Rumors are swirling that Shane Black has either penned a script or treatment for Lethal Weapon 5, and handed it in to producer Joel Silver. After the bogus Silver-Plastic Man rumors, I don’t know whether to believe it or not, but it sure is an interesting bit of gossip. I mean, how the hell would you resurrect the series? Especially with all that’s happened to Mel Gibson in the past decade (Lethal Weapon 4 came out in 1998). I’m a Black fan, so here’s hoping he can pull it off if they move forward. Might as well let him direct, too, after Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Still, sometimes I just get depressed. Is Hollywood really completely bankrupt when it comes to original concepts?

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Music is a great place to search for inspiration for potential stories. Just tonight, a song was actually the spark for an idea that could very well become my next short or spec script. Yes, the idea is that flexible. This isn’t the first time a song has given me inspiration either. My short film Ember Like December is inspired by The Bravery’s “Tyrant” and The Cult’s “She Sells Sanctuary,” among other things. Often, a song is just a good place to begin, like a starting block for a sprinter. Hey, gotta get myself in the Olympic mood.

Spend some time listening closely to the songs you love, songs that resonate with you deeply. Not only will you come up with some cool story concepts, but you more than likely will also come up with stories that mean something to you, stories that say something profound.

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Lindsay Lohan’s 14-year-old little sis, Ali Lohan, accidentally auditioned for porn director Peter Davy recently. I’m sorry, but I just find this hilarious. From Stuff:

The singer - who is keen to follow in her older sibling’s footsteps by breaking into the acting industry - was followed by cameras for her reality show Living Lohan as she went to try out for a part in horror movie Trolls, but was unaware of the director’s porn connections…

Peter is most famous for directing erotic films including Voodoo Lust and Dreams in the Forbidden Zone.

Maybe this just reminds me of a funnier version of Zack and Miri Make a Porno (and I’m speculating that Kevin Smith’s cold streak will continue). Lindsay Lohan simultaneously gets in serious legal trouble and herself blacklisted in Hollywood. Also bankrupt, she desperately needs money for bail and legal fees. Since her entire family is also blacklisted from Hollywood, her little sister, Ali, has to stoop to appearing in a porn film to rescue her. OK, I’ve totally changed what really happened, but sometimes that’s how stories are born.

Yes, I have a sick sense of humor. I said it, and I feel better. Anyway, pay attention to the news, especially the quirky stuff. There are some great ideas out there that just need some tinkering.

I watched Brick, one of my favorite flicks from the past five years, last night. Like in any good detective or noir story, there’s a considerable amount of following people around, or tailing, involved. That got me thinking–has anybody ever followed me around before? Have I ever been tailed? Kind of gave me the chills.

Once in awhile I’ll post story starters–questions, statements and thoughts devised to help my fellow screenwriters out there brainstorm and concoct story ideas. I felt like this was a fantastic one to kick the series off with.

So, think it over…have you ever been tailed? Or in script speak, who’s looking at you, kid?

Recently, First Showing had its The Dark Knight sequel idea contest. Since I had just done a post on where TDK should go next, I edited it down to less than 500 words (497, so barely) and entered. It didn’t win, but I feel like it’s still worth posting. Judging anything is subjective, so you might enjoy it. Definitely head over there and check out the winners, too–good stuff. Oh, also, I’m going to be hosting a similar contest soon, with the winner getting a new Blu-Ray DVD. One clue: it’s not a Batman contest. Make sure to come back and check out the contest next week.

My TDK sequel mock treatment is after the jump:

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Cynthia Whitcomb–author, screenwriter and the first lecturer I ever saw speak on the topic–gave me the first bit of screenwriting advice I ever received at the Sante Fe Screenwriting Conference. Her advice: watch a movie everyday. EVERYDAY. She says that’s pretty much what it takes to learn film frontwards and backwards. This is also how Quentin Tarantino picked up the trade.

I agree. I probably have averaged a movie a day since that time, and my understanding of film now blows away what I knew then (going to film school also helped, at least I hope considering what I paid). When you digest film on a daily basis, you get to the point where cinematic storytelling almost becomes instinctive. It’s not just the good movies either–bad movies can teach you just as much. That way you can learn from other’s mistakes, not just your own.

For this to work, you not only have to be a film sponge–you must also pay close attention. Watch the clock on your DVD player and make a mental checklist of what is happening when. Take notes. Reverse engineer films after watching them the right way. Have discussion groups with your cinephile friends, or just talk about film over coffee with whoever will listen. Decide what works, and what doesn’t. Digest film, but like a good meal you actually want to taste, take your time with it and digest it right.

