Screenwriting 101

Chapter 1
What Exactly Is a Script?
A script is a document that outlines every aural, visual, behavioral, and lingual element required to tell a story. Why "outlines"? Because film is a highly collaborative medium and the director, cast, editor, and production crew will, based on your "outline", interpret your story their way when it is filmed. They may consult you, or they may not. Other writers may be brought in or you may be asked to re-write the entire thing. That's life, in the world of screenwriting. But because so many people are involved in the making of a film, a script must conform to standards that all involved parties understand and thus has a specific format or layout, margins, notation, and other conventions. This document is intended to overview the typical elements used screenplay writing.
It is crucial to remember that film is a VISUAL medium. You don't tell your audience your story, you SHOW them. You must learn to write a screenplay VISUALLY. Write what they will SEE and what they will HEAR. You might love your characters and know what they are thinking, but the discipline of screenplay writing is how to show it on a screen. When it happens, it may be just done with a look, often improvised on the movie set. So just write the pictures, sounds, and speeches, and leave the rest for the filmmakers.
What Makes Good Story?
Let's hazard a guess. The movies you loved most featured characters that swept you up, who captivated your emotions, got you involved. The audience viewing a movie not only wants to be interested in and care about the people they see on the screen, they want to be PASSIONATE about them, whether they like them or not. Great heroes and heroines inspire us; great villains make us want to jump into the screen!
There is always something at stake in a good movie. Not just something someone wants, something that must be acquired, no matter what the risk, as in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Or something highly desired by as many main characters as possible, like the small black statue in The Maltese Falcon. Some times it can be an intangible thing, like the freedom of a people in Lawrence of Arabia or Gandhi. All these things drive the character's quest, even gives the hero superhuman strength. It can be something personal (romance) or for the good of all (saving the world from aliens) but it must be powerful and grow more desperate as the story unfolds.
There are always obstacles, which provide that catchword that actors love so much -- CONFLICT. This is the heart of drama. Someone wants something and people and things keep getting in the way of them achieving the goal. At times, the obstacles can be common to both the hero and villain, and the ultimate goal a laudable one for both parties, as in Jingle All The Way. In that film, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad battle to achieve the same goal--the acquisition of the last popular action figure for sale that Christmas season. Both of them have promised their son, and they must not fail. Conflict and obstacles can be physical or emotional. But they have to be in your story or you don't really have a story. In most good stories, the protagonist will also have an inner obstacle, some mental or even spiritual problem, that will be resolved by the time s/he reaches the outward, physical goal of the story. Some people call this inner demon a "ghost," while others call in a "wound."
You need a hook. That's a songwriting term that describes that thing that catches the public's attention. A popular Hollywood term is a "high concept." A better idea might be a simple "What if?" In Galaxy Quest, for example, the concept is "What if the washed-up actors from the crew of a cancelled but still popular sci-fi TV show are pressed into a real war in space by aliens who think the TV show broadcasts they received were documentaries?" A good enough "what if?" will set your script apart from the pack. It is why people will leave the comfort of their homes and plunk down their hard-earned bucks at the local cineplex.
Hollywood buys genres. Agents, managers, and producers are drawn to and specialize in specific genres so approaching them with something they can recognize is a good idea. Successful stories have a fresh face but are identifiable. You know what makes your idea unique, but can you describe it quickly to others? Is it a fast-paced thriller, romantic comedy, action adventure?
Scripts have to look a certain way. I can't stress this point enough. You must present your work like an insider. The sheer volume of submissions makes it so that if ANYTHING about your script looks strange it's headed for the circular file. If you don't know the game they won't play. The scriptwriter has to adhere to conventions covering everything from how many pages to what font (Courier 12 pitch in the U.S.), and that's just the beginning. I recommend you follow those rules, unless you're independently wealthy and plan to finance, produce, and direct your movie. Even then, however, the people you'll need to work with will be accustomed to standard formats.

http://www.screenwriting.info/01.php

Gods Gift to Women Cold reading

A screenplay I wrote about.... 3 or more years ago is being heard in public for the 2nd time. A cold reading series called Broken Barriers for African American writers is in full swing and it sounds promising!

I have the first 10 pages sent over and ready to be read, they establish the story of Derrick and his playboy ways and even have come comedic elements. I'm excited to see what people laugh at, what they get and don't get, and how the script is received. And of course the networking! I've had this project on the backburner for some years now, it's time for it to come to the front and be made!


Gods Gift to Women Logline: Playboy Derrick Waters has it made, succes, wealth, and of course all the women he can handle. He's about to learn the lesson of his life when his playboy ways are tested by the promise of true love.

Upcoming contest deadlines

Deadline
Contest
11/3/2011
Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition

Sponsored by some of the leading names in the industry, the Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition is committed to providing winning screenwriters with the tools, guidance and opportunity to develop a great screenplay and pursue a successful career. Win a management contract and have your material considered by top Hollywood production companies. Over $15,000 cash & prizes including career consultation, development notes, screenwriting software, and exclusive memberships to the industry’s premiere websites, tracking-boards and databases.

11/15/2011
BlueCat Screenplay Competition

This year we will be offering two written analyses for each submission. Two different readers will read each script, with each reader providing written feedback.

12/1/2011
All Access Screenwriting Competition

The All Access Screenwriting Competition is geared towards getting the winning writers into the Hollywood door with unprecedented levels of industry access.

