Pictures On The Wall

What they Don't Tell You About Film School

2009-04-25T07:51:00.000-07:00

Hello again! Some of you may have read my last post about the perils of DIY filmmaking and thought, well, I’m gonna do this right. No joking around for me: I’m going to go to film school, and then there’s no way I won’t be successful! After all, how hard could it be to sit around and watch movies and sometimes make them?

Well, if you somehow managed to predict that I’m going to spend the rest of my entry pointing out disquieting truths in a blithe, snarky manner, congratulations! Make no mistake, film school is a paradise (an expensive, expensive paradise) but if you’re considering spending your remaining years up to your eyeballs in debt, here’s some things you ought to know first. They might not put these details in the NYU brochures (or internets, or whatever you crazy kids use these days to determine your futures) but believe me, they’re vital. So here goes:

1. You Will Be Surrounded by Film People.

Well, this one seems obvious. In fact, the community of fellow-minded artists is probably the best thing about film school. Finally you will fit in and not be labeled a freak for your outsidery creative ways! But you have to realize it takes some adjusting to being in a school full of film people.

If you’re thinking of applying, you’re probably known as the “film guy” (or girl) in your high school. Even if people think you’re weird, they’re amazed by the vast sums of useless trivia you know, the obscure films you recommend, your talent for shooting videos and sticking ‘em on YouTube.

So when you’re surrounded by that, you feel like pretty hot stuff—but then you get to film school. And everyone is like that. Believe me, nobody here is wowed that you know the IMDB trivia sections for all your favorite movies. Nobody thinks you’re cutting-edge for liking P.T. Anderson or Stanley Kubrick. You’ll get yawns when you enthuse about the film festival you organized at your school. You have to accept that there are people here who already know more than you’ll ever know about movies, who have worked on professional sets, who have their Hollywood connections ready and going. Robbed of your beautiful-and-unique-snowflake status, you have two choices: either start catching up or move aside for the uber-serious folks.

2. You Will Watch Movies.
Another obvious one—why would you go to film school if you didn’t like watching movies? (For the answer, see my previous post concerning the masochism requirements at Tisch.) The thing is, you’re going to have to start watching movies a lot. Say, you probably took a film class in high school, right? Maybe you read a book about movies? So, how ‘bout that Citizen Kane? Pretty great movie, right? How would you like to watch it again? And analyze it again? And discuss it again? Well, maybe that isn’t your cup of tea.

How about The Silence of the Lambs? That sounds pretty fun, right—when else have you gotten to watch a man chew off another man’s face for a class? Well, before you watch it, read the script. Answer a page of questions. Then watch it once. Then watch it again, very slowly this time—stop after every scene, and discuss. Go back and revisit parts. Make fun of that guy who says “sometime when a body come out the water, there’s like leaves and stuff in the mouth,” because you’re going to know him pretty well by the time you’re done.

When you come to film school, you don’t watch movies to enjoy them. You watch them to learn, and in case you don’t learn you watch them again. You pick them apart from every angle, in every class. So when you suddenly know the motivations in every scene of Midnight Cowboy or you shoot yourself because you had to sit through the first five minutes of Blue Velvet one more time, remember: I warned you.

3. You Will Write Essays.

Of course, not everything in film school can be about movies. Mixed in with the good stuff, there’s got to be something tortuous. And if you’ve ever talked to an NYU student, or managed to wander through the campus, or ventured within a few hundred miles of the place, you’ve heard of the bane of every freshman’s existence: Writing the Essay. Because we art students are extra-special, we get a double dose, year-long helping of this class, where, you guessed it, we write essays. About art. And how things relate to other things. And recontextualization (which my spellcheck tells me is not a word.) And sometimes Karen Finley will pay a visit and you can write about some blowjob jokes or a statue that looks like a dick.

