UNITED STATES OF FREE

     Remember person to person sharing sites like Napster?  It is clear now that this concept of free media going mainstream was ahead of its time.  This is the age of celebrities hosting free podcasts, and advertising based free TV and movie streaming services such as Pluto TV, Tubi and Crackle.  With piracy looking like an insurmountable problem, movie studios, film producers and music recording artists have adapted to stay alive.

     This is the United States of free, and yes it has cut into profit margins, but it does give power to the consumer, which in turn will bring people to these platforms in droves.  How does a filmmaker continue in this new climate?  Glad you ask, the following is case studies that should help you find the answers.

- Give for free then you’ll get back, you’ll see.

     There are many cases of artists giving away free content in order to earn a living from related work.  Filmmakers Adam Green (Hatchet, Frozen) and Joe Lynch (Everly, Mayhem) host one of the most popular podcasts on filmmaking called The Movie Crypt. This podcast started as a temporary way to promote their TV series Holliston, but it was such a hit they kept doing it for two years now. They make money off of the podcast by having a Patreon where loyal fans subscribe to get secret episodes and perks like getting to ask questions of their guests on the show.  They sell the bundle of their first 200 episodes since those are no longer on I-Tunes.  This podcast of course, also promotes the career of these two indie filmmakers, so it is a win-win for everybody.

     Filmmaker Ashley Scott Meyers has his weekly podcast, Selling Your Screenplay to drive traffic to his website to promote services he offers such as script consulting or an email blast to over 1,000 producers on his mail list.  Full disclosure: I was a guest on Selling Your Screenplay and worked with Ashley Scott Meyers doing some Visual Effects for his movie The Pinch.

     Alex Ferrari produces a mountain of free material under his Indie Film Hustle brand, including two weekly podcasts, a YouTube channel and a blog.  All this to promote his own script coverage service and Indie Film Hustle TV “The first streaming service designed to help Indie Filmmakers”.  Alex also makes money by having sponsors that he promotes during his podcasts and the two features he made, This is Meg and On the Corner of Ego and Desire occasionally becomes part of the curriculum he gives his large filmmaker audience.

     Many artists and creators have found ways to make their free content profitable.  For example, The guys at Red Letter Media have a popular youtube channel where they drink beer and give entertaining movie reviews.  Yes, they make money from Youtube advertisements but they also sell pint glasses, bottle openers and shirts with their logo on them through their website.

     Famous podcasters and youtubers sell tickets to live performances of their shows or even fan events.  The sponsors of the show also pay to be promoted at these events.  I Heart Radio, the largest radio/music streaming App put on one of the largest live music events each year, the I Heart Music Festival.  If you build the audience, they will come.

- Making the promise of free.

     This one is unusual, but no doubt has worked for some artists. When filmmakers Jeremy Gardner, Adam Cronheim and Christian Stella finished their ultra low budget, survival comedy Tex Montana Will Survive, the first thing they did was not let people see it! What!?  You see, they had been disappointed with the results of traditional distribution with their first movie The Battery.  So they launched a kickstarter showing clips of the new movie and said it will be released everywhere for free once they reach their goal.  It was a huge success, they raised $53,889 from 759 backers.  Within days, Tex Montana Will Survive was up on YouTube, websites and even uploaded to torrent sites by the Filmmakers themselves!  They knew if they reached their kickstarter goal it would mean a good profit from the movie right away.  Being an indie filmmaker myself, I can say it can take a while collecting royalties each quarter, chipping away at what was invested in the movie.  There is something poetic about getting one big lump sum from your audience and then releasing it out into the world like a baby bird.

- The Proof of Concept

     For Paul Solet, strapping a doll made up like a demon into a baby Bjorn and wearing him on was the smartest thing he ever did.  He did this when he attended major film festivals where his short film Grace premiered.  That visual ploy and the quality of the short film got a lot of buzz going.  Filmmaker Adam Green eventually saw the Grace short and then Produced the feature.  Paul Solet had the feature script all ready to go and made the short to create an opportunity just like this.  Making a short film or trailer for a feature not yet made is a common thing.  They call it proof of concept.  If you have a script you feel is the one, and you haven’t tried this method yet..... you really should.  It worked for Evil Dead, Office Space, Boogie Nights, Saw, Bottle Rocket, Hatchet and Napoleon Dynamite.... just to name a few.

     The proof of concept can take many forms.  For example, the hit novel Warm Bodies and the movie based on the novel all started from a blog.  Author Isaac Marion published the short story I am a Zombie filled with love, the story went viral and the rest is history.

• The future of free

     The path is clear, it has no sign of stopping.  It is a buzz word that makes your ears perk up.... say it with me.... FREE. That word gets almost as much attention as sex, and the industry knows it.  So what does the future hold for movies and television?  Television will eventually go a-la-carte.  I know Sling TV is getting close, but I mean you will not only be able to buy packages of channels, but each channel will have it's own price if that is all you want.  As the bottom line shrinks enough, the major networks and cable providers will have to adapt to the demands of the consumer. Obviously, they will delay this happening as much as possible. With Disney launching their own screaming service, ESPN and their other channels can be an exception to this and always bundled together.

     All of this means more power to you the consumer.  This sea change is a good thing, we should embrace it.  There will be a proliferation of these different streaming platforms, some will die off, many will thrive.  The reason these platforms will last is because they fill a nitch in the market, like Shudder is all things Horror or how Crunchyroll draws people in by being a one stop shop for Anime.  Other companies will flourish because they offer a huge library of movies or TV shows.  This means it will be harder for small indie films to stand out, but it also means more viable options will be there for filmmakers to distribute their movies.  Self distribution through aggregators like Distribber will grow stronger and never go away.

