Gorge

A black comedy by Julia Camara

Logline: A weight loss spokeswoman gets invited to a reunion with her estranged high school friends. The dinner turns into a suicide pact when everyone decides they’re sick of dieting.

Synopsis:

Priscilla used to be an overweight teenager. And so were all her friends. They were all part of a dysfunctional click. Together, they would play eating games and Russian roulette. Today, Priscilla is a successful spokesperson for a weight loss program. When she gets invited to a reunion, she jumps at the opportunity to gloat and show off her new and improved body to her fat childhood friends. Only she hasn’t seen anyone for over a decade, and when she shows up for the party she discovers she’s not the only one who’s lost the weight. As the party progresses, Priscilla is faced with many more challenges as her estranged teenage daughter and her ex-boyfriend show up with surprises of their own, and the crowd decides to eat until they drop. Priscilla will face some tough choices; some may even cause her death.


© 2007 Julia Camara

Radar Cover

Someone else's take on our "Plastic" shot. Great article.

How to keep writing through the holidays

The holidays can be a lot of fun, but also really stressful. How does one stay focused and writing through the never-ending parties, events and shopping? Keep your eyes and ears open. There’s always a funny line of dialogue waiting for you at every corner. These random holiday thoughts should help.

1- Why do people bother making new year’s resolutions? If you really want to change your life, January first is no better or worse than any other time.

2- People get trampled and injured at the big blowout sales. Those usually happen right after they just spent hours with family members they only see once a year at an event where the main activity is eating way too much food? Does this sound crazy to anyone else?

3- This used to be a time of togetherness, joy and wishes of peace on earth. Somehow it became a time of shopping, boozing and road rage.

4- Why do people camp out for days in cold and uncomfortable store parking lots just to buy stuff they’re going to give away?

5- What would Jesus buy?

6- How come Santa has never gone on a diet? Did the metrosexual crazy not affect him? Isn’t it time for a new suit, a haircut and a shave?

6- If the aliens saw us in line for a crazy midnight sale, would they just keep going?

7- Is eating turkey with your mom really worth the countless hours of airport security, jammed freeways and aggravation?

8- Why do we give thanks by stuffing our already overweight faces with more food? What are we giving thanks for, obesity, diabetes, heart disease?

9- Would you allow your kids to sit on a stranger’s lap any other time of the year?

10- How did the birth of Jesus become about crazy spending and sending yourself further into creditcard debt?

Plastic Concept Shot

Tim worked his magic with the photography and post-production.

Happy Thanksgiving

Unrelated to turkey day, but very funny...

In need of a break

I'm working on "Plastic". This is rewrite number four. I kind of looking forward to working on something else, or just not working at all... I have to turn in pages by Thanksgiving. This has been the busiest year for me and I can't wait to relax when my family comes to visit. I usually love this time of year. I'm trying to get in the holiday mood, instead of just rushing to get through it...

I really am in the clear

Yesterday I was sweating bullets. With so many conflicting advices from people as far as my writing and the strike, I didn’t know who to believe. It’s finally cleared up. According to Creative Screenwriting Magazine:

“Does the strike affect every studio in Hollywood?
No, it does not. The WGA is striking against the specific studios that it has signatory agreements with, a complete list of which is available here on the Guild's website. There are still several production companies that operate independent of the WGA, which are often referred to as non-signatory companies.

Can I sell to a non-signatory company?
WGA writers cannot write or sell work during the strike, but non-guild writers can still sell to non-signatory companies, since this violates neither side of the signatory agreements. (THE COMPANY I’M WORKING WITH IS NON-SIGNATORY. They were not listed under the “struck companies” on the WGA list. Check the list here.)

Can I still try to get an agent or a manager during the strike?
Yes, you can. Some reps have even said they'll be using the time they aren't working on deals or contracts to catch up on their reading and submissions. However, others warn that they are focusing even harder on their existing clients to be ready once the strike ends. In short, the challenge will still be attracting someone's attention with good writing.” (I WILL BE FOLLOWING THIS ADVICE!)

I’m relieved. Some say the strike may go on for six months or longer… Just when I was getting my foot in the door.

