DVD REVIEW: PARADISE

Leave it to the award winning screenwriter of Juno to write a comedy about a burn victim. Paradise is about Lamb, a highly sheltered young woman who was raised under strict religious values by her family in small town in Montana. A traumatic plane crash leaves most of her body severely burned, she later gets a large settlement of money from suing the plane manufacturer. The movie begins with lamb announcing that she will not give any of her new found riches to the church as originally planned but will go out to Las Vegas and start to enjoy life. When she arrives at sin city Lamb become friends with a female lounge singer, (Octavia Spencer) and an amorous British bartender (RussellBrand). Together they help Lamb check off things from her “Bucket List of Sin” in the city that never sleeps.

I must be clear that I am a Diablo Cody fan, I have been since the beginning when she wrote her novel Candy Girl, about her experiences as a stripper. What makes Paradise unique is that this is the first feature Diablo Cody wrote and directed. I had to check this movie out and watched it keeping that in mind. This movie, Paradise was made on a lower budget then the previous films she wrote. It was shot digitally, not on film but I feel this did not take anything away from the story because it was so funny and well written.

The witty dialogue in this film is what you would expect from Diablo Cody. It is the kind of humor that makes you laugh and then laugh louder when you think about it more. This writer's use of voice over is also a strong element. Cody said that this voice over was an after thought, conceived while they were editing. This narration helped carry us through the story, I am glad they added it. By the time I reached the films ending it was clear that this movie was more than just your run of the mill comedy. Diablo Cody paid attention to every detail, she foreshadows things nicely and it shows.

How well did this accomplished screenwriter do as a director? The movie looked good and showed off a different side of Las Vegas. The camera movement was motivated and supported what was going on in the scene, something first time directors can have trouble with. In a recent KCRW radio interview Diablo Cody said that being a full time mother and a director was too much, that she does not want to direct again. She did a great job. Maybe someday when her kids are older she will changer her mind and take the director's chair again. If Paradise is any indication, her fans will still be there. I know I will.

Hear the KCRW radio interview with the writer-director Diablo Cody.

 

Watch the Paradise trailer.

 

If you like my writing, please check out my suspense novel Box Cutter Killer which is priced to sell for the Kindle and the Nook. 

 

I am also the writer-director of the thriller Cam-Girl which will be released in early 2014. 

DVD REVIEW: Before Midnight (2013)

Chick flick. The term comes with some bad connotations and strikes fear into the hearts of boyfriends the world over. I know that I am not a fan of most of these movies, only because they tend to be as flat and predictable as a scratch and sniff book.

There are some exceptions to this, Before Midnight is one of them. This is the third film that centers around two characters, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy). Before Sunrise [1995] shows how they first meet and fall in love as they stroll around the streets of Vienna. The second film, Before Sunset [2004] reunites these characters years later under circumstances that create a blend of love and loss. Before Midnight is a bold and beautiful film that shows what a real long term relationship is all about. We get to see this couple nine years later while they are both on vacation at Greece. Are these two love birds happy? Yes and no, because this movie is like real life, things are complicated. They have twin daughters and Jesse is divorced but this couple is still dealing with the consequences. Each of them have their own responsibilities and jealousies.

What makes these three films unique is that this is a patient franchise. These movies are made almost a decade apart from each other, the characters mature at the same rate as the actors who portray them. This is a far cry from the shotgun fantasy franchises that they film at the same time just to make more money. Just as important is the fact that Hawke and Delpy share screenwriting credit with the filmmaker, Richard Linklater. It comes as no surprise that these actors give amazing performances as these two characters which they have co-authored. They chose Greece as the setting before they wrote the script which shows in how effectively they use each location.

One thing that separates Before Midnight from the two earlier films was the amount of time we see this couple interacting with other people. The diner scene for example surrounds Celine and Jesse with people that remind them of where they used to be as a couple and informs them about what may lie ahead. If you want to see what good writing and acting looks like, this diner scene is it.

Before Midnight lets me recommend one of these so called chick flicks. So curl up with your loved one, or your pillow if you have to and watch this film trilogy.



- Curt Wiser is the Author of the suspense novel Box Cutter Killer and the Writer-Director of the feature film Cam-Girl.     

Before Midnight on IMDB.




 

WHY EVERY WRITER SHOULD HAVE A BLOG:

A writer writes, plain and simple.  Yes we read, seek out new experiences and research or do whatever is needed to prepare for our next writing project but above all it is about pounding away as those keys, crafting the sentences and emotions for readers to enjoy all over the world.   Blogging has become a perfect way for writers to flex their muscles and write anything they want without the pressure of intending to have it read by publishers or producers.   Blogging is also fun because it is writing in short form without the standard formatting expectations that a novel or screenplay should have.

