Comments on: The Screenwriter’s Survival Guide: Or, Guerrilla Meeting Tactics and Other Acts of War http://www.screenwritingbasics.com/2009/11/the-screenwriters-survival-guide-or-guerrilla-meeting-tactics-and-other-acts-of-war/ Learn all about screenwriting and writing screenplays Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:57:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: J. Foley http://www.screenwritingbasics.com/2009/11/the-screenwriters-survival-guide-or-guerrilla-meeting-tactics-and-other-acts-of-war/#comment-5222 J. Foley Fri, 27 Nov 2009 02:59:28 +0000 http://www.screenwritingbasics.com/2009/11/the-screenwriters-survival-guide-or-guerrilla-meeting-tactics-and-other-acts-of-war/#comment-5222 The first time I went to Hollywood I went without Max. It will never happen again. This isn't the only way to approach Hollywood, but it's a rock solid one. Rating: 5 / 5 The first time I went to Hollywood I went without Max. It will never happen again. This isn’t the only way to approach Hollywood, but it’s a rock solid one.
Rating: 5 / 5

]]> By: Chris Peterson http://www.screenwritingbasics.com/2009/11/the-screenwriters-survival-guide-or-guerrilla-meeting-tactics-and-other-acts-of-war/#comment-5221 Chris Peterson Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:28:11 +0000 http://www.screenwritingbasics.com/2009/11/the-screenwriters-survival-guide-or-guerrilla-meeting-tactics-and-other-acts-of-war/#comment-5221 Having just finished a screenplay, I was looking for ways to secure representation, and laboring under a wealth of misconceptions. This book brought me back to earth, but also made for a soft landing. Max Adams provides a succint, funny, clear and concise list of rules to follow for getting through to agents and producers. She also blows apart some myths (you're going to be rich as soon as you sell your first screenplay) and decodes the executive-speak you're sure to deal with in any meetings you go to. Thanks, Max. Rating: 5 / 5 Having just finished a screenplay, I was looking for ways to secure representation, and laboring under a wealth of misconceptions. This book brought me back to earth, but also made for a soft landing. Max Adams provides a succint, funny, clear and concise list of rules to follow for getting through to agents and producers. She also blows apart some myths (you’re going to be rich as soon as you sell your first screenplay) and decodes the executive-speak you’re sure to deal with in any meetings you go to. Thanks, Max.
Rating: 5 / 5

]]> By: Canary http://www.screenwritingbasics.com/2009/11/the-screenwriters-survival-guide-or-guerrilla-meeting-tactics-and-other-acts-of-war/#comment-5220 Canary Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:56:08 +0000 http://www.screenwritingbasics.com/2009/11/the-screenwriters-survival-guide-or-guerrilla-meeting-tactics-and-other-acts-of-war/#comment-5220 After reading over 30 books about the screenwriting/movie-making business, I've decided this is one of my favorites. Written in Max Adam's breezy voice with quick, to-the-point chapters, it offers pragmatic advice about what to do to promote your work if you really do write screenplays. (A lot of people merely talk about writing screenplays. I'm sick of them.) The title is appropriate. Max doesn't tell you how to write a script but rather how to sell it. She offers advice that my own experience shows is truthful and helpful. (I've won some contests, been optioned, make a living writing for the business market.) Wish I'd had Max to tell me this stuff sooner. Rating: 5 / 5 After reading over 30 books about the screenwriting/movie-making business, I’ve decided this is one of my favorites. Written in Max Adam’s breezy voice with quick, to-the-point chapters, it offers pragmatic advice about what to do to promote your work if you really do write screenplays. (A lot of people merely talk about writing screenplays. I’m sick of them.) The title is appropriate. Max doesn’t tell you how to write a script but rather how to sell it. She offers advice that my own experience shows is truthful and helpful. (I’ve won some contests, been optioned, make a living writing for the business market.) Wish I’d had Max to tell me this stuff sooner.
Rating: 5 / 5