Plastic News

With my fellow writers working the picket line, I just signed a deal to get “Plastic” made. Again, you won’t see buying a Bentley anytime soon, but I’m one step closer to seeing it being made. One quick rewrite and by Thanksgiving the ball should get really rolling. I guess in this case it’s a perk of being non-union.

Strike

The WGA is officially on strike. Since I’m not yet a member, I don’t know how to feel about it. From what I heard, the last strike in 1988 did more harm then good… So many people think writers are just being greedy but they don’t understand without us, the movie stars would have nothing to say. We do the heavy lifting, they get the credit. I just hope the strike doesn’t go on for too long as I’m on the verge of signing a deal.

When it rains...

It pours. I just optioned my screenplay, "The Tempter". You won't see me buying a Bentley anytime soon, but it's an achievement just the same. : )

Plastic - Semi-Finalist!

Good news delivered to my inbox yesterday.

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Congratulations! Your screenplay has been selected as a semi-finalist for the 2007 ScriptShark Insider competition! This is quite an achievement as this year’s entries have been of the highest caliber we’ve received during our three years of running this contest! First round judges Jake Wagner and Adam Marshall of renowned management company Energy Entertainment have been impressed with the scripts they have read this year.

The finalists for the 2007 ScriptShark Insider Competition will be announced middle/late next month. Should your screenplay graduate to the Finalists ranks, we will send you an email advising you as much. The winning scripts (grand prize, first prize, second prize and runners up) are expected to be announced in mid/late December. Winners will be notified by phone/email, as well as posted on our website.

Once again, thank you for entering the 2007 ScriptShark Insider Competition, and congratulations on a job well done!

Lee Zahavi Jessup
Director, Scriptshark

Only in LA

A few weeks ago I went to the Writers Store in Westwood looking for a few books on legal forms and legal advice for writers. I was in the process of doing contracts with a producer and I just felt like I needed to know more.

I walked up to the register and I tell the very outgoing clerk the books I needed and that I was looking for contracts. He points out the two books I wanted and recommended me a couple more. (I already had them, one was in purse at that very moment)

I started to explain to him that I needed to look at something fairly specific and I just wanted to make sure the books would have the type of contract I needed. I even said: “Who knew you had to become an amateur lawyer to be a screenwriter.” Which I thought was very clever and cute, but did not get the reaction I expected.

And the guy tells me I shouldn’t be doing all this heavy lifting myself and that I should let my agent to the negotiating for me. Haha, I thought. What I said was: “I don’t have an agent. I’m an unproduced writer.” And he looks at me and says: “Me too, but I have an agent and a manager.” Oh, did that hurt… And he says that I really need to send out query letters, call people, network, you know, get an agent first.

I took a deep breath and said I had done all that and most agents and managers wouldn’t read my letters or take my calls. A few had requested a screenplay and politely declined. I finally stumbled upon a producer who was interested in one of my scripts and… here I am, in need of legal information.

The clerk was very animated in enthusiastic, and he insisted I call around and maybe I could find someone to represent me just for this one project. He also suggested I get legal counsel, which I did. It was worth every penny.

As I walked back to my car it hit me that in a city where the bookstore clerk has an agent and manager, yours truly couldn’t get arrested. But instead of going into a deep depression I convinced myself an agent is supposed to get you meetings with producers. Well, I’ve been doing that myself, so I don’t need one right now. Sure I’d love to have one but I’ve been making lemonade with the lemons life’s been giving me for a quite a while. I had to remind myself that filmmaking is 90% problem solving and creative thinking. I’ve done a decent job so far on my own. Agents will come eventually. Like one of my instructors said: “At the end of the day, the only thing you can control is your craft, so keep writing and the deals will come.”

Ugh!

I’m struggling with a script right now. “Here Come the Bridesmaids” is a comedy about the insanity of weddings. I guess it’s what I get for trying to write something completely out of my comfort zone. I usually write thrillers, I’m comfortable with the dark and twisted. Witty, funny and sexy is not really up my alley. (I sound like such a drag!) After several quarters of the UCLA Professional Program where I was supposed to turn in a complete draft after 10 weeks, the fact that I’ve been writing this new script since January makes me crazy. I guess I have to remind myself in the mean time I worked on rewriting other scripts and completed a first draft of another script. I guess it’s not that bad…

A little humor

Writer humor for you.

