Su-City Pictures East, LLC

Screenplay & Film Consulting By Susan Kouguell

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SUSAN’S INTERVIEW WITH NADIA DRESTI FOR INDIEWIRE/SYDNEYSBUZZ

August 7, 2014 / / Comments Off on SUSAN’S INTERVIEW WITH NADIA DRESTI FOR INDIEWIRE/SYDNEYSBUZZ

 

Nadia Dresti, Delegate of the Artistic Direction, Head of International at the Locarno International Film Festival, is passionately dedicated to    spotlighting independent filmmakers from countries that face challenges getting their work noticed and distributed. Ms. Dresti and I met at her office a    few days before the start of the Festival to discuss the various initiatives that will take place during Industry Days, which runs from August 9-11.

From the Festival Web site:

Industry Days are aiming to play an active role in the support of auteur films: whether launching a new project or extending and optimizing existing    services and initiatives, the goal of Locarno’s Industry Office is always to support sales agents, distributors, producers and exhibitors in their    respective tasks, ranging from the conception to the release of independent art-house cinema.

The Industry Office of the Locarno Film Festival facilitates networking among world film industry professionals attending the event, supporting producers and agents presenting films at the Festival by connecting them with international sales and distribution professionals and exhibitors.

To read more:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/sydneylevine/susan-kouguell-interviews-nadia-dresti-head-of-international-at-locarno-international-film-festival-20140806

 

Susan’s ScriptLab article: The 14 Vital Points for Outlining Characters

July 26, 2014 / / Comments Off on Susan’s ScriptLab article: The 14 Vital Points for Outlining Characters

 

Readers must have a clear understanding of who your characters are and the reasons why they take the actions they do in your screenplay; otherwise your script will be rejected.

Successful characters are multi-dimensional with distinctive physical attributes, emotional traits, appearances, personalities, intelligence, vulnerabilities, emotions, attitudes, idiosyncrasies, a sense of humor or prevailing despair, secrets, and hopes and dreams. Writing solid and memorable characters also means digging deep into their past and present.

There are several ways in which to delve into characters, such as writing character bios in the character’s voice.  (I offer various templates and examples in my book Savvy Characters Sell Screenplays!).  Use whichever exercise works best for you.  The bottom line is that you must know your characters inside and out.

The 14 Vital Points to Address in Your Character Outline

The following points to address for each of your main characters and for your significant supporting characters:

1.     Character Arcs:  How do my characters evolve in the beginning, middle, and end of the script, as they attempt to achieve their goals?

2.     Journeys:  What do my characters learn about themselves and others, and what do my characters gain or lose, as the plot unfolds?

3.     Multi-dimensional:  What are my characters specific emotional, mental, physical, and/or social behaviors and traits? How do my characters see themselves and how do they relate to others?

4.     Empathy: What elements make my characters likeable and unlikable?

5.     Goals: What are my characters main goals and why are these goals important? How do my characters plan to achieve these goals?

To read more:

http://thescriptlab.com/features/screenwriting-101/2773-the-14-vital-points-for-outlining-characters

Susan’s Screenwriters Utopia piece: David Cronenberg, Subplots, and Plot Twists

July 25, 2014 / / Comments Off on Susan’s Screenwriters Utopia piece: David Cronenberg, Subplots, and Plot Twists

On a recent trip to Amsterdam to the EYE (national museum of film)  I visited the major exhibition of director David Cronenberg’s work. One section, featuring clips and information about his film, A History of Violence, reminded me of this powerful work that I also referenced in my book, Savvy Characters Sell Screenplays! – specifically in the chapters in which I discuss subplots and plot twists.

TOM STALL In this family, we do not solve problems by hitting people!

JACK STALL No, in this family, we shoot them!

Tom slaps his teenage son, Jack.

In A History of Violence (screenplay by Josh Olson), family man and small town Indiana diner owner, Tom Stall, becomes a local yet reluctant hero after he shoots two thugs, who attempt to rob him.  National news coverage of this event prompts the arrival of Fogarty and his two henchmen from Philadelphia to confront Tom.