12/1/2011
Script Showcase

The Script Showcase semi-annual screenwriting competition offers writers a chance to receive valuable experience, as well as exposure, in the film industry. Winning and/or placing in our competition can help you showcase your screenplay! Screenplay entries are judged on creativity, originality and formatting. All genres are considered equal in our competition. We are simply looking for the best screenplays in our entry pool.

12/1/2011
Emerging Screenwriters Screenplay Competition

MEET 20 HOLLYWOOD PRODUCERS and Change Your Career Forever!

12/1/2011
Table Read My Screenplay

2 GRAND PRIZE WINNERS to be flown to the Sundance Film Festival to have their screenplays Table Read by professional actors.

12/20/2011
L.A. Comedy Scripts Screenplay Competition

In our first three years, we were voted one of the “Top Ten Film Festivals in the U.S.” by the Brooks Institute and twice voted “25 Festivals Worth the Fee” by Moviemaker magazine. Why? Because LACS is a one of a kind experience for comedy short films and comedy scripts. It's our top priority to get you seen by the right people and make sure you have an awesome experience!

Smash Month

It's November time for my second smash month of the year. Just recently named smash month out of the blue, but basically its a time for me to become a shut in and let everything out. Concepts, pre-production work, nad most of all script writing.

During the month of November I will be either completing a new draft of a script each week, or revisiting an unfinished script and bringing it home. I'm excited about pushing myself and sticking to the tight schedule I have going.

I'm also reading for the First Glance Screenplay competition, theres alot of good new talent out there waiting to break through and reading their scripts encourages me much simply because they have the confidence to not only write and finish a screenplay, but they also have the confidence to put it out there to the world. Even when I'm writing a bad review, telling them to go back to the proverbial drawing board, I'm proud of their tenacity.

My new goal is to submit to 1 contest monthly, having the resources to do so has finally come about and who knows... perhaps I will be posting about a win soon!

My smash month plan

Revisit and complete the thriller/suspense script TWIN - the script is 70 pages in but I hit a wall. With the help of my roomate I've finally got the story rolling and can clearly see a blockbuster ending.

1ST DRAFT for the thriller CASUAL ENCOUNTER

1st DRAFT for the horror/thriller ISLAND X

1st DRAFT for the horror INSECTA

Add 100 pages to the novel ROOTED

WOW thats alot of writing. I'd better get to work.

I'm a published author!... again

The short story Jasmine, featured on this blog will be published in this years upcoming anthology

University Press of North Georgiahttp://www.upnorthgeorgia.org

The Stonepile Writers Anthology brings together area writers and artists in a collection of poetry, prose, essays, and photos.The book is available for sale at $15.00 each through the various sources listed below:

Cant wait to get my copy! Being published has given me the extra push to finish my novel Rooted.

2011 Emmy Noms

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
The Big Bang Theory
Glee
Modern Family
The Office
Parks and Recreation
30 Rock

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Boardwalk Empire
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
Mad Men

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Louis C.K., Louie
Steve Carell, The Office
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
Timothy Olyphant, Justified

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Kathy Bates, Harry’s Law
Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights
Mireille Enos, The Killing
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE
Greg Kinnear, The Kennedys
Barry Pepper, The Kennedys
Edgar Ramirez, Carlos
William Hurt, Too Big to Fail
Idris Elba, Luther

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Laura Linney, The Big C
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce
Elizabeth McGovern, Grantham
Diane Lane, Cinema Verite
Taraji P. Henson, Taken From Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story
Jean Marsh, Upstairs Downstairs (Masterpiece)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Chris Colfer, Glee
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Ed O’Neill, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
John Slattery, Mad Men
Andre Braugher, Men of a Certain Age
Walton Goggins, Justified
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Josh Charles, The Good Wife
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce
Brian F. O’Byrne, Mildred Pierce
Tom Wilkinson, The Kennedys
Paul Giamatti, Too Big to Fail
James Woods, Too Big to Fail

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jane Lynch, Glee
Betty White, Hot in Cleveland
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Michelle Forbes, The Killing
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Margo Martindale, Justified
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Evan Rachel Wood, Mildred Pierce
Melissa Leo, Mildred Pierce
Mare Winningham Mildred Pierce
Maggie Smith, Violet
Eileen Atkins, Upside Down (Masterpiece)

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Idris Elba, The Big C
Zach Galifianakis, Saturday Night Live
Justin Timberlake, Saturday Night Live
Matt Damon, 30 Rock
Will Arnett, 30 Rock

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Robert Morse, Mad Men
Bruce Dern, Big Love
Jeremy Davies, Justified
Beau Bridges, Brothers & Sisters
Paul McCrane, Harry’s Law
Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Kristin Chenoweth, Glee
Dot-Marie Jones, Glee
Gwyneth Paltrow, Glee
Cloris Leachman, Raising Hope
Elizabeth Banks, 30 Rock
Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Alfre Woodard, True Blood
Randee Heller, Mad Men
Cara Buono, Mad Men
Joan Cusack, Shameless
Julia Stiles, Dexter
Mary McDonnell, The Closer
Loretta Devine, Grey’s Anatomy

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
So You Think You Can Dance (“Alice in Mia-Land Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” / “When We Dance” / “This Bitter Earth — On the Nature of Daylight”)
So You Think You Can Dance (“Mad World” / “Sundrenched World” / “Heaven Is a Place on Earth”)
So You Think You Can Dance (“Collide” / “How It Ends” / “Fix You”)
So You Think You Can Dance (“Scars” / “Fallin” / “Outta Your Mind”)
Dancing With the Stars (Jive, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” / Viennese Waltz, “Hedwig’s Theme (Theme From Harry Potter)” / Slow Waltz, “My Love”)
So You Think You Can Dance (“Oh Yeah” / “Boogie Shoes” / “I Surrender”)

OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
Jeff Probst, Survivor
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance
Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol

OUTSTANDING MINISERIES OR MADE FOR TELEVISION MOVIE
Mildred Pierce
Too Big to Fail
The Kennedys
Downtown Abbey (Masterpiece)
Cinema Verite
The Pillars of the Earth

OUTSTANDING VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SERIES
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
The Colbert Report
Conan
Saturday Night Live
Real Time With Bill Maher
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

OUTSTANDING VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SPECIAL
Carrie Fisher in Wishful Drinking
Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On
Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden
The Kennedy Center Honors
The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway

OUTSTANDING REALITY — COMPETITION PROGRAM
So You Think You Can Dance
The Amazing Race
Project Runway
American Idol
Dancing With the Stars
Top Chef

OUTSTANDING REALITY PROGRAM
Hoarders
Antiques Roadshow
Deadliest Catch
MythBusters
Undercover Boss
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Modern Family
The Big C
Glee
Nurse Jackie
30 Rock

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Boardwalk Empire
Mad Men
The Killing
The Good Wife
Game of Thrones

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE, OR SPECIAL
Mildred Pierce
Downtown Abbey (Masterpiece)
Cinema Verite
Too Big to Fail
Upstairs Downstairs (Masterpiece)

OUTSTANDING COMMERCIAL
Conan (American Express)
Baby Driver (Subaru)
Questions (Old Spice Body Wash)
Polar Bear (Nissan LEAF)
Baby (McDonald’s)
Born of Fire (Chrysler 200)

OUTSTANDING COSTUMES FOR A SERIES
Boardwalk Empire
Mad Men
The Borgias
Game of Thrones
Glee

OUTSTANDING COSTUMES FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE, OR SPECIAL
Mildred Pierce
Downtown Abbey (Masterpiece)
Cinema Verite
Upstairs Downstairs (Masterpiece)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Boardwalk Empire (Martin Scorsese)
Boardwalk Empire (Jeremy Podeswa)
The Borgias (Neil Jordan)
The Killing (Patty Jenkins)
Game of Thrones (Tim Van Patten)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Modern Family (Michael Alan Spiller)
Modern Family (Gail Mancuso)
Modern Family (Steve Levitan)
30 Rock (Beth McCarthy-Miller)
How I Met Your Mother (Pamela Fryman)

OUTSTANDING NONFICTION SERIES
Moguls and Movie Stars
Biography
American Masters
30 For 30
Pioneers of Television
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC AND LYRICS
Family Guy, “Christmastime Is Killing Us”
Saturday Night Live, “I Just Had Sex”
Robert Klein: Unfair & Unbalanced, “An American Prayer – Hymn II?”
Saturday Night Live, “Justin Timberlake Monologue”
Saturday Night Live, “Jack Sparrow”
Saturday Night Live, “The Golden Rule”

OUTSTANDING MAIN TITLE DESIGN
Boardwalk Empire
Rubicon
Too Big Too Fail
Game of Thrones
Any Human Heart (Masterpiece)

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MAIN TITLE THEME MUSIC
The Borgias
Mildred Pierce
Episodes
Any Human Heart (Masterpiece)
The Kennedys
Camelot

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS FOR A SERIES
Boardwalk Empire
The Borgias
Stargate Universe
The Walking Dead
Game of Thrones

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE, OR A SPECIAL
Mildred Pierce
Sherlock: A Study in Pink (Masterpiece)
The Pillars of the Earth
Gettysburg

OUTSTANDING STUNT COORDINATION
Southland
Game of Thrones
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena
Hawaii Five-0

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Episodes (“Episode 107,” David Crane, Jeffrey Klarik)
The Office (“Good-Bye Michael,” Greg Daniels)
Modern Family (“Caught in the Act,” Steve Levitan, Jeffrey Richman)
Louie (“Poker/Divorce,” Louis C.K.)
30 Rock (“Reaganing,” Matt Hubbard)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Mad Men (“The Suitcase,” Matthew Weiner)
Mad Men (“Blowing Smoke,” André Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton)
The Killing (“Pilot,” Veena Sud)
Friday Night Lights (“Always,” Jason Katims)
Game of Thrones (“Baelor,” David Benioff, D.B. Weiss)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SERIES
The Colbert Report
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Saturday Night Live
Conan
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE, OR A DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Mildred Pierce (Jon Raymond, Todd Haynes)
Downtown Abbey (Masterpiece) (Julian Fellowes)
Sherlock: A Study in Pink (Masterpiece (Steven Moffat)
Too Big to Fail (Peter Gould)
Upstairs Downstairs (Masterpiece) (Heidi Thomas)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SPECIAL
The Real Women of SNL
Colin Quinn: Long Story Short
64th Annual Tony Awards
Louis C.K.: Hilarious
Night of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Benefit For Autism Education

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM
The Cleveland Show
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III
Futurama
The Simpsons
South Park

Again with the kickstarter

ONLY 17 days to get funded!!!!

