrote title cards. A general writer coordinated all the writings into a finished script.
Many playwrights failed as movie writers. Plays often take advantage of lengthy dialogues and speeches that can work on the stage. Movie audiences tend to desire faster paced action on the screen.
Screenwriting was a process that often involved first selling an idea or an original work that often was designed as a vehicle that could best feature a particular star. Then a script would be written. As the costs of purchasing rights to ideas increased, more studios turned directly to screenwriters for ideas. Movie scripts involved story conferences with producers and writers and sometimes directors. The screenwriter would create a script that met the production requirements of costs, talent, etc. A treatment be approved by a supervising producer and then by the studio hierarchy. Treatments would be revised and resent through this process. Different writers were called in to replace previous writers. Back then some studio executives thought that scripts improved each time an additional writer became involved.
The author makes a strong point that a screenplay must have motion. It must have a story that moves.
The author also mentions the “radical departure” of the “Amos and Andy” television show using recorded applause. He “shudders” to think others may also use this technique.
Lewis Herman advises screenwriters to make observations in notebooks, select the best ideas, and develop them into stories. He advises considering twists on stories. Some idea may require further research.
Herman recommends the screenwriter to write a basic situational first act, use the second act to gradually develop the action to a climax, clarify and resolve the story situation, and then conclude the story in the third act.
The screenwriter needs to create characters that are neither perfectly good nor perfectly evil. Characters should have complexities that create conflicts. Herman argues while all stories are contrived, a screenwriter needs to create the least contrived story possible.
Characters should have opposing situations or be involved in problems that create conflicts. The problems should be credible while also posing a universality with which the audience identifies. The audience should feel empathy towards the character and the character’s problems.
Herman believes then that American films emphasized action and plot whereas European films emphasized character. Herman states the plot is the main component of a film over character.
Herman states there are nine general plot patterns. They are love, success, “Cinderella”, love triangle, return, vengeance, conversion, sacrifice, and family. Paying attention to plot pattern, character, and action can produce a good script.
Minor characters are also important. They have to be human with natural motivations.
Subplots are important. They should be integrated into the main plot.
Minor characters can be used as foils to the main plot or for comic relief or in a number of ways. A screenwriter should pay close attention to the use of minor characters.
Emotions shown in films have to be related to and motivated by action. They should have a shock value that creates a reaction from the audiences. There should be dramatic values caught in a dilemma. At all times, these factors need to occur in a coherent fashion. Herman warns against telegraphing upcoming events such that their dramatic values are diminished.
Herman explains that scripts creating suspense must show uncertainties that make an audience curious and anxious, yet empathetic, to learn the outcome. To achieve this, the audience needs a hero with whom they sympathize. Herman warns against withholding too many clues or else the audience will feel uninvolved and cheated. Herman recommends some tricks to cause suspense, such as having an unexpected character enter, a messenger in danger by a casual delay, ignoring an important item that otherwise would help, a vehicle’s tire blowing out, etc. Suspense can be created when a hero has to achieve a goal within a time frame and when the hero is being chased.
Herman states that plot gimmicks that change plots can be used in surprising an audience. He warns they are overused and can ruin a film if it doesn’t fit into the storyline.
Information useful later to a plot can be planted into early scenes. This information should not draw undue attention, must appear a normal part of the story without telegraphing its more significant means, should not be so obscure the audience will not later recognize its importance, and needs to reach its payoff without gimmickry.
Running gags can be used. Comic relief aids some scripts. Comic relief should be done by minor characters and be part of the natural flow of the script.
For humor, the wisecracking character often works best. Humor should seem a real part of any story.
Flashbacks can be effective but pose serious problems. They disrupt the natural flow that an audience is following and disrupt the audience’s desire to learn what will happen next by going in the wrong direction.
Avant-garde expressionist films can make good use of flashbacks if use properly and infrequently.
Herman recommends properly repeating character traits and important facts to keep an audience’s attention. He advises against quick conversation. Dialogue must be realistic.
Herman warns that many American semi-documentary movies contact too many facts and don’t pay proper attention to the story.
Screenwriters should watch out for holes in their stories.
Herman warns that a problem facing most films is they end happily and the audience expects such an ending. They are not surprised by the happy ending nor are they deluded by attempts to convince them that the hero might not achieve an objective. The star system of that day often foretold to audiences that the good guy star would achieve his reward.
Herman discussed shot directions. These are not standardized. One director would consider a medium shot from the hips up while another would consider a medium shot from the knees up.
A full shot, also called an “establishing shot” indicates a frame of reference, such as a location, where action will occur.
Film axiom is to use a full shot, a series of medium shots, close shots, close up shots, and then a full shot.
A medium close shot tightly shows the heads of two people.
Extreme close-ups can be effective but need to be used infrequently.
A moving shot should be used only when necessary. A panoramic, or pan, shot should follow the action. Pan shots should not be overused. A reverse pan shot that goes back and forth destroy continuity and should be used sparingly.
A dolly shot moves in or out onto the scene.
Camera angles or image sizes should be altered between shots.
Reverse angle shots can show emotions.
Close-up shots show the main action. Cut away shots show the related secondary action.
Continuity must be preserved when using time lapses and transitions.
American montages are a one sequence of multiple flash shots, usually to quickly demonstrate the passage of time.
A screenwriter should consider the tempo and rhythm of the script. The overuse of verbal clichés should be avoided. A screenwriter needs to remember to write verbal dialogue and consider if characters have dialects. Monologues should be used rarly and only in reply to a character still onscreen.
Herman warns that cigarettes are overused as props by actors who don’t know what to otherwise do with their hands.
Background composition is an important part of movies. It helps creates moods. Music and background sounds are important components in setting moods.
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