]]> By: T. Burrows http://www.screenwritingbasics.com/2009/11/the-screenwriters-survival-guide-or-guerrilla-meeting-tactics-and-other-acts-of-war/#comment-5219 T. Burrows Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:41:27 +0000 http://www.screenwritingbasics.com/2009/11/the-screenwriters-survival-guide-or-guerrilla-meeting-tactics-and-other-acts-of-war/#comment-5219 I havent seen any of her movies, but this is a very nice guide to what it must be like to be a working screenwriter. There is a lot of advice about the business side of things. How to deal with agents, producers, and contracts. How to sell your scripts and get recognized. (Excuse me, I couldnt resist the urge to write like Ms. Adams there for a minute. She regularly writes in blunt fragments. Does it all the time. And what does she also use? Question marks that pop up conversationally? Yup.) Adams goes over a lot of things, and gives straight from the shoulder advice on how to swim around the rocks and avoid the sharks. <br /> <br /> Her advice on writing is less priceless, and one cannot help but wonder if her screenplays perhaps have not been selling as well as they once did. If they were, why would she need to write this book? But that is just show biz bitchiness. She she won a couple of major contests, sold scripts, and saw at least some of her work reach the silver screen. This is a good book, and I would call it a must-read for someone planning to move to Tinseltown and really give screenwriting a serious go. <br /> <br /> <br /> Rating: 4 / 5 I havent seen any of her movies, but this is a very nice guide to what it must be like to be a working screenwriter. There is a lot of advice about the business side of things. How to deal with agents, producers, and contracts. How to sell your scripts and get recognized. (Excuse me, I couldnt resist the urge to write like Ms. Adams there for a minute. She regularly writes in blunt fragments. Does it all the time. And what does she also use? Question marks that pop up conversationally? Yup.) Adams goes over a lot of things, and gives straight from the shoulder advice on how to swim around the rocks and avoid the sharks.

Her advice on writing is less priceless, and one cannot help but wonder if her screenplays perhaps have not been selling as well as they once did. If they were, why would she need to write this book? But that is just show biz bitchiness. She she won a couple of major contests, sold scripts, and saw at least some of her work reach the silver screen. This is a good book, and I would call it a must-read for someone planning to move to Tinseltown and really give screenwriting a serious go.

Rating: 4 / 5

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.screenwritingbasics.com/2009/11/the-screenwriters-survival-guide-or-guerrilla-meeting-tactics-and-other-acts-of-war/#comment-5218 Anonymous Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:49:53 +0000 http://www.screenwritingbasics.com/2009/11/the-screenwriters-survival-guide-or-guerrilla-meeting-tactics-and-other-acts-of-war/#comment-5218 This concentrates on the Hollywood scene and how to get your script sold in the US so most of it wasn't relevant to me, being Australian. There wasn't very much on how to actually write screenplays so I'd skip this if that's what you're after and read some different books. The most useful thing I found was the stuff about how to write query letters and dealing with producers, while it may be a little different from the Aus. scene, I imagine some things are the same everywhere (ie people are too busy to read your script). <p>So if you're not American and don't intend working in America, only a small portion of this book will be relevant to you but if you want an entertaining insight into the Hollywood scene, it's worth a look. Rating: 3 / 5 This concentrates on the Hollywood scene and how to get your script sold in the US so most of it wasn’t relevant to me, being Australian. There wasn’t very much on how to actually write screenplays so I’d skip this if that’s what you’re after and read some different books. The most useful thing I found was the stuff about how to write query letters and dealing with producers, while it may be a little different from the Aus. scene, I imagine some things are the same everywhere (ie people are too busy to read your script).

So if you’re not American and don’t intend working in America, only a small portion of this book will be relevant to you but if you want an entertaining insight into the Hollywood scene, it’s worth a look.
Rating: 3 / 5

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