#filmwriting

[thecomposites]

Do you want weekly film recommendations from a director who once watched Anchorman and In a Year of 13 Moons on the same night? Subscribe to my new substack, Cinema Dirtbag!

I promise to never bore you, or go over 800 words.

Pictured clockwise from top: Double Lover by Francois Ozon, Romeo Is Bleeding by Peter Medak, The Psychic by Lucio Fulci

[metaphorwrites]

THREE OF US AND PAST LIVES: THE ART OF LONGING

“But that little girl did exist. 20 years ago, I left her behind with you.” These are the words of Na Young in the movie Past Lives. But this can very well be the words of Shailaja from Three of Us. Watching the two movies within a span of one week made me realise how similarly their heart’s beat. How does it feel to return to one’s udgam? How does it feel to witness it as the third person? Both…

[behindcinemaframe]

An Interview with an Up Coming Writer Mr Sree Kumar:

Mr Sree Kumar is from a middle-class background and began his career in the tech industry. Along the way, he discovered a love for writing as he was always been captivated by stories, whether through listening or reading , which led him to share his short stories and novels on blogs and eventually on platforms like Amazon. Through this writing venture, he was fortunate enough to transition into writing for movies. As he have another job which handles his finances so he just have to balance the two jobs, it's tough but his dream helps him to manage the time.

He is drawn to a writing style that thrives on larger-than-life, exaggerated realities, while centering on fundamental emotions and simple philosophies. Cinema, in his view, serves as the perfect platform for this approach. It's a medium that excels at portraying heightened realities, effectively conveying realistic ideas, all while preserving the enchantment of visual storytelling.

He wants to write in all genres even if they are outside of his comfort zone but he would do with extreme caution as this is an industry which involves more money a simple misstep can cost him a fortune, so he would collaborate with folks who are strong in the genres if he is not very comfortable in it.

Unique perspective on writing:

Humanity , liberation, self realisation are some of the themes are he most interested in exploring through his writing as these issues around it are such a powerful medium like cinema that can be used to deliver these themes efficiently. 

Certainly there are a few projects that hold a special place in his heart. They provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment as he work on them. Each of these projects revolves around the themes of liberation and self-realization, interwoven within a fantastical fictional world. This blend brings a distinct depth and resonance to the narratives. 

 Favorite film:

Django Unchained is actually one of his all-time favourite. As he said, "The storytelling is straightforward and relatable, making it a hit with a wide audience. But what really nails it is how they've shaped the characters and scenes - steering clear of clichés and making us genuinely root for the crew. The dialogue, spot-on written, cranks up the tension in all the right spots. And that dinner scene? It's like a masterclass in how characters, story, and talkin' all come together for one heck of a mesmerizing ride."

Building connections in  film industry:

He always value quality more than quantity. He says, "It's actually pretty easy in cinema industry to create connection but to get good reliable connections is a challenge, i think as long as you love your job and be true to yourself and others the network keeps building by itself, we just have to be open for new opportunities with optimism."

Handle rejection:

 As rejection is common in the film industry so, he understood the fact it’s perfectly normal for his story to go unliked and rejected. He said that Many great movies have faced rejection, he just take it as an opportunity to understand why the story didn't connect with them and will try to improve it if needed.

[scriptwriters-network]

Can’t wait for our next event?  View the upcoming virtual events here:

[iworshipdigitalmonsters]

I Talk About That Queen’s Blade Film Because of Remakes and Sequels and Clones Oh My

That Queen’s Blade Film Based on The Pilot of The Vagrant Warriors Episode = 

Writers = Nathan Eric Schwab

Producers = Nathan Eric Schwab

Directed by = To Be Announced a.k.a. Coming Soon

CAST = 

To Be Announced a.k.a. Coming Soon

Release Year = In Development 

Poster Taglines = To Be Announced a.k.a. Coming Soon

Budget = To Be Announced a.k.a. Coming Soon

Audience Demographic = To Be Announced a.k.a. Coming Soon

[absentmoon]

oohg.Oh god<-au idea

[lesbianpaulnewman]

read “sirk on sirk” a few days ago and what most stuck in my head is when sirk said he built his movies around having a very stable, immovable character, and a split vacillating character put up against them. you need this equilibrium this push and pull. like in written on the wind kyle and marylee were the more interesting crazy characters that recieved most of the marketing, but they’re held together by rock hudson’s steady, patient performance. sirk couldn’t make a split character out of rock hudson if he tried, and that’s why it works so well. genius 

[bandya-mama]

Happy birthday Javed Akhtar: Wishes from Bandya Mama

From 'Mashaal' to 'Meri Jung' classic hits of the 80s written by legendary writer.

