tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post195021503004790587..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: How to sell a screenplay by drinking in a barBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87778034545644420602009-03-15T12:38:00.000-07:002009-03-15T12:38:00.000-07:00I was in Minneapolis Friday and it is a culture op...I was in Minneapolis Friday and it is a culture open to the arts; theater, music, independent filmmaking, etc. Mix that with many art galleries and used bookstores...and long, cold winters and it's not a surprise screenplays are being written.<BR/><BR/>What is a surprise is they are getting made and making over $100 million.<BR/><BR/>For more info about writing screenplays outside L.A. visit: screenwritingfromiowa.wordpress.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-13049886296960613332008-12-15T16:37:00.000-08:002008-12-15T16:37:00.000-08:00> Submitted to Clint Eastwood who> agreed to...> Submitted to Clint Eastwood who<BR/>> agreed to direct it and come out<BR/>> of acting retirement to star in<BR/>> it. Nick’s screenplay was<BR/>> filmed as is, with no studio<BR/>> interference and no other<BR/>> writers brought in to rewrite.<BR/>> In fact, there were no rewrites<BR/>> period.<BR/><BR/><BR/>J. Michael Straczynski said he was ready and willing to do rewrites on <I>Changeling</I> after Mr. Eastwood agreed to direct, but said Eastwood said "It's fine. We'll do it as it is."<BR/><BR/>Evidently if he likes a script, it's because he likes what he read and has no need to change what he already likes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21963274658009491482008-12-11T22:44:00.000-08:002008-12-11T22:44:00.000-08:00Right now I know 25 Very Good Screenwriters (inclu...Right now I know 25 Very Good Screenwriters (including three Oscar nominees) who are absolutely ga-ga over this story.<BR/><BR/>Hey, any given month there's somebody who walked into a liquor store in California and bought the only lottery ticket they ever bought in their life, who wins The Big Spin.<BR/><BR/>This really is a good story for all writers. Nick Shenck wrote what he believed in. As he was quoted by Patrick Goldstein, "I'm the guy who loves history, so all the old guys on all the jobs I had were always telling me their stories."<BR/><BR/>Want to know what you want to write? Open your eyes and your ears. Like Nick did.<BR/><BR/>As Billy Wilder once told me, "If the story doesn't turn you on, doesn't matter to you, how the hell do you think it will turn on anyone else and make them want to make it?"TCinLAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10019943818456775718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83276788281884987732008-12-11T06:49:00.000-08:002008-12-11T06:49:00.000-08:00...and yet Picasso text messaged her in as America......and yet Picasso text messaged her in as America's Next Top Model.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41926969631610966802008-12-11T00:26:00.000-08:002008-12-11T00:26:00.000-08:00My real name is Kernal Steve Johnson, but I'm chan...My real name is Kernal Steve Johnson, but I'm changing it to Demonio Hickock. So where do I send my screenplay...<BR/><BR/>(Yes, I find it stupid that a white lady can change her name to something that means exactly "the devil" for about half the world, completely ignoring that her face has one eye bigger, and lower, than the other...)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-63208890357336887992008-12-10T19:58:00.000-08:002008-12-10T19:58:00.000-08:00One guy in Minnesota develops a screenplay by drin...One guy in Minnesota develops a screenplay by drinking in a bar? Most writers are just the opposite. They develop liver damage by moving to Hollywood!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-10200152702272244022008-12-10T18:37:00.000-08:002008-12-10T18:37:00.000-08:00Hence Thalberg allusion 5 posts earlier. Damn tha...Hence Thalberg allusion 5 posts earlier. Damn that nuance !<BR/><BR/>This wv: odels<BR/>A fru fru nonalcholic malt likker.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-69472326706565754802008-12-10T16:08:00.000-08:002008-12-10T16:08:00.000-08:00I thought for sure that Schenk would turn out to b...I thought for sure that Schenk would turn out to be related to the Nicholas Schenck who used to head up Loew's Inc., parent company of MGM back in the day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76057517189509408472008-12-10T11:46:00.000-08:002008-12-10T11:46:00.000-08:00Actually, Diablo Cody didn't make it until she mov...Actually, Diablo Cody didn't make it until she moved to Hollywood and - by chance - met Jason Reitman. Talk about good luck!