From Idea to Script to Sale
Before I get to today’s blog…
Thinking about doing more with your writing? Why not join me in Paris June 2-7 for my Masterclass in Screenwriting? Come be part of a dynamic community of writers and literary agents to learn, to write, to network, to energize your literary goals—and just to have fun in the City of Light!
The Paris Writers Workshop is the longest running literary program of its kind. This program offers 6 masterclasses by renowned authors, each a specialist in their field—and I’ll be teaching the Screenwriting Masterclass—in English, of course.
The workshop will be held at Columbia University’s beautiful Reid Hall campus in the heart of literary Paris—Montparnasse.
Registration is now open: https://wice-paris.org/paris-writers- workshop
We’ll have a great time getting your story ideas off the ground!!
Time for an Easter Classic--1
Why? Well, it’s spring outside. Birth, renewal… all of that. Plus, in a few weeks, Easter is coming. But the main reason I’d encourage you to think about writing an Easter-oriented film is that it’s the one holiday that hasn’t been captured… at least, not completely. Name 5 Easter-oriented films?..... Time’s up. How easy was that? Did you have to consult IMDB?
Now if we’re talking about Christmas movies, that’s a different story. There are plenty. We’ve looked at some in past blogs and if you want to write one, you should! People are ALWAYS looking for Christmas movies because it’s a worldwide holiday. [Take a look at past blogs on writing Christmas films for more thoughts if that’s your area of interest.]
Think about it. Thanksgiving movies aren’t that marketable outside of the States because the world may not care much about our gatherings for the big dinner. And that’s understandable as people around the world don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s the same with the 4th of July, isn’t it? America is the only place where that Independence Day is a holiday. [My husband, who’s English/French, jokes that the English celebrate their Independence Day on July 5th—as they’re celebrating getting rid of the those annoying, upstart colonies.]
So if you’re going to write a holiday-themed film, the only tried and true winner has been Christmas movies. But there are so many other holidays—and I’d like to advocate for Easter.
Like Christmas, it’s celebrated pretty much worldwide in the Christian world—so you’d think there would be a big market out there for Easter-themed films. But nobody's written them yet.
The concept of making an Easter-themed film lets you go two ways—you can focus on the religious aspect—which means you’ll probably go historical or you can go contemporary religious themes set around Easter.
But you can also focus on the Easter bunny/Easter egg hunt aspect—which lets you go in a more kids or family or comedy direction.
As is true with every genre, the best way to write a great film in a genre is to look at past films in that genre. So that’s the plan.
But before we get into specific films, think about how you’d approach writing an Easter film. If your agent told you that a production company or studio was looking for Easter-themed films, what kind of thing do you think you would pitch?
Would it be a family film about a minister and his flock who are in debt and going to lose their church if they can’t raise funds to pay off that debt by Easter? Would it be an animated film about a new family of bunnies being raised on a farm by a couple of kids who decide they want a real live Easter bunny extravaganza of a hunt—only to find the other farm animals jealous of the bunnies and their special treatment? Would it be a new telling of the Bible story of Jesus’s resurrection?
Whatever your bent, I think an Easter movie is something to think about! Next week, we’ll look at some successful ones to give you some ideas on this genre that will, hopefully, spur your own ideas for that Easter film.
Copyright © Diane Lake
07Mar21
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Diane a question to Diane@DianeLake.com