Don't rush

 I can breathe through my nose again. Hooray!  On the wall of my home office I have a whiteboard. It shows project types and due dates. There's a short screenplay listed, as well as a feature screenplay and a novel. In the past I would have blown through each of these writing projects and jumped on another. But one of the things I learned in my year long screenwriting mentorship is "slow down", "don't rush". Do you know there are screenwriters that take years to perfect a script? Novelist that take years to write a novel. It's not that they are bad writers, or inherently slow. They understand that our best work is done at a gradual pace. 

Think about it. Would you want your surgeon to speed through an operation on you,  that he or she knows would take five hours, and complete it in thirty minutes? Of course not. So why do some writers, as I used to be, think that their greatest work can be accomplished at lightning speed? 

Take your time. 

And I get it. I'd love to have sold a screenplay by now. Or have a novel traditionally published. But I also know my best work, my most amazing work, is what I am currently working on. And I am okay with taking my time. 

Please don't rush your process. You may encounter people that push you to turn something in, or to finish your draft. Don't. Use your voice. Say not yet. We owe it to ourselves as writers to give careful consideration to the words and characters and worlds that make up our stories. That kind of weaving takes time. 

Let it.

Short Screenwriting

 Shorts in Screenwriting

Due to this horrific cold I’m enduring, this week’s post will be brief. Let’s talk about writing screenplay shorts. If you think they’re like short stories, your wrong. If you think they’re like flash fiction, your close. Short scripts have to drop you in the middle, give you enough to understand the situation, mix in conflict, escalation, and  then resolve it. Resolution doesn’t mean happily ever after. It means resolve the conflict. You can have a post teaser if you want it mid credits. I’m currently working on another short screenplay that must be done by the end of this month. 

And now this is  the end of this post. 

The unknown path

I was staring at the blank page today. It's time to start a new writing project and I was feeling a moment of uncertainty. Which project should I work on? Should I do a scifi or horror screenplay? Should I do an animated screenplay? What about a YA scifi novel? Each has its own exciting adventure, ready to pull me in. But as I reflected on the past year of a screenwriting mentorship, I had the honor of participating in, I thought about what I've learned. I grew not just as a writer, but as a person.  I have the confidence to tackle any subject and take my characters on a full emotional journey with consequences, triumphs, setbacks, losses and hope. 

The Bible says faith is the substance of things not seen. And it is. Hope is evidence of faith. In the picture above, taken at the Nature Preserve at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, there is a path. You can't see what lies beyond the curve. You have an idea, but you really can't see. You see there is a well marked path and you walk on it, fully believing you will arrive where you plan. And you do. 

But the path of life you didn't make, God did. There's curves on that path. Areas you cannot see the outcome of. Hope is for those moments. Faith gets your feet walking. Hope gets your heart pumping. 

I hope as you go through your days this week, you remember to walk in Faith and Hope in the unseen. 

I am going to get to work on my next screenplay. 

 

Straddling the line

"Do you want to get well," Jesus asked the man. This man had been waiting by a pool of water an Angel stirred (healing properties), infrequently for a long time. Yet when Jesus saw him, he asked him if he wanted to be well. I've read this verse for decades and only now understand. It has nothing to do with the man's physical infirmities, but rather the condition of his heart and mind.  

You sit by the pool daily for who knows how long, months, years and watch others get healed, yet you don't make any attempt to do anything (pray, ask for help, move an inch at a time), to get yourself closer to the pool. 

You haven't normalized failure. You've normalize not believing.

But Desiree, what does that have to do with writing?

Everything. 

There are different types of writers. 

There are writers who are stay at home parents. Writers who teach during the day and come home to write. Writers who write maybe fifteen minutes a day.  Or only on the weekends. 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that type of writer, if writing is a secondary occupation to you.

But what if writing isn't secondary? What if you want writing to be primary?

But Desiree, there's AI, and there's not as many novels being published (scripts being optioned). There's so many writer's it's a fool's dream to think you can do this full time. 

"Do you want to get well."

Hmm.

Yes. Yes I do. 

You look at that pool long enough and you'll think it was never really meant  for you. You straddle that line of belief and disbelief long enough, your feet are stuck in cement.

You may have asked for help in the past and even had a mentor and left disappointed, unwilling to ask again, without asking yourself if you needed to grow as a writer and believe in your skills, then approach a mentor who can help you specifically in an area that you need help with.