And that’s not counting your Gen Ed classes, which you get to pick but will invariably turn out to require far more work than any of your film courses. Sorry, you will say, I meant to write that award-winning screenplay, but I had to memorize some Romanesque cathedrals. And by some, I mean all of them. That leads me to my next point:

4. You Will Not Sleep.

Now, obviously you are not coming to college to relax (unless you have discovered a university with a major in taking a nap, in which case totally count me in.) But outside of some of the longer lectures, there’s little opportunity in film school to get any shut-eye. At the end of a long day, you might feel like collapsing into your oh-so-comfortable dorm cot, but there is always something else to be done. If you’re not writing a ten-page essay or studying for midterms or actually working on a movie project (Final Cut do not freeze on me now not again oh God oh God I am going to set the whole world on fire) you will find your way to insomnia. Maybe you’ll spend a weekend doing all-night film shoots for crew requirements, where you can guard a van of equipment from three in the afternoon ‘til eight in the morning and pay your own way back home! Maybe you will hone your resume to try and get that internship so you can have the opportunity to kiss the ass of somebody who might know somebody who’s important! Maybe you will camp out in the Pro Tools lab because Pro Tools is hella expensive and you cannot have it at home. The point is, eventually you will become a waking zombie, have fictional and real worlds blend together (oh Jesus is that really Nicolas Cage in a wizard outfit) and go insane. And only then will you truly be a film student!

Anyway, those are just some things that I wish people had told me before I came. You have to realize that film school is still the most wonderful place in the world. I may be stressing over final projects right now, but one of those projects is a radio drama containing the lines “it’s a big fucking slithering dick” and “she burst into snakes.” The other one is an in-depth analysis of the canon of M. Night Shyamalan. You should come to film school if for no other reason but to laugh at your friends who go to real college and are doing math problems or something and might actually have a career. Suckers!

--Zack

Selling Ourselves for Money...Kind of.

2009-04-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

2 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents:Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

It is almost near impossible to start out your film career with a decent budget coming straight from your own pocket, unless you are born into a rich family who has parents willing to invest in their son and daughter's new 'artistic endeavor'. Highly unlikely. So the most common way to come up with money for a low budget film, like say, for example, cough cough, ours, is to fundraise! Now, picture if you will the lovely montage of kids from school uniting together over say, a car wash, or a bake sale, having loads of fun and laughing while some cheesy cliche song plays in the background...and erase it completely from your memory. While fundraising can be fun it's not all it's cut out to be, but definitely a necessity.

For our Pictures on the Wall production, the time we alloted for fundraising is very slim so it was necessary that we all came up with as many ideas as possible, even if they were completely ridiculous (I believe at one point there were conversations of people selling their bodies...) But what we came up with were door to door bake sales and a screenplay slam, and there are talks of an open mic night for possibly next weekend. The bake sales went pretty well, although it came to our attention that apparently soliciting is illegal within the dorms and myself and Zach were written up for it. Oh the adventures of fundraising for independent films! Nevertheless it was definitely a cool experience waking people up from their 7 o'clock naps etc. but also to see how much people were actually interested in wanting to help and learn what the project was about (or maybe they are dreadfully good actors and I just can't see the difference). SO! In summarization!

GO TO THE SCREENPLAY SLAM THIS FRIDAY! APRIL 24TH! FROM 2-5!

We hope you will give us money...

-Gabby

Assistant Director/Co-Producer

Getting a Schooling in Film Without the School

2009-04-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

3 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents:Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

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So, you’re an aspiring filmmaker, but you have no idea what your doing and film school is just not in your budget. What do you do?

1. You read. There are a variety of books and magazines out there about filmmaking. Some of my favorites include:
i. American Cinematographer
ii. Student Filmmakers
iii. Filmmaker Magazine
iv. Camera Operators
v. Film Art: An Introduction by David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson
vi. Photography by Barbara London, Jim Stone, and John Upton

2. You get experience. Every film student at NYU can tell you that, although our classes are extremely helpful, the best experience any of us have gotten was on the set. So, get as much crew time in as you can, and you’ll be set.

“You don't need fancy highbrow traditions or money to really learn. You just need people with the desire to better themselves.” –Accepted (2006 movie)

Best of luck to everyone,
Alexa W.

What You Should Know about DIY Filmmaking

2009-04-21T01:31:00.000-07:00

*3 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents:**Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam*MUST SUBMIT ENTRIES BEFORE 9AM ON APRIL 22

Hello again! Some of you readers out there have probably been following our creative adventure and thought, hey, I could do that! Making a movie sounds like fun! Well, if that’s what you’ve been thinking, let me tell you: you have not been reading closely enough.

