WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS...

My Meyer Lemon tree is in full fruit. If I lived on a patch of green in Los Angeles, that wouldn’t be noteworthy. Hell, a chopstick will bloom in LA if you give it enough water.

Except I’m in a house in Minneapolis where the remnants of a sub-zero winter are still a recent memory. And my poor little lemon tree survived an infestation of heaven-only-knows-what last year, only to be rendered into a few dull leaves stuck on a bit of trunk stuck in a bit of soil stuck in an old clay pot.

Fortunately for me and my Meyer Lemon, my muse Alicia has never lost faith in the potential of the malformed and misbegotten. Under her watchful eye and ever-gentle nurturing, Meyer and I survived the Minnesota winter. And we have thrived.

If you don’t know Meyer Lemons, let me explain my unbridled excitement. First off, she’s a bit of a mess, leaves and branches sprouting hither and yon, with no sense of the “proper way” little trees are meant to grow. Still, through the rubble of her growth, symmetry be damned, there’s something of beauty there. It just takes a bit of extra time to see it.

Once past the disarray, her leaves are dark and richly green; her flowers a soft maroon-white with a room-filling aroma that’s seductive and alluring, rich with the scent of sweet citrus and honey. Her buds are plentiful, each birthing a tiny green globe.

Almost two months after it began, my tree is now heavy with little fruits nestled amid her green leaves, each globe tugging its branch lower to the ground day by day. And even as her fruit grows, majestic white flowers continue to bloom and fruit and scent the entire room. Like a good lover, she is endlessly tantalizing and lush and generous with her bounty.

Before long, those little green lemons will grow golden and round and decidedly edible, with a taste that’s almost orange but not quite, almost lemon but not quite. It will be mostly sweet with an undertone of sour and a peel as good as the inner fruit. When you first share your mouth with a Meyer Lemon, you know you’ve never tasted anything like it before. And you know you want more of it.

My sweet Meyer is greater than the sum of her parts and better than her lineage. She’s a surprise, a delight to the eye and the palate and the mind. Whoever tastes her sweetness is left marveling at whatever transformation delivered such unique sweetness, so unlike the industrial-level, one-note, supermarket lemon.

Movies are supposed to be like that, too. The good ones anyway, the ones worth biting into.

The best movies take time and nurturing to survive. They need to be a little surprising and greater than the sum of all their parts. Almost palpably alive, great films deliver a whole world, first with sweet seduction, then slowing revealing everything of themselves, bit by sweet bit, until they stand before you, exposed and naked.

AHA, you say, so that was what the opening seduction had been about. Now I see, now I know, now I can make it mine.

And you open yourself up to inhale something richer, sweeter, greater than the sum of all its parts.

Films are immediate things, meant to be discovered and explored, captured and ravaged, consumed and ingested. And meant to be revisited, too, like old friends, welcome any time, rich with wisdom and history, comfortable in their own skin, yet lush enough to be savored again and over again.

Of late it seems that far too many films are over and done as fast as they came. A one-night-stand best viewed in a darkened room and followed by a quick shower.

What a shame, what a waste.

Movies have the potential to be art. Real art, not some lemon of a grindhouse supermarket closeout, but a thing of beauty. Rare and special. Not something flat and stale, but a whole world of surprises and adventures.

That choice is ours. After all, we are the creators.

Every time we dream another film into existence, we get to make that choice all over again. We can sledgehammer home one sour note. Or nurture the impossible and uncover subtle variations with the power to turn lemons into art. Before we begin, we need to know what kind of world we want to create and savor.

I want a world where I get to watch my sweet lemons grow. I want to savor her scents and be seduced by her flowers. I want to drink deep of the best damn lemonade I’ve ever tasted.

All that in one sweet little metaphor nestled on my windowsill. What will you choose to grow…?

Want to read more...? Visit: ReelGrock

Thank you to contributing writer: Norman C. Berns, An Emmy-award winning producer. Berns' documentary series, The Writing Code, is currently airing on PBS. Production work has included features and documentaries, TV series and commercials.

A certified Movie Magic instructor, Norman was an early beta tester for Screenplay Systems budgeting and scheduling programs and was part of the Set Management development team that created ProductionPro Budget. A columnist for the seminal online publication, WebZine Weekly, Norman has written for The Directors Guild and Tripod, Inc. His column currently appears in BTL News. He blogs on ReelGrok (www.reelgrok.com) and Pavaline (www.Pavaline.com) .

Norman is a consultant to the Roy W. Dean Film & Video Grants and is on the Board of Advisors for People With Disabilities Broadcasting Corporation and an advisor to Pavaline. He is moderator of The Budgeting Group and owner of the online film community, ReelGrok. He has taught film production and software for Media Services, The Directors Guild, Filmmakers Bootcamp and others. His popular seminars are offered online and in select locations across the country.

