The Social Network Opens October 1

After a summer of films that I just couldn’t get behind (still haven’t seen Iron Man 2, and that was the most appealing one for me), I am ready to geek out this fall. I’m looking forward to three films (all three based on books, by the way). I’m excited for Harry Potter 7.1 (even though David Yates is directing) and Johnny Depp’s retelling of Hunter S. Thompson’s novel, The Rum Diary (it has a September release date in Europe…should come to the States sometime after). However, the movie I’m most excited about is The Social Network.

Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time on this site knows that I am a huge Aaron Sorkin fan. I absolutely loved “Sports Night” and “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”, and his films A Few Good Men and The American President. I love the pacing of his stories and the witty banter between characters (a style I have tried to replicate in my writing. To see what I mean, buy my book).

The film is based on the book The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, a Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal by Ben Mezrich. The film chronicles the progression of Facebook and portrays the company’s founder as a socially-awkward egomaniac who did whatever it took to make his social network the second largest website in the world.

The first draft of the screenplay has been available online for more than a year. I read it a few months ago, and it’s classic Sorkin. It’s witty, fresh and paced within an inch of its life. Just my style.

The new trailer features Scala’s cover of Radiohead’s “Creep”. The Belgian girls’ choir executes the song flawlessly. The minor chords give the song a more melancholy feel (if that was possible) than Thom Yorke’s stellar debut performance.

I already have the date circled on my calendar. Rest assured I will write a review of it.

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Positively Fifth Street by James McManus

It’s the time of year when we think of the opportunities we have. Those who have come before us have made it possible to accomplish what we want.

I’m talking about the Main Event at the World Series of Poker. What did you think I was talking about?

Next week thousands of professional poker players, amateurs and Matt Damon will convene in Las Vegas for the shot to win millions of dollars and a gold and diamond bracelet. No other sport has more people compete for the chance to win one championship. Thousands of bar poker leagues send representatives for the chance to make the Main Event. It’s not unheard of for an unknown amateur to make a Cinderella run. Last year, Darvin Moon almost became the WSOP champion, finishing second only to a bulletproof Joe Cada.

However, Moon wasn’t the first Cinderella at the final table.

Ten years ago, journalist Jim McManus was sent to Las Vegas for two reasons; to cover the Ted Binion murder trial and to chronicle the rise of women players at the WSOP. While he does his task, he takes his advance and enters a satellite tournament. The winner gets a seat at the Main Event. He outmaneuvers poker pro Hasan Habib and plays his way into the WSOP Main Event.

This is the incredible true story in Positively Fifth Street, penned by the man who made an incredible run to a fifth place finish. His book plays out a lot like Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, where the writer becomes part of the story, mixed with a cast of characters who you think are too unbelievable to be true.

We spend some time with Ted Binion’s murder and the accused killers; his cheating girlfriend, Sandy Murphy, and her boy-toy Rick Tabish. The trial has many twists and turns that would have made the writers for “Law & Order” have a plot orgasm.

The tournament coincides with the WSOP Main Event, which is being played for the last time at its ancestral home, Binion’s Horseshoe Casino (yes…the same Binion). McManus, a lifelong poker player, pores through poker books the same way a college student crams for a final. He practices poker hands on a computer while reading David Sklansky, T.J. Cloutier and Doyle Brunson (Side Note: You can’t get two styles of play that are more different than Brunson and Cloutier). In the Main Event, McManus plays face to face with poker psychic (which if you’ve ever seen him correctly guess what other players have; you’d use the same word. It’s downright scary) Daniel Negreanu, has a return go around with Habib, plays his “mentor” Cloutier and eventual champion Chris “Jesus” Ferguson.

It’s so well written with a judicious sprinkling of classic literary references.

Even if you’re not a poker fan, read it. If you become a fan after that, watch the highlights on ESPN.

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Scene 43 From My 2009 Script Frenzy Screenplay

Now that I am in the thick of Script Frenzy, I won’t really have any new posts for a while. So until R and R is finished (or April 30), this blog will have some filler material (especially now that I know how to work Blogger’s scheduler).


This is one of my favorite scenes from last year’s Script Frenzy entry, Foo Fighter. As noted in the previous entry, It is the story of Danny Shepherd, a documentary film maker who stumbles onto a UFO crash site 12 miles off the cost of Long Beach. The story starts at the controversial Battle of Los Angeles, and then moves to modern day Southern California. Shepherd (a UFO skeptic), his best friend and partner, and a tabloid reporter are hunted by Naval Intelligence, the guardians of this secret since World War II. In this scene, Danny, Marcus and Lydia are on the run. The rest, is rather self explanatory.