Feature filmmaking is one of the most convoluted, expensive art forms ever to exist. The production of your average Hollywood blockbuster takes several years, hundreds of millions of dollars, and the work of hundreds upon hundreds of different people. Sitting in a movie theater and thinking that doesn’t look so hard is a stupid, stupid mistake. But it’s that stupid mistake that brings us all to film school!

It’s easy to think that outside the studio system things will be easier. You don’t have to raise twenty million dollars to pay Nicolas Cage, you don’t have to worry about unions, and you don’t have to mind the tastes of studio executives. Hell, with a camcorder and a copy of iMovie, you can write, direct, produce and star in your own breakthrough hit just working on the weekends, right? Wrong. You are wrong again.

The world of do-it-yourself filmmaking is not glamorous. It is not easy. It is not fun—unless you have a masochistic streak (there is, if I remember correctly, an “I am a masochist” checkbox on the Tisch application.) You do not go to film school and magically get the ability to pull movies out of thin air. If you are insane enough to attempt making a feature on your own, like a certain friend of mine who shall not be named (let’s just call her “Rystal Bosensweig”) you are going to have to work your monkey-fightin’ ass off. You’re going to have to pour your whole life, and your whole savings (and likely the savings of your loved ones) into the most insane gamble you’ll ever make (about two percent of the feature films made in America ever find some sort of distribution deal.)

Kevin Smith used the insurance money from having his car destroyed to fund Clerks, and on top of that maxed out his credit cards and mooched off his family. David Lynch spent five years trying to finish Eraserhead after he ran out of grant money, eventually taking up a paper route as a last-resort funding measure. To get the tiny budget for π, Darren Aronofsky sold hundred-dollar shares in the film to everyone he could bully into helping him. All of these directors worked day and night, gave up their lives, in pursuit of these projects.

Sure, they all became household names (or at least household names for film students) and went on to success and fortune, but there are hundreds of filmmakers who try the same thing every year and don’t get squat. Take Harold P. Warren, who bet a bar buddy that he could make a movie on his own. He pulled together all the cash he had and slaved for months on his passion project, and you know what he ended up with? Manos: The Hands of Fate, which made precisely no money and became notable only years later, when it was picked up by Mystery Science Theater 3000 and declared one of the worst movies ever made.

So I don’t mean to break your spirits, dear readers. I encourage you to believe in your dreams, no matter how hopelessly impossible they may be. Would I be working on an independent feature if I thought it was a stupid idea? (The answer is probably not.) You just have to realize, as we’ve illustrated already with our tales of bizarre fundraisers and insane hours, that making movie is not an easy thing to do. But if you want to make it a little easier, hey, you could always toss us a few bucks.

--Zack

When Things Go Wrong: Common Set Misunderstandings

2009-04-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

3 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents:Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

MUST SUBMIT ENTRIES BEFORE 9AM ON APRIL 22

Although we filmmakers would like everything to go 100% smoothly when on location, things hardly ever go the way we would like. Murphy’s Law states that “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong”. A good producer can help reduce the amount of accidents and mistakes, but Murphy’s Law plagues even the best of us.

Here are a few common misunderstandings that occur on the set:

1. Job Allocation. Everyone on the set has a specific job. When on location, a producer makes sure that the director has everything he/she needs to shoot the film, resolves conflicts that occur between cast and/or crew, makes sure shooting is on schedule and controls the production team (including the PAs). The cinematographer is in charge of the camera crew. He decides (in conjunction with the director) how a shot is to be lit and where the camera is placed. The most successful sets make sure that each person knows their job, but sometimes that just doesn’t happen. When one person doesn’t know what their job is, it can confuse everyone else and chaos will ensue. So, production meetings are key beforehand to ensure that this confusion is less likely to happen

2. Miscommunication. The word on its own sounds scary, so imagine the consequences on a set with expensive equipment and where time is crucial. Often times, less experienced crew members don’t know all the lingo in the film industry and a director or producer will give an assignment that just isn’t understood. It happens, but sometimes, those confused crew members don’t ask for help and do the job incorrectly or not at all. That can really mess with the schedule, which in turn, can really mess up the budget. So, if you’re ever in a situation like this on set, it’s very important that you ask for help and clarification.

