General: Do copywriters make good movie directors?

[You'll have to read below to find out who's starring... :) ]

Hi Gordon,

I had no idea you had written scripts!

I mainly got interested in this area somewhat because I have a friend here in Sydney who's written a movie script, and who hopes to sell it.

For his birthday, I bought him a book a few weeks ago about how to sell your script. (His girlfriend is an aspiring actress whose birthday is at almost the same time, and I bought her a book about what casting directors look for.)

But I got so fascinated, I read bits of the book on selling a script here and there before I gave it to him.

He complained (jokingly) about getting a "used" copy. :)

> I'll send you the first 20 pages of a script
> I wrote called SUBMARINE LADY, it is the
> story of the first woman officer to serve on
> a nuclear submarine...

> I accepted an "option" on this of
> very little money way back when, and it sat
> on a so-called producer's desk for 2 years,
> until the option ran out and I took the work
> back, a wiser man...

Sounds like you got further than most people do, though! A lot of people can't even get their scripts read, to my understanding....

I'm sure your knowledge of selling helped.... :)

> You want to become a better copywriter, read
> Lajos Egri's ART OF DRAMATIC WRITING...

I've seen that book in the bookstore.... I'll leaf through it next time I'm there and check it out more thoroughly.... :)

> Or you can read the rest of REMOTE HYPNOSIS
> too...HA!

I can't wait!

I'm salivating to read more of Remote Hypnosis.... :)

> A good movie allows you to suspend belief,
> enter into an altered state of mind, the
> very definition of Hypnosis...

> It does that by using the primary senses of
> Sight and Sound. We have been trained for a
> suspenseful climax when the minor key music
> begins.

You're right.... I never thought of that....

> Yes, a well done movie, and one that wins at
> the box office achieves the same effect as a
> well written piece of copy...

Yes, there does seem to be a relationship.... I find it fascinating.... :)

> But don't get me started on that, I'm still
> smarting from my first "Hollywood"
> expereince, I'm too much of a rube to go
> there...so, in about 4 or 5 years, I'll
> settle into a quiet life of a playwright,
> and turn out little esoteric plays loaded
> with CONFLICT...

> Suspense,
> Mystery,
> SEX,
> Back stabbing,
> Cheating
> Lying,

> In other words, the drama of marketing, HA!

Wow, I can't wait to see it! The marketing soap opera...

I can see it now....

Starring Mel Gibson, as Gordon Alexander! ;)

> Gordon (Wannabee member of a guild)
> Alexander

Heheheh... :)

Well, I know script-writing for the movies is very competitive.... But I admire all those who try and have tried, there is nothing like reaching for the top! :)

Thanks again Gordon for your helpful and entertaining insights. :)

Cheers,

Dien