 I get it. I live in Los Angeles. There's plenty of people willing to "help" you for just the right dollar amount. Ignore them. There's so many more that will help you for FREE. 

Plenty of book authors willing to have a conversation, or correspond with you via email for years (true story), as you grow as a writer. 

If you want to be a full time writer, it is time to stop sitting by the pool wishing someone would just help you. Stop straddling the line and plant your feet firmly on the belief side. 

I'm rooting for you.

Do it anyway

 This is the shortest blog post I’ve written. If no one will be for you, do it anyway. If people try to “block” your career, move past them. God is the author of our lives. Not people. Have faith. Ignore those people. Keep pursuing your dream. Keep honing your craft. 

Redecorate vs. Renovate

Redecorate vs. Renovate I have a screenplay I wrote that I’ve gotten great feedback on. It’s about suicide. I’m having difficulty getting anyone to say yes to it. Today I took a long, hard, critical look at it and I found what it needs. The only problem is, it doesn’t need to be redecorated, it needs to be renovated. You know those home improvement shows where they sand and stain or paint kitchen cabinets because they’re solid and only need surface work? That’s redecorate. That’s not this screenplay. My screenplay is like when they take a crowbar and rip the cabinets off the wall. Then they rip the drywall off and you’re left with the studs. You have to renovate, gut, the entire place. That’s where this screenplay is. It needs to be gutted down to the studs so I can put the best drywall and cabinets in. Life can be like that too. Don’t confuse a paint job with a need to do a total renovation. Put in the hard word and rip everything out. Then build in what is truly unique to you. Your writing and you as a person will be all the better for it.

Out of my comfort zone

I finally did it. I wrote one of those defining screenplays. The kind of screenplay that takes an emotional toll on you to write. That takes everything you have to write. So much of that screenplay pushed me so far out of my comfort zone, ittook me longer than usual to write. And I don't mean just the extensive research, but the emotional weight of it. As I typed fade out on the final page yesterday, I knew. This screenplay would be my calling card to Hollywood. The screenplay is an inspirational drama about a family going through something no family wants to deal with, and it centers around the sixteen year old daughter and her father. I know, you want details. I'm leaving the details to the pitch I'm writing for it. The script is not ready to hand to someone and say "here, read this." It's my first draft. But I'm putting myself on a "working writer" deadline. Because if I was writing this for a studio, I would be on a deadline. Not just to finish it. But to deliver a perfectly polished script. My goal is to have a perfectly polished script in six weeks. That means before and after my day job, I'll be working on this script. Diving deep. Making sure my conflict happens at the right moment, and that my characters act and speak authentically. Making sure I have high stakes and escalations (screenwriter talk). Not just the larger than an elephant in a shoe box conflict and high stakes, but that the stakes keep getting higher during the screenplay. And that they are the right stakes and escalations. That the emotional impact it there. That the meaning/theme is woven throughout. That it honors what God wants me to say. I've prayed about this screenplay the entire time I worked on it and will continue to do so while editing it.

2015 Goals

You've set your goal, now what? Congratulations. You set your goal for 2015. Now how do you accomplish your goal? I can tell you how I used to go about achieving my goal. It involved no planning, no strategy, no focus. But let't not dwell on the past. How do I do it now? Well I'm glad you asked. Write your goal down. Write down the steps you need to take to achieve your goal. If you're not sure, ask someone in that field. Since I am a writer, I will let you peek at last year's steps. 1. Identify where my writing needs work. 2. Take classes that address my weakness in my writing. 3. Rewrite and see if I show improvement. 4. Take more classes as necessary. That was my focus and planning. My strategy involved using a calendar planner, looking at classes that were offered, scheduling them on my planner, booking plane tickets, and paying for onsite and online classes. My goal was to improve my writing. I had to identify where I needed it. I knew from published authors and screenwriters who'd read my work that I was great at plot, great at dialogue, great at story. Everything that was necessary for a novel, screenplay, or teleplay to work was on the page, but I wasn't great at editing. Now I revised, and revised and revised. But It still wasn't working. So my focus last year was on learning how to edit my writing. Did it work? Yes. I can see the flaws, and deescalations, and lack of conflict and fix them. I can cut entire scenes and even characters. I can rewrite scenes three, four, or five times to see which one fits the story better. When I do revisions, I set the revision as my goal and then I write down the steps. What am I looking to edit/revise: dialogue, conflict, stakes, emotion, characterization, setting, plot, etc. Approaching my writing this way allows me to write that first draft like a young girl running through a meadow, listening to pixies play on flutes. Because I know when I'm done, I'm going into the underground bunker with bare concrete walls and its time to revise-get brutal with my editing. Some writers are different. They start in the bunker with the writing craft tools and even an outline. I need to let myself flow free for as long as I want. Write the way that comes natural to you. 3. Do the steps. This is where the planner comes in handy. Write down what steps you are going to take every day. Yes, every day. I work eight hours a day, five days a week, so I know it means sacrifice-sleep, or something else. But this is your dream. Do it. 4. Write some celebrations in. I like a glass of sparkling wine when I finish a writing project. Or it could be a trip to the office supply store for fluorescent sticky notes. Anything that motivates you to continue. My goal for 2015: to option a novel and screenplay/teleplay. I've already gotten started, and yes, my planner pages are filling up. I'd love to hear what your goal is.