3. Money. In pre-production, money is allocated to each of the different departments based on the amount of money the film has in the budget. With films like Pictures on the Wall, the budget is tight. Expenses have to be watched carefully, and the newest and greatest equipment is not usually the best decision financially. Going over the budget means that there is a debt that needs to be paid somewhere along the line. That is not good. The director, cinematographer, art director and producer (who are all heads of their departments) need to be very aware of this. When they aren’t, arguments are bound to ensue. For example, say a scene calls for special lighting, but it can’t be worked into the budget. The director and cinematographer were unaware of this and are expecting the special lighting the day of the shot. It’s going to be a very rough day for the producer when the cinematographer and director realize they don’t have the equipment they need to do the shot. The lesson here is to always keep your crew informed about what is affordable.

4. FOOD. Finally, the worst misunderstanding that occurs on a set always has to do with food. Why? Because on a set you are working long hours. Food is the light at the end of the tunnel for most actors and crew members and when something goes wrong in that department, you have some very crabby people to deal with. Common things that can go wrong in the food department are an unawareness of allergies, orders recorded incorrectly, meals that are later than industry requirements (cast and crew need to be fed every 6 hours) and failure to include food in the budget. As you can probably imagine, all of these mistakes are HUGE.

Well, that’s it for now. Hope that these tips help all of you aspiring filmmakers.

Best of luck to everyone,
Alexa W.

Thoughts on Editing

2009-04-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

4 DAYS UNTIL Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

MUST SUBMIT ENTRIES BEFORE 9AM ON APRIL 22

Hey there!

My name is Zack, and I’m one of the editors for Pictures on the Wall. You might think editing is not one of the sexy, glamorous parts of filmmaking. Actors get all the money, directors get all the awards, and writers get to be known as tortured starving artists. So what’s interesting about some dude sitting in a room with a copy of Final Cut and “cutting all the bad parts out”? I will tell you, my friend, there is a lot that is interesting.

Editing is one of the last stages in the production of a movie. So you can have a great script, fine performances, and amazing cinematography but we editors can still come along and screw up everything. Think: when was the last time you noticed the editing in a movie? Probably when it was very bad. When an editor does their job well, their work is invisible. When they do their job not-so-well, everybody notices.

For example: I know a lot of intelligent film students have a soft spot for Michael Bay (cough cough, Jack Manley) and there is nothing wrong with that. A movie like Armageddon may be completely stupid and awesome and filled with explosions and still be a technically well-made film (it’s in the Criterion Collection, you guys.)

However, the oeuvre of Mr. Bay has recently dipped into a very bad thing called beserko editing. MTV was one of the first sources of this style of cutting, where the shots are very short and everything seems very energetic. That quick-paced style works well for music videos, but lately it’s gotten into action movies—the Bourne trilogy made extensive use of it, and now basically every summer blockbuster is done with shaky cameras and fast edits. This is why you sometimes are in a theater prepared for some awesome explosions but then you become unhappy because you cannot tell which giant robots are fighting, or where they are, or who is winning. So if you think Transformers is awesome, just imagine how awesome it would be if the editors actually did their job correctly.

On the other end, editors can work to make everything in a movie much more clear. The editing team on Children of Men stitched together several long shots with fancy digital technology to make action scenes that went on for minutes at a time without a single cut. This sort of approach can make events onscreen (like Clive Owen knocking a dude off a motorcycle using a car door) seem even more realistic, by copying the look of documentary footage. But you don’t have to have all sorts of high-falutin’ computers (or the handsome Mr. Owen) to edit well! Here are some tips for whenever you, you know, decide to edit a movie for fun (this happens more often than you think.)

1. Match your shots, but not too well. Let’s say you have a shot of a guy on a bench eating a burrito. The camera was very far away in this shot, so you want to cut to another shot that is closer to that burrito-eating action. Obviously you want as much as possible to stay the same—the guy can’t have a different shirt on, or be eating a falafel instead of a burrito. But if your new shot is only a little closer, it will be disorienting to your audience! The tiny difference between shots calls action to the edit, but if, say, you cut to a very close shot of the man with his burrito, just focusing on his face and that amazing burrito, the audience would have no problem. Your transitions should either be so tiny so as to be invisible, or so big that it’s clear why you have a new shot (to get close to that burrito.)