     Once the devices we use to watch all these platforms can search them all within one second and show us what our options are, that will be a game changer.  Apple TV and the Amazon Fire TV are very close to this, it will be no time at all.  I see most of these channels also existing two ways, one that is free with ads, and one that consumers pay for in exchange for not having to see ads.  A growing number of content will only be available exclusively on certain platforms, because these companies will pay a premium for it.  One thing is for sure, the future of this United States of Free looks bright, so sit back and enjoy.

What are your thoughts on this?  Please comment below.

Curt Wiser is the writer/director of the suspense movie Cam-Girl. He is also an author and writes movie reviews for OCmoviereviews.com

HOW MOVIEPASS MAY HAVE SAVED THE MOVIE THEATER

     

     I am writing this on September 2, 2018.  Things have been changing rapidly with MoviePass and other Theater subscription plans lately, so I thought giving this a time stamp was important.  For the moment, things have balanced out and we can think about what lies ahead.  Starting August 15 of this year, all MoviePass Subscribes who wanted to continue (even those who were on the Annual payment plan) agreed to a 3 movie limit per month at only $9.95 a month.  If you remember, that promotional rate of $9.95 Moviepass introduced in the middle of 2017 really made waves.  Prior to that, Moviepass had plans ranging from $25-$50 a month, and with the surging ticket prices, it seemed like a deal too good to be true.  But it was true, people were going to the movie theater again, we were reminded how great it is to be part of that communal atmosphere, to experience a story along with a large group of people.  Even though Moviepass was still paying full ticket price to the movie theaters, the large cineplex chains rallied against Moviepass.  They were afraid that Moviepass would decrease the value of a movie ticket..... (let me hold back my single tear)..... I think we all can agree that the prices needed to be lower.  I liken it to when ride share services threatened the transportation industry and brought prices down for the good of the consumer.  For proof of the finances behind the box office, look no further than this recent study by the-numbers.com.  You can read their full article here. https://www.the-numbers.com/market/

     As the chart above shows, since 1995 ticket prices kept going upward regardless of when ticket sales were on the rise or falling.  Now look at the very end of that graph, the last half of 2017 saw a big increase in tickets sold, I think it is obvious that the Moviepass $9.95 promotion being in full swing had to be a big factor with that.

     One thing is for sure, the movie theater industry could not continue on the path that chart clearly shows.  Eventually enough people would say.... “25 bucks for a movie ticket! Let's wait until we can see it at home honey.”  This chart below from that same article shows the actual ticket price increases over that same time period.

     There you have it, even during the 2008 economic recession movie theater companies raised the price of a ticket.  Yes, it was time for a change, and when the Moviepass deal came around, people embraced it, 3 million people in fact!  In response to this, the theater chains started their own ticket subscription services.

     Cinemark Movie Club offers 1 (one) 2-D movie per month at $8.99 with 20 percent off their concessions.  Oh boy, I get to do basically the same thing as paying for a single ticket... but I get to give the theater more money by paying for their popcorn at a 1,275 percent markup from actual cost. No thanks.

     AMC A-List lets you see 3 movies per WEEK, in any format for $19.95 plus tax per month.  I have to admit, if I had a lot of extra cash to give away, this would be more appealing to me than the current Moviepass offer.  But, like many of Americans out there, all these different monthly bills and services I pay for add up.  So $20 ends up being too costly for me when I rationalize that before Moviepass, I rarely wanted to pay to see two movies in the theater each month.  In other words, the AMC plan is making me pay more than I normally would, while the $10 Moviepass deal is at very least how much I would be spending on trips to the movie theater annually.  There is a reason why the basic Netflix streaming service has stayed below $10 a month all these years.  There is strength in numbers, and people want value for their buck.  The other aspect to this is, these other movie plans have the primary goal of having more people see movies only in their theaters.  While one of the things that makes Moviepass so great to me is the variety of theaters it is available at, Indie theaters and major theater chains in flagship locations alike.

SO WHERE IS THE PROFIT?

     You may be wondering, how can Moviepass continue to offer up to 3 movies a month at the $9.95 price?  The answer can be found at the top. Moviepass is owned by Helios and Matheson, which is an analytics company.  Like many other highly successful companies, such as Amazon and Google, this Moviepass parent plans on selling data they retrieve for marketing purposes.  They are already using that data, that is how they decided on the 3 movie per month limit, that amount would keep the majority of their subscribers happy, while also preventing the small percentage of people who saw an excessive amount of movies, in a way, abusing the system.  This statement from Moviepass CEO Mitch Lowe speaks to that:

Mitch Lowe blamed the service’s instability over the past year on “a small number” of subscribers who “have used our business model to a point where it was compromising the business’ long-term stability.”  The new model, he said, should remove the drag on the service caused by “the small number of subscribers who imposed undue cost on the system by viewing a disproportionately large number of movies.”

You can read the full article that quote came from HERE.

     But wait there's more.  The Moviepass App has advertising, not too much at all, just a trailer for a movie that plays on its home page.  With millions of subscribers however, that gives them some advertising clout.  Moviepass has way more subscribers than any of these similar services.

     Another way to monetize this service is through partnerships with movie studios and theater chains.  By offering a selection of movies to its subscribers, Moviepass can have studios willing to strike a deal to have their movies available.  Even better, by even selecting what days certain movies are available, Moviepass can drive up ticket sales on a slow business day... like any given Tuesday.  The list of movies available through Moviepass are updated on the website every week, you can see it HERE. 

