So who needs a critique? + The "best of" The Working Screenwriter!

Here I am, sitting around with not a heck of a lot to do at the moment. As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, I’m sort of on hold, waiting for other people to make a move, to make a decision. So I wait...and wait...and wait. But that’s fine cuz it means I have some extra time for script critiques!

This leads me to the question: Do YOU need your script critiqued? If so, here I am, ready, willing...and very able!

Is your script’s structure out of whack?
Is your dialogue flat, unrealistic, and/or on-the-nose?
Are your descriptive passages superfluous and/or overwritten?
Do you have scenes and/or characters that are unnecessary?
Is your formatting completely wrong??

Sorry to break it to you, but chances are pretty decent that you can answer “yes” to at least one of the above. But that’s OK—the time to fix all that is before you send it to the powers that be in Hollywood.

The basics: I currently charge $2.75 per script page (so a 100-page script would be $275.00) for an in-depth critique.

I usually generate a minimum of 15 pages for an average screenplay (and it’s not at all unusual to generate 20+ pages).
I prefer a hard copy snail-mailed to me, but a PDF is fine.
Turnaround time is 5-7 days.
Notes will be e-mailed to you.

For further info and/or to get the ball rolling on your critique, please contact me at theworkingscreenwriter(at)yahoo.co.


While I have your attention...

Some of you fine folks have asked me to compile a “best of” my blog. Below you’ll find links to a handful of my more popular blogs. If you've never read them (shame on you!!), then here's your chance.

“Confessions Of A Competition Winner”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2008/05/confessions-of-competition-winner_12.html

“Interview: Darren Howell”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2008/06/interview-darren-howell.html

“An Interview: Agent X!”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2008/08/interview-agent-x.html

“Dialogue: Getting It Right”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/02/dialogue-gettin-it-right.html

“Jumpin’ Through Hoops...and Not Even Getting’ Paid For It?!”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/02/jumpin-through-hoopsand-not-even-gettin.html

“Ya Gotta Get The Work Done”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/02/gotta-get-work-done.html

“Does One Page Really = One Minute?”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/03/does-one-page-really-one-minute.html

“What’s REALLY Important”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/04/whats-really-important.html

“If It Don’t Belong, It’s Outta There!”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/05/if-it-dont-belong-its-outta-there.html

“The Outlining Process (part 1)”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/05/outlining-process-part-1.html

“The Outlining Process (part 2)”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/06/outlining-process-part-2.html

“Words Of Warning For The Novice (And Not-So-Novice) Screenwriter”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/07/words-of-warning-for-novice-and-not-so.html

My Podcast Interview on Movie Geeks:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/08/movie-geeks-interview-is-up.html

“Action Scenes!!”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/09/action-scenes.html

“Directing On Paper”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/09/directing-on-paper.html

“Writer’s Groups” (Interview From BackStage Magazine):
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/09/interview-writers-groups.html

“Script Length: The Debate Rages On”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/10/script-length-debate-rages-on.html

“There’s More To A Good Script Than Formatting”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/10/theres-more-to-good-script-than.html

“K.I.S.S. = Keep It Simple Screenwriter”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/10/kiss-keep-it-simple-screenwriter.html

“It’s...It’s...The Blank Stare!”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/11/itsitsthe-blank-stare_02.html

“”We See” (And Other “Rules”)”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/11/we-see-and-other-rules.html

“The Reality Of A Screenwriter’s Life”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/11/reality-of-screenwriters-life.html

“Screenplay Competitions”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2007/12/screenplay-competitions.html

“Parenthetical Directions”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2008/03/parenthetical-directions.html

“The Comedy Screenplay: But Is It Funny?”:
http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2008/04/writing-comedy-but-is-it-funny.html

Well, that's showbiz!

I got word yesterday that the Canadian prodco will NOT be renewing the option on my script. They site the troubled economy as the ultimate reason they couldn’t pull together the financing. This puts to an end a deal that’s been in the works for more than three years. Three years of meetings, e-mails, phone calls, yadda yadda yadda.

When a disappointment like this happens, I do what I always do: I kick into high gear and get my reps to put the feelers out, get in touch with folks who might've shown some interest early on. Then I start making phone calls and sending e-mails on my own. I’ve already got some potential prospects percolating.

So, onward and upward.

But who knows, maybe when the economy turns around, and when money starts flowing again, that Canadian company will want to get rolling on things again. Sure, that’d be great...if I haven’t already sold the script, that is.

I’ll keep ya posted.

Oh, one more thing...a couple of you have written to me, asking "What happened to your Izen-Vines website?" For those of you who don't know, the Izen-Vines site was sort of a fun "tribute" site that explored my fun, very creative days attending Beverly Hills High School in the late-70s, early-80s. Sadly, the site in no more. Nope, we couldn't scrape together the $9.00 to keep it in operation. But for those of you who are at all interested (and maybe just a little bit bored out of your minds), you can visit the MySpace page of the the all-time #1 Izen-Vines fan, Nezi Nevins. In fact, here's the link: myspace.com/nezinevins.

So stop by, say howdy to ol' Nezi, take a gander at some of the goofball pictures of yours truly...and have a laugh. Or not.

Wow, it's already May??

Still in a holding pattern...

...with a few of my projects. I should find out any day now whether or not the prodco up in Canada will extend the option on my script. They've already had the script about three years. The last I heard, they were getting close to obtaining full financing. But ya never know how these things will work out. So we wait.

Web-series news...

We wrapped our final day of shooting earlier this week. Now it’s into the editing room to put it all together. I’m hoping we can roll out the first couple of episodes by the end of June. As always, I’ll keep you posted.

On a sad note...

Entertainer Danny Gans passed away early yesterday at the young age of 52.

For those of you unaware of who Mr. Gans was, he was an entertainer who has performed regularly in Las Vegas for several years.

My friend Craig and I had the great pleasure of seeing Mr. Gans perform last May 29th at the spectacular Wynn hotel in Las Vegas. Let me tell you, I’m a guy who is very difficult to impress, but Mr. Gans sure impressed me. Wow, what a show. For 90 minutes, he tore up the stage with impersonations of just about any singer or dancer you can think of. His repartee with the audience was hilarious. No dirty jokes, no crass innuendo—this was clean, wholesome entertainment.

After returning to L.A. a couple days later, I couldn’t stop raving about Mr. Gans. I told everyone I knew, “When you go to Vegas, you gotta see this guy!”

But what I found so special about Mr. Gans—other than his extraordinary talent—was his humility. He stopped the show to tell the audience that he knew he was a very lucky man indeed. He had a fantastic wife and great kids, and a career that far surpassed anything he’d ever dreamed. He was also active in many charity organizations.

Yes, Danny Gans had a full life...and he will be greatly missed.

Here are some clips of Danny to enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-9l9bdKsDc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BWqVygS83Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEm7cmqWvPI