2. Have a rhythm to your editing. When you think about it, film editing is a really weird thing. How many times are you standing outside and then suddenly the whole world changes and you are inside? Or on the other side of the world? We don’t think it’s strange to see these things happen in movies, and there’s a reason—the editors are working with natural rhythms. Walter Murch (and that dude edited The Godfather, so he would know) says that editing works because it imitates blinking. You’re blinking all the time, but especially when you’re focusing on something new. If you look from one side of the room to another, you will blink during the transition, cutting a bit of it out. (Try it you guys!)) So when you edit a movie, you work with blink-style cuts, following the characters’ focus and their eyelines. The best part is, you don’t even need to think about this while you work—if you’re not editing in a rhythm it will look totally weird and you will want to change it. Magic!

3. Cover up mistakes by the filmmakers. As an editor I am absolutely the most important and competent person working on a movie. This makes me feel good, but also sometimes I am frustrated because everyone else makes so many mistakes! For example, what if one of the actors is supposed to be having an emotional scene where he’s watching TV and talking to himself because he’s going crazy—and he keeps making this stupid twitch with his face during a powerful line? The solution is not to murder the actor but to murder the bad parts of his performance with editing. To cover up that stupid twitch without ridding the scene of its emotional impact, cut to that TV he’s watching for a couple of seconds! It will put your audience in the character’s mind, and make them forget that they are watching a horrible actor.

Well that is about all the advice I have about editing today! Just in case you still doubt the power of editors, go look up some of those mashup trailers on YouTube. You know the ones—like where Back to the Future is made into a gay love story or Jaws becomes a family comedy or Mary Poppins is suddenly incredibly terrifying. The people who made those trailers were not using voodoo magic to do those things—they were using editing. And isn’t making Marty McFly and Doc Brown fall in love the best kind of magic of all?

"Pictures on the Wall" Vlog # 5 Interview with Gabby Tessitore (assistant director)

2009-04-17T21:40:00.000-07:00

So here we have our fifth blog, and our fourth interview, with Gabby Tessitore, the film's assistant director. This blog is a bit different because first of all, it's filmed in Washington Square Park, and second of all, we interviewed some random people in the park about the film and banana holders. (Almost) everyone met our questions with great enthusiasm! Enjoy!! I love you, but I'm not in love with you, Sarah H.

Bake Back NYU!!!

2009-04-17T19:24:00.000-07:00

5 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents:Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

MUST SUBMIT ENTRIES BEFORE 9AM ON APRIL 22

A few weeks ago, Take Back NYU, a group of student protesters, participated in an invasion of a university dining hall in order to proclaim their confused dissent in a rather silly way. Just one week ago, the team behind Pictures on the Wall attempted to have bake sales in the resident housing halls as a fundraiser but were sadly denied. Met with this fierce disappointment, crafty students created Bake Back NYU. This improved version of the standard bake sale involves selling delicious desserts door-to-door to lucky customers. Goddard, Weinstein, U-Hall, Rubin, and 3rd North have already been served and it’s only a matter of time before the other dorms have their appetites satisfied. Bake Back NYU! Coming spontaneously to a dorm near you!

- Sarah S.

Vlog # 4

2009-04-16T20:48:00.000-07:00

6 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents:Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

MUST SUBMIT ENTRIES BEFORE 9AM ON APRIL 22

So here we have the fourth vlog, which is an interview with Jack Manley. Unlike my last interview, I will make actual human contact! Jack describes what his part as the producer is like, and how he is helping to raise money. We also play a fun game, so enjoy!

Keep it fresh,

Sarah H.

Winning Tips: How to Raise Your Ratings

2009-04-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

7 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

MUST SUBMIT ENTRIES BEFORE 9AM ON APRIL 22

So you’ve finished posting your screenplay entry on Snazle.com, but you’re just not getting high enough ratings to be able to perform at the slam. What do you do? Here are a few tips on how to get your ratings up and increase your chances of being one of the top 12 winners:

Post your video as soon as possible. Faster posts means that people can start voting earlier, and you’ll probably get more votes than people who post later.
Place a link to your Snazl’s URL in your Facebook and Myspace statuses. Links get people curious and most likely will draw in at least of few of your friends.
If you’re feeling really bold, make a group on Facebook for people to vote for you.
Twitter your Snazl’s URL link.
Write about your entry in your blog (if you have one). You can use the embed feature so that people can watch it right there without having to go all the way to Snazl.com. If you have a website, embed your entry there too.
Talk about the event and what you’re doing with your friends. Frequent reminders can definitely come in handy. People forget and sometimes they need a little push.

