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'Bridesmaids' -- Chalk One Up for the Girls

June, 03, 2011 4:47 pm | On #Bridesmaids, Movies

Just when I was about to rant about my frustration at being a female writer in Los Angeles … "Bridesmaids" comes out. And not only does it do tremendous business, it does way better than anyone had expected. Chalk one up for the girls. Yay! I feel like I’m keeping score. And until the last couple of weeks the score was looking pretty dismal for the girls.

A couple of months ago I’d received the Black List, (an insider's list of scripts read in agencies and production companies which weren’t made in that year but got great coverage.) Among the 74 scripts I’d received, only seven were women writers. Ouch.

As well, I received the Film Society list of movies for the month of April playing at the Guild Theatre, and there wasn’t one single movie written by a woman. I was beginning to have serious concerns for...

The Art and Zen of Hollywood Meetings

September, 02, 2010 5:19 pm | On #Deal Central, meetings, pitch meetings, Sharon Soboil

Because of the social nature of the entertainment business, meetings are essential. These meetings are happening everywhere in L.A. every day… in offices, restaurants, bars, they are on the phone, conferenced in, on Skype, even hiking in one of the canyons!

There’s the “Meet and greet," the “I need you," the “You need me,” the “Interest in your project," the “Interest in you, but not your project,” the new… manager, agent, attorney, the newly attached producer, director, actor, the pitches to development execs, studios and networks, and… lest we forget, getting your soul fed by meeting with your fellow artists.

For each...

I Will Not Write Your F---ing Script

July, 25, 2010 11:55 pm | On #Movies, Sharon Soboil

A while ago I read Josh Olson’s article in the Village Voice blog, entitled “I Will Not Read Your F---ing Script.” After chuckling through his op-ed piece, I read each of the comments posted. Some understood his position, others thought he was arrogant and too high on himself. What it stirred up for me in reading it was not so much that I don’t want to read your f---ing script, but rather that I don’t want to write your f---ing script.

I have been a professional freelance writer in L.A. for years. I’ve traveled to France, England and India for projects. I have optioned, sold, done rewrites and ghost written on films and television scripts. I’m not saying I’m winning the Academy Award this year (not that it’s not a dream), but I’m a writer in the trenches.

I was recently approached to co-...

Ear on the Oscars

Description

Sharon Soboil is a freelance writer in L.A. Her assignments have led her to France, England and India. She currently has a project over at ABC Family. Her script "Of Corset's Mine" was a finalist in the 2009 Dreamago International Screenplay Competition.

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Latest Posts

'Bridesmaids' -- Chalk One Up for the Girls

The Art and Zen of Hollywood Meetings

I Will Not Write Your F---ing Script