Plot twists can be illustrated through character revelations; who they truly are and what they are capable of doing for survival, loyalty, love, and so on, or during the story when an unexpected event occurs. In the case of this film, the plot twist unfolds when it is revealed that Tom Stall is not only Joey Cusack, an ex-killer from Philadelphia—but he has kept his true identity secret for twenty-years from his wife and their two children. Hence the title A History of Violence — the underlying meaning for Tom Stall centers on his own personal history of violence.

There is nothing more satisfying to an audience when they are taken by surprise, but plot twists should be true to your story and not tacked on just for the shock element.

To read more: http://www.screenwritersutopia.com/article/af5ed45a

My latest article:
http://www.screenwritersutopia.com/article/af5ed45a

Susan’s July Ask the Screenplay Doctor column: Twenty Questions: Are you *really* ready to submit your screenplay?

July 3, 2014 / / Comments Off on Susan’s July Ask the Screenplay Doctor column: Twenty Questions: Are you *really* ready to submit your screenplay?

Questions, courtesy of https://flic.kr/p/4S8uZe

Whether you are a first-time or professional screenwriter, the thrill of finally completing a screenplay is the same – absolute euphoria! But, let’s be honest for a moment and ask yourself the tough question: Is your screenplay really finished?  Are you ready to submit it to the world because you are so tired of thinking and dreaming about it and believe that it’s “good enough” despite knowing another rewrite (or possibly two or more) is needed?   If your answer is yes, then know that you are not alone.

What should you do next? Take a deep breath. And slowly exhale.  If you are tired, bored, frustrated, or (fill in the adjective) of your screenplay—so will the agent, manager, producer, script competition reader, and all the film industry folks to whom you are submitting your project.

Before you submit your screenplay, get feedback from people who will tell you the truth and nothing but the truth. Giving it to people who might sugarcoat their critiques, such as family members, most likely want to remain on good terms with you, so this is probably not your best choice. Knowing what to ask when receiving feedback will help you stay focused and enable you to gain more objectivity with your screenplay.

20 Questions to Ask When Receiving Feedback

1. Is the genre clear and consistent throughout the script?

2. Does the dialogue ring true for each of my characters or does it feel interchangeable?

3. Is this script a page-turner?

4. Are my characters empathetic?

5. Does my plot make sense?

6. Are my main characters’ journeys clear?

7. What elements made the story engaging? Were there places you lost interest?

8. Do any of the characters need to be further developed?

9. Are there scenes that drag or ramble?

10. Is each scene advancing the plot forward?

To read more:

http://www.newenglandfilm.com/magazine/2014/07/screenwriter-questions

Susan’s The Script Lab article: Top Five Scene Pacing Tips

June 30, 2014 / / Comments Off on Susan’s The Script Lab article: Top Five Scene Pacing Tips

Top Five Scene Pacing Tips: How to Pace the Scene

Whether you are writing a commercial or independent film and regardless of the genre, a successful screenplay requires good scene pacing. An attention-grabbing screenplay contains a solid ticking clock that will inspire the reader to want to turn the pages to find out what’s going to happen next.

Scene Arcs
Scenes must have a complete arc—a solid beginning, middle, and end. Characters’ journeys drive the script’s narrative, and each scene must steer their journey forward.

Scene Objective
Scenes must have a reason to exist. Each scene must somehow advance the narrative through both dialogue and visual storytelling.

Sleepless in Seattle Example

In the romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle (directed by Nora Ephron, screenplay by Nora Ephron, David S. Ward, and Jeff Arch) reporter Annie Reed crosses the country to meet a man she has never met after hearing his young son on a call-in radio show, seeking help to find a new wife for his widowed father.

In this scene example we find Annie and Barbara, having a warm mother/daughter talk in the attic.

The Scene Objective: Annie starts reexamining her feelings about her fiancé Walter.

Here’s the scene:

While trying on her grandmother’s wedding dress, the newly engaged Annie tells her mother, Barbara, about how she and her fiancé, Walter, met. Mother and daughter differ when it comes to believing in destiny, signs, and magic in a relationship—Barbara is a believer while Annie is a pragmatist. The scene concludes as Annie, wearing her grandmother’s wedding dress, hugs her mother and the dress rips. Annie now believes in signs.

