StoryLink > Articles > eZines > October 2009
StoryLink eZine - October 2009
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Our featured screenwriter is Jeffrey Reddick, creator of the Final Destination franchise. Reddick saw A Nightmare on Elm Street at age 14, and has been hooked on the genre ever since. Next month we'll feature Melissa Rosenberg, head writer and producer of Showtime's Dexter, who has also written the screenplays for the Twilight series. Twilight: New Moon, the second film in the saga, opens in November. Zombieland writer-producers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick explain the keys to writing horror comedy, while expert William Martell goes over the basics elements of horror writing. And since Roller Derby is a different kind of scary, we also have an interview with Whip It screenwriter Shauna Cross, who adapted the film based on her novel. Be sure to check out the tons of events, contests, StoryLink Community News, and more in this jammed-packed issue. Enjoy! Keep the dream alive. Keep writing! Debra Eckerling |
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Horror movies and sequels seem to go hand in hand. That's why StoryLink's October featured screenwriter is Jeffrey Reddick, who launched the Final Destination franchise. Reddick saw the original A Nightmare on Elm Street at the age of 14. "It's my favorite film of all time and it literally changed my life," he recalls. "After seeing the film, I went home and banged out a treatment for a prequel. I sent the treatment to Robert Shaye, the head of New Line Cinema. He returned it with a standard rejection letter, because it was unsolicited. But I sent him a surly letter, explaining how I had watched several New Line movies and spent my money on his stuff, so the least he could do was read my treatment. Thankfully, Robert Shaye read the treatment. (This was back in 1984 and since that time, our society has gotten so litigious that this would never happen today.) Bob said I had a fertile imagination, but told me I needed to work on story structure. This was all the encouragement I needed." Getting his start in the film industry by interning at New Line Cinema when he was 19, Reddick parlayed that into a full time job and worked at the studio for more than 11 years. While working at New Line, the studio bought his pitch for Final Destination and hired him to write the first draft. The film earned over $100 Million at the worldwide box office. Final Destination 2, for which Reddick co-wrote the story - and executive produced - was released in 2003 and also crossed the $100 million mark worldwide. With the release of two additional sequels, the rest is horror history. Reddick has since written or sold 12 genre scripts for various studios and productions companies. Currently, he has the supernatural thriller, Dead Awake, set up at Gold Circle Films; urban horror film, The Pool, at Regent Entertainment; and a supernatural project at Valhalla Motion Pictures. Reddick is currently preparing to make his directorial debut with the supernatural thriller The Final Reel, which is based on a script he wrote. Jeffrey Reddick answered questions from the StoryLink Community. Those whose questions were chosen will receive a The Dialogue: Learning from the Masters DVD (Winner's Choice) from The Writers Store. Read the article... |
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Whether you're a Twilight buff, a Dexter devotee, or a Step Up fan, there's something for everyone with next month's featured screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg. The head writer and producer for Showtime's Dexter, Rosenberg also wrote the screenplays for the Twilight series. Twilight: New Moon, the second in the saga, opens in November. Rosenberg launched her screenwriting career with the box-office smash Step Up. Her other credits include Ally McBeal, Party of Five, Boston Public, The Outer Limits and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Although she appreciates her start in network television, she feels she has found a comfortable niche in cable programming. She earned her B.A. in dance and theatre from Bennington College in Vermont, with a goal toward becoming a choreographer. When she moved to Los Angeles, she pursued a different avenue: writing. While working as an assistant to a television producer, Rosenberg went on to earn an MFA at the University of Southern California. Post a Question for Melissa Rosenberg in the StoryLink Forum by October 30. If your question is chosen, receive The Dialogue: Learning from the Masters DVD (Winner's Choice) from The Writers Store. Post your question today! |
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Writer and producer Rhett Reese and Emmy Award-winning producer and writer Paul Wernick first sold the story of Zombieland as a spec pilot to CBS. The film's producer recognized they had the makings of a major motion picture and took it to Sony for feature development. Reese and Wernick both wrote and executive-produced the film, which opened on October 2. Reese and Wernick have collaborated since their high school days together in Phoenix, beginning with a sugar-cube mock-up of Stonehenge in ninth grade, and had great success across genres and mediums ranging from reality, comedy, and drama television, to sci-fi, horror, and comedy features. Collaborative projects include Joe Schmo, Joe Schmo 2, Invasion Iowa, and more. In 2008, Reese and Wernick sold their original feature pitch Earth vs. Moon to Universal Pictures. They are slated to write and executive-produce the sci-fi epic war movie. Building on their feature successes, the pair was hired to pen the Spider-Man spin-off Venom for Sony Pictures and Marvel Comics. From the guys who brought you "The Forty-Seven Rules For Surviving Zombieland," here are "The Forty-Seven Rules for Writing Horror Comedy... Minus Forty." Read the article... |
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Whip It screenwriter Shauna Cross has a soft spot for rebels and misfits who triumph using their wit and resilience. Directed by and featuring Drew Barrymore, Whip It, released October 2, is an adaptation of Cross' novel Derby Girl. The film stars Ellen Page as Bliss, a teen who trades in small-town beauty pageants for roller derby. The film also features Marcia Gay Harden and Kristen Wiig. Cross plays roller derby for the Los Angeles Derby Dolls under the moniker "Maggie Mayhem," and Whip It is based on her own experiences. Currently, she is developing an HBO comedy pilot for Ellen Barkin and adapting Gayle Forman's novel If I Stay. She also wrote the screenplay Live Girls Unite!, the true story of a group of badass exotic dancers in San Francisco who formed their own labor union. The editors of Variety chose Cross as one of the "Ten Screenwriters to Watch" in 2008. Shauna Cross speaks with StoryLink about writing from personal experience, "movies starring girls that aren't chick flicks," and her journey from Derby Doll to Hot New Screenwriter. Read the article... |