[pyxy-styx]

1, and 3-44

I will be ignoring some of them, fair warning💃🕺

3: Do you smoke? Nope

4: Do you drink? Only when I'm cooking with alcohol

5: Do you take drugs? Only like, once or twice and it was weed. It's oddly helpful for anxiety btw

7: Have tattoos? Nope

8: Want any tattoos? Yes, I'm thinking about getting one

9: Got any piercings? Nope nope

10: Want any piercings? I want snake bites so bad

11: Best friend? My wife 🫶(never opens Tumblr) and @whatinthe-greenbeans 🖕

12: Relationship status: single (crazy, I know)

15: Favorite movie: The Secret World of Arrietty

17: Someone you miss: Dear old Great Grandpa. The asshole had the audacity to die before I could come out to him smh.

18: Most traumatic experience: See, I know there's been shit but I can't remember it, so do with that information what you will💃🕺

19: A fact about your personality: It's very, very influenced by fictional characters and anxiety

22: What I want to be when I get older: Changes depending on my mood, filmwriter rn

23: My relationship with my sibling(s): I want those fuckers to die /aff

24: My relationship with my parent(s): Could be better, but it doesn't suck

25: My idea of a perfect date: AQUARIUM DATE, AQUARIUM DATE AQUARIUM DATE- or a picnic, picnics seem nice

26: My biggest pet peeves: Being late. It drives me crazy.

29: A reason I’ve lied to a friend: Simply didn't want to explain that I wasn't doing well

30: What I hate the most about work/school: I hated busy work, just give me the assignments that are actually important and quit giving me useless shit to do

31: What your last text message says: 🤷‍♀️

33: What words make me feel the best about myself: Handsome, pretty?

36: Where I would like to live: No specific places in mind, but definitely near a city

38: My childhood career choice: Physicist (My parents watched Big Bang Theory a lot when I was a kid and I thought all the science stuff they did was cool)

39: My favorite ice cream flavor: Mint chocolate chip or strawberry

41: Where I want to be right now: with my wife, I miss her

42: The last thing I ate: Watermelon gum

44: A random fact about anything: Ants can become zombies

[trinitywc]

HIIII i was up until 330 last night reading TGL and i want to say first, shame on me for putting it off for so long, second it s SOOO so good the way you wrote pinefrost ls inner monologue punishing her for even THINKING against the warrior code is so good and really shows how poisonous the clan structure is without outright saying “its bad” . also your descriptions of the wounds from the fire and radiation sickness are beautifully grotesque without being like. obnoxiously violent for shock value. anyway very good 100/10 very excited for the next book

Thank you so much I’m honoured! Yes I think the Clan structure/lifestyle debate is something I’d love to explore more- is it 100% ‘bad’, or has it allowed to become toxic as Creek/Wood have evolved into? and is the extreme opposite of it, as Pinefrost may seek in the belief to heal herself, ‘good’? Without spoilers she definitely has allowed herself to be caught up in the current CreekClan mentality, believing everyone thinks the same and she is the only one fighting against it and feeling guilty for those thoughts. Her inner monologue is an entirely different person/cat at times, sometimes completely divorced from who she really is, but sometimes in lock step with her as well. I like writing her conflict, shes young and scatterbrained and the survivors guilt doesn’t help; and hope you like her in the second part as she deals with the aftermath of the bomb and the search to find her Clan!

And yes I didn’t want to get into the extreme gore and stuff. Shock value is sooooooo male filmwriter

[luciwithaisstuff]

Hey my name is Luci and this is my first day on Tumblr I am a aspiring actress playwriter bookwriter and filmwriter and I'm just looking for a couple of communities to join and learn from.

[scribblingonsky]

Sometimes the scenarios i make up in my head amaze me.

They are so beautiul, so dreamy, so perfect, so much *needed*, it makes my heart ache from the thought that they can never come true, not ever in the exact same dreamy manner as they do in my mind. I would never find that perrffectt person and never will those deliberate- indeliberate touches and talks and gazes and moments happen...

It leaves me longing and hopeless, I guess my expectations from life , at moments, become too far-fetched.

