Screenwriting News! Links! Shout-Outs!

A few trailers from Palm Pictures.

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New Scripts:

Edward Scissorhands

The Faculty

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Around Scribosphere:

One final blog-a-thon entry from Janet, the Manhattan playwright
“The heavens opened,” he was saying later, “And angels were singing,” and he handed me the screenplay, complete with directors’ notes and critique from the producers. I couldn’t believe his luck… no: I couldn’t believe mine. I studied that screenplay with more ferocity than my college application, and concluded that (having just re-re-re-read the book recently), the screenplay was the best adaptation from novel to cinema I had ever read.

Unk’s starting something new
“I’m considering sticking up another blog/site that would contain ONLY screenwriting articles… How-to info, tips, tricks, whatever. Totally about screenwriting and NOT anything personal. A total resource site that I would love to see be one of the ultimate resources about screenwriting.”

MaryAn’s Don’t Step on the Ducks
“We writers find great comfort in fingering the subjectivity of readers as the orange cones blocking the threshold of our careers. But a lot of us actually do suck. And, my guess is that most of us aren't half the writers we think we are. Yes, there's a mirror hanging nearby and ouch, the pain from even typing those words shoots straight into my soul. But, subjectivity doesn't negate or invalidate a conclusion. It only means the conclusion had to be based on something and that something was subjectivity.”

If you don’t believe me, take it from a pro reader
“We all know that scriptwriting only describes what can be seen on the screen yet our scripts are filled with description that is only for the reader’s benefit. Some of these are generally allowed or accepted (flowery character description, an explanatory aside etc) but really, scripts don’t need any of this at all as the reader will get everything they need to know from the simple action/image, sound, character and dialogue.”

Lianne’s Dates for Your Diary
“Here's my round-up of useful dates for script competitions and initiatives, festival submissions and other opportunities for the second quarter of 2007.” Great job, Lianne.

Christina Ferguson interviewed the Scriptapalooza Founder
“3. Over the years, is the overall quality of submissions in your screenwriting contest going up or down? ‘I'd say up and maybe that has to do with us getting so many scripts into the competition. But we are seeing really amazing writing coming from all over the world.’”

Because I love Maggie
“We were talking about how easy it is to extrapolate an event into a whole logical stream of events, which, face it, is an occupational hazard of writers--it has to be. You give us event V and we are figuring out the sequence to follow it all the way down the line to the implosion of the solar system. That is not so smart.”

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CyberScreenwriter:

Film Producer, Michael Meltzer Continues Search For Screenplay for Next Horror Film
“Scripts are rolling in, but Michael Meltzer and Zoobody.com are not finished searching for the next feature horror film. If you have the script, here is the opportunity to have your movie made, but the search ends on Friday the 13th, April 2007. By logging onto and signing up for zoobody.com people can submit their script for this contest utilizing the revolutionary website.”

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Around the World News:

No Two-Face Against "The Dark Knight"?
“Official screenwriting duties now belong to the director Christopher Nolan and his brother Jonathan -- who recently collaborated on "The Prestige," and rather well if you ask me.”

Michael Goldenberg on working on 'OotP'
“Michael Goldenber, the screenwriter of the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie recently gave an interview in which he discusses meeting JKR, adapting the book to film…”

'Payback' time for director
“AT first glance, "Payback," a 1999 Mel Gibson neo-noir that no one has ever mistaken for a classic, hardly seems an obvious candidate for a director's-cut special edition. But the new version, painstakingly reedited by writer-director Brian Helgeland and out this week on DVD, serves a useful comparative purpose. Seen side by side, the two "Payback" films are a case study in how ham-fisted studio interference can turn a not very good movie into a truly terrible one.”

Tina Fey Talks About Being a Working Mom
“1) Try to get pregnant, 2) Try her hand at screenwriting with her first feature film, Mean Girls, or 3) Get her pilot for 30 Rock green lit.”

Would-be screenwriters can find lots of help
"Every year, there's a handful of screenplays that clearly show talent," says Froehlich, a former Post-Dispatch arts and entertainment editor. "They may not be ready to shoot, and they may not be commercial. Sometimes, you can have a really good piece, and it just doesn't seem as if it's going to have legs, simply because people don't think they can make money with it. That doesn't mean the story isn't good."