 

Things that are unique make a blog

stand out but would be frowned

upon in other forms of writing.

 

 

Blogging is a quick and easy free exchange of ideas.   One interesting example of this was HackingNetflix.com, a consumer advocacy blog lunched in November 2003 about news items, service features and methods of operation for the movie rental start up NetFlix.   This blog became an undeniable sounding board for customers' opinions as Netflix engaged in a war of attrition with Blockbuster Video, the rental giant of the time.   This blog was reported to be the source that Blockbuster execuives used to study NetFlix's distribution centers as they prepared to start up Blockbuster's online rental service.  With the 10,000 monthly visitors who habitually read this blog, it had the ability to and in fact did cause changes in NetFlix's policies.

In September of 2011 HackingNetflix.com posted news about the companies plans to divide the DVD rental service into a new company called “Qwikster” so you would have to make two different payments and search two websites if you wanted DVD and streaming content.  Most of the customers who replied to these blog posts criticized this idea heavily and a large number of NetFlix subscribers canceled their accounts.   The powers that be at Netflix decided not to divide up these services due to public outcry.

 

Back in 2004 NetFlix put a customer support phone number back up on their web site after HackingNetflix.com posted that it was taken which spurred customer outrage and got attention in the press.  You can read more about all this in Gina Keating's book Netflixed.  I recommend this book, it was an interesting read.

A blog is also a great way to promote yourself as a writer and build a readership, just ask Brook Busey-Hunt. Who is that you might ask? She is better known under the pen name of Diablo Cody. Before she burst into the scene with her academy award winning screenplay Juno, Brook wrote a blog about her experiences working as a stripper. Talent manager Mason Novick was one of the many male readers who no doubt stumbled upon her blog. Novick contacted her and convinced her to expand her blog entries into a non-fiction novel, a memoir which was published with the title of Candy Girl. This well written novel started Diablo Cody on her career path that led to the level of success she now enjoys. Check out Candy Girl, it shows that Diablo Cody's voice and writing talent was there from the beginning.

It is for these reasons that I started blogging once I was fortunate enough to find a distributor for Cam-Girl, a feature I wrote and directed and wrote on novel adaptation which is titled Box Cutter Killer. This blog is a great way for me to get the word out about the independent films that inspire me and share bits of advise to writers and filmmakers just like me.

So why should a writer blog? The only question now should be what to write for your next blog post.

GUIDE FOR MAKING BONUS MATERIALS FOR YOUR MOVIE

Special features or value added content as film distributors often call it are a great thing to have.   These elements can be packaged with the home video release of your movie. Whether it is a DVD, Blu-Ray or Holo-Disk (I made that last one up), this will give consumers a reason to buy your movie instead of renting it through video on demand or downloading it illegally.  It often makes a difference to me as I look at all of the options up on the DVD rack. Making a feature film is a lot of work, so why not spend a little more time to make your movie more appealing to retailers and the eager movie watching public.

That is why I knew bonus materials needed to be made for Cam-Girl, my first feature which I wrote and directed.   Producers and filmmakers should just plan ahead for this the same way they make sure promotional stills are taken during the production.  On high budget movies they interview the actors during the long stretches of down time while the Director Of Photography makes sure the lighting is perfect.   I interviewed one of the actors, Bjorn Jiskoot Jr. while the two leads were going over their lines. At the end of one of our days I asked our make-up artist, Sarah Okun a few interesting things about her job as she was cleaning her brushes.   None of our production time was wasted.   Months after we wrapped on the movie, I took the opportunity to interview our two lead actors Erin Nicole Cline and Joe Coffey when they came in for an ADR session.

We also had about 30 minutes worth of video I shot on the set.   I left the behind the scenes camera running while we shot an action sequence.   It helps to have a camera that is only used for behind the scenes filming so you can get footage of the camera and crew. People like seeing this objective point of view, it really helps re-create the feeling of being on set.

This footage was all used by the editor of the movie, Curtis Norton to create an entertaining behind the scenes documentary which is 30 minutes long.   The last thing I recorded was an interview of myself as the writer-director. This was after everything else was edited so I was able to fill the gaps and elaborate on things said in the other interviews.   I also recorded a writer-director commentary for Cam-Girl which was so much fun since I have been listening to every commentary I could get my hands on over the years.   Commentary is the easiest bonus feature to produce but there are two rules for making commentary worth listening to.