The only way out, to turn them into reality, is to-

write down the scenario,

develop a story that is actually comprehensible (paiinnnn),

write a novel,

knock doors of publishing houses,

get it published,

work to make it a bestseller,

become a filmwriter and director,

find a producer,

get external validation for script and find rest of the crew ;))

find the perfect music that goes with my fantasy,

find the handpicked perfect cast,

and make it into a adaptation movie.

(excuse the inaccuracy my process. i am not well acquainted with all this, at least not in this universe, but that is just how i imagine)

Then all my dreams *might* come true. Is it too much? or a bare neccesity for my dream to reality journey, i will never know i guess...

(this also totaly disrupts my path of pursuing STEM career, leaving another dilemma at my hand. Life just wouldnt stop being so *REAL*, now, would it ? :I Now my options are a) Reincarnation, b) discover multiverse and travel to the universe where i did write a novel and make a movie about it, by myself, and watch that.... arghh the things we do for the love of love )

this was just a thought, no self-emotions were hurt in this post (ok, maybe a few) (excruciating pain right in middle of heart, a major headache here and there.)

[metaphorwrites]

Self-Discovery in Irrfan Khan Movies

Puzzle (2018) and The Lunchbox (2013) are two movies starring Irrfan Khan, having broadly similar themes. Two strangers come together in a stranger way, form a brief relationship, and then go on with their individual lives to discover themselves. They are not films that can be classified into any familiar romantic trope. Love enables the individuals to have a voice and act for themselves. It is…

[jayscalesmusic]

"A man's gift makes room for him". (That's what the Bible says)

What Can I do But Stay True ?

Like, Share, Comment and Subscribe ! (Much More In Store!)

https://youtu.be/Eerw6qwQmgg

#like #comment #share #dcfd #dcfems #documentary #filmmaker  #filmproduction #exitstrategy #exitplanning #filmproducer #filmeditor #filmwriter #directorofphotography #scoring #sounddesign #storytelling #storywriter #jlscales #stacktownfilms #washingtondc #dcfilmmaker #YouTube #firefighter #firefighteremt #emt #dcemt #paramedic

[coolerontheinternetdotcom]

30 day screen writing challenge

basically because I need to build up my portfolio but I'm unmotivated!

write a scene inspired by:

putting your personal playlist on shuffle and writing a scene inspired by whatever song plays

dialogue prompt: "you have no idea who I am do you?"

random colour

page 64 of the nearest book

a mental health issue

a big plot twist

shuffle playlist: Sad edition

your favourite episode of your favourite show

googling your name and then aesthetic

the object to your right

the first picture to pop up on your Pinterest

a poem

deja vu

hotel california

secrets

shuffle playlist: villain music edition

someone's eyes

immortality

prompt: a swimmer whose scared of drowning

mirrors

a horror

shuffle playlist: love song edition

a randomised colour palette

the first YouTube video on your page

dreaming

ghosts

a keyhole

texting

clouds

chewing gum

[dreamsofthescreen]

The Debate On Life in La Grand Bellezza (The Great Beauty) - Analysis and Review

“Traveling is very useful: it makes your imagination work. Everything else is just disappointment and trouble. Our journey is entirely imaginary, which is its strength.”

Toni Servillo in ‘La Grande Bellezza’

Nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, Paolo Sorrentino’s ‘La Grande Bellezza’ (The Great Beauty) can be seen as a stroke of real cinematic magic. Though blunt and simple it’s premise may appear, the Italian art-drama film mostly flourishes in it’s ability to communicate a profoundly deep and educational message on humanity today. And however much of a visual spectacle that it is, it is the change in one man’s lifestyle from decadently hedonistic to lavishly inspiring sweeps us off our feet, the romance of Rome following close behind. Direction by Sorrentino and cinematography by Luca Bigazzi, this work is seeped in richness and pure emotion, leaving many critics weak at the knees. Sprinkled with history and following a poetic undertone, the opening scene quotes Celine, stating “Traveling is very useful: it makes your imagination work. Everything else is just disappointment and trouble. Our journey is entirely imaginary, which is its strength.”

