I don't understand.

the first person i informed that i have a screenplay gave me a strict warning, "My dear, don't show that script to anyone, or else they would steal your story and you won't be able to do anything about it. these producers are all criminals. safeguard your script, keep it."

and i got that same response from virtually everybody i talked to.

so how do i get this story to the big screens, how do i get people to see the 'stuff' i've got, and how do i get paid?

a big problem.

Get the same stuff over and over again. But then the first few fellow screenwriters that read my screenplays had lots of corrections to give. And I've got five finished screenplays and so many ideas for new screenplays. So why not throw one or two around.

If your work gets stolen, at least it means you're good.

thanks bro.

am making serious effort. i've spoken to Sola Fosudo, on fone, but he told me to take me script to hell or idumota market! i once respected that man but know i hate his gut.
and i've spoken to some yoruba film producers, but they were not encouraging.

now am looking for how to get in touch with Kunle Afolayan.
or even any producer at all.

Just try to get enough producers to see your screenplay. I most times feel our screenwriting and story part of Nollywood is ten years behind the industry itself.

too true.

is there anyway we can hook up? lets talk. cos am getting to the threshold of frustration.
a chit chat might work the magic.

By hook up, guess you're talking about meeting in person right? No wahala.

Just know that for me, screenwriting's just for fun. But try to get my screenplays noticed when an opportunity comes up.

Means you're based in Lagos. What part of Lagos? Are you male or female?

Will send you about twenty pages of one of my screenplays and hope to read at least ten pages of yours. Then would also wanna know what kinda films you like. Genres, actors actresses, directors, screenwriters and all. Just a little chit-chat to get more acquainted.

OK, now for the record: name’s Okiemute Jude Imereti. 22. From Delta State. Reside inside Ketu, Ijanikin, along Badagry expressway.

I was a consolation prize winner in the IFPRI International Youth Writing Contest, 2007.

In 2008 I submitted poems to the International Open Amateur Poetry Competition and two of my entries made it to ‘Poem of the Day’.

finished my secondary education in 2005, I’m not in any higher institution ‘cos of financial reasons.

I'm a gentle dude. Quite shy. Full of imagination. somehow emotional. Understanding. Not demanding. Doesn't pretend. Sympathetic. Good sense of humor. A bookworm. Computer literate. Easily influenced by kindness. Appreciative. Very honest.

What else?

I’m a brilliant writer. What I was born to be. Writing is what I do everyday.

i like crime/espionage flicks. and that's what am kinda into.

i don't know if there's any actor better than Johny Depp or Will Smith. do you?

The man who directed Terminator and Titanic is the best director money can buy.

90% of nollywood films i watch are crabs. so i've stopped watching.

and on a mission: to pump Nollywood with more than enough jaw-droppin screenplays.


check this out.

camera rolling,

ACTION!

SCENE 32

Harrison and Tony at the highway, waving at cars to stop but none was stopping. Harrison had the small backpack that contain the rifle, while Tony had with him a toy gun and another backpack.

Then a Toyota Camry stopped a couple of yards from where they were standing. Sandra, Harrison’s ex-girlfriend was behind the wheel.

They jogged to the car and Tony flashed his gun –

Tony: Get tha Bleep down –

Harrison: Oh damn! Sandra?!

Sandra: (shocked) Harrison? Tony? What’s happening? You guys are trying to rob me?

Harrison: No, not really. Open the door please, let’s get in.

(She did, they got in, Harrison at the front seat, Tony at the back and Sandra drove away)

Sandra: Harrison! I can’t believe this. I just cannot believe this. Or am I dreaming?

Harrison: Sandra, it’s a long story and I know you don’t like long stories.

Sandra: This is no long story, this is clean clear robbery! You guys were trying to rob me! I just can’t believe –

Harrison: I will explain everything later. Now please lissen up.

Sandra: What?!

Harrison: Just keep driving, when I ask you to stop, stop.

