So very thrilled to announce that Klugula Screenplay Consulting will be an Official Sponsor for the 10th anniversary season of FilmQuest! Artwork shown will be on the postcards distributed @ the festival (in just over three weeks). KSC will be offering up prize packages for some of the writing winners! Michael Klug has been involved with FilmQuest in some capacity, since their second year. Stay tuned for more info!
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![]() Celebrating 4 years of Klugula Screenplay Consulting! And there are 4 TASTE TEST FREEBIES up for grabs! They're available until our actual anniversary date, 6.13.23., so grab 'em now! The first 10 pages of your feature script will get the usual notes/feedback/editing -- to include character development, plotting and more! ![]() "I consider myself a storyteller not a filmmaker. However, I tell my stories through film and I get overwhelmed with the process of converting my stories into an industry-standard screenplay structure. I can write dialogue and direction, but when I work with a crew and actors I do not know personally, I’ve always felt like an outsider because my screenplays are not in a standard format. I have many friends who are also writers and we share each other’s work for feedback. It is too much to ask them to correct my spelling, grammar and my self-taught screenplay structure issues. So after reaching out to fellow filmmakers about my situation, Michael Klug’s name came up several times. Michael’s service was exactly what I was looking for. He is able to easily correct my script structure issues and further, when he gives me his page-by-page analysis, he explains those corrections. I find that both helpful and informative. Many people in this field promise to give page-by-page feedback but still leave you wondering where to go next. Michael explains everything you may want to change and why. At the end of the process, I had the confidence to send my screenplay out to people I do not know personally. That has been a huge boost for my professional filmmaking goals. I have always been confident in my story-telling, character development and world building. The anxiety about my scripts being passed over because I did not format them properly and therefore they were not taken seriously, was resolved after one session with Michael. That has been a game changer for me. I’m extremely grateful to Michael Klug and his wonderful service." ~ Anthony Ferraro, Writer/Director Thanks for taking a shot on KSC for your script needs, Anthony! ![]() To have a seasoned and award-winning writer (with fifteen features under his belt) giving notes on your screenplay would be reason enough to hire Michael as a script consultant. But working with him goes so much further than that. His experience as a film critic, his genuine love for movies, as well as an incredible talent and work ethic, make his input and feedback invaluable. Sure, he will find errors, whether egregious or subtle and offer creative solutions. But beyond this, his ideas and insights elevate even the polished screenplay (the would be "final draft"), finding moments which will heighten drama, ways to further develop already intriguing characters, and little nuances that will separate your script from the stack. And he does all of this with a delicate brush, allowing the writer to maintain their own identity and creative vision. Daniel Alexander | Actor & Screenwriter ![]() As an actor who took up screenwriting (in part out of necessity), Michael's incredibly insightful notes have helped me see that I do have potential to excel in this lane of the entertainment business, while still having much to learn. Michael is a genuine person who loves cinema and that's the kind of person you want delving into the precious world you have created. He is firm, but fair, and wants only the best for your script. He provides straightforward, thorough, and thought-provoking critiques. His encouragement is as helpful as his dissection of every page, beat, and theme. To my delight (and possibly to Michael's dismay), I will return many times over for his expertise. I strongly implore anyone in need of a fresh pair of eyes and an open and honest mind to review their work - to Klugula Screenplay Consulting you must go! Candis Phlegm: Actor / Screenwriter ![]() I'm always so grateful to folks who have used my services -- when they take a moment to pen a "wee testimonial" (thank you to Jurassic Park's John Hammond)... and today's kindness is no exception! Thank you to Ms. Katherine LaVictoire -- for trusting me with your script and letting KSC be a part of your screenwriting journey. And with no further delay, here are her very kind words: "Wow, what a resource! If you’re looking for detailed, helpful, honest (but supportive!) feedback for your screenplay, this is it. I’m still pretty new at this, and made a lot of formatting mistakes on my first feature screenplay, and Michael keyed in very quickly to what parts I was not understanding. He was able to explain what I was doing wrong and point out enough examples throughout the script that I actually learned the lesson! He taught me! Even though I can now write a flawless script (j/k, he’s not a wizard), I would be a fool to not use his services when I get to the top of the next screenwriting mountain. Formatting/general copywriting aside, he was able to make suggestions that strengthened my story, and which clarified and deepened my character choices. He expertly excavates a thousand tiny details to improve both the story and the way the screenplay itself will read. His perspective is communicated in an honest but gentle way that made me excited to tackle these incredibly productive re-writes. I cannot recommend Michael highly enough." Please join me and these other amazing folks, to discuss "What Makes a Great Horror Film?" It's a virtual event, part of the We Make Movies Int'l Film Festival this week.