     This way I'm listing last, because it is the most risky.  Moviepass Ventures is a film finance company that has started to co-finance major motion pictures.  One of those movies is the highly entertaining and unique heist movie American Animals.  They picked that movie up after it was a hit at the Sundance Film Festival, and I can see why.  They did take a hit on the John Travolta movie Gotti.  Next is a Crime Thriller called 10 Minutes Gone starring Bruce Willis.

      Will ticket subscription services be the thing that turns everything around?  Will it revitalize the movie going experience that used to be a treasured, weekly institution?  Of course piracy is a big part of all this.... I feel the best way to combat this is to give people a reason to see more movies in the theater again.   Foreign box office sales now account for almost three times as much sales in America.  In 2017, the global box office hit a record of $40.6 Billion, while domestic sales fell to $11.1 Billion, the lowest it has been for 23 years.  This used to be the opposite.  Will services like Moviepass drive more Americans to the theater, which in turn will enable the studios to make a wider variety of movies again?  I sure hope so.

Curt Wiser is the Writer/Director of the Suspense movie Cam-Girl.  He is also an author and writer for www.ocmoviereviews.com

HOW TO TAKE REJECTION AS AN ARTIST

     The most important thing we all learn as artist of any form, is that rejection will be part of the deal.  Near constant rejection in fact.  An understanding of this harsh reality is the first step, dealing with it properly is the other.  Even the biggest names and best works have to carve through an avalanche of rejection.  Here are a few examples that will put your mind at ease.

     We all know of Sylvester Stallone and his breakout performance (and script) from Rocky.  What is less publicized is that the executives at Warner Bros. at the time loved the script, it was a go picture but...... Stallone said he had to play Rocky, he wrote the part for him to play, and the Studios said no (go to 1:28 in the video).  They not only said no to him as an actor over and over, but they offered him more money in return for making the movie without him playing the lead.  This former Rambo star stuck to his guns and the rest is film history as we know it.   Now, can you imagine another actor playing Rocky? Just look at the career Stallone has as well.  

     Take the hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black.  At one point you could have taken it because nobody else would.  One of the shows Executive Producers, Jenji Kohan has said that she pitched the series to every network in town before it landed on the office desk at Netflix.  This is a long running, Emmy Award winning show here.  I can’t speak for them but I have a feeling Netflix is happy Kohan faced that rejection before the show was produced with them.

     Dr.Seuss, as the story goes his first book was rejected by 27 publishers before one said yes.  I am sure his estate is glad that he pressed on with the submissions to publishers and made it 28.

     Lordof the Flies, before it was made twice as a movie it was a WilliamGolding novel.  This brilliant piece of literature was treated like the pig on his fabled island, his novel was rejected 20 times before it was published.

     Being an Artist, I liken it to a bull rider.  Oh yeah, you will be thrown off, crashing to the ground with a face full of dirt, but to make it you must get back in the saddle.  I endured six years of rejection until Cam-Girl, my third screenplay was the right script that was read by the two produces it took to believe in it and make it happen.  Before that I even wrote a non-fiction book that was rejected everywhere, and that is good because that Work was substandard.  For some of you this will be hard to accept, but there are many reasons for constant rejection in the Entertainment field, and one of them is because approximately 90 percent of the scripts that are written, or people who ever attempted acting are just not good enough.  That is exactly why you need to keep at it if you ever want a chance to succeed.  You should get better, you will get better, but you must be fully dedicated and have a hunger to learn about your craft.

     Some other things that make rejection a necessary part of the Entertainment world include, all the agents, producers and star actors out there are just too busy to consider every pitch that floods their email and social media every day.  Rejection is the industry’s way of thinning out herd for them.  It is a vetting process, also, it only makes sense that they would be more interested in a project that was referred to them by a friend or have prominent people already involved.  Besides that and the time factor, the other other reason is legality.  It goes without saying that lawsuits are very common these days, so professionals and business entities need to shield themselves from that.

     Okay Curt, I get it, now how do I deal with the rejection?  The answer is simple... and complex.  It has to be something you find on your own.  There are many ways people rise up from adversity, some work even harder, some let off steam at the gym, some vent about it through their art, others find comfort talking about it with loved ones or friends who also work in that field.  There are plenty of film groups, writers’ meet ups and Acting schools that can be your outlet for this.  Find what works for you, because much like rejection itself, the art of dealing with is a part of the deal if you want a career.

-Curt Wiser is an author and the Writer/Director of the suspense movie Cam-Girl now on DVD and Amazon Prime.

CREATING SALES ART FOR YOUR MOVIE OR BOOK

     An image speaks louder than words, we've all heard that expression.  I feel that is mostly true.  After all, an image can be seen and processed by your brain in less than a second.  In this ultra fast paced on-demand world, a second is all you may get to grab someone's attention.  

     Over the course of having my first feature Cam-Girl released worldwide and a few distributors involved to give input, I've learned a lot about what goes into making sales art that gets their mouse buttons clicking.  First, it must be said that every case is different.  What is the genre of your movie or book?  Look at examples of other sales art similar to your product to get ideas.  

     If it is a movie, do you have a well known actor in it?  If so, it is a smart play to put that actor's face as the prominent subject on your sales art, even if they were only in one scene.  This is done all the time, in that case the actor is the sales incentive, the element that will bring attention to your movie.  If you do not have that in your favor, you will need to have a striking image that best represents your story and what the viewer should expect.  For example, the poster of a Psychological Thriller should look much different than that of a violent Horror film.  If you have an action movie, the image should capture a moment in the middle of an action scene.  If it is a teen sex comedy, you better believe that a teenager and an attractive woman would be on the sales art.  