'Iwo Jima' writer to speak to BSU
Yamashita, who was nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing/Original Screenplay, will be speaking exclusively to Ball State University students from Los Angeles, Thurber said. "We have hundreds of students majoring in production, and all of them need to understand the art of storytelling," Nancy Carlson, chairwoman of the Department of Telecommunications, said. "We believe the power of the film is in the story, so we were searching for a screenwriter rather than a director so that we could better understand the story."

A screenwriter takes a turn behind the camera
"I was at a point where I wanted, I was craving a different creative experience," writer-director Scott Frank said. "I was so comfortable in my life that I started to see 10 years down the road that I was going to be bored. I was already a little bored with myself. I didn't want to get bored with my life." Considering he spent the last 10 years on the screenplay for "The Lookout," it seemed appropriate to make the transition into directing. "In this case, because I had so much time to think about it, I really understood the material," Frank said during a press junket last week. "So when the actors came in I could really talk to them about the material."

Film group seeks creative scripts
White River Indie Films wants your screenplay. The nonprofit educational organization is holding what is anticipated to be the first annual WRIF Screenwriting Contest.

Rachel Stein, Showgirl
Verhoeven has insisted that Black Book, which he and his screenwriter Gerard Soeteman began working on twenty years ago, is based on historical cases...

Hanks Still Up to Code?
“The studio paid Da Vinci screenwriter Akiva Goldsman a whopping sum to reprise scripting duties on Angels…”

Screenwriter Ron Sasso Will co-pen the Script V-QUAD
Apr 10, 2007 -- /prbuzz/ -- A deal was struck today between Momentum Ent. and Ron Sasso to co-pen the comedy "V-QUAD." The Lion’s Agency is a faith-based literary agency serving the film/television industry. As the industry’s first faith-based literary agency specializing in filmed entertainment, The Lion’s Agency is quickly becoming known within the entertainment industry. Writers can submit a query letter by visiting the website http://www.lionsagency.com/

Green light for Green Arrow
“Based on an original idea by JUSTIN MARKS, who is set to pen the script, Super Max will be produced by Batman Begins screenwriter DAVID GOYER.”

David Goyer tapped for Green Arrow, DC villains flick
Wizard Universe discussed the Super Max project with director David Goyer, which will be based on a script he is developing with screenwriter Justin Marx.

An honest-to-goodness 'Hoax'
“Instead of taking an easy, sensationalist approach to the material, Hallström and screenwriter William Wheeler imbue it with thematic resonance…”

Bringing Up the Rear
“While screenwriter Chris Landon insists the spark for this week’s Shia LaBeouf thriller Disturbia was Martha Stewart’s house arrest…”

Local screenwriter buys St. Pete Beach theater
A Pass-a-Grille screenwriter behind Hollywood blockbusters including Fantastic Four, The Hulk, and The Punisher has purchased the Film Paradiso Beach

It's the Kasdan family business
The filmmaking brothers Jake and Jon take a cue from their dad, Lawrence.

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MovieBytes:

TV Writer.Com Announces People's Pilot Finalists

Red Inkworks Announces Contest Winners

TVWriter.com Announces Spec Scriptacular Finalists

12th Annual Montery Screenplay Competition Opens for Entries

Who's Buying What Interview: Matthew Cooke Delivering a Good Screenplay

IndieProducer.com Announces Finalists

Screenplay Festival Announces 2006 Contest Winners

Arizona Screenplay Challenge Announces Contest Winners

Creative Screenwriting Announces AAA Finalists

TV Writer.Com Announces People's Pilot Semifinalists

Hollywood Comes to Santa Fe Next Month

TVWriter.com Announces Spec Scriptacular Semifinalists

FirstGlance Announces Contest Results

Call for Entries: Nevada Film Office Screenwriters Competition

Find the Funny Awards Kick Off May 6

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Hollywood Reporter:

Sendler Holocaust picture set
Producers Jeff Rice and Jeff Most have teamed with screenwriter Lawrence Spagnola to bring the Irena Sendler story to the screen.

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CS Daily:

Gromit Has a New Caretaker (Variety)
A few months after ending their partnership with DreamWorks, Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run creators Aardman Animation sign a three-year, first-look deal with Sony.

Sandler Jumps Into Bed With Shankman (Variety)
Adam Sandler returns to comedy with Disney's Bedtime Stories, with Bringing Down the House's Adam Shankman directing.

Hamburg Finally Coming Along (Variety)
Along Came Polly's John Hamburg signs a first-look deal with DreamWorks, home of the Red Hour Films, the company co-run by frequent collaborator Ben Stiller.

