INK – Page 3 – Deborah S. Patz

Mar262017

INK: Table-Cloth Plotting

In honour of the completion of my thesis novel, I have to tell you about my table cloth.

“Really?” you may ask.

“Really,” I say. It’s an awesome table cloth: red with yellow stripes in its pattern. It’s my Plotting Table Cloth.

When it comes to planning out a story, writers use all kinds of tools from scriptwriting software to journal books to index cards. Yes, I pull out scraps of paper, pencil, index cards, and most importantly, my Plotting Table Cloth.

The yellow stripes are spaced in such a way that there end up being four divisions on the dining table: Act 1, First part of Act 2, Second part of Act 2, and Act 3.

Step 1 – using scraps of paper, I scribble story bits or character bits on a small scrap and place it about where in the story’s timeline I think I’ll want to reveal the information or play out the event. I’m not restricted to A-Z planning, and face it, the creative brain rarely thinks a story completely in order.

Step 2 – as the many scraps of paper populate the table, I gather than transfer the information to index cards – each card representing a scene. Because the table will be covered in paper scraps, again, I’m not restricted to building scenes in start-to-finish order. I can jump in an hone any part of the story I want.

Step 3 – Now I look at the story in order, and bring my analytical brain into action to evaluate and better the entire shape of the story, its characters and events.

… and it all started with a table cloth.

How do you approach story building?

Cheers & happy plotting to you,
Deb

————–

Deb Patz is the author of “Film Production Management 101” and the upcoming “Write! Shoot! Edit! A Complete Guide to Filmmaking for Teens” both published by MWP Books. Her family is very patient when she takes over the dining room table to plan out a story.

WHERE IS DEB? (upcoming events and appearances)
Jun.3-7 – Guest instructor – PEI Screenwriter’s Bootcamp, Charlottetown, PEI
Jun. TBA – Book launch for “Write! Shoot! Edit!”
Jul.30-Aug.3 – UFVA Conference, Los Angeles, CA

Feb282017

Memorable Lines from Movies – Intended and Not

Remember these lines?

“Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!”

“I can’t believe you had THAT in your purse!”

If you’ve seen either movie, chances are you remember not only the lines, but the performer’s delivery even as you read the text now.

But I don’t want to talk about these types of intended memorable lines today. I want to talk about:

“Push it, buddy!”

Remember it? You probably don’t. I remember it because I was there at the recording session at the time, but honestly, I probably would have forgotten the line myself over time. It’s just not that memorable. Now there’s nothing wrong with the line. It was used in LucasFilm’s animated series “Droids” and it was perfectly suitable for the action of the scene: one character was encouraging the driver of the spaceship to floor it so they could escape danger. Here’s how it became memorable in my life:

A friend of the family and her young son moved to Canada from Hungary and stayed with my family for a spell. The boy didn’t speak much English when they arrived. Soon enough he discovered “Droids” (naturally, I have the whole set) and he totally got into it. All that action with C3P0 and R2 at the centre… who wouldn’t? Silently, he’d sit and watch the episodes over and over again. And what was the first and only line he quoted from the entire series? You got it:

“Push it, buddy!” (in a lovely, Hungarian accent)

Now, I don’t know if he knew what the phrase meant, but he took joy in the sound of the words and repeated the phrase over and over and over again – more frequently than I’d heard it during the making of the series (which is quite a lot when you consider auditions, recording sessions, rough cuts, etc.).

So, it goes to show that you can write a script, thinking certain lines are destined to linger in people’s thoughts… but those memorable lines may just end up being different ones that you intend!

So, what do you think? It all comes back to “just write a good script with good characters” (instead of stressing over creating memorable lines), doesn’t it?

Cheers & and great script to you,
Deb

P.S. Can you identify the movies associated with the memorable lines up top?

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Deb Patz is the author of “Film Production Management 101” and the upcoming “Write! Shoot! Edit! A Complete Guide to Filmmaking for Teens” both published by MWP Books. She uses a Canadian accent to say “Push it, buddy!”