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Don't Miss The 2009 Screenwriting Expo at The Wilshire Grand Hotel in Los Angeles, from October 15th through October 18th. Hear and speak to producers, agents, screenwriters with blockbuster hits and critically-acclaimed films, screenwriters who are also best-selling novelists, and world-famous screenwriting teachers. Other highlights include the Golden Pitch Tournament, the Expo Scriptwriting Competition, and multiple networking opportunities. Plus, The Writers Store will offer the best deals of the year on the top writing tools. To register or for more information, go to The 2009 Screenwriting Expo. |
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Film Independent's Filmmaker Forum Conducted by: Film Independent When: October 9th - October 11th Location: Directors Guild of America, Los Angeles Cost: See Website Writers Guild Foundation presents a NEW SERIES - Notes on Craft Conducted by: Writers Guild Foundation When: October 13th-November 17th - 7:30pm-9:00pm Location: WGF/WGA offices, Los Angeles Cost: See website ScreenPlayLab TV and Film Industry Mixer Conducted by: ScreenPlayLab When: October 15th - 6:00pm-9:00pm Location: Regency Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills Cost: Free Robert McKee's Story Seminar - NY Conducted by: Robert McKee When: October 22nd-25th - 9:00am-8:30pm Location: Sky Top Ballroom, New York Cost: $645.00 |
Basics & Beyond: Final Draft Training Conducted by: Mario Moreno When: November 7th - 2:00pm-4:00pm Location: The Writers Store Cost: $49.95 John Truby's Secrets of Genre Seminar Conducted by: John Truby When: November 8th - 9:30am-5:30pm Location: The Writers Store Cost: $79.00 Basics & Beyond: Marketing through Blogging and Social Networking Conducted by: Debra Eckerling When: November 14th - 11:00am-1:00pm Location: The Writers Store Cost: $49.95 Plot Workshop with Martha Alderson Conducted by: Martha Alderson When: November 15th - 10:00am-5:00pm Location: The Writers Store Cost: $95.00 (until 10/30/09) |
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Screenwriter and instructor William C. Martell is the author of The Secrets of Action Screenwriting, numerous DVDs, and the Blue Book series - 20 booklets, each focusing on a specific portion of the craft. Martell has written 19 films that were "carelessly slapped onto celluloid: 3 for HBO, 2 for Showtime, 2 for USA Net, and a whole bunch of Cinemax Originals." Martell knows of what he speaks, as he answers the question: "What elements need to be included when writing a horror film?" Answer: Halloween is just around the corner, so I guess you're thinking of writing a horror screenplay. I recently turned in the first draft of one of those studio remakes of a hit horror film from the 1980s, so I've been hanging out at the Fangoria and Monsterpalooza Conventions and watching a stack of horror films to find out what makes them scary. I've narrowed it down to five elements... Read the article... |
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Do you have an idea for a screenplay, but find yourself stuck before you even start? Do you have a good script that needs a little push in the right direction? Then it's time to look into Screenwriting Coaching from The Writers Store. The Story Specialists - The Writers Store's professionally-trained screenwriting coaches - provide customized guidance, based on your own screenwriting goals. They can take you from that first glimmer of an idea to a final draft, all while addressing your specific writing needs. The Story Specialists program includes: - A Personalized Assessment of your Project - A Project Path, Based on your Script Idea and Personal Goals - Weekly or Bi-weekly In-Person Sessions - Quality Feedback (written and verbal) For more information, call 800.272.8927 or stop by The Writers Store, 2040 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles. Local clients: We are offering a free 20-minute consultation with a Story Specialist, who will read and provide notes on your first ten pages in addition to a 20-minute in-person meeting regarding those notes. Those interested, please call the store; appointments are limited. |
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Holiday Screenplay Contest Deadline October 31st, 2009 FilmStream 2009 Screenplay Competition Deadline October 31st, 2009 Write On! Online - October Challenge Deadline October 31st, 2009 The WIN Film Festival & Screenplay Contest Deadline November 2nd, 2009 |
Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre Bob Lee Award for Comedy Contest Deadline November 15th, 2009 Screenwriter Showcase Screenwriting Contest Deadline November 30th, 2009 Free Screenplay Contest 2009/2010 Deadline November 30th, 2009 Fade In Awards Deadline November 30th, 2009 |
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Congratulations to Mario Moreno and Anthony Grieco, who just completed a book for screenwriters - The Pocket Screenwriting Guide: 120 Tips for Getting to FADE OUT - published by The Writers Store. An invaluable resource for outlines, treatments, rough drafts, and rewrites, The Pocket Screenwriting Guide also mixes in mythology and a breakdown of the story into the smaller, self-contained units of Acts, Sequences, and Pivotal Moments that serve the story as a whole. * * * Our good friends at Small & Creepy are always on the hunt for great new films. Check out their redesigned website ... and maybe watch a short or two while you're there. Small & Creepy Films is run by Caroline Thompson, who has written ten produced screenplays, four of which she also directed. Her credits include Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare before Christmas, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, the upcoming City of Ember, and Small & Creepy's own soon-to-be released web-series, The Hills Are Alive. *** Send your success story to StoryLink, so we can feature you in an upcoming eZine. |