     In our case of Cam-Girl, we had several story elements to consider.  Here is the logline: 

A single mother who works as a webcam stripper, is pushed to her limit when held hostage by an unknown gunman.

     So we have the single mother character motivation, the sex appeal of her job as a cam girl and the home invasion suspense plot.  How do you hit all these points home with one image?  I went to work and here is the poster I designed:

     We have the title big and at the top, the four images that highlight those story beats of sex, violence and motherly love.  Also the tag line, "One phone call will turn this stripper into one bad mother" those words separate each image relating to the one below it. 

Here is the full art for the North American DVD release:

     
     Not bad right?  Well, when I signed with a distributor for foreign territories, they said they would want new cover art made.  Not a problem I said, this distributor Leomark Studios has been distributing content worldwide since Video On Demand sales started.  I would have been a fool to think I know more than they do about streaming sales and what image would be likely to bring in a return.  

When they sent me the artwork they want to use, I instantly knew they were right.  Here is the foreign release sales art for Cam-Girl:

     Again, the title is big and at the top.  The image is high contrast and sells these two main story elements, an attractive cam girl who has a stalker.  But most importantly...... it is told all in one big image.  This is a must these days because your cover art not only needs to spark interests as a full sized poster, but also when it is a mere thumbnail image among a catalog of competing images in a video queue.  Take this for example:

 
     Take a look at my original poster on the far right.  Those four images do not read at all at that size.  Now, see the new art which is the center image, that still stands out even at this diminutive scale.  As filmmakers we do not have control over how these Video On Demand platforms display our poster.  Instead we need to make that sales art work even in the worst case scenario such as the one illustrated above.

     For a Novel, you can take more liberties with the image because that format plays into the imagination of the reader.  A book cover could be an illustration instead of a photograph, just as long as it best represents the story and the tone of the prose.  The same rules apply, but you are not pinned down by the images the same way you are for a movie.  It still needs to be a high contrast, evocative image that will make them want to know more, discover what lies behind the image. 

     Cam-Girl is about to be released in the foreign territories with the new art, so I do not yet know how big of a difference this will make.  What I do know, much like the sales art itself, the future looks bright.    I hope this helps, happy filmmaking.

Curt Wiser is an author, filmmaker and writes film reviews for www.ocmoviereviews.com  

HOW TO BECOME A FILM CRITIC OVERNIGHT.

     To be fair, the title is referring to how quickly I went from not really pursuing writing reviews for film, to being a critic for a popular review outlet.  In a way I have been working towards it for years by being a writer and filmmaker, but at the same time it feels like it just happened in a flash.

     All it took was reading a post on Twitter from OCmoviereviews.com saying they are looking for writers.  A sent an email with samples of my work and a brief pitch for why I would be a good addition to their team.  Within two days I was writing for them and feel happy to share great movies that may be overlooked.  That was my way in, that was my reason for wanting to do this. If you want to do it for the glory or the perks, that will most likely not be a good experience.  If your heart is not in it, the work will suffer.  So that is the first tip:

• Figure out why you should be writing reviews.

     Another good example would be saying, I am a filmmaker and I would like to bring that perspective into my analysis.  That was something I said in my email, that is a unique perspective, it is something of value that you have to offer.  I wrote and directed a suspense movie called Cam-Girl which is available on Amazon DVD and multiple VOD platforms.  Yes, part of my incentive for writing reviews is to get more exposure for Cam-Girl by making that part of my bio.  Also, do not get me wrong, the perks of getting a press badge for a film festival or seeing movies in advance for free is great, it just should not be the primary thing that motivates you.  The other thing I had going for me was I have been blogging for around three years.

• Have strong samples of your writing.

     These should be movie reviews, not short stories or poems.  They need to know you can do the job and writing reviews is a different kind of discipline.  I had some movie reviews I wrote for this blog, most of the posts I make here are helpful (at least I hope) guides for writers and indie filmmakers.  Of course, I only sent the link to the review posts and the link to a review show I made with my friend and Editor Curtis Norton on YouTube.  It has good production value for being a YouTube review show.  It is called VS, you can watch it here:

     My purpose for writing these blog posts was also to spread word about our movie, because these days filmmakers need to create a steady stream of engaging content that subtlety promotes the thing you are trying to sell.  In other words, you are giving valuable information or entertainment for free, in exchange for the hope people respond to your ask, whatever that may be.  The point is, when opportunity knocks, you need to already be prepared to answer the call.  I never intended these blog posts to be writing samples, but I am sure glad I had them.

• Define your voice as a critic.

     As soon as you can, land on a writing style for your reviews.  The same can be said for any writing type.  Review writing can take many forms, it can be straight forward and analytical or it can be causal, like having a conversation with the reader.  You could add details about your film going experience or tell how some of these movies relate to you on a personal level.  Whatever style you end up, it should be something you embrace, it should feel like it chose you.

     The voice is what makes the writing fun, it is your signature.  In my case I write reviews with an organized structure, yet it is also free-form, like a conversation but also give my thoughts on it as a filmmaker.  I never give entirely negative reviews, because every finished movie is a victory, a major accomplishment.  Also, I am well aware that cinema, as with any art form is open to interpretation.  You may find aspects of a movie to be a fault, while your reader will see it as a strength.

• Learn the rules of the format.