• Do not comment on what we can see with our own eyes or know just from watching the movie.   We don't need you telling us this is the scene where the character does this or that.

• Silence is deadly, just like in radio. So please do not stop and watch your movie.   I know it's your baby, it is hard not to but just don't do it. 

Look out for the home video release of the thriller Cam-Girl, which will be packed with special features. 

 

FOR MORE UNFORMATION ON Cam-Girl visit www.webcamthefilm.com

 

BUY THE NOVEL ADAPTATION OF CAM-GIRL FOR KINDLE HERE.

 

ALSO AVAILABLE FOR THE NOOK AND ON PAPERBACK.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

DVD REVIEW: Scenic Route (2013)

TWO MEN AND A DESERT.

Sometimes a movie's premise is so strange that you want to see it and hope that they pull it off. Buried (2010) is an example of that, just Ryan Reynolds buried alive in a wooden coffin.... for the whole movie. Could they make that work? Could that sustain your attention for 95 minutes, I thought as the cashier demagnetizes the Blu-Ray and the machine makes an eerie beeping sound.

I felt the same way when I first saw the DVD for Scenic Route on the shelf. On the cover was the face of Josh Duhamel, who is known from the mega budget Transformers franchise. He looks pissed off, has a beaten, bloody face and is sporting a Mohawk. In the background is a road and an endless stretch of desert where we see a full view of the man with the Mohawk, he wears a polo shirt and khaki pants while he wields one of his crutches in the air with what looks like the dead body of another man at his feet in front of him. What the heck is this movie, I thought as I quickly grab it off the DVD rack.

Scenic Route wisely opens with a well executed fight sequence with these two characters out in the middle of the Death Valley landscape. Then we are back with them as they drive down the desert road before all the fighting occurred. We watch the events unfold as we know that these two have a difficult journey ahead of them. Duhamel's character, Mitchell is sleeping in the passenger seat with a full head of hair. Carter, played by Dan Fogler is driving. Several things happen and these two, who we learn have been friends since high school are stranded in the desert where their cell phones have no signal. Yes, this story element of a cell phone dead zones is a cliche but with this setting, it is realistic.

What follows is what they call a two hander. The rest of the movie is a well written character study that feels like a play, with the exception of the vast landscape that practically becomes a character itself. These two men have grown up to be total opposites. They both started with the same aspirations but one chased wealth and family life while the other guy has blindly followed his dreams with nothing to show for it.

Without food or water, their lives hang in the balance while these two men argue and defend their choices in life. Some of the decisions the characters make in this situation are not smart, so that is tedious at times but over all I was captivated with the chemistry these two actors had and the command they had over the blunt dialogue of screenwriter Kyle Kitten.

This movie is definitely not for everyone and that is why I like it. The actors have expressed that they chose to make Scenic Route because it was a departure from the types of films they made in the past. Josh Duhamel was looking forward to getting a Mohawk, which was done for real. The production was scheduled around this punk rocker haircut. It is great to see an actor committed enough to do something like that. It made the story feel more real, more authentic because you could tell that they did not throw a bald cap on him.

The film's ending could be a point of contention. Some people might say that it is too drawn out, others may feel it was too ambiguous. My thoughts on it is that it gives you some sense of closure and I'm glad to see that they chose to end it this way. Scenic Route is an independent film and the filmmakers took advantage of that from beginning to end.

Curt Wiser is the author of the suspense novel Box Cutter Killer.

 

Box Cutter Killer On Amazon Kindle:

 

Box Cutter Killer on Barnes and Noble NOOK:

 

Official site and trailers for Cam-Girl, the movie the novel is based on go here:

OFFICIAL WEB SITE 

 

 

 

 

 

E-BOOK PUBLISHING GUIDE

E-books have changed everything as far as publishing is concerned. The popularity of E-books keeps growing and sadly, bookstores are closing. The good news, this is the best time for first time authors to get published. The bad news, the competition increases as self-produced e-books flood the market.

First of all, I suggest that you do not rush into self-publishing and try to sign with a publisher for your work. This will give you third party input, an edit and hopefully a professionally designed cover. Having a publisher, even a smaller one will boost the initial reputation of your book because it means someone said “Yes, I will sell this.” Just make sure that the other books the publisher is known for are similar to yours. These other titles in the publisher's library will help to promote your book when it is released.

If all else fails, self publishing is a luxury that was not a viable option for most writers until now. So go for it, take advantage of the fact that you call the shots and keep all the profits. I would recommend that you do a lot of proof reading and get feedback on the text and cover design before you go to press. You only get one chance at a first impression, so it will be worth all the extra time and effort.