A member of DGA, SAG and Actors Equity, Norman has been creating films and preparing budgets, schedules and business plans for the past 25 years.

FIVE IMPORTANT STEPS for every day.

Sometimes we think we're buffeted by too much information, Everything's too fast and coming at us too often. It's a hectic world, but here's how to take control. And get the job done with these FIVE IMPORTANT STEPS for every day.


1. Pick the most important task for the day, that one vital thing that must be accomplished.

2. Put every other task on the back burner, on another desk, get it out of your line of view.

3. Do that ONE task. Don't stop until it's done. All the way straight through to its sweet end.

4. Take a deep congratulatory breath. No, really. You've just done your most important job.

5. Return to #1 and repeat. Now pick the next most important task and do that one thing....


We like to think we can multitask our way to success, but reality is a bit crueler than that. Doing two things at once may make us feel better, but we only accomplish half as much at each.

How to win? Learn to FOCUS your mind. A tough task because minds love to wander. But when you need to get a job done, relax and focus first. Then tackle your tasks. Not all at once, but one by one by one.


Want to read more...? Visit: ReelGrock

Thank you to contributing writer: Norman C. Berns, An Emmy-award winning producer. Berns' documentary series, The Writing Code, is currently airing on PBS. Production work has included features and documentaries, TV series and commercials.

A certified Movie Magic instructor, Norman was an early beta tester for Screenplay Systems budgeting and scheduling programs and was part of the Set Management development team that created ProductionPro Budget. A columnist for the seminal online publication, WebZine Weekly, Norman has written for The Directors Guild and Tripod, Inc. His column currently appears in BTL News. He blogs on ReelGrok (www.reelgrok.com) and Pavaline (www.Pavaline.com) .

Norman is a consultant to the Roy W. Dean Film & Video Grants and is on the Board of Advisors for People With Disabilities Broadcasting Corporation and an advisor to Pavaline. He is moderator of The Budgeting Group and owner of the online film community, ReelGrok. He has taught film production and software for Media Services, The Directors Guild, Filmmakers Bootcamp and others. His popular seminars are offered online and in select locations across the country.

A member of DGA, SAG and Actors Equity, Norman has been creating films and preparing budgets, schedules and business plans for the past 25 years.

Business of Show

We all work in sales though few of us planned for that. We prefer to think of ourselves as artists and we studied, trained, fought and starved for the fine art of SHOW business. Not many of us aimed for the sales department.

Our aim was off. Writers sell scripts to producers. Directors sell productions to actors. Producers sell to everyone. We're all in the BUSINESS of Show. Want to work? Accept your fate. They lied to you in film school.

Here are five steps to guide you.

1. Know exactly who you're talking to. The meeting is over if you begin, "Dear Sir and/or Madam...." You have to do your homework before you open your mouth.

2. Understand the needs of the person you're pitching. If you can't solve specific problems, move on. No one wants more problems; people want solutions.

3. Explain why you're the best choice. (Or your film, idea, script, talent, whatever.) Never, ever bash the competition; if you can't stand on your own, move on. Quickly.

4. Believe in yourself and your project, completely and unalterably. Anything less will come through like a grease stain on your best dress shirt.

5. Picture the results, not the process. Never explain your film. Show the finished film with your words. Share your vision. You are, after all, a filmmaker. Prove it.


Want to read more...? Visit: ReelGrock

Thank you to contributing writer: Norman C. Berns, An Emmy-award winning producer. Berns' documentary series, The Writing Code, is currently airing on PBS. Production work has included features and documentaries, TV series and commercials.

A certified Movie Magic instructor, Norman was an early beta tester for Screenplay Systems budgeting and scheduling programs and was part of the Set Management development team that created ProductionPro Budget. A columnist for the seminal online publication, WebZine Weekly, Norman has written for The Directors Guild and Tripod, Inc. His column currently appears in BTL News. He blogs on ReelGrok (www.reelgrok.com) and Pavaline (www.Pavaline.com) .

Norman is a consultant to the Roy W. Dean Film & Video Grants and is on the Board of Advisors for People With Disabilities Broadcasting Corporation and an advisor to Pavaline. He is moderator of The Budgeting Group and owner of the online film community, ReelGrok. He has taught film production and software for Media Services, The Directors Guild, Filmmakers Bootcamp and others. His popular seminars are offered online and in select locations across the country.

A member of DGA, SAG and Actors Equity, Norman has been creating films and preparing budgets, schedules and business plans for the past 25 years.