Scene Arc

In the beginning of the scene, Annie doesn’t believe in destiny and expresses her certainty about her upcoming marriage to Walter. By the end of the scene, Annie is having some subtle doubts when she realizes that she doesn’t have the same type of magic with Walter that her mother felt for her father when they met, and Annie is beginning to believe in destiny.

Top Five Scene Pacing Tips

1. Get to the objective of each scene quickly and then cut out of the scene as close to the action as possible; this does not mean that your script needs to be fast-paced — be true to your story and style.

2. Examine the objective of each scene in your screenplay and use this as your guidepost for pacing.

To read more:

http://thescriptlab.com/features/screenwriting-101/2718-top-five-scene-pacing-tips-how-to-pace-the-scene

SUSAN’S Top Tips to Finding a Good Script Consultant in Screenwriter’s Utopia

June 28, 2014 / / Comments Off on SUSAN’S Top Tips to Finding a Good Script Consultant in Screenwriter’s Utopia

 

Let me start by saying that in full disclosure — for over twenty-five years I have worked as a script consultant — first for studios and then as chairperson of my company Su-City Pictures East, LLC.  I am often asked, and again recently asked (which inspired this article), why writers should hire a script consultant and what to ask when looking for one.

When working on a screenplay for weeks, months, and possibly years, many screenwriters become so close to their projects that they lose objectivity and are unable to see problems in their work.  This is often the time a screenwriter might consider hiring a script consultant.

Submitting a script before it’s really ready to be considered jeopardizes your chances. Screenwriters generally have only one shot when submitting a script to a company and/or agent—once the script is rejected it’s nearly impossible to have the same script considered by the same company or agent even if you’ve done a brilliant rewrite. Film industry folks are inundated with material and the competition is fierce, so submit only your absolute best work.

Top Tips

  • Find out what projects the consultant has worked on, his/her professional background and accomplishments, and clients’ successes. Ask for references.
  • Choose someone with extensive industry experience and a solid track record.
  • You must feel comfortable, and you and the consultant should be a good match for you and your project. Trust your instincts.
  • A good consultant will offer objective feedback letting you know what the industry expects of your script and to what degree your script meets these expectations.
  • The consultant should provide a safe, non-threatening environment yet be honest, telling the screenwriter not just what he or she wants to hear but what he or she needs to hear.
  • The consultant should provide the necessary feedback and tools to make sure the script is ready to be submitted for consideration.
  • The consultant must have good communication skills and good attitude.
  • The consultant needs to listen and address the writers’ concerns and questions.
  • Many screenwriters receiving feedback feel very vulnerable and sensitive, so a good consultant should be mindful of this and of course, show respect for their clients’ work.

To read more:

http://www.screenwritersutopia.com/article/e0c50cec

To Pitch or Not to Pitch? Top 10 Pitching Tips from Susan – the Screenplay Doctor

June 4, 2014 / / Comments Off on To Pitch or Not to Pitch? Top 10 Pitching Tips from Susan – the Screenplay Doctor

 

Mouth 15 https://www.flickr.com/photos/twcollins/1344148021

A pitch is exactly what the word implies — it’s a sales pitch.  And since this is the movie business, otherwise referred to as the film industry, it’s all about selling your idea.  The pitch should summarize your script, engage your listeners, emotionally move them — to laugh, to cry — (for all the right reasons), and convince them to spend zillions of dollars to produce your project.

Knowing when and how to pitch can make or break your chances of having your project considered by film industry folks.

Question: Is it wise to pitch treatments without having the full script written?

Answer: Generally, the answer is no.  When you have the opportunity to pitch your project to industry folks and they are intrigued by your idea, they’re not going to want to hear, “Well, glad you liked the pitch. I’ll send you the script when I’m finished.” It’s going to be hard to capture their attention again. It’s challenging enough to get attention from executives at a pitch festival or pitch meeting so I would advise on having the screenplay written. Before you pitch your project, make sure that you copyright it and register it with the Writers Guild of America www.wga.org.

Top Ten Pitching Tips

  1. Depending on what has been requested, a pitch can be as short as a single sentence or as long as a few paragraphs or more.
  2. Your pitch should follow your main character’s journey and major plot points. Highlight your protagonist’s goal and the major obstacles in his or her path, including the antagonist.
  3. The genre must be clear and consistent.
  4. The pitch should be an accurate reflection of your screenplay, including the style, tone, and plot.
  5. A pitch meeting is like an audition. You’re selling yourself in terms of professionalism, not only your story.