The Casting Process

My first casting notices for Fire in the Pulpit are out there and I'm excited to see what comes in. So far with casting I've always been very blessed to find quality actors who take direction very well, but also bring their own voice to the characters. As a writer/producer sometimes I have to disconnect myself from the character thats in my head, and open my mind to what the actor in front of me is bringing. For instance in casting during Interns Anonymous I had the characters mannerisms, the way they talked, held their hands when they were nervous, everything already set in stone in my head. These characters already had a life of their own and personalities that might be hard to match in real life. I soon began to see that the actors in front of me were bringing something to the table I've never thought of before, and I even began writing around THEIR personalities. The result was a cast that people fell in love with and situations they believed.

Casting for FIP is going to be an interesting challenge here in ATL for me simply because I have no clue where I am when I'm driving lol. But also because I am so open to having the actors really show me what they've got! I've given myself a week to try and get to know the city, meet some people, then it's down to work.

New Website!

I'm a self taught web designer and I just re-launched my site. check it out


http://www.fadetoblackentertainment.com/

Disconnecting in order to re-connect

Don't get me wrong, I love facebook, one might say I'm addicted to the thing, but I've just realized that between facebook, twittering, linking, spacing, and all those other things I've become a bit distracted. I'd sit down to write and end up on a fake cartoon restaurant for two hours of my life when that could have been 1o pages of a screenplay! And so a sabbatical of sorts has taken place namely from facebook (because thats the only thing I know how to temp. shut down, lol) I am re-routing my focus and really hitting the funding for FIP hard!

it's jungle in there

Kickstarted

I set up my kickstarter the other day, that was a rush. So far its been me working sun up to sun down to put away money and it will never ever be enough lol. Reaching out to all the people I know to help make this happen has reminded me on how much making a film really is a collaborative effort and how people come together to form film families. My closest film fam folks are flying out for me, to be there for me on set and help out, people are rooting me on, support is coming left and right, and the deals are coming in too... it's a rush and a half. I've been preparing for it for 6 years and it's certainly time for it all. So in advance, Thank You for all the people supporting me.

VIEW THE KICKSTARTER VIDEO HERE

Short story: Jasmine

Jasmine

I drove up the long unpaved driveway slowly, the sound of the small pebbles crunching under my overinflated tires. At that moment I missed him. My husband. He made sure things like that were done properly. It had been over a year since I saw him laid to rest; an honorable ceremony for an honorable veteran. His comrades stood stiff, their guns pointing towards the sky. The gunshots ran in the air and lingered, a bitter reminder of his sacrifice. On that day I waited until everyone finished their failed attempts to make me feel better about losing my husband. I waited until I was alone with his memory. The gray headstone I selected glistened, the polished slate catching the sunlight... and for a moment I swore I saw his reflection standing behind mine. Tall and regal, towering over my small frame, yet a gentle presence. It bought me comfort instead of fear or anger. I still don't know if that moment was reality or my subconscious attempt at self redemption. I resented him for leaving me to fight. I despised the way people adored his valor and bragged about his contribution to this country as if he were their own husband. He never belonged to me. From that first smile he gave to me. Not me; to the general direction I was standing in. That smile might have been meant for the woman standing next to me by the jukebox. Or the one behind me. Or the one adjusting her breast to get attention. When his cousin introduced me, that smile found it's home by default. Our five years together were a mixture of false bliss and loneliness for me when he was away. The General, the peoples husband. My envy embodied in a six foot three inch heart throb. I was lucky to have landed him, people said when I was not around. If only they knew. He was merely a man to me. At that moment I missed his practicality. The way he made sure the car was tuned for my safety and the spiders in the house squashed.

And at that moment I despised my lack of love more my late husband.

The house stood tall and graying. Houses seem to age just like people do. This house once stood tall and youthful, proud and strong. It's paint bright and shingles neatly groomed. Now it was dull, sagging and gray... one foot in the grave. I stopped in front of the large porch, my overinflated tires kicking up dust. I suspected in the morning I'd come out to one of them being completely flat, the General's fault. The house was colonial built. Thats what I was told when I was twelve. Mama died a painful death of a stranger's wrath one cold day in Chicago and left me by my lonesome. I never found out who my father was, that was Mama's secret she took with her to my unmarked grave, and when she was alive I dared not ask for fear of a lashing. I didn’t find out until years later just how many secrets that mousey faced woman that bounced me around from state to state had. My grandmother reluctantly took me in when it was discovered no one wanted a twelve year old bastard child. A cursed girl born out of a lustful whore and an unknown brute.

Perhaps it was God that made that proverbial curse a reality. I found out early on I could not bare children. Discovering at 21 that my worth as a proper woman was nothing. I'd never be able to find a husband that wanted a barren wife. The General never knew. I let him believe my loneliness effected my ability to bear children.

I entered the house. The dust made me want to sneeze but I held it in. My grandmother didn't like noise.

Nana was a mean, impatient woman with a strong cold hand worse than any belt or switch from the looming willow tree in the back yard. She kept me in a room, a mattress on the floor, and this is where I spent my teenaged years. Out of her way, quiet unseen. I lost myself in the tangles stories I allowed myself to imagine. I escaped mentally, sorting through sordid stories of love and murder. Twisted jilted lovers and lonely souls making their way through life. I never wrote them down. I simply told them to myself, an inside joke me myself and I shared. I made myself laugh and cry and sympathize with the characters that danced in my head.

