Friday, March 30, 2007

Not Me...


...but put a pair of specs on him and it could have been...(Moses knows what I'm talkin' about)

Hocus-cadabra!


Speaking of magic(al), here's a link to the screenplay for 'Stranger Than Fiction'. A great script, but it includes a most unique note on the second page:

You may notice at certain points in the script there are references to music tracks that appear on a cd that accompanies the script...

And the first set of screen directions is a reference to a Godspeed You Black Emperor's song and that it's track one on the cd. A cd of music - that's something I've never seen arrive with a screenplay before. Nor have I seen a screenplay with actual screen directions instructing you to play the cd at specific places. I wonder if it helped make the sale?

Press play now.

6 comments:

Tom said...

I've heard that Zach Braff did the same thing for Garden State.

I thought it sounded amateurish, but I don't know anything.

Wouldn't this be the same as (after the script is sold) a writer asking to be consulted on music for the movie? (Which I would think would ignored/laughed at.)
Or does this get a pass because it helps 'set the mood' while reading the script?

wcdixon said...

Tom...as you I would have thought this as amateurish - and you're asking every question I asked.

I tried to buy into the 'set the mood' thing, but there are those little 'cues' thoughout the script. How long are you supposed to play the song for? As in, I read pretty fast...what if I read past the the point I should while the song is still playing? And it ruins the mood/read/everything?

I think this falls into being one of those things most pros would tell you not to do, and then someone (or two) does it and it clicks...proving once again nobody knows anything.

Lucy V said...

Personally, I think it has more to do with the fact that Zach Braff was already a star and the idea behind STRANGER THAN FICTION was so good, it didn't matter how sucky the CD-idea was, which it IS - one of the biggest irritations a Reader has to face. I haven't had one in a while thank God. So sometimes an idea can win out even over crappy etceteras...But I'd never reccommend it. EVER.

Mystery Man said...

I can assure you it didn't help get a sale. I'm sure the CD was quickly tossed. He had already found some notoriety and had been noticed by Spielberg for other writings he had done before he composed this particular script. At least, I think that's how the story goes. I think he just got noticed by important people before he was really ready. I know that Spielberg had given him an assignment to do a remake of some project, I forget which, but his spec was ultimately rejected. But I think it was his notoriety and clever concept that got him the sale.

I was disappointed in his spec. I had really hoped for better things from Zach. Hopefully next time.

-MM

EditThis said...

I imagine that would be pretty annoying. The only time I've ever seen a CD go with a script was when a Producer I worked for was trying to shop a musical show, and the script included several sung lyrics by the cast.

Anonymous said...

Zach Helm does that cd thing for all his scripts apparently