WHERE IS DEB? (upcoming events and appearances)
Jun.3-7 – Guest instructor – PEI Screenwriter’s Bootcamp, Charlottetown, PEI
Jul.30-Aug.3 – UFVA Conference, Los Angeles, CA

Jan12017

New Year, New Book, More FILM & INK Blog

Fresh green stalk

Breaks through the snowy crust

To kiss the sun

Welcome to the new year!

Now, last year I wanted to blog more, to connect more, to do more. Well I certainly accomplished a lot: I wrote a couple of books (one set for publication in 2017), worked full time, took courses for my Masters of Creative Writing, and a bunch of etcetera.

What I didn’t do so well last year on was work-life balance.

I, therefore, start this year with some self-forgiveness. I do plan to blog more and connect more, but I also don’t expect myself to be super-human either. If I miss a planned post here and there, that will be okay. Know that I’m still here, but am probably wickedly busy.

The plan so far: for my FILM & INK blog, I’ll be writing for and about the FILM (and TV) industry, as well as posts about writing (the INK)… and FILM still stands for:

F-un

I-nspiration

L-ife

M-anagement
(of a production or your career)

So, here’s looking forward to the new year, more blogging fun and to my new book “Write! Shoot! Edit!” (a book for teens to make their first scripted movies).

All the best for the new year to you!
Deb

– – – – – – – – – –

Deborah Patz is author of “Film Production Management 101” and the upcoming “Write! Shoot! Edit!”

Aug242016

Ciné Surfer: Basics of Script Copyright

Stephen Follows has an interesting site. Not a lot of links on the Resources page, but what’s there is worth the surf by. In particular, I enjoyed:

Basics of Script Copyright

https://stephenfollows.com/resource/basics-of-script-copyright/

Although copyright is handled differently in each country, the basics are here. Know the basics already? Well, there may be a nugget or two that’s new to you. What do you think?

Cheers & a clear script to you,
Deb

– – – – – – – – – – – – – –

My own book, “Film Production Management 101.” covers a related topic, script clearances, from a production manager’s and coordinator’s point of view. Don’t worry, the book is conversational in tone and very accessible reading, if you’re like to learn more.

Aug82016

Where Do You Write?

Back from the UFVA Conference, it’s time for me to get back to writing! But rather than talk about my works-in-progress today (there are two of them), let me ask you:

Where do you write?

When I was single, writing was hard to schedule around life, but I had a dedicated desk at home for the job… then I had a family and wow! it’s HARD to schedule writing around life!! Consequently, I find I’m not writing in one designated place anymore. I’ve written on desk, table and lap – wherever and whenever I can, including:

At coffee shops (of course… hasn’t every writer?)
On the train (thank you, thank you for those excellent tables and plug-ins on the train!)
Backstage at the theatre (waiting for dance class to finish)
On a boat (fine, until the seas get lumpy)
On a plane and in a hotel room (more, classic out-of-the-house locations)
On the patio (trying to enjoy the good weather, but it’s too bright for the screen)
And, at home (the family made me a “Busy Writing” sign, thank you very much!)

What about you? A designated spot, or wherever you can?

Cheers & productive writing to you,
Deb

Jul312016

What a Screenwriter Needs to Know About… Production Budgets

Writing and money… am I serious?

In the collaborative spirit of the film industry… yes.

I’ve taken a moment (ok, 4 min and 45 sec) to highlight a few things that writers should know about production budgets, because… well… when you write a movie, the script is not not going to be the story’s final form.

Here ’tis :

https://youtu.be/0eAoChVXSAc

Cheers & insightful writing to you,
Deb

– – – – – – – – – – – – – –

For more info on production budgets and on many more details about the production process, come over and check out my book “Film Production Management 101.”

You can also see me in person at the UFVA Conference in Las Vegas, July 31 – Aug. 4. I’ll be on several panels or at the MWP Books booth.

I’ll also be at the Future of Story Conference on August 1.

Category: INK