I reached that room, my cell, and shuttered. I opened the door and spotted the mattress lying in the same position. It reminded me of a discarded body. I entered the room slowly as if my younger self might still be present. Daydreaming. I didn’t' want to disturb her. I peered out of the dingy window to the overgrown yard below. The willow tree's wispy branches danced in the gentle Georgia breeze. The calm before the storm. They reminded me of my grandmother's long hair. Stringy and rough, she let it fly free all around her head and face. The only time she tamed it was when she conjured. The roots she placed on people ran deep. Stories of their horrific demises, suffering strife caused by Nana Sherif Jones. She lit her black candle and rubbed her calloused fingertips over the glowing flame. I heard from Tom Tom, the general store owner, that Nana Sherif used to be the one everyone went to for spiritual help. She used to help people find happiness and fortune. They came to her with their problems and she solved them with her potent juju. They left with things to place under their pillows, or drink to make the darkness disappear

Then something happened. Nana Sherif changed. Her spirit turned black and you could see it in her eyes. Once they were hazel with beams of light shooting through the different shades of brown. By the time I came to be with her they were darker than your worst thought. Cool black circles laden within sunken sockets.

She died in this house. Alone. I imagined it was dark and the pits of hell opened to welcome her home. But instead it was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky. The day was so clear and beautiful angels could be seen above. Or so I was told.

I opened her bedroom door, the strong smell of jasmine drifted from the room. It lingered in my nostrils and stuck to my consciousness. She always smelled of jasmine. Her pride the jasmine garden below the dancing willow tree. The flowers flourished year round, no matter how much frost or snow, or smoldering heat graced Savannah. Their smell filled the summer air and drifted pleasant dreams to me through my open bedroom window. The smell was my solace and my dissension.

Her bed was neatly made, a teddy bear sitting in the middle of the pillows, propped up, staring. On her dresser White Diamonds and dollar store perfumes sat on a mirrored tray. None of them ever masked the smell of Jasmine on her body. I opened her closet door. Her large clothing hung neatly, like an army of flower printed ghost. The outfits swayed when I opened the door. Below the clothing her alter sat. the burned candle’s melted black wax lie in still pools. No images of Jesus or Mother Mary. In this closet lay images of idols I'd never seen. Skeletons holding rose filled skulls and dancing on beds of coiled snakes. I dared not touch the alter. I closed the door and felt a wave of relief. The first time I saw the alter I was thirteen and curious. And dumb. I felt the wrath of Nan's Sherif's rough leathery hands across my coffee colored face. The next day in the mirror a rainbow formed on my cheek. A fleshy spectrum of colors; blue, red, pink. It rapidly settled into a solid dark gray mass later. I stood in Nana Sherif's bathroom mirror and touched the spot on my cheek. At times I could still feel it's sting.

My decision to sleep in the house was made for me by the sudden flash flood that blanketed the country side with it's fury. A bridge threatened to give way and stopped people from crossing to safety, or to danger, whichever way you want to look at it all.

It's best to stay still and pray. Life wants you to listen, girl.” Nana Sherif would say. She'd turn off all the lights in the house and listen to what the wind and rain pounding outside had to say. She agreed with a nod to the lightning and thunderclaps. I would sit in the shadows and watch the invisible creatures flash on the walls with each bold of lightning outside the spider web laden window pane. During these storms jasmine was at it's strongest. Wafting through the house with Nana Sherif pacing the rooms. The wind and rain soaked flowers under the willow came alive and rejoiced for the moisture. The drifted their aroma through the yard in in through the kitchen window. After the storms, the calm that bought peace was only interrupted by the passing of time. I prayed for rain daily.

I made myself comfortable on the plastic covered couch. As comfortable as one could get on covered furniture. The jasmine scent awakened me. It dismissed my desire for rest and caused me to sit up. All that night I sat at attention smelling the deep aroma and letting it sink me into the past. A chill engulfed my bones, sending goosebumps to my skin. The hair on the back of my neck stood at military attention. A fear manifested from deep within me and my irrational thoughts raced. The smell. Strong and almost human filled the air and appeared to me as a white thin gust of air. The jasmine. I walked through the house and checked the windows confirming my task I performed before I lay down to sleep. All the windows were closed, the doors locked and the house secure. Footsteps. Above my head the heavy steps echoed on the thinning termite ridden floorboards. Slowly and confident the steps reached the end of the hall and closed the door. From my memory, and the direction of the sound I determined it was my bedroom door the apparition entered. My childhood dungeon it invaded. Silence. Jasmine. The scent made me shudder. I listened to the deafening emptiness. The silence overwhelmed me. Dare I enter the room to see if my ears had simply played a fool to my fears? I chose to return to my perch on the covered couch and engulf myself in the warmth and comfort of my blanket. The general was good for this too. The fears the darkness brings always subsided when he lay next to me.

Another wave of the heavy fragrance filled the air. It hovered over my body and threatened to reach out through ghostly physical barriers and make contact with me. It boiled buried anger inside of me and jolted me to my feet. The smell invaded my space for the last time. It flashed memories of pain and abuse before my eyes and fogged my vision with a hazy red. My decision to face the monster that enslaved my confidence and drowned my childhood possessed me. I ran through the house looking for her. Nana Sherif. She's dead, but she's here. Walking above my head entering MY space, clogging my senses with her smell. Room after room I eliminated the possibility of finding her standing there, waiting for me. Her stone hand lifted ready to knock me down. Not this time. I'm not that child sitting alone on the thin stained mattress in the bare cold room, lost in my own haven of imaginative normalcy. She's dead. The rooms empty, but I'm alone with the jasmine. I knew how to get rid of her once and for all. I rushed out of the aging house. A garden tool made it's way into my hands, and before my thoughts could catch up with my determined mind, I dug up the jasmine flowers that lay below the weeping willow tree. The wispy branches thrashed my arms and back forced by the hand of the wind. The rain blinded my eyes. But my mission was guided by fate. I dug beyond their roots. I ensured myself the flowers would never return. Their scent would never fill my nostrils with nostalgic disdain.