Missed Opportunity

Missed opportunity. Standing in line waiting on a movie screening and the person next to me struck up a conversation. I'll call that person Jane Doe. Jane is a screenwriter. She wants to see her screenplay turned into a movie. She's invested years of her life into this script. She's done research, she's done marketing, she's even done some fundraising. You see, Jane Doe wants to make the movie herself. She's looking to raise a lot of money for the project. I congratulated her on taking that step-knowing what she wants. I commented that she must have been busy this week, networking at the different events going on around town. She said no. She doesn't do it that way. She asked if I had seen a particular screening of a very we'll know actress's film. I commented that unfortunately I wasn't able to get in to see it. She said not only did she see it, but she had the opportunity to talk to this well know actress. I said what any reasonable person would say, "Did you discuss your project with her, because it seems like she would be interested in being involved in what you told me." Now this is the part where you need to make sure you are sitting down. Jane said "No. She didn't see me." I asked what she meant. She went on to explain that she waits for people to see that she's different from everyone else, and waits for them to approach her and then she discusses the script she is trying to make into a movie and her need for funding. She then went on to tell me this was the second time she'd been within conversation distance with this actress. Neither time did she say anything. I had no words. Thankfully I have words now. Before you judge her too harshly, have a care for your own glass house. Have you had a dream you wanted to pursue so badly and God brings the opportunity for you to do so and you remained silent? Pursing a dream is active. Being that this woman was a stranger to me, I could not shake her and say are you crazy? How many times do you need for this to happen for you to see its time to open your mouth and say something. News flash. No one is going to walk up to you and say "Hey, here's a couple of million dollars because you just have something about you. Or "Please come work for my company because there is something about you." You have a goal, you have a dream. Open your mouth. Pursue it. Go get it!

New direction

I took a class at UCLA in February to help me get to the next level in my screenwriting. Four days of intense work. Am I ready to take my screenplays, revise them, and send them out? No. I'm pulling myself off the market for now. It's not that I'm a horrible writer. I'm not. It's just that I now know what's missing from not only my screenwriting, but all my writing, and I want time to improve my craft. There are people who don't understand why I'm doing this. I've even given them the Olympics analogy: just because I can run and I lettered in track in high school, doesn't mean I'm ready to compete in the Olympics. Writing is who I am, and I want my best possible chance at a lifetime of it. I've rediscovered my love and passion for short stories. The beauty of this, is that I can work on improving my fiction writing via short stories, and improving my screenwriting by doing stand alone scenes. It's exciting. It's challenging. I'll be doing a lot of writing that may never get published, but I'll be so much a better writer, and person when it's time.

Naked in a room

Writing is about being transparent. I love movies that make me laugh out loud, and make me cry. The actor is able to take the writer's words and create a performance that moves me. But for the actor to do this, the writer has to step up to the plate. I am a huge fan of Sherlock, with Benedict Cumberbatch, and Martin Freeman. The end of season two had me in tears. Sherlock jumped from the building. I will not spoil the season 3, opener for those who haven't seen it yet. The writers of that show have shown me what it means to build a flawed character, that is love able, but not needy; how to put plot twists and engage the audience in solving the mystery. I am in awe of those writers. They bring everything they are to the table every week to write for this show. Think about the last movie or book you read that you were unhappy with. I bet the first thing you said was "the character". I think to write an amazing character, you have to be willing to be naked. You have to go deep within to pull all the not pretty parts out, put them on display. Doing this frees you as a writer. It's like being naked in a room-there's nothing left to hide, so you might as well be yourself. I have looked back over screenplays and novels I've written and found I have slapped my own hand a few times, and hindered my own nakedness. That nagging dissatisfaction that has plagued me at the back of my mind for more than six months has surged to the forefront. I have chosen to be naked. All those words and actions my characters wanted to say and do, that I would not allow before, I let them. It is so freeing to be naked. It can be scary, but once you've been naked in a room, there's nothing left to hide. Show it. Flaunt it. Be proud of it. Write it.

