Bret Easton Ellis Will Read Your Novel If You Pony Up $5,000 For His New Film (Probably) Starring Porn Star James Deen Source: LAist.com #screenplay #film #screenwriter “If you follow Bret Easton Ellis on his prolific (and sometimes maligned) Twitter account, you’d have read endless tweets about his latest screenplay written with porn star James Deen in mind. Now producer Braxton Pope has launched a Kickstarter account for the film “The Canyons.” Here’s the pitch: “The Canyons documents five twenty-something’s quest for power, love, sex and success in 2012 Hollywood.” Ellis wrote the script with Deen in mind, which doesn’t seem so farfetched since the porn star who has been getting more attention in the mainstream ever since he was profiled in GOOD magazine and then for the pearl-clutching set on “Nightline.” The filmmakers want to cast leads who will have real—not simulated—sex on-screen. One of the most interesting parts of the Kickstarter campaign is that it appeals to fans who would like to rub shoulders with the people behind the film or get notes on their own creative projects. Here are a couple of the more entertaining deals for contributing to the film, which is already halfway to its goal of $100,000. For $500: TWEET YOUR SHORT FILM! Bret Easton Ellis and Braxton Pope will watch your short film, tweet their honest thoughts AND the link to their combined 390,000 followers/fans! (Facebook too) — Special Thanks in the closing credits — Plus everything from “The Canyons” script package and above! For $501: PRODUCER’S COFFEE: We’re not gonna call it a pitch meeting, but…Braxton Pope will meet you in LA and bring you an exclusive autographed script with a 1 of 1 cover created from an on set photograph nobody else in the world will have. — Special Thanks in the closing credits — You and a guest get to attend the cast and crew wrap party! (transportation and lodging not provided) — Plus everything else in “The Canyons” script package. For $1,500 (but this one is almost maxed out so act now!): LIVE TWEET YOUR FEATURE FILM: Festival or TV premiere? — Bret Easton Ellis and Braxton Pope will Livetweet (approx 20 tweets) their honest thoughts on your film at the time of your choosing to their 390,000 followers/fans, hopefully helping you trend worldwide! They will also post about your film on their Facebook pages. — And everything in “The Canyons” script package. — Special Thanks in the closing credits For $5,000: Bret Easton Ellis will read and review your novel and have that review appear on an international blog or website. (TBD) — Associate Producer credit on the film — You will also receive an autographed hardcover of every novel in Bret’s canon. — Two tickets to Wrap party — Handwritten thank you letter and on set photo from Bret and Paul, along with a shout out in the Making of the Canyons video. For $5,001: Have your script covered by Paul Schrader: — Notes to be delivered in person (NY or LA) or skype — Associate Producer credit on the film — You will also receive 5 autographed copies of any script Paul has written plus everything in “The Canyons” script package. — Handwritten thank you letter and on set photo from Bret and Paul, along with a shout out in the Making of the Canyons video. — Two tickets to Wrap party Any takers?
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Bret Easton Ellis Will Read Your Novel If You Pony Up $5,000 For His New Film (Probably) Starring Porn Star James Deen

Source: LAist.com

#screenplay #film #screenwriter

“If you follow Bret Easton Ellis on his prolific (and sometimes maligned) Twitter account, you’d have read endless tweets about his latest screenplay written with porn star James Deen in mind.

Now producer Braxton Pope has launched a Kickstarter account for the film “The Canyons.” Here’s the pitch: “The Canyons documents five twenty-something’s quest for power, love, sex and success in 2012 Hollywood.” Ellis wrote the script with Deen in mind, which doesn’t seem so farfetched since the porn star who has been getting more attention in the mainstream ever since he was profiled in GOOD magazine and then for the pearl-clutching set on “Nightline.” The filmmakers want to cast leads who will have real—not simulated—sex on-screen.

One of the most interesting parts of the Kickstarter campaign is that it appeals to fans who would like to rub shoulders with the people behind the film or get notes on their own creative projects. Here are a couple of the more entertaining deals for contributing to the film, which is already halfway to its goal of $100,000.

For $500:

TWEET YOUR SHORT FILM! Bret Easton Ellis and Braxton Pope will watch your short film, tweet their honest thoughts AND the link to their combined 390,000 followers/fans! (Facebook too) — Special Thanks in the closing credits — Plus everything from “The Canyons” script package and above!

For $501:

PRODUCER’S COFFEE: We’re not gonna call it a pitch meeting, but…Braxton Pope will meet you in LA and bring you an exclusive autographed script with a 1 of 1 cover created from an on set photograph nobody else in the world will have. — Special Thanks in the closing credits — You and a guest get to attend the cast and crew wrap party! (transportation and lodging not provided) — Plus everything else in “The Canyons” script package.