There he lay. The bones covered with dirt and worms of the earth. The rain washed the uncovered bones and cleaned them before my very eyes. They glistened white like a pair of brand new teeth. The skull reminiscent of Nana Sherif's conjuring idol. All that was missing was a rose adorning the skull, which smiled a strange smile at me. A knowing smile. The chill was gone from my body. A calm beyond understanding swelled within me. The bones and I communicated silently. Suddenly... my heart pounded with the sudden clash of thunder. The heavens parted and tossed lightening down a power-line. Darkness fell.

My curiosity consumed me. I ran into the house and ravaged through the private belongings of Nana Sherif. Laying my eyes on things I was never permitted to touch. Photos, and postcards, and dated letters. Images of a life and a woman I never knew. A smiling face of a beautiful young woman that resembled me. Vacations and trips and lounging on the southern porch with cousins. She'd lived. An interesting life I never knew of. She wore beautiful dresses and adorned her hair with expensive clasp. She attended parties and posed.

The letters written from a man out of love and lust. Explaining the longing to once again be in her presence. Apologizing for being gone so long. He served over seas and thought of her every moment through the violence and bombing. She gave him a reason to survive and return to her. He came back, they lived and she bore him a daughter.

Letters of regret and sorrow. The shadows of war looming within him, consoled by strong drink biblically forbidden. He lashed out at her, blaming her for letting him go. Blaming the country for fucking up his mind. The perfectly imperfect life they lead disappeared one faithful night when in his haze he mistook his daughter for an object of desire. Lust and love tangled the home and thrust the family into despair.

She ran.

The baby growing within her everyday. An expanding reminder of the incestial secret.

She killed him.

Buried his shell beneath the jasmines and the dancing weeping willow tree. Cursing herself with his scent.

The secrets exposed unearth and bathing in the fresh rain. I buried them again, covering the grave with a mixture of jasmine pedals and thick muddy Georgia earth. Cursing myself with it's scent.

Goals and Other Medicine

I've reached my first milestone... of course beside finishing the script. April is the month of money and I will be using my gift of gab to dig up financing for Fire in the Pulpit. I reached my first goal by the date in the calendar. I marked my calendar with this goal months ago.... and when I looked back on it and realized I actually reached it, it gave me a great feeling... don't you love reaching goals?

This week I will be getting my Kickstarter site up and running, my entry to the American Black Film festival for How to Make a Baby out the door (thanks Frank!) and breaking down Fire in the Pulpit to a directors script phew! All while working 50 hours this week. A filmmaker's job is never done. But reaching a goal has given me a good dose of much needed pep that I needed and I'm looking forward to reaching many more goals in the coming weeks.

Today its stormy weather... but I feel good! I feel so good I'll use some cheesy clip art today.

I'm joining script frenzy!

For the month of April thousands of writers from all across the globe will be joining in on script frenzy!

I'm writing a Japanese horror film Akashio more coming soon



http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/eng/user/805889

It's Cake Time! Official Shooting Dates

Wow, so my producer and I have settled on shooting dates. Fire in the Pulpit will be shot June 17th thru July 1st in Decatur, GA. It feels surreal, but having the dates solid and blocked out in my calendar makes the shoot even more real.

Finalizing any tweeks to the script is being done and I've got my script breakdown. I feel confident, and professional. The shoot is going to go off without a hitch (well, there will be hitches as with all productions) But so much prep and planning is happening in the next few months that those hitches will be nothing major.



Prepping a movie is like baking a cake.

The script is the recipe - it's taken time to perfect, passed down from other great scriptwriters in the past. To get my recipe just right I did trials, short films and web shows and wrote on spec under my own time and with no promise of pay just for the experience

The greenlight is the pre-heating - Deciding to go into this production over the many other scripts I have written was a deliberate choice, I looked at subject matter, budget, and the impact my first feature will have on the tone for the rest of my filmmaking life

The pre-production is mixing the ingredients - Getting the script ready to shoot, planning shots, storyboarding, casting, location scouting, locking down everything... the most important part. Too much of an ingredient here and you might destroy yourself mentally, too little and you might get a film that was a pain to even make. Just the right amount of preparation and the right ingredients will make shooting an excellent experience.

Production - BAKING! All the prep, all the planning, all the budgeting comes together into something that looks like total chaos, but is the funnest and best part of the process

Entering Post Production - let it cool! If you put the frosting on too fast, it will melt and who really wants to eat that cake. You must evaluate the footage, the shots, the composition and get prepared to bring it all together

Editing - The Icing on this cake, editing can actually make or break it all. I've seen indie films that could have possibly been saved with a better editing job. Its unfortunate to shoot and then mess up a film after the fact. It all comes together, the sound, the look, the feel, the pacing, everything in the editing!

Distribution - The cherry on top. I'm not really a fan of those canned cherries, but I digress. If everything comes together from pre-to post then the distribution is the sweet sweet cherry on top. People will want your film, they will buy the chance to show it to their audiences, negotiate deals, put up your posters, and make you realize it was all worth while

Channeling the funding gods

This week in filmmaking my task is to channel the funding gods. I am working hard on my personal financing goal and will have it reached by May. Aside from that putting together pitch packages for my individual funders (who don't exactly know they are funders yet :) is my daunting task. It will take alot of research and planning... or not. Perhaps just my smile will help to open those doors, I don't know yet but I'm already looking forward to April which I have dubbed Super Savers Month. Save Save Save.