Okay guys! That’s it for now. Hope these tips help you out. And remember, winners are being chosen on Wednesday, April 22, so get those videos up on Snazl.com soon.

If you need help figuring out how to post, just check out our previous post, How to Submit Entries to the Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

Best of luck to everyone,
Alexa W.

Call Sheets and Sleep Deprivation

2009-04-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

7 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

MUST SUBMIT ENTRIES BEFORE 9AM ON APRIL 22

They pretty much go together. Even though helping organize, produce, and AD a student feature film is fun there is so much work involved! When I first signed on to the project I will admit that I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Being the first film I've ever worked on it has been an entirely new experience for me but a fun one as well! It's really cool being able to work with people from your classes and even get involved with the other departments at our school. It's been a big lesson in networking for me and shown me how willing people are to help.

So CALL SHEETS! I'm sure most people don't know what they are, I didn't, but that's where we are right now in production planning! Yesterday Jack (who is the producer for the film) and I looked over the entire script front to back and marked all the different locations that we would be shooting at and how long we thought we should alot for each location. There's also the task of scheduling the actors and working around the locations owner's schedule AND the times that we all have down in Miami to shoot! It's a lot to do. Fo sho. So as of right now we are in the process of scheduling what days we are shooting what! It's really exciting that the shooting dates are coming up soon!

DONT FORGET! SCREENPLAY SLAM ON APRIL 24TH! It'll be a blast...send your entries to Snazl.com and read the entry about HOW TO SUBMIT down below if you're not sure how. See you then!

-Gabby Tessitore

(assistant director/co-producer)

Ode to Martin Scorsese

2009-04-16T08:09:00.000-07:00

So, I was watching Animaniacs with my mom this weekend when I realized how much I love Martin Scorsese. It's weird that a show produced by Steven Spielberg would make me think of competing director Scorsese, but it does. In case you're not aware the animated series features a sketch with a group of pigeons called the "Goodfeathers" - an obvious tribute to Scorsese's Goodfellas. How cool is that? Not only has he explored all of New York with Mean Streets and Taxi Driver, but he also got into kid territory. I mean, a group of cartoon birds sit on a statue of Marty as though he's George Cohan. That's awesome; when your films rock hard enough to be featured in children's entertainment, then you know you've hit the big time.

I watched Animaniacs since I was three and still enjoy it today. Those pigeons are hilarious. Squid, Pesto, and Bobby are winged versions of De Niro's, Pesci's, and Liotta's Jimmy, Henry, and Tommy. An unintelligible godfather pigeon was even thrown in for extra amusement. Though the godfather pigeon came from an entirely different film with a different director and different tone, I got the idea that Martin Scorsese would play a very important role in my life from a very young age.

Finally when I was mature enough to see Goodfellas at age 7, I saw that it was possible for all genres to carry the comedy featured in my favorite cartoons. Goodfellas hit me because it took the mob, an exploited/gruesome, subject matter gave it some sympathetic light. I care for Henry, I respect Jimmy, and I've built a hate love relationship with Tommy. Scorsese's characters are killing machines, but I love them anyway - I've loved them since I first saw them as "Goodfeathers." Ever since I realized that the epically complex emotional layers of love, hate, and comedy are translated from the film Goodfellas to the cartoon "Goodfeathers" I wanted to be a filmmaker.

P.S. Remember to upload your entries to Snazle.com and e-mail us at SnazlSlams@gmail.com with your name, contact email, phone, and Snazl ID to confirm your entry into the Screenplay Slam - April 24 at The Nuyorican Poets Cafe!

-Rachele Volpe

Vlog # 3!

2009-04-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

8 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

MUST SUBMIT ENTRIES BEFORE 9 AM ON APRIL 22

.