Once your baby is ready to be taken out into the world, the next step is to get an ISBN number. This International Standard Book Number is a 13 digit number that is unique to your book and used to identify your book. Each edition, including separate E-book formats, audio books and versions written in different languages should have its own ISBN. This is a requirement if you want to submit your book to be distributed through stores, libraries or wholesalers. Every country has only one agency that is allowed to assign ISBN's for publishers (including self-published authors) who live in that country.

To purchase an ISBN if you live in the United States go to www.myidentifiers.com

Pricing is a main factor when it comes to sales and could affect the percentage of each e-book sale that you are given. This is why many E-books are priced around $2.99 because that is generally the lowest price it can be to get the higher share of profit. This is something you should research with possible retailers before you price your E-book because agreements change.

Some independent authors decide to give an E-book away for free. While this may seem like an act of madness at first, I assure you it's not. Just don't do this if you have only one book to publish. When author Darrell Pitt published his three book series Diary of a teenage superhero, he priced the first book, all 411 pages of it for free to get readers hooked. Free, people love that word and it's no surprise since the cost of everything around them keeps rising. This lets readers decide if they like your writing at no risk. Just make sure that even though you plan on giving away your E-book, it is the strongest example of your writing that it can be. If all goes to plan droves of people will decide to shell out a few bucks to buy your other books. Mention your other books and provide links in the back pages of your free E-book to get the most out of this promotion. Some boutique publishers do this for their books after they have been out in the market for a while. Wheelman Press, the publisher who released my first novel Box CutterKiller gives away free books.

FREE E-BOOKS FROM WHEELMAN PRESS.

Check out this informative E-book: So you want to publish an E-book? By J. P. Kurzitza

I also recommend these free E-books on the subject.

Secrets of successful writers –Edited by Darrell Pitt

The savvy book marketer - Edited by Dana Lynn Smith

 

 

Curt Wiser is the Author of Box Cutter Killer, a suspense novel available on Paperback, Kindle and Nook. 

BOX CUTTER KILLER for your Kindle

 

BOX CUTTER KILLER for your Barnes and Noble NOOK

 

 

 

NEW RELEASE MOVIE REVIEW: AFTERSHOCK

I went into this expecting a lower budget film about a group of party goers including Eli Roth, who get trapped inside a nightclub when a massive earthquake hits Chile. To my surprise this was a much bigger form of disaster film. The scope of the movie shows much of “The Real” Chile as the character played by the director Nicolas Lopez tells his American friend simply called “Gringo” played by Roth.

 

The situations and the way the characters responded to these life and death choices are brutally realistic. They use practical effects to show the destruction and carnage once the earthquake hits and the blood effects are well done. It takes a bit of run time before the earthquake happens, but not too long and then the action does not stop.

In the DVD making of the director said he got the idea for this movie because he survived a tragedy like this that struck Chile in 2010. It shows in the careful attention he took to make it feel real.

This review was written by Curt Wiser, Author of the novel Box Cutter Killer and Writer-Director of the movie Cam-Girl (aka Web-Cam).

 

BUY BOX CUTTER KILLER FOR KINDLE (ON SALE)

 

BUY BOX CUTTER KILLER FOR NOOK (ON SALE)

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOW TO PUBLISH YOUR FIRST NOVEL

By Curt Wiser: the Author of Box Cutter Killer.

It does not have to be the first book you write, in fact it is probably best if it isn't. But if you want to be able to call yourself a novelist, you need at least one published novel. The good news is that because of the growing popularity of E-readers such as the Nook, Kindle and Kobo the publishing landscape has changed. 2011 is the first year that e-books outsold hard covers. Digital books are more cost effective for the publisher and can be more affordable for the readers. Authors can even provide the reader with a more engaging experience by adding audio or video clips which they call enhanced e-books. A good example of this is the e-book autobiography by actor-comedian Kevin Pollak entitled How I slept my way to the middle.

So now is a better time than ever to break in as an author author as long as you embrace these changes and let them work for you. Because publishing has gotten easier there has been a proliferation of boutique publishers that price their e-books to sell, meaning anywhere from 99 cents to $4.99. These smaller companies are hungry for new authors and are much more likely to accept your submission and publish your novel. The interesting thing is that the major publishers have not yet relented, they do not lower the cost of the e-books they release. This only helps independent publishing grow, we up and coming authors salute you.