For $1,500 (but this one is almost maxed out so act now!):

LIVE TWEET YOUR FEATURE FILM: Festival or TV premiere? — Bret Easton Ellis and Braxton Pope will Livetweet (approx 20 tweets) their honest thoughts on your film at the time of your choosing to their 390,000 followers/fans, hopefully helping you trend worldwide! They will also post about your film on their Facebook pages. — And everything in “The Canyons” script package. — Special Thanks in the closing credits

For $5,000:

Bret Easton Ellis will read and review your novel and have that review appear on an international blog or website. (TBD) — Associate Producer credit on the film — You will also receive an autographed hardcover of every novel in Bret’s canon. — Two tickets to Wrap party — Handwritten thank you letter and on set photo from Bret and Paul, along with a shout out in the Making of the Canyons video.

For $5,001:

Have your script covered by Paul Schrader: — Notes to be delivered in person (NY or LA) or skype — Associate Producer credit on the film — You will also receive 5 autographed copies of any script Paul has written plus everything in “The Canyons” script package. — Handwritten thank you letter and on set photo from Bret and Paul, along with a shout out in the Making of the Canyons video. — Two tickets to Wrap party

Any takers?

Balls of Steel: Marathon Pitch via Kickstarter Source: @scriptmag @jeannevb #screenwriting #film #screenplay “Kickstarter: A site dedicated to crowdfunding artistic projects, including independent films. I’m sure by now you’ve all had at least one friend send you their link, asking for support. Try being “The Twitter Pimp Angel.” I get dozens of links tweeted to me every day. How do I decide which ones to back and which to pass on? I have to believe in the person’s ability to deliver on their promise of completing a quality film, and I have to like the premise of the project. Basically, I have to like their pitch. When director Michael Bekemeyer and I decided to crowdfund our short film, Impasse, we knew it would be a marathon pitch. Sure, I’ve pitched before, from 5-minute pitchfest sessions to 45-minute studio meetings, but to sustain a 33-day pitch would require stamina… and a plan. Every project starts with a script. You, the writer, know how compelling your script is, and your job is to convince other people of its value. There are two ways to grab a backer’s attention: Your Kickstarter video and the text description of your project. Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica, Game of Thrones, and Once Upon a Time),Brad “Cheeks” Bell, and the cast and crew of Husbands, did a great job on their Kickstarter, raising $60,000. Are you shocked someone of Espenson’s writing experience is doing crowdfunding? Don’t be. Other famous writers, directors and actors are too, such as Peter Riegert (Animal House, Local Hero, Traffic, Sopranos, White Irish Drinkers, etc) who launched his campaign for his documentary, Prospect, and met his goal in just a few days and will undoubtedly raise much more before his campaign ends. If run well, crowdfunding works. Some say our Impasse video was too fun and not enough about what the story means to us, or what it would mean to our audience. But we thought it was equally important to show our personalities and introduce ourselves. The reality is, that “fun” video got the interest of cast and crew because they watched and said, “Hey, I want to work with those two.” Or maybe they just wanted our liquor. We also wanted to keep the video as short as………”
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Balls of Steel: Marathon Pitch via Kickstarter

Source: @scriptmag @jeannevb

#screenwriting #film #screenplay

“Kickstarter: A site dedicated to crowdfunding artistic projects, including independent films. I’m sure by now you’ve all had at least one friend send you their link, asking for support.

Try being “The Twitter Pimp Angel.” I get dozens of links tweeted to me every day.

How do I decide which ones to back and which to pass on? I have to believe in the person’s ability to deliver on their promise of completing a quality film, and I have to like the premise of the project.

Basically, I have to like their pitch.

When director Michael Bekemeyer and I decided to crowdfund our short film, Impasse, we knew it would be a marathon pitch. Sure, I’ve pitched before, from 5-minute pitchfest sessions to 45-minute studio meetings, but to sustain a 33-day pitch would require stamina… and a plan.

Every project starts with a script. You, the writer, know how compelling your script is, and your job is to convince other people of its value.

There are two ways to grab a backer’s attention: Your Kickstarter video and the text description of your project.

Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica, Game of Thrones, and Once Upon a Time),Brad “Cheeks” Bell, and the cast and crew of Husbands, did a great job on their Kickstarter, raising $60,000.

Are you shocked someone of Espenson’s writing experience is doing crowdfunding? Don’t be. Other famous writers, directors and actors are too, such as Peter Riegert (Animal House, Local Hero, Traffic, Sopranos, White Irish Drinkers, etc) who launched his campaign for his documentary, Prospect, and met his goal in just a few days and will undoubtedly raise much more before his campaign ends.

If run well, crowdfunding works.

Some say our Impasse video was too fun and not enough about what the story means to us, or what it would mean to our audience. But we thought it was equally important to show our personalities and introduce ourselves. The reality is, that “fun” video got the interest of cast and crew because they watched and said, “Hey, I want to work with those two.”

Or maybe they just wanted our liquor.

We also wanted to keep the video as short as………”