Hey guys! So for this vlog, I got to interview myself, which wasn't a challege, because I talk to myself on a daily basis. As you'll find out, I am co-writing "Pictures On the Wall", which has been fantastic. It's a really fun script- it's intelligent without being too dry, and it's comical without having to resort to the humorous use of a farm animal. I talk about how Brystal and I came up with the story, and how I became a part of this project, as well as a cameo from the coveted banana holder!!

Keep it real,

Sarah H.

How to Submit Entries to the Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

2009-04-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

9 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

MUST SUBMIT ENTRIES BEFORE 9 AM ON APRIL 22

So now that everything has gotten off to a great start, here is how to enter you screenplay videos into the Screenplay Slam!

1. Make an account on Snazl.com

a. To uploaded the raw-cut videos of your screenplays to Snazl.com, click the blue Upload link at the top to do that now.

2. Click the orange Make a Snazl button to the top left of the screen

a. Click on the Snazl tab under the Add Video tab, then click the My Videos tab to find your videos

b. Click and add the videos to your Snazl playlist, click Save my Snazl button

c. Name your Snazl. TAG IT with the words Screenplay Slam 2009

3. Grab the code, and paste the Snazl to your online places so that friends can vote for you (blog, website, etc.)

4. Send us an email at SnazlSlams@gmail.com with your name, contact email, phone, and Snazl ID to confirm your entry into the Screenplay Slam.

Best of luck to everyone,
Alexa W

Tips on Screenwriting : )

2009-04-15T06:13:00.000-07:00

9 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

Hey everyone!

My name is Sarah S. and I’m a student in the Dramatic Writing Department at New York University. I’ve been involved in screenwriting for a while now and I would like to offer some tips that I’ve found to be quite useful in the past. These can help you out when working on your screenplays for class, professional work, or even the upcoming Snazl.com Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam contest.

Do research on past screenplays. Google Three Act Structure. It’s extremely helpful in organizing a new screenplay and if all the components are met, it’s likely to be a quality story.

You should only have as many scenes as you need. So, if you can remove a scene and the plot will still make sense, it shouldn’t be there.

There always needs to be character growth. If a character isn’t growing, he’s not worth watching. The character has to have an arc, where he progresses from his current situation to an improved version, and he often will change his status from ignorant to knowledgeable.

Introduce a problem, develop the problem, and then resolve the problem.

The audience needs to understand the characters of the story and the status quo of the situation, before the conflict begins.

If something is not proved in the script, it does not exist. This is especially true in realms of fantasy where the writer is responsible for the entire creation of the world.

The protagonist should drive the action of the script, not the other characters.

Every relationship is defined by a conflict or lack thereof.

Have a purpose. Everything should relate back to the story’s purpose.

Remember that every good piece of dramatic writing has a ticking clock component. Meaning, there should always be a sense of urgency surrounding the central problem.

Raise the stakes. In order to keep the attention of an audience, the conflict should expand to affect more aspects of the protagonist's life or more characters.

Episodic plots (plots in which the circumstances at the end mimic the circumstances at the beginning) are rarely acceptable. They only function well in episodic television shows. Your end should not be the same as your beginning.

Go with what you know. You should write about what you’re familiar with, what you’re passionate about, what you can deliver a unique message on. If there is monetary compensation involved, however, write whatever you’re being paid to.

I hope these are helpful.

Good luck! Remember that screenwriting, while a little complicated, can also be really fun.

Sarah S.

P.S. Don't forget that the Screenplay Slam is on April 24th! Join us at The Nuyorican Poets Cafe (236 East 3rd Street Between Ave B & C) between 2:00 - 5:30 PM for a great show. To get a chance to read your very own screenplay during the Slam, submit your video entries to Snazl.com and then email us at SnazlSlams@gmail.com with your name, contact email, phone, and Snazl ID to confirm your entry into the Screenplay Slam.

"Pictures on the Wall" Vlog #2 - "Interview with Brystal" (Director of the Film)

2009-04-15T05:52:00.000-07:00

9 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

So the second Vlog is complete after a fantastic interview with NYU freshman Film student and director Brystal Rosensweig! Watch it and learn her deepest secrets like what cookie recipe you should use to win her heart. But really, there's a lot of good stuff in there that explains the process we're taking to make this movie, i.e. who's involved and what they're doing. Also, there's a surprise question that will literally blow your mind. Literally.