I'm on fire!

This was in my inbox today.

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Julia, your screenplay "The Tempter" has been selected as a semi-finalist in the 2007 Shriekfest Screenplay competition. The quality of scripts submitted this year was superb. Congratulations on making it this far. The judges are currently in the process of selecting the finalists for the festival. We will be contacting everyone within the next week.

Denise Gossett
Festival Director/Founder

Todd Beeson
Festival Director

From the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

This was in my email inbox today. Just as I was giving kudos to myself someone else decides to do it too!

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As you may know, each year I give recognition to writers whose scripts were just outside the small group that advanced to the Nicholl Quarterfinals. This year, due to time constraints, I was unable to place that note on scripts beyond the next 100 after the quarterfinalists. I apologize for that.

This e-mail is to let you know that your script Plastic placed in the Top 15% of all scripts entered in the 2007 Nicholl Fellowships competition.

What does this mean? Here are the breakdowns:

253 scripts advanced to the Nicholl Quarterfinal Round.
108 scripts including ties were among the next 100 scripts. From script #254-361.
147 scripts including ties were among the top 10%. From script #362-508.
254 scripts including ties were among the top 15%. From script #509-762.
271 scripts including ties were among the top 20%. From script #763-1033.

Best of luck with all of your screenwriting endeavors. May you soon no longer be eligible to enter the Nicholl competition.

Yours,

Greg Beal
Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

Giving Kudos

It’s so easy to concentrate on the things we want. The things we didn’t get. The things we don’t have. Yesterday I had a moment of giving kudos to myself. I’ve wanted to make movies since I was a child. I moved to LA almost a decade ago with the intention to make that dream a reality. It’s been a rocky road that has taken me to some unexpected places. But, overall it has been an incredible journey and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

Yesterday it occurred to me how far I’ve come. How much I’ve done to make my dreams come true. As I made calls to entertainment attorneys to get some advice, it occurred to me that ever needing one was an accomplishment. I guess I have to remind myself that filmmakers are not just the ones whose names we know. There are all levels of filmmakers out there and just because my name is not well known, doesn’t mean a failure. I’m still here. I have fallen and gotten up more times than a lot of people out there. But, most important of all, I have persevered. So, kudos to me!

I’m on YouTube!

For those of you who don’t know yet, I posted my shorts on YouTube. There you will find every short I ever completed. They were all made in different stages of my life so it should give you a broad view of who I really am (hopefully). Thank you for visiting this blog and supporting my art and my craft. Feel free to leave comments here and on YouTube. I need all the feedback I can get.


YouTube.Com/Juliamca

Are my ears bleeding yet?

I’m supposed to be rewriting. Labor day is quickly approaching and all I do is look at the notes I received and try to put scenes together in my head to address them. Even my dry-erase board where I write all my ideas and work out plot problems I blank at the moment. I guess this is what they call writer’s block. I’m even contemplating working out (which I hate and never do) just so I can get myself away from writing. I’ve made tons of jewelry this week. I keep telling myself it will get the writing juices flowing. Who am I kidding? This is the part of the process I hate, the fear, the self-deprecating. Why didn’t I become and accountant? Oh, yeah, I’m very bad with numbers.

Exciting News!

Unfortunately this is going to sound way too vague, but I’m knee deep in a rewrite until Labor Day. There’s some very exciting stuff going on. An actress we all know and love will soon read my screenplay “Plastic”, so for the time being that particular one is off the market. With all the rewriting I’ve been doing lately, it’s fantastic to be doing it for a big actress. Stay tuned for more details when I can actually give some.

Loglines

The following screenplays are available.

“Disfigured” - a thriller

Logline: After suffering a disfiguring accident, a woman discovers she’s the latest victim of a serial attacker.


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"Apparitions" - a supernatural thriller

Logline: A nine-year-old girl is visited by the ghost of her mother and forced into solving her murder.