Options

Options There was this show called Let's Make A Deal. I love watching reruns of it on cable The contests have to chose between door one, door two or door three. I've been thinking about that more intently since my grandmother passed away. She was a true light in my life. She always believed I could be successful (all of us) with hard work and determination, and the Lord's will. Right now I'm contemplating my options. Having an Mfa in writing fills me (or it will when I walk across that stage), with a sense of accomplishment, but also renews my desire, my dream to be a published writer. Writing is who I am. It's what I do. It's what I love. At my grandmother's funeral my uncles gave me some solid advice. It is this advice that has me looking at the three doors. Options aren't just where I want to live (U.S.A. or U.K.), but what I want to do with my hours. I would love to teach a college level writing course; volunteer to teach inner city kids the joys of creative writing. But I also want to focus on my writing; in a way I haven't as yet. Options are also what to do to make ends meet while I pursue writing. At this date I have two completed novels (young adult and middle grade), and five completed screenplays (young adult to adult). I have a partially completed middle grade script, and a partially completed middle grade sci fi novel--both of which I plan to finish by September. I guess all this is to say "Don't give up on who you are, or what you love doing. Trust in God and He will always make a way to see those dreams He gave you turn into reality." I've made my decision about where I want to live and what I want to do with my time. It is a radical shift, but its the right decision at the right time.

Back from outer space

I wish that title was true, but alas I have not been able to perfect the sub-light engine required to travel to Mars. Oh well, there's always NASA. My critical thesis is done, my whirlwind tour of Minnesota and LA are done for now and I am home and back to work writing. I am still hard at work on my creative thesis. It is a middle grade fantasy novel that has always had a soft spot in my heart and I am working on revisions. Oscar party in LA the night of the Oscars. I had so much fun being around like minded film people. Ben Affleck's speech via the big screen TVs, really struck a cord with me. It gave me a recharge for my screenwriting career. A meeting in Hollywood, and I got the boost I needed, confirmation of being on the right track, and an eagerness to get out there and sell my work. It really made a difference to meet someone excited to help me with my dream. Changes. Remember I've stated before change is necessary. Instead of reading screenplays on Saturdays, I'm now reading two screenplays a day. Every day. And with the change in my job I'm able to write six hours a day. Not six hours on Saturdays and a few hours on weeknights when I could, six hours a day. I have my full time job and my full time writing career and I've never been happier. I jump out of bed full of energy, trying to see what I can get done with my writing before I work, and look forward to finishing work and sitting down to my laptop to work on scripts, and my iPad to read screenplays. This afternoon I wrote a beat sheet for a new horror screenplay. It's got the elements I want, and love to write- flawed characters, life altering choices, despair, hope, twists, scares. I can't wait to get started.

So I bought an IPad

Yes, the title is correct. I bought an iPad. It was for my nine day trip to Los Angeles last month. I had a choice: lug six pound Frankenstein laptop around on the subway and for dozens of city blocks, or switch to an iPad. And no it's not the iPad 3. I waited until Apple announced the new iPad and bought the iPad 2 for $100.00 less. Then used the $100.00 to buy a keyboard case. Because when you type 85 or so words per minute, it's much faster on a real keyboard rather than a touch screen. I'm at about 50 wpm now as I type this on the touchscreen.

My thoughts about my iPad? His name is Herman. Yes, I named my iPad. I love him. I can't understand why I didn't get one sooner?
In LA I finished the last 65 pages of a screenplay on it via a great program called Celtx. I also worked on my Mfa papers. I wrote a critical paper, and did novel revisions via Apples's Pages product. I watched ABC TV on the plane to catch up on Once Upon A Time, and I listened to hours of music. And less I forgot to mention, submitted two of my screenplays to a manager, and a few queries to lit, and screenplay agents. All on the iPad.