Keep it real,

Sarah H.

P.S. Don't forget that the Screenplay Slam is on April 24th! Join us at The Nuyorican Poets Cafe (236 East 3rd Street Between Ave B & C) between 2:00 - 5:30 PM for a great show. To get a chance to read your very own screenplay during the Slam, submit your video entries to Snazl.com and then email us at SnazlSlams@gmail.com with your name, contact email, phone, and Snazl ID to confirm your entry into the Screenplay Slam.

What is a Screenplay Slam?

2009-04-14T04:25:00.000-07:00

10 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

MUST SUBMIT ENTRIES BEFORE 9 AM ON APRIL 22

So, if you’re reading this blog, you’ve probably seen one of the many advertisements for Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam. But what exactly is a "screenplay slam" and why is one being thrown?

Well, the slam is being held as a fundraiser event for NYU freshman film student Brystal Rosensweig's feature film, Pictures on the Wall, which begins filming later this year in May. Being the first feature much of the crew has participated in, we hope to see Brystal’s dream fulfilled with a production that is sucessful in festivals across the nation. But in order to realize that dream in the future, fundraising is key now.

So what exactly is a "screenplay slam"? At first, we weren’t even really sure what it was. This type of slam has never been done before and planning led us to all sorts of different ideas. Questions like, “Who is going to present?”, “Will we feature our own screenplay?”, and “Will there be music?” were all debated and deliberated over as we planned out our first huge event.

What we decided was that a screenplay slam should feature all sorts of elements. First and foremost, the slam will present excerpts from Brystal Rosensweig’s script for Pictures on the Wall with accompanying scores from our three main composers and their bands - Ceci Gomez, Hot Fuzz and Franny. Second, audience members will be introduced to other Pictures on the Wall crew members through the presentation of a variety of their short films. But finally, not to mention MOST IMPORTANTLY, the Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam will feature YOU.

Over the course of the next 7 days, you will have the opportunity to get your work out there. How, you ask? Well, once we have our handy-dandy Snazl up and running, you will be able to post videos of yourself reading a two-minute portion of your own screenplay. Then, up until April 22nd at 9:00 AM, your friends, family and other Snazl.com users will be able to rate your screenplay. The top twelve rated submissions at 9:00 AM on April 22nd will have then have the opportunity to PRESENT THEIR SCREENPLAY to a FULL AUDIENCE between 2:00 - 5:30 PM during the Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam on April 24. So what are you waiting for? Start getting those screenplays ready. Maybe even start recording now, so that when the link is posted you can get that content out there to be voted on.

More information will be posted shortly.

Best of luck to everyone,
Alexa W.

"Pictures on the Wall" Vlog #1 - "How Student Films Are Really Funded"

2009-04-13T23:02:00.000-07:00

11 DAYS UNTIL --------- Snazl.com Presents: Pictures on the Wall Screenplay Slam

This is Pictures on the Wall's very first vlog posting! In producing a student film, as well as in other films, (but mostly in student films...) monetary needs are rampant. It is often underestimated how much money it costs to make a film. For fun, I want you to look up your favorite movie EVER and be real surprised at how much they spent. Space Jam, for example (not saying if it's my fave film or not), had an 80 million dollar budget. That could cover at least twenty years of NYU tuition, give or take a meal plan or two.

While we don't have to worry about obtaining a budget of that proportion, unless I decide to write in a Lola Bunny cameo, we still need to do as much as we can to raise money. Therefore, my accomplices, who live down the hall from me in my dorm, helped me make a ton of cupcakes to sell to our other dorm-mates. In an hour, we made about $30, AND spread the word about our project.

Keep it real,

Sarah H.

P.S. Don't forget that the Screenplay Slam is on April 24th! Join us at The Nuyorican Poets Cafe (236 East 3rd Street Between Ave B & C) between 2:00 - 5:30 PM for a great show. To get a chance to read your very own screenplay during the Slam, submit your video entries to Snazl.com and then email us at SnazlSlams@gmail.com with your name, contact email, phone, and Snazl ID to confirm your entry into the Screenplay Slam.