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"Gorge" - a black comedy

Logline: A weight loss spokeswoman gets invited to a dinner with her estranged high school friends. The party turns into a suicide pact when the crowd decides they’re sick of dieting.

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"Here Come The Bridesmaids" - a comedy

Logline: Three bridesmaids kidnap a "bridezilla" on her wedding day to try and convince her to call it off.


© Julia Camara

Plastic - in Development!

by Julia Camara

A horrific comedy

Logline: A former supermodel is literally transformed into a life size plastic doll and discovers the true cost of perfection.

Synopsis: To CHERYL PEAK, 35, nothing is more important than her looks. She is the face and mind behind the Peak Skin Care System. Exercising is her religion, plastic surgery her addiction. She feels like she’s losing the race against time. Cheryl is also in love with the CHERRY POP DOLL. She’s a variation of a Barbie doll, blonde, skinny and always smiling. Cheryl wishes she could be just like her.

After Cheryl has an allergic reaction and the footage of her swollen face appears on the news, she believes she’s ruined. Her desperation grows as she cries on her husband’s shoulder, SHANE PEAK, 30s, personal trainer of the stars.

In an attempt to save her public image and business, Cheryl visits a plastic surgeon. He refuses to work on her claiming she’s had too many procedures already. Desperate, Cheryl goes see a new cutting edge surgeon. He has no problem working on anybody. Cheryl’s problems soon seem to be over when she consents to the surgery and wakes up several hours later transformed into a LIFE-SIZE CHERRY POP DOLL.

Cheryl is finally happy with her looks. She’s everything she always wanted to be, and soon, she becomes a star. She’s on the cover of the tabloids and on the news as everyone speculates if she’s a publicity stunt or real. She receives an amazing offer from the makers of the Cherry Pop Doll to become their spokesperson.

As Cheryl tries to adapt to her ever-changing new body, Shane’s doubts grow everyday about his wife’s sanity. Cheryl faces a lot of new challenges as her body starts to change even more as when she first had the procedure. As her joints stiffen, her anatomy changes, and her nylon hair melts, Cheryl’s life transforms into a living nightmare.

© 2007 Julia Camara

The Tempter - Optioned!

by Julia Camara

In 2007 “The Tempter” was named a finalist on the 13th cycle of the WriteMovies.Com competition and a semi-finalist in the 2007 Shriekfest Screenplay Competition.



Genre: Thriller

Logline: A psychiatrist makes a risky deal with the Devil to have her dead sister resurrected. She agrees to kill her sister's assassin, but when the Devil reveals who the killer is, she starts to question the deal.

Synopsis: What would you do to have a deceased loved one back? Debra, a skeptical psychiatrist, didn't think she would ever have to answer that question. After the death of her sister, a grieving Debra becomes the perfect target for John, the devil himself. John makes Debra a very unusual offer. To have her sister back, Debra will have to kill the man who murdered her sister. Now, Debra has to decide if having her sister Susan back is worth killing someone. Especially if that someone is Susan's grieving husband, Alex.

John tells Debra she has exactly six days to do so or Susan will die again. As Debra struggles with the idea and logistics of taking a human life, she starts a steamy affair with Jesse, one of her patient's son. While Susan begins having flashbacks of her murder and starts to suspect something unusual has happened to her. Debra tries as hard as she can to keep Susan in the dark about John and the deal. But as Susan's suspicions grow she investigates on her own and ends up talking to the devil herself.

Susan discovers Debra made a deal for her life and she is now determined to stop her sister from killing Alex. Determined to help Debra, Jesse decides to kill Alex for her. Only he doesn't know she has decided against killing Alex. Debra tries to stop Jesse but she is too late. Alex is shot and near dead.

As the end of the sixth day approaches, Debra follows Susan to the cemetery where she is mid-conversation with John. Susan decides to give her life to save Debra's. Unable to stop her, Debra cries over her dead sister and contemplates suicide. Debra manages to fight the temptation of ending her pain and walks away. It looks like she won, but can you ever truly defeat the devil?

© 2006 Julia Camara