     Once I knew I had the gig, I asked my contact at the company what length the reviews were expected to be, how often a new review should be written and what their editing process is like.  These things are all very important and can vary from one media outlet to another.  For example, will they want you to list the other movies the actors you mention are associated with or will they fill that in?  Those other titles are important because they are extra search tags that can bring more traffic to the web site.  Also, they might want to pick what other movies are mentioned so they can link to other reviews found on their site.  Will they want you to send photos that would go well with the review?  Should you have an author bio at the end?   

• Share, enjoy, rinse and repeat.

     Celebrate the movies you are proud writing about, share those reviews on your social media and with people you meet in the real world.  It feels good don’t it?  Well you earned it.  Remember reaching the end of any review is an open invitation to discover a new movie and write another.  My reviews on OCmoviereviews.com can be read here.  Thanks for reading, I hope this encourages you to write, watch a movie or even share a story with a friend.   

  

Curt Wiser is an author and filmmaker, he Wrote and Directed the suspense movie Cam-Girl.

A GUIDE TO USING VOICE OVER 

IN YOUR SCREENPLAY

Written by Curt Wiser

     American Beauty, The Usual Suspects, Sunset Boulevard, Network and All the President's Men; what do all of these films have in common?  They all have won Academy Awards for either Best Picture or Best Screenplay.... and they all use voice over.

     Many of my favorite films have voice over and that is usually one of the things that I really love about them.  Over the years writing voice over has gotten a bad wrap, as if just daring to type [V.O.] is the death knell of any spec script.  This is probably because it is used improperly in sloppy ways by many writers as a short cut, an easy out.

Well I would like to set the record straight and give writers the ability to write voice over with confidence and not worry that it has a bad stigma associated with it according to some.

     So far every spec script I have written has had voice over in it and one of those, Web-Cam (2011) landed financing and was produced with the voice over left in tacked.

Web-Cam is a Thriller about a web cam stripper who is pushed to the limit when held hostage by an unknown gunman.

     I decided to tell this story with voice over because the film revolves around Gessica, a cam girl.  Using voice over lets me bring the viewer into what it must be like to work such a strange job and how it could affect them.  If it is something your character cannot put it into words like that, then you can say it with voice over.

The first question you should ask: Is this story one that would be better told if it had voice over in it?

     Think about a classic film like Taxi Driver.  If it did not have voice over it would just be a quiet DeNiro siting alone in a cab.  What about Danny Boyle's 127 Hours?  If it was for the voice over or those video tape messages that the character made, the whole movie would be James Franco caught under a rock screaming.

The next question: Is dialogue/voice over your strong suit as a Writer?

     If not, then you can force yourself to have a better ear for it.  Go to a party and just listen to all the different conversations around you.  The other option is you could find a writing partner to write it for you.

     I know what you are thinking.  The main mantra has always been show don't tell, so why should I put voice over in my new masterpiece?  I agree that you should show and not tell but that refers to the stories plot and inciting incidents.  That is way I say:

NEVER USE VOICE OVER AS EXPOSITION.

     That means do not tell why something is happening or has happened or explain why a character is doing anything with voice over.  I will not list some titles but there have been some major motion pictures that managed to get produced somehow with poorly written voice over exposition.  Those films have flopped hard at the box office and maintained one star ratings on NetFlix.

NEVER SAY ANYTHING IN VOICE OVER THAT IS CLEAR TO THE AUDIENCE OR SAID ALREADY WITH DIALOGUE.

That one goes without saying, you do not want to be repetitive or waist a single word in your script.

So how should voice over be used?  Here are some examples from films that I admire and writers that are a force to be reckoned with.

• CONVEY WHAT A CHARACTER IS FEELING.

     This is the most common way voice over is used. It is also the most likely form that can be miss-used.  So make sure there is no alternative to using voice over this way, then make sure it is not overtly stating how the character is feeling.

Here is the immortal Taxi Driver as an example:

Travis Bickle (V.O.)

Damn, the days go on and on, they 

don't end. All my life needed was 

a sense of some place to go. I 

don't believe one should devote 

his life to morbid self-attention.

(a beat)

I believe that someone should become 

            a person like other people.

     What Paul Schrader is implying here is that his character Travis is so isolated and disillusioned in his pathology of loneliness that he does not even feel like a real person, he does not feel alive.  Now the character could have just said “I'm lonely, it's like I'm not really here, I think it is because nobody loves me” but that would be nothing compared to Schrader's prose.

     Remember, a good actor should be able to convey any emotion or feeling with just their eyes.  But not even the best actor in the world can put a feeling into words that hit you in the gut or sound like pure poetry the way great voice over can.

• REVEAL SOMETHING IMPORTANT ABOUT A CHARACTER.

     This would be some internal detail, like the character's point of view, their hidden intelligence or private thoughts.  Take Frank Darabont's sleeper break through film The Shawshank Redemption for example.

Red (V.O.)

I must admit I didn't think much 

of Andy first time I laid eyes on 

him, looked like a stiff breeze 

would blow him over. That was my 

              first impression of the man.

Notice how the line “That was my first impression of the man” subtly says that there is more to Andy than appearances, he should not be underestimated.  That is good writing.

It could also be used to show how a character lives a double life.  Look at American Psycho, One Hour Photo, Mr. Brooks and Secretary for examples of that.

• DRAMATIC IRONY.

     This is the classic writing term that means the audience has knowledge about something before the character(s) in the story do.  This technique is a great way to create suspense.  I chose Alan Ball's brilliant script American Beauty as an example of this.

Lester Burnham (V.O.)

I'm 42 years old, in less than

 a year I'll be dead. Of course 

I don't know that yet. And in 

               a way I'm dead already.

That was the opening of the film.  It leaves us wondering how this poor guy meets his end as we grow fond of him over the course of the film.

