Has anyone on the board ever wrote or attempted to write a movie script?

Yes. It's a very very difficult trade if you're not doing it for fun! haha

but if you want to do it right. Read these three books first.


STORY by Robert McKee

SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder

SCREENPLAY by Syd Field

It will save you a lot of heartache to check those out first...

Good luck.

I've looked into it before. I figured out writing a script is pretty technical, as there's a lot of guidelines and a specific format to follow if you plan on actually trying to sell it to someone.

This website was pretty helpful: screenwriting.info


What are your ideas for a movie?

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thats all it will ever be

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If I ever hit it big, I will make sure you are the first to know.

Use Final Draft; they all want it under that formatting software if you ever write something to try and sell.

Dramatica and Final Draft are good programs to use. I played around with writing a script, but it was more to help me refine a story I was working on for a novel.

My buddy is a screenwriter who currently works for FX studios. He's on the Sons of Anarchy writing team. He's very good friends with Ron Perlman and because of that is involved in any movie in which Ron Perlman has a role. He tweaks Perlman's dialogue. Great job huh?

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He's on the Sons of Anarchy writing team.

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this would be a job i would die for...

Currently writing 3. Think I have 3 good ideas for sci fi films, but really no longer have the time to work on them too much. Realistically it will be at least 5 years before I finish the first one (the simplest concept), and probably around fifteen to finish my most complex idea, which I think has enough material to become a trilogy.

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STORY by Robert McKee

SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder

SCREENPLAY by Syd Field

Probably need to check these out. Thanks

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Also check out a book called 'Now Write'. It is a collection of advice from screenwriters of all sorts who also give little exercises to help illustrate what they talk about. Well worth it and better than Syd field in my view. More recent and successful screenwriters in it. (he's in it too though)

I've written some. Thing about screenplays is that the first few you pound out will never see the light of day, and shouldn't. You basically don't get the feel for writing until your fourth or fifth screenplay.

Am also polishing up a pilot script with a writer on Treme at the moment. Hoping to sell it to HBO, since she has many contacts with them.

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I attempted to write one a couple of times. I did complete a short film script where three friends are trying to bury their friend after an accidental drug overdose. The twist was one of the guys actually choked the guy to death because the dude was banging his mom and got her hooked on smack.

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That sounds awful.