---

INT. DANNY’S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS 43
Danny turns on the light, and we see an apartment that is totally trashed. Clothes are strewn all over the place. Books and papers are scattered on the floor. It looks like the aftermath of a moderate California earthquake. They walk in and Marcus closes the door behind him. Danny quickly moves to the bedroom.

LYDIA

Oh my God. They ransacked the place.

MARCUS

No, it was this way yesterday.

Lydia looks at Marcus in disbelief.

MARCUS (CONT’D)

He gets a little disorganized during pre-production.

LYDIA

OK.

Danny comes back carrying A BLACK BAG and his LAPTOP BACKPACK.

DANNY

Got it, let’s go.

MARCUS

How much do we have.

DANNY

A few grand.

MARCUS

That’ll help for a few days.

DANNY

I’m hoping that it won’t take that long.

MARCUS

Well, we should come up with "Plan B"

DANNY

When haven’t we?

MARCUS

I mean, something better than "get a new ’Plan A’."

We hear a noise outside the door. Marcus, still with the bat moves to the door. Danny motions for Lydia to go to the bedroom, which she does. Marcus cocks the bat, ready to swing at whoever is at the door. A BALDING MAN wearing a cheap business suit opens the door. He is in his mid 40s. The man looks like the 90 pound weakling all grown up, and without the help of the Charlie Atlas exercise plan. He turns and sees Marcus about to clock him with the bat. Marcus lets out a primal scream, prompting the balding man to put up his hands and scream as well. Marcus pulls the swing when he realizes the cowering man is not a threat to him or the others. The balding man looks over at Danny, who finally gets his first good look at his intruder.

DANNY

Morris?

The frightened man nods in acknowledgment.

DANNY (CONT’D)

Hit him anyway, Marcus.

MORRIS

I wouldn’t. I’m a lawyer.

Morris finally stands upright and straightens his tie.

DANNY

What are you doing here, Morris?

MORRIS

I heard on the news that you were presumed dead, and I--

DANNY

Was going to troll for anything that was worth something?

MORRIS

Leslie expressed an interest in finding something, for sentimental value. Besides, the divorce isn’t final yet. She’s entitled to any and all property in the event of your death.

DANNY

Which reports of have been greatly exaggerated.

Lydia walks in from the bedroom. Morris takes a look, and finds this little development interesting.

MORRIS

I’m sorry, did I come at a bad time?

DANNY

Anytime you show up, it’s a bad time.

Morris walks over to Lydia.

MORRIS

Aren’t you going to introduce me?

DANNY

Lydia, this is Morris Fletcher, Esquire; representing the future former Mrs. Sheperd. Morris, this is Lydia Ross. She’s a woman of great compassion and is giving to others needs, you’re probably unfamiliar with the type.

Morris takes her hand and he kisses it.

MORRIS

Charmed.

LYDIA

(social fakes it poorly)

Nice to meet you.

DANNY

Careful, Lydia. If he bites you, you’ll live forever.

MORRIS

Well, it’s nice to see that you are still alive.

DANNY

Yeah, I’m sure it is.

MORRIS

Anything that you want me to pass along to Leslie?

DANNY

Bite me. Burn in Hell. STD tests are free on Wednesdays at county health centers.

MORRIS

I’ll tell her that you send your best.

Let's Make It Two Years in a Row

It’s no joke. On April 1st, I will once again compete in the Script Frenzy Challenge. This year’s project will be the screenplay adaptation (sort of) of my unfinished second novel, Rachel and Rob Request the Honor of Your Presence. It’s the story of a couple navigating their relationship through a minefield of their friends, family, the Roman Catholic Church and the wedding industry to realize their desire to get married.

The Script Frenzy Challenge dares screenwriters to write either 100 pages of a screenplay, stage play or teleplay in 30 days. Winners receive no monetary award; just the greater glory of finishing the chaotic process on deadline, and bragging rights for 365 days that they are a Script Frenzy Winner.

Last year, I completed a sci-fi adventure feature titled Foo Fighter. It is the story of Danny Shepherd, a documentary film maker who stumbles onto a UFO crash site 12 miles off the cost of Long Beach. The story starts at the controversial Battle of Los Angeles, and then moves to modern day Southern California. Shepherd (a UFO skeptic), his best friend and partner, and a tabloid reporter are hunted by Naval Intelligence, the guardians of this secret since World War II.

