Ruminations on Fog with Screenwriter David Weiss

David Weiss remembers chasing the fog. Although it was an illusive chase, Weiss made more than one attempt. The lesson learned would eventually lead him to co-writing the script for one of the most anticipated 3D films in years, The Smurfs.
As a boy, from his home in Ventura, California, he would watch the fog roll [...]

Knowing When to Run it by Legal: The Role of Attorneys in the Filmmaking Process

Most aspiring filmmakers know that at some point, if they are going to get serious about producing a film that has the potential to succeed commercially, they will need to work with attorneys to make sure that the legal affairs of their project are properly handled. So the question of when to engage an [...]

Tom Greenberg: The Art of Editting

Tom Greenberg has a message for film directors, and it’s the same message he has for directors of photography. The only person his message might not be for in the creative chain is the screenwriter.
“The screenwriter is first in the production process. The editor is last,” says Greenberg, from his edit suite at Compass Film [...]

Han Solo Tames the Shrew Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love “Gone With the Wind”.

Disclaimers:

“ Gone With the Wind” has some deep problems in terms of its portrayal of African-Americans and slavery that I’m not going to get into in detail here. If you see the film and aren’t frustrated with this element, examine your soul
I’m going to be making some generalizations in regards to men and women in [...]

The Role of Intermediaries in Avatar

James Cameron’s Avatar succeeds in its epic storytelling by taking a number of familiar myths and stories and subverting their preordained outcome to create a familiar but new story. These myths and stories include the classic intermediaries of Gandhi, George Steven’s Shane, Prometheus, and Moses. By taking elements from each one of these [...]

Screenwriter David N. Weiss on Process in 250 Words or Less

Two hundred and fifty words?  Easy for you to say.  What on earth would I write about?  What does anyone ever write about?  Hmmm… What do I usually do in this situation?  Well, I usually start by opening a journal page, much like this one.  And I begin typing questions to myself.  Who’s story is [...]

Growing Pains: The Wild World of Post Production

Post-production is the catch-all term for all the steps in the production process that come after filming. By the time most projects get to post, the crew is long gone, the set is taken apart, and the gear is stowed…but a lot of hard work remains. Post is where all the pieces of the jigsaw [...]

Circuit Success: Tips for Navigating Film Festivals # 1

As the Director of Programming at the Sarasota Film Festival, and the Artistic Director at the Newport Film Festival in Rhode Island, Tom Hall is a busy guy. To grab his attention is a challenge, and to keep it, takes even more. He sifts through hundreds and hundreds of films a year, trying to [...]

Welcome to Elixir

There is no better name for a publication that honors the effort and work of our alumni and friends in the film industry. As we highlight and celebrate the great work being done, we hope that you are inspired, invigorated, and we hope that you get involved.

Ten Tips for Writing a Great Screenplay

Ever wonder how to write the perfect screenplay? You know, that great script that’ll sell for a million bucks, get produced, earn billions worldwide, win you an Oscar, and ensure your place in the annals of Hollywood lore