Set amongst the grandeur of the eternal city, Rome, we follow Jep Gambardella - a 65 year old acclaimed former writer and socialite who lives and breathes the superficial high life. It isn’t until after his lavishly outrageous 65th birthday party that he looks past the nightclubs to look inwards and find true meaning or ‘the great beauty’. Amongst all the frivolous glory that sex, drugs and rock & roll seem to provide, Jep is searching for truth. No doubt a shockingly stunning film that can be compared to the likes of European classics, Federico Fellini or Jean-Luc Godard, Bigazzi’s cinematography tends to focus on architectural pieces, bodies and classical art, thus following the culture of Rome closely. Appearing as though audiences follow the camera themselves, some of Jep’s closest friends are seen through freely moving shots, sometimes frantically following the beat of the pulsing club music. Flowing with history, operatic passion and grand emotion, some claim that it is the visual spectacle that creates the meaning of the film, rather than the meaning itself being striking. Yet, it is the mix of visuals, plot and the great characterisation of Jep as a person, as well as his change that creates the grand interest. From technicolour rooftop nightclubs to the silent streets of the eternal city, we get differing perspectives on modern Rome, and how it blends in with it’s ancient history. Sorrentino summed up the location in all it’s grandeur by stating ‘Rome has a beauty so large that one could die from looking at it for too long’. And Sorrentino seems to even portray Jep as the human embodiment of Rome, as he lives through the city’s highs and lows. I will say that, however much Jep seeks to find ‘the great beauty’, he is still surrounded by luxurious interiors and grand Roman palaces, not exactly aligning with his growing ideals and change in attitude. As if to make a point of his attempted normality and stripping of decadence, he still walks among it many times. Yet these environments do turn into something simple like a local coffee shop or a siesta in his apartment, thus showing his change.

Often compared to Fellini’s ‘La Dolce Vita’ because of it’s similar plot, Sorrentino’s film certainly seems inspired by that, but is not just a carbon copy of it. It does stand strongly on it’s own. ‘La Grande Bellezza’ seems to be a deeper character study of Jep. There is analysis in the plot, and there is the contrast between life and death, as well as the grandeur of simplicity & nostalgia. Where Jep fits in as a real socialite, mingling with other members of high Roman society, he is the standalone character who really looks within himself, rather than only around. And the film captures a generation caught up in facades, who do refuse to look inward. Struck by the death of a lover from the past, where Jep was once running around in fame and nightlife, he is motivated to look back on simplicity, rather than the excessive. This simplicity comes in appreciating the natural beauty and culture of Rome, swapping a strip club for a quiet afternoon in a historic vineyard or museum, reminiscing on his childhood. As someone asks Jep “what is it that you love the most?”, he responds with, “the smell of old people’s houses”, commenting on something so simplistic, but still beautiful in it’s age and nostalgia. This nostalgia beckons Jep following the death of Elisa, his first and only love. However romantic this may seem, it is more so philosophical in it’s approach. Searching for more meaning, having now reached 65, he however does at times seem more pessimistic as he looks into himself, stating ‘what’s wrong with feeling nostalgic? It’s the only distraction left for those who’ve no faith in the future’. Us as an audience can view this as either something quite pretentious and negative, or interpret it as a step towards appreciating what he once had, and can work towards.  

And the film itself is at times quite pretentious, but it is floating around in philosophy, and still for sure packs a punch. The philosophy is in the ever-changing time and focus on nostalgia. In a scene where Jep ends up in a plastic surgeons office, he is surrounded by old hopefuls who long for their past & get it through pricey facelifts. A scene focusing on nostalgia, the surgeon asks the woman, ‘want to go back 30 years, to when it always rained in late August?’ The bell rings, calling customers again and again, this showing the repetitive and lifeless nature of these creatures desperate for the past, with no regard for their own happiness, but have decided to instead conform. Jep often has these moments of recognising and looking past this fakery, once the curtain of his lavish lifestyle drops. In terms of Jep’s change, there is the contrast between life and death, and having reached the age of 65, some cynicism is there, but it is all a grand reflection upon his own changing desires. The change from being the king of high society to settling down as he goes through life could be seen as just an exaggerated view on what happens as we grow older, but 'La Grande Bellezza’ strategically claims it to be more than that. Set in the eternal city, Jep sees the ephemeral nature of most things. Where there is celebration of life in parties, there is also tragic death, having those festivities seem pointless. He states, ‘this is how it always ends. With death. But first there was life.’ Pointing in the direction of existentialism, this is a fairly simple statement in the blunt writing of Sorrentino, but sums up Jep’s perspective quite successfully. Where death happens every day, the eternal city that is Rome continues to go on, it being a playground for those in it during their time.

