Friend and fellow filmmaker Robert Long II has just started a Web site for indie filmmakers called smashortrashindiefilmmaking.com. He’s just starting out, but plans to have interviews with other filmmakers, articles, resources, reviews, and lots more. He’s already posted an in-depth interview with filmmaker Don Glüt. Check it out.

Two out of three ain’t bad.

I was elated when I heard I placed in Red Inkworks. It takes a lot of work to write a feature-length screenplay, and I can’t think of a better way to gage one’s writing ability than becoming a finalist in a contest (other than an option deal, I guess). Plus, the feedback they offered was excellent.

And today Screenplay Festival announced their semi-finalists, and there I was in the Horror/Thriller category. Boy, that felt good. Of course there are about fifty screenplays in each genre, so the competition is pretty stiff, but I’m hopeful.

My plan is to enter one more contest with this script before possibly starting to query production companies and/or agents. Placing in two out of three contests has given me some confidence, and I feel the changes I’ve been making to the script have greatly improved it. So it seems the time is approaching (after the strike, of course) when I need to get out there and build some interest. I do, however, plan to research the dos and don’ts of querying before navigating those treacherous waters.

By the way, the final contest I plan to enter is the Bluecat Screenplay Competition. Its early deadline is Jan 1, and I should be finished tweaking by then. Bluecat is not only high profile, it offers coverage to all entrants, and a hefty cash prize.

Three out of four would be awesome!

WGA horror writers chime in with a genre-themed video about the strike. It’s cute, and you get to see who wrote some of your favorite horror flicks.

Here’s another great video about the WGA strike. This one was created by writers of the Daily Show. It’s hilarious! And there’s a special guest near the end.

I have no stake in the outcome of the WGA strike, other than as a viewer of course. But this video does make a strong case for the writers.

I have to admit, when I first heard the MPAA would give an ‘R’ rating to a movie they felt glorified smoking, I was annoyed. What’s next? NC-17 for French kissing?

But Craig Mazin over at The Artful Writer has a really compelling argument for why it’s a good idea. Take a look.

And don’t forget to check out the comments. There are a lot of them, covering the full spectrum of viewpoints.