Sandra: Then what?

Harrison: Tony and I would come down, three minutes later we would join you back in the car.

Tony: And you will zoom off, fast, as fast as a shooting star.

(And Sandra suddenly swerved to the side of the road, and stopped.)

Sandra: I want the both of you to get out of my car, now!

Harrison: Sandra –

Sandra: GET OUT OF MY CAR NOW!

Harrison: Sandra –

Sandra: RIGHT NOW!

Tony: Please calm down.

Sandra: You are going for a robbery. I would not be an accomplice.

Harrison: Sandra, chill.

Tony: It’s not what you think. My mother is dying.

Sandra: You are about to commit a crime and you want me to be a part of it? What makes you feel I won’t report you guys to the police?

Harrison: You are not going to be part of anything. Just start the car and get back on the road. Please.

Tony: (getting angry) Time is running out, start the damn car!

Sandra: YOU GUYS SHOULD GET THE HELL OUT OF MY DAMN CAR!

Harrison: (unzipped the backpack and brought out the rifle) Start the car.

Sandra: What are you going to do, Harrison? You are going to shoot me? YOU ARE GOING TO FRIGGING SHOOT ME?!

Harrison: (pointed the rifle at her forehead) Don’t make me do this.

Sandra: What are you going to do? Kill me? Go ahead, pull the trigger, do it. DO IT!

(Harrison shifted the gun from Sandra’s head and fired immediately. The bullet struck an abandoned jalopy that was parked on the other side of the road.

Sandra was so shocked that she almost fainted.

Harrison glanced at Tony and nodded, it works, he said silently.)

Sandra: Oh my God! Harrison! You! You almost killed me! You almost killed me for nothing! (and she began to weep)

Harrison: Let’s get moving.

(Sandra started the car and they got back on the road.)

Johnny Depp, Will Smith and James Cameron is quite impressive.

Jay, 27, stay in Lekki. Like I said before, enjoy writing like you already know.

Kinda more into the whole slow little-action character-driven psychological-probing stories. Guess most guys who enjoy your kinda story think my kinda stories are 'actionless'.

Usually do most internet stuff on bb so can't really send a well-formatted now. Will send it tomorrow from a computer.

Don't know where Ketu is, but we'll have to work something out.

In regards to your screenplay, always write actions in present tense, okay?

wassssup bro?

u stay in lekki; highbrow. big boi. weel, Ketu (humble neighborhood) is in the outskirt of Lagos.

u u're into little-action, character-driven, psychological-probing stories? i have them too. yeah, no shit.
and i also have a complete novel (a first-of-it's-kind, a novel that rhymes from beginning to end). waiting 4 a publisher. and am also into music. hav recorded 3 tracks. (if u post ur email add i'll send u one of d songs)
call me a jack of all trades.
am just waiting to be discovered. just waiting for the opportunity to open so i'd dive in. just waitin for movie producers, publishers, record labels. anyone that comes first.


here's a short excerpt from my debut novel.


My parents have been married for over twenty years and if you ask them the secret behind their marital success, they would tell you bear, forebear and use your sixth sense. They will tell you marriage is an investment that pays you dividends if you pay interest.

Ask me and I will tell you marriage is bondage. It’s a strange institution that can make you feel like you are caged, like you are a hostage, like you are under siege. No wonder when you utter the word marriage many young folks I know will tell you it’s totally out of their range.



“I don’t understand. What’s this all about? What are you doing in my house? What’s up with those dead flowers? What’s this all about?! Where exactly are you driving at?”

“Curiosity killed the cat.”

“What do you want, you frigging tart?!”

“Let’s see… I’d say tit for tat.”

“Tit for tat?”

“Something like that.”

“Out!”

“Am reluctant to do that right off the bat.”

“OUT!!”

“Must you shout?”

“GET THE HELL OUT!!!”

