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#Scriptchat Transcript - @KathrynLyn Director of Development at @AmasiaEnt December 20, 2015
Tonight's guest was @KathrynLyn Director of Development at @AmasiaEnt - a film production & finance co. @zacsanford moderates
IT’S #SCRIPTCHAT O'CLOCK w/ @KathrynLyn Director of Dev at @AmasiaEnt. @zacsanford moderates. Chat fr this site: http://www.tchat.io/rooms/scriptchat …
Allo allo #scriptchat
Pick up the free guide today, "How To Sell Your Screenplay" by @ashleymeyers #scriptchat http://www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/guide/?so=isa
Hello all and please welcome our gust @KathrynLyn, the DoD at @AmasiaEnt. Thank you for being here tonight. #scriptchat
@zacsanford2 Hey! Thanks for having me. I hope I'm doing this right. #scriptchat- As we wait for our guest to arrive, how is everyone doing? Are you going to hit your writing goals for the year? #scriptchat
- I can't even remember what happened over the last week. #scriptchat
I got rejected by Hasbro Studios. No agent, no work. #scriptchat- Oops, there she is. Welcome to the chat @KathrynLyn. As we always do, tell us a little about yourself. #scriptchat
- As always, the easiest way to follow the chat is on: http://www.tchat.io/rooms/scriptchat … #scriptchat
- @zacsanford2 Thanks! I run development at Amasia Entertainment. Most recent film is Mr. Right (Sam Rockwell/Anna Kendrick) #scriptchat
- Q What made you want to get into development, and what does one normally do for those who don't know? #scriptchat
Write the 2016 version of your story. Don't write the 80's or 90's version. Trust me. #ScriptChat- @zacsanford2 I started as a writer, then jumped around the industry before landing in dev. #scriptchat
When you wrote, what did you write? #scriptchat- @ZotBakingCo a little bit of everything! :) I sold a couple of feature scripts I wrote, then wrote editorials and blogs. #scriptchat
- @AB2screenwriter It is a comedy. :) We just premiered it at TIFF. It was our 4th film. #scriptchat
- What genre were the features? #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 We tend to look for commercial thrillers and commercial comedies. Our first film was The Call w/Halle Berry. #scriptchat
- What one thing will catch your eye about a script? #scriptchat
- @ZotBakingCo Characters that are rich enough that actors will want to play them. + commercial viability. #scriptchat
Cool. I thought THE CALL was pretty good, and like how it was "budget friendly". Minimal locations & cast. #scriptchat- @wcmartell Thanks! And yes, we tend to keep an eye out for projects like that. #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn @ZotBakingCo Commercial viability is a phase that worries me. Too often an excuse to aim low. #scriptchat
"Do I understand this correctly? I'm being marked down? (sobs) I've been kidnapped by Kmart." - @BetteMidler in Ruthless People #scriptchat- @Al_1701 @KathrynLyn @ZotBakingCo Only if aiming low is your choice. The BFI Best British Film Of All Time is a thriller. #scriptchat
- What is your feelings about transmedia? #scriptchat
- @ZotBakingCo I mean trying to appeal to as broad on audience as possible by removing any sense of style and intelligence. #scriptchat
- See the Bayformers movies. #scriptchat
- @ZotBakingCo We haven't really delved into that, but would be more likely to look at cross platform vs transmedia #scriptchat
- @mikesmithwriter OMG YES. "This could very well be the stupidest person on the face of the earth. Perhaps we should shoot him." #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn Character driven vs. Plot driven, that is the question... #scriptchat
- @Al_1701 No, I'd rather see WINTER SOLDIER. Again - it's what the writer does with the material. Movies are mass audience. #scriptchat
- Exactly. #scriptchat
Hi #scriptchat folks! Sorry I'm late. Happy holidays to all!
what is usually done by the DoD? How he/she worked with a writer? #SCRIPTCHAT- @MadskiAdrai Basically the job is to find projects - sourcing specs, finding avail ip, doing in house dev. Then working with #scriptchat
- @MadskiAdrai then working with writers #scriptchat
- @AB2screenwriter the right plot with the right character = gold. John McClane in Die Hard. Who else could THAT happen to? #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 I judge some competitions, so always read those + winners from others. Also blcklist and other lists. #scriptchat
- I admire all the work you do. I am happy being the writer. Thank you for doing what you do so we can have great movies. #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn What makes you cringe when you see it in a script or query? #scriptchat
- @megankbickel queries that starts with "Dear Sir" (or even Dear Sir or Madame) usually don't get read beyond that line. :) #scriptchat
- @megankbickel And if a script is over 120 pages long, it tends to go towards the bottom of the [virtual] pile. #scriptchat
- @Al_1701 @megankbickel That works. Basically so it doesn't feel like it was just blindly copy/pasted to everyone. #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn @megankbickel And what if it's addressed to the business, because they are not sure who will read it specifically? #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn Once the proper greeting is there, what are the next common things that can be problems? Page count... what else? #scriptchat
- We're halfway done with the chat. Keep those questions coming to @KathrynLyn about development and queries. #scriptchat
- @Al_1701 if it's not addressed to anyone or goes to a general email, it will likely get lost in the shuffle or go to an intern #scriptchat
- What is the best way to query you with a project? #scriptchat
@KathrynLyn any interest in pilots, or strictly features? #scriptchat- @KathrynLyn What are common story problems that you bump into over and over again? #scriptchat
- What is the dream script you would like to read next week? Would it be a thriller? A female lead? #scriptchat
- @rdlln we look for both TV and features. #scriptchat
- @ZotBakingCo I like virtual pitch fest, and go to various in-person pitch tests. #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn What news feeds do you follow for Hollywood news? #scriptchat
- @wcmartell scripts where you don't have anyone to root for. #scriptchat
#scriptchat Linda Scarlett said my question.- If you like a script, what happens next? #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn @wcmartell Or where you're told who to root for with no real reason to beyond them wearing the label "hero." #scriptchat
- @megankbickel Just Deadline, really. And twitter. I'm boring like that. :) #scriptchat
- @ZotBakingCo If I LOVE it, the team sits down to talk about an option then we attach a director, etc. If I just like it (1/2) #scriptchat
- @ZotBakingCo (2/2) then I get to the know the writer, go over some notes, see if it can be strengthened. #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn What kills something for me is when they make everyone worse so the designated hero looks better in comparison. #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn What do writers do wrong during the development process? #scriptchat
- I love the team part. : ) #scriptchat
- @zacsanford2 I tend to live by the don't-be-a-jerk school of thought. It's a collaborative process. Let's all be friends. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 @KathrynLyn Create an arguments against each one. If the argument is weak, accept the suggestion. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 If there are dev notes you don't agree with, don't just ignore them. Talk it out, consider both sides. #scriptchat
- #scriptchat @KathrynLyn Judging anymore contests in 2016?