Becker Finds His Missing Link (Variety)
Disney signs up Wild Hogs director Walt Becker to write and helm an adaptation of his own 1998 action novel Link.

Burton Gets Lots of Reading Done (Variety)
Speaking of comics, Warner Bros. hires Mark Burton (Madagascar, Chicken Run) to adapt James Turner's comicbook Rex Libris, which is about an everyday guy who becomes part of a secret sect of librarians who battle dark forces when chasing down overdue books. That last part wasn't a joke, I swear.

Morrison Remains in the Area (Variety)
Grant Morrison, a comic book writer responsible for such titles as Justice League of America and New X-Men, is hired by Paramount to write the screenplay for the videogame adaptation Area 51.

Paulsen is Disney's New Sitter (Variety)
Nancy Drew writer Tiffany Paulsen to write a remake of 1987's Adventures in Babysitting for Disney. The title? Further Adventures in Babysitting. I smell a winner.

Writers Try and Save the Holidays (Variety)
Fox Searchlight options Elisa Bell (Little Black Book) and Jeff Kline's holiday comedy spec The Rosenbergs Save Christmas.

An Early Christmas Present
As a special treat for viewers of Disney's annual presentation of A Nightmare Before Christmas in 3D, an early Tim Burton short, Vincent, has been restored and converted to 3D and will play in front of the film at all screenings.

File Under Weird and Useless
Because Americans aren't quite fat enough, Time Warner is now offering a service where your telephone caller ID will actually display itself on your television screen. Pretty soon, you won't have to move at all.

Mavericks Open Up
Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez talk about their love of filth and films in this interview with Coming Soon.

Easy Being Green (registration required)
The LA Times catches up with the team behind Shrek the Third to talk about the new wrinkles they're throwing the ogre's way and why their experience makes the process that much better.

Dead Mobsters Tell Tales (registration required)
The Museum of Television & Radio held a special event titled "The Dead Sopranos," in which the actors who have been killed off on the classic series got together to discuss the show and its unparalleled violence.

Victory! For HBO
The New York Observer hugs it out with a look at Entourage's third season. If you're a fan of the show, but don't care to know what's ahead for Vince and the gang, you may want to avert your eyes.

Is Hollywood Losing Its Faith? (Variety)
Variety offers up a a series of articles on faith-based entertainment and its role in the film industry.

Filmmaking Pair Ready to Live Free
Live Free or Die (not to be confused with the latest adventures of super-cop John McClane) writer-directors Gregg Kavet and Andy Robin talk about their independent comedy and how they choose to define success as independent filmmakers.

Animators Encouraged to Wear Two Hats
Not that the lines weren't blurred already, but Disney animation has become increasingly encouraging of their filmmakers and videogame developers to work in tandem, coming up with the best games possible based on their films.

What's Up, Docs?
You'd be doing yourself a favor by paying a visit to Four Docs, a Peabody Award-winning site that shows viewer-made documentaries on any and all subjects.

The Best of the Worst
In honor of the expensive one being released this weekend, IGN has collected their favorite 10 grindhouse pics for your enjoyment.

Prepare to be Carved
Many Grindhouse reviews point out that Eli Roth's faux-trailer, Thanksgiving, may be the highlight of the entire film. Now you can see it for yourself and judge.

It's Parents Couldn't Be Prouder
Be sure to check out this trailer for New Line's upcoming film Martian Child and put it on your summer watch list.

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Variety:

Ray takes post at Sidney Kimmel
Former UA honcho heads up distribution unit

Universal sees the 'Whole' picture
Helms will star in, co-write 'New Hugh'

Phillips to produce 'Chadster'
Samonek is aboard to write the script

Cannes archives available online
Festival launches footage site

DiCaprio to star in 'Body of Lies'
Scott will direct the project for WB

Wenders set to drive 'Road'
Meredith to write, direct father-son dramedy

Ford leads immigration drama cast
Liotta, Penn also board "Crossing Over"

Anonymous acquires 'Acquisitions'
Poirer to adapt Vachon book

Bob Clark, 67, director
'Christmas' filmmaker's son also killed in crash

Goodman sued after refusing 'Joan'
Constantin Film files suit against actor

Burt Topper, 78, filmmaker
Director also wrote and produce Hollywood hits

DreamWorks pacts with Hamburg
Deal is for writing, directing and producing

Comicbook author to write 'Area 51'
Paramount taps Morrison to work on film

The gospel according to research
Hollywood courting faith community

Script contest taking submissions
Grand prize winner will receive $10,000