This year, you can follow my progress exclusively on my Facebook fan page and Twitter Feed. It all starts on Thursday. I’m looking forward to this challenge!

Oh Well…

Originally posted on my Indianapolis Star blog "Tales of a Hoosier Ex-Pat"

Several years ago, my friend Jeff told me that he had a great idea for a screenplay. It was a spoof of a zombie movie.

"It's time for one," he said.

Then he went to see a movie called Shaun of the Dead, and he saw his movie play out in front of him. Jeff sat there in horror as he saw three or four things that he had already written in his unfinished screenplay (all of which prompted great laughter by the audience.)

He told me that it was the worst feeling he ever had as a writer, and he hoped that it would never happen to me.

Let's fast forward to 2007. I had started to put together my first feature length screenplay. It was the result of nine years of research. I had downloaded FBI files, and read biographies. I was 30 pages into a screenplay titled Public Enemy. It started in Tucson, Arizona January 30, 1934 as John Dillinger was set to be extradited to Indiana to face charges that he killed a police officer during a bank robbery in East Chicago.

I was feeling pretty good about the story and what I had written, until D and I went back to Indiana for the holidays. As we were on the way back to Minnesota, I heard a report on Wisconsin Public Radio about how Badger State favorite son, Michael Mann, was going to be in the state shooting a film. I like Michael Mann, so the story caught my attention.

"The untitled film stars Johnny Depp and focuses on the life of John Dillinger."

What did that reporter say?

It was just another excuse to hate Wisconsin.

I immediately put the project on the back burner. My friends who were aware of the project urged me to reconsider, and to continue to work on it.

"It could be totally different than what you're writing," DeAnna said. "He could screw it up. Michael Mann isn't infallible. Look at Heat."

I held on to that hope, but still had the project in suspended animation. I would take a wait and see approach.

Then I saw the trailer, and I wept.

Like Jeff, I sat in horror as I saw one scene exactly as I had envisioned, and one as I had written. I knew what he was feeling in that California movie theater five years ago.

I haven't seen Public Enemies yet. But I will sometime, and I'm going to be keeping notes. I know the history, and I will be the movie's toughest critic. I already have some problems with it. Christian "Good For You" Bale is not who I would cast as Melvin Purvis. And for as much as I love Marion Cotillard (she would be in a laminated list), who is certainly beautiful enough to play Billie Frechette, I still can't figure out what her accent is all about. Research, Michael!

Until then, Public Enemy is a dead project. It may be resurrected in 10 or 15 years, but I don't hold out much hope for it.

The First 1000 Word Day in Three Months

For the first time in a long time, I sat down and had my first 1000 original word (as in not revising) day. I haven't been doing a lot of marketing for Radio Radio, which I should be doing. How else am I going to get people to know about the book? 

I just needed to sit down and pound out new material for the second book. It felt good to do it. It's been hard, as running my business is really getting in the way of me running my business.

Anyway, I'm not going to feel guilty about neglecting Radio Radio in favor of putting pen to parchment. 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I can’t believe that I did it!

I wrote for about five hours on Monday (about 1200 words). It’s something from the second novel. I wanted to print it last night for my Writers Guild meeting, but I couldn’t find it on my computer—it was nowhere. I guess that I just didn’t save it.

It’s not just that I have to do the work again, but it was something that I thought was really good. I hope that I can remember how it went, or else I’m going to get very frustrated with it.

The moral of the story: ALWAYS SAVE EVERYTHING…even if you don’t plan on using it later.

The Rum Diary

I’ll be completely honest; I was never really a fan of Hunter S. Thompson until his death several years ago. I saw the movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas when it came out. Although Terry Gilliam’s animations were…well, interesting…I didn’t really find the value of Thompson’s writing from the film.

The day he died, a student of mine challenged me to read the book, rather than judge his work from the movie. When I did, I had a new respect for Dr. Gonzo. When you don’t have the distractions of the movie to take away from the story, and the writing, you can see for yourself that wording is utter genius.

With that in mind, I finally got a chance to read The Rum Diary. The story takes place in San Juan in the late 1950s, just after Castro takes over Cuba. The tale of a hard drinking journalist (sound like anyone that we know?), Paul Kemp, deals with temptation, betrayal and working for an organization that is about to fold at any moment. It’s one of Thompson’s early works, but his signature detail and writing style takes its form.

I’m almost a little surprised that there hasn’t been a screen version of this tale. It’s a fairly easy read, and quick to get through. I would highly recommend the read, especially during the summer time.