To read more: http://www.newenglandfilm.com/magazine/2014/06/pitch

BLOG TOUR – SUSAN’S POST

June 2, 2014 / / Comments Off on BLOG TOUR – SUSAN’S POST

My heartfelt thanks to Anne Flournoy for inviting me to participate in this blog tour; her timing was fortuitous. Anne is the powerhouse talent — writer, director, producer — of the comedy Web series The Louise Logs.  It’s been over 25 years since we first met at festival screenings of our short films in New York City. Writing and life are coming full circle in many ways.

Find out more about Anne and her work:  http://www.thelouiselog.com.

The format of this blog tour is to answer four questions and introduce two or three new writers. And so it begins:

What am I working on?  I am writing poetic pieces again after a long hiatus. They are mostly short pieces.  A few lines — sometimes a few pages. Mostly, the pieces share similar themes and even the same voice.  They can connect as one larger work or not.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?  Maybe it differs because I am not following any traditional or formal poetry rules or guidelines.  I’m also thinking visually; how the words are placed on the page and how they would look off the page.       

Why do I write what I do?  It helps me make sense of the world, those around me, myself.  It centers me — particularly because for a ‘living’ I do other types of writing (screenwriting, journalistic writing about films, and screenwriting articles and books), but poetry has always been a separate part of my creative brain.  For a few years I couldn’t get back in that poetic-writing brain and I realized that in order to push through this was to acknowledge that at this point of my life, the only way I was going to find personal creative fulfillment was to write something short.  If I wrote one line in one week, I felt good that I had accomplished this. Of course I agonized over every word in that one line, but I (eventually) put it down on paper.

How Does Your Writing Process Work?

There is no set writing process but I do find that the most productive time for me is before dawn. It’s quiet. My mind is quieter. (Sometimes it is not.)  When I was a student at SUNY Purchase we did a writing exercise, taking words from book cover flaps and created poetry from that.  A couple of years ago, I came across a box of those book covers and literal scraps of my old poems. It set me back in writing motion. It was freeing for me not to worry about originating a specific idea — I was so full of ideas I got in my own way as to how to start and then I got stuck and wrote nothing because I had no time.  This prompted my process, which I continue today. I take words that spark me from whatever I am reading, type them up, rearrange them, sometimes I cut them out and collage them, and then I include my own words and make it my own. And from there, I keep writing. Listening to music also helps me.  But not necessarily while I’m writing. Mostly when I’m driving. And it generally is something like Mahler or Brahms or Dvorak. Orchestral pieces I played as a violist. The structures used by these composers make sense to me in a way that organizes my thoughts, gives me peace, and challenges me.  I listen just for the viola voice, the part I played, separating it out from the piece.  The next part of my writing process is that when I feel that I have written a draft I’m comfortable with, I print it out and put it in a plastic sleeve and into a three-ring binder.  Holding it in my hands feels tangible. Like a book.

And finally, here are two longtime writer/artist friends who are prolific, very smart, and generous of spirit. I have great admiration for them both.  They inspire me.   They will post blogs on this tour next Monday, June 9, but you can read what about them now.

THELMA ADAMS is the Contributing Editor at Yahoo! Movies. St. Martin’s Press published her debut novel PLAYDATE, an O magazine pick. She was the film critic at Us Weekly from 2000 – 2011, following six years at the New York Post. She has twice chaired the New York Film Critics Circle, where she has been a member since 1995. She has also written for Marie Claire, The New York Times Magazine, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parade, Variety, The Huffington Post, More, Interview Magazine, The New York Times, The international Herald Tribune, Cosmopolitan and Self.  http://www.thelmadams.com/