Imagine going from carrying at least ten pounds of laptop, cord, mouse, flashdrive, notebook-to one iPad, and case that may have weighed four pounds total.

The only thing I didn't count on was my iPhone 3G being jealous. I used to write alot of my blogs on him. Plus I never gave him a real name. Shame on me. While I was in Hollywood one day my phone battery died. I plugged him in and in the morning he would not turn on. Yep he was mad at me. I prayed and then I remembered the trick-push the home and on button at the same time. Lesson learned.

Since I've been back home, I still use my iPad for writing. I haven't uploaded all my writing to my iPad yet, I still us Frankenstein laptop. I think he enjoyed the break from me.

What does Holy Week have to do with my writing?

Holy Week is what Christian's call this week, as we take time to reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made for us-His death on the cross.

Last night at church, I had the opportunity to go through the Stations of the Cross. In a room, they had set up 8 different stations for you to read a devotion, pray, and reflect on the hours leading up to Jesus's crucifixion.

Powerful and moving yes. Humbling and convicting yes. Renewal yes. Freedom yes. If your church or a church in your area (google it), offers this experience please take the time to do it. Even if you're not a believer. If you've ever been curious about Christianity, the Stations of the Cross is your perfect introduction. No one hovers over you, or even speaks to you. It's just you, the objects in front of you, and your guide book. But it's definitely an experience you don't want to miss.

Much went on within me as I walked through the different stations. One thing I will share has to do with my writing.

Hollywood is a funny thing. It doesn't exactly cater to Christians. Many movies coming out of there are definitely not for a believer, but I want to be a screenwriter. How do I write screenplays for Hollywood without selling myself out-losing my identity as a believer?

I don't focus on the end result. Meaning, I don't focus on the paycheck (meaning my paycheck. I still focus on the cost of producing a movie based on my screenplays because that's just practical business sense).

If I'm not focused on making tons of money, then if someone asks me to change my screenplay, take God out of it, I can refuse. I'm free to write what God has called me to write, and to write what I am deeply passionate about.

Not all my screenplays carry a direct Christian message, but all are written for everyone-believer and non-believer, even the Christian ones.

I look at what's going on in the world around me through my Christian eyes and a screenplay comes out.

Also, I look at the fantasy and sci fi and historical fiction, movies, and tv shows that I love and screenplays come out of that as well.
On the drive home yesterday divine inspiration struck me. In my head popped the perfect, never been done before, idea for a TV series, using my Christian values and some of my other loves. That's all I can say this point, because as I said-It's never been done before. And I have time to write it, and edit it before a certain TV script writing contest deadline this summer. If I hadn't realized the slippery slope I was headed on with my screenwriting, I know this idea wouldn't have come to me.

Novel writing-yeah. I'm still involved in that. A little disappointed in a certain publisher that told me six months ago they didn't publish YA, and they have a novel coming out in YA by a first time author this month.
I hold tight to honesty and integrity, but I need to realize in this business it isn't equally shared.
I'm deep into revisions of my first novel with my faculty advisor. And she has me going deep. It's making a difference in my novel, and will I'm sure, trickle over to my screenplays.

That's it for today, have to head into the day job.
Keep praying. Keep believing.

Jet Lag

Back from my trip to LA. God really blessed me on that trip. Came back renewed, and on fire to sell my screenplays.
Jet lag is a horrible beast. It will be a few days before I'm back on my time schedule. But my screenplay can't wait till then. So I'm pressing on, enjoying every minute of it. It's a great Sci Fi script and I'm on track to be done Thursday night. That gives me Friday to let it sit (think I'll go watch The Hunger Games), and edit it over the weekend.
When a writer finishes a screenplay, meaning it's edited and ready to go, then it's time to start on another script.
I actually got the idea while sitting in union station. Its a good one, and it hasn't been done before. Since you can't copyright script ideas, I can't share what it is, but trust me it's good.

Have to wrap this up and head to work for an early meeting.
But I'd like to give a shout out to Tom n Tom's coffee. My daily writing spot while in LA. Great coffee and Hawaiian pretzels. Quiet atmosphere. Got so much work done there.
It was exactly what I needed.