In other news a new draft of the script will be completed soon to Fire in the Pulpit, and I'm already looking forward to choosing the second feature to shoot. I would love for it to be God's Gift to Women, a quirky comedy thats been shelved and really needs to be made. I have allowed myself to be distracted, but getting back to the focus is happening as of riiiiight.... NOW!!!

this week in filmmaking

The major accomplishment for me this week has been getting a script breakdown which let's me know what props and wardrobe I need and how much each actor will be working during shooting. I'm beginning to visualize how the shoot weeks will go and I'm excited that I've given myself this much time to pre-plan. After a very successful trip to Decatur to see exactly where I will be shooting, I'm pumped. And now with my executive producer coordinating up north I can focus on the journey of film financing, which should be an interesting journey all on its own. Its 4 months til picture up!!!

Fire in the Pulpit Update

This film is going to make some heads roll, when I tell people what it's about I get mixed responses. Alot say it's necessary, some seem afraid, and from the hate email I received when I put an ad out for a producer up in Atlanta, some will burn torches and witch hunt. But it all excites me. I'm ready to put content out there to the world that reflects not only my view point, but addresses an important subject matter and will envoke meaningful dialogue amongst it's viewers. I chose this as my first feature film instead of one of my cheesey horror scripts, or writing a corny action flick because I see a need for it. It effects my community and is a very taboo subject. Creatively it will help establish my voice, which is most important (actually whats most important is making money from it so I can keep going!)

I have my producer, Dany up in Decatur waiting on me to come next weekend so we can secure the main location. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it, I'm literally going in head first! In the meantime much of my focus is on film funding, because the script is solid and ready to go. If anyone knows of any good film funding sites send them my way!

I'm back and on the grind.... NOW IS THE TIME

Hello all, I'm back to writing, producing, and blogging. After literally taking a trip across the country, I am in a different place mentally. 4 days, alone, in a car = alot of thinking!

I can sort of see the rest of this year, and it's exciting to me. While driving I had the pleasure of reading rebel without a crew. Thats right, I read and drive at the same time (a manual car none the less, can we say skilled?) Anyhoo I figured driving and reading would be the best time to get into the book as much of America is a wasteland. Nothing, no houses, no people, no animals (that I could see whisking by at 80mph)... just nothing but land. If you are a filmmaker or a writer and you've never driven across this country I recommend it highly, seeing it will change you.

Anyway I read the book, and did some mental writing/developing of concepts, and some planning for my first feature film. And it's all coming together very nicely. What I learned from reading Robert Rodriguez's book was priceless. It gave me such a creative boost, and such a ego boost just from reading his journey into film. I have felt lost, trying to figure out how to get into the exclusive Hollywood club, but I had it backwards, Hollywood needs to get into me!

I will learn from the master of indie filmmaking as I embark on the journey of writing/producing/directing my first feature film this year, because if I don't I might as well go to K-mart and put on a vest and check out customers because I will never be a filmmaker if I don't do it now!

Fire in the Pulpit

I am beginning pre-production on my feature film "Fire in the Pulpit". Can't give alot of details about the actual project right now, but beginning pre-pro is awesome. I just sat down to do the buget, and the numbers are scary, but I know I can do it! Not just because I have faith in the project, but because other people have faith in it as well. Thats what I love about the creative process and creative people, there is never a shortage of gung-ho folks that will bend over backwards to make a project happen. Its a great feeling to be on set or in an office with like minded people who are willing to work just as hard as you, or harder to get a film in the can. So as I crunch numbers and feel a little sick, my mind goes back to the people who will support the project no matter what, and pre-production carries on.

Read A Script Excerpt!

Here is a script excerpt to one of my feature screenplays!


Romantic Comedy: Playboy Derrick Waters believes he is god's gift to women. When a beautiful psychic curses him, and takes away all elements of sex, he is forced to look beyond what happens between the sheets.



http://www.godsgifttowomen.info/godsgiftexcerpt2.pdf

The fruits of my labor

On Monday I had my first event that I organized to have people watch my short film. For a month before that I wanted to throw up everyday, having serious stage fright about the event. I don't know why, but I get really nervous thinking about people watching my works, which is silly because that is what this whole industry is about! So this event was a good therapy for me and will help me go towards enjoying seeing the audience enjoy my work. How To Make a Baby landed well, the people laughed and it looked like they really enjoyed something that I wrote produced and directed, which tripped me out! Afterwards it became a natural high and I felt as though I could conquer the world.

I'm moving onward and upward with my next project and I'm excited to see an even bigger audience enjoy my message.


Watch How To Make A Baby Here!

How to Make a Baby from Roni Brown on Vimeo.

Getting my foot in the proverbial "DOOR"

I began my Hollywood adventure in winter 2007. Atlest I thought I did, there are photos on Facebook that say I've been out here longer... I feel like I'm in the twilight zone.