The first thing I suggest is to make sure that your novel is the best it can be and that you have gotten feed back from people before you submit it. This will give you time to come back to your story and look at it from a new perspective other than the initial fit of nirvana that comes with finishing a first draft of anything. Have a well written query letter and make sure that each one is changed in small ways that target the publisher specifically. Do your research, does this publisher have a track record, do they publish novels with the same genre and tone as yours?

I first contacted Wheelman Press because they put up an online posting looking for novels adapted from finished screenplays or produced movies. At that time we had just signed with a distributor for Cam-Girl (AKA Web-Cam), my first feature film. Serendipity hit me hard, that was a posting I had to reply to. After seeing the trailer for Cam-Girl, the publisher said a novel adaptation of this story is something they would be interested in. The only problem was it did not exist. I quickly let them know that and started writing immediately. I finished the first draft in under five months and sent it out to the publisher with my fingers crossed. This is when the waiting begins. Be patient but if you don't hear from your contact with the publisher send a friendly e-mail follow up once every two or three weeks. Use this time wisely, design a sample book cover or a book trailer, update your website that you will need to promote your novel once it goes to market.

Then on one glorious day you receive a proof copy of your book from the publisher. This is for you to review and to provide notes if you want any changes made before your book goes to print. The tendency is to rush through reading this proof copy assuming the publisher would not change a word or make formatting errors. You must resist this urge at all costs. The biggest mistake you can make in life is believing that anyone is infallible. I am amazed when I find glaring typing errors that slipped through the edits of books by major publishers and authors. So enjoy it, relax and carefully read your novel as if you were just a reader who could put the book down at any second because they have something better to do. This objectivity will keep you from taking anything for granted as you check the spelling, formatting and readability of the book.

I was impressed with what Wheelman press did, the font choices they made for the title page and the way they cleaned up the formatting. I gave them the notes on my proof read a week later and then the waiting continues. Again, be patient. Realize that the publisher has several books at different stages of development. At this stage the publisher will also file for an ISBN number for your book.

It is possible for the author to do all of this themselves and sell through Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords but I do not recommend taking this option. Writing and promoting your novel is enough work as it is without having to publish it too. Also having a publisher adds legitimacy to your novel and helps with the sales because the other books they sell can bring attention to yours.  An established publisher can get your novel sold through more venders than a first time, self published author could.

Buy Box Cutter Killer for the Kindle
Buy Box Cutter Killer for the Nook

Box Cutter Killer is a suspense Novel about a single mother who works as a web cam stripper and is pushed to the limit when held hostage by an unknown gunman.

Official trailer for Cam-Girl:

Official book trailer for Box Cutter Killer:

MOVIE REVIEW: THE PURGE

The Purge is one of those rare movies that did not resemble a big budget studio film in any way, yet it received a wide release in theaters.   This movie shows what you can do with an original high concept and a modest budget.   It helped that it stars Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey.   The Purge is about a family of four who are living in the near future during one day.   This just happens to be the one day of the year when any form of crime is made legal and no police or emergency response is available.   There are some rules; certain weapons are not allowed and of course government personnel of a high rank cannot be killed or attacked without consequence.  Elements like this make the story more belivable.   

The reason for this annual day of carnage is for the best interest of the nation because it has brought unemployment down to one percent and crime on any other day of the year to record setting lows.   This is all a type of therapy, an outlet to vent deep seeded primal urges for those who choose to participate.

So the family shelters themselves in their house with the help of an armored security system that covers all of the doors and windows. Around 20 minutes into the film a B-story kicks in then all hell breaks loose. A clan of young private school students have reason to break into the house.   The leader of this group played by Rhys Wakefield is exceptional and is such a believable sociopath you cannot help but be entertained while he was on screen.   Everything in this movie is made to feel hyper realistic which makes the situation even more terrifying.

The Purge holds up against any other movie playing in the theaters and was produced for 3 Million and it grossed 76 Million to date.   I hope the studios take note of this.   It should come as no surprise that The Purge 2 is in development.   There is countless places you can go with a strong premise like this.   For example, what does the white house do during this day of anarchy?   It would be interesting to see The Purge from the point of view from someone who hunts. Maybe they have a valid reason for choosing their prey and the audience could be routing for the hunters.   This movie causes us to ask tough questions of ourselves and that is why it is so great in my opinion.

I have to say that in the theater seated one row behind me were two fat women who talked throughout the whole movie.   I wanted to stand up and yell at these self centered ignorant people to vent my anger.   Instead I moved away from them. But as I did that I thought if the purge existed I might have followed those two out to their car, to find out where they live.

