Sunday Picture Post 29 / Born Ready
Photo by 4eyesphoto from deviantart.com
HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SUNDAY PICTURE POST
For The Sunday Picture Post, we flip upside-down the saying: “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Thousands of words are great if you are writing a novel, but if you are writing a screenplay, you need to do the opposite and be as concise as possible.
Each Sunday, I post a picture. For your screenwriting practice in brevity, in the comments section, using the image above, please post one or all of the following:
- A title for this movie
- 1 word describing the theme, mood, or scene
- 1 sentence to describe the scene
- A pitch to sell the entire movie
The more colorful and creative you are, the better! Use any genre.
A good screenwriter is laconic, using a few words to say a lot.
SCREENWRITING TIP OF THE DAY: BORN READY
When I was young, as most people, I expected to be great at whatever I did on the first try.
The reality is, there are few genius in the world, and they are crazy anyway.
The success stories you hear about people succeeding on their first script or actors who were plucked out of the mall, these are fairytale publicity fabrications. Living in Hollywood, I know people who struggle for ten years to get noticed just once, and when they do, you read articles about how it just happened overnight; they are lies.
Don’t be dispirited by rejection or how long it takes you to write a good script.
No one is born ready.
It takes a very long time to learn, practice, and become great at something.
Each time you fall off the horse, you just have to get back in the saddle. It’s hard. It’s painful. But that’s what you have to do if you want to be great at something.
Be realistic and logical about writing. Just because you like and want to do something, it doesn’t mean that you can do it successfully and effortlessly. All great rewards come with hard work. Don’t be fooled by the Hollywood fairytales.
You may have been born with the spark, but acquiring the know-how is another thing.
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15 Responses to “Sunday Picture Post 29 / Born Ready”
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Where Am I?
Disoriented
Hugh dreams of knowing where he’s going, but can’t seem to find anything to orient himself with.
Hugh is your average guy: works hard at his mid-level management job, provides for his family and is well-known amongst his peers. Hugh’s life is about to dramatically change one morning when he finds himself waking up on a park bench. No fortune. No food. No family. No friends. Everything he once had is now lost. As he begins his new life on the streets, Hugh looks back at his life and all the personal baggage he’s been carrying along for all these years.
P.S. I was inspired from the tunes from the 4eyephoto site, where this Sunday Post picture comes from.
SizzlyP — Wow, you are a pro at this now! Really good one.
I can’t hear the music on 4eye, cuz my sound is broken.
I’ve been a little behind on these Sunday Pictures… But this was some great advice. I’ve always believed those overnight celebrity stories and in a way have been discouraging. BUT since it’s a myth, I won’t put so much thought into it anymore and just continue to work hard and let those accomplished works be my reward like they have been. Anyway…
“Death Takes a Holiday”
traveling
This is more of a promo shot, or a poster or DVD cover of the movie of Death en route to his vacation destination.
After a freak disaster, miscommunication, and a streak of wrongfully taken souls, the Grim Reaper is granted a vacation to rest his nerves. But where can Death go to relax?
t.sterling — What an amazing movie pitch! I’d watch that. Someone should pay you for that one.
As an entertainment writer and friend to entertainers, I can tell you overnight success stories are mostly false and yes, discouraging to outsiders.
t.sterling — Your idea is fantastic. The more I think about it, the more I think you should register it right now with the WGA. It could be worth a lot of money to you, whether you end up writing the script or not. You can register it as a pitch, story, or treatment, and later as a screenplay. I would really encourage you to develop this one.
https://www.wgawregistry.org/webrss/dataentry.asp
Wow, thank you. Thanks to both the compliment and for that link. It answers an unasked question I’ve carried with me for a long time–if I can just come up with a story or concept and let the screenwriter take over from there, that’s fine with me. Depending on the story, I may want to help write it, but I have my own personal projects that I’d rather spend more time on.
One might think I’m a little on the morbid side because one of my first scripts I wrote has Death as a central figure. Other concepts deal with people in the after life or the like. It’s usually in the realm of light hearted dark humor.
But thanks again for that link. I may not do it immediately (since technically I’m at work) but I’ll do my best to get that done within 24 hours! Remind me to send you a bunch of freshly baked cookies! (I’m sorry, you don’t have a choice of what kind.) I’ll try to keep up with the Sunday pictures too, since those are great exercises for me to stay as original and interesting as possible.
t.sterling — Like I say, register it. Someone else can write the screenplay if you don’t want to write it yourself. For story credit, you can still get a lot of money and that is such a great idea.
I write a lot of death/after life stuff myself with dark humor, like I wrote for my 1 month competition, so it is right up my alley.
I can only have gluten-free cookies; no white/wheat flour. I can only have corn/rice flour or I get sicky sick.
Today is my birthday! This morning I was thinking about your birthday, but didn’t know when it was. I remember you saying that it was in September sometime. Well, if it already past, happy belated birthday!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIZZLING POPCORN!!
Yes, my birthday was earlier in the month. Thank you.
Thanks! I posted up on the site, at 12:01 a.m., the list of celebrities born on this day and their accomplishments as a celebration of my birthday.
Jaden, Are you a Virgo?
SizzP, Happy Birthday! You are a Libra!
That’s all I have to add. Sorry. Sizz P’s ideas are good and the advice is also…way better than I could provide.
Nice photo.
I’m a Sag.
Alright, alright. With a Capricorn ascendant and a Gemini moon for all those interested.
Ellen — Am laughing here. Hopefully we will get to see your full chart next and with which signs you are star-crossed lovers. I have a Sag friend, she is the most business/financially successful friend I have, a very focused and intelligent person.Yes I am a Virgo… Think it might be a curse. If I analyze another thing for a minute more, my head is going to explode.
SizzlyP — Cool. I will come check out your fellow celeb birthdays.