Screenplay in a month

Might have a crack at this myself with a project I've been circling around for yonks.
Especially as the guy is working on a comedy script.

http://gointothestory.blcklst.com/2015/10/whos-with-me-to-pound-out-a-script-in-november.html

I always groan when I hear someone say he has great idea for a screenplay, or a sitcom, or a book or anything else that can be written for that matter.

You don't need a great idea or even a good idea as long as the script itself is somewhere between good and great (inclusive). You can write a sitcom about NOTHING, make a ton of money from it while it's running and then sell the syndication rights for $1000,000,000.

That's right - a billion dollars.

If you don't believe me, ask Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David.

Ah, now I know what you're thinking: if you can make $1 billion from writing about nothing, how much more can you make from writing about something really fascinating?

It's a fair point but it means you're a seriously greedy bastard.

But you've got to get it written first!

I think with screenplays (perhaps not so much with sitcoms) the idea is important because that's what grabs the attention of the people with the money.
They need something they can get their head round fast.
They need to be able to 'see' that it could make a good film
The ability to sum the thing up in a couple of lines is pretty important - and the stronger the idea the easier it is to get to that point.
Especially important for the non-auteur screenwriter, IMHO.

Quote: Rood Eye @ 17th October 2015, 11:32 AM BST

I always groan when I hear someone say he has great idea for a screenplay, or a sitcom, or a book or anything else that can be written for that matter.

?

I have a blockbuster film which I want to turn into a good idea.

Is this in competition to NaNo? Hmmm - what to do?

That blog post was completely deranged, and stuffed full of blue-sky cliches.

Quote: beaky @ 17th October 2015, 9:24 PM BST

That blog post was completely deranged, and stuffed full of blue-sky cliches.

Or American, as it's more commonly known.
:)
Yes you have to wade through a bit of that - but it's by far and away the best resource if you're into screenwriting

Quote: Chappers @ 17th October 2015, 6:40 PM BST

Is this in competition to NaNo? Hmmm - what to do?

The difference being that a month for a first draft is do-able.
A novel in a month is mental.
Also the 'community' on Go Into The Story is a deal smaller ( albeit choc full of yanks talking bollocks) so you might get a more directly 'interactive' experience.
No promises, though.

I've done two NaNoWriMo novels. It's a great exercise in pushing your creativity into overdrive. First few days are hard, but you get immersed (you have to) and the ideas come out of nowhere. It's only 1,666 words a day.
One month writing (the vomit draft) and three or four months of fairly hard work improving, and both my novels are on Amazon Kindle now.
Feels a worthwhile thing to do.
(You're right though, it's a mental month :S )

Quote: Reg N @ 26th October 2015, 12:55 AM GMT

I've done two NaNoWriMo novels. It's a great exercise in pushing your creativity into overdrive. First few days are hard, but you get immersed (you have to) and the ideas come out of nowhere. It's only 1,666 words a day.
One month writing (the vomit draft) and three or four months of fairly hard work improving, and both my novels are on Amazon Kindle now.
Feels a worthwhile thing to do.
(You're right though, it's a mental month :S )

Did you ever do Script Frenzy? A similar project but writing a 100 page script in a month.

I don't think it exists any longer.

Quote: Chappers @ 26th October 2015, 9:47 PM GMT

Did you ever do Script Frenzy? A similar project but writing a 100 page script in a month.

I don't think it exists any longer.

No, didn't know about it. Had a bit of success with a sitcom script on BBC a few years ago. Do you remember "The Last Laugh"?

Sadly, that was 10 years ago, Reg, but congrats nonetheless!

Whose script did you complete?

Miss Milton. :)

(Paul Mayhew-Archer)

Did you enter the Boy Meets Girl competition?

Didn't know about that one either :(

It helps to have a sex-change for that one.