• COUNTERPOINT OR COMIC RELIEF.

     Well placed voice over can completely break the tension or change the tone of a scene by showing what a character would say if it was appropriate.... but it is not.  It could also be a funny non-sequitur like in Diablo Cody's Juno.

This is what Juno is thinking when she sees the high school track team run by as she breaks the news to her teenaged friend that she is pregnant and he is the father.

Juno (V.O.)

When I see then all running like 

that with their things bouncing 

around in their shorts I always 

picture them naked even if I try 

not to. All I see is pork swords.

Now that breaks the tension and how can you not laugh at “pork swords”?

• SCENE TRANSITIONS.

     One of the staples of good writing is how well one scene transitions into the next.  If it plays well, the voice over at the end of the scene could be the start of the spoken dialogue at the beginning of the scene that follows.  This can make your screenplay more concise by keeping things moving and it can show how the two scenes relate to each other.

My example for this would be the operatic ending to The Usual Suspects, the film that put the screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie and the Director Bryan Singer on the map.

     The film ends with an iconic montage that strings all of Verbal Kint's interrogation together as voice over along with quick cuts that reveal it was all a lie and that he is the notorious Keyser Soze.  The last line of the film is Voice Over.

Verbal Kint (V.O.)

... and like that, he's gone.

• FORESHADDOWING.

Lastly, voice over can plant a seed in the viewers mind.  By that I mean to hint at but not fully explain what will happen or what the scene is really about.

See how this one single line from Fight Club is not given much thought at first but speaks volumes by the end of the film.

This voice over takes place during the scene when Edward Norton's character is beating himself up in his bosses office so he can extort money from his employer.

Jack (V.O.)

For some reason I thought about 

my first fight... with Tyler.

     With that screenwriter Jim Uhls makes a clever hint to the film's big reveal at the end, that Edward Norton's character and Tyler are the same person.  If an audience can pick up new things in your film on the second of third viewing, that is good writing.  Such is the case with Jim Uhls adaptation of the groundbreaking iconoclast novel Fight Club written by Chuck Palahniuk.

     Good screenwriting is all about structure and if you use voice over, that needs to have a structure too.  It should be consistent. If you have 30 minutes worth of voice over in the first act only that will come off as bad structure.  The viewer will get used to hearing that voice over and then you would be taking it away.

     Most scripts that use voice over have it mostly at the beginning and then at the end. American Beauty is a good example of this. Juno begins with the voice over “It all started with a chair.” Then the closing echos, “It ended with a chair.”  Now that is symmetry, that is good writing.

     I hope I have let you think about voice over in a different way. So that maybe your characters will be able to make us laugh, cry, be inspired or even experience something new through the well crafted thoughts in their voice over.

Curt Wiser (V.O.)

Fade Out

WHEN (IF EVER), IS IT OKAY TO GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS?

For artist, entertainers or anyone with ambitions beyond a dull 9 to 5 will know this question well. Either they have asked it of themselves, or a loved one has brought it up.  The thing is, this question is so personal that there can never be a definitive answer.  But what you can do is evaluate your progress every few years up until the point you’ve made the big time.

Here are some questions I think you should consider:

1. How is your quality of life?

     Since you started pursuing your dream, to the extent that it is a full time job, how do you feel?  If the dream brings you joy, relaxation, or a feeling of solidarity, that is a very good sign.  As long as these endeavors don’t drive you to live out on the street, you’re fine.  Now, if this is starting up a small business, and you have been only breaking even for years and it all feels like the slog of a day job, well, it may be time for a change. Are you not getting enough sleep and feel like you have no free time because of this double life you are leading?  Is there anything you would be happier spending your time and money on?  If so, why not give that a try, devote a month to it at least, maybe that could end up being your true calling. 

     Furthermore, how does all this make other people feel?  Other business partners, your spouse, your family.  Sometimes it is easy for us creatives to forget, the world does not revolve around us.  This brings us to question number two.

(I am never happier, or feel more complete, than when I’m writing, drawing or making movies.  Writing/Directing a feature was one of the most fun and challenging things I’ve done, I’m looking forward to doing it again.)

2. Do you have dependents?

     If you are married with children, the right thing, the adult thing, is to put their needs and quality of life as a higher priority than your own.  As long as your day job puts food on the table and lets you fulfill your job of life, as a spouse, parent, or guardian, go for it, keep on dreaming.

(I am a single guy, for now.  Keep swiping right ladies, I’m here.  No children.)

3. Risk versus Reward

     This dream train you’re riding…. where has it gotten you?  Have you made money?  If you’re a writer, have you been published or produced, won any contest?  Dancers, musicians, comedians, everybody has a way to get affirmation of their talent.  As long as you are out there dedicated, doing your thing consistently, you’ll know, the world will tell you, just take the time to listen.  That being said, I would never suggest to make your decision to keep doing what you love based on what other people think.  It does matter, however, if your goal is to have a career doing this thing you love.  If five years or more have gone by and you have not seen any positive growth, you may be on the wrong track. You can always get off at the next station and take the next train.

(In the last 15 years I have written and directed the suspense movie Cam-Girl, written articles that were published in magazines… back when print magazines and book stores were a thing and I’ve had my first novel published.  I have made money doing what I love, paid writing jobs and royalties from sales of our movie. Perhaps, most important of all, even my day job is in the entertainment field.  So, for the last five years I have made a living entirely by living the dream.  I should also note, that the first 5 years of that, I did not have any of that good news, but I kept at it.  I never gave up and continued to believe in myself.)

