Saturday, December 29, 2007

UNPLUGGED

Hey, folks, sorry for going MIA for so long. Life has a way of doing that. I've been focused on various projects -- one being the Internet talk show I co-executive produce www.youtube.com/markmolaro and working on other media projects. I have been reading screenplays and keeping abreast of the WGA strike, but basically chilling on the screenwriting front (which is very very unusual for me -- quite possibly the first time this has ever happened to me). Has it ever happened to you? I don't think it's writer's block -- I have ideas -- I'm just a little down on the process of selling and marketing your work. It's a drag at times -- waiting for someone to give you that break. I'm looking into using new media as a way to get my work produced -- like artists are doing with music and other forms of art on the Internet.

Have a wonderful wrap up to '07. See you here in the New Year!

I promise to snap out of my writer's funk by then.

Sunday, April 01, 2007

AGENTS, AGENTS...

I'm back out searching for representation. I terminated my agreement with my manager in L.A. as it never felt like a good fit. You just know if it's a love connection like being on a blind date. You know what you're looking for and if you don't find it, move on.

Agents -- most are useless. I've had two screenplays optioned and both deals were done on my own. I've had three agents over the course of my writing career and none lead to solid jobs. I find I'm more proactive on my own. It's hard because I'm not a self-promotor but you have to be in this business. Today's agents and managers are interested in seminars and workshops and generating an income off the lucrative screenwriting world. Sad but true.

A friend of mine who is well-known in television put me in touch with a successful NY agent. I have to contact him this week per her recommendation. He's a partner in the agency and they seem to represent novelists most, but they have dabbled in television and film too. Change is good.

I've been producing an new Internet talk show. We have some great artistic guests like the filmmakers of "Jesus Camp" (Oscar nominated for Best Documentary) Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing; and "My Country, My Country" (filmmaker Laura Poitras also nominated for an Oscar) but all of these fabulous women lost to Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth". It was a great year for docs. That's where the most courageous filmmakers are if you ask me. The interviews will be available after April 6th so click on www.markmolaro.com (Mark Molaro host, Janet Lawler producer) to see them soon! You can also check out our show The Alcove with Mark Molaro on YouTube, iTunes and Google Video.

Write on.

Saturday, February 03, 2007


REVISIONS

I'm almost finished with my sports script and just printed a draft to pencil through, then it's back for another polish. I enjoy rewriting, but it gets tricky when you mess with the original structure of the script. It's like pulling a puzzle apart. But each rewrite makes my scripts stronger and it's amazing when it's printed on paper how you see the pot holes.

Blake Snyder is holding a 2 day structure seminar in NYC in February. Check out his website blakesnyder.com if you're interested in perfecting your script's structure, beats and logline.
I won't be attending but the last Blake Snyder seminar I attended was well worth it.