Interview with ShoutOutLA

After turning down numerous interviews over the years (including one with the BBC long ago), I was talked into doing this one with ShoutOutLA.

Personal milestones achieved!

As of yesterday, I have completed a 114-page feature screenplay as well as a 25,000-word novella, both called Rogue Wave. I also wrote a 2-page film pitch for the script which I'm quite happy with. This was my goal for the year, as an attempt to restart my writing after a 5-year hiatus following my brother Dave's passing in 2019. I think I'm back and I know he would be Happy. 👍

Script-to-Book update for 6/17/2024

Today I finished writing my "lean" draft, which is the direct "prose translation" of my "Rogue Wave" feature screenplay. Next I will start writing the true novella by filling in scene descriptions, adding character thoughts when appropriate, and beefing up the sparse script dialogue when needed. Very glad I finally stopped dragging my heels and started adapting this. 

Rogue Wave screenplay is finished!

"Rogue Wave", my latest original feature screenplay is finally finalized, officially copyrighted, and uploaded to Coverfly.

So with my Rogue Wave screenplay finished, what's next for me? Why, of course it will be the Rogue Wave book. I just spent the past two days converting my present-tence script into past-tense prose, word for word, and it's already longer than half of the novellas in my Novum series. Rewriting the story fully as a book will potentially double the word count, so I guess I know what I'll be doing in my spare time in the months ahead.

Writing alone? Not so much.

Long ago I switched from writing screenplays to writing novels because I believed that I needed "absolute full control" of my creations. Now, as I ease back into the Screenwriting world, I'm reminded that unless you're literally a genius, or figuratively an idiot, everything you create will be a group effort. Beta readers, editors, and friends will all influence and sometimes drastically alter your final product. And that will make it better. Accept that. Embrace that.

Thoughts on writing a "high concept & big budget" feature film script for a MUCH smaller budget

I have now written 2 feature scripts that, due to their setting and genre (far-future underwater science fiction (imagine "Dune" but replace sand with water)), would normally require a huge (100+ million) budget. However, knowing that would kill any chances of my stories making the big (or even small) screen, I specifically wrote my scripts to drastically reduce the CGI budget in a very organic way.

One of the things I liked about the TV series Firefly, was that 90% of the story took place inside the ship Serenity, and that was intentional for cost savings. However, it also forced the stories to be about the people inside and not on big sci-fi things outside the ship. I also based my stories on months spent at sea in my day job (oceanographer), where you tend to create external families and friendships to get you through the long days and nights. Both of my screenplays center on that type of "family" bonding and that allows you to focus on people and not get too carried away with plot. The plot is important and dramatic and life changing, but the center of the story is always how that plot affects the characters.

I do wish I could find a way to realistically estimate the budget. As a comparison, I use far less external "undersea" CGI shots than the recent 2020 film "Underwater" with Kristen Stewart, and it cost between 50-80 million. So I would estimate maybe 50 million, maybe even less since I spend far more time inside than out.

Join this conversation on Stage32

https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/Thoughts-on-writing-a-high-concept-and-big-budget-feature-film-script-for-a-MUCH-smaller-budget

All books now on sale!

To celebrate finishing my latest screenplay, I have placed every single book of mine on sale. Check them out below:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Joseph-Rhea/author/B002BLVGAY