Write a Book/Direct a Movie plus On the Premises Fiction Contest

Writer's thought for the week:  It grieves me to think how far more profound and reverent a respect the law would have for literature if a body could only get drunk on it.  ~ Mark Twain

Directing a movie vs writing a book

Sinbad (his real name) is a local author in Beaufort NC who self-published his novel and is now even more adventurous: He is producing, directing, and starring in a movie based on his book, The Sword of Tortuga. He plays James, a washed up Errol Flynn type B-movie actor who encounters real life intrigue and murder during a reenactment of Beaufort's pirate invasion. As an extra in some of the scenes, I realized that directors have to think about the same things writers do. Just as directors have to communicate the desired result to his or her actors, writers must convey our mental images to our readers.

Last week we did a cocktail party scene aboard a large powerboat. I was part of a group of three extras directed to chat among ourselves in the stern of the boat, drinks in hand. We did so. Artificial rain and lightening are evident, but we are dry, sheltered by the deck above us.

Writers also need to set the scene and let our readers know where we are.

Cut. New directions: The microphone is very sensitive and picks up every noise. Just pretend you are chatting.

Just as the actual words of the side conversation did not need to be heard, dialogue that does not move things along or deepen characterization does not belong in our writing.

While we pretend to chat, a character named Julie leaves the main cabin and walks past us to the far stern of the boat. She does not acknowledge us, but I, as the closest one to her as she walks by, decide to look at her before turning my head back to the conversation with my companions. I also occasionally react to the lightening. Apparently this is okay with the director because the camera keeps rolling awhile before he says "cut."


While writers can use plain narrative, it is better to show things through our characters. How are different characters reacting to each other? How do they react to the environment? Two characters may be at the same picnic, but maybe only one notices the surrounding plants while the other concentrates on his drink and the other partiers. 
Next, the director informs us that we need to react more because James and Julie are engaged in a loud argument just a few feet away from us. Until then, my group of three knew nothing about a fight or another character in the scene. All we saw was a young woman standing alone at the back of the boat because the director/camera man is also the one playing James. The actual fight where she yells at him and slaps him across the face is filmed later.

It's unlikely that we would forget to introduce a character, but things can get choppy when we are revising a manuscript. If we change the sequence of events and are not careful, it's possible that our readers wonder about a character who suddenly appears out of nowhere unless the surprise is part of the plot we make it clear that other characters are surprised by this, too.

Do the similarities between writing and directing make me think I'm ready to direct a movie? Not on your life!

In case you're curious about Sinbad and his movie, here's a link: http://www.pirate-privateer.com/adventures_movie.html

On the Premises Contest #15
Deadline: September 30, 2011
Theme: Myths and Legends

Some kind of myth or legend must be important to your 1,000 to 5,000-word story. "Family legends" are fine. The judges won't care whether the myth or legend is true as long as your story is fiction.  

Prizes: $180 for first, $140 for second, $100 for third, $40 for honorable mention. On the Premises will publish between zero and three honorable mentions.

Details: http://www.onthepremises.com/current_contest?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Contest+%2315+launches!+July+2011+%27%27On+The+Premises%27%27+newsletter&utm_campaign=Contest+%2315+launches!+July+2011+%27%27On+The+Premises%27%27+newsletter&utm_term=Current+contest