Below is a link with all of the details. It's FREE and open to the public! https://www.wmmintlfilmfest.com/2021program ![]() Way back when I was still in college, majoring in theatre, focusing on acting, a lesson brought up by one of my professors -- when prepping for the audition circuit -- was how best to attach your paper acting resume, to your 8x10 headshot. Do you glue it? Print the text directly onto the back of the photo? Use a paper-clip? Or do you staple it? Well, the discussion revolved around the idea that no matter how you did it, it was going to displease someone. Print it on the back and the casting person would have to flip it back and forth. Paper-clip it and the two items could eventually get separated. Staple it, and the casting person might poke their finger on an askew staple edge -- thus leaving a bad taste in their mouth about you as an actor -- regardless of your award-worthy audition. In other words, it's all subjective. Any number of issues out of your control could result in a "bad audition", at least from the casting person's perspective. And I was thinking of this lengthy anecdote when it comes to screenwriting. I'm all about the details -- certainly good for you as potential clients of Klugula Screenplay Consulting. But I believe that any screenwriter should be detail-oriented. I've found that when reading scripts (not ones which I've been hired to edit/analyze) with a lot of grammatical errors, typos or misspellings -- that such mistakes are unforgiveable. If you consider the piece "done" and send it out, with potential glaring problems (which are easy fixes) -- then you're sending it out with a "sharp-edged staple". Look, any potential financiers, contest readers or producers, will have a subjective reaction to your characters, their journeys and your plot. And your writing style. But if you are improperly formatted, with an onslaught of typos or other technical problems in your writing -- you're already handicapping your chances. You're inviting criticism and rejection, even if your high-concept story is Oscar-worthy. As part of my business, typos and the like, stick out like a sore thumb. I can't NOT see them. And I've got to assume that most readers are also going to be painfully aware of such mistakes. Yes, typos are possible, even for me -- but one teeny-tiny incorrect punctuation mark (while ultimately unacceptable) happens to the best of us, even on scripts which have already left our hands. And while those casting directors might have problems with the staple/paper-clip/glue choices you've made for that resume, you've done your best -- sending out your acting marketing materials with the best intentions, knowing that again -- it's now beyond your control. So before you send out your scripts to the "powers-that-be", do everything within your power to make it great. Why give anyone reading your work, an excuse as seemingly paltry or inconsequential (they're not) as an extra "c" in necessary? Let their choice to accept or reject your piece be based on things of substance. Speaking again from my personal experience while reading scripts -- there's a sort of "awww, that's too bad" reaction when I see too many easily-corrected technical gaffes. Perhaps it shouldn't, but when I see so many (not just one, which suggests an actual typo -- but a lack of attention to detail overall), I start to shut down. Yes, there are exceptions to every rule. Sometimes the script and story and characters are so darned engaging, that I begin to care less about consistent technical mistakes. Obviously, such a stance is not the case when I take on your script in a client/consultant relationship -- only an example of me as a casual reader. Bottom line, if you're not hiring someone to catch all of these mistakes, then you need to be the very best you can be on your work, before submitting it. Staples are open to interpretation, but being overly-conscious about the finer details in your script, is not. Don't like my story? Don't care for my main character? Fine. Hey, reader! You're not reading past page ten on my script because there are too many technical issues? Certainly possible, and who can blame them? Why short-change yourself? ![]() So thrilled to have been a guest on Over & Under: Artists Exposed, with Chaz Campbell Evans. We discussed film in general, film criticism and took a deep dive into the screenwriting craft. A great conversation. I hope you'll take a listen! Thanks for the opportunity, Chaz! :) |
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