Guess Who’s in Charge Now…?

We're all facing a new world of DIY distribution. Here are ten key steps to help ease the process.

1. Surround yourself with pros who know how to handle tasks better than you. If you're the smartest person in the room, find another room.

2. Know the audience for your show. Think specifics, not generalities. See them, feel them, touch them.

3. Plan your marketing and promotion, from the concept to the creation. Budget for every step of it. Then budget even more money.

4. Build a website that's smarter than sunshine and as seductive as a spider's web.

5. Start networking now. Tweet, blog, e-blast, post, teach, lecture or screen every day from now until you start your next film.

6. If you're not selling, you're not doing your job. What's your job? Your job is to sell your script, sell your production, sell your ideas to your actors, sell your film to your audience. Sell.

7. Plan every step of your marketing and distribution before you start to make your movie.

8. Think ROI, but understand that "profit" has to be measured in more ways than money. Know exactly why your investors invested. And what they want in return.

9. Give away far more than you ever hope to sell. If you don't leave a trail of breadcrumbs, no one will follow you to your movie.

10. Write a business plan that's honest, complex and profound, insightful, exciting and seductive. Make it as tenacious as a fishhook. Let it seduce your investors, entice your audience and guide you into production.

Want to read more...? Visit: ReelGrock

Thank you to contributing writer: Norman C. Berns, An Emmy-award winning producer. Berns' documentary series, The Writing Code, is currently airing on PBS. Production work has included features and documentaries, TV series and commercials.

A certified Movie Magic instructor, Norman was an early beta tester for Screenplay Systems budgeting and scheduling programs and was part of the Set Management development team that created ProductionPro Budget. A columnist for the seminal online publication, WebZine Weekly, Norman has written for The Directors Guild and Tripod, Inc. His column currently appears in BTL News. He blogs on ReelGrok (www.reelgrok.com) and Pavaline (www.Pavaline.com) .

Norman is a consultant to the Roy W. Dean Film & Video Grants and is on the Board of Advisors for People With Disabilities Broadcasting Corporation and an advisor to Pavaline. He is moderator of The Budgeting Group and owner of the online film community, ReelGrok. He has taught film production and software for Media Services, The Directors Guild, Filmmakers Bootcamp and others. His popular seminars are offered online and in select locations across the country.

A member of DGA, SAG and Actors Equity, Norman has been creating films and preparing budgets, schedules and business plans for the past 25 years.

SCREENPLAY DIALOGUE AND MARKETING

by Skyler Caleb

Two of the toughest things to perfect when you're writing a screenplay are dialogue and marketing. I've been running ScreenplayCoverage.com for a while now, and I see that we frequently come across screenplays with good stories, but dialogue that just isn't natural. Some people seem to be born with this natural ear for dialogue, and some aren't.

Sometimes it can be as simple as using contractions incorrectly. I'm still shocked at how often writers seem to avoid using contractions when they're doing dialogue. One writer told me he avoids it because he doesn't know where the apostrophes go. First of all, if you're going to tackle writing a screenplay, you should make it a point to remember the apostrophe goes where letters were removed. Second, is this really worth sacrificing the natural flow of your dialogue? Here's an example: "MIKE: I am going for a run, honey. Please do not forget to call your mother." Sure, we get the point, but do many people really talk that way?

But let's not get too caught up on contractions. Having a natural ear for dialogue is much more complicated than that, and sometimes can't even be taught. I often suggest that writers team up with someone who they know has this natural ear for writing dialogue. That can be difficult to find. Just try calling up your writer friends and asking them if they have it. You'll probably get a yes.

I launched our newest service, Performed Readings, to try to help writers with this. We set up studio recordings and hire trained actors to perform screenplays. We send the audio files as mp3's so the writer can burn as many CD's with as they'd like.

I really feel we're treading new ground here, and this will become a major way screenwriters refine their dialogue and overall flow of their screenplays in the future.

This also comes back to marketing. I don't know about you, but at least half the time I e-mail someone my screenplay, or even print them a hard copy, it just doesn't get read. People are busy. They would love to have read your script already and give you some feedback, they just don't have the time or energy to sit down with a 2 hour homework assignment. So give them your screenplay on CD. Let them pop it in their CD player on the way to work.

We have launched a whole other sister site for this service, at www.ScreenplayReadings.com, to go along with our trusted coverage service at ScreenplayCoverage.com. Give a reading a shot, and tell me what you think!

Skyler Caleb is an accomplished actor, writer, and director, and has been overseeing screenplay coverage by the staff of ScreenplayCoverage.com (formerly Creative Screenplay) for 2 years.