Anyway, when I arrived I had no plan on how to get in the industry, just reality tv experience. Hell, I still didn't even know if I wanted to make films or be a cartoonist. I soon found myself solving a puzzle that many people out here go through. How to get "IN". The film industry is a very exclusive club, that involves people who only communicate with people they know and if they don't know you they don't want to get to know you (weird I know). Its a club filled with wannabe's and posers, and people with no talent but money so that means they can do whatever they want. Me, I'm hot off the press. I know what I want and I'm navigating it in a different way from most folks out here in La La Land. I have to, I wasn't born the daughter of a famous director which would in turn make me a famous director. I've never even seen a silver spoon. But I know what I want. Sometimes it seems as if it will never happen, but there are tons of success stories out there, amazing ones. People that have been trough hell and back trying to get into that door. So when times get tough, I just need to remind myself that I'm putting in the ground work, and whatever I'm going through now... I can put it in my biography later! Someone will read it and say, wow... I should keep going.

The making of "A Father's Love" book trailer

A Father's Love Book Trailer from Roni Brown on Vimeo.

This little piece was very interesting to make. How do I come up with a concept that summarizes the message of a book within about a minute. I looked up other book trailers and boy I tell you perhaps I should think about starting that as a business. Book trailers are, kind of boring. Most are just powerpoint presentations! WTF

The author of the book is my lovely sister Lavita Stokes. When she wrote the book I knew that she had put alot of herself in it and it was a very important project to her. So I wanted to give her a book trailer that wasn't a boring powerpoint presentation, but that stood out and visually delivered her message. I got to work with two young very talented actors Gospel Jackson and little Khyra Stiner.

The shoot took all of an hour to do in my apartment and I am very very happy with how it turned out. When I sat down to edit it the music scared me. How was I going to find the right music to fit this scene? I went to soundsnap.com and within 2 minutes the perfect loop popped up. Like I said before, let go and let life. It's like it was made just for this project. I was finished editing in about an hour and outputting it to the web. Sounds easy, but it was alot of work. Worth it though, I ended up with a book trailer that definitely stands out from the rest and even got a great compliment from Mocha Readers, they said it's the best book trailer they've ever seen! http://www.mochareaders.com

I am very proud of the way this powerful little project turned out and I want to thank the actors for donating their time and amazing talents.


http://afatherslovebook.com/

What's next for me?

The script I'm currently writing deals with a very controversial subject matter in the Black Christian community. As I'm writing it I am tackling inner conflicts with what kind of filmmaker I will be. I could live my life making films that are "commercial" your everyday run of the mill B movies... or even the blockbuster hits you see in the theater. The film industry is very cookie cutter, films and the god awful remakes are dominating the industry and we are suffering from a lack of... well moxie (I just learned that word)

So, at the beginning of my career I must choose a path. And that path could change my life dramatically. On one hand I can join the crew of filmmakers who are giving the public mindless media and make tons of money... or I can create projects that deliver a message and risk being a starving filmmaker for the rest of my life, but knowing perhaps what I've done reached atleast 1 person.

Which will I choose?

The making of "How to Make a Baby"

Shooting this project was a blessing. Everyone was in great spirits and really believed in the project and I want to thank everyone involved from the bottom of my heart! I love creative people!

How to Make a Baby (a title that makes people smile and wonder exactly how graphic the film gets) Is a short film I wrote while living in Hawaii for a short time early 2010. After leaving the island due to acute island fever I returned to good old Hollywood and wanted to get right to work at making sure I am always filming something. I write alot of short films, but I chose to produce this one because of the subject matter. I was told by someone who watched it that its unrealistic, black people have no problems making babies. He was indeed a moron. Anyway, the story goes beyond race and tackles an issue many loving couples go through, and it points out that sometimes life and the way things happen are really screwed up.

Watching a show like "Teen Mom" on MTV which deserves a daytime Emmy (thats sarcasm) I wondered why these little kids are being rewarded for being irresponsible. Why are we watching them put an innocent baby through suffering because they didn't practice safe sex. And then I thought about my philosophies towards having children and I've always been very careful and dream of looking forward to starting a loving family with the man of my dreams. In other words "doing things the right way", according to society. Another show "Giuilana and Bill" follows a couple who are trying EVERYTHING to have a baby. I feel so sorry for these poor folks, watching them go through their journey and feeling disappointed because they are not able to do something that seems so natural. They feel like failures, and I'm certain watching the kids on MTV pop out puppies doesn't help.

In my research there are a ton of myths and methods to making a baby, surprising enough. Through out the years people have passed down "wisdom" regarding the oldest trick in the book. And that was my inspiration.


The main characters in the story, Alyah and Michael have done everything right. They're a happily married couple approaching their mid 30's. Gainfully employed, in their right minds, and would be assumed to be the perfect people to have a baby. But something in the universe, or life, or Murphy's law, or whatever you believe in is preventing them from conceiving. When they turn to their friends and family they get that "wisdom" and discover none of that actually works. What does happen is when they let go and let life, they are rewarded with their little blessing. Thats the lesson these characters learn.

And thats the way it is sometimes. Life works for you, and when you go against it, things simply don't work. You'll get frustrated, curse the god you worship, and wonder woe is me! Let go and Let life, and you'll receive your blessing, whatever it may be.

The Beginning of the year

So, I've decided to start my creative blog. A little about me, I'm an ex artist, I say ex artist because I've abandoned painting and drawing for writing and indie filmmaking. Best decision ever, although sometimes I get the urge to pick up a brush and canvas, I am focused on seeing my projects on the big screen. Being an indie filmmaker is an incredible journey, one filled with creativity, ups and downs, and an unbelievable potential sense of pride.

I strive to not only write, but also produce my works and I am navigating the daunting task of actually finding money! Which believe it or not money does NOT grow on trees. So, 2011 kicks off with me, script in hand a movie in my heart, and the task of actually completing something that for alot of people will never ever happen.