Another Film Festival for "The Pessimist"

Well over the last few weeks I have been cold calling with my various short scripts and feature script. Now that I have a legitimate credit to my name I am finding producers are much more willing to read my stuff. About 2 thirds reply and half have seen The Pessimist and loved it. This really helps to give the prospective producer an idea of what I am capable of. This teamed with the fact I have co-written another script that has been optioned and I am finding lots of replies but no takers, yet.

I had a phone conversation with a producer in Melbourne last week and he is partially interested in the feature which would be amazing and through a reply from one producer yesterday I found out that one of my shorts (I only have one!) and one of his shorts are screening at The West End Film Festival next Sunday. What a small world. He has heard of the Pessimist and hopes to catch it then and also loves the work from Lav Productions. Still this is a slim chance but I don't think he would be reading my scripts this week if I didn't have this valuable credit to my name.

So I'll keep toiling away and who knows maybe by the end of the year I'll more exciting news than someone read my script.

Still pretty cool to have an idea of mine screening at yet another Film Festival

Until then hail to calling cold!

Funding?

Well I'm putting it out there again!! My balls that is!!!  Figuratively not literally!!!!

The good people at QPIX have different funding programs and one of them is '2010 Short Drama Program' (read: Any short script NOT non-fiction/documentary).

I have several short scripts in the different stages of development. I sent a bunch (4) to an assortment of producers in QLD and received some encouraging feedback by a couple of producers who had heard of "The Pessimist" and were going to read the aforementioned scripts and get back to me. No breath holding for moi. One producer got back to me with a resounding 'yes' I like the characters, dialogue, tone etc of the shorts and will read the feature length soon. Well yes it's great to have someone who has made shorts to like my writing but I've heard it all before!!!!  Will he actually help me get one or more off the ground and become a reality?   WHO KNOWS???

He did however say that "The Entertainer" and "Google EARTH" were good enough to consider applying for funding through QPIX but the deadline is 19th March. So I clicked on the handy link and perused the application information. I have looked at compititions/funding programs before and the things that stuck out about this one.

1. It didn't cost anything!
2. I didn't have to have a producer attached
3. It's based in QLD
4. Each writer can apply with upto 3 scripts.
5. They ACTUALLY make the scripts they choose into award winning shorts!

So I've spent a week tweaking both scripts, writing a 1 paragraph synopsis and a treatment for each. I'll keep tweaking and rejigging until I think they are as good as they could/should be. Then at the end of this week I'll post these two kernals to Brisbane hoping that I have the right ingredients to POP a nice buttery salty bag of popcorn to keep me nourished while I sit in the dark in anticipation.

I just have to believe that lightning can strike twice and "The Pessimist" isn't destined to be my only credit as I'm even getting tired of me talking about it!

Well if you would like to read any of the scripts I have written or even better know how I can get funding my email is jlind78@gmail.com

Fingers crossed and I keep you posted!

Until then hail to the moula!

Final Decision!!!

I'm still not easy calling myself a writer!!! I have one, not very impressive credit on IMDB and a couple of scripts floating around like that famous plastic bag on American Beauty but I haven't seen that bag in any other movies lately have you?!!

I'm not a confident person about me, but throughout the writing process it is imperative that other people read your words. The only catch is getting someone to read that fills 2 important boxes.

1. They know what they're talking about!!!

2. The are willing to be brutal and honest!!!

I have my esteemed brother from Stinkbrown and he's a Gonzo Journalist for The Weekly Crisis to bounce ideas off and so far I have received invaluable feedback and he definitely knows what he is talking about! Being close brothers we have similar ideas and in my humble opinion we work well together. We have collaborated on one short script and managed to sell it to a producer who will hopefully start pre-production in the next few months. However he is a very busy writer with his finger in a lot of pies (He is a newly wed!!!! (.Y.)) I am trying not to draw that well dry so I need feedback and so forth from other avenues.

I met a young lady at my younger brother's wedding (he keeps paying out!) late last year who is an accomplished writer/producer/director and was lucky enough to have a bit of a chat and have since exchanged emails and ideas on each others work.

So I did the pushy writer thing and sent all my unsolicited scripts for feedback!!! No expectations but man did she pay off!!!!

The funny thing is I happened to be checking my emails yesterday and noticed there were 9 emails in my spam account so I entered with the intention of clicking on the helpful "Delete All" key but noticed one of the subject headings was 'Short and Feature Scripts'. This email bounty was sitting in my SPAM for exactly 1 month!!!

So after reading and rereading I sent Claire a thank you email and went to work on changing or not, parts of different scripts based on honest/knowledgeable comments/suggestions/opinions made by Claire.

Last night this made me think how helpful some people in the industry can be!! And more to the point how to surround yourself with these people!!

Another issue I faced during the process of reading the ideas was; what do I do if I disagree with an opinion/comment? Well that's easy. If you believe the character/dialogue/scene whatever deserves to be there keep it. But also think about how the story would change without it. If it's a cool scene/character that doesn't further the story then bin it!

NOW I have 2 short scripts that I am happy with, what is the next step? I've been told to shmooze with industry people at Film Fests etc but in Charters Towers it's all booze and no shmooze!!! So I guess I'll go back to what has worked the last 2 times. Cold Call, keep emailing producers and hope that if I get one to actually read the script we can work from there!!!

Anyone interested in reading unsolicited scripts (short and feature) can email me at jlind78@gmail.com

Speaking of Film Festivals, The Pessimist is screening at Byron Bay Film Festival on the 12th of March but still not sure what it is nominated for apart from Best Short. So fingers crossed!!

It's also my fathers 64th birthday today, so happy birthday DAD!!!! So here's a pic of your 3rd grandson Benjamin!!!

Until then hail to my decision!

The Waiting game

My brother and I have officially submitted a short film script for a pair of producers to decide whether they want to raise money to make it. I find the wiating part the hardest. I find myself constantly checking my emails and wondering if someone else will find the musings of a pair of Lindsays worthy of a full scale production. My first (and only thus far) script to be made into a legitimate film happened so quickly and easily I could be forgiven for believe it's that easy with every script. Admittedly it has opened door for producers to read my work, one of the hardest parts of the process. If we get the go ahead for our lastest you are sure to read about it here!!!

On another note it's half time in the Kangaroos V Lions game and I'm wondering why a struggling club (Kangaroos) persists with players who are consistently not performing. Yes I'll name names. David Hale is our full forward and when he manages to actually be lucky enough have a kick for goal, he needs to be even luckier manage a score. Sam Power's kicking seems to be getting worse and Lindsay Thomas throws himself around like he's Jake the Muss' wife. Thomas cook the man some fu$%ing (sorry trying to keep it clean!) eggs. Plus dropping Grima is a travesty when we (read Kangaroos) need to see where the future is and he's playing quite well.

Bub is due around Grand Final day so at least I don't have to worry about missing my team in September action. Yes that's right as of tomorrow it's only 9 week til till my brood swells.

Until then hail to the youth policy!

The Pessimistic venetian!

This might at first sound like boasting (and I guess partly it is!) but too bad.

I'd like to congratulate everyone at Lav Productions (partcularly Lav Bodnaruk and Michale Mier) for there success with their short film The Pessimist. The Pessimist penned by moi has been nominated for 4 awards at the QFNA (Qld New Filmmakers Awards) this year. Best independent drama, best sound, best producer and best director. Sure I'm not up for best writer but I am so happy for everybody involved for how it has turned out!!

Then to cap it off The Pessimist will be screening in Venice. That's right the home of the gondola!!!! For the Circuito Off Venice International Short Film Festival.

Until then hail to the gloater!!