NYWIFT Blog

Notes From A Screenreader

photo via Go Into the Story You need a logline for your screenplay. It is your script’s calling card. You can’t submit to a competition, pitch or write a query without one. A logline reduces an entire screenplay to a single sentence that expresses its premise. It should include a sketch of the protag, what...

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Terry’s Picks: October 1

Still Image from The Dog Congratulations To: NYWIFT Member Joanna Plafsky, Executive Producer of My Reincarnation, up for a News and Documentary Emmy this week. Crossing fingers for her tonight. Hope To See You At: the NYFF51 LIVE: Spotlight on Documentary Filmmakers panel at the New York Film Festival on October 7 at 7:45 – 8:45...

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ExperTEAs: Filmmaker Lucy Walker

photo of Lucy Walker via lucywalkerfilm.com NYWIFT is a launching a new series along the lines of our popular Power Player Breakfast, but with a smaller more intimate setting and not as early in the morning. The series, ExperTEAs launches with the documentary powerhouse and award winning filmmaker Lucy Walker. Walker’s documentaries have won over...

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WEEKLY ROUNDUP

Photo via Google+ Sheryl Lee Ralph discusses becoming an “Instant Mom” (on Nickelodeon). In case you missed these historic Emmy moments. Who’s buying spec scripts? The Scoggins Report has answers. Why Enough Said Director Nicole Holofcener is considered ambiguous. Good for you Elizabeth Hasselbeck! Army Wives’ bummer. 22 of Flavorwire’s ”50 most interesting people on tv“ are women. We’re closing in ladies… And just for laughs–21 Questions with Joan...

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Tweet of the Week

@NYWIFT member @STACEYMUHAMMAD named 1 of the 12 smartest women of color on Twitter: http://t.co/yYL8FsCjGP — Stacey Muhammad (@STACEYMUHAMMAD)  September 26, 2013 Good on you, Stacey! –@annelabarba

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Notes from a Screenreader

photo via Go Into the Story It’s an open secret that you only have a few pages to convince experienced readers that your script is worth reading. What you might not know is that you can make mistakes on the very first page that prejudice readers, long before you establish the relationships and conflicts that...

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Terry’s Picks: September 24

Director Haifaa al-Mansou (right) and actress Waad Mohammed at Wadjda’s premiere at the Venice film festival. Photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters via The Guardian Just Read: this Indiewire article about the biggest hits among female-centered films in the 21st Century. Excited to Hear: Wadjda, the first ever Saudi Arabian film directed by a woman, has been chosen...

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Flix Not To Miss : Una Noche (One Night)

(warning some spoilers) Una Noche, a powerful new film written and directed by Lucy Mulloy looks beyond romantic Lonely Planet images of Cuba’s white talcum powder sand, quaint colonial buildings’ creeping mosaics of peeling paint and colorful vintage cars to show the restless desperation of young people living in grinding poverty among crumbling infrastructure. The...

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WEEKLY ROUNDUP

Photo via snl.wikia.com Now Seth Meyers can have better conversations with SNL’s Cecily Strong Sarah Silverman is old, sensitive and only “kinda” racist? Hmmm… (Video) After NINETY years Time magazine names Nancy Gibbs as their 1st female Managing Editor. Breaking Bad’s Laura Fraser discusses Lydia yet reveals nothing. Smooth! (Video) The Kelly File (great name) is the new 9pm vehicle...

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Tweet of the Week

You can’t allow FEAR – for your character, or offending someone – to interfere with your #writing. Why: http://t.co/M5G6Th6B2a #scriptchat — Lucy V Hay (@Bang2write) September 18, 2013 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js -@annelabarba

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Notes from a Screenreader

photo via Go Into the Story If you spend money on an entry fee for a competition, you want it to be well-spent, which means getting past the first few rounds. When you make the semi-final rounds, your logline goes out to production companies and agents who want to read your script. That is success....

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Terry’s Picks: September 17

Mother of George photo via Indiewire Glad to Hear: HBO is developing another comedy series by a woman. Peeples director Tina Gordon Chism will write and Executive Produce Crushed, about an African American family running a wine business in Napa. Best of Luck: to Nikyatu Jusu (Free the Town), Iva Radivojevic (Evaporating Borders), Sabine Krayenbuhl...

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WEEKLY ROUNDUP

photograph via Saturday Night Live Congratulations to Carol Burnett! Uh, what took so long? Au revoir Beast! Tina Brown has other plans… ABC is in a buying mood. *Meet these two Directors–Piro Honkasalo & Judy Kibinge. “What the hell is subtext?” Explained. Tina’s coming! Tina’s coming! *I know, it’s the same website but I couldn’t choose just one....

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TWEET OF THE WEEK

Congratulations @Malala on winning the 2013 International Children’s Peace Prize! #inspiring #education http://t.co/BSHRJwLeGt — Acumen (@Acumen) September 9, 2013 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js -@annelabarba

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NYWIFT MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: AMANDA LIN COSTA

As a new editor of the NYWIFT Blog, I thought my first NYWIFT Member Spotlight interview should be the voice of NYWIFT, Amanda Lin Costa.  Amanda serves on the Board of Directors of NYWIFT and is the Vice President of Communications and Committee Chair. Amanda calls herself a “little engine that could”, which is remarkably...

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Terry’s Picks: September 10

Power of Women Nominees, photo via Variety Hats Off To: the Power of Women Award Honorees. The Power of Women event, sponsored by Lifetime, recognizes women in Hollywood who have made significant contribution to help those in need. Read about it on Variety.  Check Out: Indiewire’s list of 20 great debut films by women. It’s a...

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Flix Not to Miss: Katy Perry: Part of Me

When my daughter begged me to rent Katy Perry:  Part of Me, I was skeptical; but she was insistent, and I like Katy Perry’s music.  I was expecting a slick, packaged, overly long concert flick. I was pleasantly surprised.  The movie is loosely structured around the arc of Perry’s marriage to and subsequent break-up from...

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WEEKLY ROUNDUP

Photo via Getty Images Sarah-Siegel Magness replaces Michael Radford as Castro’s Daughter Director. A funny thing happened… to comedian Cameron Esposito on her late night debut. There’s more work to do but women are making “incremental growth” in primetime TV. Film school not your thing? It wasn’t hers or hers either. Keep shooting ladies! Hanging out with actress Olivia...

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