Today,
friends, I have a special treat. As you may know, along with being a farmer,
novelist, and blogger, I have aspirations of seeing my work on the silver
screen. I mean come on, who wouldn't want to see their characters larger than
life, up there for the world to see? So I have begun my journey to find a way
into that mystical world called Hollywood. Has it been easy? Heck no! But I
have learned a lot from those who have taken the time to mentor me. And below,
you’ll meet one such person, Daniel Noe. We connected on Facebook, and besides
being friends, he’s been kind enough to help get me on the right path to
getting my scripts in front of folks who might be able to make them happen. So
sit back, relax, perhaps grab a pen and take some notes, because he’s a really
neat person!
Daniel Noe, of
Minority Pictures, LLC, has been in the business over 30 years. He’s spent six of
that running his own company and another 24 in various “ATL” and “BTL”
positions (these are industry terms for budget. “Above The Line” refers to
Producers, Director, and Lead talent. “Below The Line” refers to the
various pre-production/production departments and post-production).
I asked him if
I could interview him for both my blog and the IU blog, he readily agreed. I
typed up 10 questions that I thought would-be screenwriting authors might like
to know. Yes, my inquiry mind wanted to know too!
KR: What was
the reason you decided to get into film?
DN: It is
something I have always wanted to do. I
have not been involved my entire life, but when it is in you, it draws you in
eventually.
KR: What is
the main function of a producer?
DN: A broad
question. Producers have varying capacities, but at the core, a producer is a
person who affects results through action. My take is a producer is a
facilitator by function, whether it involves finance, production, post-production,
distribution, or in any area related to the project.
KR: What are
the basic steps to making a movie?
DN: Write or
buy a script, develop it into a marketable package, prepare for physical
production, produce the product, assemble the product in post-production.
KR: Can you
explain “packaging” a deal in regards to the writer’s portion?
DN: The
writer’s sole concern is to present a marketable, “calling card” script. Don’t be concerned with any numbers, with the
exception of page counts. A writer can option, outright sell the IP,
(Intellectual Property), and even deal memo(an agreement/contract), to do
re-writes, if it is offered. Normally,
the writer is paid off, given credit, and then another writing team is deal
memo’ed to do the re-writes.
KR: What is
your best advice for getting noticed in the industry?
DN: Be your
creative self, practice, practice, practice your discipline, respect the
business model, develop lasting relationships (personal/business), and stay
patient and passionate.
KR: If someone
wants to adapt their novel to a screenplay, what are some resources they can
use?
DN: Plenty of
screenplay writing software programs out there, so anyone can cherry pick one
to fit their immediate needs. I recommend Final Draft 8, or if one needs to go
on the cheap, ask a friend with the program for the margins, headers, tab, and
indentation numbers, then create a template with a word writing program that
converts to pdf.
KR: If you
were to tell an author one good piece of advice about screenwriting, what would
it be?
DN: Get a copy
of Lew Hunter’s Screenwriting 434 (ISBN:
0-399-51838-X). Put your best foot forward!
BTW: I’m about
half way through the book, and it has some really great, thought-provoking
information.
KR: Should a
writer get lucky enough to get a screenplay optioned, what can they expect?
DN: Another
broad question. I will answer with a
“newbie” hypothesis. A new writer, if
the script is in demand, should broker for the normal option rate and terms,
broker a cheaper than WGA page count rate, and not even worry about a re-write
contract. The idea is to get and keep the foot in the door.
KR: What are your
feelings about SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and WGA (Writers Guild of America)?
DN: Necessary
and engage them as a friend!
KR: And your
feelings toward independent productions?
DN: Absolutely
love them. Limitation is the enemy of art!
Nowadays there
are increasing opportunities for authors to get their books made into movies.
The internet, movies on demand, independent production companies, and large
production companies are all looking for new ideas. If you are willing to put
forth the effort, you can try and write the screenplay yourself. Otherwise,
your job is to find a person in the industry that will champion your book and
get it in front of producers and directors. It’s not easy getting that
champion, but once you do, always remember to be professional and meet any
deadlines. Writers are a dime a dozen in Hollywood, your goal is to outshine
all of those and make a name for yourself. If you truly dream of seeing your
book on the silver screen, it’s time to get cracking and make it happen!
And
you can connect with him professionally:
Until next time, my creatively
obsessed friends,
Kathy
Other recommended books:
How not to write a screenplay ISBN: 1-58065-015-5 (have not read this one yet,
but it was recommended by my “script Doctor”)
Screenplay ISBN: 978-0-385-33903-2 (the absolute go-to book)
Making a good script great ISBN 978-935247-01-2
How to adapt anything into a screenplay ISBN: 0-471-22545-2
The screenwriter’s bible ISBN: 978-1-935247-02-9 (an AWESOME book!)
