Film School Journal.com

So tonight Diablo Cody won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Why should you care? It was her first screenplay. If this doesn’t inspire you, the aspiring screenwriter, then I don’t know what will. She went from being a blogger to writing a screenplay and now she’s an Oscar winner.

This just goes to show that anybody can make it as a screenwriter long as you write something good. It doesn’t matter where you come from or if you know someone who knows someone at a studio. If you genuinely write something good, it will get noticed.

So let Diablo Cody’s win be an inspiration to you to keep writing. But remember to write from the heart and not from the wallet. Don’t worry about whether or not you think your screenplay will sell. Worry about telling a great story with great characters because while big budget, special effects driven movies make a lot of movie, they aren’t remembered 20 years down the line. Nobody will say, “Hey, remember Transformers?”, they’ll say, “Remember No Country for Old Men? Remember the coin toss scene at the gas station? Wasn’t that an amazing scene that sent chills down your spine?” And you will agree.

Here’s a cool behind the scenes video of Robert Rodriguez’ Troublemaker Studios.

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Question: When someone says: “She received $200,000 against $400,000 for her screenplay”, what do they mean by against?

Answer: What this means is the writer will receive $200,000 up front and the rest of the money (another $200,000 in this case) when the film begins principal photography. There is one thing you should take note of though and that is the fact that the up front money is usually paying you for two rewrites. So don’t think you’re work is done once you cash that first check!

Question: What’s the difference between a screenplay and a script?

Answer: There is no difference. Script is just another word for screenplay. The terms are interchangeable. However, this only applies to films. If you are writing for television then you will be writing scripts. Another word for a television script is a teleplay.

Here’s a quick video that shows different shot types to use in your movie. For more detail on each shot, click here.

I was going to write out a lengthy post explaining the very important 180 degree rule but rather than try to explain it with words, I searched on Youtube for a video example that is very easy to understand. So watch the following video closely and remember to follow the rule!

We all have these amazing ideas in our heads with crazy effects and shots that would blow people’s minds. The epic riot scene where 100s of extras destroy a city street and a fight against the local authorities breaks out. As cool as that scene sounds, there is no way that you, as a student, would be able to accomplish that.

Your budget while in film school is probably $10 that goes toward some MiniDV tapes. Everything else is probably borrowed from your school and you must make the most out of what you have available. If your school has light kits, use them. If your school has microphone kits, for the love of God, use them!

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If you’ve ever paid attention to a film’s credits, you will have noticed that the word producer comes up a lot in various versions. And if you’re like me, you’ve wondered what exactly those people do. Below you will find info on all the major producer roles:

Executive Producer - Usually credit given to someone who invested their own money into the project. They may also be involved in the day to day creative workings of a film by providing guidance but are not as involved as the producer.

Producer - The person in charge of the production from start to finish. The producer is in charge of raising funds, hiring people, getting the film distributed, etc. They are involved in every phase of the film’s process. Producers are also involved in the creative process of the film.

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Question: What’s the difference between Story By, Screenplay By and Written By?

Answer: If a person wrote only the story (plot, characters, etc) but did not write the actual screenplay, that person will get the “Story By” credit. If a person only wrote the screenplay, then they’ll get the “Screenplay By” credit. Lastly, if a person wrote both the story and screenplay, they’ll get the “Written By” credit.