　

- Curt Wiser is the author of the suspense novel Box Cutter Killer:
Buy Box Cutter Killer for the Nook
Buy Box Cutter Killer for the Kindle

"MUD" FEATURE FILM REVIEW

STAND BY ME FOR THE NEW GENERATION. 

I feel that about sums the feature MUD up. Two boys stumble upon a strange man played flawlessly by Matthew McConaughey which leads them into a situation way over there heads. This is at it’s heart a coming of age story but with an edge. The boys learn about life in bold and dramatic ways yet the film was never heavy handed or boring.

That is because the characters are well written and both McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon seized the opportunity to bring them to life. Both actors proved their abilities and range as actors. It even for no other reason you should see Mud for the performances by all the actors including Michael Shannon, who’s theater background continues to serve him on the big screen as the comic relief in this story.

We can only hope they will take more parts like this so strong independent films can continue to be made and get their day in court.

Review written by Curt Wiser, the Writer/Director of Cam-Girl (aka) Web-Cam and the novel Box cutter Killer.   

IRON MAN 3 REVIEW

 
On May 3ed Iron Man 3 rocketed into theaters fueled by the smash hit The Avengers, which came out one year earlier on May 4^th 2012. From the beginning I had doubts about this third installment because it was not written or directed by Jon Favreau as with Iron Man and Iron Man 2. Iron Man 3 was directed and co-written by Shane Black, famed screenwriter of Lethal Weapon.

Given that, this movie exceeded my expectations. The action and effects were spectacular. The plot was cohesive and they definitely added some new and interesting elements to the Iron Man franchise. Without spoiling anything I will say that Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts gets to be more involved in this third film, she is not relegated to the sidelines. And lets face it guys, we like to see a woman of action. Ever since Alien made it a mainstream archetype, we have been drawn to attractive, strong, independent woman that is not just a girl to be saved. I kept this in mind when I wrote the character of Gessica, the female lead in my movie Cam-Girl (AKA Web-Cam).

Iron Man 3 also had a few surprises along the way, how the characters developed and what the villains weapon really turns out to be. These moments of the movie were refreshing, spontaneous and realistic for the given situations.

The one minor complaint I had was that a few parts of the story were written in a contrived way to reach an end result. This was done to force Tony Stark into his low point and it was also present during the big finale of the film. It turns out a lot went into making that final scene. In a Entertainment Weekly interview Robert Downey Jr. laments that he injured an ankle performing a stunt which caused a six week shut down during production.

This third Iron Man film provided great closure for the character and the storyline. As of now this is the last time Robert Downey Jr. is obligated to suit up as Iron Man. Part of me wishes this is the last Iron Man movie they make because it ended strongly. I’m sure they will make more Iron Man films because of there success. The question remains if it will be Downey Jr. as the character, it would be hard for me to imagine any other actor filling those iron shoes. I recommend Iron Man 3.


- Curt Wiser is the author of the suspense novel Box Cutter Killer:
Buy Box Cutter Killer for the Nook
Buy Box Cutter Killer for the Kindle

　

WHERE HAVE ALL THE MOVIES GONE?

From Curt Wiser Writer/Director of Cam-Girl (AKA) Web-Cam
and author of the novel Box Cutter Killer.
　


The day before I wrote this a fellow film fanatic said to me “I just miss good movies.” Then he went on to say, “Remember when you used to be able to walk up to the movie theater on a whim, like one in the mall and pick a quality movie to go in and see?”

He was right, movies like The Shawshank Redemption, Crash (2004), Taxi Driver,       The Breakfast Club and The Graduate shaped and spoke to their generation are history. Now our multiplexes are filled with Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters and Paranormal Activity 4. I reminded this big lumbering film fan that all of the studios are making fewer movies and producing them on skyrocketing budgets which dictates that they release these homogenous event pictures, or tent pole releases as they call them buoyed by a media blitz costing around 100 million dollars a piece. Imagine spending that much just on advertising, then you see it from the studios perspective.

This extravagant spending is what informs every decision they make. To do all they can to ensure profits, they need film franchises or at least a story with a pre-existing marketability. By that I mean a movie based on a popular book, The Hunger Games (which I liked) for example or even bank on the name recognition of a board game, as in the case of Battleship (2012). When they are digging deep enough to find source material like that it is no wonder why the result is a story as thin as the chipboard the board game is printed on.