4. Plausibility

     This is the easiest example, I like easy, if you want to be a pro athlete and it has not happened by the age of 40…. it’s time to get that desk job.  You can always shoot hoops with your co-workers and tell them about how you almost made it to the big show.  Do you want to be an actor but you cannot get over stage fright?  Do you simply not have enough time to dedicate to your dream no matter how early you get up in the morning? These cases are very rare, but if you find yourself in this position I am truly sorry.  It is surprising how far some people will go to keep living the dream.  Take the late screenwriter Scott Lew as an example.  He had ALS - Lou Gehrig's Disease for the latter part of his career.  He had to use special software that let him write by moving his head to direct a laser pointer at a digital keyboard.  Then an assistant came in to polish the writing.  Scott Lew did not let these major physical hurtles stop him, he adapted to it.  The only bright side is this thing that is holding you back, is totally out of your control.  It’s just life, physical limitations or the weight of time.  Many people who have this happen to them end up teaching or training the next generation to pursue their shared dream.  This way you are still involved with the thing you love, just not in the spotlight.

(Thankfully, I can write as long as my brain still functions.  Former girlfriends make question my brain function now, but that is beside the point.  I plan on maintaining a healthy body and mind for as long as I can.)

     The decision is yours and yours alone.  How you interpret these questions and prioritize your answers is entirely up to you.  It's all personal, that is why I encourage you to find other relevant questions based on your position, your lifestyle.  Please note that these questions are only applicable if you have been doing the work required to reach your ambitious goals, that means it should feel like a second full time job.  A fair estimate is 21 hours a week, you should spend about that much time on it, because I can guarantee other people who have a career in your field did at least that.  If you have not put in the time, that is a strong sign that this is not a dream for you.... it is a hobby.  There is nothing wrong with that at all, hobbies are important, they balance out the stresses of life and if you realize it is a hobby you can relax, spend as much time as you want on these projects without the burden of success.

     Some of you out there, may have read the title here and said, “When is it okay to give up on my dreams? ...... NEVER.”  Good for you, that is a great answer, the kind that often yields results.  If your dream feels like work, instead of a passion, an essential part of your life, it might not be right for you.  Similarly, if you spend more time talking about writing than planting your butt in your chair (or at a standing desk) and writing, or watching other people dance more than you take the dance floor yourself, or listen to music instead of practicing your bars, it's time to get in the game, either that or try being a critic, teacher or assistant in that field.  Why?  Because actions get things moving, otherwise you are standing in place, watching the doers of the world lap you again and again.  We need more doers, join us.    

Curt Wiser is an Artist, writer and filmmaker.  He has written for Indie Slate Magazine and other publications.  His first feature Cam-Girl is available on DVD and Amazon on Demand.  Curt graduated with a BFA in computer animation from the University of Central Florida.  

TOP 10 FILMMAKING PODCASTS

These days aspiring filmmakers really have no excuse not to be prepared and well informed.  Whether it's the droves of articles, books, feature commentaries and FREE Podcasts on the subject, it is almost too much to choose from.  A nice problem to have.  On the podcast side, this should make it a little easier for you.

This list is NOT RANKED in any order, these are what I feel are the 10 best podcasts that consistently cover the subject of film and film making.  In full disclosure I have been a guest on three of the podcasts listed here to promote my first feature Cam-Girl.  I note which ones they are and promise you that did not affect my list.  These are all exceptional podcasts, so I was thrilled to be a guest on even a few of them.


1)     The Movie Crypt
Your two hosts are high level horror filmmakers.  Adam Green is best known for the Hatchet franchise and Frozen (2010) - Not the Disney movie.  Joe Lynch has directed such movies as Everly (2014) with Salma Hayek and Mayhem (2017) which starred Samara Weaving and The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun.  So clearly Adam and Joe are industry professionals, but above all they are close friends.  This dynamic makes for entertaining and informative conversations with a different film industry guest each week.  For the more dedicated fans, you can provide questions for them to answer on the show or get some time to talk with Adam and Joe if you contribute to their Patreon.  They even set the record for the worlds longest podcast last year when they hosted a 48 hour marathon to benefit the Save a Yorkie Rescue Foundation.

2)      Indie Film Hustle
Alex Ferrari, is a self starter and the host of this podcast which truly lives up to its name.  Much like his resourceful guests, Alex puts the "H" in Hustle.  He produces at least one podcast episode a week, publishes a gambit of helpful articles and social media posts through his IndieFilmHustle.com brand.  If that was not enough, he recently wrote/directed/shot and produced his debut feature, a comedy called This is Meg.  Alex Ferrari has even been generous to use his experiences from making that movie and seeing it through distribution to better inform his listeners, who he calls "The Tribe".  His web site is a one stop shop for the podcasts, filmmaking resources and other services he provides.  This podcast is helpful and often inspiring for filmmakers and creatives alike.

3)     Selling Your Screenplay   (I am the guest on Ep. 135 - Listen here.)
This one is by screenwriters, for screenwriters.  Writing is my favorite part of the process, so naturally I was drawn to this podcast.  Your host, Ashley Scott Meyers has been a working screenwriter for nearly 20 years, with his first produced script Dish Dogs (2000) starring Shannon Elizabeth and Matthew Lillard, up until the Crime Thriller The Pinch (2017) which he also directed and produced.  What I enjoy most about the Selling Your Screenplay Podcast is the variety of screenwriters he has on.  The guest could be anyone from first time indie filmmakers like myself, to Hollywood power players like Max Landis Bright (2017), Chronicle (2012) and Chris Sparling Buried (2010), ATM (2012), The Sea of Trees (2015).  Ashley Scott Meyers is quick to ask the questions you want to hear, such as how these screenwriters got their first script produced and how they landed distribution.  This confirms that no two success stories are the same.  Hearing these fast paced interviews will remind you of the one thing all these screenwriters have in common, they never gave up, never stopped writing.