You also have to read plenty of scripts, but I think watching film is every bit as important.

After the jump are four great sites that will help you digest as much film as possible:

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Yep, screenwriter Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) is coming back to Austin. Black will appear at this year’s Austin Film Festival, where he has been a panel staple in the past. I don’t know about everybody else, but Black is one of my favorite reads. I actually enjoy the leeway he takes in his scripts, and think his shit is ridiculously engaging, not to mention just plain ol’ fun. I have definitely borrowed a few tricks from Black, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Since I’ve never seen him speak before, somehow, I will definitely be there this time around. Definitely.

Another blog I frequent, The Unknown Screenwriter, recently came out with an awesome list of sound words, or Onomatopoeias. Very useful.

The spec screenplay I’m writing right now is an action/fantasy flick, and I want it to have that comic book feel. That being said, I’ve been using quite a few sound effect words. I’ve had a few people look at it, and they seem to think it’s a great fit.

This probably won’t work for every script, but for something like I’m doing it’s perfect. And you can use onomatopoeias different ways. You can go all serious, Bourne series-style. You can go campy, 1960’s Batman-style? Or somehwere in between, which is probably closest to the approach I’m using. Correctly done, this method can really add oomph to an action scene.

As a screenwriter, these are not the kind of reviews you want to read about your work. From Rotten Tomatoes:

Hollywood could learn from the Mummy series: better to leave it buried. - Christy Lemire

The movie feels like the direct-to-dvd version of The Mummy, complete with cheesy, already-done CG effects, and best of all, not a single actual mummy in the entire movie. - David Poland

Writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar treat the audience as a simple cat with a small brain - stupid enough that a ball of yard will amuse them for hours. - Brad Miska

Makes the first two Mummy films seem like The Godfather I and II.- Nick Schager

Ouch. Might want to put an icepack on your assholes there, fellas. Then again, I’m sure they got paid handsomely for their work, and are doing pretty well career-wise. I’m also not even sure William Goldman himself could have made something out of this third installment of The Mummy, especially with the whole China angle. Speaking of Goldman, sequels like The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, and not The Dark Knight, were why he called them whore’s movies in the first place.

I get migraines. Pretty bad ones. Typically, I get them when I get extremely run down. Monday night was one of those occasions. It actually lasted all day Tuesday as well. So, I unplugged for a day and re-visited my keys to maintaining health despite sitting at the computer all day, sometimes all night as well.

1. Unplug - Every once in awhile. Once a week. Once every ten days. Once every two weeks. Have a day where you check your e-mail a couple times real quick, maybe the news, and that’s it. Limit your time to 30 minutes or so max. Give your eyes, head and body a break.

2. Hydrate - Drink 8-10 cups of good water a day. Get a Brita pitcher. They work extremely well and are easy to both use and maintain. Those of us who work from home can piss as much as we want. There is no excuse for poor hydration. This and this alone will make a huge difference in your life.

3. Stretch - Get up from your computer once every hour or so and take a five-minute break and stretch. At the very least, try to stretch once a day and definitely take breaks from sitting at your computer.

4. Vitamins - A good multi-vitamin, not the crap you buy at Wal-Mart, is key. If you really want to overachieve in this department roll with extra Vitamin C and D as well. C will keep you from getting sick and D deficiency has recently been revealed as a major issue. Writers who don’t get a lot of sun could easily be Vitamin D deficient. After all, most of us are fucking vampires.

5. Sleep - If you don’t average at least close to seven hours a night, you will kill yourself. I’ve found that when I sleep better it takes less time for me to do better writing.

6. Decaf - I used to drink 10-plus cups of black coffee a day easy. Now I drink zero. Not saying you have to go to that extreme, but I was a slave to the java and it was bad news. You shouldn’t rely on coffee to keep your eyes open. Give you some pep? Sure. Keep you upright? No.

7. Nutrition - Get enough protein. Eat something green once a day. It’s not rocket science.

8. Exercise - Even if it’s just 3-4 times a week at 20 minutes a pop on the elliptical, or 30-minute walks every day. My sleep is a lot worse when I don’t sweat a little, and my body definitely feels worse at my computer desk when I don’t.

9. Posture - Get a good chair. Make sure your monitor is at eye level. Watch your posture elsewhere. Nothing is worse on a writer than a jacked-up body. Even writer’s block is better.

10. Outside - A quick walk gets you some air and sunshine. I walk a little ways to get my mail everyday. Keeps me from feeling like a hermit, and it is good for me. Plus, gas is too damn expensive for us poor people to drive to get our mail.

I hope my tips help!