<BR/><BR/>It's funny how in stories of how people made it, the most interesting part is always left out. "He got the script to a pair of young producers" is where it gets interesting, yet also where the details get vague. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-39571218248853532002008-12-10T10:20:00.000-08:002008-12-10T10:20:00.000-08:00Looking at the crop of year end films makes me dep...Looking at the crop of year end films makes me depressed. Despite this one and "Frost/Nixon", I'm not seeing anything close to quality of films we had at this time last year.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-54921701393939997202008-12-10T07:27:00.000-08:002008-12-10T07:27:00.000-08:00So it turns out this guy ain't such a noob. From V...So it turns out this guy ain't such a noob. From Varety's spotlight--<BR/><BR/>NICK SCHENK<BR/><BR/>'Gran Torino'<BR/><BR/>Nick Schenk sold the first script he ever wrote. "It went to Disney, and, not to date myself, but Katzenberg greenlit that thing, and when he went to DreamWorks it died that day. They had a director, and it was cast -- the whole works." TV gigs and specs scripts followed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-48022792568014677702008-12-10T07:10:00.000-08:002008-12-10T07:10:00.000-08:00Thanks for making this 16 years and still trying s...Thanks for making this 16 years and still trying screenwriter want to shoot himself.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-51140050179423486702008-12-10T06:38:00.000-08:002008-12-10T06:38:00.000-08:00Same thing happened to that kid Irv Thalberg in No...Same thing happened to that kid Irv Thalberg in North Dakota.<BR/>What? You mean Nick Schenk <I>isn't</I> married to Brian Grazer. DAMN that Prop 8!<BR/><BR/>(The WV for this was "Yants." I'm going with gay comedian basketball team at a Christian athletic assn.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-8233636389847603602008-12-10T06:35:00.000-08:002008-12-10T06:35:00.000-08:00After drinking in a bar, we all know what comes ne...After drinking in a bar, we all know what comes next especially if the person gets really drunk.. Ooops! There's a girl... What's next?!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25395423316091739822008-12-10T05:57:00.000-08:002008-12-10T05:57:00.000-08:00Just ran sexy's comment through google translate a...Just ran sexy's comment through google translate and, well, it pretty much says exactly what you think it does.MirrorJameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11567511521728406303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-13125680245843619332008-12-10T04:52:00.000-08:002008-12-10T04:52:00.000-08:00Well, if you say so, Sexy...Well, if you say so, Sexy...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36479095616270843172008-12-10T02:47:00.000-08:002008-12-10T02:47:00.000-08:00Tallulah,Nice rack.Tallulah,<BR/><BR/>Nice rack.testsjmghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02809499971767143167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-38918126470328134182008-12-09T23:55:00.000-08:002008-12-09T23:55:00.000-08:00If it's all the same, I'm still leaving the wife a...If it's all the same, I'm still leaving the wife and kids for Brian Grazer. Just to be safe.Tim W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16860726607106078491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-37066043202200860242008-12-09T23:35:00.000-08:002008-12-09T23:35:00.000-08:00"...being married to Brian Grazer.." made me laugh..."...being married to Brian Grazer.." made me laugh out loud. I always wanted to write a screenplay for "Frasier" but I guess it's too late now. Maybe I could write one for "Bewitched?"geewitshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11590044820333720010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60225472294063686762008-12-09T21:24:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:24:00.000-08:00Well my motto has always been, anything you can't ...Well my motto has always been, anything you can't do while drinking in a bar, isn't worth doing, and that includes sex, which fortuantely, CAN be done while drinking in a bar. That stain on the pool table isn't beer.<BR/><BR/>Cheers darling.Tallulah Moreheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416330735326405496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-47155121594438875432008-12-09T21:03:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:03:00.000-08:00Aw, @#$&.I live in @#$&ing Miami, where dr...Aw, @#$&.<BR/><BR/>I live in @#$&ing <I>Miami</I>, where drugs are sold but condos aren't.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com