4)     Scriptnotes
On the other end of the spectrum we have Scriptnotes.  This podcast too, is focused on the craft of screenwriting, but this one is hosted by A-list Hollywood screenwriters John August Go (1999), Big Fish (2003) and Craig Mazin Scary Movie 3 (2003), The Hangover Part II (2011).  They sometimes have guest on but usually Craig and John answer listener questions and talk about the art of writing or give tips on how to work within the Hollywood system.  When they do have guests, these are BIG names like Rian Johnson, Writer/Director of Looper (2012) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).  This show gives you a different perspective on the industry from people who are usually inaccessible, that alone is reason enough to give it a listen.

5)     The Dave Bullis Podcast  (I am the guest on Ep. 168 Listen here)
Coming at you from Philly, PA is The Dave Bullis Podcast.  Each week Dave interviews a different person working in the film industry.  These guest work as Actors, Writers, Directors, Cinematographers, or even prominent Producers like Cassian Elwes The Butler (2013), Dallas Buyer's Club (2013).  What makes this show so fun is that Dave has a relaxed interview style, it is a conversation you are listening on.  It is the kind of tactic that can make a guest feel at ease and maybe talk about more than they planned on.  Dave has worked in production for around ten years now and boldly shares some of his horror stories and victories from that experience.  His credits include Writing/Directing a pilot episode for a TV series Game Over, which has been described as Clerks in a video game store.  He recently make the Game Over pilot available to watch on YouTube, you can watch it here.  A personal favorite of mine is the intro and outro Dave Bullis uses for each show, but I'll let you be the judge of all that.

6)     Film Threat
This podcast is a film review show.  At least one of these review podcast should make the list, I am happy to make it Film Threat.  The name comes from a popular indie magazine on filmmaking which was launched in 1985 and published into the 90's.  Sadly the magazine went away but the web site survived and now, after a successful kickstarter campaign Film Threat is back in podcast form.  Your hosts are Chris Gore, who is the founder of Film Threat and Co-Host Anthony Ray Bench.  They review all types of movies, from Blockbusters, to obscure cult hits.  Sometimes they record the show at conventions, which is a treat.  There is a cluttered mess of film review podcast out there, maybe too many.  I listen to some others, but I prefer Film Threat because of their tastes and the indie roots.  Movies - Movies - Film Threat!

7)     Q & A with Jeff Goldsmith
Your host is...... you guessed it, Jeff Goldsmith, who is the creator of Backstory Magazine.  In each episode Jeff interviews a major filmmaker in front of an audience after they all watched that filmmaker's latest movie.  He asks the usual fanboy questions such as "What was your budget?" or "How many days did you shoot?"  Yet the show also digs deeper in the analysis of the movies and the people behind them.  At the end of the show, the filmmaker takes questions from the audience.

8)     On the Page  (I was a Guest, Edited and Recorded Ep. 533 - Listen here.)
Pilar Alessandra is your well qualified host of the On the Page Podcast.  She has worked as a Story Analyst for Dreamworks SKG and is the author of The Coffee Break Screenwriter (now in its second edition).  Pilar sometimes has screenwriters, script consultant or other creatives on as guest.  The rest of the episodes is Pilar giving you a free lesson on the art and craft of screenwriting.  This podcast is fun to listen to and is very informative.  The opening theme song is also catchy.... careful, it might get stuck in your head (still worth it).

9)     Hilliard Guess' Screenwriter's Rant Room
I'm actually listening to an episode of this while I'm writing this.  My immediate thoughts are, Hilliard and his Co-Host give you the cold hard reality of writing for film and television.  They do not pull any punches and are not afraid to deliver it with an expletive or two.  That makes this a fresh voice on the subject.  The podcast also can occasionally deal with diversity and working as a minority in the industry, since Hilliard and others on the show know that from experience.  For a fun experiment, listen to a Scriptnotes episode and then the Rant Room back to back, it might feel like a punch in the face (in a good way.... I guess?)

10)    The Treatment
Your host is Elvis Mitchell, a well spoken, well read film critic who has written reviews for LA Weekly and The New York Times, just to name a few.  Elvis interviews big Hollywood names with a class and intellectual tone that is truly unique to this show.   You may have heard o some of these names, among his pasts guests are: Guillermo Del Toro, Sofia Coppola, The Coen Brothers and Jordan Peele.  This podcast is definitely last but not least on this list, well worth a listen.

There you have it.  I hope this list was helpful.  What are your favorite podcast on this subject?  Feel free to tell me one I left out in the comments.  Here are a few honorable mentions that did not make my top ten.

- BlackList Table Reads: This is a full reading of a screenplay by actors with sound effects, music and all.  It sure beats squinting at Courier font on white paper for hours on end.

- The Nerdist: With host Chris Hardwick (Often the guests are Film/TV related)

- The Nerdist Writers Panel

- The /Filmcast: Movie Reviews

- The Business: Industry News.

- Film Trooper Podcast

- The No Film School Podcast

- One Star Cinema: Play it in sync with the Netfilx movie they are watching and enjoy.  This is commentary Mystery Science Theater 3000 Style.

- How Did this Get Made?: Comedians roast a movie in front of an audience.

- The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast
  

Curt Wiser is a published Author and filmmaker.  He wrote and directed the suspense movie Cam-Girl which is available to DVD, Amazon Video and other streaming platforms.