LAUREN STRINGER writes and paints picture books, scripts, and designs sets for circus theatre in a big, pink Victorian House in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she lives with her husband, her son, when he has not run off with the circus, her daughter, when she is home for the holidays, and three cats.  Her first picture book, Mud, written by Mary Lyn Ray, won a Minnesota Book Award, IRA Children’s Choice Award, Crayola Kids Best Book of the Year Award and was declared a “Flying Starts” by Publisher’s Weekly. Since Mud, Lauren has continued illustrating many award-winning picture books, including Scarecrow and Snow, both written by Cynthia Rylant, Fold Me A Poem, written by Kristine O’Connell George, Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story, written by Lisa Westberg Peters, The Princess and Her Panther, written by Wendy Orr, and Tell Me About Your Day Today, written by Mem Fox. Her own Winter is the Warmest Season, was a Booklist Editor’s Choice and a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award. Her story When Stravinsky Met Nijinsky won the McKnight Foundation Fellowship for writing in Children’s Literature in 2012 and was a Booklist’s Top Ten Art Books for 2013 as well as an ALA Notable Book. Lauren’s latest illustrated picture book is Deer Dancer, written by Mary Lyn Ray. Read more about her books and circus life at: www.laurenstringer.com

Writing Diligence: Making Time To Write And Sticking To A Plan

May 29, 2014 / / Comments Off on Writing Diligence: Making Time To Write And Sticking To A Plan

Susan’s article for The Script Lab

 

Let’s face it — life can get in the way of writing.  But when life isn’t getting in the way, sometimes writers are the ones getting in their own way.

Whether it’s fear of success or fear of failure — or not knowing where to start, continue, or end a screenplay — or feeling overwhelmed or underwhelmed — it can all be rather daunting.

There is no magic answer to making time and sticking to a writing plan, but the following are suggestions to step out of your own way and back onto the screenwriting page.

TOP TEN TIPS

1. Be nice to yourself. If you don’t achieve your specific writing goals — that’s fine, just keep writing. Don’t use this as an excuse that you have failed and therefore stop writing.

2. Find an environment that’s conducive to your writing. Maybe you work best in complete silence or listening to music, or sitting at a café eavesdropping on conversations. Perhaps visual prompts might help you stay on track; tack up inspiring photos and postcards on your corkboard.

3. Rid your distractions. Clear off your desk or at least organize the piles.

4. Unplug. This means turn off your phone and all social media during your writing time.

5. Write down your goals. For example: “I want to write one scene per week.”

To read more: http://thescriptlab.com/features/screenwriting-101/2673-writing-diligence-making-time-to-write-and-sticking-to-a-plan

SUSAN’S TOP TEN LOGLINE TIPS for SCREENWRITERS UTOPIA

May 23, 2014 / / Comments Off on SUSAN’S TOP TEN LOGLINE TIPS for SCREENWRITERS UTOPIA

 

 

“What is that script about?”

A logline is a one-sentence plot summary; it is also known as a written pitch. The first step in writing a logline is to ask yourself: “What is my script about?” and then answer the question.

A logline is not a tagline, as seen in a movie trailer or movie advertisement, such as in this example:

BAD LOGLINE EXAMPLE #1

Will Jenny overcome her demons before it’s too late?

WHY IT’S BAD

•           It sounds like a movie trailer.

•           It doesn’t tell us what the story is about or what the major conflict is.

•           The phrase “too late” doesn’t tell us what’s at stake in your story.

•           It includes the character’s name, which loglines should not.

•           Jenny could be a child, a teen or an adult.

•           It doesn’t tell us who Jenny really is.

Loglines must clearly and succinctly convey what the core of your story is about, using your story arc as your guide.

BAD LOGLINE EXAMPLE #2

It’s a story about a teacher who learned life lessons as she discovered the meaning of life.

WHY IT’S BAD

•           It’s written in the past tense.

•           “It’s a story about” is too wordy and unnecessary.

•           We don’t know what type of teacher or person she is.

•           “Learns life lessons” and “discovering the meaning of life” identifies the themes of the story, and it repeats the word ‘life.”  (A logline must not include the theme of your script; it should be evident.)

•           It doesn’t tell us what the story is about or what major obstacle she must overcome.

TOP TEN LOGLINE TIPS

  1. Describe your story and setting, your protagonist, and his or her major goal and conflict/obstacle.
  2. Use present tense.
  3. Every word must do double duty. Less is more.
  4. Indicate how your characters are distinct by using strong adjectives to describe them.
  5. Show the reader how your story is different and unique, and what sets it apart.

To read more: http://www.screenwritersutopia.com/article/a4d71de0

 

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