She stood up and put on a supersize eyeglass, “Your husband may look like the cat’s whiskers but the fact is that he’s actually a green snake under the green grass. He’s what the Americans would call a punkass. My name is Constance. Some years back your husband broke my heart, to the max… do the math.” And she walked out.




I was boiling, my eyes were now fiery, I began hitting the mirror continuously, until it shattered completely. My hands were bloody and hurting me. My head was aching. I opened the door to find Nick standing there with a glass cup which he promptly presented to me, “Take honey, it’s chilled, drink it.”

I took the glass, threw the content – water – at him and slammed the glass on his head fiercely.

“Damn it!” he drew me back as I spin on my heels. “Maggie, you need to calm down and lissen to me! If you don’t learn how to control you anger you will continue to remain angry! Lissen to me before you do something stupid!”
The two dirty slaps I dispatched him reddened his left cheek. Hell hath no fury.

I turned to move but he stopped me, “I can see you are now morphing into a lunatic! But am begging, don’t go all crazy on me. Forgive! Please Maggie, forgive me. We can still be happy, like we were at the beginning. WE CAN BE HAPPY!”

“WE CAN’T BE!!!”

Then I gave him another dirty slap.

“No Mag –”

And another. This one was louder.

“I can under –”

And another. “You can’t continue to get away with murder!”




“Nick, you need to hear this. I want to quit. This time around I really mean it. Not because of last night’s battle of wit turned into a battle of fist. I just want to break free from this captivity.”

“Well, feel free. You are absolutely free to break free. It’s a free country.” One often see his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it, I chipped in mentally.

I watched as she walked away disconsolately.

Of course that wasn’t what I wanted to say to my Maggie. I didn’t want her to break free. I need her to stand by me. I wiped sweat off my brow and walked into the house disconsolately.

“Maggie, of course, what I said outside wasn’t what I wanted to say at all. I wanted to say I’m sorry to the core, ask pardon for all what I’ve done wrong. I wanted to say we are in love, we can still turn each other on, we can still make our marriage work. I wanted to say I’ll give in my best shot. I wanted to plead with you for all it’s worth.”

“It hurt to know you are not – and would never be – a man of your words. You are supposed to be someone I can trust!”

“I wanted to say I’m well aware of my faults, and am making serious efforts –”

“A leopard cannot change its spot.”

“Maggie, all hope is not lost.”

“I take that with a pinch of salt.”

“Remember, it’s for better, for worse.”

“Allow a man to get away with something bad and he will come back and get away with something worse.” Her
frown was A+. “And when worst come to worst? What is the last resort? Divorce. True or false? True of course.”



Love is not about finding the perfect person, it’s about finding the imperfect person and loving him or her perfectly, correct? Yes. Maggie was imperfect, Nick was imperfect, but the love they had for each other was perfect. Perfect? How come they ended up in a fat mess?

No go over hype me like Hangover 2 oh. I just happen to be living there. Not a big boy. Just an average struggling writer. Still jump into green buses, yellow buses and BRTs like most Lagosians do.

You didn't write your email. Wanna email the screenplay tomorrow.

Songs too. You must be a well-rounded artist then. Rap? Sing? Rock, lol?

Always watch your tenses. That's one of the biggest issues with prose. Just keep doing your thing man. So the email.

ATTENTION EVERYONE!
if you are looking for the next best thing in the Nigerian literary field, bro, here's my email - izecream1@gmail.com

also if you want to see the rapper that's as bad as Mode 9 and MI put together, hit that email too.

and (don't laugh) i have a Rock song too, no kidding.

i admit, i do have problem with my tenses. but isn't that the work of an editor, to help the writer with his/her tenses and any other grammatical errors?

Rumor has it that every tom, dick or harry in Lekki are living on the high side. so i don't believe you're jumpin bus. don't blame me, you know how men lie.

U write scripts, have u tried prose? or poetry?

Naija have so many talents. so many brilliant young fellows. and they are just wasting. sometimes regret being a nigerian.

Umm...is this thread still relevant?