Screenwriting in LA

Touched down in LA on Saturday. My goal? To sell my screenplays. I've gotten some feedback and done a lot of research and writing since I arrived. I'm more focused and determined than ever. Being here has definitely gotten my creative juices flowing. I need to push myself as a writer. Get more screenplays written.
With that in mind I still have my sci Fi screenplay to finish. And I will be done by Friday. Then I'm going to jump back into the realm of horror, and round out April with a period piece.
I have to think commercially. Now the horror script I've already completed is, but with Hammer films back in production. I'm itching to write a good ole fashioned ghost story. But as anyone who has read my writing or heard me perform a scene, all is not what it appears to be.
Gotta go. Time for the Clippers to play the Boston Celtics.

Mixed Emotions

It's almost midnight as I write this. Weary from a long work week, coupled with revisions to my first novel and one of my screenplays, it took me a few hours to unwind. 
My heart is still sad from the sudden death of my cousin. I still can't believe he's gone. It doesn't feel real. 
I've been spending my days watching people. Observing how they are living or wasting the only life they have. 
It's true. We don't know how long we have to live. If you knew you only had one month to live, what would your tomorrow look like?
Death makes us re-evaluate our lives. It makes us take a hard look at how we spend our daily 24 hours. 
Life really is too short to spend it miserable, and purposeless. 
God created each of us with a purpose. He also provides the means for us to achieve that purpose. If we'll only believe. 
If you've been following my blog, you know it's my hearts desire to be a writer. I would love to walk into a bookstore and see my name on a book. Go to a movie and see my name on the credits. Not so I can puff up my chest in pride, but because I love to write. I want to share my gift with the world. Everyday that I get to sit down with my notebook or laptop and work on my writing I am very happy, because it's a chance for me to be the real me. 
Yeah, I am still teary-eyed when I think about my cousin. But I believe the greatest thing I can do for him is to not waste the gift of life I have. For however long I have it. 

New Year's Resolution for 2012

This is not the original New Year’s Eve Resolution blog I wrote. I had this nice, neat, and pretty blog all written out. But it really wasn’t from my heart. It was surface writing. And one thing I’ve learned in 2011 is how much I abhor surface writing.

2011 I will not miss you. You were cruel, and you were unrelenting. You taught me to look deep into myself and I didn’t like what I saw. Jesus stepped in and helped me make further changes.

2011 you taught me how to write from within the center of the true me. You taught me to abhor surface writing, and to hit delete whenever I sensed my fingers typing that which was not my true self.

2011 you taught me about the “Full Armour of God” (Ephesians 6:10-18), and how I must use it every day.

2011 I thought you were cruel, but you changed me for the better and for that I am glad.

2012 What wonders will you have for me? What growth and what blessings await me?

As I stand on the eve of 2012, I look back at my writing. I have 3 completed novels, four completed screenplays, with two in progress, and 4 solid query letters for the work I am ready to market. I’m looking forward to aggressively marketing myself so I can land an agent for my novels, and an agent, or straight to a prod-co (production company), for my screenplays.

2012 I am ready for the major changes that need to take place in order for me to continue to pursue my dream and my passion—my calling from God.

As you prepare yourself for 2012, take a half hour or an hour and look back over what happened in 2011—the good and the bad. See how much growth you went through, and think about what you want to accomplish in 2012. Psalm 37:5 says to “commit your way to the Lord, trust Him, and He will act…”

Pray and make those New Year’s resolutions. They are so worth it.

Studying Screenwriting

Saturday was spent working on my screenwriting. But in a different way.
I have the shooting script for War of The Worlds by Josh Friedman and David Koepp (bought it).
I sat at my dining room table/writing desk with it, a copy of Syd Field's Screenplay and Dr. Linda Seger's Writing Subtext. Plus a highlighter, sticky notes and pencil.
My goal: dissect the screenplay. See where it follows conventions, mark areas that I really admire and note why, and look at how it flows, how it handles transitions, creates set pieces, and establishes characters.
I've read the shooting script before, but one thing I've learned from my mfa program, (even though it isn't in screenwriting), is to dissect other writer's work.

When I finished picking War of The Worlds apart. I sat in front of my TV with my notebook and marked up copy of the shooting script, and popped in my DVD of the movie. I need to know how what the writer wrote was conveyed on the screen.

I plan to do the same thing with The King's Speech next week.

This will make me a better screenwriter.
A caveat to new screenwriters. A shooting script is not the same as a spec script.
Shooting script is what they use to actually make the movie.
Spec script is what you sell. It doesn't contain camera directions or anything that could be construed as you telling the director what to do.