Like exchanging a stack of cash for a chocolate gelato, the debate about what is most beautiful in life is subjective, but mostly easy to answer. This being love, family, cherished moments and happiness. Sorrentino’s film creates such a contrast between two great beauty’s, focusing on the lightheartedness and meaninglessness of life as something so grand, as opposed to the glamorous and superficial. This fairly simple point is communicated with wonderful execution, gripping audiences onto every moment and person that Jep encounters. The writing style and expression of the film itself is quite blunt, yet I so appreciated this & found that it only kept it more realistic. Seemingly straightforward in it’s approach, this bluntness did mean that emotions don’t flow as freely you’d expect and are not visibly fluctuating or dramatised.

Something important to note is that Sorrentino’s film is not only a comment on one mans story, but of course society today. He may have been trying to paint a picture of the differing perspectives of modern Italians, a take on modernity that anyone abroad can relate to and understand. Though to say that Italians are either loudly materialistic or quietly philosophical is an exaggerated view of the two extremes, rather than a summation of all Italian culture. Sorrentino too so cleverly comments on the history of Rome in a beautiful way, as he shows the change in and disregard for Rome’s epic culture. For someone like Jep who writes about the light and life that Rome offers, he hadn’t written a single thing in 40 years, pleading ignorance to these cultural writings, as he got caught up in the generic party scene. Rome seems to be the perfect place and most definitely not just a pretty setting, but a backdrop to represent the need for Jep to find himself again.

As modernity and the party scene greatly contrasts the beautiful history of Rome, Jep, though the ‘king of the highlife’, finds himself and ‘the great beauty’ whilst focusing on the historical beauty of the city. This could be as though to say that he went back to what was always there, after decades of relishing in the fakery of high society. This is a point familiar to many, that money or fame cannot buy happiness or love, and that the novelty of it does wear away for good reason. And this is a popular debate, as we as an audience can comment on what we find most beautiful, challenging us to question our place in the world & whether or not we should rely so much on ephemeral materialism. Following his revelation of change within himself following his birthday, he states that ‘the most important thing I discovered a few days after turning 65 is that I can’t waste any more time doing things I don’t want to do.’ Whilst he sits down to drinks with members of Italian aristocracy and engages in meaningless affairs over the years, none of that was what he wanted to do.

Jep’s mission to find the ‘great beauty’ stems from not only the shock of the death of his only love, but the fact that he has an unfulfilled career goal. He had wanted to make a film about ‘happiness & how difficult it is facing the passing of time’. To which, whilst at another seating with Italy’s cream of society, friend Gustave Flaubert comments, ‘the finest works are those that contain the least matter; the closer expression comes to thought’. Again, Jep is searching for meaning and passion, but this focus on nothing is greatly existential.

And the film itself is a bit pretentious at times, as much as critics do drool over it, as it could be noted as a European wonder, as it’s expression is quite different to any classic British or American feature. Sorrentino seems to attempt to make a big point about the fragility and fleeting nature of life, yet it is hard to ravel. Maybe tedious, it does still make an excellent point and, marking what makes a terrific film, it does still have us audiences in deep thought. Is the poetic and philosophical nature of Sorrentino’s writing provoking, or just confusing? As Jep is surrounded by hopeful authors, brooding thoughts tossed around in an attempt to create some depth. Yet these statements that seek to inspire can be deemed as only artsy and somewhat overblown. Though it is absolutely not without it’s great moments of reflection. As Jep visits a friends’ wedding, he tries to engage in a meaningful conversation with a priest, who instead fobs him off as he becomes distracted with the gossip and scene around him. This is a moment that is impactful, as it presents the grand change in society and even how established figures, such as a priest, have become caught up in the popular bustle of daily life, rather than their deep-seated faith or thoughtful meaning.

Sorrentino’s master work that is ‘La Grande Bellezza’ (The Great Beauty), is critically acclaimed for good reason, as within it’s gorgeous colour, life and grand visual spectacle, there is still a beautifully resonant message. A film or piece of art’s interest can be defined by it’s discussion, as Sorrentino does successfully get this ball rolling. The film so successfully does capture a society who refused to collectively look inward, to which audiences are vastly inspired in all it’s philosophical questioning. Though it can be deemed as a grandiose piece of work, it is still nothing short of exceptional, and does deserve the majority of the praise it has received over the years. As travel is an aspect in life that educates and changes us, Sorrentino’s ‘La Grand Bellezza’ is like a walk through Rome that has the potential to immeasurably shape us, making it one for the books.

Stars Out Of Five: 3.5/5

visit at: dreamsofthescreen.com