Ways to Think About 
Movies & Other Stuff

by 

Jaron Summers

Some brain experts observe: We only use ten per cent of our minds.

Here is an observation about that observation: Horse feathers. (My grandfather used to say that when he thought something was ludicrous.)

Nobody knows much about the human mind. For all we know we could be using only one per cent of our minds. Or 62.04 per cent. Or whatever. 

Let's look at it another way. Suppose it's true that humans use ten per cent of their minds. This would mean that humans (operating at ninety percent under potential) are figuring out really complex things about a part of the human body they know horse feathers about. Ten per cent could be way off. 

When it comes to screenwriting, I'd like to use my large brain a bit better than I have. Apparently certain drugs work great. Exercise is supposed to help too. Some claim sex is the key to thinking better. 

Recently I wrote a column about writing movies. 

Here is the problem with writing a movie. You don't read a movie, you see it.

Wouldn't it be better to "visually" see a movie in images as you wrote the screenplay, rather than write about those images? After all, a movie is a series of images. 

You can sketch your film in little cells like a comic book. A kind of storyboard. 

I am an awful artist. But guess what? -- I've come across a program that helps me write visually. It's called Mind Manager and is one of the best programs I've ever seen for organizing a movie in my head. It's also great for organizing a lot of other things we humans do since most minds deal in a series of images rather than written lists.

You can get a demo of Mind Manager at their website: www.mindjet.com

I think it will help you to assemble a better movie and it might help to kick-start your brain. Of course after you get the right series of images, you have to memorialize them into a series of written scenes.  Voilà -- a screenplay.

I have no financial interest in Mind Manager. I wish I did. It's a phenomenal organizational program for anyone who wants to think in images. I wrote a column about Mind Manager last year. Click here. 

Last week I suggested that if you were interested in writing a movie that you check out a few web sites. I overlooked a great one that a friend of mine, Michael Dare, has. It's called Ask Dr. Hollywood. Although Michael has written some dynamite screenplays, he didn't write a novel until last month. It's very good. Take a bow, Michael.

Check out crafty screenwriting. It's a must!

In my links for screenwriters I also mentioned D-Girl. She has terrific (and terrifying) insights regarding  what goes into finding good screenplays.

Most people in development possess the Voice of an Angel and the Heart of a Cynic.  D-Girl is the opposite ... as you'll see from her hilarious notes on show biz written from the point of view of a woman who trolls her world for Mr. Right and the next great Writer.  Here is a link to D-Girl.

D-Girl was kind enough to answer several questions.

Question 1. Name a couple of  elements in a screenplay that excite you.

Anything unusual, anything wacky and funny, but not in that "gross-out" way.

Question 2. Name several elements that cause you to hurl the pages against the wall. 

Anything other than 3 hole and brads (spiral binding, clear ink plastic covers make me run screaming into the streets).
Opening with: Ext. Las Vegas.
Anything to do with the Mafia.

Question 3. What three elements will cause you to make a note of the writer and NEVER take a call or look at a script from him/her again?

Gifts such as: side of bacon, pizza.
Corny, unprofessional cover letter.
Ripped from headlines plot.

That's how the game is played; break the rules at your own peril. 

The problem is the rules keep shifting. Everything in this column is probably obsolete. So pay no attention to it (except for the three-brad directive) and just keep writing. 

Finally, don't take yourself too seriously. See BRADS.

To read dozens more of Jaron's hilarious columns, please go here. 

copyright 2001 Jaron Summers