The industry have developing mass-market films down to such a science, they even gave it a name. A four-quadrant film is the holly grail for studio executives. That means a movie designed to appeal to an audience of male, female, over and under the age of 25. They also want a story that is basic or primal enough to play just as well for foreign markets. That means action and sex, these subjects translate into any language.

Movies really are the most influential art form. They delight our primary senses and let us live out new experiences. Film is the largest communal outlet we have. Large gatherings of people sit in the dark and hope to watch something that entertains and enlightens, a movie that relates to our lives and shows us more about he human condition.

What can be done about this? Hear is the hard fact, the man who said “I just miss good movies” and I are both in our early 30’s. The majority of filmgoers are teenagers and under 25. If that is the group you’re aiming for making a baseless movie about a young male who chases an attractive woman while driving fast cars is a sound investment. So if you have a younger Brother or Sister, they are the ones who can make a difference. Show them what a relevant, well written movie looks like. Rare gems like Black Swan and Inception make there way into theaters. Seek out independent films, like I do. Usually this means straight to home video or video on demand titles but I’m fortunate enough to have an independent theater close to where I live called the Enzian. Is there an art house theater or a film festival near your town?

Lastly, let me say that I enjoy the occasional “feel good movie” as much as anyone, Evil Dead II, Taken and Death Sentence (2007) directed by James Wan of Saw fame are not high art character driven stories, yet they are exciting movies that are favorites of mine. The documentary The Blockbuster Imperative (2003) put it best when Dean Devlin mega-producer of films like Independence Day and Godzilla (1998) equated high budget, mass market movies to hot dogs. Devlin said “To me, a phenomenal French cuisine dinner is great but sometimes a hot dog is all you need and I’d like to say that we make pretty darn good hot dogs.” To which the narrator replies, “Hot dogs are fun but if you eat too many you get sick, sometimes you need a good cinematic meal and it’s no longer on the menu.”

EVIL DEAD (2013) REMAKE MOVIE REVIEW

　
No Spoilers are in this review, just honest opinions. Like most people who first heard about this remake I immediately checked out the IMDB to see if Sam Raimi was the Director (HE IS NOT) and if Bruce Campbell was going to give new life to the hero “Ash” we all know and love (NO AGAIN).
The Director is Fede Alvarez, a first time feature filmmaker from Uruguay who’s short film Panic Attack! went viral and caught the attention of Raimi and the other producers. The hero of this version was played by Shiloh Fernandez. This actor is best known from Little Red Riding Hood and Deadgirl, the latter being a very original twist on horror.
 
In this climate of desperate cash grabs with all these remakes, reboots and spin offs I had every reason to hate this movie going into it BUT I WAS SURPRISED. The reason for the group to go to the cabin was totally different from the original and the strongest element of the writing. If you are hoping to see an Evil Dead with the same tone as the original I’m sorry to say it is not there. The over the top gore, the creative camera work and comedic elements are absent on this trip to the cabin. What the remake does deliver on is amazingly strong cinematography and a hyper-realistic take on this story filled with practical gore effects.

According to IMDB Diablo Cody did a pass on the screenplay but it seems like everything from her draft was dismembered from the shooting script. This movie could have used some smart dialogue and more defined characters. Instead within the first 20 seconds as all the characters meet at the cabin they announce each of their jobs. What someone does for a living is a great incite into character but this was forced into the scene in an unnatural way. Diablo Cody did not get screen credit in the film so there you go, honest to blog as Juno would say.

Fans of the original will be happy to know that the score, the props, the camera blocking and editing will bring you back to the fond memories of Evil Dead 1 and 2. The tree attack scene was great and used reverse motion. Scenes like this and others take place at roughly the same running time as they did in the original film. For the modern horror film goers this new Evil Dead will be artfully shot and top of the line. I recommend this movie but not to people who want the fun independent over the top style of the original. STAY FOR THE CLIP AT THE END OF THE CREDITS, YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID.

- Curt Wiser is the author of the suspense novel Box Cutter Killer:
Buy Box Cutter Killer for the Nook
Buy Box Cutter Killer for the Kindle

CRAFTING THE PERFECT QUERY LETTER

By Curt Wiser

(WRITER/DIRECTOR OF CAM-GIRL AND AUTHOR OF THE NOVEL BOX CUTTER KILLER)

Every story is about conflict and the obstacles the main character must overcome. The biggest hurdle for an un-produced screenwriter is fighting past the gauntlet of industry people who never hesitate to say “NO UNSOLICETED SCRIPTS.”

