8 Steps To a Love Story

Following last night's meeting, a question was asked by one of the newest members: “What do you mean by the 8 steps?"

Here, as recorded at one of our first HSS meetings, are the “8 Steps To a Love Story.” (please feel free to correct us where necessary.)

Step 1: The Look. They see each other from across a crowded room/bar/etc. We see a shot of Him. A shot of her Her. Back to Him.

Step 2: The Soda Shop. They laugh together. Share something in common, discover something they both like, etc.

Step 3.The Joust. They fight.

Step 4.The Dance. They must work together. (They “move” together) Their attraction grows, but they keep fighting over the same thing.

Step 5.The Kiss. Eventually, they kiss.

Step 6. The Breakup. The same thing keeps getting in the way.

Step 7. The Mirror. They have a mirror experience. Each character has an event that triggers a reaction, as in “Boy, was I an ass. She was right.” His beliefs have now changed.

Step 8. The Reunion. The Last 3 pages. Get them together, and get out of the movie .

Oct. 30 Review

The script for Monday Oct 30 review is now available. Harvey Yazijian's "Fear Springs Eternal."

If you have not yet received it, contact Scott via www.hssw.info so he can get you a copy .

A reminder that Meetings are at The Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center, 10 Howard St, Cambridge.

The Production Assistant's Pocket Handbook

A printable PDF guide to working on a set as a PA.

"Want to work on a Hollywood movie? The Production Assistant's Pocket Handbook is a PDF document you can download and print out for easy referral. Simply print out the pages, fold in half, and carry it around with you when needed. It includes 24 chapters with helpful information on what it takes to be a great P.A." by Caleb Carr.

via John August.com

Not so fast…

Another example of the absurdity of the difficulty in obtaining rights and clearances for documentaries. Eyes on the Prize, the great groundbreaking 1987 documentary on the Civil Rights movement, is being re-broadcast on PBS this week. But it wasn’t an easy road, bc the rights to many of the images had expired. A 2005 Washington Post story took a look at the uphill struggle faced by producers:

"The film is hampered by the same problem many documentary filmmakers are encountering as they wrestle with buying and renewing licenses to use copyrighted archival footage, photos and music. Independent filmmakers must pay for each piece of copyrighted material, and those costs have escalated in the past 10 years.

... 'Eyes on the Prize' is one of the most effective documentaries ever put together that dealt with civic engagement," says civil rights leader Lawrence Guyot, who led the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and today is a program manager for the D.C. Department of Human Services. "This is analogous to stopping the circulation of all the books about Martin Luther King, stopping the circulation of all the books about Malcolm X, stopping the circulation of books about the founding of America. " via kottke.org

Changes in one of the Massachusetts Film Commissions/ Boards

Mark Drago out at the MA The Massachusetts Sports & Entertainment Commission.

"The Massachusetts Sports & Entertainment Commission yesterday stripped Mark Drago of his duties, announcing it wants someone else to broker movie and TV deals for the state. The commission's board dumped Drago effective immediately, but said his departure should have no effect on the state's ongoing, though largely unsuccessful, efforts to entice Hollywood to the Hub. ``We'll continue to handle things here," said Rich Krezwick, managing director of the private nonprofit commission. Drago, meanwhile, appears poised to contest his termination. "I serve at the discretion of the Legislature and will continue to follow their lead," he said in an e-mail. Krezwick declined to talk about Drago specifically, but said the commission intends to conduct a nationwide search for a replacement. ``We can then get the right team in place to aggressively go after film business and spread the word about our tax - incentive legislation," said Krezwick." via Boston Globe

Anytime someone says that he “serves at the discretion of the Legislature,” watch out. Only a matter of time before the House announces the creation of a new 1 person Board of Sports, Entertainment, Film and Competitive Yahtzee Tournaments.

Fall Review Schedule Announced

Fall script review schedule for HSSW

10-16: Paul Falcone
10-23: Larry Pruyne
10-30: Harvey Yazijian

11-6: Sean O'Rourke
11-13: Les Duryea
11-20: OPEN DATE
11-27: OPEN DATE

12-4: Andrew Hall
12-11: Wendy Lebron
12-18: Genine Tillotson

We have 2 open spots for anyone interested in signing up for a review.

Meetings will be at The Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center, 10 Howard St, Cambridge.

Hope to see you at upcoming meetings.

Long Distance is Now Showing on the Sundance Channel.

Long Distance is a film written by HSSW members Michael and Shawn Rasmussen. It was shown during the Tribeca Film Festival.

Next showing: Friday October 13, 10:oo PM.

You Ain't Heard Nuthin' Yet

FADE IN

INT. WRITER'S ROOM - DAY

A weary, fledgling WRITER (20's) sits at his desk, his face lit by the glow of the laptop open in front of him.

Several empty coffee cups are scattered on the desk, the lingering remains of a long day spent writing. Or a day spent trying to write - the laptop’s screen shows nothing but a blank white page.

Surrounding this writer are notes and other reminders essential to his craft, pinned to the walls: “OUTLINE, OUTLINE, OUTLINE”, “THE SIX STEPS TO A LOVE STORY” and “Always introduce new characters in CAPS.”

NARRATOR (VO)
Our Story begins with the loneliest of creatures. The Screenwriter.

WRITER
Hey! No voiceovers!

NARRATOR (VO)
Says who?

WRITER
Voiceovers should be used sparingly, and only to convey attitude, not exposition.

NARRATOR (VO)
Whatever. Anyway…. Our hero the writer isn’t writing, however. He’s locked in the dliemna faced by all writers: how to fill the blank page. That’s when it hits him –

WRITER
I’ll start a blog! Yeah, that’s what I’ll do.

NARRATOR (VO)
A blog? What’s your Blogline?

WRITER
'The nation’s oldest and longest-running writer's group of its kind moves onto the World Wide Web.'

NARRATOR (VO)
Summarize the blog in a verbal paragraph.

WRITER
An online resource for tips and techniques I’ve learned at Harvard Square Scriptwriters, collected in one location so all members can view them at any time. Also, links to articles, web sites, and other news and info impacting screenwriters. And it’ll have a Comments sections, so we can engage in discussions without having to sort thru a bunch of forwarded emails.

NARRATOR (VO)
What’s your genre?

WRITER
Easy. Members of HSSW, and other aspiring screenwriters. Or anyone who’s interested in film, really.

NARRATOR (VO)
Why this Blog?

WRITER
Because it’s an idea that’s been with me for a long time, and it’s a great way to procrastinate without feeling like I’m wasting my time

NARRATOR (VO)
Sounds good. Now will you let me get on with my story? I’m about to launch the first flashback….

WRITER
(Groans) We’ve got a long way to go

TO BE CONTINUED