- Do you work with writers that live in another state? #scriptchat
- @writeranthonydp I hope to! If it's not too busy. I like to read everything myself for the contests, so it takes a lot of time. #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn Do you still write your own scripts, or are you pretty set on staying in development? #scriptchat
- @ZotBakingCo That's something I would like to know as a resident. How do I develop relationships when I'm here and they're there #scriptchat
- @ZotBakingCo I would guess that maybe half the writers I work with don't live in LA. #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn best to limit query to one script or is it okay to mention two? Thanks for doing this btw #verycool #scriptchat
- @zacsanford2 I think once you're a writer you're always a writer. :) #scriptchat
- Thank you. I really appreciate your time and effort in this chat. #scriptchat
- @rdlln No problem! I actually like when queries mention a couple of projects+. Either way. #scriptchat
- What movie inspired you to get into this industry? The one that touched your heart in fear or in love. #scriptchat
- @rdlln @KathrynLyn I'm not Kathryn, but if you query 1 script at a time, you can query the second. Both at once - it's over! #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn Besides contest and pitchfests, what is the best way for writers to get notice & be able to query? #scriptchat
- @rdlln @KathrynLyn Part of querying is getting your name in front of them again and again so they #scriptchat
- CRAP! So they "know you". #scriptchat
- @ZotBakingCo Wow. Good question! I'll have to think about it. I've always loved movies, first job was in a video store. #scriptchat
- How fun! First video that comes to your mind. #scriptchat
- #scriptchat @KathrynLyn And how do we query? Through the Amasia Entertainment website?
- @ZotBakingCo First movie in my mind right now is Star Wars, but I think that's product placement done right. :) #scriptchat
- Night of the Living Dead got me. I needed to figure out how they freaked me out so bad. : ) #scriptchat
- #scriptchat @KathrynLyn And do you have any unproduced sceenplays that are favorite reads?
- I meant from your days at the video store. : ) #scriptchat
- I know I wasn't asked, but Bubbles that topped this year's @blcklst is an interesting read. A story you know from a new POV. #scriptchat
- My Little Pony's "Crunch the Rockdog" is probably what started it for me. Seeing a character who had the same social struggles. #scriptchat
- It'll probably never be made, but the device into the story is what made it top this year's list. #scriptchat
- @zacsanford2 Managers and agents. Even smaller managers, i always take pitches from. #scriptchat
- The last five minutes. Sorry if your question wasn't answered, but @KathrynLyn has been fast and furious with her answers. #scriptchat
- I always want to read these Black List scripts... and I don't usually like reading scripts for fun. #scriptchat
- #scriptchat I want to read 'bubbles.'
- I love reading scripts. Especially along side watching the film. It really helps to see how they do it. #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn @zacsanford2 so better to have your rep reach out rather than query on your own? #scriptchat
- @ZotBakingCo I had to read a script while watching a movie for a project. Star Trek II. Interesting what changes were made. #scriptchat
- Final 5 plug: Ebooks make great last minute gifts! (Amazon gift button) HITCHCOCK:EXPERIMENTS IN TERROR. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H1IM31I/secretsofactions … #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 I loved the script for Room. And the film more than did it justice. #scriptchat
- Ooooh. I find that and read it! Thank you. #scriptchat
- #scriptchat The good one? What are you trying to say? :)
- @writeranthonydp Wrath of Khan >>>>>>>>>>> Into Darkness. #scriptchat
- @Al_1701 @writeranthonydp If we turn this into a Star Trek chat, I'll be here all night. #scriptchat
- #scriptchat I know. That's like 1978 Superman and...well....
- Thank you to @KathrynLyn for being here tonight. Any last bit of advice that you want to give? #scriptchat
- Final 5 plug: THE TERMINATOR MOVIES $2.99 until Jan 1, All 5 Films. http://www.amazon.com/Terminator-Movies-Story-Action-Book-ebook/dp/B018N6S176/secretsofactions … #scriptchat
- @KathrynLyn Thank you so much for being here tonight! Wonderful answers! #scriptchat
- Go to India. Cast their current heartthrob as Khan. Make a good movie. It was that simple. #scriptchat
- Next week NO #SCRIPTCHAT due to holidays! See you Jan 3rd. Happy New Year!
- @SarahAlexis4 You are so sweet! Thank you. : ) #scriptchat
- Thank you! #scriptchat
- @zacsanford2 Thanks for having me! You guys are awesome. No groundbreaking advice - just keep on writing, making connections. #scriptchat
- No chat next week, as we want all you writers to spend time with your family, friends and loved ones. See you in 2016. #scriptchat
- #scriptchat Sweet. Now I have more reading to do.
- Thank you! #scriptchat
