Celtx 1.0 Released

Storyboard
Image by isaleal

Looks like the folks at Celtx have come out with version 1.0. This is a tool for screenwriters of all stripes, and it’s FREE! I’ve been playing with Celtx for a while, and I like what I see.

Review will certainly follow. I’d love to test their theory that this can help people creating non-traditional media (podcasts, games, comics).

Akiva Goldsman says. . .

This weekend, as a part of the reunion/commencement ceremonies at my alma mater, I got to see Akiva Goldsman talk about life as an Oscar-winning screenwriter. I also got to see a certain presidential candidate, but I’m going to be a good blogger and stay on topic.

I’ve seen a lot of writers come back and give advice to the masses. Goldsman talked a lot about failure. He was a failed novelist, a mostly-failed textbook writer, and he happened to, by accident, sell the first screenplay he ever wrote. His advice was, in a nutshell: “Write write write write write write write. And then write.”

Someone asked him about going to Hollywood. He said that Hollywood was a club of “about 500 people, with everyone trying to make sure it’s not 501.” He advised aspiring filmmakers, writers, and actors to develop their skills elsewhere, and then bring those skills with them. He said that LA was no place to find yourself – you have to bring something to the table to have success.

The talk reminded me why I chose a small market like Boston, where I can form bonds with people at all levels of the production process. I once was trying to coordinate a shoot with a woman in LA, who tried to get me to sum up where I wanted to be in 5 years. I gave her a very vague, philosophical answer, and she said “No. You need to KNOW now. Do you want to be a technical director? A location manager? What?” I’m lucky enough that I’ve been a location manager, a script supervisor, a producer, an editor. . . all from the same desk chair. I should hope that if I ever get to make money solely as a writer or producer, knowing the whole process from start to finish will serve me well.

Script Frenzy!

Are you in a screenwriting slump? Is that sunny spring weather calling to you to put away the laptop and frolic among the trees? Well sit yourself back in that office chair, buddy, cause it’s Script Frenzy season!

Script Frenzy is like National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo, for screenwriters. You have 30 days to write 100 pages. This is their description:

“For Script Frenzy, the goal is to write a movie, play, graphic novel script, comic book script, or a collection of TV shows or shorts in 30 days. You can even do a screenplay adaptation of your NaNoWriMo novel!”

Before my laptop died, I was a NaNo participant, and it was a lot of fun. You’d be amazed how much you can write when there are people cheering you on, and the deadlines are concrete. I’ll definitely participate this year!