12 Responses to “Good reading…”

1. Laura Deerfield on Monday: 16 April 2007|2209

   Wow, McKee’s testimony certainly presents a terrible precedent for screenwriters. I am amazed they are trying to make the author of the screenplay accountable for a flop.

   It takes a lot of people to make a movie lose that much money.

2. Khid on Monday: 16 April 2007|2256

   You know what I love about not visiting this site for about five or six days? Coming back to find about three or four awesome entries for me to enjoy; it’s great.

   I can’t wait to read the character types!!! After all this catching up on NAB it’s about that time.

   Too much RED around man. Can you believe Peter Jackson actually got to shoot on it before the camera even came out?

   Happy NAB MONDAY!

3. Unk on Tuesday: 17 April 2007|0154

   Laura,

   I gotta say that I think McKee’s testimony was almost like an infomercial… LOL. And you’re right… It does take a lot of people.

   Khid,

   Believe it or not, we (our prodco) was supposed to already be shooting with the new RED but we keep losing our lead actor(s). I’m keeping my fingers CROSSED.

   Unk

4. Mike on Tuesday: 17 April 2007|0346

   Funny (ironic funny). They want to sue the screewriter for producing a bad product even though the screen credits read ‘a film by ‘ or ’so-and-so’s SAHARA’? To add insult to injury, when a film is a success I don’t ever recall the producers running back to the screenwriter and offering him a bonus for a job well done.
   Welcome to Hollywierd.

5. Moviequill on Tuesday: 17 April 2007|0514

   The August article was a great tip

6. suburban screenwriter on Tuesday: 17 April 2007|0634

   I’ve been hitting August’s site for awhile…almost like a daily routine (usually check out unk’s first though)…he can be a hit or miss sometimes but a good site.

7. Joshua James on Tuesday: 17 April 2007|0701

   And what’s your take on McKee, Unk?

   Is he on the side of a writer? Is he an expert on writing, seeing as that he’s NOT really a writer?

8. Mike on Tuesday: 17 April 2007|0844

   Joshua,
   McKee’s an expert at making money.

9. Unk on Tuesday: 17 April 2007|1335

   Josh,

   McKee… MCKEE!

   Geez… I’ve done the McKee thing… Bought the book. Went to the performance… Bought the audio book on tape (it wasn’t available on CD back then).

   The guy certainly knows a lot about STORY… Screenwriting? That’s a tough one.

   To me, the two are certainly related… CLOSELY RELATED but very very different. So if you want to know about STORY and STORYTELLING, get his book — go to the performance. But having said that, his performance is simply his book… Word by fucking word. He’s memorized the book to the fucking WORD! So, if you’ve read the book and go to the performance looking to learn anything new — FUGHEDABOUDIT.

   He just does a one man performance of the book up on his stage.

   I noticed when I went a couple of years ago that the majority of the audience were NOT screenwriters at all… A lot of actors. That COULD have been because I went to the performance in Los Angeles…

   He’s also very easy to approach during breaks… Unfortunately, so many people do approach him for photos that if you really want to talk to him about something he’s presented during his performance, it can be pretty hard… Charlie Kaufman not withstanding.

   So bottom line… His elements of STORYTELLING are very worthwhile to learn. If you want the added benefit of having the book regurgitated back at you up on stage, feel free to spend the $500 like I did. LOL.

   Am I glad I did? Hell no. $500 is still $500. A lot of money to me… I would have rather bought another $500 worth of books.

   His book can be a little difficult and dry to get through for some… I think for MOST, it has to be reread at least once a year to REALLY draw maximum benefit from it because as you learn more and more about the craft of screenwriting, a lot of his story element theory is going to make a hell of a lot more sense to you.

   But he doesn’t teach screenwriting… There are no real tricks or tips when it comes to screenwriting. I think one can find as much if not more just by scouring all the best screenwriting blogs.

   SERIOUSLY.

   But that’s only one man’s opinion… LOL.

   Unk

10. Joshua James on Tuesday: 17 April 2007|1648

    Hmm,

    You’ve spurred my interest into possibly reading it again . . . tho’ when I first read it, I was, I admit, put off . . . but it’s been awhile, so I will probably pick it up again, then, and give it another go, primarily your one man opinion carries weight in the James Dojo . . .

    But I also think I get much of the same experience from Stephen King’s ON WRITING, which, tho’ allegedly about writing fiction, is really about Storytelling . . . I reread that book 2 or 3 times a year and always get something out of it - it’s quite literally the best book on writing and storytelling I’ve ever read, and it changed my entire approach to the writing life.

    One thing I wonder, if McKee knows so much about storytelling via movies, why hasn’t he had a movie he wrote made? Word I’ve heard is that what he’s written plain sucks . . . that’s just the rumor . . . do you have any sneaky inside info, undercover-brother?

    And King, as you know, has backed his rep up . . .

11. Joshua James on Tuesday: 17 April 2007|1650

    I will also add that I’ve gotten more valuable info off of screenwriting blogs than any book I own, and I own many a writing book . . . the blog explosion began, for me, in spring of ‘05, so I wonder what effect this will have on the industry as a whole . . .

    for real, this blog, John August, Artful Writer Ask a Pro section, Kung Fu Monkey, jesus, the list goes on and on . . .

12. Unk on Tuesday: 17 April 2007|1712

    Josh,

    Hear you loud and clear… I highly recommend King’s book ON WRITING. Definitely a worthwhile read.

    Unk

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