Sometimes life can imitate art in profound and unfortunate ways.  First you should understand the reality of why agencies and companies have this policy.  It’s because of the threat of legal action as soon as they read your script and might have a script in pre-production with any similarities.  The second reason is that then have rooms in their building with scripts stacked from the floor to ceiling that they want to read.  There is simply way too much material out there, over 50,000 scripts are registered with the WGA each year.

So how do you get your best spec script read? First I suggest writing more than one script because I’m sure you will find that you get better each time.  Once you have the best example of your work you should focus on writing the strongest query letter that could ever be written for your spec.  This is how you become solicited are even better sign with an agent or manager to represent you.

The hard fact is the next blockbuster could be sitting on an un-produced writer’s shelf and never be read by anyone other than their Mother because they never perfected the art of writing the perfect query letter.

These are the most important criteria for writing your query.

- GREETING: Right from the beginning this could decide if they read another word of your letter and you haven’t even told them the title yet.

Dear Sir, Mr. Hollywood Producer or Miss. Big shot agent will not cut it.  You need the persons name that the e-mail will go to and you need to make sure the name is spelled correctly.  If it’s an androgynous name like Alex or Miko make sure you find out if it’s a Mr. Or Miss by either calling the place or through IMDB Pro.  (If you don’t have IMDB Pro access get it. That service is worth every penny.)

- LOG LINE: This is your “Elevator Pitch,” it is one sentence that quickly tells the reader all of the following about your story.  Genre, Title, Hook, Who the main character is, and What conflict the main character must face and overcome.

Sounds like a lot to cram into one sentence doesn’t it? Often the hook, the thing that intrigues the reader so they want to know more about the story is the same as the conflict. Or it is a brilliant title that leads the reader to picture the whole movie in their head.

Take Snakes On A Plane for instance, and to think that the studio New Line Cinema was reported to have tried to change that title.  According to screenwriter John Heffernan the original title stuck because star Samuel Jackson fought the studio to keep it.

Here is an example, it’s the log line that got my spec script Cam-Girl (aka) Web-Cam read and became my first written and directed by credit.

Cam-Girl is a thriller about Gessica, a single mother who works as a web cam stripper and is pushed to the limit when held hostage by an unknown gunman.

See, one sentence and it’s all there.  The producer who reads that thinks okay a stripper and violence, that’s marketable (If said producer does not object to nudity.)  Then they read she is a single mother.  She lives a double life.  That is interesting.  And she is held hostage by an known gunman. There’s your conflict.  The readers mind races with the possibilities of where that story goes.

That log line also makes it clear from the description that this movie could be made on a reasonably low budget and ultimately it was. It all starts with your log line.  You can test different ones out on your friends until you know which will grab them and not let go.  It is not that uncommon that the log line sounds better than the movie it becomes.  This is because creativity has no limits but a final production is full of compromises and limitations.

- DETAIL:

Next in your query letter is often a small paragraph that adds to the vision of the story that your log line has left in the reader’s mind.  Do you have a really original setting for your story?  If so describe it here.  Is your screenplay based on a true story or actually happened to you?  Mention that, it is often a big selling point because it gives them an angle on how to market them movie.

Is there a scene that is just so good that it will most likely create the visual for the poster? Sum up that scene in a few well written sentences that fits the tone of the scene.

- BIO or THE BIG CONNECTION:

Lastly I suggest you have one last very short paragraph that says something about you or why your spec is one the reader will respond to. This should seal the deal for you as a screenwriter and make them want to read your work.

Did you have any script that was sold or optioned?  Was any of your written work published?  Did you study screenwriting at a university worth noting, like NYU, UCLA or USC?

Here is the key, the most important element for your query.  The number one thing that could set your query letter apart from the others is some connection, any connection between you and the person you’re sending the query to.

You should always do your research first because of this.  Maybe you both went to the same college, you could have a mutual friend of a friend or it could be that you both have an affinity for water polo.  As long as it’s true, put it in your letter.  This proves to the reader that the letter was personally meant for them.  It also shows that you took the time to learn that about them.  They will think you must take your writing seriously.  I’ll give this young writer a shot and read their script.

If this connection you have with the reader is significant, open with it instead of putting it at the end of your query.

- CLOSING:

For the closing politely end your letter in a way that also states why you are asking of this person. I recommend something like:

I would like to submit my spec Cam-Girl for your consideration.

Thank you for your time,

- YOUR NAME and E-MAIL ADDRESS

[And thank you for your time dear reader. Best wishes on your queries.]

- Curt Wiser is the author of the suspense novel Box Cutter Killer:
Buy Box Cutter Killer for the Nook
Buy Box Cutter Killer for the Kindle